Lastly Here are Consolations And although these are of greater concernment in the particular to every Believer because the joy of the Lord is his strength hereby also he walketh thankfully and fruitfully yet let him take heed of being narrow and sparing in using them for others comforts For if thou art a Minister of the Gospel then thy work is not only to convert but to comfort not only to bring out of sinnes but out of fears and dejections Thus the Apostle at the last verse in this Chapter We are helpers of your joy Consider that not only what is acquired by study but what also is inspired by God into thy soul may be of admirable efficacy to others Though Christs Sermons and Parables were like a two-edged sword mightily dividing between true grace and hypocrisie yet Isa 50. 4. he expresseth his Ministry by this to speak a word in season to the weary and this he calleth the tongue of the learned We call it Learning to alledge the Ancients to be full of Greek and Hebrew to empty out the bowels of School-learning yea some are so simple as to account studied words and composed language rare Learning whereas speech is like the Arrow that is not commended for studs of gold or Jewels on it but if it hit the mark Thus that is Oratory which is most proper to effect the end of our speech To make the sinners weep the hard heart to tremble and the sad to be comforted You see it 's the tongue of the learned to do this Doth then God give thee comfort be not thou wanting then to support and comfort the feeble-minded It may be thou art a kind of a spiritual Dives full of consolations and thinkest thou hast store enough laid up for thee both to live and die with take heed lest some poor Lazarus would be glad of thy crums and thou dost not give to him SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of Spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls 2 COR. 1. 4. That we may be able to comfort those that are in any trouble THere remaineth a second Doctrine contained in the final cause why God comforts his people viz. That they may be able to comfort others From whence there is this Observation obvious That those only are able to make fit applications to the souls of others who have had the experimental working of Gods grace upon their own souls That we might be able implying otherwise there would not be that sufficiency and fitnesse in us which ought to be To discover this consider First That there is a two-fold knowledge of divine and spiritual things The one is speculative and meerly Theoretical when we know them yea and it may be give a sound and firm assent to them And such are all those learned men who are very Orthodox and wonderfully able to maintain the truths of Christ against all opposers whatsoever Such as these are God raiseth up many times as eminent Pillars in the Church But because this is not enough to salvavation therefore in the second place there is a saving affectionate practical and experimental knowing of truth whereby we do not only believe such things but by believing we do love and embrace the truths we know We do credendo amare we have a faith which worketh by love Now it must be confessed that the condition of those who are only Orthodox and no more is much to be pittied and lamented To write against Arminians and others about the work of Gods grace in Conversion and yet never experimentally to have this upon their own souls So to treat of Justification and Christ yet not at all to have the saving and sweet operations of these things upon their souls is greatly to be bewailed To be like the builders of Noah's Ark that proved a place of rest and refuge in the time of the deluge for others when they themselves had no advantage by it But it is no wonder that such excellent knowledge and of such admirable lovely use in the Church be not saving while it goeth no further because practice and doing is the end of all Theological knowledge If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13. 17. So that this experimental and practical knowledge of divine things is that which compleateth the former To know Christ so as to have him to know regeneration so as to be born again this is the glory of all knowledge Hence is that Commandement 2 Cor. 13. 5. To examine our selves to try our selves whether we be in the faith and in Christ or no. The latter word signifieth to make an experience or an experimental tryal of grace in us So that if you had a man who could speak like an Oracle in all the points of Divinity who was a very Miracle in respect of learning yet he is but a tinckling cymbal and speaks in the matters of Religion like a Parrot not rightly or fully apprehending of them till he hath inwardly tasted of the sweetnesse of them Secondly This saving experimental knowledge doth differ in its whole kind and is of another nature in a moral consideration from a meer Orthodox or bare speculative knowledge I shall not enter into a large dispute concerning the difference between illumination in a temporary believer although now we are not so much speaking of the habitus fidei as Theologiae which may be in learned knowing men and that which is in a true convert We shall suppose it for a truth from Heb. 6. That those who were inlightned yea and had some experimental workings of which a non yet they had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had not the things that hold fast salvation and therefore the Apostle hoped for better things They therefore so differ that take a man who doth only know divine things by Books by Sermons by reading of Authours and was not at all acquainted wih the Spirits effectual teaching by the Word and let him at last come to have these things set home upon him by an effectual demonstration of Gods Spirit let him know these things as the truth is in Jesus which the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4. and he will then cry out acknowledging that he never knew any thing till then That he was in the dark that he had but a learned kind of folly that he spoke of these things as men do of Countries which they see in Maps only by a general knowledge having never travelled to see the Countries themselves There is such a fuller power accompanying this practical knowledge that the former was but a shadow to this substance Observe many men Do they not read the Scripture Do not they go from Chapter to Chapter But till it be the ingrafted Word in them they have the images and pictures of things not the things themselves In the third place That is not to be called
our knowledg true when it is conformable to the thing it self but then is the thing true when it is conformeable to the knowledg of God So that herein is the Infiniteness and excellency of Truth as it is in God manifested above that which is in man So that man may well respectively to God be called a lyar There is no truth in him Now because truth as it is in God is invisible and the same with his Essence and we are never able to cown to know Truth but by God Hence we have the Scriptures given to the Church as the rule of truth All truth is from God whether it be natural or supernatural When any of the Heathens have found out Truth it was from God even as all fashood is from the Devil so that when the Godly do lye 't is from the Devils temptation the Father of lyes Thus when wicked and ungodly men have uttered truth it hath been of God Now because Supernatural truth could not be discerned but by Divine Revelation and pacefaction Hence it pleased God to make known in his Word What is that truth which will lead us to Salvation So that seing we are not able to behold truth as it is in God we must look upon it as it is in his Word for God is the hidden Truth as it were the Word is the revealed truth Therefore whatsoever is Scripture we may conclude of it as sure and firm Truth coming from the supream truth If then ye ask as Pilate did another way What is truth I answer thee The Scripture is truth No men are true any further than guided by Scripture and led by the Spirit of God accordingly Oh that therefore you did more aw your hearts with the truth of Gods Word If that say sin will be bitter in the latter end though it may bring profit and pleasure for a while believe it against all the wicked men in the world and say I do more believe this Text this Place of Scripture than all which the wickedness of men may oppose against it 3. In that God is true Herein he differeth from man and is thereby opposite to the Prince of darkness He differeth from man Therefore it is said Numb 23. 19. God is not as man that he should lye or Repent To trust in man is to lean upon reads Yea hence it is that because God only is Truth no pastors or Officers in the Church are to be believed any further than they bring the Word of God It was Christ alone God and man that could say I am truth Neither Austin nor Luther nor Calvin can say I am truth Not that therefore the Ministers of God are therefore to be laid aside because they are not infallible For God hath commanded us to hear them and to submit to them only we are not ultimately to depend on them The Church is called the Pillar of truth because she doth declare and hold out the Truth but she is not the Author of it We are then to conclude of all men that of themselves they have no Truth they need the Spirit of God to guide them therein And then hereby is an Opposition in God to the Devil As God is true so the Devil is the Father of Liés John 8. 44. when he speaketh of his own he speaketh a lye Now then consider how inexcusable every wicked man will be For on the one side Christ who is Truth it self he speaketh to the sinner to repent to reforme promising Everlasting Happiness to him Christ saith Thy sinnes have no pleasure no profit in them thou wilt finde them prove a lye to thee On the other side The Devil he tempteth thee contrary to Christ he telleth thee sin is sweet it is good and profitable to sin he biddeth thee follow the lusts of thy soul thou shalt not be damned for all that and now thou believest this Devil this Father of lies rather than Christ Oh how unsufferable is this how great is the Patience of God towards thee What hearken to the Devil before God But even thus Eve did at first she believed the Serpent more than God and thereby brought ruine upon her self and Posterity Oh that we could convince you enough herein that you may see with what madness and folly your sinnes carry you away while you listen to the Father of Lies who is the Adversary of your soules rather than Christ who mourneth over you saying Oh that such a sinner did know the things that maketh for his peace 4. From this truth of God Hence it is that we are so much commanded in Scripture to believe on him to trust in him and to depend upon him which indeed is a quiet and blessed life For what is that maketh thy heart like a Sea What is it that causeth one wave to rise up after another in thy soul Is it not because thou dost not depend upon this truth of God Were thy soul more assured here in the frame of thy spirit would be more joyfull Two Temptations amongst others there are wherein the soul cryeth out as in a Whales belly not knowing what to do◠whereas the confidence of Gods truth would presently satisfie the soul The first is In matters to be believed about the Doctrine that is delivered there For because that is wholly supernatural above our humane reason though not contrary to it hence it is that we have many fluctuations of spirit and our understandings are with difficulty captivated unto the Word of God Though these temptations about the Truths of Christian Religion are not incident to all the Godly and it is a special mercy to be preserved from them yet upon some they have come like a violent storm and therefore there is no way to stand disputing and arguing but to say God is true the Word is true I believe when I cannot dispute as one Martyr said But then a Second temptation which is like a continual thorn in the sides of the Godly is their Diffidence and distrust about the Promises of God They do not live and walk as if they were true So that never did any Heretick more subtilly cavill against the Doctrine of the Scripture than they do argue against the Promises of the Scripture Whether they be such as belong to the Church or to themselves To the Church when they read the Scriptures they finde such glorious and excellent Promises that they exspect she should alwayes have Halcyon dayes that her enemies should alwayes be vanquished but alas they finde experimentally the contrary They cannot see how Gods Words and his Works how his Promises and Providences do concurre together But the reason of this is from themselves They do not take a right way to understand the truth of God in this particular for these three Causes which commonly make the sense to erre about the Object although to speak properly the sense doth not erre but the judgment of a man discerning according to sence for
his Epistle shews it to be of Divine Authority though of it self not a sufficient argument to prove it The Penmen were only Instruments God the principal Authour of the Scriptures and therefore we should rest satisfied with their style and method and not question their Authority How to arme our selves against the Devil and all Hereticks opposing the Divinity of the Scriptures SERM. IV. What an Apostle was Christ in the building of his Church used extraordinary Officers but did not follow the Model of the Jewish Government What were the Properties and Qualifications of an Apostle SERM. V. The Divine Call of Church-officers is clearly to be known and faithfully to be improved What advantages will follow upon a true Call both to the Officers themselves and the People SERM. VI. Of the proper and appellative Names of our Saviour Jesus and Christ In what sense he is Jesus a Saviour and how Christ the anointed of the Lord. SERM. VII Church-officers are appointed by Christ and all Church-power radically seated in him as King What Duties follow thence to be practised by Church-officers and People Some things are highly esteemed in the Church which are much despised by the world SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God SERM. IX Paul's mentioning of Timothy shews That the godly though exalted above others in Office and Gifts yet are humble towards them SERM. X. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the Persons whom God calls and also in the manner of his calling them Education under godly Parents not to be rested upon but our hearts are to be sought into whether they be really changed or no. SERM. XI How much it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion What means may conduce to it Universities and Nurseries of Religion of how great use they are to the Church of Christ SERM. XII Of the Name and Nature of a Church SERM. XIII Concerning the efficient instrumental formal and final cause of a Church SERM. XIV Of the Notes and Signes of a true Church SERM. XV. Why Paul writeth to the Church not the Churches of Corinth What is implied in the Churches being called the Church of God SERM. XVI Of the City of Corinth God sometimes gathers a Church amongst the most prophane people A Church though many wayes defiled may be a Church still as it was with the Corinthians SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners SERM. XVIII The Preheminence of the Church of God above all Civil Societies As likewise concerning Paul's writing this second Epistle to the Corinthians how hard a thing it is for Churches to keep within their proper bounds and what great care Ministers ought to have to use all means lawfull to promote the Churches which they have relation to SERM. XIX Of the Name and Nature of a Church-Saint SERM. XX. External Holiness is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the Heart SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to Church-society and in what cases he may be excused What are the false grounds why some neglect this Duty The soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest SERM. XXII 2 Cor. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ How Grace and Peace and such like spiritual Mercies and Priviledges are to be desired before any temporal Mercies whatsoever SERM. XXIII Of the Name Nature and Preheminence of the Grace of God above all other things SERM. XXIV Who are fit subjects to partake of the Grace of God As likewise Rules and Scripture-characters of the Grace of God by which we may rightly understand and judge of it SERM. XXV Of the Nature of true Gospel-peace and wherein it chiefly consisteth SERM. XXVI A further Discovery of the Nature of true Gospel-peace with the Effects of it and some Directions how to attain it SERM. XXVII Of the Names of God 't is he alone who can give Grace and Peace to his People He is a Father to all Believers even the weakest as well as the strongest SERM. XXVIII Of the Dominion and Lordship of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ SERM. XXIX 2 Cor. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Of the Duty of Thankfulness Blessing and Praising God for all his Mercies SERM. XXX Of Praising God and that for all but especially for spiritual Mercies SERM. XXXI How Christ is the Sonne of God and how the consideration thereof is the foundation of all a Christians comfort SERM. XXXII How God is a mercifull Father the Father of all mercies to his children SERM. XXXIII Of the mulitude variety properties and objects of Gods mercies SERM. XXXIV How God is the God of comfort yea of all comfort and consolations to all those that are his SERM. XXXV Some Propositions clearing the Doctrine of Gods mercy from both Doctrinal and Practical Objections SERM. XXXVI 2 Cor. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we our selves are comforted of God That God not only can but doth actually comfort his People and how he doth it SERM. XXXVII That Believers only are the Subjects of the comforts and consolations of God SERM. XXXVIII How God will comfort his People in all both their spiritual and temporal Afflictions which all the Art of Philosophy can never do SERM. XXXIX What are these Apples which Christ refresheth his Spouse with Or what are those Scripture-grounds of comfort which support the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions SERM. XL. How God may be said to comfort his children in all their tribulations though many of them may live very disconsolate SERM. XLI The works of Gods Spirit upon his People are not only for their good but likewise for the advantage of others SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls SERM. XLIII It is a special Duty incumbent upon every one both Minister and Christian to apply comforts to the Afflicted in a right manner SERM. XLIV That the same grounds of comfort which revive the hearts of one godly man may do the same likewise to another SERM. XLV 2 Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ The true and unfeigned owning of Christ is alwayes accompanied with some sometimes with great Afflictions SERM. XLVI The same Doctrine prosecuted shewing the Object for which Christians are to suffer if they would suffer
of the Church They include and suppose the publick receiving of it by the people yea some do clearly expresse it By this pure and true preaching of the Word we may discern the true Church from Jewes and Pagans as also from Heretical and Idololatrical Societies yet pretending to a Church Fourthly When these Notes especially the former are said to be proper and inseparable to the Church of God You must alwayes remember here is a latitude in the application of these Notes For some Churches may have the Word more soundly preached and the Sacraments more dispensed than another and yet for all that not to be denied to be Churches This Church of Corinth was foully out of order And so most of those Churches in Asia were sharply reproved yet they did not cease to be a Church Yea the Church of Israel had many corruptions both in worship and life yet it was a long while ere God did cast her off So that we must not for some defilements either in the Doctrine Worship or Manners of a Church presently deny her to be a Church and separate from her for this is against Scripture information Yea there is no Church so perfect but needeth some Reformation They may build hay and stubble though they keep the foundation So that he must go out of the world that would live in a Church where nothing is amiss Even that Church of Smyrna the Apostle mentioneth Revel 2. 8. that was as her Name signifying sweet smelling and fragrant like a Garden or bed of Spices yet she was troubled with some who said They were Jews but were not but were of the Synagogue of Satan But of this more when we come to the next Doctrine Fifthly These then being the visible Marks of a visible Church we must not confound them with the properties of the Church invisible The Church of God hath as it were a two-fold Form one Internal and Essential which consists in their Union with Christ and communion with his benefits Now none but those that are truly godly are of the Church in this invisible manner he must be regenerated and graffed into Christ that can have any saving benefit by Christ But then 2. The Church of God hath an External and outward Form which consists in the external profession of faith and observance of Christs Ordinances Now a man may be of the Church in respect of this outward standing though he be not truly godly Therefore Dr Ames said well That it was a false thing which Bellarmine objected to us about the constitution of a Church as if we required internal graces to the making of a man a member of the Church in respect of the visible state of it We read in the New Testament that upon the outward profession of their faith they were baptized and received into the Church though it 's plain all of them had not true internal grace So then when the Question is put Whether may a man that is not truly godly be of the Church or no You must distinguish between the inward form of the Church which is union with Christ the Head and so he is not no more than a wooden leg is a member of the body that is not animated by the soul and the External visible state of it and so he is of the Church till by his obstinacy in wickedness he be cast out as unworthy We must not therefore give those Notes of the Church as visible which belong to it only as invisible viz. Election Vocation and Justification c. Sixthly The Papist to avoid this extream he giveth such Marks of a Church as savour rather of worldly ambition and pride Yea the true Church of God many times is known by the contrary Marks they give amplitude and universality as also temporal felicity Now this is rather a Description of some worldly Monarchy than Gods Church For as for the Churches amplitude though absolutely in it self it may be sometimes numerous yet at other times it hath been brought into a narrow compasse Elijah thought none was left and God speaks of but seven thousand that did not how the knee to Baal which was a very inconsiderable number to the Idolaters Therefore respectively to the wicked of the world even when they are most ample they are but a little flock And as for any glorious felicity though the Church of God hath sometimes had her respite and halcyon dayes yet for the most part a crown of thorns hath been on her head and therefore she is justly called the Militant Church while in this world because of her spiritual conflict with all sorts of enemies So that the Church of Christ may sometimes say as Christ once did The Foxes have their holes and the Birds of the air their nests but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head Thus the Foxes of the world the crafty subtil men have great abundance many times when the Church hath hid her self in the wildernesse And Fowls of the air men of proud and lofty minds have their nests when the Church like Noah's Dove hath not where to set her foot Seventhly I shall not enlarge my self to prove these only to be the proper Notes of the Church only consider that place Act. 2. 41 42. where you have all of them conjoyned together 1. They received the Word gladly There is a solemn profession of it 2. There is the administration of the Sacraments They were baptized and continued in breaking of bread with prayers There is the solemn calling upon God And as an epitomizing of all this it 's said Then were added unto the Church about three thousand souls Thus 1 Tim. 3. 15. the Church is called The pillar and foundation of the truth that is by the Ministeries preservation of it and the peoples submitting unto it Lastly If to this it be objected as Socinians do who hold this way of Notes to find out a Church to be useless and vain That true Doctrine cannot be a sign of the Church because it 's the Form and Essence of it Now that which notifieth the essence of a thing must be distinct from it To this it is answered That the form as it giveth being to a thing so it giveth to distinguish from others Forma dat esse distingui Although we do not say True Doctrine is the Note of a Church but the external preaching and receiving of it that is a Note incurring into our senses Even as Reason though it give a man his rational being yet speaking is the proper and true sign that manifests this So let true Doctrine or a true faith be the soul and life of a Church yet the external profession is the outward Note and Sign of it And if further it be said That every Sect doth claim to it self the pure preaching of the Word and the right administration of Ordinances Therefore these cannot be a sign It 's answered The consequence is denied for true preaching and
