very considerable in any Law according as it is likely to be executed and required of those to whom it is given and so it is here with this Law of Obedience Christ that will one day call to an account for the performing or not performing of it does here carry it higher than an outward and external compliance and accordingly is it to be carried higher in the practise of all those to whom it is given Well if this be the sense which Christ himself puts upon this matter as we have here declared let us accordingly bring all Doctrines and Teachers and Instructors of others to this note of difficulty and examine how far they bear a conformity to this Doctrine of Christ There are a great many Teachers sometimes in the World of these Pharisaical humors who make it their great business to nestle men in a way of formality and morality and civility and bare conformity to the outward letter of the Law of God without any regard at all to the purer life of Religion and spirituality of it That there 's as good Divinity sometimes to be found in Seneca or Epictetus or Autonius or Aristotles Ethicks the rest of such Heathen Writers as in most of these Dissenters who as for the Doctrinal part of Religion they would reduce it all to natural Reason and thereby destroy Faith So for the Practical part of Religion they would consine it all to Moral Philosophy and thereby diminish Obedience But such as these need no other than Christ himself to be a Counsellor of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is enough in this business I say it And no man besides in the World hath so much efficacy or authority with it Men may contradict one another and their sayings may be of equal validity and so not prevail one above the other But when Christ interposes and puts in his saying as he does here in the Text this is enough to stop all nothing to prevail That 's the first thing here considerable of us to wit the person speaking and that is I. The second is the form of speech Say And this likewise hath its various significations with it First as a word of Intimation I say that is I inform you Secondly as a word of Asseveration I say that is I assure you Thirdly as a word of Comination I say i. e. I threaten you First it is a word of Intimation I say that is I inform you Christ would not hide or conceal such a necessary truth from them as this was but would discover it and reveal it to them for their greater good He would not let them go away with a conceit of their own moral righteousness outward conformity to the Law so as to rest themselves satisfied in that but would teach them and instruct them better Wherein he sets also a pattern to all other Teachers besides who have to deal with the souls of men even to acquaint them with such matters as these are as do tend to their eternal Salvation As all Divine Truth in its place is to be revealed made known by us so such Truths more especially above the rest as are of greatest importance and concernment In the nature of which is this at present which we now mention I say it and I say it peremptorily You shall in no case enter c. Secondly I say It is a word of Asseveration I assure you of it As Christ was Faithful so he was also Infallible As faithful to reveal to the people that he reveal'd He said it as knowing what he said Other men they speak sometimes by rote and by guess and by conjecture out of fancy and conceit and imagination but Christ he does not do so His sayings are certain Truths and accordingly we may depend upon them He that was the word of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substantial word Whatever word comes from him it has weight with it Heaven and earth shall pass away but his words shall not pass away as he tells ns even here in this Chapter Matth. 5.18 and Luke 16.17 We may be confident of it Thirdly I say It is a word of Commination it is a threatning word as appears by the tenour and carriage which is by signifying the danger which follows upon this imperfect righteousness so as excluding all those from Heaven which have no more in them And so it has a quickening and awakening efficacy with it to rouse men out of that carnal security and presumption under which they are And that 's the second thing The form of speech I say The third and last is the persons spoken to and that 's You I say unto you And this may admit of a twofold Explication First You which are my Members and secondly You which are my Ministers You my Disciples and You my Apostles you Believers and you Preachers I say it to You. First You which are my Members I say it to you Christians and Believers to you who understand such sayings as these are and know what belongs to them As for the Scribes and Pharisees it was to little purpose to say it to them who would have been ready to made a scorn of it The Pharisees that were covetous heard all these things and they derided him as it is said in another place Luke 16.14 And so our Saviour would not trouble himself with them but to his Disciples he declares it To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given Matth. 13.11 I say unto you my friends Luke 12.4 Such as these are most capable of his instructions Yea and they are capable also of his threatnings and comminations if they do not take it as we may see in the close of the verse where he tells them of being excluded from the Kingdom of Heaven upon condition of their going no further than the out-sides of obedience This is a place even for severe truths as well as comfortable and these also he administred to the children of God That 's one notion of this You wherein it may be taken You that is you which are my Members The Second is You that is You which are my Ministers my Disciples and also my Apostles I say it to you As to you Believers for your own sakes so to you Preachers for the sake of others whom you have to deal and converse withal This is mainly desirable in Ministers above all others besides to be well acquainted with practical truths and such points as are of the essence of Religion that so thereby they may be the better enabled both to save themselves and those that hear them The sum of all to conclude comes to this To teach us both Ministers and People especially to mind such things as these are both for the teaching and learning of them We do not absolutely speak against Civility and Morality or against the Doctrines of them nay we think there was never more
such a Temper and Disposition as this is and more particularly as to the promise of Grace and forgiveness in the blood of Christ When the Prophets of God came with this comfortable message unto us in the Ministry of the Gospel and word of Reconciliation let us beware of Gainsaying and opposing it to our own disadvantage Let us take heed of saying with Cain our Sins are greater then can be forgiven That it is impossible for God to be pacifyed and reconciled with such and such Persons This is for men as it were to forsake their own Mercy and to say as here in the Text. If God would make Windows c. Which had a great deale of sad Vnbelief and Infidelity in it as the Ground and Foundation of it which is the first thing here considerable in reference to the Judgment or Approbation This person here thought that God could not do so much as he heredeclared He questioned the Power of God as to the Thing He questioned the Truth of God as to the Message that 's the first The Second is the Sin of Blasphemy in reference to his Speech and Expression There 's many a man who perhaps hath now and then some dubious and mistrustful thoughts concerning several of the Attributes of God and amongst the rest of his Power and Truth but they do not stay and abide with them but are soon crusht and supprest in them and they have other thoughts contrary to them But those here they were own'd and allow'd of so far forth as they broke forth into Speech and outward Expression Here was Infidelity seconded with Blasphemy and Atheisticall Apprehensions confirmed by Atheisticall Discourse he said If the Lord would c. might this thing be This it added further to the rest Wicked speeches are wicked thoughts incarnate the Conception comes to the Birth which makes it so much the worse because it is an implicit Justification of what has been conceived and roul'd in the Minde There 's many an Evil thought which is stifled in the first rising so that it comes not so far as to be utter'd and exprest in Speech but when it once comes to this then it becomes the Greater Sin when it once passes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Guard or fence of the Teeth which are set to keep it in then it hath proceeded to a great height of Wickedness indeed And so it was here in this place he answered the man of God and said If the Lord c. And it may be variously Amplified to us First That he does directly and expresly strike at God Himself It is not said only that the thing itself was unlikely to be done no appearance or probability for it but plainly that the Lord himself could not do it There 's not onely an Excluding of God Implicitely but directly and in so many terms there 's many a one which sometimes denyes the possibility of such a thing to be done but he does not always actually attend to the power of God about it nor intend the denyal of this Power but his person in the Text here did which was the Greater miscarriage It is not onely if Corn should fall down of it self from Heaven no but if God himself should send it Secondly That it was an Interruption and Contradiction of the Prophet in his message If it had been said Absolutely and simply of it self it had been bad enough so but now to utter it and to deliver it with this Circumstance this added to the sinfulness of it and made it so much the more abominable Then again Thirdly If we take in the Affection and Vehemency of Spirit wherewith it was spoken this will add to it somewhat further still and this is considerable in the Nature of the phrase and the manner of Expression which is here used If the Lord would make windows in Heaven As who should say If he would do his utmost and all that possibly he was able to do yet he could not effect it From all together we may observe the Desperateness of man's Nature where it is once let loose and takes scope and liberty to it self even to what wickedness it extends it self Ungodly persons they spare not even God himself when they are once set upon it They set their mouths against Heaven Psal 73.9 And God at least for a while in much patience suffers them to do so and does not restrain them The rather because he means to meet with them at another time and in another place as we have it in the Epistle of Jude the 15. vers The Lord commeth with Ten Thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are Vngodly among them of all their Vngodly deeds which they have Vngodly committed and of all their hard Speeches which Vngodly Sinners have spoken against him And so I have done with the first General part of the Text which is the Presumptuous or Blaspheming Question in those words If the Lord would make Windows in Heaven might this thing be The Second is the Peremptory and Threatning Answer in these Behold thou shalt see it with thine Eyes but shalt not Eate thereof Wherein again we have two Branches more First A Concession of sight in order to Conviction Behold thou shalt see it with thine Eyes Secondly A Denyal of Fruition in order to Punishment But shalt not Eate c. We begin with the former viz. The sight yeilded and granted in reference to Conviction Behold thou shalt see it c. From whence we may note thus much that God will one day Experimentally convince all Vnbelieving Persons of his Divine Power and Truth They shall see with their Eyes what they have doubted of and questioned in their minds and contradicted and spoken against with their mouthes Thus it was here with this Person before us and so it shall be with all others sooner or later God will abundantly justify and declare Himself to the World as in all other his Attributes and Perfections which are Eminent in him so in those now mentioned amongst the rest This he will do accordingly to either Condition whether of Evil or Good and according also to either Prediction whether of Threatnings or Promises Those who have questioned his Threatnings and Comminations in matter of Evil they shall at last see them accomplished And those who have doubted of his Promises and gracious Incouragements in matter of good they shall likewise see them fulfill it As Joshua tells the Israelites Josh 23.14.15 God had brought upon them all the good things which be had promised so that not one thing had fayled of them And he would bring upon them all the Evil things also which he had threatned so that not one thing should fail of them neither As their Eyes had seen the one so they should behold the other with it The sense of Sight is the sense of the greatest Sureness and which carryes the greatest Evidence with it above any
