this and then from those conjoyned we may be able to finde out the nature of this obsignation for although our principall endeavour is to be made partaker of it yet it is very necessary in its kinde to know what it is Though it cannot be denied but many of Gods people may have it and yet not give the definition of it Even as they may beleeve and be regenerated and not happily be able to give an exact description of these things As many a man hath health may sleep well and yet is not able to tell you what health or sleep is The first Text which will afford much light to this we are upon is that famous place set like a beacon upon the mount and much agitated between Papists and Protestants in the doctrine of assurance Rom. 8. 18. where the spirit it self is said to bear witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God I shall not insist upon the controversies on this place either grammaticall or reall but take the positive truth plainly delivered Here the godly who all have the spirit of God first sanctifying and leading them on in all their waies whereby they are said to be spiritually minded are in the next place declared to have the spirit of God in another manner working upon them and that is to witnesse with our spirit So that the spirits Testimony is not single and immediate as when there was a voice heard saying This is my beloved Sonne No such Enthusiastical impressions and impulses are to be dreamed of but mediately and conjunctly with our spirits By it our consciences are so enlightned that we are thereby enabled to be perswaded that we are the Children of God for that you see is the object of the Testimony that is the matter witnessed that we are the children of God You see then here is no encouragement for the Popish doctrine of doubting nay when they go the highest allowing a moral certitude such which excludeth all fear to the contrary yet it doth not rise up high enough to this glorious priviledge spoken of For as with the spirit in Sanctification of us moral vertues came far short of the graces and fruit of the spirit So doth an humane perswasion from the sincerity of our conscience within us of this witnessing and sealing of Gods Spirit A second Text reducible to this is Gal. 4. 6. Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father This is nothing but the sealing in my Text only the words are 〈◊〉 of divine worth Because ye are sinnes Therefore none but the Sonnes of God have this priviledge Children of the devil cannot pretend to this Thou who art not born of God stand alooâ— off this doth not belong to thee As thou knowest not what it meaneth yea with Esau for thy moâ—sels dost prophanely despise this priviledge so neither doth God give such childrens bread to dogs or Pearls to swine Again God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne you see our Son-ship is built upon Christs Sonship our Son-ship of Adoption is established upon that Son-ship which is by nature in him He doth not speak here of that eternal mission of the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne but a temporal one bestowed on beleevers and he saith the spirit of his Son because by Christs death this spirit in its peculiar operation is as it were purchased for the godly For had not Christ made an atonement the Spirit of God could not have been given us either for sanctification or consolation Further This is sent into our hearts not into our memories or mindes only for the temporary beleever hath some superficial and vanishing perswasion of Gods favour towards him but it is sent into our hearts implying the full deep and through possession that it hath of the godly Lastly Here is the notable and glorious effect it maketh us to cry that is fervently confidently and boldly God Father Abba Father Some reade it indicatively in this sense God is my Father Some by way of wish and prayer it cometh all to one These are two words signifying the same thing teaching us that both Jew and Gentile is indulged this priviledge or else it 's germinated for assurance sake Oh then how unquiet and restlesse should the people of God be till they finde this work of the spirit of Adoption upon them Thou daily enquirest after the spirit in its sanctification of thee how it maketh thee more heavenly how it mortifieth thy lusts and dost mourn because thou dost not partake of it in a greater measure Why doth not thy soul also long after the fruit of this spirit of Adoption in thee Dost thou observe how it subdueth thy slavish fears how it inclineth thee to a filiall and Evangelicall affection towards God as a Father I tell thee thy life is never a Gospel-life till this be obtained As therefore these blinde men cryed Jesus have mercy on us though the Disciples reproved them and bid them hold their peace so also let it be with thee whatsoever temptations guilt and fears thy heart suggesteth to the contrary do thou notwithstanding boldly cry God my Father The third Text to illustrate this 1 Cor. 2 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God Here we see two principles opposed as contrary to one another the spirit of the world and the spirit of God and he who hath the spirit of God hath it for this end partly that he might know the things which God hath freely given him implying that without this spirit we could not discern of these things Even as if a man had not a rationall soul bestowed upon him he could not discern the things of reason but would be as a beast So did not God bestow his spirit upon us we were no wayes able to discern of those Gospel-mercies which are bestowed upon us He saith which are freely given us us in particular that we might not think he speaketh of the priviledges of the Gospel in the generall remission of sins and sanctification in the generall but as applyed to this and that subject So that if a man have no more than the spirit of the world if he have not as yet this spirit of God dwelling in him he is not a fit auditor for this truth If Aristotle thought not young persons fit auditors for his morall Philosophy how much more are we to judge every man though of never such abilities and parts yet if destitute of the spirit of God altogether incapable of this truth Therefore the spiritual hearers are only such who can give their testimony to these things There must be a spiritual life a spiritual foundation before there can be this spiritual superstruction A fourth Text is 1 Joh. 3. 24. and indeed that Apostle doth often
speak to this sealing of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of beleevers though in other terms This I have mentioned is pregnant for having said that he who keepeth Gods Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him Whereas it might be said how shall we know that he dwelleth in us May we not be deluded and deceived No saith he hereby we know that he abideth in us by the spirit which he hath given us and lest any man though living loosely and carnally should pretend to this spirit he saith They that have it keep his Commandements Thus doubtings and sinnefull diffidence is excluded on one hand and all carnal presumption on the other hand The last Text to bring in assistance to this truth shall be 1 John 5. 8 9 10. where the Apostle speaketh of three Witnesses on earth as he had before in heaven viz. water and the bloud and the spirit Now although there be many perplexed controversies about this passage yet I shall pitch upon that which is most probable without further disquieting of you It seemeth to be without doubt that the Apostle alludeth to the legall administrations wherein there was bloud for expiation and water for cleansing by which is represented justification and sanctification and these being wrought in us do evidently witnesse that Jesus is the Christ and Sonne of God We finding these glorious effects upon our souls cannot but acknowledge that Doctrine but because these are not enough of themselves seeing that sanctified and justified persons may be under great discouragements therefore he addeth the Spirit also It is true the same spirit is said to be a witnesse in heaven but that was because of the extraordinary and visible Testimony that it gave to Christ but here it speaketh of the witnesse it giveth on earth and that must be the sealing spoken off in other places for he saith verse 6. It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth having there also mentioned water and bloud Verse 10. he seith He that beleeveth on the Sonne of God hath the witnesse in himself Thus you see that as God hath abundantly provided for the holinesse of his people by his spirit to quicken them up therein so also for the assurance and consolation of his children to establish them therein Oh how greatly are we indebted unto the Lord Jesus Christ who giveth us his Spirit not only to leade us into the truth and mortifie the deeds of the flesh but also to fill us with comfort and to assure us that we are the children of God So that it is the duty of the Ministers of the Gospel not only to improve the former truth but this also and to presse you upon the sealing work of Gods Spirit as well as the sanctifying Hath not the Spirit of God this Name given it to be called the Comforter John 14. and shall we divide the operations of Gods Spirit minding him as he is an holy spirit but not a comforting Spirit Having thus informed you what the Scripture declareth in this matter I shall give you a large and popular description of the nature of this sealing and the opening of the several parts touched therein will much conduce to the knowledge thereof The sealing of Gods Spirit may be described after this manner It is a supernaturall and gracious work of Gods Spirit upon the hearts of sanctified persons in a secret and unspeakable manner whereby they are confirmed and established in the Covenant of grace as belonging to them in particular by such means which God hath appointed thereunto that through the sence thereof they may daily walk more and more boldly joyfully and thankefully notwithstanding all discouragements to the contrary till they be made compleatly happy in heaven I have made this description the larger because I would take in every particular considerable about it as much as may be And First I give two Qualifications or Adjuncts to this work of Gods Spirit It is supernatural and gracious Supernatural and that if we respect either rectified nature or corrupted nature Rectified nature for Adam in the state of integrity though he was made perfectly holy yet he had not this Gospel-sealing no more then he was in Christ as a Mediatour for had he been thus sealed he would certainly have persevered and although Adam was partaker of the holy Ghost yet it was as he is the third person not as the spirit of Christ viz. purchased by his death for those that are his so that in this respect we may say this sealing is a priviledge above the nature of Adam while considered before his apostacy but then I call it supernaturall chiefly in respect of corrupted nature for as man naturally of himself hath no power to that which is gracious so neither to that which is comfortable and joyfull All the world all Ministers and Angels cannot powr one drop of this assurance and joy into thy soul unlesse the Spirit of God inable thee thereunto As it is supernaturall so it is gracious for this floweth from the former There is nothing in thee to deserve this establishing as Gods grace sanctifying found thee dead in thy sinnes so his sealing and comforting findeth thee in a guilty despairing way and therefore as God might leave every prophane man to wallow in his lusts and so let him perish thus also might he forsake every guilty conscience under the burthen of thy sinnes and suffer thee to be a Cain to be a Judas even to fall from an hell here into an hell hereafter So that not only by grace we are sanctified but by grace we are healed Blesse God for any establishment of soul against fears and doubts as well as for victory against any lusts It is meerly of Free-grace that we are thus sealed In the next place Secondly we have the generall nature of it with the efficient cause The work of Gods Spirit It is true in the Text it is said That God doth seal us and so whatsoever works there are ad extra from God to the creature they are all common to the three Persons yet there is a peculiar order and appropriation which the Scripture taketh notice of So that it is made the work of the Father to send his Sonne into the world It is made the work of the Sonne to offer up himself a Sacrifice for our sinnes And it is made the proper work of Gods Spirit to apply the benefits of Christs death to our souls therefore sanctification is attributed to the Spirit so also consolation and sealing thereunto Thus the Texts we mentioned formerly give all this work to the Spirit of God as in an appropriated manner doing this for us It is not then of our selves or of our own power that we can obtain this priviledge but it is wrought alone by Gods Spirit As we have no free-will to the grace of God so neither to the comforts God as he is called a God of all
though it be thy duty to humble thy self for sinne to confess and bewail thy iniquities yet it is also a duty To rejoyce in the Lord alwayes and till the heart be fitted by this joy thou canst nor bless God with that hearty affection as thou oughtst to do Psal 103. David saith Blesse the Lord O my soul and all within thee praise his holy Name All within thee You see to praise God is heart-work as well as lip-work all within us must move and be affected Thy heart cannot boil over as the Psalmist sometimes expresseth it unless this fire of joy doth inflame it Oh then know that a grieving disquieted soul cannot bless God it hinders you from that duty which the Apostle presseth Col. 3. 16. Admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts What an Heaven is such an heart where there are these spiritual hymns and psalms But alas how often is thy heart like an howling wilderness where the cries and dolefull sounds of unbelieving and distrustfull fears do torment thee Sixthly To blesse God there is required faith and a resting of the soul upon God as a reconciled Father Alas can the damned in hell bless God Could Cain or Judas bless God By no means because there is no faith there is no resting upon God as a Father Hence you see the Apostle addeth The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father of all mercies To cursed and condemned sinners God is not a Father of mercies but of vengeance and fury a God of dreadfull judgments who is said to be angry with the wicked all the day long Hence David doth so often in the Psalms exercise those appropriating and applying acts of faith My God and my Tower my strong help and defence It was his faith that made him so thankfull For what is it to hear of Christ and all spiritual mercies by him if faith doth not apply them and make them my own And then we are stirred up to give God thanks for them insomuch that faith hath the greatest influence into our thankfulness Seventhly Faith of adherence is not enough to make the heart so throughly and affectionately thankefull as it should be unlesse also there be as some call it faith of evidence or a good and true perswasion that God is our God It 's the reflecting acts of the soul whereby it knoweth and is assured that God hath pardoned my sinne and hath forgiveth my iniquities that are like oil to the lamp of this duty David in some Psalms dependeth upon God and so many times the choisest of Gods servants they are supported to rest on him to build their hopes on Christ but then wanting this assurance not feeling this love of God shed abroad in their souls hence they are not fervent and zealous in these duties of blessing and thanksgiving as they ought to be Do you not see many of Gods people more forward to duties of humiliation and mourning more attending to self-debasement and self-abhorrency then they are to faith joy and blessing of God the one they are constantly in the other unless provoked and forced as it were they seldom accomplish Now this ought not to be so we are to rejoyce as well as tremble we are to put both together we are to bless God for pardon of sinne as well as confess sinne we are to rejoyce in giving of thanks as well as to humble our souls in acknowledging of our sinfulness Thou often saist Lord pity me Lord shew mercy to me but how seldom dost thou say O Lord I bless thee For thy mercy endureth for ever My heart hath been full of sorrow for sinne and now it is full of joy for the pardon of it I have prayed that my corruptions may be subdued and I bless God that prayer is graciously answered If you winne a mercy by prayer and do not wear it by praise you greatly offend God SERM. XXX Of Praising God and that for all but especially for spiritual Mercies 2 COR. 1. 3. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. FRom the method that Paul useth here and in the beginning of most of his other Epistles we have observed the Duty that lieth upon all the people of God to bē carefull and conscientious in this duty of blessing and praising of God which is as the legal ointment for the High-priest compounded of choice and sweet ingredients It 's an Angelical work to blesse God There remain further particulars that are constituent of this comfortable and profitable duty As First The heart that is duly fitted to praise God though it be thankefull for every mercy even the least mercy yet it keeps an order in its thankesgiving according to the dignity of its objects so that it praiseth God chiefly and principally for spiritual mercies and then secondarily for temporal mercies And this argueth the difficulty of this duty and that also only the regenerate and spiritual man can in a Scripture-way blesse God for he only doth preferre heavenly things above earthly When the Psalmist had spoken of outward mercies to a people Psal 144. 12 13 15. great mercies in sons and daughters rich abundance and plenty he corrects all at last Happy is that people that is in such a case yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. So that you see all the outward desirable mercies that are are but in a subordination to Gods favour When thou art breaking forth after this manner I bless God for my children for my health for my outward contents Oh but above all Lord that I have any spiritual mercy that thou hast loved my soul converted me to thy self saved me from the evil wayes of the world in this my soul is overwhelmed So then as we see it is in matter of Petition Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven Thus it is also in Thanksgiving whatsoever heavenly mercy God hath bestowed on thee bless God for that in the first place Thus the Apostle doth praise God in a most divine manner Eph. 1. 3. Blessed be God who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Christ Insomuch that this may be a good Touchstone of the truth of grace in thee whether thy soul be most affected and enlarged towards God for soul-mercies that thou canst truly say O Lord in that thou hast made me in a saving manner to know thee in that thou hast revealed thy Son to me I do more rejoyce in this and bless thee for it then if thou hadst given me all the glory of the world Doest thou see a natural worldly man boast in his riches in his birth in his greatness above others and knoweth nothing at all of Gods favour and spiritual mercy to his soul This is like a beast that is crowned with Garlands but yet prepared for the slaughter Canst thou say O Lord I judge all the outward mercies I have to be but husks and empty