writeth to them as if all were Gentiles as Chap. 12. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to dumb Idols c. Hence the same Author saith That it was one Church collected of all the believers in that place Licet esse potuerint in eadem civitate distinctae ut it a dicam parochiae As for the notion of a learned man That the Jewish believers and Gentile believers did make two distinct Churches and had two distinct Bishops which he thinketh would salve some seeming contradictions in Ecclesiastical History that being of an heterogeneous nature to my purpose I passe it by Thus also the Church of Jerusalem is called a Church which yet by many probable Arguments seemeth to be more than one Neither may we think that Christ hath invested one single Congregation ordinarily with all Church power For that president and example of a Councel or Synod mentioned Act. 15. doth inform That there are to be Synods not only by way of advice but by power and that over particular Churches We proceed to the next thing considerable in this description of the Church and that is the efficient Cause the Church of God This distinguisheth the Church from all civil and meer political Assemblies For though the Earth be the Lords and the fulness thereof yet the Church is the Lords in a more peculiar and appropriated manner Sometimes the Church is named absolutely without any addition as when Paul is said to persecute the Church Sometimes it 's restrained to the place Thus the Church of Ephesus the Church of Laodicea but most commonly it is the Church of God or the Church of Christ Sometimes both are put together as 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in Jesus Christ So also 2 Thess 1. 1. And certainly if so be the Apostle considering us meerly as creatures maketh use of and sanctifieth that of the Poet For we are his off-spring how much more is it true of us as members of a Church Observe That a Church is Gods people in a more peculiar and special manner Though he be the God of the world yet in a more special manner he is a God of his Church The consideration of this truth may tend much to our spiritual edification For if we are of God how much should it humble us to see any thing amongst us that is of sin or the Devil Is ignorance or prophaneness of God so are humane superstitions of God But to open this let us consider what is implied in this when a Church is said to be the Church of God First therefore this sheweth That a Church is a supernatural Society it 's spiritual company of men So that a Church is not like a civil Corporation or like Kingdoms and Commonwealths which are by meer humane Institution and agreement though Magistracy it self it be of God but are supernatural and therefore it 's called the Kingdom of Heaven and Jerusalem which is from above so the Church is called Gal. 4. 26. even while it is here on Earth before it is triumphant in Heaven Now the Church is a supernatural Society many wayes in which respect it may be called the Church of God in a more eminent manner For in respect of its Efficient so God alone is the author of it called therefore Ecclesia because God by his Word calls them from their Heathenish Idolatries and practises making of them a Church Thus the people of Corinth when they were securely indulging themselves in all manner of impieties having no thoughts or desires to be a Church God by Paul calls them to be one Even as God by his breath caused the dry bones to gather together and to live or as at the day of Judgment God by the voice of an Arch-angel will raise the dead in the grave who have no life or sense in them Thus it 's the Lord that made Churches every where in the preaching of the Gospel It was the gracious work of God that found us out in Britain and made a Church to himself so that we are loca inaccessa to the grace of God and his Spirit though to humane power It is true indeed God is the God of the world he created Heaven and Earth with all therein yet though God did thus immediately create the world at first we do not say the creatures therein are Gods grace or that they have a supernatural being For it 's not enough to make a thing grace or supernatural that God doth immediately create it but that his power be in a peculiar and extraordinary manner and that for supernatural effects and ends Oh therefore how greatly should we be affected with the grace and power of God in creating to himself a Church out of the world He might have no more made a Church here or there in the Earth then he did in Hell and he that at first planted a curious Garden and put man therein is much more wonderfull in making of a Church to himself yet how bruitish and earthly are we We can bless God for the world and the comforts thereof that the Earth brings forth food for us that we have the Air to breath in the glorious Sunne to be a daily light to us yet we are not thus affected with Church-mercies and Church-ordinances David indeed upon the former consideration cried out Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him c But we may much rather from these supernatural respects Secondly It 's supernatural in respect of the purchase given for them the price paid to make them the Lords For you must know upon Adams fall all mankind was excommunicated unchurched as it were and therefore cast out from Paradise and Gods gracious presence and hence it is that we are said naturally to be without God yea the Devil is said to be the god of the world Thus untill God makes us a Church we are under the power of Satan wholly and therefore to be cast out of the Church is to be delivered to Satan Thus then being fallen off from the Lord and now become the Devils in whom he reigneth we could not be purchased from this thraldom but by the death of Christ and therefore we are called the Church of Christ as well as of God because though conquered by Gods Spirit yet we are bought by his bloud and this the Apostle urgeth That therefore we are none of our own but are to live to him We are to be his peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 15. Thus it cost more to be Gods Church then to be the world at first for he spake and it was made but here Christ died and so it was purchased What a powerfull ingagement is this for all of a Church to walk holily What did Christ die that you should wallow in the filth of your sins What will you deny the Lord that bought you If thou wilt be ignorant and prophane
Why doest thou not go out from the Church of God Why doest thou not turn Heathen and Pagan again For certainly the Churches of Christ have no such prophane customs Thirdly It 's supernatural and of God in respect of the Order Laws Rule and Government it is to walk by The Doctrine believed is revealed by God The Worship practised is to be appointed by God The Government and Order is to be commanded by God And thus Beloved we might at large shew you That all things that are essential in the Church are to be of God No Doctrine no Worship no Administration of Sacraments but what is of God We might shew you what God hath appointed in the Credendis and Agendis Ecclesiae Oh that this were well understood by us What makes men so wilfull for their lusts for their superstitious customs but because they consider not the Church is a spiritual house and the Laws and Orders thereof are appointed by Christ himself If the Church be of God all things therein must be of God likewise Hence our Saviour saith Every plant that is not of my Fathers planting shall be rooted out Mat. 15. 13. What makes men rage and fret if things in the Church be not according to their own humours and lusts Is it not because they do not attend to this That it is Gods Church It 's not the Popes Church nor the Magistrates Church but Gods Church Surely this truth would make us in all things ask as Christ did in another case Whose image and superscription hath it Give unto God the things that are Gods Fourthly It 's supernatural and of God even in respect of the manner of doing all things in the Church Every solemn duty is to be done as from God and through him even in an holy and divine manner The Minister must preach as inabled of God The hearer must hear as strengthened thereunto of God The Apostle praiseth the Thessalonians That they received the Word not as the word of man but of God As the Apostle speaks of his administration of the Gospel 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God so ought all our Church-assemblies to be performed What Jeremiah then hath his head full enough of water to make lamentation for the formality customariness and meer external service that is done to God in our Assemblies Men are become like Idols having eyes they see not ears they hear not hearts they understand not whereas our praying our hearing our approachings in these Assemblies should be as of God not Nature or Custom or the Laws of men but the Spirit of God mightily working in us should put us upon these things Whereas now we see people in Church-assemblies finding no more of the gracious power and presence of God then if they were in their markets or other civil meetings As the Apostle said Do ye seek an experiment of Christ in me So ought it to be here we are to demonstrate in our Church-assemblies experimental works of Christ upon us As the duty is of God the Ordinance is of God so should the frame and disposition of our hearts be of God Fifthly The Church is of God in respect of his protection and gracious presence God promiseth his presence and delights to be in the Assembly of his Saints Matth. 18. 20. When two or three are gathered together in my Name I will be in the midst of them It 's the gracious presence of God that blesseth Ordinances Hence Christ is described Revel 1. 13. VValking in the midst of the golden Candlesticks that is the Churches and the Ordinances therein We are apt to complain if Gods blessing goeth not along with us in outward undertakings We can say as Moses to God If thy presence go not along with us we will not go up When it may relate to our outward advantage but we do not take notice of Gods presence in the Assemblies why God is not amongst us to hear our prayers why God is not present with the Word to make it an enlightning a converting Word It should affect your hearts more than it doth if in every Sermon the Spirit of God hath not fallen upon thy heart like fire if it hath not melted quickned enlivened thy soul Oh say why did God withdraw himself if he visited the hearts of others yet not mine I was dead luke-warm and found no efficacy come from Christ What sins am I guilty of What have I done that makes God thus absent himself from the publick Ordinances at least to me Sixthly The Church is of God in respect of all the supernatural Effects and benefits which alone are communicated there In the Church of God alone is Justification Sanctification Assurance of his favour In the pool of Bethesda onely did the Angel come in In the waters of Jordan only could Naaman be healed In the Ark only could there be external safety from the waters And thus in the Church only there are those soul-mercies to be obtained Lastly The Church is of God finaliter Because the enjoyment of God is the proper end of all Churches It 's true all civil societies are to make the glory of God their ultimate end but yet the immediate end is to acquire a temporal and political blessedness but the end of Gods Church is more transcendent and spiritual for therefore are preaching hearing therefore are Sabbaths and our solemn Assemblies that we might have more enjoyment of God that our doubts may be answered our corruptions mortified our graces made more fervent and zealous This made David so esteem the Tabernacle of the Lord and desiring rather to be a door-keeper there then to have any earthly greatness What was it the material Tabernacles that David so longed for No it was the enjoyment of God in those Ordinances But as little children admire the fine out-side of some excellent Book when they understand not the excellent matter contained therein so saith Chrysostome many regard the out-sides and externals of religious duties not knowing at all what the spiritual effects thereof mean Oh then let ignorant and wicked men tremble If the Church be of God how comest thou to be of the Devil and to do his works SERM. XVI Of the City of Corinth God sometimes gathers a Church amongst the most prophane people A Church though many wayes defiled may be a Church still as it was with the Corinthians 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth THe next thing to be treated of is the Description of this Church by the place where it is viz. at Corinth And that we may understand the great grace and power of God in gathering a Church to himself out of this City it 's good to observe what the Learned speak of it It was called so they say from Corinthus the sonne of Orestes or of Pelops but when they had in a dishonourable manner abused some Roman Embassadours they were destroyed by a Roman named Lucius Mummius
against God when grace comes to convert them Therefore let the Use be of Exhortation to all such who have felt this lively power of God raising them out of the grave of sinne who have been taught of God inwardly as well as by the outward Ministry with all joy and thankfulness be astonished at the free and unsearchable riches of Gods grace to thee How many doth God passe by of better parts of greater abilities of higher conditions in the world that might have done him more service and pitch his love upon thee Oh do thou abhorre all those presumptuous and proud opinions of Free-will and power to make Gods grace effectual to thee Do not bid such as bring such Doctrines God speed What doth not thy own experience doth not the wonderfull power of God upon thee subduing and overcoming thy heart when thou wast full of carnal prejudices and sinfull reasonings abundantly convince thee of this Let thy own heart and experience confirm thee more than all their subtill distinctions can unfettle thee But I pass from this and come to a second Observation which Calvin on the place takes notice of He calls it a Church saith he though it were so greatly polluted though both for Doctrine and practice there were such great disorders yet for all that he doth not unchurch it he owneth them still for the people of God though they were greatly to be reformed as to the Church administrations neither are his exhortations to the godly to separate and leave the Church-communions though thus defiled he giveth no command to such a thing but rather exhorts them all in their places to amend and reform To purge out the old leaven that was amongst them Therefore to forsake polluted Assemblies and leave them hopeless seemeth to be a great neglect of our duty we are rather to stay that by our abode and presence we may rectifie things that are crooked The Doctrine is That a Church may be a true Church of God although it be defiled with many corruptions several wayes As a godly man may be truly godly and yet subject to many failings Thus a Church also may be truly Gods Church the Body of Christ yet many distempers and sad confusions amongst them This truth is worthy of all diligent prosecution because many men though otherwise good out of a tenderness and misguided zeal may separate from our Congregations deny them to be true Churches and all because they see many things amongst us that are matter of grief and a great stumbling block to them This I confess is and hath been a sad temptation but a particular Christian is is not to excommunicate and unchurch a Church till God hath given a Bill of Divorce to it and hath cast it quite off An impatiency to bear any evil or disorders in a Church is not presently to be commended and yielded to to the utmost A Christian must have wisdom and a sound mind as well as zeal and a tender conscience Even the Reformed Churches did not wilfully and voluntarily depart from the Church of Rome but did stay to cure and heal Babylon untill they drave them away with fire and sword So that our leaving the Roman Church was not a Schismatical separation but a forced discession or departure from them But of this it may be more afterwards Let us for the present take notice of what corruptions and disorders were here at Corinth which yet he calls the Church of God And First Whereas the Apostle comprehends all Religion in these things Tit. 2. 12. Righteously soberly and godly Righteously in respect of religious duties towards God We may see how the Corinthians were blame-worthy in all And 1. For their sinnes of unrighteousnesse The Apostle sharply reproveth them for their contentions and quarrellings even so farre that they went to Law with one another and that in the Heathen Judicatories which was a great and grievous reproach to the Christian Religion How would the Heathens deride and scoff to see those that were Christians and out of appearance from love to heavenly things forsaking the world and earthly advantages thus to implead one another about meum and tuum about money matters or other civil rights to sue one another before Heathens Judges What could this produce but to make the Heathens say They talk of leaving all and following a crucified Christ but they will not abate of their earthly rights to one another not in the least measure Which did so grieve the Apostle that he conjureth them What have ye never a wise man to be an arbitrator amongst you Why doe ye not rather suffer wrong Nay they were so farre from such meek self-denying spirits that they rather did wrong and defraud one another Now see how zealous the Apostle is in this 1 Cor. 6. 1 2 3. he saith Dare any of you having a matter against another goe to Law Dare any of you supposing the Gospel the meekness of Christ the self-denial and contempt of earthly things with the scandal redounding to Religion would sufficiently awe their consciences Again vers 4. he tells them that the things pertaining to this life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for about them they quarrelled so much were so inconsiderable that they should appoint the least esteemed in the Church for to end such inferiour work Again vers 5. I speak it to your shame And vers 7. There is utterly a fault amongst you Thus you see that in matters of Justice between man and man there were great offences Only by the way let none gather from these expressions of Paul that it is unlawfull to go to Law or appeal to the Civil Magistrate to know his due right when that is detained from him For that is many times so farre from being a sinne that it 's a duty it would be a sinne not to pursue it as you see Paul pleaded his right and would not go out of prison when they had done it against Law till the Magistrates came to intreat him provided that there be those qualifications which Paul insinuateth 1. That this impleading be not before Heathens and Pagans who hate the Christian Religion 2. That we have such Meeknesse of spirit as willingly to suffer wrong did not the Gospel of Christ or the Law of the Land or the good of others require it of us And Lastly That we be willing to referre all our controversies to any just and wise arbitratours If these things be premised and yet unreasonable and absurd men will make a spoil and a scoff of men then both Religion and Justice calls them to defend themselves and it would be a sin to neglect it In the second place for Sobriety which is the expression of such graces as belong to our selves viz. Temperance and Chastity How grosly did the Corinthians offend here There were some that had repented of their fornication and uncleanness and for drunkenness some did presume to come to the Lords Table not
freed from it Thus you see many of them were rather beasts than a Church Lastly For Godlinesse or Religion there were also sad disorders about that There were some that denied the Resurrection that said Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die these were Atheists And certainly had this been the Assertion of the whole Church and not some few only amongst them if it had been their Catholick and Universal Doctrine maintained by all they had ceased to be a Church they had degenerated into meer Atheism but it was some only that were thus infected Again Another offence in Religion was their great Church-divisions some exalting Paul some Apollo insomuch that in stead of edifying and building up one another they were divided into as many Sects almost as they had Teachers And then lastly There was horrible confusion and ungodliness in respect of Church-order All godly Discipline was laid aside the administration of the Sacraments was promiscuous come who would come though in their unworthiness they might receive it And although Gods judgment was upon them either the Plague or some general disease and that because no better order was about the Sacrament yet for all that they did not judge or condemn themselves Thus this Church was like a very Chaos and yet a Church still SERM. XVII A further Discovery of the truth of this Assertion that a Church may be a true Church though much defiled both in Doctrine and Manners 2 COR. 1. 1. To the Church of God which is at Corinth c. THis Church of Corinth is dignified as you heard with this glorious Title of the Church of God notwithstanding those manifest and notorious depravations that were amongst them and that of all sorts This truth we entred upon and before we give you some demonstrations to evidence it it is good to take notice of some observable particulars which tend to the clearing of it Only this must be premised that whereas a Church may be denied to be so either from its constitution or from its conversation We are speaking of the later way and so consider First That the soundness and purity of Churches doth admit of degrees That as one Starre doth excell another in glory yet both Starres So one Church may greatly transcend another in orthodoxy and purity and yet both be Churches In those seven Churches of Asia there were some reproved more than others We cannot expect that all Churches should be of the same measure in knowledge and grace no mor than particular Christians and therefore we are not to conclude such a Church is no Church because not so pure as another Church no more than such a man is not a godly man because he hath not such a measure of Illumination and Sanctification as another And to say in the general That it is a Christians duty to find out the purest Church in the world and there to associate himself with it must needs fill a Christian with infinite perplexities of conscience as also to expose him to insupportable outward inconveniencies Let us not therefore do with a Church as a godly tender heart is apt to do with himself because he finds many failings and great imperfections therefore he is ready to judge that he hath no grace at all Thus because there are several disorders and distempers in such a Church which are deservedly daily matter of groan and sorrow to thee therefore thou beginnest to sentence such a Church as no longer Gods Church Again seeing that there are gradual differences of soundness and purity in Churches this should also make every Church take heed of appropriating the glorious name of a Church or Saints or Christians to themselves only as if none were Saints or Christians but what are members of their Society This is and hath been a most uncharitable proud disposition of some Churches The Popish Church saith There is no sanctity or holiness but with them Inter Catholicos saith Bellarmine multi quidem sunt mali sed inter haereticos ne uniu quidem est bonus What a censorious condemnation is this Not one good Protestant whom they call Hereticks not in all our Churches Thus they only appropriate the name of Church and sanctity to themselves So the Donatists did of old they inclosed the Church only amongst themselves they called none Christians but themselves To become a Donatist was to become a Christian with them So that we see it 's very hard for Churches not to admire their own wayes and constitutions thinking that none are Churches but themselves there may be pharisaical Churches that may condemn other Churches as Publicans as well as it is so in persons whereas it is good to observe that the Scripture doth describe Christians by such names as do not at all relate or distinguish by any Government or external constitution to be a believer to be a Saint to be a Christian These titles denote either some inward qualification or external profession but do not at all insinuate what kinds of order or way they are in yet this is not so to be understood as if Christs order and way his Government and Discipline were an indifferent or arbitrary thing only it is to shew that we are not to monopolize godliness amongst our selves meerly because of a Church-constitution although we are not to receive any form or spiritual order in our Churches but of Christs appointment There is a great difference and latitude in the soundness and purity of Churches Secondly When we speak of a Church being Gods true Church though greatly corrupted we must take heed of two extreams the first of those who therefore would have no Reformation though there be never so many disorders but say It 's wisdome and prudence to let all things be as they have been for it may be Gods Church though there be divers abuses Take heed of such carnal indulgence as this because it 's the Church of God therefore make no more stirre let errours and prophaneness alone let disorders continue and this many times is palliated with fair specious pretences that such indeavours to reform will breed great discontents and divisions in stead of having a pure Church it may be made no Church at all especially this is the more difficulty obtained if it be a Reformation in worship and manners for we are more willing to sit down under an Orthodox Church then a pure Church We can more easily endure to have sound Doctrine established then pure and holy Order because this doth so directly contradict our lusts and pleasures Hence Malachy prophesieth of Christs repurgation of his Church as a very dreadfull time even like the day of judgement Mal. 3. 2 4. Christ is there said to sit as a refiner and as a purger to take away droâ— but who shall abide the day of his coming Christs coming being thus like the Refiners fire and the Fullers sope was as terrible as the day of judgment to them Who may abide