will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly IN the Text it self we may for methods sake take notice of two General Parts which are considerable in it First The nature of God laid down in General Secondly The expressions of this nature in the particular communications of it to the sons of men The nature of God in General that we have in these words The Lord God is a Sun and shield The Expressions of this nature in particular we have in the words following The Lord will give Grace and Glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly We begin with the first viz. The nature of God propounded in General that we have in those words The Lord is a Sun and shield where we have God set forth unto us according to a two-fold resemblance taken from these things here below which are of ordinary use unto us A Sun and a shield The one an Embleme of Illumination the other an Emblem of protection we shall look upon them distinctly and begin here first of all with the former The Lord God is a Sun It is the manner of the Spirit of God in Scripture to teach our souls by our senses and to convey into our minds heavenly and spiritual notions by earthly and corporal representations as bring such things which are most familiar unto us and which we are best acquainted withall thus he does here in this place whiles he compares God Himself to a Sun It is an expression which we meet with also else-where and that even with this Application as Mal. 4.3 Where Christ the Son of God is called the Sun of Righteousness as Luk. 1.78 The day-spring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 2 Pet. 1.19 The Day-star The Lord God is resembled to a Sun in these regards which are sundry properties belonging thereunto First In respect of Illuminatin the Sun is the fountain of light that light which is imparted to the Air for the ordering of the world it comes first from the Sun and so it is especially with God himself in regard of his Church He is the Sun that gives light unto it With thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Psal 36.1 The light of Grace here and the light of Glory hereafter which we find mention'd in the following part of the Text they both come from this Sun God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Job 1.5 This is the true light that lightens every man which cometh into the world Joh. 1.9 There 's a double kind of Inlightning which God does impart unto us either of Grace or comfort Whatever saving knowledge we have of Divine Truths we have it and must have it from him who is in this respect the Sun And whatever true and solid comfort we have likewise it is from Him also as we shall have occasion to shew more hereafter in the sequel of the Text wherein I will not prevent my self before the time but refer it to it 's due and proper place This is enough for the present which we may take notice of now in General that God is a Sun in regard of Illumination Secondly In regard of Calefaction the Sun as it hath light in it so also Heat which it doth communicate with its light It warms things and puts life into them so does this Heavenly Sun this Sun of righteousness where he is risen in the hearts of Believers he does warm them and put vigor into them we are all by nature frozen in sin as we may so express it As we are darkness without light so we are also coldness without heat till this Sun comes and thaws â—s and dissolves that congealedness which is in us and inables us to the doing of good which whensoever he is pleased to do he does it effectually The influences of Grace they are very comfortable and such as have a great deal of pleasingness and satisfactoriness in them they do abundantly cherish and refresh the hearts of those which are partakers of them Thirdly In regard of Fructification and increase The Sun by the operations of it causes things to grow and come up in more abundance and so does this spiritual Sun those which are under the beams of it they become more fruitful in goodness then otherwise they would be and they are in some measure inabled for the drawing on of others likewise to goodness together with themselves what ever is done in this kind it is done by the power and vertue here of this Sun All the droppings of Ministerial Instruction and all the Dews of friendly Admonitions and all the waterings of Godly Education they become so far forth efficatious and powerful in the consequences of them as God Himself is pleased to bless them and as this Sun whereof we now speak does concur with them which is that which he does vouchsafe to do as he thinks fitting in his own wisdom Lastly In regard of All-sufficiency the Sun is compleat in it self Communicates light to others but borrows no light at all from them It is a Fulness and Fountain of light and so is God he is compleat and All-sufficient in himself no want or defect at all in him In him are all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg he is full of Beauty and Glory and Lustre as the Sun it self is and there 's no measure nor stint of his goodness we may a great deal sooner want light which we do not fear while we injoy the Sun then we may have Goodness and Comfort and Happiness while we have God Himself present with us who in all these respects which I have now mentioned is resembled to the Sun The Consideration of this point may be thus far useful to as as from hence first of all to teach us to rest satisfied in God alone and our interest in him seeing he has a fulness of Comfort in Himself therefore having him for our God we have enough though we had nothing besides What is it that makes the Day Is it not the Sun And so what is it that makes the Happiness of a Christian but even God himself we should so esteem it and be perswaded of it and really believe it It is that which is hard for us to do and we are very difficultly brought unto it but we have Ground for it for all that and that upon this account because he is a Sun This is the difference now betwixt God and the Creatures the Creatures they are but like the Stars which have a double Disparagement or Diminution fasten'd upon them The one is that they have but a little light in regard of the Quantity and the other is that their light for the greatest part of it is derived unto them as to the manner of Conveyance It is not much inherent in themselves as it is imparted and communicated to them from the Body of the Sun this is the State and
says Solomon Prov. 27.9 Now this is the sweetness of Divine Communion and of Meditation on God and his word It imployes a man with seasonable Counsell which is a very great Refreshment to us Thy Testimonies are the men of my Counsell Anshe-gnatsathi as it is in the Text. Thirdly Of Comfort and Support in Affliction there is nothing which is more sweet to the Afflicted then to have some Relief afforded unto them This is that which is obtained by Meditation and Performance of the like Nature It is a refreshment to the Soul in such a Condition This is my Comfort in my Affliction thy word hath quickned me says David Psal 119.50 And Psal 119.92 Vnless thy Law had been my delight I should then have perished in mine Affliction But more especially in Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy Comforts delight my Soul Thy Comforts that is not onely Comforts from thee but Comforts in thee not onely Comforts from thee as the Authour of them but also Comforts in thee as the matter of them and thing it self which gives Comfort to me and delight occasionally from it Now therefore accordingly should we from hence learn to improve the Ordinances and Exercises of Religion and in particular this which is here mentioned of Divine Meditation to such a purpose as this is we should make such things as these our Refreshments as we read in Plutarah of the Priests of Mercury that while they were Eating their Figgs they cryed the Truth is sweet which they took occasion to meditate upon from that Imployment So should we do in all outward and Carnal Refreshment whatsoever wherein we seem to find and relish some sweetness Oh but the word of God is sweet Meditation and Communion with him we should think how sweet indeed this is and we should resolve to make it so to our selves as David here does My Meditation of him shall be sweet it has the force and Emphasis of a Resolution That 's the Second The Third and last is of a Prayer and Petition It shall be that is let it be the Future put for the Imperative as it frequently uses to be and so the word Gnatam is to be translated not of God but to God Let my Meditation or Prayer or Converse be sweet unto Him Placeat illi Meditatio mea so some good Authors interpret it The English Translation Let my words be acceptable to him and the other before that Oh that my words might please him which comes to one and the same Effect all taking it in the notion of a Prayer this is that which the Servants of God have still thought to be most necessary for them as indeed it is Gods Acceptance of the Performances which have been presented by them Thus expresly Psal 29.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my Heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer So. Psal 141.2 Let my Prayer be set before thee as Insence and the lifting up of my hands as an Evening Sacrifice And Psal 119.108 Accept I beseech thee the Free-will-offering of my mouth O Lord and teach me thy Judgments Acceptance it is all in all in our Services and performances to God and cheifly to be regarded by us Therefore we should especially mind it and take care of it It is not so much what the performance are for their own Nature though never so good nor yet how many they be for their multitude though never so Numerous but how far forth God himself does accept of them and take delight in them It is not how far forth they are sweet unto us but rather how they are sweet unto Him There are many men which are very well pleased with their own performances and any thing in this respect is almost pleasing to them from whence they are apt to think that is is so with him but that which is highly esteem'd amongst men it is an abomination in the sight of God Let us therefore I say pray here with the Psalmist let my meditation be sweet unto the Lord and let us indeavour it that it may be so with us and so second our Prayers in this particular for which purpose let us especially be mindful of these Observations First Look to our Persons that they be such as are in favour with God It is my Meditation which must be sweet there is a great matter in that from an acceptable Person every thing almost is accepted and from the Contrary it is quite otherwise The Prayer of the Vpright is his Delight but the Sacrifices of the wicked it is an Abomination to the Lord. Prov. 15.8 Daniel he was a man of desires or a man Greatly-beloved and what followed hereupon but the Acceptance of his Supplications Secondly Look to the manner of our performances that they be done in pureness and Sincerity it is said in Malachi 3. vers 3.4 Concerning Christ That he shall purify the Sons of Levy and purge them as Gold and Silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness and what then Why then shall the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord. When they are pure they shall then be pleasant Thirdly Let us take in Christ with us through whose Intercession and Mediation we must present all things to God as we receive all from him Thus 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye are an Holy Priesthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ It is by Jesus Christ and by him alone that our Sacrifices prove Acceptable to the Father through whom they are to be offered unto him That 's the Third and last Notion of these words as they may be taken for a Prayer or Petition Let my Discourse or my Meditation of Him be sweet and pleasing to him And so now I have done with the first General part of the Text which is Davids Contemplation The Second is Davids Exaltation in these words I will rejoyce or be glad in the Lord. But this I shall not prosecute at this time with any Inlargement upon it because it is much of a Nature with that which has been delivered already out of the former Clause of the verse wherein mention is made of a Christians Delight in Divine Meditation and this is but a further Extraction and Amplifycation of it unto us Complacency it ends usually in Joy as the Consequent and result of it and there where men are anything pleased they are for the most part glad and so it is here David resolv'd to be glad in the Lord which is a Duty which he oftentimes mentions and presses both upon Himself and others as we may observe in divers passages of his Psalmes This for the right understanding of it is performed two manner of ways First Directly when we make God the matter of our Joy and do indeed suck and draw out that sweetness which is in Him God is a very Comfortable Object considered
There are many devices in the heart of man The Second is the Qualification of this Propostion or the Check as I may so call it which is put upon it in these words Nevertheless the counsel of the Lord that shall stand Wherein again two Branches more First The simple Assertion Secondly The Additional Opposition The Simple Assertion that is in these words The counsel of the Lord that shall stand The Additional Opposition or Correction that is in the word Nevertheless We begin with the former viz. The Simple Assertion The counsel of the Lord that shall stand The Counsel of God in Scripture as before the Devices of Man does admit of a Double Acception and Interpretation in which it is taken Either First For the Word and Truth of God Or Secondly For the Purpose and Decree of God Now according to either of these Notions does it hold good that God's Counsel shall stand And that also as pertinent to this Scripture First For God's Word and Truth This is sometimes called his counsel Act. 