perswaded this as a special help to premeditate on evils before they came Others they refused this as making a man miserable before he was so Others supported themselves with the thoughts of necessity and that it could not be otherwise But of all these we may say as Job to his friends Ye are miserable comforters and are of no more advantage then the rending of garments or pulling off the hair in grief which Bion derided in one as if a bald head would take away grief We therefore conclude That no Philosophers had the true art or grounds of comfort and that 1. Because they were wholly ignorant of Jesus Christ in whom alone is all the cause of comfort Therefore he is called our Peace and he is said to be the Prince of peace Foelicissimum est cui non est opus foelicitate and such an one is the man in Christ for he will never thirst more than hath drunk of that fountain No sinne no guilt no curse can be removed but by the bloud of Christ Insomuch that all their Philosophical precepts about comfort were as the influence of the Moon which doth rather rotten than ripen in respect of the Sunnes influence 2. They were without the Spirit of Christ the efficient cause of comfort Christ is the subject matter in whom alone we can have comfort and the Spirit of God is the efficient cause that doth alone give a comfortable and glad heart 3. They were altogether unbelieving of a Resurrection to leternal glory which is an admirable ground of all true joy This the Apostle presseth against immoderate sorrow about those that are dead Not to grieve as those that are without hope Lastly They were wholly unacquainted with the life of faith that is only instrumental to receive joy Use of Exhortation in all thy tribulations to look up to God in Christ for comfort Thou runnest to this creature to comfort and thou thinkest this and that condition would comfort thee but how can the chanel have any thing in it if the fountain doth not give it Say not it 's thy affliction so greatly to be aggravated that makes thee disconsolate No it is for want of Gods presence in it SERM. XXXIX What are these Apples which Christ refresheth his Spouse with Or what are those Scripture-grounds of comfort which support the hearts of Gods children under all their afflictions 2 COR. 1. 4. Who comforteth us in all our tribulation THere is no tribulation either for the kind or degree of it but God can and doth comfort his people therein It is therefore requisite to know what are those cordial comforts what is that balm and oyl by which he healeth the wounds of his afflicted ones For seeing Gods comforts do farre exceed all Philosophical remedies as much as the Sunne doth a Gloworm And Paul's admirable temperament I know how to abound and how to want doth infinitely transcend that so much celebrated carriage of Socrates who was noted to be alwayes Eodem vultu let whatsoever befall him It is very usefull to know what are these Apples of comfort as the Church calleth for Cant. 2. 5. And the rather this is to be done because many of Gods children are deficient in a three-fold respect about Gods consolations For either 1. They are in a great manner ignorant of what foundations and sure grounds they have of comfort They do not know what fountains of living water they may abundantly bathe themselves in They are as Elisha's servant who though there was a great host of Angels to help him yet he did not see them So that the Spirit of God doth not only illuminate us in the matter of duty but also in matter of comfort hence he is called The Comforter Or 2. Though they know many arguments of comfort yet their memory faileth them that in the very hour of their temptations in the midst of their furious assaults they forget what comfortable supports they might make use of So that it is good to preach of these principles of consolation that thereby we may be remembrancers to you and put you in mind of that joy which in the midst of your afflictions your corruptions and the Devils temptations are so apt to strike out As the Disciples were sometimes blamed for their forgetfulness they did not remember the miracle of loaves Thus also the children of God may often rebuke themselves and with David say Why wast thou cast down O my soul And why wast thou so troubled within thee Hadst thou thought on such a promise such a place of Scripture Hadst thou remembred such a precious and sweet truth the temptation had not prevailed so much upon thee Come we then to lead you up into the Mount of transfiguration let us see even in this life as farre as our narrow hearts can comprehend What are the good things God hath prepared for those that love him And First Take this for a foundation That God comforts only through and by the Scriptures He must enter into this pool that will feel these consolations descending upon him he must buy this field of the Scriptures that will have this pearl hidden there The Spirit of God is that indeed which doth efficiently reach to the soul and make it to receive comfort but the means by which or the harp as it were whereby the evil spirit of sorrow and dejection is removed is by the word of God So that as the Spirit of God doth powerfully change and alter the heart yet the word is organically and instrumentally used for that end So though the Spirit of God be the Comforter yet it is through the Word Hence the Apostle Rom. 15. 4. That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And David doth not only admire the word of God because it fore-warneth of sinne quickeneth up to duty but also because it was a reviving comforting Word whereby he was kept from fainting and being utterly overwhelmed in his troubles And this is the more to be considered by the godly that so they may not be deluded by false joyes When the Devil is said to transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. that is into light of comfort as well as of truth There are false joyes there are comforts from the Devil as well as doctrines of the Devil The Papist hath his comforts The Socinian the Antinomian all these have a spirit of delusion in their joyes as well as in their opinion The Spirit of God doth first lead into truth before it vouchsafeth comfort But we detain you too long The first ground therefore of Scripture that may be had out of the treasury thereof is this viz. That all the tribulations we fall into they are precisely determined by God as a Father out of much love both in regard of the beginning of them the degree of them as also the continuance of them And if this truth be well rumiated and digested here is
own two waies First God hath promised that to him which hath that is which useth and exerciseth his talent more shall be given The more these breasts give suck the more will milk abound Thou maiest therefore look upon Gods promise and expect that while thou art warming others spiritual heat will be encreased in thy own self And Secondly The exercising of graces doth inwardly corroberate and strengthen the principle of grace The moro thou puttest forth thy graces to stirre up others the more delight and joy wilt thou find in using of them Therefore be as the Olive-tree and the Fig-tree of thy fatnesse and sweetnesse enlivening and cherishing of others who stand in need of thee These things promised let us consider some of the choice Particulars wherein we may not only bring good to our own souls but to others also First That spiritual humiliation and brokennesse of heart which thou hast found may be very powerfull to perswade others of the bitternesse of sinne Say with meltings of thy soul to them Oh if thou hadst known if thou hadst ever felt what God hath made me feel what wonderfull changes would be in thee immediately Those sinnes which are honey would presently be as gall Thus it was with David Psal 51. when he could recover from his broken bones when he could enjoy the face of God which was hid from him Then I will teach transgressors thy waies Then his heart could not hold any longer He that had sound how bitter a thing it was to provoke God by sinne would perswade others also of it Thus Christ he bids Peter when he was converted to confirm his Brother To use his own experience to help him So that you see even the very sorrow and grief God hath put thee into let it be a reall Sermon to others Our Saviour made it an aggravation of the Jews wickednesse that if one should rise from the dead they would not believe And certainly if others will not believe thee who art as it were come out of hell who hast been in the depths of Gods displeasure their hearts must needs be much hardned Oh then make use of what God hath made thee feel to be a furtherance to others As Paul Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perswade men 2 Cor. 5. 11. He knew the terrour of the Lord experimentally when he was stricken to the ground in a Vision and found the power of God so wonderfully upon him in making of him another man Secondly The knowledge and true faith which God hath given thee do thou make use of it to direct and preserve others This knowledge and sound mind in Religion is not indeed essentially accompanied with holinesse A man may be very Orthodox be sound in the Faith as Hymeneus and Philetus were a while yet afterwards made shipwrack of all But yet it is a special gift of Gods Spirit to be led into the truth and although to have a sound mind only be not enough to godlinesse yet godlinesse cannot be without a sound mind in some measure or other Every godly man is built upon the true foundation though there may be some hay and stubble which though it shall not damn him because not fundamental heresies yet shall make his salvation the more difficult He shall be saved so as by fire If then God hath preserved thee in the truth and that in times when many fall on thy righthand and on thy left hand having this soul plague and infection upon them let it be thy greater care to reduce such Let them have thy light thy helps and knowledge Put thy light upon the candlestick and not under a bushel Consider that place James 5. 19 20. If any do erre from the truth and one convert him let him know he shall save a soul from death So that you see the salvation or damnation of another is interested in thy improving of sounds knowledge to inform such Howsoever the Apostle Rom. 14. in a particular case about things indifferent adviseth saying Hast thou faith have it to thy self Yet take heed of doing so in fundamental and essential truths of God Do not there have faith to thy self but endeavour that all may be seasoned with the same sound knowledge Even a private Christian though he is not to usurpe the Office of a Teacher yet he hath his proper sphere wherein he may move to propagate the true knowledge of Christ This knowledge then is a talent and expect that God will have an account of the improving of it Say as of comfort in the text so of sound knowledge and truth The Spirit of God hath directed us into the truth that we may also be able to guide others Thirdly Those temptations and assaults which the children of God have are not only for themselves but for others also That they may be able to direct and guide others groaning under the like temptations It is true God worketh a great good for his own people by these fiery darts of Satan 2 Cor. 12. Paul had those buffettings of Satan that he might not be puffed up with those wonderfull revelations he enjoyed There is no such way to keep the gracious soul humble and lowly in its own self as these affrights from the devil Even as vizors and such horrid representations 〈◊〉 are children and make them runne home to their Parents so also do these buffettings of Satan and tumults raised by him drive us out of our selves make us highly to prize Christ and his righteousnesse Yea though these temptations be very irksome and into â—â—rable in themselves yet commonly none are such choice spiritual and eminent Christians as those who have been in these combates As dung though noisome in it self yet it maketh the field fruitfull and full of beauty thus do these temptations of Satan to a godly heart But yet this is not all By these the Lord intends them to be admirably usefull to others Alas how many poor afflicted souls especially new beginners new Converts have their trembling hearts suggest to them Who was ever tempted as thou art Can any be the Son of God and have such horrid and vile injections in his soul as thou hast What is this but the beginning of hell in thee Is not damnation already begun upon thee Now for a troubled soul in these whirlepooles to meet with such who are able to say They have been thus and thus these are no new temptations but what hath usually befallen the godly Is not such an one called out by God to pour oyl into such wounds Doth not God plainly speak Therefore hast thou been buffetted tempted and exercised that such bruised and wounded souls may receive comfort from thee Hence it is that Christ himself would be tempted that he might be able to succour those that are tempted Heb. 2. 18. Thus by our temptations we are not only to learn many things but also to teach others But of this more in the second Doctrine
Lastly Here are Consolations And although these are of greater concernment in the particular to every Believer because the joy of the Lord is his strength hereby also he walketh thankfully and fruitfully yet let him take heed of being narrow and sparing in using them for others comforts For if thou art a Minister of the Gospel then thy work is not only to convert but to comfort not only to bring out of sinnes but out of fears and dejections Thus the Apostle at the last verse in this Chapter We are helpers of your joy Consider that not only what is acquired by study but what also is inspired by God into thy soul may be of admirable efficacy to others Though Christs Sermons and Parables were like a two-edged sword mightily dividing between true grace and hypocrisie yet Isa 50. 4. he expresseth his Ministry by this to speak a word in season to the weary and this he calleth the tongue of the learned We call it Learning to alledge the Ancients to be full of Greek and Hebrew to empty out the bowels of School-learning yea some are so simple as to account studied words and composed language rare Learning whereas speech is like the Arrow that is not commended for studs of gold or Jewels on it but if it hit the mark Thus that is Oratory which is most proper to effect the end of our speech To make the sinners weep the hard heart to tremble and the sad to be comforted You see it 's the tongue of the learned to do this Doth then God give thee comfort be not thou wanting then to support and comfort the feeble-minded It may be thou art a kind of a spiritual Dives full of consolations and thinkest thou hast store enough laid up for thee both to live and die with take heed lest some poor Lazarus would be glad of thy crums and thou dost not give to him SERM. XLII That those only can make fit applications of Spiritual things to others who have an Experimental knowledge of them in their own souls 2 COR. 1. 4. That we may be able to comfort those that are in any trouble THere remaineth a second Doctrine contained in the final cause why God comforts his people viz. That they may be able to comfort others From whence there is this Observation obvious That those only are able to make fit applications to the souls of others who have had the experimental working of Gods grace upon their own souls That we might be able implying otherwise there would not be that sufficiency and fitnesse in us which ought to be To discover this consider First That there is a two-fold knowledge of divine and spiritual things The one is speculative and meerly Theoretical when we know them yea and it may be give a sound and firm assent to them And such are all those learned men who are very Orthodox and wonderfully able to maintain the truths of Christ against all opposers whatsoever Such as these are God raiseth up many times as eminent Pillars in the Church But because this is not enough to salvavation therefore in the second place there is a saving affectionate practical and experimental knowing of truth whereby we do not only believe such things but by believing we do love and embrace the truths we know We do credendo amare we have a faith which worketh by love Now it must be confessed that the condition of those who are only Orthodox and no more is much to be pittied and lamented To write against Arminians and others about the work of Gods grace in Conversion and yet never experimentally to have this upon their own souls So to treat of Justification and Christ yet not at all to have the saving and sweet operations of these things upon their souls is greatly to be bewailed To be like the builders of Noah's Ark that proved a place of rest and refuge in the time of the deluge for others when they themselves had no advantage by it But it is no wonder that such excellent knowledge and of such admirable lovely use in the Church be not saving while it goeth no further because practice and doing is the end of all Theological knowledge If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13. 