it saith he You see then orthodoxy is sooner received than godly and holy order but we are to know that though we have many things to glory in that we are a true Church that we have excellent preaching and many learned Officers in it yet if there be not an endeavour to take away all offences and scandals there is great matter of humiliation The Apostle speaketh notably in this matter to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. 6. Your glorying is not good c. The Corinthians they gloried and boasted in many things but as long as they did not cast out the old leaven or the wicked man but this leaven was in danger to leaven the whole lump therefore he telleth them Their glorying was not good there was greater cause to be deeply humbled because of such disorders amongst them Let us not then though we can and may prove our Church to be the Church of God therefore sit down and take our rest as if therefore reformation of corruptions were needless No the Apostle doth farre otherwise to this Church of Corinth though he call it the Church of God yet his Epistle is full of sharp reproof to them he is very zealous and lively in putting of them upon this that they became a new lump that they be made as it were a new Church and a new Congregation Farre be it therefore from us to excuse or connive at our publick impieties because Corinth though so polluted is a Church No we are to tremble and humble our selves under such disorders they are great provocations of Gods anger You see God did begin to judge and chasten this Church of Corinth God takes notice and is very angry with all these disorders and great neglect Therefore if you observe those Epistles of Christ from Heaven to the seven Churches of Asia where their works were not perfect where there were any decayes yea if Christ had any thing against them though there were other things commendable yet he will take notice and rebuke them therein yea to some he threatens to take away their Candlesticks that is their Ordinances and to unchurch them Oh then let us humble our selves under Gods hand for all our Church-sins all our Assembly-iniquities lest the wrath of God break out upon us The second extream we are to take heed of is That because of the corruptions that are in a Church we are not so farre transported with misguided zeal as to take no notice of the truth of a Church Some are apt so to attend to a true Church that they never matter the corruptions of it Others again they do so eye the corruptions that they never regard the truth of it but it is good to avoid both these extreams Whence cometh that impatiency in us to bear any evil in a Church Whence is it that we uncharitably rend from it Is it not because we do not consider it may be a true Church and salvation is there to be had yea conversion and regeneration though there be many things to be reformed There is no Church so pure but that there are some imperfections in it no Church so reformed but in some things it needeth a reformation Thou mayest go from Church to Church and be like Noah's Dove not know where to set thy feet if thou look for absolute perfection in any Church whether thou goest As there is no constitution of the body which hath an exact temperament ad pondus but some humour or other doth predominate so there is no Church that is of such a perfect frame but it hath its several grievances and though it may be freed from those evils they separated from yet they may be assaulted with others that are as destructive of a Church in a contrary way though freed from tyranny yet not from divisions and daily subdivisions amongst themselves So that in these things we are diligently to make the Scripture our Rule Thirdly Though that Church be a true Church where we live yet if many corruptions do abound therein we must take heed That we do not pollute our selves thereby or become partakers of any sinne indulged amongst them As we may not sinfully separate upon this ground because they are no Church so neither may we continue so as to pollute and defile our selves with any known sin The Apostles exhortation to the Corinthians under these manifold pollutions is that every one in their proper place should endeavour their new moulding So that under Church-pollutions thou art to consider what God cals thee to do to rebuke exhort admonish and if this will not do to complain to Church-Officers who are to guide and watch over the flock and if yet this will not do then to be the more earnest with God in prayer to bring about Reformation notwithstanding all the gainsayings of wicked men To mourn and sigh unto God as a Lot in Sodom vexing thy righteous soul continually as a lamenting Jeremiah among the apostatizing Israelites And certainly God doth in a special manner take notice of such who do mourn for those abominations that they cannot remove or take away Ezek. 9. 4. when thou canst appeal to God saying O Lord these corruptions these disorders they grieve me to the very heart I cry out daily Wo be unto me because I dwell with men of polluted lips This will much ingage God to thee Likewise we read Revel 3. 4. in what a special manner God takes notice of a few names in Sardis which had not defiled their garments To be therefore in the midst of a defiled Church and yet to keep thy self unspotted this is admirable as they record of the river Alpheus which though it runne into the Sea yet it keeps its own natural sweetness though we have communion with the Church in those things that are commanded by God yet we are not to partake with them in any evil way as those seven thousand in Eliâ—ah's time though they did not depart from the Church of Israel yet they would not bow their knee to Baul In the next place Let us demonstrate this that a Church may be Gods Church though it be greatly corrupted And First It may be seen from the induction of several Churches as for example the Church of the Jews they were Gods people and God did own them as his yet as appeareth by the Prophets complaints and daily reproofs they were full of Idolatries and all moral impieties and for all this there were many repentings and turnings in Gods bowels to speak after the manner of men before he would call them Lo-ammi a people no more to him But you may say That was in the Old Testament when the Spirit of God was not poured out so effectually Consider then besides this Church of Corinth the Churches of Galatia were not they farre infected with doctrinal pollutions and vicious lusts of the flesh That the Apostle mentioneth not any where such zeal and sharpness as he doth to them threatning them with Apostasie
from the Apostles writing a second time to the Church of Corinth which he seldom did to any Church but to that of the Thessalonians and to Timothy a single person One reason whereof amongst others was because that his former Epistle had taken some good effect and whereas they had been too remiss before about their indulgence to that incestuous person it seemeth this Epistle had now so awakened them that they began to be too severe to him though repenting and humbling himself as appeareth Chap. 2. 6 7. whereupon he exhorteth them To comfort him lest he be swallowed up with too much sorrow It 's true there were other reasons why he wrote this second Epistle but this is one amongst the rest From whence we might observe That it 's very hard for the Churches of God to keep within their proper bounds about Church-administrations Nothing is more ordinary than to fall from one extream to another These Corinthians that were so negligent in good order that many pollutions were suffered amongst them insomuch that Gods judgements had surprized them for their default herein Now when awakened to do their duty they are ready to overdo and from too much remisness to fall into too much severity Thus in many other things we might instance how the Churches of God have fallen from one extremity to another but this subject especially as it relateth to Church-Discipline will be more sutably treated of in Chap. 2. I therefore briefly raise a third Observation and that is from the Apostles care and zeal to build up the Church of God For whereas he could not come to the Corinthians as yet lest any Church-corruption or disorders should arise thereby he endeavours by writing to do that in his absence which he would not do by his presence From whence we may gather That it 's the Ministers duty not only by personal preaching but by all other lawfull wayes to promote that Church he hath any relation unto When Paul cannot preach he will write This zeal in Paul drew out those many Epistles that now we have recorded in Scripture Our Apostle speaketh notably to this 1 Thess 2. 17 18. and Chap. 3. 1. where he sheweth his cordial affections towards that people with what violence he was kept from them and because Satan hindered him he saith He could no longer forbear but would be left at Athens alone without any comfort or solace rather than not to send to them that so they might not be moved from the Gospel Thus at other times we see this glorious Apostle when present yet not contented with his publick preaching did from house to house as occasion served with tears beseech and testifie every one to cleave unto the Lord. From this example of Paul who though an Apostle and so not bound to attend on particular Churches yet did by letters confirm and quicken those Churches he had planted We see how great and grievous a sinne a voluntary and unnecessary non-residence is in those Pastours who by their Office are bound to a particular Flock and to watch over them For though in some weighty cases for the good of the whole Church they may be detained from their Flock yet voluntarily and slothfully to do this will at last be found a grievous soul-murdering sin Use 2. To reprove that people who complain of too much preaching and too much ministerial imploiment thinking it needless SERM. XIX Of the Name and Nature of a Church-Saint 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints which are in all Achaia WE are now arrived at the last clause in this verse which containeth a more general Description of those to whom he directs this Epistle Some Epistles are called Catholick because not inscribed to any particular Churches or persons but to the whole Church of God Others are more particular and local as this to the Corinthians yet we see it 's not so inscribed to them but that also all the adjacent Saints are comprehended in it Yea though Paul and others wrote their Epistles to certain Churches and persons yet they are in some sense Catholick for they all were written as a perpetual Rule to the whole Church of God in all ages So that this Epistle doth concern even the Churches of God in other Nations as well as that of Corinth when guilty of such disorder So that in the Inscription which is more general than the former clause we may take notice 1. Of the Persons to whom Paul writeth and they are described by their qualifications Saints 2. By a Note of Universality All the Saints There is none so mean or inconsiderable but the Apostle writeth as well to such a poor contemptible Saint as well as to the greatest and most eminent 3. There is the place where Which are in all Achaia I shall first consider the Qualification Saints He giveth this title to all that were of this Church even as in the former Epistle he saith They were sanctified in Jesus Christ Now the Question is How the Apostle could give the title of Saints to to all the Corinthians with those in Achaia for they both seem guilty of the same sins and therefore from this Epistle directed to them when yet they were so foully polluted Was the incestuous person before he repented Were those unclean persons that had not humbled themselves for their sins and Paul was afraid he should find them such when he came Were those Saints Were such who denied the Resurrection yea that had no knowledge of God as Paul said of some to whose shame he spake it were these Saints To this Austin of old answered and so some of late That the Apostle speaks this generally of the whole body because some amongst them were Saints The denomination being from the most worthy part So that they conclude of this as a Rule to interpret Scripture by To understand that of some parts which yet is attributed to to the whole And for this reason they say it is That the Apostle writing to some Churches as to this of Corinth doth sometimes speak of them as if they were all godly and at another time he reproveth them so as if they were all blame-worthy Thus because some were Saints indeed therefore he writeth to the whole Church as if Saints as we call a field of corn by that name though there may be many weeds and bryars amongst it This hath some truth but yet this is not all Secondly It may be thought that the Apostle calls them Saints in the judgment of charity because they did outwardly profess their faith and obedience in Christ even as Paul saith of Sylvanus 1 Pet. 5. 12. A faithfull brother as I suppose but a judgement of charity must be according to truth and he knew that all in Corinth were not truly Saints And as for that expression of Pauls concerning Sylvanus Calvin Estius and others do not relate the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a faithfull brother but to
the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the few things or briefly as added for Modesty sake and indeed if it were related to Sylvanus it would not commend his fidelity but rather give occasion to doubt of it But if we attribute it to Sylvanus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifieth a firm and undoubted judgment upon good consideration therefore our English word suppose doth not so well answer it Therefore in the third place That distinction of a Saint by external profession or dedication to God thereby and by internal and spiritual renovation is the most genuine to answer this doubt Some were Saints by inward regeneration Others were Saints by external profession and outward submission so that they had not as yet renounced their Christianity and this sense the Apostle plainly makes when he gives that opposition between Heathens and Saints as 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you go to law before the unjust that is the Heathens and not before Saints where Saint is opposed to an Heathen So vers 6. a brother which is all one with a Saint is opposed to an unbeliever All that came out of the world to profess Christ are called Saints and believers though even amongst them all were not godly Now you must know that there are degrees of godliness 1. There is that which is supream and infinite and thus God is holy holy holy 2. There is created boliness and that either perfect such as the humane Nature of Christ the Angels and glorified Saints in Heaven have or else imperfect subject to many imperfections and weaknesses Hence saith Salmeron We dare not call any man a Saint while be liveth on this earth till he be consummated but that is absurd for to be a Saint is no more than to be holy so that if we may call any holy we may also call them Saints as our Translators do for the most part render the word The Papists indeed they call only those that are canonized Saints who are already in Heaven therefore those that lived in the Old Testament because of their opinion of their being in Limbo Patrum they are never in the Roman Church called Saints they never say Saint David or Saint Isaiah Salmeron also observeth from this title of Saints given to all believers That in the Infancy of the Church saith he all were called Saints in the Adolescentiâ only the Bishops and Officers in the Church but in Senectute only those that are translated into Heaven But we must conform to Scripture not humane speculations The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering the Hebrew Kodesh for the Septuagint seldom translate it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but generally by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by some said to be as much as sine terrâ without earth or any worldly pollution But the best Grammarians derive it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reverence and respect as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to desire because all holy things are with much reverence to be regarded Whereas then to be holy hath a two-fold principal signification 1. To be dedicate and set apart to God 2. To be inherently sanctified and both these applicable in the Text. We may observe That all those who are of Gods Church are Saints by profession and dedication and ought to be Saints by their lives and conversations Hence Rom. 1. 7. we have that expression called Saints that is either called to be Saints holiness being the term to which of their vocation or Saints by calling as Paul was by his calling an Apostle Both these tend to the same thing and all oblige to holiness First Let us consider how much this Church-Saintship doth comprehend what degrees and steps it hath And 1. It doth imply Their being under the external dispensation of Gods Covenant of Grace All that are under the Covenant administration are thereby Saints and holy though all are not regenerated Upon this account it is that the children of one or more believing Parents are called holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. where to be under the Covenant is enough to give this denomination of holy And hence it is that all the people of the Jews among whom there were many prophane and unholy persons in respect of inward Sanctity are yet called all of them Saints because the Covenant-dispensation was towards them Psal 77. 2. The Psalmist complaineth That the enemies had given the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth where the Nation of the Jews destroyed by their enemies are all called Saints So Psal 89. 5 7. the assembly of the Israelites wherein also David did meet to praise God is called the Assembly of the Saints Now we cannot think that every Israelite who came to sacrifice and serve God was truly holy Yea Psal 50. God complaineth of such Who came and took his name into their mouth and yet hated to be reformed Therefore they are called Saints because they are all under the Covenant of Grace 2. Church-Saintship consists in a dedication and consecrating our selves unto God For our Baptism is the initial Sacrament and by it we are externally sanctified and set apart to God from the Devil sinne and the world For as in the Old Testament there were by certain ceremonial Rites dedicating of persons and things to God which thereby had a relative holiness and so were called holy because dedicated Thus though with some dissimilitude by the Sacrament of Baptism we are baptized into the Name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost which amongst other things signifieth this also that we are given up to God from the world and the Devil to be no more theirs not to live according to their course and way And for this reason it is that those who are not of the Church are said to be without 1 Cor. 5. and the world is distinct to the Church when therefore of the Church we are not of the world we are not without under the kingdom of Satan but we are of the body of Christ of his house and our Baptism doth sacramentally denote our communion with Christ Now although all that are baptized do not in deed and in truth put on Jesus Christ yet as long as they do not renounce their Baptism so long by that there is an outward dedication of them to God And thus that Apostate spoken of Heb. 10. 29. who never had true grace yet is said to be sanctified by the bloud of the Covenant whereof the Sacraments are seals So that our sacramental relation doth give an outward denomination of a Saint or an holy person though if there be no inward holiness the condemnation of such will be farre more dreadfull and intollerable than of the vilest and worst of Heathens 3. This Church-Saintship goeth a further step and that is An external profession of our faith
dat quod not habet is the old Rule They have no skill or ability to comfort others who have not the experience and feeling of this upon their own souls It is not enough for the Ministers of the Gospel to have devoured many Books of learning to be able to decide Polemical questions in Divinity to convince gainsayers to be Doctors Angelical subtle or profound to be Mallei Hereticorum The hammers of Hereticks unlesse also they have the experimental works of Gods Spirit upon their own souls They are not able to apply themselves to the hearts of others Paul had not been able to comfort others if the Lord had not practically acquainted him with heavenly consolations 2. There is the Subject to whom or the Persons whose wounds Paul like a good Samaritan is desirous to pour oyl into and that is Them which are in any trouble 3. There is the manner how which is by that very comfort Paul himself found And Lastly There is the fontal and original Cause of this Whereby we our selves are comforted of God The final Cause will afford two Observations First That the heavenly and spiritual works which God vouchsafeth to his people are not for themselves only but for the advantage and edification of others Who would not think that the inward comforts and soul-consolations should not be wholly inclosed within our own breasts that these should not be communicated to others Who would not say of these as Solomon in another case Prov. 5. Let these fountains be only thine own and not strangers with thee Yet God giveth us these soul-comforts that we may be able to revive and comfort many sad troubled hearts which lie languishing for want of them The second Observation is That those have the greatest ability and fitnesse to help the souls of others who have had the experience and work of God upon their own souls First Let us consider the former Doctrine viz. That those great and spiriritual works which God vouchsafeth to his children are not for their own god only but for the good of others If he said in a political sense Nemo sibi vivit sed patriae it is much more true of a Christian Non sibi vivit sed Ecclesiae He liveth not to himself but to the Church of God Hence is that frequent comparison in the Scripture of the Church of God and a body together making all Christians so many several Members that if one rejoyce all must rejoyce with it To be throughly possessed of this truth we are first to know That there are two kinds of Gifts of Gods Spirit unto those of the Church The Ancient Schoolmen which distinction is still retained with the Papists is that there are Gratiae gratis datae Favours freely given which are bestowed not so much for the good of them that have them as of the good of others Such were those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit in the primitive times to work Miracles to speak with tongues c. And such are also those common gifts of Prayer and Preaching which many may have and yet they be never the more holy But as water-pots that conveighs water to the Garden making it fruitfull while it self beareth no flowers at all so are they And truly this is sadly to be considered by all the Ministers of the Gospel whether the gifts God giveth them be not for the good of others more then their own As the Nurses of young Princes live upon excellent food not for their own sake but to give more excellent nourishment to their young ones The other sort of gifts they call Gratiae gratum facientes such gifts as he that hath them must needs be accepted of with God And these they make faith and love with the like graces Now this distinction is absurd for the Members are confounded The graces making acceptable are graces freely given It is solely and wholly of the grace of God to make thee differ from others in the special work of sanctification as it was in the primitive times to make one who had miraculous gifts to differ from another And then it is false for no grace we have doth of it self make us gratos accepted of to God but it is in and through Christ that their imperfections are pardoned and so received Therefore our Divines do distinguish better That there are Dona Ministrantia and Dona sanctificantia Gifts of service and Gifts of sanctification Gifts of service are such which God giveth for the use of the Church Gifts sanctifying are such as are for the good of those that have them Now though this be true yet in the second place you must not limit this so straightly as that sanctifying gifts may not be serviceable gifts also For it 's plain that in all the people of God their very graces as well as their gifts are to be exercised for the good of others Thy repentance thy faith thy joy may be put forth to quicken and edifie others Therefore we say in the Doctrine All the spiritual works of God upon the souls of his people are not only for themselves but for others All not only gifts but graces Not only their parts and their duties but their holinesse also Hence Prov. 15. 4. an wholesome tongue which is the gift only that a godly man hath is said to be a tree of life because it doth so much spiritual good to others Think then that God hath not given thee grace and comfort for thy self only but for others who may stand in need of thee As it was with Christ the Head so it should be with his Members proportionably Isa 50. 4. To have the tongue of the learned given them from God to be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary As therefore God hath given thee fullnesse temporally to feed the hungry and to cloathe the naked when such due objects of charity are presented to thee Thus also God giveth thee faith to help him that complaineth he cannot believe He giveth thee comfort to succour those that can find no joy This is to be considered that thou beest not a fountain sealed up but opened whereat many may occasionally refresh themselves Thirdly The godly mans improving his gifts and graces doth not at all hinder and diminish his own but thereby increaseth and multiplyeth them It is like the widows giving of oyl to the Prophet which was so farre from impoverishing that it did enrich her We may not then refuse those who shall desire help for their souls as the wise Virgins did the foolish saying It might be there would not be enough for themselves No the more thou art willing to season others with thy own salt to quicken and comfort others by thy own quicknings and comforts herein thou wilt find thy self more edified and the good will rebound upon thy own self For these improvings of thy gifts and graces serviceably to others souls will multiply thy