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God says St. Paul to the Ephesians And Luk. 7.30 The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves where the same word also is used and that likewise to the same effect as applyed to God's Word and Truth which is called his Counsel as depending much upon his Counsel for the discovery and manifestation of it As Ephes 3.9 10 11. speaking concerning the Gospel The Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God but now made known by the Church According to the Eternal Purpose which he Purposed in himself This Counsel of God taken for his Doctrine and Truth it shall be sure to stand and that in Opposition to all the Fansies and Devices of men which labor to obscure and pervert it Veritas magna est prevalebit The Truth is great and so shall prevail as it is commonly declared Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one Jot or Tittle of God Word shall pass away The Reason of it is this because it is an Emanation of himself As God himself is so is his Word All flesh is grass and all the glory thereof is as the flower of the field The grass withereth and the flower thereof fadeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is Preached unto you says the Apostle Peter in 2 Pet. 1.24 25. And so the Apostle Paul to the like purpose 2 Cor. 1.18 As God is true our word towards you was not yea and nay but in him was yea For all the Promises of God in Him i.e. in Christ are yea and Amen c. Therefore let us stand for this Truth and hold to it all that may be which the more we stand by it the more it will stand by us yea and make us our selves to stand at another Day Humane Error it shall fall before Divine Truth as Dagan sometime before the Ark. And so it needs must in regard of the different basis and Foundation on which each of them stand Look what difference there is betwixt God Himself and man the same difference is there also betwixt mans Conceits and Devices and betwixt Gods own Counsels and Discoveries which should teach us therefore to hearken unto these rather than unto them And so for Gods Doctrinal Counsel and that Truth which he propounds to be beleived So for his Praeceptive Counsel likewise and that Law which he propounds to be obeyed This may be referred to this Head also of the Counsel of his Word and has the Name given unto it As Prov. 1.25 Ye have set at naught all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof And so Jer. 23.22 If they had stood in my Counsel In his Counsel that is in his Commandments As God will make good the Counsel of his Truth against mens Errors and Corrupt Devices So he will make good also the Counsel of his Commands against mens Lusts and Corrupt Practises And thus much for his Counsel in the First Notion as it may be taken for the Counsel of his Word either in its Propositions or Injunctions either of which are in Scripture called his Counsel and said also to stand The next and which I conceive is more agreeable to the Scope of the Text which therefore I will insist upon though the other is not to be excluded is the Counsel of Gods Purpose and Decree and which most usually and commonly is exprest by this Appellation The Counsel of his Will as it is called in Eph. 1.11 This especially is sure to stand indeed And so the Scripture does signifie to us in sundry places of it as to instance in one or two amongst the rest Thus Psal 33.12 The Counsel of the Lord stands for ever the thoughts of his heart to all Generations Esai 46.10 11. My Counsel shall stand and I will fulfill all my Pleasure I have spoken it I will also bring it to pass I have purposed it I will also do it In Job 23.13 He is in one mind who can turn him And what his soul desireth even that he doth And Psal 115.3 Our God is in Heaven he hath done whatsoever he pleased And again in Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he hath done in Heaven and in Earth in the Seas and in all deep places Thus is the Scripture sufficiently pregnant in the Assertion of this Point before us This is a General Truth and may be extended to two Particular Heads Either First As to matter of Predestination and the Concernments of the Life to come Or else Secondly As to matter of Providence and the Transactions of this Life Present If we take it in either of these References The Point holds good as a clear and undenyable Truth That the Counsel of the Lord shall stand First In matter of Predestination Gods Counsel it shall stand here in Rom. 9.11 That the Purpose of God according to Election might stand And 2 Tim. 1.19 The foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal The Lord knows them that are his Ephes 2.11 In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being Predestinated according to the Purpose of him that worketh all things after the Counsell of his own Will In Rom. 11.7 The Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded This is a Point which I shall not stand long upon at this time as being not the main drift of the Text although it be not excluded neither yet I cannot but give an hint of it It is that which we should hold fast and keep close to notwithstanding the many Devices which are in the heart of man to frustrate it and bring it to nothing We should cherish it as our great Comfort and Support in Spiritual Desertion and the many faylings which are in our selves whilst bewayled and striven against our uncertainty and infirmity and
thee He sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgments unto Israel Psal 147.19 It is spoken as a great Priviledge and Mercy towards them And so it is for God to give us his word to acquaint us with his divine Will and Truth in all the Parts of it there is more in it than we are always aware of or do indeed seriously consider and lay to heart There is more in it then in the injoying of any outward or temporal Blessing whatsoever which yet notwithstanding we do commonly more take notice of And so does the Prophet seem to imply here in the Text. These Words in the foregoing Verses are according to some Translations rendred thus Thy rains shall be no more kept back and thine eyes shall see thy rain then it follows And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee According to which Exposition the sense seems to be this That he would not only give them temporal Blessings but also that he would heap upon them Spiritual That he would not only give them rain upon their fields which they were now sensible of as being a great while kept from them as it has been of late from us But likewise that he would give them rain upon their hearts and the showres of Heavenly Doctrine falling upon them he leads them from the one to the other that so thereby he might the more ease their Affections in it Now this word It is here Emphatically said to be behind them A word behind thee Davarme acharika Wherein the Lord does as it were compare himself to a Shepherd that puts his Sheep before him Or to a School-master that will have his Schollers in his sight that so he may the better regulate them and keep them in order To open it a little unto us It seems to carry a various Notion in it First it is a pursuing and overtaking Word a Word that follows us and comes at our heels There are many people in the World which think to escape the Lashes of the Word in the Terrors and Threatnings of it by shunning it and running away from it But the Word it is a Word behind them for all that They cannot run so fast from that as that runs fast after them and persecutes them to their very Doors and comes home to them in their very Bosoms through the power and efficacy of it It makes Hue and Cry after them when they think most of all to avoid it Thus Heb. 4.12 The word of God is quick and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Where God is pleased at any time to set home his Word by his Spirit and to give Wings and Legs unto it as he can and often times does it will follow men and pursue them to the uttermost so that they shall not escape And though it meets not with them at one time yet it will be sure to meet with them at another Ye shall have some kind of people sometimes which are afraid to hear such kind of Preachers which deal closely and roundly with them or such kind of Doctrines which do come close to their Hearts and Consciences because they would not be troubled and molested and interrupted in their sins but they are met withal sooner or later now and then before they are aware especially if God have any pleasure or delight in them or any intent towards them for Good He will not leave them so but his word shall find them out in their greatest shunning and avoidings of it That 's one thing which it is so called A word behind thee i.e. A pursuing and overtaking word Secondly A word behind thee that is a Revoking and Recalling Word A word of Restraint when any are going on headlong in the ways and courses of sin without any heed or regard at all This word it comes behind them and fetches them back As Paul when he was riding Post to Damasous with Letters against the Church he heard a word behind him saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9.4 The word of God it serves to this purpose to curb men and to put a check upon them in all their loose and exorbitant courses and to recall them in all their extravagancies Like the Shepherds whistle that does call back the straying sheep from its wandring from the flock It is said of Christ that he can have compassion on the ignorant and on them which are out of the way Heb. 5.2 And this Compassion he does manifest in the revoking and reducing of them and bring them right again It is a main End and Intent of the Ministery To recover men out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 And it is a mercy to enjoy it to such a purpose as this is Thirdly a word behind thee that is An Impulsive and Provoking Word A word that puts thee forward that furthers thee and promotes thee in thy way There 's a great deal of slackness and sluggishness oftentimes in Christians from whence they are more remiss and negligent in their Duties than it becomes them to be For which cause they have need of some body to excite them and to put them on Now the Ministery of the Word it is here exhibited and represented to us under this Notion likewise It is a word behind thee So as there where thou keepest behind to set thee on going This it is in the several Doctrines and Instructions of it where it shews our several Duties and the things that God requires at our hands which so lay as we see we cannot for shame be neglectfull of them Thus in all these considerations is the Word of God a Word behind us And this for the Opportunity it self Now the Second thing is the closing with it Thine ears shall hear it Though the word be behind us yet we must not put it Behind us we must take heed of that we find a censure laid upon this in Psal 50.17 Seeing thou hatest Instruction and casteth my words behind thee It is the Character of a Wicked person and such an one as God will can to an account Therefore t is added here Thine ears shall hear this word God must not only provide a Word but he must likewise provide Ears or else there will no good at all come of it let his word be what it will be This is that therefore which he does here graciously undertake for his people Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee which is not only to be understood of the advantage and opportunity it self but likewise as well of the improvement and closing with it This Hearing it is to be understood Emphatically cum effectu without which the Blessing is not full and compleat Look as meat is not a perfect Blessing except there be a
and so here again Jeremy had his Trumpet which was extrordinarily sounded in his ear as a forerunner of Judgment But secondly which I rather incline to in an extraordinary application to his mind and understanding God did now by the Spirit of Prophesie which this holy man was endued withall assure him of some grievous War which was now towards his People which he was as verily perswaded of as if he had heard the very sound of the Trumpet and alarm of War it self This was Gods manner of dealing with the Prophets he did thus communicate and dispenfe himself to them so as to acquaint them aforehad with the things which he would bring to pass in the world of any special importance as Amos 3.7 Surely the Lord will do nothing but he reveals his secrets to his servants the Prophets that is nothing which is of any great concernment as to the state and condition of his People nothing of that but he will acquaint his Prophets with it And so much of the first particular in this second General the Report it self the sound of the Trumpet the Alarm The second is the conveyance of it to the Prophet and that is by his Soul Thou hast heard O my Soul How is his Soul said to have heard it As we may conceive it briefly thus according to these explications First Originally as in forming the Organs of the body When the Ear hears it is the Soul hears as conveying its faculty by that particular part and member 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the mind sees and the mind hears and all things else without that are blind and deaf it was the saying of Epicharmus So then if as I hinted before we shall suppose Jeremy to have heard some sound of a Trumpet in the air and to have discern'd it by his bodily ear yet his Soul might be said to hear as having the faculty of that sense in it whose outward organ or instrument is the body and outward man Secondly The Soul immediately as being that which had particular communion with God in these impartments This was the singular priviledge of the Prophets to partake of these immediate and extraordinary communications of God to them which we in these days have now no warrant to expect for our selves Indeed God does oftentimes very graciously reveal himself to his Servants in a way of spiritual communion with them wherein he does likewise give them very strange hints oftentimes of his Providential Dispensations but these Prophetical inspirations were more peculiar both to those times and persons and so not to be expected now Thirdly The Soul Emphatically That 's spoken indeed which is spoken to the Soul and that is heard indeed which is heard with the Soul Thus was it here in the Text thus did God speak and Jeremy hear it 's well when these two go together both in speaker and hearer In these it did two things 1. God's Excellency 2. Man's Duty First I say here 's God's Excellency he speaks to this as for us which are Ministers we can go no further than the ear it is God that must speak to the heart that must work upon the mind that must perswade the Soul and when he pleases so to do he does it effectually Secondly Here 's Man's Duty in Jeremy's practise My soul hath heard that it should be with us we should hear with all our Souls when we come to such Dispensations as these are which we are now about how is that namely attentively cheerfully intelligently obedientially and so as to practise what we hear And so we have also the second Particular which is the Conveyance of all this to the Propher The third and last is the Improvement the use which the Prophet Jeremy makes of this report heard by him that is signified in the word Because which we must look upon as knitting both parts of the Text together and so carrying as it were back again to the former There is somewhat which we may observe in general and somewhat more immediately and in particular from the words themselves First observe in general thus much That then it is with us as it should be when our meditations have an influence upon our affections when what we hear with our ear or think upon in our minds it sinks down into our bowels and hearts when we are inwardly wrought upon by the good instructions which are administred to us Thus it was here with the Prophet Jeremy in this Text his soul Beard the sound of the Trumpet and his bowels were stirred and moved in him he had special revelations and he had hereupon answerable affections This was the property and disposition of a well-temper'd Soul indeed The Reason of it is this Because this is the end and aim which it tends unto every Divine Truth in the Understanding it is ordained for some betterment of the Will and Affections which are to be wrought upon by it We do not therefore reach the scope of it till we find it to have this effect upon us From hence then we should take account of our selves and see how it is with us VVe should not at any time satisfie our selves in any measure of Divine Illumination without some answerable and proportionable affection VVhen we have heard observe how we rellish And when our Judgments are inlightened consider how our bowels are moved and stirred and wrought upon in us And so in Fasting afflict our souls Again further Here 's also by the way an Item for Teachers to endeavour to work their Doctrines upon their hearts and those discoveries which God makes to them in reference to the instruction of the people to bring them down to their own spiritual improvement and advancement in the work of grace As we have here greater Revelation so from it we should have better Affection But Secondly To come more close to the particular Jeremy cries out of his bowels here he had heard the sound of the Trumpet c. These bowels I told you before were in general his Affections but I did not tell you which they were VVe may take them in these specifications First Anger Jeremy he was moved with this he was displeased when he considered the refractoriness and obstinacy of this people whom he spoke to that nothing would serve their turn but utter destruction that they should so cast away themselves as they did by their wilful provocations of God's Majesty to bring such sweeping Judgments upon them as this was There is nothing which is more apt to stir the zealand impatience of Teachers than when they see that all their Teaching and Admonishing comes to no good that people will still be that which they will be even to the utter undoing of themselves both bodies and souls Secondly Fear That was another part of these bowel The good Prohet had very strong apprehensions of this Judgment which was threatned and he was much troubled in himself as not knowing the full extent