17. So that this experimental and practical knowledge of divine things is that which compleateth the former To know Christ so as to have him to know regeneration so as to be born again this is the glory of all knowledge Hence is that Commandement 2 Cor. 13. 5. To examine our selves to try our selves whether we be in the faith and in Christ or no. The latter word signifieth to make an experience or an experimental tryal of grace in us So that if you had a man who could speak like an Oracle in all the points of Divinity who was a very Miracle in respect of learning yet he is but a tinckling cymbal and speaks in the matters of Religion like a Parrot not rightly or fully apprehending of them till he hath inwardly tasted of the sweetnesse of them Secondly This saving experimental knowledge doth differ in its whole kind and is of another nature in a moral consideration from a meer Orthodox or bare speculative knowledge I shall not enter into a large dispute concerning the difference between illumination in a temporary believer although now we are not so much speaking of the habitus fidei as Theologiae which may be in learned knowing men and that which is in a true convert We shall suppose it for a truth from Heb. 6. That those who were inlightned yea and had some experimental workings of which a non yet they had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they had not the things that hold fast salvation and therefore the Apostle hoped for better things They therefore so differ that take a man who doth only know divine things by Books by Sermons by reading of Authours and was not at all acquainted wih the Spirits effectual teaching by the Word and let him at last come to have these things set home upon him by an effectual demonstration of Gods Spirit let him know these things as the truth is in Jesus which the Apostle mentioneth Eph. 4. and he will then cry out acknowledging that he never knew any thing till then That he was in the dark that he had but a learned kind of folly that he spoke of these things as men do of Countries which they see in Maps only by a general knowledge having never travelled to see the Countries themselves There is such a fuller power accompanying this practical knowledge that the former was but a shadow to this substance Observe many men Do they not read the Scripture Do not they go from Chapter to Chapter But till it be the ingrafted Word in them they have the images and pictures of things not the things themselves In the third place That is not to be called
publick interest which belongs to all the godly then it followeth what comforts one may and should comfort another The Scripture which was spoken peculiarly to Joshua Paul applieth Heb. 13. to every true believer Christ is a Christ equally to one believer as well as another The godly cannot strive about Christ as those women before Solomon about a childe one said It was mine and the other It is mine one cannot say It is my Christ and not thine but Christ is every believers and yet not divided Let the Use be of Direction to the godly In their application of comforts not to observe personal considerations so much To say a Paul may take comfort a David may but shall such an one as I This is to impropriate where God hath made common SERM. XLV The true and unfeigned owning of Christ is alwaies accompanied with some sometimes with great Afflictions 2 COR. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation aboundeth by Christ THe Apostle doth still amplifie that necessary and special truth viz. of Gods comforting those who are in trouble For the troubles which do constantly follow the waies of Christ are a great stumbling block and offence to many If therefore this be received as a fundamental maxime Christs Consolations are more then our sufferings then we shall no longer be afraid but see that the Lyon is killed and we may find honey in him In the text therefore the Apostle is illustrating this precious Doctrine shewing that God doth not only comfort but he comforteth proportionably If great afflictions if overflowing afflictions then great comforts and overflowing comforts So that in the words we may observe two Propositions first absolutely considered and then secondly comparatively The first Proposition absolute is That the sufferings of Christ abound in us The second That our Consolation aboundeth by Christ Christ is the cause of our afflictions and Christ is the cause of our joy Thirdly The Comparison lyeth in the terms of similitude and proportion As our sufferings abound so our consolation also aboundeth Let us consider the first Proposition absolutely The sufferings of Christ abound in us The sufferings of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for the affections of sinne as Rom. 7. 5. Gal. 5. 24. And indeed these were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Paul in another sense for he suffered and groaned under them But here in the text and in many other places it 's applied to afflictions and sufferings This is of various acception for sometimes it may be taken subjectively for those sufferings which Christ himself indured For though he was without sinne yet being our Surety he suffered for that yea he suffered every way God and man so that his sufferings were more dreadfull then the sufferings of all men put together In these sufferings is contained the treasure of all our peace and joy of which the Scripture speaketh abundantly and fully But with this our text doth not meddle Therefore in the next place The sufferings of Christ may be understood indeed of those he is affected with but yet it is in his Members not in his own Person This is a very comfortable truth that the sufferings of a godly man for Christs Cause Christ accounts them as his sufferings he taketh it as done to himself Thus Christ though glorified in Heaven saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Act. 9. 4 5. Christ is imprisoned Christ is buffetted Christ is reproached and mocked in them As it is comfortable to the godly so it is as terrible to all those who trouble and revile the godly for Christs sake as too many do though they think with Pilate to wash their hands and say they are innocent I mean the carnal and prophane ones of the world whose rage if God did not restrain would be as that Haman to the whole Nation of the Jews not leave one alive But this is not chiefly meant here though this be not to be excluded 2. The sufferings of Christ may be understood exemplarily by way of conformity to Christ That we suffer as he suffered In which particular Rom. 8. we are said to be conforme unto his Image 1 Pet. 4. 13. we are commanded to rejoyce when we are partakers of Christs sufferings That is when we have a communion and fellowship with him For if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified with him This is part of the meaning But then 3. That which is the principal and chiefest meaning of the phrase is to understand it causally those sufferings we indure because of Christ For owning his way for continuance in his Discipleship For the way of Christ being contrary to the course of the world hence it is that they are stirred up as so many hornets They are the Serpents seed and are of their Father the devil who was a murderer from the beginning and therefore if the godly will cleave to Christ they must expect no mercy from the world The second thing in the Proposition is the attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abounds It is not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostome understands it comparatively to Christ as if the meaning were We suffer more then Christ Christ indeed said of his Disciples they should do greater works and miracles then he did but it is impossible they should suffer more then he did For his death was not only a Martyrdome but a Propitiation being a Sacrifice offered up for the sinnes of many The word then only sheweth That the Sons of God may not only suffer but their sufferings may abound may overflow so that both in number and weight they may greatly exceed Lastly In the Proposition it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the reddition it followeth which may be thought emphatical although it is usuall so to change Prepositions and Cases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words thus explained Observe That a true and faithfull owning of Christ and his way is accompanied with sufferings yea sometimes overflowing and excessive sufferings The Apostle takes it here for granted supposeth it as a received truth that Christs way and sufferings are alwaies together As the Sun and shadow as the Rose and prickes So that what was said of Christ is true also of every Member It behoved him to suffer and so enter into glory Christianus is Crucianus said Luther of old I only adde in the Doctrine A true and unfeigned receiving of Christ For if so be we take only some truths and some parts of Christs way and leave those which most enrage and trouble the world if we take his Doctrine and not his Discipline his truth and not his godly order the world is lesse moved So if of his truths we take some that are more speculative and leave the
threaten persecution yet from and in Christ he can abundantly rejoyce And indeed this is the wine the carnal man never drinketh of the honey he never tasted of The world is a stranger to this joy in Christ They rejoyce in riches in honours in worldly advantages but they know not what it is to rejoyce in Christ as our Mediator and treasure of all fulnesse Phil. 3. 3. They are said to be the circumcision who rejoyce in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh As therefore in the day time we see the Sunne only and no Stars Thus the people of God in their sufferings behold Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse and as for the Stars of the creatures they do not afford any light What made the Martyrs leap for joy Could they take any comfort from the world No that was an Aegypt to them a valley of tears so that it was in Christ only that they did rejoyce For want of the knowledge and experience of this it is that the unsound professor will deny Christ and his truth rather then suffer the losse of any thing because he feeleth more sweetnesse more pleasure in his goods in his pleasures in this world then he can do in Christ It is the gracious heart that can thus rejoyce in Christ In the next place Let us consider How many wayes Christ doth make our consolations in sufferings for his sake to abound And First Christ doth it by assuring and perswading of our hearts concerning those truths and righteous actions we do suffer for If comfort arise from suffering for Christ then the more assured we are that we do suffer for him the greater is our consolation If a man have great doubts in his heart whether he suffers for Christ or not Whether it be a truth or an errour that he is troubled for Whether he was a busie-body or not Whether he did keep within his calling and bounds or not If I say there be these hesitances and disceptations in his mind How can he have any comfort Therefore that our comfort may be full Christ giveth us the riches of assurance in our understanding Faith becomes the evidence and strong conviction Heb. 11. upon their souls insomuch that they know they are in the truth They know it's righteousnesse they suffer for Thus you may observe the Apostles in all the oppositions they met with from the world and all the malice of Satan yet never questioning or doubting whether they were deluded or no but were fully assured of those things they did preach Now this consideration is the more to be taken notice of because the sufferings for Christ in the latter age of the Church have differed wonderfully from the former For in the primitive persecutions their sufferings did arise from Heathens and Pagans it was for professing of Christ and opposing of Idolatry Now these things were plain here was no disputing But then in the after-ages of the Church when Hereticks got power especially when Antichrist was exalted and the Papacy lifted up with all strength then those that did persecute pretended Christ that what they did they did for the honour and glory of Christ and those who did suffer though indeed for Christ yet were reputed enemies to Christ And this is that which makes suffering for Christ to be a more difficult thing in these later dayes The Papists that have put to death so many Protestants defend themselves with these glorious Titles That they are onely the Church of Christ That Christ is onely amongst them That all who withdraw obedience from the Pope are out of the Ark out of hope of Salvation That it is service to Christ to root them out and therefore the Doctrines suffered for were not about the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ the Resurrection for which of old believers suffered from Pagans but about Transubstantiation the Universal Jurisdiction of the Pope the Infallibility of the Church the worshipping of Images and praying to Saints The Popish party pleading for these as allowed of by Christ The Protestant abhorring of them as Idolatry and also injurious to Christ Now on the Papists side was the whole Christien world almost all the learned men all the great men all the devout religious men they were zealous this way and the Martyrs they were but few comparatively many of them private men and women What a temptation was here to those that suffered How easily might they think what am I wiser than all Is it likely God would reveal that to me which he denieth to others more learned Besides they dispute they bring Scripture and Fathers May not I be deluded May not the Devil transforme himself into an Angel of light and so deceive me Truly such temptations would quickly have blown down the house had it been built onely upon sand but the Martyrs were established upon a Rock Christ gave them full assurance of those truths they lost all for and this made way for their great comfort This conviction then and assurance of faith wrought by the Spirit of God is that which is the root of our comfort whereas doubtings and fears would disquiet all It is true Luther speaketh of himself That he had many times such thoughts Tunè solus sapis Art thou onely wise What if thou art damned and drawest others to Hell with thee And when a grave Divine came to him complaining of this temptation That of the Evangelical Doctrine which he preached he could not find that Faith and Assurance upon his soul he desired which was a bitter trouble to him Luther upon the disclosing of this brake out saying I think God I have met with one tempted as I am tempted There were it may be some temptations and doubts sometimes upon the spirits of those who did suffer for there was flesh still remaining in them and the Devil was desirous to winnow them but yet the power of Faith and the evidence of Divine Authority in the truths they suffered for would at last like the Sunne break forth and dissipate those mists Therefore pray much for the guidance of Gods Spirit herein through the Word that thy comfort may be sure The Heretick that suffers because he hath a false and erroneous perswasion therefore he hath a false and a deceitfull comfort and therefore is but like one in a dream pleasing himself with great imaginations when he awakeneth poor and hungry but the true sufferer he hath joy and he knoweth his joy is good and upon â—ound grounds which never can be taken away Secondly Christ doth comfort by informing of us aforehand of all the troubles and sufferings which will necessarily accompany the true profession of faith in his Name Is not our Saviour often upon this subject Doth he not frequently fore-tell his Disciples what reproach and hatred they shall meet with Doth not the Scripture also in several places insist upon this point That all who will live godly must suffer many tribulations That the