the reproach amongst men That which the carnal heart is so afraid of the Scripture makes matter of joy and of glorifying God for it Secondly It being therefore so glorious a thing it is good to inform you What it is to suffer for Christ For we may be the devils Martyrs suffer as offenders or as busybodies suffer for heresies and the works of the flesh yet perswade and flatter our selves that we suffer for Christ Now to clear this we must consider what is required ex parte objecti on the behalf of the matter we suffer for And 2. What is required ex parte subjecti what qualifications ought to be in him who doth suffer for Christ And for the Object matter the Scripture describeth it in these Particulars First That what a man suffereth for it must not be for any sinne that is justly punishable by the Law It must not be for our folly and busy medling in such things wherein we have no call The Apostle Peter 1 Pet. cap. 3. 15 16. speaketh notably to this for giving the people of God in that Chapter great encouragements to suffer he cometh in with a caution They must take heed for what they suffer which is laid down positively and then oppositly Positively as a Christian it must be for professing and doing such things as Christ requireth Let it not be strange fire but the fire from the Altar If thou wouldst have comfort it must be for doing that which as a Christian thou art bound to do And the opposite to this is to suffer as a murderer as a thief or which is more general as a busybody in other mens matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one who busily spyeth into and medleth with those things that he hath no call to it 's not his Office to deal in Now this must not be understood as the world will judge a man a busybody If a Minister a Magistrate or any in Office be zealous against sin and see to the punishing of it the prophane ones of the world call this an an hot busy medling So if private Christians cannot bear the impieties they see committed in the places where they live but do faithfully and boldly admonish and reprove such offenders and if this doth no good then they will proceed further to the Magistrate and Officers to complain of such that sinne may be punished God honoured and publique judgments prevented If I say private Christians be thus stirring as they ought to be unlesse they will have other mens sins lie at their doors and they become thereby very guilty then what an out-cry is made these are factious troublesome disquieting follows So that to judge who is a busy-body and when a man is guilty of it you must have recourse to the Scripture and to sound casuistical Divinity applying the general rules of Scripture to particulars and not to the common voice and noise of people in the world That good zealous Prophet for God Elisah who because he burned with fire for God had a wonderfull reward thereof to be carried up in a fiery Charriot to Heaven yet because he would not endure the ungodlinesse of Ahab and Jezebell what is said to him Then art the troubler of Israel They condemn him for a busy-body whereas indeed Ahab by his wickednesse as the Prophet said was the troubler of the Land In suffering then for Christ we see much prudence as well as zeal is required yet so as not to regard the censure of the world For who ever suffered for Christ and their persecutors did not represent them so odiously as that they might seem to deserve it This is the first thing Secondly For the object matter The Scripture expresseth it another time for the Name of Christ Mat. 19. 29. Whosoever shall for sake houses lands c. for my Names sake Job 15. 21. All these things will they do to you for my Names sake What is Christs name not only the Person of Christ himself but as the Name of God is that whereby God is known so is the Name of Christ Yea under this is comprehended those Doctrines and that Faith which Christ had delivered to us The truths of Christ are to be dearer to us then ourlives Hence it was that Christianity hath amazed the world with those millions and millions of Martyrs that have been for the faith of Christ It was a wicked opinion of the Priscillianists of old That a man migh lye dissemble and forswear the truths of Christ bow to Idols and communicate with heathens in any bodily worship so as they kept the true faith in their hearts But this is directly opposite to Scripture Rom. 10. 16. With the heart man believeth and with the month confession is made to salvation To salvation So that a man cannot be saved though he doth in his heart believe if he do not when it is casus confessionis a case of confession confesse also with his mouth the same faith And Rom. 11. 4. The true worshippers of God in Eliahs time are described not only by their inward grace but externally also that they did not bow their knee to Baal It is true there is a difference between profession and confession strictly taken As Cyprian Maluit nos Dous confiteri fidem non profiteri To professe is to do it ultroneously of our own accord when we are not called to it as some of the Martyrs would do crying out Christianus sum I am a Christian for which they were put to death And this could not be excused in them unlesse we say an extraordinary heroical frame of spirit was at that time infused into them by the Holy Ghost This voluntary profession when danger is is not required Yea in lesser truths we are not to professe them so as to disturbe the faith of others So the Apostle Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith have it to thy self But then in case of confession when the glory of God the good of the Church and our own salvation requireth it then we are to confesse the truths of Christ though we loose all It is the great glory attributed by Paul to Christ that 1 Tim. 6. 13. before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession To suffer then for Christ it is to loose all for his Truth for his Faith when he requireth Therefore though Heretiques may glory in their sufferings and they be canonized as Saints amongst their Disciples yet they will be sound to have lost their blood in vain and that they were not the Lord Christs but the devils Martyrs The Donatists of old yea those Circumcelliones that would kill themselves and like mad men would make others kill them did triumph in the name of Martyrs The Messaliani also because they were punished for their Idols called themselves Martyriani the Martyrians as if they only were the Martyrs How greatly are the Popish Calenders filled with their saints when yet some of them dyed of desperate and
man He suffered in his Name in all reproach and ignominy dying a most accursed death and shalt thou be so tender and delicate as not to indure the mocks and rages of men for him Shall Christ be in cruce and thou in luce Christ in convitiis and thou in conviviis Christ in patibulo and thou in Paradiso as Gerhard expresseth it Oh fear left this prove dreadfull at the latter end SERM. XLVII What Qualifications they must be endowed with who suffer in a right manner for Christ 2 COR. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ WHat it is to suffer for Christ ex parte objects in respect of the matter for which hath already been dispatched We now proceed to shew What is required ex parte subjecti What are the qualifications necessary in him who doth truly suffer for Christ When we read of so many glorious priviledges promised to such as are troubled for Christs sake you must know that their bare suffering no not for that which is righteous is enough to entitle them to this blessedness but there must be the Adverb as well as the Nown it must not only be pro bono but benè for that which is good but also in a good manner for suffering and martyrdome it self as all other duties is not integrated of all its causes as it is not enough to pray to hear though these for the matter be commanded but they must be done in an holy and spiritual manner Thus it is not enough to suffer or to be persecuted and that for Christs sake unlesse also we have that holy frame of heart in suffering which Gods word doth require Let us then examine this truth viz. What are the requisites to qualifie a true sufferer for Christ When his cause is good his heart his ends also must be good Therefore that ordinary saying Causa non poena facit Martyrem The cause not the punishment doth make a Martyr must be further limited for the cause doth not unlesse there be also those concomitant graces in the subject as well as there is truth in the object and we shall find this suffering temper to have as curious ingredients into it as there was into that precious ointment made for the high Priest alone and no wonder for it is the highest pitch of love we can arrive at to suffer for him and it is the most contrary to flesh and blood So that â—one can do this for Christ but such who are wonderfully enabled by him First Therefore in a sufferer for Christ there is required Faith in the eminent and powerfull actings thereof It is as impossible to suffer without faith as a bird to flie without wings It 's faith alone that can remove these mountains in the Sea Heb. 11. Those great exploits the Saints did yea and those wonderfull sufferings they underwent is attributed by the Apostle wholly to their faith Now this faith requisite to true suffering for Christ emptieth it self into two chanels there must be a Dogmatical Faith and a Fiducial Faith A Dogmatical Faith is that whereby a man is assured of the truths be suffereth for as divine and because of Divine Authority Faith must be as Heb. 11. 1. an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The substance and evidence of things For if a man have not this faith it 's obstinacy and pertinacy not faith that maketh him suffer as we see in Hereticks Hence also it is that a meer Opinionist or Sceptick in Religion will never suffer for Christ because he hath no faith but opinion in Religion So likewise those who are of a Religion meerly for humane Authority sake because of the custome and Laws where they live commanding such a Religion as those amongst the Graecians that were called Melchitae because they followed the Religion the King was of though indeed the Orthodox were so branded by the Heretical party Vide Hornbeck de Graecis These cannot suffer truly for Christ Indeed they may suffer for their Religion as it 's local and traditional to them as Turks and Jews do but yet this is not from faith which doth necessarily relate to divine testimony This then cuts off the glory which Hereticks and erroneous persons may boast of if they suffer truly they suffer with a true Faith if they have a true Faith that can be proved and demonstrated out of Gods Word And when we say a Dogmatical Faith that must be understood in respect of its compleatnesse and integrity as to Fundamentals No man can suffer truly for Christ that peremptorily denieth any I undamental if he hold the foundation though he build hay and stubble superstructive errours yet if he do not demolish any of the foundation stones he may be saved but so as by fire And truly is this charity be not allowed we shall scarce find any person or Church truly suffering for Christ For where hath there been such a sound faith in Fundamentals circa-fundamentals and praeter-fundamentals as that there hath not been any spot or wrinkle in the face of the Church This prerogative belongs to the Church in Heaven They therefore suffer for Christ who are persecuted for his truths though happily they erre in many things not necessary to salvation But if they deny any Fundamentals I do not say doubt and that for a season as the Apostles did about the nature of Christs Kingdome and his Resurrection and that with persevering obstinacy then though he suffer for one Fundamental yet because he denieth another he doth in effect destroy the whole building of Christ Thus when a Macedonian suffered for holding the Deity of Christ being put to death by an Arian the primitive Church never judged him a Martyr because he denied the Deity of the Holy Ghost There is therefore required a sound Dogmatical Faith for which cause some have doubted Whether the Church did well in making all those infants which were killed by Herod because of Christ in reckoning them among Martyrs For they did not know any thing of Christ neither it may be many of their parents had any true faith about him Certainly ly they cannot be called Martyrs or Sufferers for Christ in an active fense but passively only The second act of faith is a fiducial dependance on the promise of God and his Power which is able to raise up the heart above all fears and discouragements yea to represent prisons palaces and coals of fire beds of roses such a transubstantiating nature is faith of It was faith Heb. 11. which made Moses esteem the reproaches of Christ more than all the glory and honour which was in Pharaoh's court especially faith as it is the substance of things hoped for As it maketh Heaven and glory present so it 's admirably quickning and enlivening the heart of him that suffereth It is therefore called The shield of faith which above all or to all as some expound we
comparatively to the cause and glory of Christ And this makes it so difficult to suffer This hath made the Apostates that have many times been in the Church This hath filled the hearts of many with woe and wounds implacably For their childrens sake for their lives sake they deny Christ and a good conscience and how can it be otherwise while Earth is dearer than Heaven when we esteem the favour of men more than the favour of God This hath proved bitter wormwood to many at last Lastly To suffer for Christ there is required pure and holy motives To lose all for Christs sake out of meer conscience that this is the only cause why we are in any trouble We may read both in sacred and prophane Histories how men have suffered even death it self only for vain-glory All Aristotles vertuous men they were ambitious and vain-glorious men The very Heathen could make it Laudum immensa cupido as well as Amorpatriae We would think it a madnesse to lose comforts and life for an airy bubble of windy glory yet many have been thus transported not only Philosophus but Haereticus est animal gloriae vanissimum If then it 's not Scripture-grounds but ambitious vain-glorious principles that make thee to suffer Christ doth not will not provide sugar for thy bitter pils Thus have we seen what is required to suffer for Christ Oh the difficulty of this duty No wonder so much seed hath withered away when the scorching Sunne of persecution did arise No wonder Christ hath many Swallow-friends that endure with him the Summer time onely No wonder few are lovers of Christ for Christs sake As Alexander had more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These are the Bees that follow for the honey-pot only Now to all these we must adde this Caution A Christian that suffereth for Christ though he have not those qualifications in a perfect degree but find corruption opposing every one of them He must not therefore cast away his confidence for we can no more suffer perfectly for Christ then do perfectly for him and if our gracious works cannot justifie us no more can our gracious sufferings Martyrdom is not meritorious Though we shed our bloud for Christ yet the blood of Christ must cleanse that duty also The Martyrs died only in resting upon Christ for salvation and no wonder the godly heart finds more imperfections in his sufferings more carnal fear and impatience then in other duties because this is the hardest service Christ doth ever put his upon What else is to be said in this point will come in in the next particulars SERM. XLVIII How many wayes and by what means Christ comforteth those who suffer for him 2 COR. 1. 5. So our consolation aboundeth by Christ THe second absolute Proposition in the Text is That our comfort aboundeth by Christ. The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by some Exhortation but more generally and fitly Consolation Though this be spoken in the singular number and afflictions in the plural yet this is to be understood collectively as a treasure that hath all kind of comforts in it not one or two but all Therefore the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here repeated again aboundeth which is to be understood partly repletively it filleth the hearts of those that do suffer for Christ and partly diffusively it extends also to the comfort of others And then you have the cause of all this By Christ Christ who is the cause of their sufferings is also the cause of their comfort As from the same root proceedeth both the Rose and its pricks Thus from Christ the same Fountain cometh both bitter and sweet Were not this added who would suffer for Christ who would lose all for him but Christ hath so ordained it that these sufferings are advantagious to us and though we lose in the retail yet we gain in the bulk and whole Observe That as our sufferings are for Christ so by the same Christ are our comforts Though he strike with one hand yet he supporteth with the other If David said to the Priest who fled to him many of them being slain at No◠by the bloudy cruelty of Saul Stay with me I am the occasion of your deaths thou shalt fare as I fare How much more will Christ own such who suffer for him saying Depend upon me for I am the cause of all the reproaches and cruel usages you meet with in the world But to explain this Let us consider In what respects comforts may be said to abound by Christ And First Efficiently He being the same with God is therefore a God of all consolation Yea Christ as a Mediator he is sensible of our temptations knoweth our need and wants and therefore the more ready to comfort Christ that wanted comfort himself and therefore had an Angel sent to comfort him is thereby the more compassionate and willing to comfort us Thus you may read Christ and God put together in this very act 2 Thess 2. 16 17. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father who hath given us everlasting consolation comfort your hearts Paul here prayeth that both Jesus Christ and God the Father would comfort them Christ therefore not only absolutely as God but relatively as Mediator is qualified with all fitnesse and fulnesse to communicate consolation he is the fountain and head as of grace so of comfort Secondly We are comforted by Christ Meritoriously he hath merited at the hands of God our comfort for without Christs death and atonement we were no more subjects prepared for comfort then the damned Angels Had all mankind with Dives begged but for a drop of comfort such was the gulph between God and us that it could not be obtained So that by Christ a way is made for our consolation Christ did not only obtain the communication of the holy Ghost in the gifts and graces thereof So that as by Christ the Spirit of God is given to the Church as a guide to teach and lead into all truth as the sanctifying Spirit and use of all holinesse So he is also as the Comforter who giveth every drop of consolation that any believer doth enjoy Though therefore joy and comfort be in Scripture attributed to the holy Ghost as the appropriated and applying cause thereof yet this is wholly because of the merits of Christ And therefore we may pray for comfort upon the same grounds as we doe for holinesse They are both the fruits of Christs death Lastly We are comforted by Christ Objectively that is in him and from him we take our comfort As Christ is called Our righteousnesse because in and through his righteousnesse we are accepted of in him we are compleat So Christ is our comfort because in him we find matter of all joy though there be troubles and vexations from the creatures though the Sunne and Moon be turned into bloud all powers
Christ though I have no comfort at all it is not my ease so much as thy glory I look at This will greatly indear thee to God Fifthly God may deny thee comfort to inform thee how much thou art beholding to Christ He suffered for thee and that without comfort He was willing to be deprived of it that so he might accomplish thy Redemption Now as Christ would be tempted like us so God will have us tempted like Christ that we might be the more thankfull to him Certainly all the paines on his body all the disgrace and reproach he went under was not equall to his being without comfort yet this he indured for thee Lastly Conclude on this That if comfort were absolutely necessary for thee at this time thou shouldst have it Rom. 8. How can he not but give us all other things who hath given us Christ Is comfort equall to Christ SERM. L. The Saints Sufferings are for the Churches good 2 COR. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation which is effectual in the induring the same sufferings which we also suffer or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation THis Verse is acknowledged by many Learned Expositors to be very difficult not so much from the matter for that is easie as from the grammatical disposition of the words there being several conjectures and divers adventures about the transposing of them In most of the Latin Copies there are three members in the disjunction whereas the Greek hath but two after this manner Whether we be afflicted whether we be comforted and whether we exhort But according to the Greek word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this would make a tautology therefore no doubt this was inserted in the Latin Copies by some not diligently attending to what they did Then as for the Greek Chrysostome doth transpose the words otherwise then we do putting off the second member of the disjunction viz. Whether we be comforted c. to the next Verse Knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings c. and then reduceth all the rest to the former part Some also blame Erasmus for adding in the Original it is Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation which way our Translators also render And indeed the sense would runne well enough without it relating to those words Our hope of you is stedfast But this is not material for the sense is still the same Not therefore to trouble you with these grammatical difficulties seeing the scope and meaning of the Apostle is evident which is That whatsoever did befall him in his ministerial Office it was for their good and therefore they were to be so farre from being discouraged at his sufferings or to despise him for them as the false Apostles laboured to make them do that they ought rather to honour him and they themselves to be more animated in their sufferings for Christ And in this the Apostle doth so overflow with words that Erasmus absurdly giveth this prophane censure Intempestivae copiae affectatio as if he could teach the Spirit of God how to speak But no wonder at this presumption of his seeing in his Epistle to Barbirius purging himself from being a Lutheran much more from holding every thing that Luther wrote he addeth he would not be so addicted to Austin or Hierome vix etiam ipsi Paulo scarce even to Paul himself Whether this vix would preserve him from blasphemy let others judge But come we to the first member in this distribution wherein we have the condition supposed the consequent and effect of it with the amplification thereof I shall begin with the condition supposed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether we be afflicted squeezed or pressed for the word signifieth such afflictions as are like the â—â—ail to the corn that doth bruise it The end of this in the general is for the good of the Church more particularly for their consolation and salvation From whence Observe That the afflictions and sufferings we indure for Christ do not only turn to our own good but to the good of Gods Church That they are for our own good hath been partly spoken to Yea every dispensation of God to those that fear him is a benefit and an advantage For if it be a mercy it is bonum Dei consolantis if an affliction it is bonum Dei admonentis as Austin But I am now to speak of the diffusive good by afflictions in respect of others That sufferings for Christ are of publique edification to the Church appeareth by two or three notable texts concerning what Paul speaketh of himself Phil. 1. 12. I would ye should understand that the things which hapned to me have fallen out rather to the furtherance of the Gospel I would ye should understand It is a truth that Believers should possesse themselves with For indeed it is a ridle that out of this strong one should come honey that out of darknesse should arise light from death come life The not understanding of this hath made so many Apostates thinking that the Kingdom of Christ and his waies would never hold because all the power of the world conspire to oppresse it but the Apostle would have them know that persecutions do not hinder but further the Gospel The treading and trampling on this Camomile makes it thrive the better Another remarkable text is 2 Tim. 2. 10. where the Apostle having shewed that though they did cast him into bonds yet the Word of God could not be bound no more then a man as Chrysostome observeth that cutteth off a branch from the tree can cut off the Sun-beams also from the Sun that may shine upon that branch he addeth that he doth indure all things for the elects sake that they may obtain salvation Oh wonderfull expression you might think Paul goeth too high these words become Christ rather Who can say this but Christ He suffereth for the elects sake that they may have salvation But Paul speaks this only as a Minister not a Mediatour as is more particularly to be urged His scope is to shew that it is not for any sinnes of his own any wickednesse that he hath committed but it is for the good of the Church that he thus suffereth So that Paul doth not only propagate the Gospel by preaching but by suffering when he cannot preach he doth most preach when his person is bound in chains then the Gospel is more enlarged As Herod by cutting off John Baptists head did in effect make John's tongue more speak and witness against him The last instance is Col. 1. 24. which place is the more famous because abused by the Papists to uphold a treasure or overplus in the sufferings of the Saints that they suffer more than they deserve and therefore the overplus is to be dispensed by Papal authority for the relief of such who want merits And here cometh in their doctrine
of Indulgences which was the occasion of that Reformation wherein Luther was so greatly instrumental For the Text it self you have Paul professing his rejoycing in his sufferings though so afflicted so reproached being made a spectacle to men and Angels Accounted the off-scouring of the world yet in all this he did rejoyce For God loveth a cheerfull sufferer as well as a cheerfull giver Si quid boni tristis feeris per te fit magis quam tu facis It is done in thee rather than by thee the good thou doest with grudging and reluctancy Yea admire the publick affection of Paul this was not so much because he should hereby have a greater crown of glory that he should hereby be more honoured but principally he rejoyced because he suffered for others that by his persecutions many others may be imboldened to profess the Gospel Now he sheweth in what manner he did suffer for them viz. By filling up that which is behind of the affliction of Christ in his flesh for the bodies sake which is the Church This seemeth strange how could Paul fill up the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things behind of Christs sufferings Were Christs sufferings imperfect Could Paul make up that which was deficient in Christ This would be to make Paul copartner with Christ in the work of the mediation and then Paul might truly have said that which once by interrogation he so vehemently denied Paul was crucified for them Therefore you must know the sufferings of Christ are of two sorts 1. Those which he suffered in his own Person as Mediator and head of his Church And thus by once offering up of himself he for ever made perfect those that do believe in him and thus there are no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no remainders behind to be done 2. There are the sufferings of the members of Christ united to him their Head and these are called his sufferings because of that mystical conjunction between Christ and his members as also that sympathy that is in him with them in their sufferings Now as Christ was appointed to sufferings so is every member of his by way of conformity to their Head set apart also for their sufferings and these are the afflictions of Christ that are still behind All the members of Christ have not yet fully suffered In every age there are some still to be afflicted for his sake and as long as any one believer is to suffer so long something of Christs afflictions remaineth still behind Therefore the Apostle addeth He was to fulfill these afflictions in his flesh and the end is for the good of the Church They suffer for the Church but not as Christ suffereth as will appear by some Propositions to clear the Doctrine First therefore when we say That the afflictions of the godly especially of eminent officers in the Church are for the good of the Church you must still distinguish them from the sufferings of Christ for the Church also The Martyrs they died to witness the truth and hereby occasionally to procure salvation for others but Christs â—…ng for others was in a far more transcendent and efficacious way For 1. Christs death was not only a martyrdom but a propitiation and an atonement also Christ we grant did suffer as a Martyr he came into the world to bear witnesse to the truth And he is said 1 Tim. 6. 13. To have witnessed a good confession before Pontius Pilate But those wretched Socinians are therefore to be abhorred because they make this the only end of his death That he died by way of example not by way of propitiation for our sins Thus with them the sufferings of Christ and of Paul for the Church differ only gradually not in kind Christ died as a more eminent Martyr than Paul but both only by way of witness to the truth Take we heed then that we do not split our souls at this rock of blasphemy denying the atonement of Christs sufferings 2. They differ in the efficacy also For Paul's sufferings and so all the sufferings of the godly do only objectively or by way of example turn to the good of others They comfort convert or save others only ministerially but Christs sufferings did meritoriously and efficiently also procure all the benefits which the Church standeth in need of Hence remission of sinne justification renovation and glorification are attributed unto his blood which cannot be to the blood of the Martyrs So that Christs death did by way of merit and causality procure all the priviledges the Church enjoyeth Hence in the second place All the sufferings which any undergo for the Churches good they are not meritorious or satisfactory either for our selves or others As the Papists do most derogatively to the honour of Christ maintain for their Doctrine about the sufferings of Martyrs for Christs cause is very proud and pharisaical They dogmatize that by these he may merit and satisfie God yet through the merits of Christ Tincta sanguine Christi yea not only thus satisfie for his own sins but may supererogate So that they exceed the wise Virgins they will part with some of their oil because they have more than enough So that from the overplus of all their sufferings the Church hath a great stock and treasure to relieve those that have no merits of their own Now this is a meer political engine in Popery to make the Pope have indeed a great treasury for he communicateth and dispenseth out of this stock for money Insomuch that Albertus Magnus saith plainly That a rich man is in a farre better condition to be saved than a poor man because he hath money to buy his pardon and to redeem himself which the poor hath not Thus these like Judas make a sale and bargain of Christ but though the godly suffer yet their sufferings are not for that end as Christs was even as when they obey the Law of God they do it not for that end which Christ did For both in suffering and doing Christ was only meritorious because he was without sin and did more than he was bound to which cannot be said of any Martyr Thirdly When we say the sufferings of the godly turn to the good of others This is not to be understood as if of themselves they did so but by the mighty power and grace of God working by them For Paul cannot of himself cause comfort and courage in others for he acknowledgeth God only to be the fountain of all comfort and therefore he prayeth to God that God would do good by such afflictions And as Paul cannot of himself thus do good to others by his sufferings For it is with him as in his preaching He doth but plant and water it is God that giveth the increase So neither do these sufferings work good of themselves by any intrinsecal virtue and efficacy they have For how many by these persecutions are the rather terrified So that as