lose nothing by such improvements as these are but gain by them rather and they return upon us with so much the greater advantage that so we may be encouraged thereunto in the practice of them This Oyl it encreases in the spending and this Bread in the breaking of it And to him that thus hath it shall be given We should therefore be perswaded to put this duty in practice upon all occasions God has made and appointed us for the good one of another and not only for our selves therefore as we have any thing our selves we should mind one anothers good in it As the Ministerial official parts of the body The heart and liver and stomach they do not only receive nourishment for themselves but for the whole body So should we which are Christians in spiritual things As the Heavens what light and influence they have in themselves they bestow upon the earth even so should we do to those which are below us especially in these places of society We see how active evil men are in that which is evil Those which are themselves perverted they 'll be sure to pervert their Brethren and make others as bad or perhaps a great deal worse than themselves And why should not we then do the contrary in matters of goodness What a shame is it for the children of this world to be in this sense also wiser in their generation than the children of light Oh! let us cast off this sluggishness and remisness from us let us make it our business to make others partakers of the same Grace and comfort with our selves This is done divers ways as First by discovering and laying open the flights of sin and the subtilties of the spiritual enemy The reason why many miscarry and are surprized with spiritual evils is because they are not aware of the danger which is incident to them and which themselves are subject unto They are apt to think that there is no such great hazard in such ways as are undertaken by them as indeed there is Now here it concerns us being our selves converted to admonish them and warn them of it Peter who had now unadvisedly gone into the High Priest's Hall and mingled himself with the evil company which he met withal there in that place he was better fitted to advise others to take heed of such kind of temptations Exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 Secondly By quickening and exciting and stirring up one another to good we do hereby strengthen our Brethren There 's nothing does more strengthen men in goodness than the practice of goodness And there is nothing which does more promote and advance this practice in them than the quickening and exciting of them Therefore it is the Apostle's Exhortation in Heb. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works We should be putting one another upon good as much as we can and thereby settle them in it yea we should encourage them and hearten them in it by convincing them of the great good and advantage which comes by it This is a means to confirm and strengthen them What strengthens men at any time in evil why it is the apprehension of little hurt in it and as they conceit a great deal of contentment The same would also confirm men in good if it were truly and really understood which we should therefore labour and endeavour to assure them and perswade them of and to fasten upon them Thirdly By imparting and communicating of our own Experiences we do hereby likewise strengthen our Brethren when we shall shew them what good we our selves have found by such and such good courses This is a means not onely to draw on but to confirm others with us And so when we shall shew what comfort we have felt in such and such like cases our selves this is a means to comfort our Brethren and to give satisfaction to them Therefore we shall find the Prophet David to be mindful of this practise in Psal 66.16 Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul As persons which are themselves recovered of such and such a sickness or distemper they are apt to tell what has done them good and thereby to refresh their Neighbours which are exercised with the like infirmities Even so should it be also with Christians in their spiritual conditions In case of temptation to sin I have found benefit by such a word of Command which has restrain'd me from it And in case of temptation for sin I have found benefit by such a word of Promise which has comforted me in it When I have been ready almost to sink in my self an to faint under such an affliction such a Divine Truth or such a Divine Attribute has been a Cordial and a Relief unto me and kept me up When Christians do thus mutually impart and communicate their Experiments to each other they do hereby wonderfully establish and confirm each other in good whether as to point of Grace or of Comfort And then further Not onely by imparting but by comparing these Experiences together one with another I was just in such a case my self and found these workings in me as you have done for your particulaâ— Why this is now a great Confirmation It appears from hence that Religion is no matter of meer fancy or imagination but has a Truth and Reality in it because it is thus uniform and consistent to it self as it is in one man as well as another Thus we see what ways those which are themselves converted may strengthen their Brethren To help us and enable us hereunto we must labour especially for such Graces as are conducing to the practise of it As first A Spirit of Discerning whereby to judge aright of the case and condition which our Brethren are in It is a great part of skill in a Physician to be able to find out the Disease and to know the just temper and constitution of his Patients Body and so is it also for an Healer of Souls All kinds of Remedies are not to be used to all kind of Persons some have need of one kind of help and others have need of another which is a piece of spiritual wisdom and prudence in our selves to be able to discover There is a word in season which must be spoken to the weary Soul or else it will do no good Isa 50.4 Secondly A spirit of love and tenderness and condescention There is a great deal of meekness required in a Spiritual Strengthner and Restorer Gal. 6.2 Restore with the spirit of meekness Men which are rough and austere and which stand too much upon their own terms they 'll never do good to others No there must be a yielding and bearing and pitying in such works and ways as those are There must be a putting on of the
in Christ This is such as whosoever keeps close to shall undoubtedly attain this blessed end It is new in regard of the new Covenant It is living as it bringeth unto life Secondly As Christ is the true way so he is the short way and most direct All other ways besides which mens fancies have devised to themselves they are but so many labyrinths and wheelings about As by mens own merits and single performances or by the merits and satisfactions of Saints This it is but running at random and will never come home at last But now Christ he brings us home presently and directly without more ado Thirdly He is a safe way That 's a great matter in a way and much to be desired in it Now such an one is Christ Though we meet with many assaults in it yet we are fair to conquer and overcome them and at last to get victory over them In the way of righteousness is life and in the path way thereof there is no death as it is in Prov. 12.28 Fourthly He is a pleasant way also there 's that considerable in it His ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Prov. 3.17 The ways of the world and such as lead to destruction they seem to have some pleasure in them but they are pleasures but for a season and they have no reality of pleasure indeed But Christ and the ways that he leads into eternal life they are full of delight especially to such kind of souls as are capable and sensible of them And that 's the first thing whereby Christ is described unto us namely as the Way The Second is the Truth Christ describes himself also by this He is not only true but truth it self and the truth emphatically This is that which is declared of him And whiles he is said to be so we may take it two manner of ways especially First In a moral sense and Secondly in a rational He is the truth as it is opposed to shadows and so he is the truth of Dispensation And he is the truth as it is opposed to errors and so he is the truth of Doctrine In each respect he is said to be the truth First Take it in a moral sense and by way of dispensation So Christ is the truth as it stands in opposition to shadows and legal ceremonies The Jewish rites and ordinances they were but types and prefigurations of Christ who was shadowed out by them and who was the main truth and principal substance intended in them Therefore Joh. 1.17 It is said that the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ And Col. 2.17 Speaking of the Judaical observations he says that they were but shadows of things which were to come but the body was of Christ that is the truth and substance of all the ceremonies is now enjoyed in and by Christ in whom all is now sulfilled The Jews as the Apostle speaks had the shadow of good things to come but not the very image of those things No that is brought and exhibited to us in the Gospel in Christ himself who was signified by them And who is as far different from them and above them as the body is different and transcendent to the shadow and the thing it self to that which is but the picture and representation of it This shews what great cause we have of thankfulness that live in these times of the Gospel and New Testament above those that lived under the Law forasmuch as we have the truth and substance of these things whereof they had no more but the shadows It is true that they had Christ propounded to them as well as we even the Fathers under the Old Testament but after another manner of dispensation For they had him propounded in the type we in the substance and thing it self They had him exhibited in the shadow we have him exhibited in the truth as opposed thereunto From hence it will likewise follow that there is and ought to be a cessation and perfect abolition of all those Jewish rites and observations upon the coming of Christ because they were intended only to point out Christ till such time as he should come And so we shall find the Apostle himself to make improvement of it in Gal. 4.3 c. Where now that God hath sent us his Son he does diseharge us from all such rudiments as those were That 's one sense of this expression wherein Christ is said to be the Truth namely as it may be taken in a moral sense and by way of dispensation The Truth as it is opposed to shadows The Second is as it may be taken in a rational sense by way of revelation and in reference to Doctrine The Truth as it is opposed to errors Christ he is the truth thus likewise He is the true and faithful witness as he is else-where called And he brings nothing but truth it self with him Thus Joh. 8.31 If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free What 's the truth but the truth of the Gospel in the Doctrines and discoveries of it which are exhibited by Christ There was a truth in the Law in its kind and in the Doctrine of Moses Oh but the Gospel and the Doctrine of Christ is the truth with an emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being of the greatest efficacy and influence of any other besides It hath liberty and strength and peace and comfort with it and all that is good This should teach us so much the more to hearken to it and to Christ himself who is both the matter and Author of it and who hath revealed it and made it known unto us Here 's that which does now justly scatter all infidelity and unbelief whatsoever that men may have nothing to say for it and in a defence of it seeing it is a rejection of truth it self Therefore let us take heed of it And on the other side stir up our Faith in this particular When we find our hearts any thing doubting and calling in question the gracious promises of the Gospel and the free offers and tenders of mercy which are made to us by Christ in it let us think and consider with our selves what our Blessed Saviour here declares of himself whiles he tells us that he is the truth Whiles he is the truth it be comes us accordingly to receive him and embrace him and to give credit to him as we would to truth it self And that 's also the second description of Christ wherein he expresses himself to us to wit the truth both in a moral sense and in a rational As it is opposed to shadows and as it is opposed to errors and falshood The Third and last is the Life This is another property whereby Christ does describe himself to us and it is such as is very agreeable to him Not only