they both agree in this our temporal mercies and spiritual mercies come from God the fountain of them though spiritual mercies have a more special and restrained consideration To affect us with humility and thankfulnesse in this point consider these particulars First That even those mercies which are the effects of natural causes yet they are the gift of God Should he withdraw his concourse no creature were able to performe its usefull operations The fire would not warme us our bread would not nourish us our raiment would not comfort us against the cold So that we are not only to bless God that we have such creatures as these are but that they are usefull We are not only to praise God that we have bread and raiment but that these things can do their office For in these there is a two-fold mercy 1. That God doth provide them for us 2. That when they are provided they put forth their usefulnesse Thus our Saviour alledgeth out of Deuteronomy Mat. 4. 4. Thou shalt not live by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth If God give not a word of blessing our bread cannot nourish us Hence we are also said In God to live and move and have our being Act. 17. 28. Although therefore there are natural causes and these do produce their effects from a natural necessity yet because they are second causes they do therefore depend upon God the chiefest and supream cause both in esse and operari in their being and operation Thus the fire would not burn if God should not give concourse thereunto as appeareth in the case of the three Worthies and the reason which is given by the Dominicans though the Jesuites do not well relish it is that every second cause though it be a natural agent and so determined to operation yet because it is in a potentiality to worke it hath a potentia a power this must be reduced to act by that which is the pure and chief act viz. God himself So that it is not enough for God to give a natural power to produce such an effect unlesse he also actuate that power and goe along with it This is a truth and when believed will draw off our eyes from the creature more so as to set them upon God and to acknowledge him more in all things This then thou art to know That even those natural comforts which flow from natural causes so that it would be a miracle if they should not produce them are yet from the goodnesse and bounty of God Now how often are we unthankfull for these mercies we doe not blesse God for the gift of seeing the gift of hearing the gift of walking Secondly Those comforts which flow from moral causes these also are to be attributed to the gift of God A man that is diligent in his place he may grow to be rich The strongest usually prevail in battel The swiftest they overcome in a race yet where these moral causes are the effect is Gods gift Therefore Solomon observeth that the clean contrary falleth out sometimes Eccles 9. 11. That the battel is not to the strong nor the race to the swift How many are diligent carefull and wise in their places and yet cannot obtain wealth in this world So that even those things which are brought about by the means that we use we must acknowledge they are Gods gift if his blessing be not upon the means they are frustrated Thus the Lord doth instruct Israel against any pride and confidence that might arise as if their power and strength did make them rich For it is the Lord saith he that giveth thee power to get wealth Deut. 8. 18. You see whatsoever wisdome diligence and good husbandry we use yet if any thing come thereby it is the gift of God You have a most significant place for this truth Hag. 1. 6. where the Prophet sheweth whatever we eat or drinke or take care and labour about the Lord can blast it and make it come to nothing Ye eat but have not enough ye cloathe you but there is none warme and he that earneth wages it is to put in a bag with holes Doth not this Text evidently proclaim that the labourer in his wages the tradesman in his buying and selling the husbandman in his plowing and sowing cannot adde one farthing to his efface unlesse the Lord blesse it Thirdly All those comforts we have and gifts either to relieve or refresh us that we have from others we are to account them Gods gifts rather than mens If any man help thee in thy necessities if any man preferre and honour thee thou art indeed to be thankfull unto men that are benefactors but more to God who inclined their hearts to thee Yet how little is this thought upon when we receive courtesies from men kindnesses from men we look upon these alone whereas if God did not move their hearts thou wouldst have found no relief from them It was thus with Joseph he was cast into prison upon the Kings displeasure in all outward appearance the Goaler would have used him with all cruelty yet saith the Text Genes 39. 21. God shewed mercy to Joseph and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison The Lord hath a command over mens hearts he maketh them mercifull and free to some and again he turneth the hearts of some men against others Now we poor creatures look only upon men as if they did all as if all were in their power But as God commanded Laban who was in a rage against Jacob not to speak an ill word against him So also doth the Lord daily he maketh men thy friends and he raiseth them up to be foes We have likewise a notable instance Exod. 12. 36. when the Israelites were upon their departure the Aegyptians though their cruel enemies who hated and oppressed them yet it 's said The Lord gave them favour in their eyes that they lent them even jewels of gold and silver On the contrary when God was provoked it is said Psalm 105. He turned their heart to his people As David then said when Shimei reviled him bitterly The Lord hath bid him So when thou receivest any favour any mercy from men look up higher than men The Lord hath bid him Mens gifts are much rather Gods gifts yea even what those do for us who are in the most indeared relations and so have principles of nature to instigate them to help thee yet thou art to look upon all their care and love as Gods gift to thee If thy parents have taken care of thee if they have provided for thee if they have looked to thee though it was their duty and they would have been unnatural if they had done otherwise yet do thou look upon it as Gods gift to thee How many parents are given up to unnatural affections How many love their lusts and their whores more than their children So that
right testimony of conscience within them they have seared stupid consciences or they have deluded ones that make them trust in other things then Christs blood Do not most men rest in this that their conscience telleth them they are baptized they are made partakers of the Ordinances of God and this is all the witness they have But the Apostle Peter layeth an Axe to the root of this 1 Pet. 3. 21. Baptisme saveth but then by a rhetorical correction addeth Not the putting away of the filth of the body but an answer of a good conscience It is generally thought to be an allusion to a Covenant or contract for so Baptism is wherein the person is asked Do you take God for your God Renounce the Devil and all the lusts of the flesh Now if a man can unseignedly and with a good conscience answer that he keepeth to baptismal ingagements this will save SERM. LXXXVII A Believer may be assured of the Uprightness of his Heart in the Performance of Duties What is required to such an Assurance 2 COR. 1. 12. That in simplicity and godly sincerity THe third part of the Text as it stands divided cometh under our consideration and that is the Declaration in particular of what was spoken in the General The General was The testimony of his conscience Now he sheweth the Specials wherein this is manifested and that is set down Positively and Negatively and Oppositely 1. Positively In simplicity c. 2. Negatively Not with fleshly wisdome 3. Oppositely But by the grace of God Before we come to the particulars and open the Greek words we must take notice of the certainty and sure knowledge Paul had of his sincerity For how could Paul glory and rejoyce in his sincerity if he did not know it yea so know it that his conscience with the Spirit of God did witness it to him And therefore this is one of those places that is brought in the controversie between Papists and us about the certainty of our being in the state of grace which Bellarmine indeed would enervate But his labour is in vain For what can be clearer then that Paul had a certain knowledge of his upright heart seeing he did make this publick testimony of it and take so much joy therein Neither doth Paul in this pretend to any extraordinary revelation as if he had some peculiar priviledge in this above others as when he was rapt up into the third Heavens but he avoucheth the testimony of his conscience which must be in an ordinary way From this we observe That a Believer may have a certain knowledge not only that he performeth those gracious duties God requireth but that he doth them with an upright and sincere heart Paul did not only know that he was diligent in preaching of the Gospel that he was faithfull in dispensing of the word of God but also that all this was done with faithfull and sincere respects We do not only know that we believe that we repent but that we do these things in the uprightnesse of our souls Bellarmine urgeth this much Though we do discharge the duties God requireth yet how can we know that we do them with an whole heart with a sincere spirit Many hypocrites say they are sure Yea saith he among the Protestants one is assured of his way and another of another Sect but we are assured that they are all deluded So that he concludeth Seeing all the Hereticks of this age boast of this certainty yet saith he even in their opinion many are deceived and in ours all are But we are to walk by the Scripture-light in this case And indeed this being a truth the knowledge whereof is obtained both by Scripture and experience the savoury work of grace and sense of Christs Spirit dwelling in us doth more to perswade of this truth then voluminous controversies This Question is best answered by diligent prayer and an heavenly life and therefore practical experimental Christians can speak more to this point then the most learned speculative Doctors unless they have a gracious broken heart as well as a learned profound head That a believer may be assured of the truth of grace appeareth by several examples and general assertions of Scriptures Examples as Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 2 King 20. 3. In Job who though under sad temptations both from God and his dear friends who charged upon him hypocrisie yet he would never let go the perswasion of his integrity David how often doth he professe his love of God with all his heart Peter when Christ asked him again and again he answered Thou knowest Lord I love thee John 21. 17. As for those places which affirm this truth I shall name one or two John 14. 17. Ye know the Spirit for he dwels with you and shall be in you And vers 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you What is clearer then As where the Sunne is there is light to see it so where the Spirit of God dwelleth and worketh in a man there is an evident discovery of it 2 Cor. 2. 11 12. What man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man within even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God that we might know the things freely given to us of God By this we see that as the soul by its rational powers doth discover and feel the workings of reason and understanding within it self so also by those supernatural principles of grace infused into it it is able to discern and feel the divine and heavenly motions of a supernatural life within him The first Epistle of John doth in many places speak of this knowledge whereby we perceive that God is in us and we in him But I intend not to enlarge on this subject Let us explain this truth and consider What is required to cause this certain knowledge in us that we are sincere and in a state of grace and so by consequent that we are justified elected and shall assuredly be saved And First There is required A firm assent and faith of the truth of Gods promises which are in the general revealed in the Word as such as these He that believeth hath passed from death to life By faith we have remission of sinnes through the blood of Christ Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven The promises also to such as do confesse and forsake their sinnes we are strongly to assure our souls of Yea not only the promises but the whole truths revealed in Gods word we are firmly to assent to by a vigorous faith For the lively actings of faith to its general objects do wonderfully conduce to the application of it to particular and special objects As men of quick animal actions are thereby more enabled to rational for seeing what is in
Godly sincerity The grace or rather the gracious modification of Paul's life is said to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sincerity The word as Lexicographers observe cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sunne-beams and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to judge Now in them there are two things The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lustre and light and so it is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is clear transparent and manifest Thus 2 Pet. 3. 1. it is called your sincere mind 2. In the Sunne-beams there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heat whereby heterogeneals are separated and homogeneals congregated and then it is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unmixt as the word sincere is pure honey sine cerâ without wax So that in this expression is denoted the purity of the heart in all its aims and intentions not mingling other things of a contrary nature with holy actions and then such an open clear and diaphanous frame of soul that it hideth not or covereth any thing but delighteth to have all things open and naked to the eyes of God Hence in the next place you have the limitation or amplification In the sincerity of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we render it godly sincerity Now this may be thus understood 1. By way of opposition to that Natural or Moral Truth and Ingenuity which may be in men destitute of grace The Romana fides was proverbial because of the truth and sincerity that was in all their dealings but because they did not know God or look up to him referring their actions to lower and more inferiour ends therefore it was not godly sincerity Thus many civil men have an honest upright heart to doe truly and righteously in all things relating to men but they want the soul of all which is to referre this to the glory of God and to eye him principally in their actions 2. It may be called The sincerity of God effectivè because it is that which is wrought in us by God The heart naturally is full of guile and hypocrisie never performing holy things upon holy motives So that it is the grace of God which putteth truth in the inward parts and maketh us Sheep of Foxes Doves of Kites 3. It is the sincerity of God by way of direction and command because he hath commanded that with a pure and upright heart we are to serve him in all our wayes And this our Translators seem to aim at rendring it godly sincerity that is such which is according to the rules of Gods word And this excludeth that sincerity of conscience which many heretical and deluded persons may have in their zealous prosecution of their false wayes Paul had a good conscience and a sincere heart while a Pharisee that he did not go against the dictates of his conscience yea he thought himself bound to doe what he did But this is not enough to godly sincerity this is humane sincerity thou hast a clear perswasion in thy own heart of the goodnesse of thy wayes but if it be godly it must be according to the rule of godlinesse and that is the Scripture A mans own conscience or heart is not the supream rule of sincerity but the Scripture And this is very necessary to be observed because we are apt to rest in our hearts the sincerity we feel there the comfort and quietnesse we have from thence as if they were the utmost rule we were to resolve all into whereas it must not be what say our hearts but what say the Scriptures informing and regulating our hearts 4. It may be called sincerity of God finaliter because whatsoever a man doth that is thus sincere he doth it to the glory of God that is his mark if he falleth short of that if he findeth his own glory his own applause his owne advantages interposing this doth exceedingly grieve and trouble him he accounts that as drosse and not gold he saith This duty I have lost Lastly It is called sincerity of God objectivè because he that is sincere doth all things as in the presence of God knowing that God beholdeth him that he trieth the reins and searcheth the hearts of all men And this is principally meant in this place though the other be not excluded And so we have Paul explaining himself in the next Chapter vers 17. As of sincerity as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ These things explained Observe That godly sincerity carrieth a man above all self-respects in religious wayes even to God himself It is not man either glory or praise from him but God alone that his heart is fixed upon As those that did runne in a race such is our Christianity did not matter the acclamations of spectators but the judgement of him who was the Moderator to judge on whose side the victory was Thus Paul 1 Cor. 4. It is a very small thing with me that I should be judged of you or of mans judgement but he that judgeth me is the Lord. It is a miserable bondage to please men and to be like a looking-glasse to every one seeming to be what he is that he talketh with such a man is inconstant hypocritical changeth the wayes of Religion often according as humane advantages do intervene whereas the sincere man like Christ himself is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Like those fishes Nazianzen in his contemplations by the Sea side observed that keeping close to the rock were not moved but the rest were cast out and are fetched in again according to the ebbing and flowing of the waters but he that walketh with sincerity as God is the same the Scriptures the same godlinesse is alwayes the same so also is he the same As the Pilot hath his eye alwayes to the Starre in the Heavens not regarding the tempests or tosâ—ings of his ship Thus it is with the sincere man To work this upon our hearts let us consider First What are those things in God that the sincere man doth thus fix himself upon living as if there were none in the world but he and God alone And First The Omniscience of God that all-seeing eye of his whereby he knoweth every secret turning and winding of the soul yea our thoughts afarre off while they are but in the minting and womb and thereby seeth that in us which we cannot our selves This is that which is often in the thoughts of a sincere man This all searching knowledge of God David largely celebrateth Psal 139. 1 2 3 c. Thus God commandeth Abraham To walk before him and be perfect Gen. 17. The consideration of Gods presence that he is with us that he knoweth every thought and every word this will make us perfect and upright Had Gehezi thought that Elijahs spirit would have gone along with him as it were and taken notice of the actions he did he would not with such confidence have come into the