and profits than future glory then thou proclaimest thy exceeding great folly and madnesse If then thou love thy self thy soul thy salvation be patient in enduring all that God layeth upon thee Fifthly Be patient under such sufferings Because hereby thou promotest the good of others the salvation of others And certainly this should much prevail with us These sufferings of mine these patient endurings for the cause of Christ may provoke and encourage many others This did greatly induce Paul and animate him in all his reproaches and difficulties he met with for the Gospel because that hereby the Church was more propagated With what joy Phil. 1. 13. doth he speak of this That his bonds were made manifest every where and many of the brethren waxed more confident and bold than before As on the contrary we see the impatience worldly fears and Apostasie of some have done a world of hurt to others not only falling themselves but making others also to tumble down with them This is a sad thing to consider of If the Apostle Rom. 14. speaks so dreadfully about a strong Christian abusing his liberty that thereby he is a stumbling block and on his part destroyeth him for whom Christ died How much more will this hold true on him who shall perfidiously forsake Christ rather than suffer for him And although some of these have recover'd again and manifested as much faithfulnesse as they had formerly falshood yet those that did wholly fall off their fall was great making the adversary to rejoyce and animating others to do the like Therefore on the contrary if thou endure with constancy and patience under all opposions in nothing being dismayed this will imbolden others thou mayest prevent the backsliding of others Insomuch that to suffer for Christ is a great act of love not only to Christ but to the Church when with Paul we shall be willing to be sacrified for the good of other mens souls Now this duty of love we owe to the Body of Christ we are bound in conscience to suffer reproaches and all manner of trials for righteousnesse sake not only because Christ requireth it and with reference to him but also out of love to the souls and salvation of others When we suffer we do not only suffer as private Christians but as members of the body and therefore the concernment of the whole body is in the suffering of every member This then should greatly encourage us in all our afflictions for Christs sake It is not I alone it 's not my salvation only but the salvation of many others is carried on in this businesse Hence some have thought more implied in that expression then ordinarily is conceived 1 Cor. 4. 13. where the Apostle saith We are made as the filth and off-scouring of the world they say the words are not to be understood only of dishonour and reproach but because they were applied to such Sacrifices and devoted things in the offering whereof common judgements were removed piacula therefore they inferre That the Apostles sufferings did conduce to the whole Church of God Others come to obtain mercy by following them for an example I shall not plead for this interpretation onely this is a truth in the general That many have been converted and so saved by beholding the courage and patience of godly Confessors and Martyrs It 's then a duty we owe to the Church of God to suffer when Christ requireth And if we read of Heathens the Curtii and Decii who have devoted themselves to present death to remove some publick calamity what shame will this be to Christians if they shall not in a regular way shew such zeal for the Church of God We have a notable passage 1 John 3. 16. We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren What Christ did for us we are to do for the Church So that from this Text it is plain there are cases and instances wherein a man is bound to lose not only wealth and estate but even life it self for others Hence there is a distinction of Martyrium charitatis and Martyrium fidei A Jesuite Raynardus de Martyrio doth industriously endeavour to maintain That if a man having a call from God doth venture his life by visiting some infected with the plague doing this out of love to God and peoples souls such a man is as truly and properly a Martyr and that in a strict sense as one who dieth for witnessing the faith I shall not here examine this point only in the general we may conclude That he who layeth down his life for the brethren for the spiritual good of others having a call thereunto he he is a Martyr and may encourage himself with all those promises that those who died for the faith have done Yea such a suffering and Martyrdome may be called Martyrium fidei as well as charitatis or misericordiae Faith having imperate acts as well as elicite Hence the Apostle Heb. 11. attributeth divers worthy actions and atchievements unto Faith By this you see in any suffering whereby the Church of God is edified wherein we demonstrate our love to the salvation of others we may greatly encourage our selves Hence also it is observed by one of the Ancients That he who shall suffer to prevent schisms and breaches in the Church of God is more to be honoured than he who suffereth because he would not offer to an Idol because here is more love to the Church of God Let this then in all sufferings whether verbal or real mightily support thee that not my own salvation onely but the good and salvation of all those who shall come to hear or know this will also be furthered To be a meanes of conversion by suffering is in some respect greater than by preaching SERM. LV. All the Dispensations of God carry on and further the Salvation of his People 2 COR. 1. 6. Or whether we be comforted it is for your consolation and salvation THe first part or member of that distribution which the Apostle here useth hath been dispatched For as to the last particular observed in the illustration which the Apostle useth viz. The object matter of their patient enduring which is said to be the same sufferings which we also suffer If any new matter shall present it self it will be more fitly considered in the next verse I proceed therefore to the second part of the distribution used here by the Apostle In that we may observe The Condition supposed If we be comforted Here is light as well as darkness Summer as well as winter The godly are not alwayes afflicted but they have also their seasons of comfort It is not an impossible thing here supposed but what God doth ordinarily bring about for those that fear him So that in the time of adversity thou art to remember the time of thy consolations also whereas the people of God in their distress are apt with David to cry out Hath the Lord cast
and carnal interest not that all glory and honour may be given to Christ alone So that by this fleshly wisdome we are to understand all crafty false and deceitfull wayes yea and all that pride and swelling in humane learning and oratory which the false Apostles gloried in From whence observe That the Ministers of the Gospel are to carry on their work without any fleshly wisdome or sinfull policy Gods truth doth not need mans lie The Gospel doth not want for its propagation the craft and fraud of ungodly policy Howsoever Politicians take up many rules about worldly greatness as Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare c. And with Plato to say That a lie is as necessary in a Common-wealth as physick to a diseased body Yet as Christ himself so all the Ministers of Christ are to be without guile in their mouth The Gospel of Christ is preserved and propagated onely by such heavenly and holy meanes that God will own and give a blessing unto Christ compareth his Disciples to Sheep not to Foxes It is true there is a Serpentine wisdome commended by Christ And our Saviour commissionating his Disciples to preach the Gospel biddeth them To beware of men Mat. 10. 17. but an offensive or a deceitfull way of walking that is not beseeming the Ministers of Christ And therefore Paul doth frequently disclaime it especially 1 Thess 2. 3 4 5. There are two false wayes of propagating Religion as Gerhard observeth Cathol confess parte prim Media violentiae and Media fraudulentiae The means of violence may be either in external temporal punishments or in tyrannical unreasonable Church impositions which later the Apostle doth also renounce vers 24. Both which wayes the Antichristian party are notorious in And there are Media fraudulentiae wayes of hypocrisie and deceit using subtil and unjustifiable wayes to bring about their religious designs Now although it be the Gospel that we would extoll though the holy truths and pure worship of Christ yet we must not make use of fleshly wisdome herein but walk by Scripture-rules For it 's Gods grace not mans policy gives successe to the Gospel Of this latter we are to treat And we are the more to consider this point for three Reasons First Because it is the nature of all enemies to the truth and holinesse of Christ to charge the godly and innocent defenders thereof with hypocrisie and policy that they do onely seek themselves that they drive on politick designes under religious pretences That whereas it is the property of heretical persons to broach new opinions Alicujus temporalis commodi causâ as Austin putteth in the definition of an Heretick these judging of others by themselves do think that even the faithfull servants of God do only seek their own earthly greatnesse and advancement Hence we see even our Saviour himself so diligent to remove this charge from him I seek not my own glory but the glory of him who sent me John 8. 50. So John 7. 18. where our Saviour giveth the character of a false teacher of one that speaketh of himself that he seeketh his own glory Thus the Popish party charge lies and calumnies upon the Protestants as if they had used all politick and crafty wayes to disseminate their Doctrines Therefore Lessius the Jesuite among his reasons why the Protestant Religion is not to be imbraced maketh this one That Religion saith he which useth lies and falshoods to propagate it self cannot be of God which he applieth to the Protestant Churches But as for the Major we grant it as a sure truth True Religion is only advanced by truth and sincerity whereas errours being in themselves lies are increasing by the father of lies But then we say the Church of Rome is notoriously guilty in this way from them first came that expression of Piae fraudes applied by some to indulgences It is the Church of Rome that hath Revel 17. 5. upon her forehead written Mystery she is the harlot that like Solomons doth wipe her mouth and speak of vows pretending Religion when she hath been acting her leudnesse But by how much the more the enemies of Gods Church are apt to charge the guides therein with policy and deceitfulnesse the more are they to watch to their wayes and to walk with all sincerity For these accusations are believed by many And withall there is a generation of Atheistical politick men in the world that hereby are hardened in their impiety as if Religion were but a politick devise of men and therefore matter not any further than their advantages are served thereby Whose damnation sleepeth not if they do not awaken betimes Secondly The second Reason why this is to be attended is Because all pretenders to any Religion in the world they would all be thought to be sincere None will own and justifie hypocrisie and guile to be lawfull Indeed the Jesuites they go high this way when they defend mental reservations and make equivocation Prudens defensio rei as Valentia These are not onely deceitfull and use fleshly wisdome but also plead for it yet at other times would be thought very free from all such carnal policy and way of lying As Bellarmine in a Sermon of his Conc. 9. deâ—probitate doct Eccles inveigheth against Protestants whom he calleth Hereticks Although saith he their Doctrine were true yet ought they to confirme it with lies Nonne satius esset millies obmutescere quam semel mentiri Were it not better suffer to be a thousand times silent then once to lie What is the worke of the Devil if this be not Thus a great Champion of the Romish Church which you would think did all things in great candour and ingenuity And yet in that very Sermon reporteth forged lies against eminent men continuing the same bitterness in Conc. 10 11 12. as if his tongue were set on fire from hell But there are two famous places in the Scripture which may abundantly confirm us of the deceivable and false wayes in the Romane Church The first is 1 Tim. 4. 2. where they are said To speake lies in hypocrisie forbidding to marry c. who are therefore said To have seducing spirits yea and a conscience seared with an hot iron that is because they can so abominably dissemble both with God and man The second place is 2 Thes 2. 9. where the coming of that wicked one is said to be after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders in all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse Here you see that fraud and impostures are as it were the true note of their false Church But though this be so yet they would wash their Blackmoor skin and charge that crime upon those Churches who departed from them Seeing then that this cousening deceiving way is charged mutually by all parties upon one another with what integrity and fidelity doth it behove those to walk who are indeed the faithfull Ministers of Christ But Thirdly
the grace of God given unto me unto me who am lesse than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Doe not these words proclaime how greatly his heart is affected with the grace of God in setting him apart to be an Officer in his Church and to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles Thus the grace of Conversion and the grace of Apostleship are a two-fold obligation upon Paul for ever to keep him humble and lowly in his own eyes Thirdly The grace of God exalted by Paul is seen In the inabling of him in his ministerial worke and going along with him in an effectual manner That whereas he had so many adversaries the false Apostles who gloried in humane wisdome and all external enticements of the flesh of man yet for all that that his seeming folly should conquer their towering wisdome that his contemptiblenesse should surmount their eminency This argued that it was not Paul but the grace of God with him that was thus effectuall Even as it was not little David in his own power but in the name of the Lord that did destroy that vaunting Goliah Now as there were many choice ingredients that did make up that precious ointment which was to be poured on the head of the Highpriest So there are also many choice and gracious qualifications with the Concomitants thereof required in those who are Pastours over people especially in the Apostles who were Pastours over Pastours as well as people As First It was the gracious worke of God To make Paul to be sincere and to walke in all plainnesse and integrity of heart whereas we see many in the broaching of their false wayes are filled with great deceit and subtilty The Apostle chargeth upon such who deliver false Doctrines Ephes 4. 14. By cunning craftinesse and sleight of men they lie in wait to deceive Those that are false Prophets in the Church of God they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A strange slighty jugling and even bewitching of men but it is from the grace of God that those who are his true Ministers are sincere and upright They have an agreement betweene their heart and tongue It was the speech of one reading Lectures in the Popish Schooles Sic dico quando sum in Scholis sed penes nos sit aliter sentio I speake thus when I am in the Schooles but to tell you a secret I thinke otherwise It was also a boast of another Fredericus Staphylus That he had so many yeares beene a professour of Divinity in the Schooles and yet no hearer was able to tell what judgement he was of Gerhardi Cathol Confessio lib. 1. par 2. cap. 19. Now this craft and dissimulation in the old Dragon and his seed is no wonder but the Ministers of Christ as they believe with their heart so they make confession with their mouths and dare not but reveale the whole counsel of God It was horrible impudence in Melanthus the Grecian who having got a Kingdome by fraud and deceit did in honour thereof as if it were pleasing to their gods appoint Festivals calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as coustning and deceiving inculcating that of the Poet Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat Capel Histor An. Mund. 2872. Certainly the Church of Rome and many other Hereticks have gone by no better Rule counting gaine godlinesse counting lying and dissembling godlinesse when they conceived that it made for their end As if they were of that Kings mind Darius Hystaspes that to lie and speake truth were all one For he that spake truth did so to obtain his desires and so he that lied did no more and therefore both truth and a lie were all one Vide Laurent Vul. Jisuit cap. 1. pag. 30. But oh how abominable is this and contrary to the Spirit of Christ The grace of God in such who are his faithfull Ministers maketh them not to turn into such false and crooked wayes though the preaching of the truths of Christ bringeth much hatred and opposition though they know they are unwelcome and despised and that for their very message sake yet they consult not with fleshly wisdome but doe the work of God zealously and with much faithfulnesse And truly the Ministers of God are much to pray for this grace of God upon them that they may be above all humane feats all sinfull compliances and be afraid of nothing but that they should sinne and not preach the Gospel with that boldnesse as they ought to do That great commendation which the spies gave Christ upon a wicked designe is to be endeavoured after by every faithfull Minister of Christ Luke 20. 20. Master we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly neither acceptest thou the person of any but teachest the way of God truly So that you see this sincerity in the Ministers of God is the special effect of Gods grace towards them And therefore let us make an Use of Admonition to all such as desire to serve God in the way of the Ministry that above all things they would pray to God for this grace To have thy ministerial conversation with much wisdome and learning with great applause and glory in the world is nothing so advantagious as this integrity of spirit This is above parts above gifts above books and all learning It is said of Barnabas Act. 11. 24. He was a good man full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added to the Lord This followed as a blessed effect upon the former If we Ministers had more mighty workings of Gods Spirit in us we should find more mighty workings of his Spirit with us SERM. XCVI Wherein the Grace of God appeared towards Paul in his Ministerial Labours 2 COR. 1. 12. But by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world WE are enumerating the particulars of that grace which the Apostle doth especially acknowledge in his ministerial course We proceed therefore and First The faithfulnesse of Paul to his Apostolical trust fixing his heart upon that and using no other meanes then what are proportionable and commensurate to such a noble end was wholly of the grace of God towards him It is required of Stewards that they be found faithfull saith this Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 2. and with this grace God had honoured him Insomuch that we do not find in Paul any halting any carnal compliance which might contradict the holy end of his Apostolical Office Those are two noble expressions 2 Corinth 10. 8. Our authority the Lord hath given us for edification and not for destruction The other is 2 Cor. 13. 8. For we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth In these Texts we have expressed the end of all ministerial power it is for edification And therefore if any
complain of such a dull and liveless Ministry yet how little do people think that many times they give the cause so that its Gods punishment upon them in that very thing yea though Ministers be never so faithfull and godly yet as Calvin observeth they cannot go on in their Ministerial work with that vigor and alacrity they ought to do when their hearts are bound up with sorrow and discouragements about their people All cannot attain to Pauls excellency who could have enlarged bowells to that people who had streightened ones towards him SERM. CVII Of the Necessity of a constant Ministry not only for the constituting but to an establishing the Church 2 COR. 1. 15. That you might have a second benefit IN these words we have the End of Pauls purpose to come to them It was wholly spiritual It was not for any advantage any earthly respects but but wholly for their good to encrease and confirm their graces The End is expressed in these words That ye might have a second benefit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some as Chrysostome interpret for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea their are some who would have that to be the word in the Original It is no doubt but that much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joy did follow upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All spiritual effects and heavenly exercises are apt to breed much joy Hence none have true joy but those that are godly and so by consequence none are blessed but they for Joy is a great ingredient to Happiness Hence Aristotle maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly to rejoyce yet is more consonant to other places of Scripture to read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Rom. 1. 11. He desired to see them that he might impart to them some spiritual benefit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is chiefly used in the New Testament for the free grace of God towards us in reference to our Eternal Happiness so that the very name ought to be sweet and precious to such who labour under the sense of their unworthiness and see no power or works of their own any wayes able to save them It is of grace therefore that doth not onely exclude merit but supposeth thee unworthy for such mercies of thy own self It is sometimes in Scripture applyed to such Almes as were freely given for the use of distressed Churches 2 Cor. 8. which is therefore called Grace partly because it is of Gods special goodness to give us such a free and liberal Disposition as the first Verse in that Chapter implyeth I do you to wit saith Paul of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia and that was to be liberal to the other afflicted Saints and partly because it cometh from the bountifull disposition of a man to such as are in want In this Text it is to be applyed to spiritual bounty that is to be willing and ready in all serviceableness to promote the spirituall good of others for there are spiritual almes as well as temporal which lieth in reproof in Admonition and frequent Exhortation to what is good Now this Grace or Benefit is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate iterated and repeated though it be more than the Second or third time Chrysostome referreth it to his Epistles and his presence for by both these he communicated spiritual benefit unto them But it is most probably and generally referred to his first and second coming whether Paul did come a third time to those Corinthians is disputed by Commentators because of some passages in the 12 and 13 Chapters of this Epistle of which in its time It is enough that by the first grace or benefit we mean the first work upon them by Pauls Ministry when they were converted from their Paganism and planted a Church of Christ And the second benefit was to confirm them in the same Faith and also to quicken them up unto further degrees of Holiness and this was the second Benefit Paul desired to impart unto them For it appeareth that though this Church of Corinth was a garden planted by Paul yet many weeds and some poysonous ones began to grow up amongst them There were both in Doctrine and Manners many things amiss which needed Pauls presence to reforme Observe That it is not enough to be a Church planted and gathered from out of the world at first but there needeth a constant and dayly Ministry to be tilling and dressing of it That Garden which God planted and put Adam into yet was to be dayly dressed and so it is still with the best Churches even those that are of the Apostolical Plantation yet needed the Apostles care and diligent visitations which was one main cause of writing those several Epistles to several Churches They were not written to convert them or make them Churches but to admonish instruct or confirm and comfort as occasion did require and upon this ground it is that though the office of Apostles and Prophets as also the gift of miracles are now ceased because the Church is now planted yet the office of Pastors and the Ordinances Christ hath instituted are perpetual and must be continued to the end of the world So that the opinion of the Socininians about the Ministry as it were only a thing of order and not of Divine Institution is grosly repugnant to Gods Word as also their Doctrine about Baptism That it was but a temporary Ceremony instituted for the beginning of the Church is full of falshood Churches though constituted yet must be dayly watered neither is it enough for a people once to be brought home to the Faith but they need a second and a third yea a continual benefit For though the Apostle haply did come but the second time to these Corinthians yet he appointed Officers in an ordinary residence amongst them as wel as in other Churches which were continually to watch over them The particulars wherein the Ministry is necessary for perfecting work as well as foundation work for progress as well as ingress for consummation as well as imitation are these First To inform against those Errors which false Teachers do easily insinuate into the hearts of people No sooner hath God sowed his field with precious wheat but the envious one commeth and soweth his tares As the April showers that make grass and flowers to come cause also weeds to grow Thus at the same time God is building the Church the Devil and his instruments are raising their Babel No sooner have the Ministers of God with Isaac digged up Wells but the Philistines have been ready to throw their earth and mud therein If then Errors and damnable Heresies may so quickly infect a Church formerly pure no wonder if there be such necessity of Pastors and Guides who are to lead the people into all truth by their Ministry as the spirit of