him practically and in the effects so as this knowledg had any influence upon their hearts for the ordering of their lives and conversations Thus they were ignorant of him did not know him so as to fear him to love him to honour him to obey him c. And this is indeed such an ignorance as oftentimes does very much prevail not only out of the Church but in it not only amongst Pagans and Heathens but also as we may take notice of it by the way sometimes even in profest Christians amongst whom 't is so much the more abominable There are a great many people in the world which have a great deal of knowledg and common illumination in whom that knowledg notwithstanding does not produce any gracious effect to the bettering of them like glow-worms which have light without heat and their heads are bigger than all the rest of them besides This is that which is most common and dangerous in great Wits as we shall see more afterwards and therefore requires so much the greater heed and care for the avoiding of it Take heed of resting in the partaking of any knowledg which does not put forth it self in some answerable activity and operation For as every Divine Truth in regard of the nature of it is ordained to some practise so indeed it is not known to purpose except it be put into practise These Gentiles because that when they knew God yet they glorified him not as God but in the midst of all their knowledg were many of them very base and wicked livers Adulterers and Fornicators and Drunkards and Idolaters and the like yea and the best of them which were free from those sins were unthankful and proud therefore they are said not to know God when in a sort and sense they did know him Quod curiositate invenerant superbiâ perdiderunt as Austin speaks what they found out by their wit they lost by their pride They knew God speculatively but they did not know him powerfully Fourthly and lastly They knew God Essentially as considered in his own nature but they knew him not Dispensatively representatively as exhibited in Christ Thus they knew not God neither indeed in the case they were could they know him They knew not God that is Immanuel God with us God manifest in the flesh God taking our nature upon him and becoming a Mediator for us Him they did not know This is clear out of divers places of Scripture and cannot be questioned Thus Joh. 1.10 speaking concerning Christ He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not And so 1 Cor. 2.8 Whom none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord of glory The world knew not Christ neither in his Persons nor yet in his Offices so they knew him not And being they knew not Him who was the Image of the Invisible God the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person as the Apostle calls him In this respect and upon this account it is said of them that they knew not God to know God and not to know him in Christ is as good as not to know him at all for what 's to know him so but to know him rather to our own confusion and amazement and greater horrour of soul it is to know him as an enemy and to know him as an angry Judg and to know him as a person at variance and difference with us as a consuming fire and one whom there 's no coming near this is a very uncomfortable knowledg of him but now to know him in the union of our nature and in his Majesty vailed with our flesh this is sweet and pleasing indeed this is the knowledg which is manifest in the Gospel but this the world at present knew not they knew not God in Christ And that 's the fourth and last term which lies here in the Text to be explained what is meant by their not knowing of God And thus much for the Explication of the Words I come now in the next place to the Proposition it self thus explained as it lyes in the Text That in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God Which affords us this observation as the Moral of all That the greatest Wits of the world having no more but the common light of nature and the advantage of humane Accomplishments are oftentimes exceedingly to seek in the spiritual and saving knowledg of God This is the Point which here lyes before us to be considered by us And I shall endeavour to make it good by a threefold consideration and that founded upon the words of the Text. First The insufficiency of the Medium Secondly The weakness of the Faculty And thirdly The perversness of the Subjects First The insufficiency of the Medium and that is the Glory of God shining forth in the Creatures which is here called the Wisdom of God This of it self is insufficient to the producing of such a kind of knowledg as this is Indeed it has in a sort some sufficiency in it as is here intimated and implied unto us forasmuch as the world is censured for not improving it and from hence they are said to be without excuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1.20 but yet it is not sufficient wholly and fully to such an end as we speak of this is most certain and unquestionable that every creature has some kind of footstep and impression of the Deity upon it Quaelibet Herba Deum as we use to speak There 's not the least spire of Grace but it signifies and presents a God to our thoughts much more the whole Body of the Creation This does exhibit and present God a great deal more fully But yet God as he is laid open in the Gospel and as he is made known in the Preaching of the Word this the Creature does not shew nor is able to do it this is a point which cannot be known but by the Scripture and written Word of God which those who were Pagans and Heathens were unacquainted withal To know God as a Saviour and as the Author of Eternal Happiness unto us this the Book of the Creatures does not discover or make known and therefore they knew not God first of all from the insufficiency of the Creation which is here denominated as I have shewn the wisdom of the Medium of God Secondly From the weakness of the Faculty the world by wisdom knew not God that is by its own wisdom and that wisdom which is within the compass of it self so it knew him not The wisdom of the world is insufficient alone of it self to bring any people to the saving knowledg of God this is clear out of sundry places of Scripture as for instance in Mat. 16.17 when Peter had acknowledged that Christ was the Son of the living God what says he unto him hereupon Blessed art
unprofitable And is not this then foolish dealing Is not he a fool that crosses himself of his main intention and of that end which he propounds to himself in such an undertaking why even thus 't is here Preaching if men understand themselves in it it is ordained for the discovery and clearing of Divine Truths for the making men to know themselves and their own condition by nature to lay open the Excellencies of Christ and the unsearchable riches of the Gospel to change and reform the heart and at last to save the soul Now when none of these things shall be done in such performances as these are but rather the contrary as it is in this which we speak of what 's this but the foolishness of Preaching And who would not think Preaching to be foolishness if there were no other preaching but this Thus do men come so to esteem it as occasion is given from others in regard of their carriage Secondly Originally from themselves in regard of their own perverse reasonings And here there are sundry things which they do misconster and falsly reason upon As first They think meanly of Preaching from the nature and condition of the Instruments which are imployed and improved in it poor frail and weak men like themselves which have this treasure in earthen Vessels If an Angel might be the dispenser of it then it may be they would have some high thoughts of it but now that it comes down to them in flesh this is that which is offensive unto them Secondly In regard of the matter of it and the subject which it is conversant about And that is Christ crucified this is the foolishness of Preaching 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only the Ordinance but the Doctrine and not only the Preaching but the thing preached about Preaching handles such matters as natural men account foolishness for it tells them of a Crucified Saviour of God to become mortal of life to be subject to death of righteousness to be in the likeness of sin of blessing to be subject to a curse These are such strange contradictions as natural reason is presently apt to deride And so not only in the Narrative but in the Hortatory part of it when it perswades men to deny themselves to cross their sweetest lusts and to leave their closest corruptions to forsake friends and life it self for Christ and to become a fool that so they may be wise These are such gross absurdities and mistakes to a carnal heart which is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason that he counts the work it self to be foolishness Thirdly In regard of the manner of it and way of proceeding in it That it comes not so much with reason and demonstration as rather simple Propositions It does nakedly and barely propound things expecting an assent unto them from the evidence of the things themselves and the authority of the principal speaker which is God himself but it does not so much stand upon it to satisfie mens wit and reason This is another thing which makes it thought to be foolishness Fourth From defect mingled with pride Scientia neminem habet inimicum praeter ignorantem c. And so much of that first viz. the Denomination of the Ordinance as it is here stiled The foolishness of Preaching The second is the Means and Ordinance it self simply considered and that is Preaching this is the means of working Salvation God saves Believers by Preaching First By Preaching he makes them Believers and then being Believers he bestows salvation upon them as we shall see afterward This is the order and method that God uses But that which is here observable in this part is the former That Preaching makes men Believers And the Apostle adds unto it the disparaging Denomination of foolishness thereby the more to advance it and set it up As who should say That poor and mean Ordinance which the world thinks so scornfully of and counts no better than foolishness yet it has this excellency and advantage with it that it is a means to bring men to Heaven and God is pleased to use it to this purpose If it be foolishness it is a saving foolishness and that 's a great deal better than a destructive wisdom Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God preached as it is in Rom. 10.17 And how prevalent Preaching has been to this intent we are not without divers instances and examples which make it good Thus St. Peter's Auditors whereof some of them were active in Christs death when they heard they were pricked at their hearts So the Eunuch and the Jaylor and Lydia and divers others besides they have known what this meant For the better handling of this present point there are two particulars which may here profitably be considered by us First What this Preaching is And secondly What may be the ground of the power and efficaciousness of it For the first What Preaching is It is not meerly to speak somewhat of Religion to take a Text and only descant and flourish upon it and there 's an end to make a rambling and roving discourse and nothing to the purpose But Preaching is a Ministerial and Authoritative improvement of the Truths and Doctrines of the Scriptures to the good and benefit of mens souls and the procurement of their eternal Salvation It is by a special gift of the Spirit of God bestowed upon certain persons to that purpose to lay open the Mysteries of Christ with all those points which pertain thereunto and to apply them and bring them hom to the Conscience of every hearer It is to break the box of precious ointment that so the smell and savour of it may be diffused all the house over There are two main subjects and arguments which come within the compass of Preaching The Law and the Gospel The Law to shew men the Disease and the Gospel to shew men the Remedy and the one in order to the other And the skilful handling and performing of each of these two does makes up this work unto us The shewing men o their misery by nature and the benefit which they may have by Christ with the appurtenances thereunto this in a word is Preaching Now further for the efficacy of this Ordinance and whence it comes to be thus powerful this is meerly from the Ordinance of God As it is his institution who has ordained and appointed it to be so This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in the Text it pleased him there 's an account of the business indeed Alas Preaching considered in it self is a poor and empty voice and were able to do no great matter at all neither is there any thing belonging unto it which of it self is efficacious It is not the gifts of the Preacher it is not the nature of the Argument it is not the strength of the matter it is not the sweetness of the