as the Spirit of God doth sanctifie them But naturally the hearts of all men are deceitfull full of lies and falshoods towards God as if they loved him as if they repented when yet self is the motive that setteth all on work and no lesse false is it to man also It is true indeed commonly it is interpreted by good Expositors as if this speech did come from David in unbelief that it was the weaknesse of his faith thinking as if Samuel and other Prophets had deceived him about the Kingdome But in this sense there would have been a falshood in the speech neither would the Apostle then have made that use of it as he doth Besides at the verse before he saith I believed therefore have I spoken which the Apostle also maketh use of 2 Cor. 4. 13. for freedome and boldnesse in the profession of our faith therefore it may very well be that David from the strength of his faith now in his persecutions for that haste he speaketh of is to be understood of his flight and running from place to place doth encourage himselfe from the truth of God and is not dismayed to see Absolom and all his people prove false and perfidious for the corrupt nature of man inclineth him to no better If then the heart of a man be so naturally prone to be false towards God and man to be mercenary to seek our selves to be hypocrites This is the excellency of sincerity that it eateth away the rotten flesh at the bottome Hence In the third place It is because of this sincerity that the way to Heaven is such a streight and narrow way That Godlinesse is so rare a Jewel That many are called but few are chosen because though there be many duties many religious professions yet little sincerity of spirit Oh if there were no more required to goe to Heaven than to hear pray keep up an external forme of Religion different from the course of the world How easie and broad would the way to Heaven be Many thousands more would goe to Heaven than doe But this is that which makes it so difficult a thing to be saved because no duty no religious performances are entertained but rejected by God which come not from a sincere and true principle of grace within It is not then praying but sincere praying It is not hearing but sincere hearing Yea Martyrdome without sincerity is but the Devils Sacrifice So that experience will teach thee to set upon religious duties from principles of sincerity is a farre more difficult task then thou ever thoughtst of while going on in a formal customary way Heaven could never be so difficultly obtained neither could those Texts of Scripture which speak of the holy violence and agonies that must be in the way to Heaven were the externals of Religion enough but it is sincerity in these actings that maketh the streights When we set upon that then we see how far nature education custom and formality may carry us and yet want the soul and life of all Therefore Fourthly Sincerity is the proper characteristical difference between a temporary in Christianity and a true convert It is one of the greatest practical Questions in Divinity that is What is that which differences between the common graces of Gods Spirit and the special Or What are the bounds and limits whereby we may know to distinguish between an enlightned hypocrite fervent in all external religious duties and he who is cordially and truly so The Question is Whether it be a specifical or gradual difference And what is that which the truly godly doth And the foolish Virgin or foolish builder cannot do And if we descend not to particulars but speak in the general then we must say Sincerity is the essentiall difference So that as rationality maketh the essential difference between a man and a beast so doth sincerity between the truly godly and the seeming so onely This made the difference between Saul and David between Peter and Judas between many Kings recorded in the Old Testament who did very much in the wayes of the Lord and those who did seek God with all their heart So that by this you see how much it lieth us upon to look after sincerity in duties more than duties after sincerity in gifts and religious abilities more than gifts for this maketh the Christian The other are but as the body and garments this is the soul All thy glorious building must be pulled down if this be not the foundation It is no matter what standing thy Discipleship to Christ is of nor how famous thy gifts and parts are nor what an interest thou hast in the thoughts of Professours nor what a stricter way of Church-order thou mayest seeme to set upon if sincerity be not the salt to season all Oh then that Christians would study more in this point meditate about it read about it knowing that this is all in all If this be not the first stone laid in thy spiritual building when stormes arise thy building will fall and thy fall will be the greater by how much the appearances of holinesse have been the greater Therefore it is that sincerity is usually called by Divines the Gospel-perfection when many are said To seeke God with a perfect heart the meaning is not as if there were no sinnes or imperfections cleaving to them but because they were upright and sincere Though weak faith yet if sincere faith Though imperfect love yet if sincere love this hath a kinde of Gospel-perfection Hence of all the deceits in the world none is more dangerous and pernicious then when we take our selves for upright and sincere but are not Fifthly Sincerity doth carry a man on in religious wayes from principles of voluntarinesse and delight within Outward motives may make false hearts towards God set upon many notable services as we see in Iehu and Iudas c. But here was no voluntary and delightsome principle within For a man will never sincerely leave the sweetnesse of his lusts and profits he had in a carnal way till he finde infinitely more sweetnesse and delight in heavenly things So that this doth necessarily accompany sincerity that it maketh a man voluntary and willing with joy and delight in the whole work of God Psalm 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing willingnesses in the day of thy power It is true even the most upright doe sometimes finde much deadnesse and unwillingnesse to ho y things there is a wearisomnesse and aversnesse they sometimes feele but this is an heavy burden to them They cry out to God to quicken them to draw them to enliven them whereas the insincere man is carried out by external motives Even as when the water maketh the Mill runne round that of it self would never move because it wanteth life within Therefore that expression of Iob is observeable Iob 27. 10. Will he delight himselfe in the Almighty Will he alwayes call upon God The
to the course of the world not according to the lusts of men but as Christ hath commanded so we live and then partly because by Christs blood we do obtain this life he hath redeemed us from our former evil wayes he hath purchased a liberty for us and then partly because our life is terminated in Christ and we doe objectively propound him in all our wayes as Paul saith Galat. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ is the principle or authour Christ is the means and way Christ is the finisher and end of this life In the next place let us consider What goeth to make a mans conversation godly that we may say it is not some sudden motions or transitory workings but his conversation that is according to the Gospel For if some particular good actions at some times were enough to make a man godly then the way to Heaven would be no longer a narrow but a broad way Now in this description you must not expect a metaphysical or punctual decision of how many actions goe to make a mans conversation So that if he come up to such a number yet if he want one more then it cannot be called his conversation but we must understand it morally and in a large sense Briefly therefore to a mans conversation there is required as the foundation of all First A principle of regeneration to be made a new creature There must be spiritual life before there can be spiritual motions and actions So that if men are brought sometimes to what is holy by external motives because they have godly parents godly Magistrates godly Governonrs as Joash all the while Jehoiada the Priest and his Uncle lived This cannot be called a mans conversation there is not a new nature within but outward motives prevail with him and thereupon as they ebb or flow so is there a variation and change in his practices Secondly There must be a predominancy in his heart and affections to what is holy Christ must be his treasure he must love him more than any thing in the world then father or mother or life it self For if the soul be not thus principally fixed on him when that which is dearer and more loved doth suggest it self then they leave Christ This is plainly seene Matth. 13. in those hearers who believed for a while and brought forth some fruit but then when persecutions did arise they fell off then these seeming vines became thorns Thirdly There must be an actual improvement of those habitual principles of grace that are within For though a man have never so much grace within yet if it be not improved by outward exercise we cannot call it a godly conversation and therefore it is a vain thing for men to appeale to the goodnesse of their heart and their good meanings for the conversation is more to be believed than all these There must then be these streames as well as the fountain we must shew our faith as you heard by a godly conversation so that this relateth most to the exercise of grace though it presuppose the fountain and root within Lastly To our conversation There are required pure and heavenly motives that we do holy duties for holinesse sake That we follow Christ for Christs sake not for loaves The old Rule is A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia He that doth a godly duty because godly will do all godly duties As the fire because it burneth naturally it burneth in one countrey as well as another Thus a Christian because carried out purely and naturally as it were to the things of God doth own them every where in all places in all companies That which is godlinesse at one place and in one company is godlinesse in another Onely we must necessarily take along one Caution lest we condemn all the generation of the godly for hypocrites A mans conversation is godly though in many things he faileth by common infirmities though in all things he cometh short of that perfection which is required of him Yea though for a season through prevailing temptations he fall into and lie in some grievous sinnes David's conversation may be called godly he was a man after Gods own heart And Peter's conversation may be godly though he had such a foul fall So that infirmities yea sometimes grosse sinnes fallen into through urging temptations cannot be said to make a mans conversation wicked when the general inclination of the soul is set for that which is good It is true he that doth customarily and habitually sinne he is not borne of God neither can a regenerate man sinne so as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Every swoon or fainting is not death yet such having the seed of grace within will as Trees that seemed to be dead all winter because there is life in the root at last revive and flourish when the spring of Gods grace shall draw it forth This is necessary lest the Doctrine of a godly conversation seem onely an Idaea like Tullies Oratour and that it cannot be found any where in the world In the last place let us see what profitable Uses may be drawn from this truth And First Of Instruction who are to informe themselves their conversation is not holy notwithstanding some good things may sometimes be found in their lives And 1. Such who in fear of death onely and in times of sad dangers doe call upon the Lord and cry out of their sinnes Is this your conversation Doe ye ever thus but in some times of exigency It is greatly disputed Whether a death-bed repentance can ever be sincere The Socinians are too rigid denying the salvation of such persons because they have no time to shew forth good works in their conversation But as this may be too rigid so on the other side Austin and others put it greatly to the doubt Non dico damnabitur sed nec dico salvabitur then is the conversation holy when in all conditions rich or poor sick or well living or dying thou doest diligently seek the face of God 2. Such cannot plead for an holy conversation in the world Who are onely such in some companies and in some places Many of the Nations became Iewes for fear of them Thus if thou because the company thou art with is religious or in the place where thou livest godlinesse is owned with credit then thou wilt also doe as they doe talke as they talk This is not thy conversation Paul was godly in all the places of the world even at Rome and where he was in the greatest danger Lot was righteous in wicked Sodome It is not with a godly man as they say of some Trees in one Countrey they bring pleasant and wholsome fruit but if transplanted into another soil poisonous and destructive So he in some places speaketh for godlinesse and in other places to laugh and deride it This is not thy conversation 3. Neither
Chap. 3. he sheweth their folly by many convincing and piercing arguments in falling off thus from him and Chap. 4. 15. puts them in mind that they had other thoughts of him once Paul was once a blessed man and his preaching blessed preaching Where is the blessedness you once spake of Yea he saith their affections were so vehement and hyperbolical That they would have pluckt out their eyes their dearest and tenderest part and have given them him if this could have done him good yet how quickly did these boiling affections turn into ice They will receive other mens doctrines rather than his And if we see the Apostles of Christ that had their call immediately from him that were furnished with a large measure of the Spirit and inabled to do such wonderfull miracles before their eyes may come to be contemned and vilified and that by their own people who had once so highly honoured them No wonder if ordinary Pastors and Officers do often meet with such entertainment in the world Yea was it not thus with Christ himself Did not he find the grosse mutability of the people when one while they honour him crying Hosanna and at another time Crucifie him If they do thus to the green tree will they not much rather to the dry And shall the servant be above his master To inlarge this Consider First That it is an imbred corruption in all inferiours to be mutable and changeable to their Superiours Wise men do observe this mobility in the people even to their best Governours so unthankfull and ingratefull are people by nature Is not this plain in Moses What a faithfull Governour had he been to the people of Israel like a tender father he even carried them in his arms God had honoured him exceedingly before their eyes working many miraculous mercies for them by his means yet how often did they murmure against him which was a great sinne because as Moses telleth them Exod. 16. 8. Your murmurings are not against us but the Lord. Yea they are ready to fall off from Moses and to make themselves a Captain that they may go again into Aegypt Thus the people also dealt with David when they were in bitterness of spirit for the losse of their wives they spake of stoning David Among the Heathens there are plentifull examples of this unthankfull mutability Camillus and Themistocles with others which made the latter say when they had cast him off after all the good service he had none for them That they did with him as beasts doe in a storm runne to a tree to shelter themselves and when that is over they fall a browzing on it and breaking the boughs thereof How many of their famous Worthies have the Heathens banished most ingratefully and then in their necessities intreated them to come again Which made one wise Roman say when perswaded to enter upon some publick design for the common good but dangerous deny saying Why should wise men venture themselves for fools The Athenians were impetuous to put Socrates to death and after he was dead then they were grieved and impatient till they had destroyed those that were the Authors of it Now if it be thus in civil affairs no wonder if there be more changeableness and more ingratitude in Church-matters For in the faithfull discharge of our spiritual office there we directly oppose the natural inclination and love of men to their sinfull pleasures we deal chiefly with the inward man and the matter we propound for the Doctrine of it to be believed is wholly transcendent to their humane apprehensions and the goodness of it is altogether supernatural Yea contra-natural take man in his sinfull naturals Hence it is that spiritual governing is far more difficult than civil men being more willing to receive what maketh for their bodily good and welfare then for their souls and spiritual estate Secondly This inclination to changeablenesse and mutability in matters of Religion hath greater temptations in rich and famous Cities than in villages and small parochial places Now Corinth as you heard was a famous and rich City eminent for trading yea and for earning and gifts Hence Paul doth in none of his Epistles so much debase the wisdome of the world indeavouring to exalt Christ above all things as in his Epistles to these Corinthians and it seemeth they did a bound with many excellent gifts and abilities as the Apostle many times witnesseth Now this was their snare and temptation this made them proud of their knowledge this made them admire gifts more than grace this caused them to make parties and factions some cried up one teacher some another So that their wealth and gifts did prove a great temptation to them and by this means Paul came to be undervalued Thus it falleth out many times in great and populous places where are variety of Ministers and of gifts and a people raised up in knowledge and wealth it is very hard for them to keep in a constant real esteem of sound and soul-saving truths but with the people of Israel to be weary of Manna to desire even garlick and onyons above it The Gospel was at first preached and planted in Cities and their Churches were first constituted it being a long time ere the little villages in the Countrey did receive the Christian faith Hence to this day say some we call Heathens Pagans à pagis from villages because they did last of all receive the Christian faith But then they have this advantage that they are freed from those many temptations that are in the Churches of Cities for they having not many Officers nor hearing variety of gifts are not so tempted to be alwayes lusting after some new thing as in the fore-mentioned places yet for all this they have the same corrupt inclination and if they have not the temptation brought to them they will seek out for the temptations and hence many villages are quickly poisoned with corrupt and erroneous wayes For the Devil he goeth up and down roaring to seek whom he may devour whether in Cities or villages Now let us consider of the Causes which make such a change and alteration and that many times in those who are very good or at least apparently so And 1. This ariseth from the ficklenesse and inconstancy that is in many men There are few that profess Religion that do obtain to a sound mind that are well rooted in the first principles of Religion They content themselves with general and confused apprehensions and therefore can speak of those things which yet they have no clear understanding about Now how can such straws and feathers as these but be blown away with every wind of doctrine It is the Apostles expression Ephes 4. 14. implying that it is childishness levity want of a serious weighty and solid judgement that maketh us leave the faithfull Ministers of God and greedily run after false teachers 2. An overhasty and unadvised receiving of the