go rather than peace and quietness of a good conscience A Second Principle of the flesh which maketh men inconstant is An inordinate desire of Greatness and Honour above others They that walk by this must be black and white now say and than deny according as those are affected from whom they exspect Advancement This secret Ambition is accompanyed with a vehement heat and drought of the soul making a man restless till their desires be accomplished Neither may we think the Heathens onely to be blamed for these proud affectations We see even the Apostles twice contending about Primacy and Superiority which is the greater wonder if we consider the meanness of their own condition they were in as also of Christ their Master and yet more wonder it is if we remember how frequently our Saviour did inform them of Persecutions and saddest Calamities for his sake We read likewise of Diotrephes 3 John 9. who loved to have the preheminence and would not own no not the Apostle John himself Now those that walk by such Principles of pride and ambition they must needs be like a materia prima ready to receive any form They flatter they dissemble they commend they dispraise and thus debased they are that afterwards they may be exalted Now nothing is more odious and abominable to a sincere man than such mutability and uncertainty Hence Christians of old were called the just and holdfast men It was not thus with John Baptist of whom saith our Saviour What went ye out to see a read shaken with the winde No he did faithfully and constantly discharge his duty without any fear of men But how many may we go out to see as reeds shaken with every winde And as the reed must grow in some mire so must such mutable persons have some carnal respect to encourage them Those that climbe up to high places are apt to have their heads grow giddy and to be unsteadfast so that when men lay this as a foundation I will have Preferment I will have Honor and greatness though it damn me this man walketh upon slippery ice and no wonder if he often fall 3. Another carnal Principle which maketh Inconstancy in all our wayes is Pleasing of men When a man maketh this his Rule he must change often and be as a shadow which moveth whoily according to the motion of the body stoopeth when that stoopeth and is upright when that is upright The Apostle doth notably disclaim such a sinfull distemper saying Galat. 1. 10. If I should please men I could not be the servant of Christ Man is a mutable creature subject to different apprehensions to different affections loving one thing one day and hating it at another Then must they also who would please men be prepared for all formes and postures insomuch that a man cannot live in greater bondage and slavery tan to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a peoples ape or to study the humouring of those we have to deal with If thou art guilty of this man-pleasing thou art never able to do thy duty thou canst not reprove and punish sin thou canst not be just and righteous in thy place Our Saviour said to his Disciples How can you belive which receive glory of one another John 5. 44. and do not seek the glory of God only Certainly till we study to please God alone in our lives and aim at his glory who is alwayes the same we must be unstable as water and be a lyar to every man We read of some who did believe in Christ yet dared not to make Profession thereof for fear of the Jews Here was a desire to please men rather than God But can the good word and favour of men deliver thee from the wrath of God in thy conscience and eternal torments hereafter When Judas pleased the Chief Priests in betraying of Christ could they comfort him in the Agonies of his conscience yea when he bewailed his sin They say What is that to us look thou to that Mat. 17. 4. Such miserable tormentors instead of comforters will all those men be whom thou hast pleased to displease God 5. Time-serving is a Principle which whosoever walketh by must be as a weather-Cock that is turned with every winde The people of Israel are remarkeable for this Inconstancy under wicked and Idolatrous Kings then they erected Altars they adorned Images and then immediately under Religious and Reforming Kings they would destroy the Idolls and deface the Images they had set up It is true all change and alteration in Religion is not to be blamed yea sometimes it is to be encouraged When Luther and Melancton gave over their former corrupt Doctrines and superstitious Practices the Papists condemned them for Turn-coats and Apostate persons when yet this change was necessary So that as they say in Philosophy there is alteratio corruptiva and perfectiva a destructive change and a perfective change thus it is also in Divinity and the Latter is absolutely commanded by God when Errors or Prophaneness have like a gangrene spread over the whole Church but of that in its time We are now speaking of that sinfull change whereby people accommodate themselves to the times they live in and therefore judg of truth judg of the holy things of God as Jeroboam did with subordination to State-Interests This is the great carnal Policy that the Wise-men of the world admire as if the true Doctrines of Christ were not alwayes the same as if a thing might be the worship of God one time and Idolatry at another as if the same thing might be the Doctrine of Christ at one time and Heresie at another as if that of Cusanus were true though otherwise not a very bad man That the Scripture is to be understood according to the present state and Affairs of the Church and therefore saith he We are not to wonder if at one time some Customes and Usages be exacted in a Church which at another time are to be decryed and refused But certainly the Scripture is a Rule of Faith and Manners in all Ages in all Changes and Revolutions Though Kingdomes and States may alter yet the Scriptures are the same still and what was once the Doctrine Worship and Order of Christ is still the same Lastly That all Particulars may be comprehended in one To live according to the Principles of the Flesh is To set up our selves as the Alpha and Omega to enjoy our selves and to use all things yea God himself in subordination thereunto Thus this love of a mans self even to the hatred of God is that which maketh us put on multiform shapes it is that which maketh us bend and bow and comply in all things For if we did love the Honour and glory of God more than our own selves as we ought to do then we should not attend to self-advantages but Gods glory and honor So that we may say This Self-love is the Beelzebub sin it
sense would be more properly said to erre if under such impediments it did not represent as it doth First One impediment in the sense is the two long distance of the Object from the eye to instance in this senfe As we judg the Sun less than the earth because of the vaste distance from us so that till a man take Astronomical Instruments and correct Sense by Art he misjudgeth about the Suns magnitude thus is it here When we go to judg of Gods Promises to us or his Church we finde not the truth of them because the wayes of God are too remote from us his thoughts exceed ours as much as the Heavens do the earth Therefore we must necessarily erre till we go to the Scripture that is as it were the Artificial Instrumennt whereby we are able to behold that truth in Gods proceedings which otherwise we could not A Second Impediment is the medium indispositum when the means of seeing is Indisposed as when we look upon a stick in the waters or the Sun through a dark cloud Thus many times when we judg of Gods proceedings according to his Promises we look through False mediums we think according to the Principles that men would do in the world as Luther said We would think that God should destroy Pope and Turk immediately but all this is because we look through an indisposed glass in this particular Lastly The eye cannot judg right of its Object when the visive faculty is disturbed when that is infested with any evil humors Thus the spiritual eyes even of a Godly man are in some measure vitiated and therefore are not able to behold that glory of God in carrying on the Affairs of his Church and by those very wayes which we would think tend to the destruction of the things promised by them he doth fulfill them for the wayes of the Lord are wonderfull to us in making good his Promises and commonly they are fulfilled by those means which seem contrary to them even as he cured the blinde man by mingling spittle with clay which he laid upon his eyes And thus the Godly soul may finde how God is true in spiritual Promises to his soul for he obtaineth comfort through desertions the way to Heaven he findes through Hell yea in sanctifying Grace he cometh to higher Degrees in Grace even by his Failings So true is that of Suarez Aliquando substractio gratiae est ad finem gratiae The end of Grace is accomplished by the gradual substraction and suspension of Grace for a time But I must not inlarge herein Lastly This truth of God is the foundation of all Religion and Godliness For if there were no truth in the Scriptures which are Gods truth if there were no truth in the Promises or Threatnings into what a Chaos and Confusion of wickedness would all men fall There would be no difference between Hell and this World So that Gods Truth is a Foundation of all Piety in these three wayes First The truth of God in his Doctrine delivered to the Church is the foundation yea the Essence and soul of his Church In this it doth differ from Jews Turks and Pagans yea from all Heretical Societies That she hath the truth of God and others not So that as the soulâ— keepeth the body from rottenness and Putrefaction Thus also the truth of God keepeth the Church from being only a Carkase or to have the Name and Title of a Church without the thing it self Secondly The truth of God in his Promises is the great supporter of the hopes of all the Godly By them alone they are enabled to walk with Peter upon the water and sink not because they believe Gods Promises to be true they do therefore renounce all unlawfull Pleasures and Profits they will not leave the fatness and sweetness of them to go to those bryars Thirdly The truth of God in his threatnings That is like a fiery sword to keep them from all evil They know those threatnings are true and that the World and the Devil prove lyars to all those that serve them therefore they awe their hearts with a continuall fear of them And certainly if every wicked man would remember this That Gods threatnings are true they will be made good no wisdome no greatness no power can resist him For how can the stubble withstand the consuming fire this would make them utterly forsake their sinnes But whether thou wilt believe or no Gods Curses will fall upon thee For there is this difference between the Promises and Threatnings The Promises many of them are not made good unto them unless thou do believe believe and thy sinnes are forgiven thee but the threatnings will be made good to thee a prophane sinner whether thou wilt or not Gods Word will have its effect though thou dost desire it might be false SERM. CXVI The personal failings of Ministers are oft cast upon the Ministry it self 2 COR. 1. 18. But as God is true our word toward you was not yea and nay THe next particular considerable is the occasion of that Transition which the Apostle maketh from the word of his Promise in particular to come to them and the word of his Preaching in the general The occasion is from that evill and malevolent Disposition which was in his Adversaries who from any either real or but supposed Imperfections in other things would presently burden his Ministry with it and thereby as much as in them lieth make Paul wholly useless in the Church of God Now because this is the continual stratagem which the Devil useth to make the best Ministry ineffectual and because it is the constant inclination of wicked men to do so therefore I shall pursue this Observation That there is a propensity in wicked and evil minded men to cast all the imperfections of the Ministers of the Gospel upon their Ministry and Doctrine To bring the Truths they Preach either into doubt or disesteem because of some failings yea though they be not real but supposed in their own Imaginations Thus the Adversaries of Paul they did captiously lay hold upon his Promise and failing as they think in that thereby they would render all his Doctrine and Ministry odious that thereby their falshoods and corruptions may have the greater success Thus the wickedness of ungodly men doth constantly bend to this that they may be hardened in their hearts against the Word Preached that they may fortifie themselves with some damnable Principles of others that so the message of the Lord may be rejected Now to illustrate this consider these particulars First That when a Minister either preaches false Doctrine or liveth scandalously or is lazy and negligent in his place then it is lawfull for a people to have an holy and wise zeal against such persons that they may be quickened up to their duties Neither is this to be an enemy to the Office of the Ministry or to endeavour the publique Dishonour of it
out against the Doctrine and Office for any real or supposed failings because it is that which doth most grieve and trouble them It is the Word of God that is a terrour to them that will not let them sin securely theresore they have no care to take but as much as lieth in them to make it no word to make it nothing but the humours of men For all the while they believe this is the Doctrine of God this will reprove me this will damn me they dare not they cannot rise up against God but to delude their soules therefore they run to lies and sinfull refuges whereby they would undervalue this Word and make it nothing but the Opinions of men 3. They fall foul upon the Doctrine presently because herein they think they do the greater despite to the faithfull Ministers of God Herein they think the more to afflict them they know that no glory honour or profit doth so much prevail with him as the honour of his Office and the truth of his Doctrine and theresore that they might shew their mischief and malice the more they would him in that which is dearest 4. They condemn the Doctrine from personal failings because herein they think to justifie themselves the more That there is no such reason why it should be powerfull to reforme or convert them seeing it doth not so to the Minister himself They think they have a good plea for their unprofitableness and unfruitfulness If he be a Physician say they Why doth he not heal himself if he can save others why doth he not save himself as they derided Christ Use of Exhortation To observe and take notice of this subtilty of Satan and the naughtiness of thy own heart in this particular Are not all his workings to prejudice thee against the faithfull Pastor of thy soul Doth not every tale or story doth not every slanderous and lying report presently take off thy Faith and reverence to the word that is preached Oh remember that it is Gods word it is Gods truth whatsoever our failings may be its Gods treasure though it be in an earthen vessel It will be no excuse for thee at the day of judgment to say Lord I regarded not the word I mattered not Sermons I attended not to what they Preached because I thought the Messengers thereof were proud and covetous Will not God arraign thee saying It was my Word howsoever It was my Doctrine my word was not proud or Doctrine Covetous if not for their sakes yet you should have received it for my sake It was not the Ministers Doctrine the Ministers Sacrament but mine The Devil is very busie to destroy thee by this temptation but watch and pray against them SERM. CXVII Of Changing in Matters of Religion 2 COR. 1. 18. Our word toward you was not yea and nay WE are now arrived at the last particular considerable in this Text and that is the firmnesse and constancy of the Doctrine that Paul preached to the Corinthians You heard that malevolent adversaries from a supposed levity in Paul otherwise did presently argue to an inconstancy in his Doctrine And although this was but once they could not charge such an appearing levity upon Paul often It was but at one time yet how ready were they to take an advantage hereby against Gods truth It is true the verity and firmnesse of Gods truths doth not depend upon the esteem of Ministers his word is sure though men be vain and inconstant yet by this instance we see how much it concerneth the Ministers of the Gospel to abound in gravity sincerity and constancy especially so to deport themselves that the Doctrine they preach may not be suspected of changeablenesse as if they would preach that for Gods truth one time which afterwards they would preach to be the Devils lie This is that which Paul doth here renounce Our word toward you saith he was not yea and nay that is it was not light mutable it was not white and black hot and cold but it was alwayes the same constant abiding truth From whence observe That for a Minister to be mutable and contradictory in his Doctrine is very reproachfull to him and makes his Ministry wholly uselesse Sometimes to preach one way as the way of God one opinion as the certain truth of God and then afterwards to preach up the clean contrary this debaseth the person and the office of a man it maketh all his Ministry to be despised They conclude either that such a man thinketh there is no Religion at all or at least that he is either Atheistical believing none or else very ignorant or carnal and self-seeking that with Demetrius the Priest of Diana's Temple doth judge that only Religion which is profitable and therefore measure the truths of Doctrines by their interest and carnal emoluments In the Old Testament we read of many such lying Prophets who did not prophesie according to the visions of the Lord but from the imagination of their own hearts preached to Kings and people such pleasing things as they desired This hath done a world of hurt in the Church of God when the officers therein have not regarded whether the things they preach were Gods truths but whether pleasing to men or no. This was to make the Sunne to follow the Dial and the truth of God shall no longer be truth but while it pleaseth man Now such men that are thus mutable must needs be accounted transgressours by all For so saith the Apostle If I build the things againe I once destroyed I make my selfe a transgressour Galat. 2. 18. This Doctrine deserveth serious examination because as there is much truth in it and thereby much good may be done So occasionally through mistake men may be prejudiced to their own hurt For did not the Papists brand the Reformers at first with inconstancy and perfidiousnesse that they were nothing but Yea and Nay For formerly they came to the Masse they worshipped Images they acknowledged the Pope as well as they But then of a sudden they were all changed then the Pope was Antichrist then the Masse was blasphemous Idolatry then they puiled down their Altars and Images Thus say the Papists they were yea and nay And in our age Are there not many offended because the Ministers of the Gospel do not keep up the same Church-administrations as they once did that they do not pray baptize administer the Lords Supper in the same way as once they did If it was no sinne then why is it now Thus they think there is much inconstancy and levity in Ministers because they see such changes and alterations in their publick administrations Let us therefore abide the longer upon this truth seeing the Text doth give such seasonable advantages thereunto And First You must know That all yea and nay is not bad There may be a time when he that hath been for a Yea a long time in Religion must if ever he will be
to charge it upon all other Ministers as if they were all alike It was for this that Paul doth not only apologize for himself but his Associates also But how unreasonable is this grant that some were truly blame-worthy must all be so If in the Old Testament there were many false prophets that daubed with untempered mortar that cried peace peace to sinners when destruction was at hand shall we therefore condemn the good Prophets who reproved even the greatest and most mighty for their sins Because Judas was a thief and for filthy lucre sake betrayed Christ shall we condemn all the Apostles making them to be no better Must Sylvanus and Timotheus be accused Because they thought Paul was inconstant and light yet thus it falleth out continually and that from these Grounds First The policy and enmity of false teachers who like Haman think it a small matter to destroy one Mordecai unlesse they root out the whole race of the Jews Thus the false Apostles concluded Though Paul was disgraced and vilified yet if Sylvanus and Timotheus be in esteem and authority our Kingdom will fall to the ground It is therefore the adversaries design to cast dung in the faces of all the faithfull Ministers of Christ that so there might not one be left that should be usefull in their place A second Ground is From the injudiciousnesse and indiscretion of people who are credulous and apt to believe all rumours and reports How could it be that the Pharisees by their calumniating Christ as an Impostor and a Blasphemer should prevail with the greater part of the people to be on their side because they were blinde and led by the blinde they would not make use of their own judgement they would not examine and try whether things were so or no. And then the third Ground is From the natural enmity that is in all wicked men to the Office of the Ministry when faithfully discharged That is a burden to them they must needs say with Ahab to such faithfull Michaiahs We hate him because he alwayes prophesieth evil Alas godly Ministers cannot give any comfort cannot promise peace to such ungodly persons therefore they have hatred against them and are glad to receive any false report concerning them Ministers are compared to Light and to salt now the Light must needs be offensive to distempered eyes and Salt to soars Thus if the Ministery be powerfull to enlighten to convince to reprove no ungodly man can endure this Therefore it is that the office of the Ministery when faithfully managed is so great a trouble to wicked men They are thievs therefore cannot endure this light they cry out with Ahab hast thou found mee O my enemy Every Sermon that is powerfull is as bitter as gall and wormwood to them and therefore there being such an enmity and ill-will against them it is no wonder if they be quickly prejudiced and will not believe there is a godly or faithfull Minister in the whole Church of God But I hasten to the Last Observation and that is It is a most blessed and happy thing when all the Ministers of God agree with one consent to advance Christ As Luke calleth it chap. 1. The mouth of all the holy Prophets which have been since the beginning of the world It was but one mouth as it were They all agreed in the same Doctrine Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus they all preach the same Christ they were not yea or nay This accord and agreement among the Ministers of the Gospel is of so great concernment that our Saviour in his valedictory prayer doth with much efficacy and vigor press this Petition That his Disciples may be one and one in the most near manner imaginable even as the father and son are one I shall not enlarge on this because heretofore much spoken off only I shall instance in some usefull Effects and consequences of this happy Agreement Only before I do that we have cause to take notice of the goodness of God and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold wisdome of God whereby he hath provided many Offices many Officers for his Church and those variously gifted and all for the spiritual benefit of our soules some are Barnabasses some are Boanergeses Thus as the Kings Daughter is said to be cloathed with needle work of divers colours so hath God richly adorned his Church with variety of abilities that if men be not converted the greater will be their condemnation For whereas Auditors are of divers appetites some are for doctrinal Preaching some for affectionate some are for legal terrible Sermons others for sweet Evangelical discourses if Christ send Embassadours thus qualified every way what can they look for who are not by these several baits allured and taken For this cause we have Christ himself upbraiding the Jews that no kinde of heavenly way would please no kinde of dressing the Word of life was acceptable to their palates Matth. 11. 18. John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he hath a devil The son of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a friend of publicans and sinners Hereupon he compareth them to children playing in the markets saying we have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented Thus nothing would do any good to them Admire then Gods goodness that hath thus abundantly provided for thee Do not simply and enviously compare one Ministers gifts above another but adore the mercy of God that useth all the different abilities of men for the Churches good This premised we may from the harmony and Agreement of Ministers in advancing Christs Kingdom see First The greater Confirmation of the truth If out of the mouth of two or three witnesses then how much more out of the mouth of many thousand witnesses is every truth abundantly confirmed How canst thou give way to any atheistical thoughts whether there be a God or a day of Judgment or an heaven or an hell when thou shalt hear so many thousands of Gods servants in all ages witness to this thing All the Prophets and Apostles men renouned for holiness for miracles they all preached the same Doctrines that we do to you And therefore consider with thy self what a cloud of witnesses thou gainsayest by thy unbelief 2. The greater consent and harmony the greater defence there is for the truth The old rule is vis unita fortior Our Saviour confirmeth it when he saith A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand What advantages do the enemies of Gods Church make by the Divisions and different Judgments of men in the Reformed Church The Papist doth confidently conclude that all will turn to them at last for say they you have so many Sects amongst you and one saith he hath the spirit of God and another he hath but all contrary to one another Now although it were easie to recriminate yet this difference