take which he Preaches is to be earnest especially with God to go along with it and to bless him in it otherwise he may lose all his labour Again further The life and conversation of the Preacher there 's great matter in that also There are many Doctrines sometimes delivered which if we consider them in their own nature and for the matte of the things themselves which are spoken they have a great deal of weight in them yet as coming from such and such mouths they lose that efficacy and vertue which is in them He that 's a loose and scandalous liver can never look to be a profitable and successful Preacher nor to have any good at all come by any Doctrine which at any time he delivers I say he cannot expect or look for it Perhaps he may do some good by chance and unawares as God in providence may order it but he cannot expect or look for it and that indeed because he takes the quite contrary way hereunto For who will ever believe that that man is serious and in good earnest whose Doctrine tends one way and his life quite carries another way Nay further let me add this also That it is a great matter as concerning the efficacy and success of a mans Doctrine and Ministry not only how he orders his life and outward conversation but also how he orders his heart and inward disposition It is a duty which much lyes upon us as we desire that any Truth we deliver should take with our Auditory to labour to bring our own hearts and consciences to a conformity to it There 's nothing which goes to the heart so much as that which comes from it And when the words of a Preacher are the expressions of his own experiences and impressions and the working of his spirit within him We imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but also our own souls because ye were dear unto us 1 Thes 2.8 Thus do we see how this difference lyes in the Preacher himself and that 's the first Consideration The second lies in the qualification of the hearers We use say Quicquid recipitur recipitur ad modum recipientis What ever is received it is received answerably to the modification of that which receives it And so is it indeed among other things with the Word and Truth of God it has a different and various effect according to a difference in the Hearers and a disposition in their hearts It is the Comparison which is used in this case by Clemens Alexandrinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Look says he as it is at Tennis It is a plain and homely similitude but it serves to illustrate the thing As it is in playing of Ball 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It does not depend alone upon the skill of the first striker but also as well upon the taker to keep the Game up Though he which begins behave himself never so skilfully yet if the other do but bungle with him if he mind not or mark not the business there will nothing be done to any purpose because those imployments they are actions of mutual dependance and reciprocation Even so also for the transmission of the Gospel and Divine Truths though the Doctrine it self be delivered with all the care and endeavour that can be yet if it be not carefully received there will no success follow upon it Thus Heb. 4.3 The Gospel was Preached to them as well as unto us but the word Preached did not profit them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it This is set forth to us by the Parable in the Gospel where that which fell in the High-way had not the efficacy of that which was sown in the good Ground Non impotentia seminis sed vino telluris as Athanasius well expresses it not from the weakness of the seed but from a defect in the Earth it self where there is not a good capacity in the Hearer the Word Preached will be there of no effect Now an indisposition here may be laid forth as consisting in divers things which concur hereunto First Prejudice and forestallment of Opinion and Apprehension in regard of the Preacher where people have at any time sinister and wrong conceits of those tha teach them they can never so kindly entertain the Doctrine which is delivered by them as when a Patient does not fancy the Physitian the Physick will not likely do him good This was that which made the Word of God to be no more received in former times We see how it was with the very Apostles themselves and amongst the rest more particularly St. Paul how the prejudices against his Person were sometimes great impediments to his Doctrine and the progress of his Ministry amongst them And therefore it is most necessary thing for all kind of Hearers to take heed of this Not to be rash in admitting any misprisions in this regard as Satan is most ready to breed them so should we be the readier to avoid them And again which we may take in here also as prejudice in an ill sense so prejudging also in a good there may be a danger in that also when people come to the hearing of the Word with too much expectation from the Preachers too and as trusting to their Gifts and Abilities this may be a cause of not profiting likewise when we shall have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in respect of Persons It comes hence to pass that we are many times frustrated and disappointed and are sent empty away c. as Naaman to Elisha he thought the man of God would have come down c. 2 King 1. Secondly Another Hindrance in the Hearers is a want of due fitting and preparing of themselves for the publick Ordinances We see in other matters how preparation goes before the thing it self in Physick there 's a preparing of the body beforehand ere the principal Physick be administred and in Diet there 's preparation by exercise before the receiving of the meat even so is it requisite to be here in Divine matters likewise in our coming to the Sacrament and in our coming to the Preaching of the Word as we desire to get profit by these Duties so we must prepare our selves for them when we come to such things as these are immediately from our worldly imployments with our minds and thoughts full of the world we cannot ordinarily receive so much advantage and benefit by them Intus prohibet alienum Thirdly Some reigning sin and lust which prevails upon the heart that 's another impediment likewise in the behalf of the Hearer Look as it is in the body if any man have any constant weakness or sickness and infirmity about him that sustenance which he receives it does not commonly thrive with him but rather feeds and strengthens his disease than any thing else even so is it also here for the soul where there 's any corruption which is
will also have it for the honour of his own Truth and the Doctrine it self which is delivered If the Gospel should be Preached to a people and none give any entertainment this would reflect upon the Gospel it self which from hence would be disparaged by it But now that God may have the Gospel and have it known to be that which it is therefore some shall receive and imbrace it Thirdly For the Encouragement of the labours of his own Servants and Ministers which are imployed in Preaching the Gospel If Paul and the rest of the Apostles which Preached Christ crucified to the world should have had no entertainment in the world of that which they Preached this would have proved a very great disheartning and discouragement to them now therefore in respect to this does God in Providence give them some success though their Doctrine was a stumbling-block to some and though it was foolishness to others yet to the rest it was Gods power and wisdom This Observation should accordingly be improved by those which are Ministers to quicken them in their work and to carry them on in those places wherein God sets them without discouragement forasmuch as there where God calls them he will more or less be assistant to them and concur with them so far forth as is requisite to the blessing of their labours with success This is that which God has promised by his Prophet Isa 55.10 As the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven so shall my word that goeth out of my mouth not return unto me vain c. And therefore let us not be discouraged Rom. 11.4 And that 's one Observation Secondly Observe this that a Minister for the success of his Doctrine is especially to consider how it takes with those which are most Godly and Religious thus does the Apostle Paul here he does not so much trouble himself to think how it was accepted of others those Jews and Greeks which at present were unconverted a stumbling and foolishness to them but how it was to them which were called this was that which most of all stuck by him and wherein he most comforted himself above all the rest Thus again Gal. 2.2 he considered how his Gospel took with them which were of reputation and of reputation not so much for the world as in reference to Religion And so therefore in vers 9. he reckoned this as an encouragement to him that James Cephas and John who were pillars own'd and acknowledged him The ground hereof is this First because such as these they have best skill and judgment in the work every one studies rather to approve himself in any business which he undertakes to workmen rather than to bunglers and to those which have some knowledg of the work than to those which are ignorant of it Now thus it is with those which are godly and Religious and effectually called they have best skill in that which is spoken of and delivered in Preaching Others may somewhat judg of other things but these can best judg of the Truths and Doctrines which are propounded unto them and so their judgment is most to be regarded such as these they come to a Sermon with those affections which it becomes them to do which many others do not Take now a natural man and he can tell you of some other matters it may be some pleasing story or witty sentence or passage of Rhetorick and the like but now come to the marrow of the business and those things which touch the conscience and serve to frame and establish the heart here he is oftentimes much to seek and is able to say little to the purpose But now a man which has the work of Grace in his heart he has a gracious savour and relish of Divine Truths fastened upon his spirit from whence he is able the better to judg of the Proposal and delivery of them The spiritual man judges all things Secondly Such as these they come to the Word freest from prejudice and carnal affection Take a Godly and Religious man and he comes to the hearing of the Word of God with an humble and obedient disposition as one that is ready to submit to the efficacy and power of the Ordinance in every particular whereas another he comes to it with his exceptions and reservations so far forth as it complies with his humour and does not stir him in his bosom-lusts and does not trouble him and take him off from his corruptions so far forth he likes it pretty well but now let it come neer him in these and here he kicks and rebels against it and cannot endure it A Drunkard will never like that Preacher that presses sobriety nor an Adulterer him that Preaches for chastity Thirdly Those which are Godly and Religious and effectually called are most to be regarded for their entertainment of the work because they are most intended in the work it self It is for their sakes chiefly and especially that God sends his Ministers amongst them as to bring home those which are straying so to confirm and strengthen those which are yet at home and already in the fold Now those whom God himself does most look at they should be looked at chiefly by us This condemns the contrary disposition and practise of many in this particular who more consider how their Doctrine takes and is accepted of those which are great and wise and mighty in the world than how it takes with those which are good and pious and experienced in Religion not but that it is possible for those which are the one to be the other too I do not deny that there are divers which are both great and good too wise in matters of the world and wise also to God But this is that which I stand upon that we should not so much in this present business in hand look at the one as the other And it is that which should principally affect us when our words are acceptable to those which are good Thus St. Paul We preach Christ crucified to the Jews indeed a stumbling-block and to the Greeks indeed foolishness But unto them which are called that is to the godly Christ the power of God c. And so much for the Points Preparatory and in General We come now to the words more closely in themselves But unto them which are called c. where we have these two Parts chiefly considerable First the success of the Gospel considered simply in it self Christ the power of God c. Secondly the Parties to whom it is thus laid down two manner of ways First in their Personal Qualification To them which are called Secondly in their National qualification Both Jews and Greeks To these it is thus effectual and successful We begin first of all with the Parties and that first of all in their Personal Qualifications To them which are called By called here we are to understand as I have in part intimated already those which are
much as the day of the Lord together with all the consequents and circumstances of it which does carry a great deal of fear and astonishment with it It does so and it deserves to do so in these respects First From the severity of the proceedings in the ordering and managing of it which shall be with a great deal of terror In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power Is not this very terrible and a dispensation of much severity it cannot be denied And therefore those that think otherwise are mistaken and exceedingly deceived of that day it is a day of wrath a day of trouble and distress a day of wastness and desolation a day of darkness and gloominess c. Zeph. 1.15 And as it is so in it self so it is especially so to all wicked and ungodly persons to them it is the terror of the Lord with a witness from the guiltiness which is upon them This is that which properly gives this denomination unto it if we take it abstractly considered in it self or in reference to the Children of God so it shall not have such terror or dreudfulness in it those alone who are reconciled to God through Christ upon them it shall have another impression and another notion as it is the day of refreshment the day of redemption the day of restitution the day of recompence and reward The second is the Apprehension of this object in reference to the mind and understanding and that is knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We see here upon what terms we proceed in Christianity and Religion not upon meerer fancies only and conjectures and bare probabilities but upon a certainty and good assurance Divinity it is a matter of Knowledg and it is the excellency of it that it is so elpecially compared with some other things in the world which are of another nature it stands upon good grounds as the bottom and foundation of it which is the Word of truth it self Thus 2 Pet. 1.16 We have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eye-witnesses of his majesty c. And v. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. This is the Scripture and Word of God But how did Paul know this which he here speaks of this Terrour of the Lord and the accurateness of this judgment of Christ which he had before mentioned and here refers to He knew it divers ways First By immediate revelation and inspiration from God himself it was delivered to him from the Lord as he says elsewhere of other truths I have received from the Lord that which I have delivered unto you It pleased God from Heaven to inform him and to acquaint him with this Divine truth concerning the Judgment to come together with some circumstances which shall attend it which he does discover as a profound mystery in some other places And that which he had as it were even from Gods own mouth and intimation of that he might very well say that he knew it as here he does knowing it by revelation Secondly He knew it also by Discourse and collection of one thing from another There 's very good reason for it that there should be such a day as this is the day of Judgment and that God should call men to an account hereafter for that which they do now in the flesh It 's very agreeable to the justice of God a righteous thing with him as it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Thes 1.6 When we shall consider that little recompence or reward is give here below either to good or bad we may from hence very rationally conclude that there is another time and place for it which shall not escape it That which seems to make most against it with carnal and secure persons is the delay and procrastination of it because it is not presently therefore they conclude that it will not be at all as those mockers in Peter Where is the promise of his coming c. But as the Apostle there resolves it Gods slackness is only long-suffering Patientia est non negligentia as Austin to the same effect Non ille potentiam perdidit sed nos ad poenitentiam reservavit c. de Verb. Apost Ser. 20. Some read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the subjunctive and so make it a matter of counsel and exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Oecumenius But I think we need not do that I shall rather take it as it is here offered in the Indicative It is an expression which carries a various emphasis in it Thirdly He knew it also by Experience and by some sense of it upon himself in his own heart he knew it thus As he was wrapt up into Paradise and carried unto the Third Heaven so he was likewise cited to Christs Tribunal and brought before his Judgment-seat in his own soul and consicence S. Paul did not speak of these things at random and loosely but he had some practical apprehensions of them from where he knew them and did therefore to much the more boldly and freely and confidently discourse of them to other men There 's no man that knows what sin is but he consequently knows what judgment is and by the sight of the one is lead to the preconception of the other forasuch as sin in the guilt and nature of it summons to Judgment This was the Apostles great advantage in this business which he discoursed about that he spoke of it from his own spirit with some kind of sense and feeling of it which is that which all other Ministers should labour and endeavour to do in the whole course of their Ministry and in the Doctrines which are delivered by them First to work and fasten and imprint them upon them own hearts and then from thence to commend them to their hearers with the greater efficacy and success that so even in this sense likewise as well as in regard of affection they may impart unto them not the Gospel of God only but also their own souls 1 Thes 2.8 as being sensible and really satisfied in that which they deliver And thus much of the first thing here considerable in this first General of the Ministerial performance viz. the Motive Knowing the terror c. The second is the Work it self We perswade men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where again four things more whereof two exprest and two implied First What. Secondly Whom Thirdly For what or what to Fourthly Upon what ground There 's the Act and the Object and the End or
should be rather translated we cannot do any thing this makes the impotency to be so much the more and does serve as an amplification of it even this word of restriction here before us There are many who as their power is restrained so their impotency is limited they are impotent in some things but they are not impotent in all As Satan in his attempts against Job could not meddle with his life but he could meddle with his goods could not hurt his soul but he could afflict his body and outward man Yea but this impotency here against truth it is general and universal and indefinitive we cannot do any thing against the truth whatever it be Not any thing that is the least thing that is this we cannot this we may not do The Spirit of God here meets with the reservations of a false heart which though perhaps in some things would be somewhat tender of acting against the truth yet in other things would take more liberty to it self in the hindering of it No says he not any thing at all not speak against it not write against it not preach against it not argue against it not live against it not think against it whatever otherwise we can do in this sense we cannot do against it This proceeds from Gods jealousie and affection God is a jealous God and of nothing more than of his Truth Now this is the nature of jealousie that it provides against the least appearances and shadows of disrespect any unbeseeming carriage any uncomely glance it is displeasing unto it as in Gods care of Jacob in regard of Laban Take heed thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad that is see thou have nothing at all to do with him Gen. 31.24 Do not hurt him in the least kind that is The same care doth God take of his Truths that not any thing be done against it Any wry or oblique look any discouraging or discountenancing of it it is very grievous and offensive to him he cannot endure it There are two things which God is tender of his People and his Truth and he that touches either he touches the very apple of his eye This may therefore accordingly regulate and order our carriage in this particular We should be jealous of our selves there where God is jealous of us And take heed of doing any thing which may prove prejudicial to truth not only directly and in the thing it self but remotely and in the preparations to it There are many who sometimes have proved adversaries and enemies to Truth before they have been aware beginning with some slight and easie oppositions of it at first perhaps out of curiosity only to shew the nimbleness of their wit or perhaps out of a love of contradiction and gainsaying of others who have afterwards fallen foully upon it and proved both haters and persecutors of it Therefore I say we had need to be very cautious and watchful over our selves in this respect especially take heed of disputes against Principles of Religion it being ill jesting with these edg tools Though it be lawful and in some sort necessary to argue and dispute against truth for the further clearing and evidences of it and drawing it forth yet even in so doing there is a special care to be had of the frame and temper of ones spirit That we do not any thing against the truth And that 's the second word here to be explained The third is the truth it self which may be taken either indefinitely or emphatically The Truth that is any truth at large expressing no particular Or the truth that is the main truth of all the Gospel and Doctrine of Christ which is called the word of truth more especially First It may be taken indefinitely We can do nothing against the truth that is the truth considered at large As not any thing so not against any truth that is Divine and Theological Truth There is a regard to be had even to other Truths in their place as Natural and Philosophical But the Apostle here speaks within the compass of his own perfection and so understands that which is spiritual There is not any truth in Religion which we ought to do any thing against whatever it be Those which in themselves are less material yet being fences and hedges to the rest and besides proceeding from God himself who is the God of Truth they are accordingly to be nourisht by us and preserved inviolable we have not liberty to diminish the least truth that is nor to deny it or to part willingly with it even for the greatest good All Truth is precious and sacred and inflexible it may not be opposed Indeed there are some seasons more than other which are proper to the discoveries of it according as it may be There may be sometimes a forbearing and withholding of some truths from some people till they are capable of them as we see in the carriage of Christ to his Disciples and the Apostle to the Hebrews there were many things which were to be spoken unto them but they were not able as yet to bear them and therefore for a time were kept from them But this was no opposing of the Truth but rather promoting it where the concealment or suppression of any Truth tends to the disparagement of it or of those persons to whom it belongs there it may in no case be concealed or supprest by us let the truth be what it will be Thus we may do nothing against the Truth i.e. against any truth whatsoever taking it indefinitely But then secondly Take it Emphatically the Truth i.e. the truth of the Gospel the Doctrine of Jesus Christ We may do nothing against that more especially This is the main truth of all and which is of highest concernment to us to be known and to be acknowledged by us and we must do nothing in opposition or contrariety to it or to any Branch or Particle of it and that for sundry Considerations First Because it is the most noble and excellent Truth in it self and considered in its own nature this the Gospel is for it treats of Christ himself who is the Way and the Truth and the Life It contains admirable Points and Mysteries and Speculations in it which no other Doctrine does besides now to do any thing against such Truth as this is were very dishonourable Secondly It is of the greatest interest and concernment to us for our particulars Christians should by all means be shy of doing any thing against the Truths of Christianity as being indeed their proper Charter the reward of them and chiefest priviledges entitling them even to Heaven and Happiness and eternal life and salvation it self And Ministers of all others more especially they are concerned in a tenderness to the Gospel and the Truths of it as being their special employment who are said by a special denomination to be Ministers of the New Testament and to have the Word and Ministry of
reason for That the whole business of Religion should be signified by this expression of the Truth and that upon these following Considerations First By reason of the analogy and correspondency and near agreement which is betwixt Truth it self and Holiness betwixt the Doctrine of Religion and the practise of it for such there is all the Articles of Faith they have a respect to the framing of the heart and to the ordering of the life and conversation they serve not only to inform the judgment but likewise to better the whole man Therefore the mystery of Faith is called the mystery of Godliness And every Divine Truth it has some grace whereunto it refers in the use and improvement of it As the Incarnation of Christ to humility and self-abasement The Passion of Christ to Mortification and crucifying of lusts The Resurrection to spiritual quickening and raising us up to newness of life The Ascension to Heavenly-mindedness and the affecting of things above And so of the rest Now because it does so therefore is the one well denominated from the other The life of Religion from the Doctrine of it as closing and complying with it and as sutable and agreeable to it as indeed it is Christian conversation it is consonant to Christian knowledg Secondly Religion is called the Truth not only as agreeing with it but likewise as issuing from it and produced by it for so also it is All which are regenerate and born again they are begotten and born of Truth as the conveyance hereof unto them Jam. 1.18 of his own will begat he us with the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of his Creatures And 1 Cor. 4.15 For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel And 1 Pet. 1.23 Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever Still the Word and Truth of God is made the instrument of our spiritual birth and regeneration whence Believers are also said to be of the Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 3.19 Thirdly It is called the Truth Emphatically in opposition to all false and formal worship and service of God which is abroad in the world There are other Religions abroad but there 's no truth of Religion but in Christianity and the service of God in the Gospel this is to worship God so as he will be worshipped in spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 If so be ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus there 's no truth to be found any-where but in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Oecumenius upon the place he calls Godliness Truth ungodliness being a spurious business For these and the like reason is Christianity exprest by the Truth as most significant of it This therefore still teaches us to hold and imbrace the Truth and to keep close unto it For so much Truth so much Religion and so much Truth of Religion Look how far we keep close to our Principles so far forth shall we regulate our practise and have ourlives in all probability to be that which they should be an erroneous judgment will have either a scandalous or an hypocritical life annext unto it and following upon it either profaneness or at the best formality is the consequent of unsoundness in Religion that 's out of all question that so we may take heed of it and have a care to keep our judgments clear and right in us and not tainted and defiled with any stain in this particular especially as to the substantial part of Religion and the worship of God and the main scope and drift of the Gospel let us be sure to have our minds clear here and not swerving or departing from the Truth for it so we cannot possibly serve God a right We may it may be abound in outward duties and do somewhat which belongs to the outward man but the obedience of the first Commandment which is the more inward and immediate part of Gods Worship when as upon the knowledg of God we love him and fear him and rejoice in him and trust in him and set him up in our souls and spirits This we cannot do whiles we have not right opinions of him nor do not abide in his Truth We may be moral and civil and do some duties of the second Table upon such kind of Principles but we cannot be spiritual and gracious and sanctified and religious indeed and do that which we do in Religion with reference and respect to God whiles we have not the right notion and apprehension of Religion in us Religion it is a matter of Truth and so it is here exprest unto us by the Apostle when he means that he says this And so much briefly for the phrase and expression Now to come further to the Thing it self and to take it now in its proper meaning and the spiritual drift of the Holy Ghost in this place We can do nothing against the Truth that is We can do nothing against Religion and the progress of Christianity in the world This as Christians and especially as Christian Ministers we cannot do We can do nothing whereby Piety and Godliness may suffer any wrong by us or any prejudice and disadvantage from us they are such as are contrary to the bent and scope and principles of any who themselves are religious or have any spark of Godliness in them There are two ways especially whereby any thing is done against Religion the one is in a way of Discouragement and the other is in a way of Disparagement In a way of discouragement and disheartening of those which are good and in a way of disparagement and scandal towards those which are evil Now those which are good Christians will be shy of doing any thing against Religion in either respects First In a way of discouragement so as to dishearten those which are good they will be shy and wary of this and so they ought to be Whatever is done in this case against Christians it is done against Christ And whatever is done against the professors of the Truth is against the Truth it self We must not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoking-flax nor discourage the beginnings of goodness in any in whom they seem to appear but nourish them and cherish them and promote them all we can The contrary hereunto is that which is discernable in too many persons who many times by their overliness and harshness and rigidness which is exprest by them do drive away those from Religion and the profession of it who make fair proffers towards it and it may be have made some progress in it this is none of the spirit of Christ Secondly In a way of Disparagement and scandal as there are many which prejudice Religion so likewise such as profess but live not up to it such as bring an ill report upon Christianity and the ways of