of the flesh and the principle of the Spirit and such as your principles are such are ye If thy principle be to be godly to live by the Word to save thy soul then thou art daily in these things thy heart is there thy life is there But if it be flesh that ruleth in thee then this maketh thee like a worm and a moal alwayes in the earth You cannot repent you cannot believe you cannot be saved while these principles abide in you for they make you prejudiced against godlinesse they make you neglect repentance Oh but when thou shalt lie howling and roaring in hell how wilt thou curse and bewail such principles These have damned me these have brought me to this place of torment I would not entertain other principles SERM. CXIV Of the kinds and sinfulnesse of Lying 2 COR. 1. 17. That with me there should be yea yea and nay nay IN these words is the sinne specified that would flow from those two evil causes named before viz. Inconstancy and corrupt principles They that are led aside by these must needs be liars and perfidious persons frothy and vain to whom no credit is to be given The Apostle therefore doth here remove the sinne of lying or saying one thing and doing another thing for such an unfaithfull false man can never be serviceable unto God by that uneven carriage of his he maketh himself uncapable of bringing glory to God and of edifying others Concerning the Greek expression and the interpretation of it there is great diversity amongst the learned That which troubleth most is the gemination of those particulars yea yea nay nay For we read it as a command and a duty Matth. 5. 37. James 5. 12. That our communication ought to be yea yea nay nay whereas the Apostle doth here speak of it as a sinne Some therefore do think that the gemination of the particle crept into the Text by the errour of the Scribes who finding it used in other places thought it should be here also and they are the rather induced to this because in the verse following the Apostle doth not use the gemination onely affirming Yea and nay Others they think that the Greek particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a note of negation should be supplied making it to runne negatively as if with me were not yea yea and nay nay But there is no necessity of running unto these harsh remedies for we may keep the gemination of the particles well enough as intending thereby a vehement affirmation and a vehement negation For so the Hebrews use to affirm vehemently by doubling the word And our Saviour often useth Amen Amen which custome also Heinsius saith is among the prophane Greek Authours And thus the sense will be very coherent I doe not inconstantly and carnally purpose things as if I should with great vehemency affirme one thing at one time and then with as great a vehemency deny it again at another time But then we must acknowledge that this differeth from those places above-mentioned Matth. 5. and James 5. for there the latter Yea and latter Nay is the predicate in the Preposition here it is the subject and Nay nay the predicate In those places also there is a respect had to our speech as opposite unto oaths but here is denoted only truth and constancy in our affirmations Chrysostome doth not read the words interrogatively and thereupon hath a peculiar interpretation implying the clean contrary to what we have said For he maketh the meaning to be as if Paul did deny he was constant or ought to be unchangeable he was not to have Yea yea nay nay but to be yea and nay as occasion served because he was not at his own disposing to go whither he would but was wholly guided by the Spirit of God and therefore when he attempted to preach in some places the Spirit of God suffered him not So that with this Authour Paul's intention should be to remove from himself such a constancy as if he were to dispose of himself and to hold to his own resolutions whereas he was wholly to follow the guide and motions of Gods Spirit But this seemeth not so proper The Apostle rather defends himself against the charge of lying and unfaithfull dealing he was not Yea and nay Hence some make the Latine word Naucus that signifieth a vain empty trifling fellow to come from the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but of this more in the following verse Seeing then that Paul doth in this expression free himself from the crime of lying and saying one thing but doing the contrary We may observe That lying or contrariety between our words and words or words and actions are not beseeming a Christian neither are they consistent with godlinesse A godly man can be no more godly and a liar than godly and a drunkard than godly and a prophane person This sinne the Apostle maketh as a stream to flow from those two poisoned fountains of levity of mind and a corrupt carnal heart Now how inconsistent this is with the new man and the work of grace you have heard from Colos 3. 9 Lie not one to another seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds To be yea and nay is to be a lyar and sometimes as the Apostle supposeth here we may be very vehement and earnest in our yea's and nayes and then we are bold vehement lyars I shall not enlarge my self concerning the whole Theological matter that may be delivered about a lie but speak so much as will be for our practical improvement of this truth And First We are to take notice of this That there may be a lie materialiter and formaliter That is a material lie when we speak that which is untruth but yet we think it to be a truth or else we would not speake it But then that is formally a lie when we affirm that to be true which we know to be false and this is directly and properly a lie Some say the former is Mendacium dicere the other is Mentiri Now this latter way of speaking untruths is that which properly is called a lie and men do then formally lie when they speak that which their consciences doe tell them to be false yet in some cases when we speake those things that are untrue though we thinke them to be so we are not presently excused from sinne For in many things it behoveth us to have knowledge and a right information before we speak about them Hence the false Prophets are often called lyars who it may be thought they spake what was true being delivered up by the just judgement of God to believe a lie and therefore we must take heed of rashnesse and suddennesse in our words that we may alwayes speak that which is consonant to the truth both materially as well as formally Secondly We may distinguish of lies as they doe of oaths There are Assertory lies whereby we
out against the Doctrine and Office for any real or supposed failings because it is that which doth most grieve and trouble them It is the Word of God that is a terrour to them that will not let them sin securely theresore they have no care to take but as much as lieth in them to make it no word to make it nothing but the humours of men For all the while they believe this is the Doctrine of God this will reprove me this will damn me they dare not they cannot rise up against God but to delude their soules therefore they run to lies and sinfull refuges whereby they would undervalue this Word and make it nothing but the Opinions of men 3. They fall foul upon the Doctrine presently because herein they think they do the greater despite to the faithfull Ministers of God Herein they think the more to afflict them they know that no glory honour or profit doth so much prevail with him as the honour of his Office and the truth of his Doctrine and theresore that they might shew their mischief and malice the more they would him in that which is dearest 4. They condemn the Doctrine from personal failings because herein they think to justifie themselves the more That there is no such reason why it should be powerfull to reforme or convert them seeing it doth not so to the Minister himself They think they have a good plea for their unprofitableness and unfruitfulness If he be a Physician say they Why doth he not heal himself if he can save others why doth he not save himself as they derided Christ Use of Exhortation To observe and take notice of this subtilty of Satan and the naughtiness of thy own heart in this particular Are not all his workings to prejudice thee against the faithfull Pastor of thy soul Doth not every tale or story doth not every slanderous and lying report presently take off thy Faith and reverence to the word that is preached Oh remember that it is Gods word it is Gods truth whatsoever our failings may be its Gods treasure though it be in an earthen vessel It will be no excuse for thee at the day of judgment to say Lord I regarded not the word I mattered not Sermons I attended not to what they Preached because I thought the Messengers thereof were proud and covetous Will not God arraign thee saying It was my Word howsoever It was my Doctrine my word was not proud or Doctrine Covetous if not for their sakes yet you should have received it for my sake It was not the Ministers Doctrine the Ministers Sacrament but mine The Devil is very busie to destroy thee by this temptation but watch and pray against them SERM. CXVII Of Changing in Matters of Religion 2 COR. 1. 18. Our word toward you was not yea and nay WE are now arrived at the last particular considerable in this Text and that is the firmnesse and constancy of the Doctrine that Paul preached to the Corinthians You heard that malevolent adversaries from a supposed levity in Paul otherwise did presently argue to an inconstancy in his Doctrine And although this was but once they could not charge such an appearing levity upon Paul often It was but at one time yet how ready were they to take an advantage hereby against Gods truth It is true the verity and firmnesse of Gods truths doth not depend upon the esteem of Ministers his word is sure though men be vain and inconstant yet by this instance we see how much it concerneth the Ministers of the Gospel to abound in gravity sincerity and constancy especially so to deport themselves that the Doctrine they preach may not be suspected of changeablenesse as if they would preach that for Gods truth one time which afterwards they would preach to be the Devils lie This is that which Paul doth here renounce Our word toward you saith he was not yea and nay that is it was not light mutable it was not white and black hot and cold but it was alwayes the same constant abiding truth From whence observe That for a Minister to be mutable and contradictory in his Doctrine is very reproachfull to him and makes his Ministry wholly uselesse Sometimes to preach one way as the way of God one opinion as the certain truth of God and then afterwards to preach up the clean contrary this debaseth the person and the office of a man it maketh all his Ministry to be despised They conclude either that such a man thinketh there is no Religion at all or at least that he is either Atheistical believing none or else very ignorant or carnal and self-seeking that with Demetrius the Priest of Diana's Temple doth judge that only Religion which is profitable and therefore measure the truths of Doctrines by their interest and carnal emoluments In the Old Testament we read of many such lying Prophets who did not prophesie according to the visions of the Lord but from the imagination of their own hearts preached to Kings and people such pleasing things as they desired This hath done a world of hurt in the Church of God when the officers therein have not regarded whether the things they preach were Gods truths but whether pleasing to men or no. This was to make the Sunne to follow the Dial and the truth of God shall no longer be truth but while it pleaseth man Now such men that are thus mutable must needs be accounted transgressours by all For so saith the Apostle If I build the things againe I once destroyed I make my selfe a transgressour Galat. 2. 18. This Doctrine deserveth serious examination because as there is much truth in it and thereby much good may be done So occasionally through mistake men may be prejudiced to their own hurt For did not the Papists brand the Reformers at first with inconstancy and perfidiousnesse that they were nothing but Yea and Nay For formerly they came to the Masse they worshipped Images they acknowledged the Pope as well as they But then of a sudden they were all changed then the Pope was Antichrist then the Masse was blasphemous Idolatry then they puiled down their Altars and Images Thus say the Papists they were yea and nay And in our age Are there not many offended because the Ministers of the Gospel do not keep up the same Church-administrations as they once did that they do not pray baptize administer the Lords Supper in the same way as once they did If it was no sinne then why is it now Thus they think there is much inconstancy and levity in Ministers because they see such changes and alterations in their publick administrations Let us therefore abide the longer upon this truth seeing the Text doth give such seasonable advantages thereunto And First You must know That all yea and nay is not bad There may be a time when he that hath been for a Yea a long time in Religion must if ever he will be
saved come to a Nay There is sometimes a necessity of changing and that is when people and Ministers have been carried away with errours and false wayes Though such things may plead antiquity though you may urge prescription for many hundred years yet upon conviction and illumination we are to change from yea we are to bewail such errours as we once lived in Was it not thus with Paul Though Paul was not now Yea and Nay since he was an Apostle yet he was once so neither was that to his dispraise but his honour in the Church of God Did not Paul once violently persecute that way which afterwards he preached for Those traditions and pharisaical superstitions which once he maintained even to the killing of all the opposers thereof Doth not he in time with as much zeal renounce them as ever once he did plead for them This change of Paul was so wonderfull that Act. 9. 