when an adult person so did God with his Church But then if we come to the Doctrinals we shall finde that the same truths necessary to salvation were in the Old Testament as the New Abraham David and all the Godly were justified by faith in Christ as well as the Believers in the Gospel This indeed is that which the Socinians pertinaciously deny they think that the Godly in the Old Testament did not believe in Christ that this is a peculiar new duty required under the Gospel and never before viz. to believe in Christ But the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews doth admirably open the mysterious signification of those Jewish ceremonies and sacrifices shewing that Christ was represented therein and that it was not the blood of Rams and goats but of Christ that did take away sin Hence Abraham is said to see Christs day and rejoyce 1 Cor. 10. they are said to drink of the spiritual rock which was Christ and Act. 15. 10 11. Peter and the Councel speaking of the yoke laid upon our fathers addeth But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they The Doctrine then of Jesus Christ of the Trinity of eternal Life were in the old Testament as well as the New only more implicitely and obscurely the Old Testament being the New hidden and covered the New being the Old revealed and explained so that the Old and New Testament do not contain old and new Doctrine essentially but gradually as we say the old and new moon not meaning two moons but distinct discoveries of light therein 2. We are to distinguish between progress and growth in the same truth and the alteration or change of truth into errour And truly this is of great consideration for this very particular will obviate all the calumnies of the Papist Let it be granted that the first Reformers did not did not at first view see all the truths of the Christian Religion but that by degrees they had scales fall off from their eyes and some things that at first they thought true or tolerable afterwards they rejected as false and abominable And thus Calvin de scandalis answereth the Papists who calumniate us saying If you had the spirit of God why did ye not see all truth presently Why was it that some things did appear false to you afterwards which did not so at first This saith he is to envy us proficiency in the truth and to expect that the Sun in the morning should shine as gloriously as at noon day So that it is one thing addere aedificium fundamento as Austin calleth it and another thing to make a new Foundation Thus Lyrinensis when he made this Objection To what use are Doctors and Officers of the Church if so be they must only receive the Doctrine delivered and not excogitate new by their own wit He answereth There is profectus but not permutatio allowed a growth but not a change The work of the Ministers of the Gospel is not to finde out new real fundamental truths no more than a new Christ or a new Bible he that cannot see by one Sun would not by twenty and he that will not be convinced by one Bible would not if there were more Yet they are not useless for these Fundamentals they are dayly to confirm to explain to polish and affectionately to improve for Sanctification more and more so that as he saith they must not deliver nova yet they may nova not new things but in a new manner When a childe groweth up into a man he still retaineth his humane nature though there be an increase in his stature but if this childe should grow into a horse or a bear then this would be a change of his species and his naâ—uâ—e Thus the Church and her Officers they are to grow in more light in more knowledg in more faith but still in the same truth whereas if they degenerate into Errors and false Doctrines then the species is altered now it is not hony but gall it is not gold but dross not meat but poyson So that if we see eminent men growing out of those errors and those Superstitions they were once intangled in you must not call this yea and nay but a laudable duty for we see the spirit of God communicating it self by degrees Even as the Sun doth not presently arise to its vertical point so neither doth the spirit of God reveal all things at once It cometh in by degrees he could perfect our understandings even in this life as much as they shall be in heaven so that we shall no longer know in part but he is pleased to work gradually even as he did make the world not in an instant but successively Thus we see he did to the very Apostles they were under his Instruction and Government a good while and yet were ignorant in many particulars till at last he confirmed them from his spirit from above The Protestants then are not guilty of yea and nay though they did not at first dâ—scover all the abominations of Popery Neither may we charge any particular Minister for yea and nay if out of error he proceed to truth if from darkness he attaineth to more light For although many Heretical persons may shrowd themselves under the serious name of new light yet it is plain that both Pastors and people are to grow in new light gradually though not specifically Thus the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 1. 19. commendeth the believers for attending unto the word of God as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starre arise in their hearts not as if ever they could come to light enough that they need not to attend to Scripture any further that they may throw away the Bible as useless having light enough within them No but that donec that until is continual and alwayes as sometimes it is used 3. We are to distinguish between Yea and Nay indeed and a seeming yea and nay between 〈◊〉 constant new Doctrines indeed and those that are apparently so We grant that such corruptions such darkness may cover the face of the Church that the true Doctrines of Christ may seem new and be condemned for novelllsm and the Doctor who preached them be thought to come with his yea and nay And thus again Luther and Melancthon with many others are condemned for their inconstancy They were once ours say the Papists they did once believe as we believed worship as we worshipped but now they are a nay to their yea This calumny will easily vanish if you distinguish between new things indeed and new things appearingly so The Protestant Doctrine was not new indeed if you look to the Scripture and Christ it is old as they are but then we grant that if we consider the Chaos the Church was in at that time what superstitious abominations did then prevail we grant what the Reformers
did all was new their service new their Doctrine new but the iniquity and the corruption of the times made it appear to be so And indeed Popery is properly the great Novellisme for the Popish Doctrines the Popish Worship began to creep in when the Churches of Christ began to degenerate from their Primitive Institution The change then that is many times in the face of Religion which doth so offend many is not indeed so but in appearance Those truths of God were formerly professed in the Church only an Eclipse did arise which obscured the light of the Sun As then the Sun is not changed after an Eclipse we do not see a new Sun thus it is also with the truths of Christ the Reformers do not bring new truths only the darkness is dispelled and we see them which were long before It is with us as with men whose heads are distempered we think such and such things run round whereas indeed it is a distemper upon us and it is a signe that we have been corrupted when old truths seem new to us 4. We may therefore truly conclude that antiquity and consent are inseparable properties of a true Church That Church which retaineth Doctrines of the greatest Antiquity and which doth agree with the Primitive Apostolical Churches that must needs be a true Church for truth is alwayes alike That cannot be true Doctrine in one age which is not in another though men are apt to be changed by the times they live in yet Gods truth cannot be When therefore the Papists bring antiquity and consent as notes of a true Church we deny they can or are to be called notes because it is not Antiquity barely but antiqvity in the true Doctrine nor Consent meerly so but consent with the Primitive Churches Doctrine So that True Doctrine is properly the note of the Church only we add that Antiquity and Consent with the Primitive times do inseparably follow the true Doctrine Now the ground of this certainty and equality of the truths of Christ is because they are Gods truths Christs truths if they were the truths of mens making then they might alter and change as they please then it might be formed reformed and transformed into all the shapes that mens Interests could put them upon then truth might alter according to the climates customes and advantages of men then truth might be one thing at Rome and another thing at Constantinople then we might say such things were truth in one age and ye the contrary truth in another Popery was truth in Queen Maries dayes and Protestantisme in Queen Elizabeths And truly some men are so Atheistical or self-seeking that they account truth as the Apostle said some did godliness even outward gain and therefore when such an opinion is gainfull then it is truth but when not so then it is Heresie Use of Instruction How odious Instability and Inconstancy is in matter of Religion whether it be in private Christians or publick Officers It plainly discovereth that not the truth of Christ but some other uncertain motive prevaileth with thee either thy profit or thy applause or the times or customes or the Lawes of the Land or some other mutable respect doth work upon thee and if so then thou canst not but be a reed shaken with every winde of Doctrine Thou art then but as an Instrument of musick making no other sound nor no longer then thou art breathed into Profit will make thee a Papist profit will make thee a protestant profit will make thee an Heretick How contrary is such a fickle temper to the nature of Faith which is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen Use 2d of Instruction How false that position is of some Papists That the Church may make Articles of Faith and that the Authority of the Church maketh the Authority of the Scripture at least towards us So that the Scriptures would have no more authority then Titus Livius or Aesops fables in respect of our duty to believe were it not for the Churches Authority No less blasphemous is that other comparison of another Papist resembling the Scripture to a nose of wax If so then no wonder if they make what truths and what religions they please then we may call it the Popes truth the Churches truth and not the truth of God It is a ridiculous passage of a Papist Ford against Taylor saying that it is probable the Church will make that Opinion about the immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary to be an Article of Faith As if the Church could make that necessary to be believed if we would be saved that was not alwayes so Why may she not as well make a new Bible set up a new Christ as they establish a new Article of Faith SERM. CXXIV Of Gods Promises to man 2 COR. 1. 20. For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him amen unto the glory of God by us THis Verse is a further confirmation of the constancy and immutability of the Lord Christ and so by consequence of Pauls doctrine For that Christ is unchangeable he proveth in that all the promises which God hath made they receive their fullnesse and complement in him and so are therefore true because fullfilled both in him and by him This is the Apostles sence in this assertion which Calvin doth well call memorabilis sententia c. a memorable sentence and one of the chiefest Articles of our Religion for herein is all our faith and confidence seated that in Christ God maketh his gracious promises to us by whose efficacy and impetration they be accomplished so that a promise is fullfilled not because of any worth or dignity in us but because of of the fulnesse and worth that is in Christ 1. The words may be taken as an entire Proposition wherein we have the subject and predicate with the amplification of it from the finall cause The subject is described from the nature of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 promises 2. From the universality and extent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all promises as many as are made 3. From the efficient cause the promises of God 4. The predicate are yea and are amen in him Of which in their order Let us begin with the Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promises many times in the plurall number at other times in the singular for indeed the covenant of grace is but one large promise or an ocean emptying it self into many streams yet sometimes called promises because of the many things both spirituall and temporall that are particularly promised by God the summe whereof is contained in that great promise or Magna Charta of the Church I will be their God and they shall be my people or else it may be promises in the plurall number because of the frequent repetition and reiteration of the grand promise of Christ to the Church Now the word promise is sometimes used for the
their Religion but onely are perswaded herein by external motives very few being able to give a reason of the faith or hope that is in them which yet the Apostle Peter requireth of every man and woman 1 Pet. 3. 15. What reason have they but their fathers example and the Lawes of the Land So that it is meerly accidental that they do receive a true Religion for it had been Heretical and Idololatrical it had been all one to them they would have entertained it however But to this particular you must observe one Caution It 's one thing to speak of the Introductory and Preparatory means of faith and another thing of the ultimate and formal motive or reason why I do believe We do readily grant That the true Churches Ministery may prepare for a divine faith What is Paul and what is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believe saith the Scripture 1 Corinth 3. Thus Timothy had his faith by the godly education of his Mother and Grandmother Yea John 4. we reade of the woman of Samaria instrumental to bring many people to believe on Christ onely yet observe that expression vers 42. Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves Godly Ministers then and godly parents may be greatly helpfull to us in true believing but then the reason and chief motive is from the Divine Authority of the Scripture declaring this truth We doe not believe in Ministers nor in the Church And thus you must understand that passage of Jehoshaphats Chron. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe the Prophets so shall ye prosper Believe in God ultimately but believe the Prophets ministerially So that it would be a fanatick presumption out of a perswasion that onely worketh faith thereby to cast off those usefull helps and means which he hath appointed for the producing of faith In the next general place we are to know That two things are necessarily required to the working of a divine faith The one Effectively The other Objectively The principle that worketh faith in us and the reason or motive thereof The principle that worketh faith in us is God alone None can make the heart of man to believe Scripture-truths but God onely Hence Faith is the gift of God so some are said To believe through grace Act. 18. 27. Is it not plain in the Pharisees notwithstanding they heard our Saviour preach and also saw his wonderfull miracles yet to them it was not given to believe or to know the mysteries of God but to others more unlearned and contemptible it was Hence it falleth out that the most learned men are many times most Atheistical or at least Sceptical and doubting in Religion Insomuch that we are to be importunate with God in prayer that he would both work and increase faith in us Hence Christ is said to be both the authour and finisher of our faith Hebr. 12. 2. It 's the mighty power of God so enlightning and enabling thee that thou doest adhere to the truth For how many specious arguments may be produced against the faith How mutable are many in forsaking the faith they once professed and turn Heretical So that it is a special work of Gods grace to make thee stand firme in the faith especially in times of temptation To be a pillar in the Temple of the Lord and not a reed shaken with every winde is a glorious preservation For it 's plain that it's fancy errour or humour that lead many in Religion and not this holy precious faith Again The second thing necessarily concurring to a divine faith is a Divine testimony it must be Gods word We must have the Doctrine from Christ else our faith is but an humane faith and so our Religion but an humane Religion The Thessalonians are commended by Paul That they received the Word not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God and when so received it effectually worketh in those that believe Alas what is the reason there is so little holinesse so little godlinesse It is because there is so little divine faith The truths we preach are not received as the word of God we look no further or higher than to a man in these things we doe not hear and tremble we doe not beleeve and tremble we rise not up with heart-reverence as Eglon though an Heathen did to Ehud when he said He had a message from the Lord. In the third place In that the true Christian faith floweth from such a divine principle and ariseth from such a divine motive Hence it is that no kinde of persons have an absolute Sovereignty over the faith of a believer and whosoever doe arrogate it to themselves they assume the property of the Almighty and most infinite God They arrogate to themselves the peculiar and incommunicable property of Christ which is to be the Head of the Church and a Law-giver in respect of any Doctrine Worship or Ordinances It is true there have been such especially the Pope of Rome who hath thus arrogated to himself setting himself in the Temple of God as God but the blasphemies of such have been written as it were in their fore-heads and hereby they are justly deemed to be a Political or Church-Antichrist as there is a Doctrinal Antichrist But we affirme That no kinde of persons can have dominion over a mans faith seeing it hath such a peculiar reference to God First Not spiritual and Church Rulers or Ecclesiastical Governours If the Apostles would not assume it who then may It is true there are several Texts in Scripture which command us to hear our Pastours to obey them to submit unto them to have them highly in esteeme for their workes sake Such as doe not hear them are to be accounted as Heathens and Publicans They are endowed with power to Admonish and rebuke sharply Yea where obstinacy is in sinners To cast them out of the Church But all this doth not arise to a Magisterial Domination over mens consciences And although they have power to binde and loose which God himself promiseth to confirme in Heaven yet all this is declaratively and ministerially onely How farre there is a decisive power in Councils to extinguish all errours and heresies is not here to be debated This is enough that as no particular person so no Councils though never so oecomenical can say we have dominion over your faith And Secondly No civil power hath dominion over any mans faith No Magistrate can make Articles of Faith can appoint another worship of God or other Sacraments than Christ hath appointed Faith is not Caesar's gift neither can any man believe Praecisè quia vult as Mirandula declareth meerly because he will How farre Magistrates have power in matters of Religion is greatly disputed and determined by the excesse in some and by the defect in others But however no Kings or Emperours can say
We have dominion over your faith no more than they can say We are the true and great Jehovah They cannot make a Religion make Sacraments but enjoyn the observance of that which is required in the Word and the reason which excludeth both spiritual and civil Governours is general to all We are not baptized into any mans name neither hath any Emperour or Church-officer died for us they have not been crucified for us neither have they power over our hearts to impose a command upon them which must necessarily be in the duty of faith neither can they damne or save men Hence the Apostle saith There is one Law-giver which is able to save and to destroy Jam. 4. 12. Fourthly Although divine faith be such a noble and excellent work coming from Heaven and ascending up to Heaven againe Yet it doth admit of degrees in the subject where it is Some have stronger faith some weaker some have more explicite and extensive faith than others yea and the most setled beleevers are subject to temptations they are often assaulted and that even in their faith about the principles and fundamentals about God about the Scriptures about the immortality of the Soul about the state of Glory and eternal Torments Fiery darts are sometimes injected for which the people of God doe abhorre and loath themselves Therefore we must distinguish between little faith and no faith between doubtings and Atheisme And truely for this end doth God suffer errours and heresies to arise in his Church that truth may be more confirmed and the approved may be made manifest It 's to exercise the spiritual wisdome and faith of the godly whether they can discerne of things that differ and can tell which is the strangers voice and which is the true shepherds It is a very grievous temptation to be assaulted about fiducial faith whether the promises belong to thee in particular but in some respects it is farre more terrible to be exercised in doubts about dogmatical faith for this tendeth to the razing of the foundations and the arguments or remedies to cure this distemper are more difficult Use of Instruction Is faith thus immediately respecting God above all instruments though making use of them Then First Theirs is not faith which doth wholly depend upon the Authority of a man though never so eminent We may not relie on Austine on Chrysostome neither doe we owne those expressions of Lutherans and Calvinists For although we acknowledge them eminent instruments in propagating of the Gospel yet we believe not upon their authority meerly because Luther and Calvin saith so It is true nothing is more ordinary than to admire mens persons and while we extoll their gifts and abilities we are secretly enticed to thinke of worthy menâ— above what we ought and finde an awe in our consciences to recede from any opinion they have delivered But we must take heed we doe not hereby become guilty of spirituall Idolatry setting up men as Idols in our hearts Secondly This instructeth that grosse ignorant men cannot have any divine faith for they feel nothing of any work of Gods Spirit or illumination upon their understandings hence they believe as other men believe as if a man were not to be saved by his own faith Thirdly It sheweth the Sceptical and Pyrrhonian man in Religion the meer Seeker that he hath no faith If he had the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen upon his soul he would not be tossed up and down as he is Fourthly It sheweth that the meer carnal Politician hath no divine faith for he looketh upon Religion but as an humane device or a State-engine and therefore can transforme into all shapes and times How contrary is this to true faith FINIS AN Alphabetical Table CONTAINING The chief Heads of this Treatise A Administrations THe godly sometimes deceived about Gods Administrations towards them pag. 293 294 295 296 297 Reasons of it 298 Rules for the preventing it 299 300 Afflictions God comforts his people in all their Afflictions both spiritual 167 And temporal 168 'T is a special duty to comfort the Afflicted See Comfort The most eminent Saints when Afflicted need comfort 188 189 190 See Sufferings 'T is of great use to know what are the Afflictions of the people of God 256 Reasons of it ibid. What use is to be made of preaching about those Afflictions which Paul and others suffered from the Heathens 257 258 259 The Afflictions of the godly heavy and yet light 270 Faith and flesh passe different judgements upon Afflictions 270 271 Propositions clearing it 271 272 How we may know when flesh and when faith speaketh in Afflictions 274 275 276 'T is very usefull to know that 277 Natural strength not able to carry a man through all Afflictions 280 Propositions clearing it 280 281 282 See Troubles and Sufferings Anointing All true believers have a spiritual Anointing from God 620 Propositions clearing it 620 621 Apostle What an Apostle was 15 Two kinds of them ibid. They were appointed by Christ in the first building of the Church 16 The properties of an Apostle 16 17 18 19 Of the difference betwixt the Office of an Apostle and of an ordinary Pastour 506 507 Assurance A believer may be Assured he performeth duties with an upright heart 394 What is required to an Assurance of our being in a state of grace 395 396 The impediments of Assurance 400 401 Gods command to look after it 401 402 The effects of it 402 Cautions about it 403 B Blessing A Threefold Blessing mentioned in Scripture 127 Christians ought to Blesse God for all his mercies ibid. What is required to our Blessing God aright 128 129 130 131 We should Blesse God more for spiritual mercies than for other 134 See Praising God C Call THe divine Call of Ministers necessary to be known 19 Two things premised concerning a Ministers Call 20 What are the practical concernments which will follow those who have a true Call from God to the Ministers 21 To the people 22 The Call to Church-offices proceeds meerly from the will and pleasure of God 33 34 What is there meant by the will of God 34 35 36 Changing Of Changing in matters of Religion 546 Christ Why our Saviour called Christ 36 What it doth imply 27 He is the Sonne of God 135 Propositions explaining how Christ is the Sonne of God 136 137. 561 562 563 564 This truth is the foundation of all Christian comfort 138 139 Christ the onely object of all preaching 557 When Christ is preached 557 558 559 560 Jesus is the Christ the anointed of God 569 See Jesus Church Of the name Church 50 51 The nature and description of a Church 51 It is a society 52 Called of God 52 53 54 By the preaching of the Word to the profession of Christ and Church-communion 55 56 Wherein Church communion consisteth 56 57 The notes and signs of a Church 58 59 Why necessary