which accordingly may be appliedby us to this present Verse here before us which is the Sum as it were and Reversion of that which went before and has been hitherto handled by us Wherein the Apostles going over the same thing once again was not frivolous or superfluous in him but to very good purpose There are three things especially which are pertinently considerable in it First His confidence and firm perswasion of the Truth which he had taught and delivered It is a sign he was no Sceptick in his Religion nor yet in his Ministry but was well assured of that which he both belived and imbraced himself as also preacht and commended to others Those things whichmen are doubtful of they think it is enough to speak but once and hardly that It sticks for the most part in their teeth and comes difficultly from them they do but whisper it or lisp it out as well as they can but where they are certain here they are more free and bold in the uttering of it And so it was here with St. Paul he was confident and therefore he stuck not again to repeat it And we see from hence what it becomes every one else to be upon the like occasion Those which are Preachers and Teachers of others they had need to be well assured of the Truth of that which they preach and vent in their Ministry not to speak things at random or at a venture they care not how but deliberately and upon grounds of confidence First Because they deal in matters of great importance and the highest concernment As it is in the affairs of the world where men speak upon life and death they had need to be sure what they speak forasmuch as otherwise their miscarriage will be such as is irrecoverable Even so it is likewise in these spiritual matters and the subjects of the Ministerial Dispensations because they are such as concern mens souls and their well or ill being to all eternity therefore we had need so much the rather to take heed what we say To say no more than we are able to prove and make good if we should be questioned about it especially if we shall add the threatnings which they join with it as here Let him be accurst He that curses another for not being of his opinion had need to be sure of that opinion Secondly Because there are many more whose judgments do depend upon it If a Minister or Preacher mistake many others mistake with him It is not a single miscarriage but a multiplied for which cause it concerns him to have good ground for that which comes from him For if the blind lead the blind they shall loth fall into the ditch as our Saviour himself has told us Thirdly For the better inforcing of the Truth and Doctrine it self The confidence of the Preacher stirs up belief in the Hearer and makes him so much the more ready to assent to the things which are propounded As we see Agrippa to Paul Almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian Perswaded him how did he so namely from that confidence and resolution which he did discern to be in him Whereas now on the other side as he that asks coldly we use to say teaches to deny so he that teaches coldly he does in like manner teach to mistrust and makes men to call in question the truth of that which is taught by him This the Apostle Paul here in this Scripture did not do but the contrary by that confidence which he exprest in himself Indeed this Point which we are now upon it both may be and often s abused by some kind of persons for we shall find by daily experience that there are none which are more confident than those which are most ignorant Truth it is for the most part modest and ready to suspect it self whereas error is bold and dark There are some kind of people in the world which are as stiff and resolute and peremptory in the assents of their private fancies and the imaginations of their own brain as if they were Divine Oracles and the very Articles of Faith it self neither Paul nor an Angel from Heaven could take them off from them The Devil the God of this world does two things with them first blinds their eyes from seeing the truth and their ears from hearing the errors and mistakes about it But what shall we now commend or imitate such a confidence as this no in no hand at all Neither is this that which was here observable in the Apostle this confidence of his it was of another strain and tincture which was in it It was not a confidence of presumption but a confidence of well grounded knowledg It was not a confidence of fancy or conceit but a confidence of assurance He knew and understood what he said and because he did so was therefore confident about it He that heareth speaketh constantly Prov. 21.28 And this Confidence is such as is commendable in any other besides when first of all we labour to be satisfied and well-grounded in the Truths of Religion and then keep our selves to them and stand stiffly and resolutely upon them in this case we should not cast away our Confidence which hath great recompence of reward as it is Heb. 10.35 Whether private Christians or Ministers private Christians as concerns the imbracing of the Truth and Ministers as concerns the spreading of it we should both of us so order our selves in this business as that nothing may be able to unsettle us or divert us from that which we have undertaken or discourage us in the prosecution of it For though some as I said are confident causelesly yet it is not so therefore with all There is a great deal of difference in reality between a presumptuous confidence and a rational as between one which is asleep and which is awake Both persons seem alike assured but in the thing there 's a wide distance betwixt them even so it is here But that 's the first Particular here considerable namely the Apostles confidence he was well perswaded of what he delivered The second is the Apostles zeal in the cause and truth of Christ There was a great deal of earnestness which was here exprest by him not only in the expression which he used in the simple Proposition Though we or an angel from heaven mentioned in the eighth verse but also in the additional repetition of it here again in the ninth verse What we said before c. that which men often speak of and repeat their affection is much in it and that which mens affection is much in they can never have done with it and so it was here with this blessed Apostle and holy man of God his heart it was very much raised and transported now in him when he considered how the Truth of God was now in danger to be impair'd on the one side and when he considered how the people of God were now in danger
because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek c. And we see it fulfill'd in Luk. 4.18 so Ephes 2.17 He came and preached peace to them that were a far off and to them that were near that no man may think meanly or scornfully of this work of Preaching and publishing of the Gospel it was the work and business and employment even of Christ himself in his own person But secondly He did it also and still does in his servants who were sent and appointed by him Thus 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Of which salvation the Prophets have inquired and searched diligently who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ c. And so St. Paul in 2 Cor. 13.3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me c. It is Christ that speaks to us in his Ministers who have his Spirit given them to this purpose Thus is Christ a witness by way of Discovery and Revelation which is the first Explication Secondly By way of assurance and confirmation not only so far forth as he reveals to us those things which we knew not but also as he does further settle us in these things which we know in part already he is a witness in this respect likewise And that by virtue of his Spirit that dwelleth in us God hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things even the deep things of God And as he reveals them so also he confirms them and gives us a further assurance of them as it is also intimated to us 2 Cor. 2.10 Now there are two things which Christ by his Spirit doth thus witness to all those that are members of him First The Truths and Doctrines of Christianity and Religion it self And secondly Their own spiritual condition and state in Grace as having such truths belonging to them First For the Truths and Doctrines of Religion Christ is a witness in regard of these namely so far forth as he does illustrate them and shine upon them and open our minds and understandings for the conceiving and apprehending of them As it is said of the Disciples in the general in Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The Spirit of Christ in his children witnesses Divine Truths not only to their heads but to their hearts and gives them a further savour and rellish of those things which they know in part already which is the great difference betwixt them and other men Take common and ordinary persons who have no work of Grace at all in them and they have many times a great deal of knowledg in the Doctrines and Points of Religion so far as belongs to the brain and are able to discourse it may be pretty largely and plausibly of them But now a good Christian indeed he has another kind of knowledg of them He sees spiritual Truths by a spiritual light that which others discourse of he feels and has his heart transformed and changed into the nature of them Thus he knows the Scripture and written Word to be the Word of God not only from the testimony of the Church but from the testimony of the Spirit and as finding in his own soul the workings and impressions of it as Austin sometimes professes it for his own particular This is that accordingly which we should labour to find in our selves as being that which will be of greatest use and benefit to us and most likely to hold out with us It is the best and readiest way to perseverance and continuance and abidance in the truth when it is thus wrought and riveted into us When the Doctrines of Religion are meerly notional and speculative as swiming and floating in the understanding men do more easily let them go and part with them but when Christ by his Spirit does seal them and engrave them upon the heart then they are sure and certain and we shall constantly hold them out even to the end Again for a further explication of this Point as Christ may be said to be a witness of the Truths of Religion by his Spirit so also by his life and his whole conversation Joh. 18.27 For this end says he was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness to the truth Christs actions they gave a testimony to his Doctrine and to the truth and reality of it That which was done by him it was a manifestation of that which was said which is indeed the best witness of truth that can be given unto it And it teaches us the same likewise in some kind of conformity unto him We ought thus far to be fellow-helpers to the truth and promoters of it all that may be And so as by doing so by suffering likewise Christ was a witness to the truth also thus and enables all his servants where they are called unto it to be so likewise He is in a sense the first Martyr and all others take it from him that have any ability to be so That 's the first Branch of this witness as to the matter of it as extending to the Truths of Christianity The second is as to Christians own condition and state of Grace Christ is a witness likewise thus as he witnesses by his spirit to their spirits that they are his children Rom. 8.16 Thus 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself that is wrought and imprinted upon his heart by the Spirit of Christ which dwelleth in him and certifies him in this particular and that against all false witnesses and objections to the contrary When Satan or a mans own misgiving heart shall be ready sometimes to accuse him and fly in his face here 's the witness and testimony of Christ himself which will carry all down before it And so again when a man 's own heart acquits him and speaks comfortably to him here 's the witness of Christ also to confirm it and to add strength unto it which is the chiefest of all As Peter sometime to Christ Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Christ is not only a Judg but a Witness and accordingly we may appeal unto him for the clearing and justifying of us upon any occasion as this Disciple here does and he will be ready accordingly to give in witness to us and for us as it is proper unto him my witness is in heaven and my record on high Job 16.19 Yea and to give witness in us too within our own breasts Christ he can speak peace to the Conscience and make it speak peace to it self which no other witness can do besides He can so enlighten and over-power the Conscience as thereby to enable it to give a right judgment of it self which oftentimes