21. Many who heard him preach Christ were amazed saying Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this Name in Jerusalem You see then that there may be a just occasion to change our opinions our practices in Religion There is a just occasion for a Jew a Turke to leave his Religion and become a Christian There is a just occasion for Papists and Hereticks to forsake that way of worship they have followed with so much zeal and devotion Neither may they fear the shame and reproach of being accounted weather-cocks and turn-coats but rather they have cause to blesse God who hath opened their eyes and not suffered them to perish in the Aegypt and Sodome they were in It is true naturally it is accounted an hainous sinne to change that Religion which a man is born and bred up in Therefore we have an History of our King John Fuller Histor of the Church who being in great Stateextremities sent to the King of the Moors for aid and assistance promising him his Kingdom if he would and that the Nation should receive the Turkish Religion But the Morocco King refused the offer saying That he had lately read Paul ' s Epistles and did like the matter well so that he found no fault with Paul but because he changed the Religion he was born in I bring this instance to shew what a great influence that Religion hath let it be false or true upon a man in which he hath been educated Yet there is a necessity if men will be saved sometimes of forsaking that Religion our Fathers and Ancestours have lived in For seeing that is directly against Scripture that any man in any Religion may be saved and also that seeing there are so many contrary Religions in the world it followeth inevitably that there are some in such damnable wayes and that of Religion that without repentance and coming out of those former impieties they shall never escape the eternal flames of hell and such a change is not matter of reproach but it is the wonderfull conversion of Gods grace upon our hearts Hence the Apostle doth so often admire the riches of Gods grace to those Heathens who were delivered out of that ignorance and darknesse with the abominable impieties they once lived in As it is in Philosophy they distinguish of alteration or change it is either destructiva or perfectiva Thus when a man of a fool is made wise of a vicious person virtuous here is a perfective alteration so it is also in the matters of Religion we may change the best errour for truth darknesse for light It is not then enough to say Thou wilt not change thy principles thy way of Religion thou hast been born in them and thy Ancestours have lived in the same way for this every Jew every Turke may plead as well as thou The Heathens pleaded this against the Christian Religion Sequendi sunt patres qui foeliciter sunt suos sequuti contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis If this be true why art thou not a Papist still Why doest thou not call for the Masse and Church-duties to be done in Latine For this was the way thy Ancestours were brought up in Hence in the second place It is not simply the Yea and Nay that is to be blamed but when it is in the truth when we ought to be constant and immoveable therein As every party doth brand another with Heretick Schismatick Apostate so also with inconstancy but it is not the meer names but the reality that maketh such persons If then a man holds Gods truth he is no Heretick though the whole world should condemn him He that hath a Scripture-ground to depart from the Idolatries of the Church is no Schismatick though others charge him with it for Causa non separatio facit Schismaticum Thus if a man forsake his former errours his former superstitions if he leave his corrupt Doctrines this mans change is a duty he is not to be blamed for it but if a man leave the truth if he forsake the way of God then his Yea and Nay is to be reproved If then you see a man leaving one opinion after another one practice after another so that all this while it is a progresse in the truths of Christ this man is the more to be encouraged For such is the pertinacy of man and love to his owne credit and glory that it must be some great cause which shall make him retract and recant that which he did once zealously professe so that it is in Doctrinals as in morals if you see a man that hath for many years wallowed in his lusts that hath been glewed to them so that he appeared Non tam peccator quam ipsum peccatum if this man through the grace of God be converted do contrary to all that once he did shall this man be derided because he will not be the same prophane person that once he hath been No God rather is to be glorified who made the prodigal that was lost to be found that was dead to live again Thirdly Although thus to increase in knowledge and light whereby we leave off doing the things we once did be thus a duty yet even such a change supposeth an imperfection in a man For were our understandings fully illuminated we should be able to see the truths of God at the very first light would not come in successively upon us and by degrees dispelling darknesse as we see the Sunne doth in the morning but it would be in its vertical point immediately Even as Photius reporteth out of an Historian Agatharcides that there are a people to whom the Sunne doth not appear by degrees as to us but it cometh suddenly and perfectly upon them out of the depth of darknesse It is true therefore our weaknesse and imperfection not that we come to know things better than we did or that we are changed but because we needed such an alteration We know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 13. putting himself into the number Hence
not consider how severely it 's commanded insomuch that that very sin of not believing of not resting our soules upon the Lord Christ would damn us if there were nothing else How happy then is it and in what good forwardness are they for establishment who begin thus to be inlightened who are thus perswaded Though I cannot believe yet it is my duty to believe It s not Gods will that I should excruciate my self with these tormenting doubts I am sure to be damned if I go not to Christ the Saviour if I take not this way there is no way for me to take and thus we have got advantage when we are come thus far And that this may be done all those Texts which do either command faith or commend faith are very often in his minde 3. The minde of a man is antecedently wrought upon for establishment by illumination concerning the Evangelical way of grace wherein God doth vouchsafe all spiritual mercies to the broken in heart For the spirit of God doth not inable us to cry Abba Father till our understandings are opened to know that glorious Gospel-way Christ hath taken for to save the humbled sinners the sum whereof is this That it is in believing not in working Rom. 4. the Apostle argueth against all conceits of Justification by the works we do yea that Abraham himself though so eminent in holiness did not obtain remission of sinnes hereby and in other places the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works are made immediately opposite to one another It is then a special mercy of God to have the judgment of a man satisfied in this truth although the poor humbled sinner cannot yet repose himself in the bosome of a Promise though he doth nothing but stagger and reel up and down by fears and temptations yet this is no small proficiency to arrive at the certain perswasion of this Doctrine For we see in the Apostles dayes that this very Doctrine was called into question and is it not still by Papists and others arraigned as teaching men Presumption and Security and truly as the head of a man may invent many plausible Arguments against the truth of it so the heart of a man is naturally proud and self-righteous and therefore is hardly brought off from works to faith for faith seemeth not to have that activity for justification as love and other graces have though indeed that be the life and soul of all the primum vivens and ultimum moriens As it is with the roots of trees they have no sweetness nor comeliness in them when the fruit thereof hath Thus when good works are glorious and precious faith from whence they have their life and being seemeth contemptible But this order the spirit of God taketh before it is a sealing and a witnessing spirit unto us It is also an enligtening and teaching spirit and that especially in this grand truth which is the sum of the Gospel viz. that by faith and not by works we become justified before God and where his Gospel-light hath not taken place in any afflicted conscience for sin Oh the unspeakable temptations oh the wofull dayes and nights that they meet with When the spirit of God hath thus antecedently wrought upon the judgment then in the next place cometh this chief and special work of establishing and setling the heart And as it is in planting of a tree first the briars and thornes which cumbred the ground before must be removed and then the tree is planted Thus also it is with God while setling the heart of a man upon the Promises he doth first remove that which is prohibent and hindring of this confirmation and positively inables it to rest upon Christ even as the sun doth first dispel the darkness and then introduce the light The two Impediments to our establishment on the Promises alone are Presumption on the one hand and Despair on the other for those are the two Generals as it were under which all the other sinnes opposite to this way are comprehended The first is Presumption and that is the damnable estate of most men they are secure in their own condition they rest contented in their own righteousness and goodness Now these indeed are settled but upon a rotten foundation these have no changes no inconstancies of spirit arising from the fear that is in them but are therefore the more dangerous Such as these are the most untractable and unteachable both about the promises of God and their dependance on them you can no more remove them out of their Presumption than mountains out of their places the saddest subject in the world to preach upon or to preach unto for they have door upon door and bolt upon bolt that must be opened ere you can make any way for Christ or the Promises in their soules All the weapons taken out of Gods word are peesently dulled when they fall upon them like a bullet in a pack of wool When we come to such upon their sick beds we know not how to begin with them what to say to them for whatsoever is said they are confident it is in them and all this while its nothing but Presumption and spiritual security of soul The other is Despair with all diffidence and distrustfull fears that incline thereunto This I confess is not so common as the other We have very few that cry out of their sinnes fearing they are greater then can be forgiven But some there are that are ready to be swallowed up in this whirlpool When therefore God doth confirm the heart of man in the Promises both these sinnes are removed he is no longer a self-righteous man a self-full man he looketh upon himself as wicked and destitute of all and yet on the other side doth not despair in God though he doth in himfelf though he hath nothing of his own to stand upon yet Christ is his rock on whom he is setled Thus God keepeth his people from being Cains and Judasses on one side and proud self-righteous Pharisees on the other side SERM. CXXX Of Gods confirmation of us upon his Promises by his own grace 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth you with us in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe establishment of a Christian upon the Promises of God is only the work of God Man cannot settle himself no more than he can make himself There remaineth for the explication of this truth to declare wherein positively this confirmation by God doth consist and First Hereby God doth strengthen the heart in reference to the Promises by working in us habits of grace and some permanent constant Principles whereby we are carried out easily and delightsomly unto them The heart of man being originally and habitually corrupt is contrary both to the commands of God and the Promises of God which is greatly to be observed for the enmity indeed of our hearts against those holy duties which the
c. These are horrible execratory oaths though God be not named These two things premised let us consider What doubts may be raised from the forementioned definition of an Oath And First In that an Oath is said to be a religious calling upon God it may be asked Whether words be necessary to an oath May it not be by other signes The Answer is That a man may swear mentally and in his heart onely because God is a searcher of that and knoweth every thing which moveth in us And again Dumb men as Zacharias for instance no doubt might have sworne by some signes he might make Hence the Comical Poet cited by Covarruvias and Grotius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is a firme Oath though I doe but nodde with my head A man also may swear by writing and thus the Apostles Oath is here in the Text by writing Yea Austin's observation is That he doth not remember that ever the Apostle did swear any otherwise than in writing not in speech or discourse he delivered by mouth And hereby an Oath is made more deliberate If no men would swear but first write it down it would be a special means to stop much ungodly swearing The second Question is We define an Oath to be a religious calling upon God as a witnesse Whether then it be not lawfull to sweare by the creature What is more ordinary not onely amongst Papists but Protestants also than to swear by the light by this bread by their faith and truth and these are creatures To this it is answered First That the Papists Covarruvias part prima relect de juram though they hold an Oath to be a religious worship of God yet they say we may sweare by creatures but with this distinction not absolutely and terminatively staying in them but relatively to God whose power and goodnesse is eminent in the creatures But this is an empty distinction For our Saviour doth absolutely prohibit to sweare by the creatures Matth. 5. and the command is often to sweare by God alone they are reproved also who sweare by God and Baal God and Milchom For although they were Idols yet the reason of the prohibition is because they are not Gods and every creature is not a god therefore it is not lawfull to sweare by any creature neither terminatively nor transitively for all is Idolatry giving the worship due to God unto the creature It is true though a man sweare by the creature which is unlawfull yet it is an Oath for all that and doth oblige as our Saviour informed against the Pharisees Non te audit lapis loquentem sed Deus te punit fallentem saith Austin speaking of the Heathenish custome which was to hold a flint in their hands while they did sweare saying If I doe deceive let me be cast out of the City as I throw away this stone This they called swearing Pexr Jovem lapidem Therefore it is a foolish and senslesse evasion of many to say they doe not sweare by God they are but petty oaths as is to be shewed For here is the more Idolatry when you sweare by a creature Is your Faith a God Is your Troth a God Is the Light and Bread you sweare by a God These oaths were usual amongst Heathens Socrates whether it was to deride the Heathens opinions about their gods would sweare by a Cocke and by a Dogge It cannot be denied but that it might be men at first out of a superstitious reverence to God did forbeare to swear by him but herein they did more dishonour God while they thought to honour him which is alwayes the fruit of superstition Some Protestants indeed Calvin and Peter Martyr are said in some sense to allow swearing by creatures as the symbols of Gods presence and power but that is not safe and there is no creature but in it the power and wisdome of God doth appear so that then we might swear by every creature God then onely is to be sworne by for he alone is the all-seeing witnesse of all that we doe and omnipotent to punish such as shall take his Name in vaine So that thou art not to thinke thou art clean from the dishonour of God because thou swearest but doest not name him It is true two wayes learned men say we may mention a creature in an Oath though we do not swear by it And The first is when we mention it as a pledge in which we desire God would punish us if we say not the truth As here in the Text Paul doth name his soule though he doth not sweare by it And in this sense some excuse that speech of Joseph's By the life of Pharaoh Genes 42. 15. For say they his meaning is As deare as Pharaoh's life is unto me which I would have God constantly preserve it is thus and thus Even as in the primitive times though the Christians refused to swear Per genium Imperatoris yet they did swear per salutem as that which was dear unto them Although for that fact of Joseph some say it was his sinne and condemn him therein as if by living in Pharaoh's Court he had contracted this sinfull custome In the second place it is lawfull to mention a creature in an Oath and not swear by it When we make a collation and comparison as it were betweene the truth of one thing and another As when David said to Jonathan As the Lord liveth and as thy soule liveth there is but a steppe betweene me and death 1 Samuel 10. 3. Thus Hannah said to Eli O my Lord as thy soule liveth I am the woman that stood here praying 1 Sam. 1. 26. Thus Abner said to Saul when he asked him Whose sonne David was he answered As thy soule liveth O King I cannot tell 1 Sam. 17. 55. In these places they doe not sweare by the soule of a man but make a comparison as sure as they live which is plaine and manifest so surely is such a thing true And in this sense likewise some defend that Oath of the primitive Christians By the safety or life of the Emperour if thereby they did not meane God himself as David often calleth God The health and light of his countenance yea his life also Now although in these respects a creature may be named lawfully yet the latter way is not to be used by Christians For it is offensive to godly eares especially that is a wicked and most ungodly comparison which some men use when they will say Such a thing is as true as God is true For that is blasphemy to compare a creature and the infinite Majesty of God together in matter of truth In the third place Concerning this Definition of an Oath that is A religious calling upon God we may question concerning some forme of speeches which are frequently used amongst us whether they be Oaths or no. As First Many have this ordinary expression I vow to God it is