temporal sense 2. He is not a spiritual Saviour only by example 3. He doth not actually save all 4. He is not a Saviour only habitually or upon condition 1. He is a spiritual Saviour 2. He is the sole Saviour 3. He is a full and sufficient Saviour Use Of Instruction Use 2. Exhortation Of the appellative Name of our Saviour Christ In what sense Christ is said to be anointed The Lord Jesus was anointed to be our Saviour What the title Christ implies Use 1. Of encouragement Use 2. Of Exhortation Christ as Head doth appoint all the Officers of the Church A two-sold Kingdom attributed to Christ in Scripture All Church-power radically seated in Christ Church-officers are properly servants to Christ This power of appointing Officers and Laws in the Church belongeth to Christ as King Use Exhortation 1. To Church-officers Church-officers are especially to take heed of 1. That they turn not their Office into matter of pride and earthly interest 2. Of Idleness Use 2. To the people Why Paul styleth himself An Apostle of Jesus Christ Those things are highly esteemed in the Church which are despised by the world As 1. The person of Christ 2. The Officers appointed by him 3. The Duties prescribed by him 4. The Priviledges of the Gospel 5. The due execution of Church-censures Use How many wayes the will of God is taken It is the meer will and good pleasure of God that calls us to any office or priviledge in the Church We have all Church-priviledges from the meer will of God There is a two-fold Call the one general the other particular both which come from God A four-fold distinction concerning the Call of Officers 1. Some are called only by the will of God not at all by the will of man 2. Some have their call of God but by men 3. Some are of men only not at all of God 4. Others have their call neither from God nor men In what sense Paul here saith By the will of God 1. It is more than his permissive will 2. It is not his angry and just will God sometimes doth justly send ungodly Ministers amongst a people 3. It was by the directing will of God not by chance 4. It implieth it was not Pauls merit but Gods will that advanced him to this office Concerning those who enter upon the Ministry only upon carnal and corrupt motives Use The truly godly though eminent in office and grace yet are humble in themselves and condescending to others Wherein the humility of the godly discovers it self to their inferiours Why those who are so exalted above others are yet so humble towards them Use There is a great deal of difference both in the persons that are converted and in the manner of their conversion Why God is pleased to call such different persons and in such a different way None are to rest upon their godly education but all are to search their own hearts to see whether they be wrought upon or no. Use The consent of Church-officers in matters of religion is of great use and moment What are those things that conduce to Unity amongst Church officers It is of great use to young to have the guidance of solid and experienced Ministers What the word Church is used for in Scripture What we are properly to understand by a Church in Scripture Gods call as the efficient cause of the Church is either external only or external and internal also The instrumental cause of the Church is the preaching of the Word The formal cause the solemn observation of Church communion Wherein consisteth the nature of Church communion Object Answ Why needfull to know the Marks of a true Church What things necessary to make a Note or Mark. What are the Notes of a true Church How the form of a thing may be a Note or Mark of it A Church is Gods people in a more special manner than others God amongst the most prophane people sometimes gathers a Church to himself A Church may be a true though defiled one What were the corruptions amongst the Corinthians How 't is lawfull for Christians to go to Law Some observations clearing the truth that a Church though defiled may be the Church of God Reasons shewing the truth of it The Church of God as a Church doth far surpasse all civil Societies and temporal dignities Reasons shewing the truth of it Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Why Paul writeth this second Epistle to the Corinthians It is very hard for the Church of God to keep within their proper bounds in Church-administrations It is a Ministers duty to use all lawfull means to promote the Church he hath relation to How the Apostle could call the Corinthians Saints when many of them were so foully polluted All that are of the Church are Saints by profession and ought to be so in their conversations What is comprehended under Church Saintship External holiness Saintship is not enough to bring us to Heaven without the inward renovation of the whole man Propositions clearing the assertion 1. There are degrees even in real Saintship 2. Therefore is real Saintship alway growing in this life 3. Church-Saintship though real consisteth with many imperfections 4. Holiness or Saintship is the conformity of the will of man to the will of God 'T is a great shame and reproach to have the name without the nature of a Saint 〈…〉 Saints may sometimes have just reason not to joyn themselves to a Church though it be their duty alwayes to endeavour it Reasons convincing it to be each Christians duty to be of a Church What are the causes that may justly excuse us from joyning our selves to publick meetings 2. Unlawfull grounds upon which some do 〈…〉 themselves to any Church-society 1. From corrupt opinions 2. From corrupt dispositions Use Of Instruction The soul of the poorest Saint is as much to be regarded as of the greatest Spiritual mercies are to be desired before temporal What are those things that peculiarly move the godly to preferre spirituals before temporals The Reasons of it The grace of God is to be desired before all other things Propositions discovering the nature of the grace of God What the grace of God implies How grace is called the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ Who are fit subjects to partake of Gods grace without Rules how we may rightly understand and judge of the grace of God The Scripture characters of the grace of God Peace from God and Christ is earnestly to be prayed for as a very choice mercy Wherein this peace consisteth What are the principal causes of a godly mans fears troubles and disquietnesses What are the effects of this Gospel-peace Directions how to attain this peace Of the names attributed to God in Scripture God alone can give grace and peace to his people Reasons God is a Father in a more peculiar manner to those that believe what it is for God to be our Father God is a Father to the
Because perhaps by our sins we have deserved it 3. God often denies comforts for the that they may be the more welcome when they come 4. And often to try whether my obedience be pure 5. To teach us how we are beholding to Christ 6. Whensoever it is necessary we are sure to have it The afflictions we suffer for Christ are not only for our own but for the Churches good The sufferings of Christ of two sorts 1. In his Person 2. In his members Propositions clearing the truth 1. The sufferings of Saints for the good of the Church are still to be distinguished from Christs sufferings How Christian Martyrs sufferings differ 1. His death was not only a Martyrdom but a propitiation 2. In the efficacy 2. Our sufferings for the Churches good are not meritorious either for our selves or others 3. That our sufferings turn to others good is not from themselves but from the power and grace of God 4. Hence we may admire the wisdom power and goodness of God turning our enemies wicked intentions unto our good What is the general good promoted by the Churches sufferings 1. The glory of God Christ and believers 2. The propagation and enlargement of the Gospel Sufferings for Christ help much our comfort and salvation 1. The sufferings of others work good only occasionally not efficiently or meritoriously 2. Hence we may bewail the superstiâ—ion of the Church about the Martyrs 3. The sufferers for Christ may encourage us but we are to be sure they are indeed the sufferers for Christ How the afflictions of others for Christ work our comfort and salvation 1. Hereby we shall have greater assurance of these divine truths for which they suffer 2. Hence we may be encouraged to trust in God and depend upon him to enable us also if he should call us thereunto 3. Hereby we may take occasion to rejoyce in God as enabling them and as having promised to do so to us 4. Hence we may inform our selves they were in earnest and real for Christ 5. Hence we may learn to mortifie our hearts to the world The salvation of believers is promoted by their sufferings for Christ How sufferings advance our salvation 1. They help to make us mourn for sin and turn to God 2. They inform us more of God and Christ of his grace and power then we knew before 3. These afflictsons quicken us to more grace 4. Because of the glorious promises which are made to such Sufferings not barely in themselves but as improved by patience conduce to our salvation Humane Philosophers agreed in the commending of patience What goeth to the producing of patience 1. The efficient cause is God 2. The word of God is the instrumental cause 3. Afflictions they also work patience 4. God and Christ are the exemplary cause Motives to patience 1. We should consider and be affected with what we have deserved 2. Consider Gods great goodness in changing the nature of thy afflictions 3. Consider that God will be with thee 4. Consider what good will redound to thee by thy afflictions 1. What spiritual good 2. Eternal 5. Consider by patience thou maist promote the good of others A two-sold salvation temporal and spiritual Spiritual salvation is either inchoate or consummate God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people What this salvation doth imply 1. It is Negative 2. Positive Two sorts of dispensations from God which further the salvation of a believer 1. The direct means appointed by God for this end 2. The occasional means as 1. Their sins 2. Their afflictions What is that hope and perswasion which Paul had of other men A two-fold hope Divine and Moral What is the Divine hope What Moral hope is 'T is a great encouragement to the Ministers of God to have good grounds for the hope of grace and stedfastnesse in their people What things they were which made Paul hope so well of the Corinthians 1. Their amendment and repentance by his former Epistle 2. Their setting up that good and holy order which was thrown down 3. Because they did communicate with Paul in a patient suffering for Christ A double communion 1. In what is evil 2. In what is good The communion with those who suffer for Christ is a fair way to their joy and glory 1. A two-fold communion with the afflicted 1. When a man living in peace and quietness himself yet is affected with their sufferings 2. When a man is cast into the same outward condition 2. It is as glorious and acceptable to be a companion to sufferers as to suffer Reasons why partaking with the Saints afflictions doth interest us in their glory 1. This demonstrates our faith in Christ to be upon spiritual grounds 2. Because this is suffering for Christ Of the compellation which Paul useth brethren Of the expression I would not have you ignorant 'T is of great use to know the afflictions of those who suffer for Christs sake Reasons 1. Hereby we shall be more provoked to pray for them 2. Hereby they will be more encouraged to bless God when they are delivered 3. Hereby we may learn patience zeal and heavenly mindedness and other graces Qu. What use is to be made of preaching about such afflictions which Paul and other Christians suffered from Heathens Answ 1. Answ 2. Answ 3. Answ 4. Answ 5. The faithfull Ministers of the Gospel are sure to meet with opposition from the world Two sorts which oppose the truth and wayes of Christ 1. Such as take the true Religion to be blasphemy and idolatry or superstition the true service of God 2. Such who professe religion meerly because it suits with their carnal interests Hence the Ministers of the Gospel are not only opposed to those who are without but by some within the Church Who are they which profess Religion meerly for carnal ends 1. Such as live in their lusts 2. Such as intend to advance themselves by it More characters of such who professe Religion only upon worldly respects 1. Such who in time of temptations prove adversaries to the Gospel and Ministry of it 2. Such as maintain doctrines which overthrow the foundation of Religion 3. Such as make parties and factions in the Church 4. Such who make use of the Doctrine of the Gospel only to shew their parts and learning 5. Such as do not own Religion upon divine principles and holy motives How the afflictions of the godly may be called heavy and yet light Godly men judge otherwise of their afflictions from sense and flesh then from grace and reason Propositions clearing the truth There are two selves in every regenerate man 2. These two selfs oppose one another 3. Hence 't is good to observe from which of those principles our actions proceed How we may know when faith and when flesh speaketh in our afflictions 1. Flesh argues from afflictions that God hath forsaken us 2. Flesh saith afflictions will undo us
for the future Considerations clearing the truth 1. Though we have oft had experience of Gods goodness yet every new trouble is ready to startle us 2. Though the promises be sufficient grounds for our trust yet experiences do much promote faith 3. 'T is a good way to keep the heart calme even to exercise trust in God for the future 4. The future good things that we are to trust in the Lord for are both spirituall and temporall Object Answer 1. There are motives to trust in God from both the personal and general priviledges of believers 2. What are the opposites to trusting in God 1. Presumption Signs of presumption 1. When we walk not by Scripture-light 2. When we are confident without a promise 3. When we separate the means from the end 4. When we use false means 5. When we think by our own strength to obtain grace and glory 2. Despair Whence despair arises 1. From low thoughts of God As 1. The power of God 2. The goodness of God 3. Of the merits of Christ 2. From wrong apprehensions about our sins 3. This grace of trusting in God cannot be expected to be perfect here 'T is our duty not to separate Gods power and goodnesse from the means required How God and the creature work together 1. All Gods spiritual mercies have many things concurrent before they be accomplished 2. The opposing of these requisites one against another hath bred much confusion and errour How we should relie wholly upon Christ and yet make use of the means and how we may know whether we do or no. 1. When we acknowledge whatsoever we have to come from Christ 2. When we attribute no merit or causality to the means 3. When we rest upon Christ onely for our justification 4. When we put no trust or confidence in the means 5. We dishonour God in the use of the means when we think we profit him thereby The most eminent in gifts and graces need the prayers of their inferiours Reasons 1. Because there is a more peculiar promise made to the prayers of many then one 2. Because the Church in Scripture is called a body whose parts stand in need one of another Use People ought to pray for their spirituall guides Considerations explaining the truth 1. 'T is an errour of the Socinians to say God commands prayer only in the New Testament 2. No merit or confidence to be put in our prayers 3. Ministers are to pray for their people and people for their Ministers 4. This supposeth the people to be both gifted and gracious 5. Many things there are which people are to desire of God for their Ministor 1. That they may be preserved 2. That their word may be suceesfull 3. That their gifts and graces may be quickned 4. That they may be saved Whensoever we have received mercies from God we are by praise and thankfullness to acknowledge then to him What is required to the praising of God 1. An acknowledgement that God alone is the Authour of all our mercies 2. Both the generall and particular acts of faith 3. Love to God 4. Heavenly mindedness 5. Chearfulnes Motives to praise God 1. 'T is an excellent duty in that we are so backward to it 2. It is called a Sacrifice 3. 'T is a debt due to God 4. The chief motive is thankfulnesse 5. A thankfull heart is the most proper disposition to Gospel dispensations 6. The neglect of this duty is an argument of a rotten heart Our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gifts of God 1. The effects of natural causes are still the gift of God 2. The comforts that flow from moral causes are still the gifts of God 3. What we receive from men 't is still the gift of God 4. Whatsoever we have by the art and skill of others 5. Such things as come upon us without our care Reasons Why these are all Gods gifts 1. God is not necessitated to give them 2. We have oft forseited them by our sins 3. We are to pray to him for them Not only personal but publick prayers and praises are acceptable to God Reasons 1. Hereby the honour of God is more promoted 2. Hereby our love to one another is much quickened 3. God in a more especial manner present there 4. Herein the lively may prevail for the dull and indisposed Mercies vouch safed to the Ministers are to be accounted as Church mercies An holy rejoycing and glorying in the graces of God is lawfull What is required to our glorying in the gifts and graces we have received from God 1. An high esteem of our graces 2. A certain perswasion that we have them 3. Good grounds and Scripture-demonstrations thereof 4. The Spirit of God In what respect 't is lawfull thus to rejoyce and glory 1. As they are the fruits of Gods favour 2. As they bear up our hearts against all accusations either external or internal Wherein this rejoycing is unlawfull 1. When we rejoyce in our graces as if they were perfect 2. When we so rejoyce in them as so rest upon them 3. When we rejoyce in them as coming from our selves not God The witnesse of a good conscience is great ground of comfort What is required to a good conscience 1. That it witness according to the word of God 2. The help of the Spirit to instruct us in the true meaning of the Word 3. Pure aims and intentions 4. Inward sanctification What else is requisite to a well-regulated conscience 1. The witnessing and sealing power of the Spirit with our consciences How the Spirit of God doth not witness with our consciences How it doth 1. Effectively 2. Objectively What are the effects of the Spirit by which our consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 1. A purpose to leave all known sin 2. A zeal for the glory of God 3. An holy confidence in our approachings unto God 4. Love to the Brethren 5. Self-denial 6. Delight in heavenly things Distinctions concerning the testimony of our conscience 1. 'T is either particular or general 2. It witnesseth either perfection or sincerity 3. Conscience is either habitually enabled or actually prepared to testifie 4. The testimony of conscience is either alone or relating to Christ A believer may be assured he performeth duties with an upright heart What is required to a certain knowledg of our being in a state of grace 1. A firm assent to the truth of Gods promises and Word 2. A particular application of the promises to themselves What is required to an experimental discerning of our graces 1. An humble heart 2. A regular disposition in the soul 3. An holy fear 4. The help of Gods Spirit What are the hinderances which keep men from looking after an assurance of their sincerity 1. Self-fulness and presumptuous security 2. A prophane careless spirit 3. Carking carefulness 4. Despairing and discouraging thoughts Of Gods commands to get assurance The effects of our souls 1. A quiet heart 2. Spiritual
The preaching of this truth is to take off those prejudices that doe too closely adhere even to such who are come out of that spiritual Babylon There is a causlesse and sinfull suspition in people that if the faithfull Pastours in Gods Church do indeavour a Reformation from the accustomed superstitions or evil and prophane disorders that through length of time have taken full and quiet possession they presently attribute this to carnal and corrupt ends they will not believe that these things are undertaken from pure and holy ends they will not be perswaded that the motive to these things is pure respect to Gods glory but that the Ministers of God have their carnal and sinister respects in all this either to get dominion or to advance themselves in one way or other Now although it may not be denied but that in perusing of Ecclesiastical History we may observe that carnal interest and humane respects were eminently dominative in Church-affairs yet God forbid that any should be given up to such a temptation as to think that there is no truth or fidelity in any When Lot did but courteously and civilly reprove the Sodomites for their high impieties see how wickedly they interpret this Genes 19. 9. He will needs be a judge over us They construed his endeavour against sinne to be nothing but usurpation Thus also Corah and his complices accounted all that Moses and Aaron did tyranny and pride Numb 16. 5. Ye take too much upon you seeing all the Congregation is holy c. Wherefore doe ye lift up your selves above the Congregation of the Lord. And we may see by many Apologies that Paul maketh the Galatians and other Churches could hardly be perswaded of his sincerity and love to them If then thou shalt once satisfie thy self with this that those Ministers of God who endeavour to bring a people out of their disorders and to make them conformable to Scripture-directions dare not look to themselves herein yea they goe against themselves and shew no fleshly wisdome at all but rather if they consulted with that they would let people goe quietly in the broad way to perdition as they have done If I say this be once believed by thee it will make thee with all alacrity and chearfulnesse to go along with them and encourage them in their work But it is the Devil that moveth upon that unruly sea of thy heart he putteth thee into many vexations and commotions whereas if the Spirit of God should rebuke both Satan and thy own corruptions thou wouldst with clamnesse reflect upon thy self yea reprove thy selfe saying Why should I be offended at those wayes which are for the good of my soule which make to the getting of knowledge and to the overcoming of those former lusts I have been intangled with which would have done mee no good but have destroyed my soul These things premised let us instance in some principles of fleshly wisdome that men have used and doe use in the matters of Religion And First This is the Proprium quarto modo as it were of all heretical persons To cover their falshoods with pretended Authority from the Scripture Now this is meerly fleshly wisdome to regard the Scripture no further then by the words and phrases thereof thou canst protect thy errours Not to go to the word of God as that Rule by which thou wilt stand or fall to give up thy heart and soul and all thy thoughts to be moulded and framed by that but having afore-hand swallowed down thy corrupt tenets then to go to Scripture to wrest and compell it as it were to speak for thee There is a great deal of fleshly wisdome in managing of false wayes but it is never more hainous yea and sacrilegious then when it doth thus prophanely and irreverently handle Scripture If we expostulate with the Socinian he will grant the Scripture words he will tell you he holdeth Christ to be a God that by Christs blood we have remission of sinnes but then come to ask him In what sense Christ is a God and in what manner we have remission of sinnes by Christs death then the poison of the Viper doth break forth So if we contend with the Pelagian Arminian and others about the injury they doe to the Grace of Christ they will tell you they are for Christ they doe owne all the Texts of Scripture that speak of grace But then ask what they mean by grace And how farre they extend the efficacy of grace then their deceit will appear So that it it is true of most Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They speake the same words but doe not thinke the same things Let then all fleshly wisdom be abhorred whereby we goe to the Scripture onely to apply the words thereof to our lies and so would father them upon the Spirit of God not that we love the purity and holinesse of the Scriptures but because we cannot be received with any approbation unlesse we bring our authority pretended at least from that Therefore it falleth out many times as Tertullian observeth When such erroneous persons can no longer hide themselves by Scripture-words that they directly fall to accuse the Scripture either to deny it to be the word of God or debasing of it as but a dead letter that so their corrupt hearts may be more believed than the Scripture it self Secondly A second principle of fleshly wisdome is To hide and conceale those monstrous births we have brought forth or else secretly and in a clandestine manner to acquaint others with them that so many weake persons may be infected before those who are able and skilfull had any opportunity to gain-say them 2 Pet. 2. 1. The Apostle Peter speaketh of some Who should privily bring in damnable heresies Privily because as the thief hateth the light seeing he onely comes to steale so do those who vent their false errours delight in secresie because the light will quickly manifest their falshoods As it is with Moles all the while they are under ground you can hardly take them but if once above ground then they are presently destroyed Thus all the while errours and falshoods creep under ground will not come to the light they are hardly discovered and stopped but when once found out then they are easily overcome Now all this is but fleshly wisdome to appear no where but in the dark to be alwayes hiding our selves under ground Therefore they are said 2 Tim. 3. 6. To creep into houses as thieves do by night they doe all things closely and secretly not willing to be brought to the light Whereas we have our Saviour professing the clean contrary concerning himself John 18. 20. I spake openly to the world I ever taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple whither the Jewes resort and in secret have I said nothing Thus the Ministers of Christ imitate him in an open publick way Not but that in times of persecution the Disciples of