the Lord liveth therefore not by any creature 1. In truth that is be sure that the thing thou swearest be true not onely in it self but to thy conscience that thou knowest the truth of it or if thou hast not the certainty of it that thou beleevest it to be so upon good grounds and against this offend all those who swear falsly and will bring as much as lieth in them God to witnesse a lye 2. In judgement that is with prudence deliberation and caution Be well advised before thou swearest and against this offend all common swearers that swear rashly and for ordinary things as also those who swear in passions and when moved by anger 3. In righteousnesse that is be sure the matter thou swearest especially in promissory oaths be lawfull and just such which is agreeable to Gods Word To these we may adde two more 1. That we swear in faith beleeving not only that there is a God but also that he is an observer of all that we speak or do and an avenger of such who shall pollute his Name And then 2. that we do it with holy awe and reverence of God upon our spirits We are to fear an oath Oh what trembling and confusion may this work upon rash and passionate common swearers How often hath the name of God been taken into thy mouth rashly and prophanely Thou who when thou art to do with a great man in place and honour dost with all reverence approach to him how cometh the Majesty of the great God to be thus contemned by thee In the last place When may we swear and that is in the generall when necessity doth compell when the truth cannot be found out any other waies for an oath is to be used when other means are deficient and more particularly we are then only to swear when the honour of God is concerned or Religion and Christianity is falsly accused and these are publique grounds To which we may adde the good of the Common-wealth or we are to swear upon a particular occasion to clear our selves from false accusations and crimes charged upon us if otherwise our innocency cannot appear or in the behalf of others when they shall suffer either in name life or estate and we are required 〈◊〉 unto by the Magistrate that so justice may proceed SERM. CXLIII Ordinary Swearing reproved and put to Silence 2 COR. 1. 23. Moreover I call God to record upon my soul c. I Shall now conclude the Subject which the former part of this verse hath afforded unto us From what hath been delivered concerning an Oath I proceed to an Use of severe Reproof against that common Epidemicall sinne of ordinary swearing It is a Nationall sinne it is the City-sinne it is the Village-sinne it is the Family-sinne it is the rich mans sinne the poor mans sinne the old mans sin the young mans yea the childs sin who learneth to speak and swear together But if an oath be a religious calling upon God as a witnesse if it be a sacred worship of his holy Name where will such prophane contemners of the honour and glory of God appear What mountains shall cover them from the wrath of God What shall be done unto thee thou cursing swearing tongue Not coals of juniper but of hell fire shall be powred upon thee We may be amazed and wonder why such a sinne should be thus universall for other sins have either pleasure or profit but this hath none at all Certainly the custome of such a sinne cometh from the meer wickednesse and prophanenesse of a mans heart having no fear of God in our souls for there is no earthly advantage that tempteth to this common ordinary swearing yet it hath been a generall sinne in the former ages of the Church as well as now How zealous and frequent is Chrysostome against that ungodly custom of swearing Adhuc timeo quia nullus timet saith he With no lesse godly affection doth Austin also set himself against it yea it seemeth there were such prophane wretches in his daies as are in ouâ—s who did account juramentum in ore magnum suave aliquid And have not we many who judge an oath to be a grace to their language and deride at such who are so precise as to be offended at such passages Oh therefore that God would so blesse this Discourse at this time to you that the prophane swearing tongue may be converted into a praying tongue a repenting and confessing tongue that he who hath sworn may never do so more but fear an oath as much as hell-fire and for this purpose consider these motives thereunto First That there is an expresse precept and command against such ordinary rash swearing and therefore you cannot with any forehead pleade for the lawfulnesse of it neither can you say we did not know that it was a sin to do thus for Christ hath set a command like a Beacon upon an hill none can but see it And it spâ—aks almost as loud as the Trumpet at the day of judgement none can but hear it It is Mat. 5. 34. But I say unto you Swear not at all and ver 37. Let your communication be yea yea nay nay he saith Swear not at all so that if it be but once an unlawfull swearing in all thy life thou hast transgressed this command and as one tile of the house neglected may in time make the whole covering consume and one rent in the garment let alone may at last destroy the whole so even one sinfull oath not repented of or humbled for may bring on the damnation of the whole man You see this command is laid down so strictly both in the negative and affirmative part that some have judged it wholly unlawful to swear in any case but that you heard was an error on the right hand yet so farre the command extendeth as to forbid all customary idle rash and unnecessary swearing So that the common swearer may as much fear to come near this command as the Israelite did to the mount when the Law was given Shall not this command of Christ be more to thee than all custome and example But I say unto you saith Christ Swear not at all who dareth then thus contradict Christ Why dost thou not all the day-long minde thy self of this Why doth not thy conscience put thee in remembrance of this command Say when thou risest when thou walkest when thou goest to bed this commandment to thy self Swear not The Apostle James also because of the great necessity and utility of this precept doth repeat it to beleevers For as Luthers saying is principum literae sunt bis vel ter legendae Princes letters and commands are to be read twice or thrice And thus we are daily to meditate on this duty by this gemination it should appear that the heart of man is very ready to break out into this filthy prophanenesse though there be no alluring motive Therefore he
bring the Tempests of Gods wrath upon the Land only when Magistrates make good and severe Laws against swearing and the under-Officers are diligent in execution for good laws without execution are like a Bell without a clapper as one said then the guilt is taken off the land And therefore it would be cruelty to the Nation to spare a particular person you are unwilling to make the swearer mourn and thereby you make the land mourn Therefore let justice be executed upon swearers that so the nation may not incur Gods displeasure Lastly This sin or common and irreverent swearing is condemned by the very light of nature Heathens as the Pythagoreans have thought it a reproach to a man to swear his word should be as good as an oath It is noted of Hercules that he did never swear and therefore judged by the Heathens most religious The more inexcusable are those Christians of whom Hierom complaineth that would use those Latine Oaths mehercule medius fidius Plutarch reports that when some were to swear among the heathens they took them out of the house and made them swear in the open air one reason whereof was to make them deliberating and considering before they did so Will not these heathens rise up in judgement against our common swearers who yet glory in this Title of Christianity But let us hear their excuses and cavils such swearers use to make 1. They say It 's a custome they have got and they cannot leave it But 1. the more desperate and incurable is thy disease the more a sinne is habituated the worse it is This is not an excuse but an aggravation Doth a custome in drunkennesse or uncleannesse alienate and not rather inhance And 2. Why may not this custome be left Of all customes we might think this might be parted with most easily for as you heard here is no profit or pleasure to tempt thee Chrysostome answering this very cavill saith That many who have had a custome to stammer have yet by diligence left it yea he speaketh of one who had a custome of lifting up one shoulder higher than another that by naked swords upon the place to cut him if he should do so any more did thereby leave that ill use and may not this custome of swearing be parted with upon easier terms Bid thy Wife tell thee of it thy children thy servants saith the same Ancient and then at last as many joyning together do so stop a beast that they catch him thus saith he they will at last we ary thee out of this custome In the next place Many do so even all generally except some few Precisians do swear and why should not I do as most do But to answer this the command is clear thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil Exo. 23. 2. Most men go in the broad way to hell most men will be damned and therefore this is no plea. Again we are not to live by examples but by precepts What though all use to swear that live by thee yet the command of Christ is to be more than the examples even of holy men and Angels themselves much more then of wicked and ungodly men In the third place I think no hurt I do no body any wrong But 1. there is no man that sinneth intendeth to sinne the will of man cannot be carried out to will evil as it is evil and so every sinner might excuse himself Again if thy oaths do not hurt others yet they do thy own soul thou art a murderer of that and as much as lieth in thee thou hurtest God robbing him of the glory due to him And lastly thou dost hurt others for if a father thy children learn to swear from thee if a Master thy servants do or thy neighbours are encouraged and the godly they are grieved at it In the fourth place Some pleade they sweare but sometimes it is when they are in a passion when they are provoked But 1. Once is too much any sinne once committed is enough to damne for ever without repentance And whereas thou saist It is in thy passion that will not excuse if thou killest a man in thy passion doth that free thee before God The stronger thy passions are the weaker thou art in grace yea in reason Therefore thy condition is the more dangerous because so easily moved into passion many grievous sins are sometimes committed in passion which may make thee ashamed and mourn all thy life long Again art thou in a passion therefore the more unfit to take the Name of God in thy mouth the greater thy irreverence by how much more violent the passion is In the fifth place But when I have sworn in my passion and do recall my self I am sorry for it and ask God forgivenesse But 1. seeing the sin of irreverent swearing is a very grievous sin committed immediatly against the Majesty of God it is not an ordinary confession a transient Lord have mercy upon me that can be accounted repentance in this case There must be a serious and solemn setting of our selvs to humiliation for sins of this nature And 2. if ye be so sorrowfull as never to fall into such passionate swearing again then it is good but upon the very next provocation the next passion you fall a cursing and swearing again as formerly so that it is plain thou hast not repented Thou sinnest and then askest God forgivenesse and then thou sinnest again what is this but to play the hypocrite with God and to mock him In the sixth place say some I would not swear but they will not beleeve me else To this it is answered happily it is thy fault they do not think thee a man of truth and honesty if they did thy bare word would be enough and in the next place who will beleeve thee the more for thy ordinary swearing they think it is so common with thee that thou dost not matter it and withall he that is not afraid to dishonour God I cannot beleeve him though he should swear a thousand oaths and indeed who doth regard the word and speeches of a common swearer that is wise and prudent Lastly Some excuse themseves That they are but petty oaths they do not take Gods Name in vain their oaths are petty oaths by their faith and troth and is that such an offence To answer this 1. there is no petty oath no more than a petty God or a petty damnation And 2. While you think to honour God you dishonour him out of reverence you will not swear by him but by a creature this is more highly to offend him while you give that which is due to him to a creature And therefore 3. here is not only unlawful swearing in those oaths but idolatry also Is your faith a God Is your troth a God Is your faith an alseeing witnesse Can that damn thee if thou swear falsly Therefore in these oaths you do not only sin but
it unlawfull yea on the contrary God is thereby glorified and the publike edified For if you do regard the originall or rise of an Oath that is for the honour of God it being introduced upon a faith that God beholds all things that he loveth truth and will be a severe avenger of all those who take his Name in vain And then if you consider the end of it it is to establish righteousnesse between man and man and so is a bond of humane society And if you say there is this unfitnesse in an Oath because a spiritual thing is ordained to that which is temporall a superiour for an inferiour the worship of God to decide an humane businesse Because therefore of the awe and reverence to an Oath some though they have thought it lawfull to swear in sacred things wherein Gods honour is immediatly concerned yet judge it unlawfull about many Controversies and such humane contracts Hence Basil Homil de legend lib. Gent. commendeth Clinias a Pythagorean who being fined a very great summe of money the paying whereof he might have escaped by taking an oath yet refused and would rather suffer that great losse rather than take an oath But the true answer is by distinguishing of the proxime and ultimate end though an oath which is a worship of God have for its proxime end a confirmation of some temporall matter yet the ultimate end is to glorifie God Again there may be this in reason against an Oath that it seemeth to be a tempting of God for can we make God witnesse to a thing when we will To this the answer is that if the intention of the swearer in his oath should be so to call God to witnesse that he should immediatly by some signe in a sensible manner demonstrate his notice thereof This indeed would be to tempt God though some times Gods judgements do immediatly and visibly fall upon such as take his Name in vain or invisibly by terrours and horrours of conscience but that is not or ought not to be the scope of him that sweareth but thereby to commit the truth of God who in his due time here or hereafter will be avenged upon such as swear not aright Well then you will say all this may be granted but what shall we say to those two places of Scripture which seem as clearly to forbid all oaths at any time as clearly as can be expressed The first is Matth. 5. 33 34. c. But I say unto you Swear not at all c. where first our Saviour doth universally prohibit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at no time in no thing as it might seem 2. He saith Let your yea be yea and nay nay that is use no more than a bare affirmation without calling God to witnesse And lastly he addeth Whatsoever is more is of sinne Now if you compare the Apostle James who alludeth to this of our Saviour he speaketh more positively Jam. 5. 12. Above all things my brethren swear not neither by heaven neither by the earth neither by any other oath lost you might think He forbiddeth swearing by creatures he addeth neither by any other oath lest ye fall into condemnation or as Grotius who sheweth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for falshood and a lye left by swearing you come to forswearing Thus you see how fairly these Texts seem to carry it against any kinde of swearing and by this private Christians are to be admonished to compare one place of Scripture with another and panciora per plura for the minding of some Texts only not comparing them with other hath caused much errour As in the doctrine of Universall Redemption because some places say Christ dyed for all they runne away with them not considering other places which do restrain them and shew in what sense that Universality is to be understood So because it is said Swear not at all nor by any other oath therefore they conclude that no swearing is lawfull And how guilty then must Paul be who yet bid us follow him as he did Christ for he sweareth often It is certain then that our Saviour Christ doth not forbid swearing in the generall for he saith at that time he came not to destroy the Law and swearing was lawfull in the Old Testament But the Pharisaicall opinions and glosses for they had brought in corrupt positions 1. That it was lawfull to swear by creatures as well as God 2. If a man did swear by creatures and not by God he was not guilty of perjury if he did not fullfill it Our Saviour therefore doth expresly condemn both these This is the summe of this Prohibition We are not to swear by creatures but yet if we do because they relate to God it is by interpretation as if we did swear by God himself Grotius indeed thinketh that this place with that of James is to be understood of promissory oaths and Volkelius the Socinian he seemeth to say That though this place may not forbid all assertory oaths when necessity requireth yet promissory oaths are not allowable when the thing is not certain and it may not be in our power to fullfill it But the Texts comprehend both It is true Learned Interpreters go contrary waies though they both meet in the end For some say Our Saviour doth not forbid all oaths but all oaths by creatures and some make the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to relate to swearing but the words following Neither by heaven or earth as if it were a distribution of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this sence the swearing not at all or no other oath is to be limited to creatures not at all by the creatures not any oath by them he doth not forbid us to swear by God in just causes or before a Magistrate but by the creatures and that in our ordinary discourse For the Jews did not think it lawfull to swear by any thing but God in their solemn Judicatories Thus it is like that universall All Whatsoever they bid you observe do Matth. 23. 3. that is all lawfull things So when Paul saith I became all things to all men that is in things lawful and indifferent he did not become an Idolater Others they grant that our Saviour forbiddeth all oaths as well those by God as by the creatures because he giveth this reason That whosoever sweareth by the creatures sweareth by God in effect and then they say the meaning is Swear not at all that is in unnecessary and causelesse matters The swearing is not so much forbidden as the frequent and unncecessary use of it As much as lieth in you Swear not at all and this is every mans duty Thus we have briefly vindicated that Text. In the next place how may we swear lawfully And in this the Prophet Jeremiah informeth us of three necessary concomitants of every oath which all Writers almost upon this Subject take notice of Jer. 4. 3. Thou shalt swear