unknown God I hope not yet Brethren notwithstanding all our high-raised notions and speculations of God he is truely in a Scripture-sence unknown to so many of us as know him not 1. Experimentally The Devils have more notions of God then the greatest Philosophers in the world It is possible for a man to have many conceptions and be able accurately to distinguish and solidly to determine concerning the grace of God and yet in a Scripture-sence know nothing of it unless he taste and see that the Lord is gracious Nicodemus a master in Israel yet ignorant of the work of regeneration in respect of which an ordinary Christian may know more then the greatest Scholar I have read of one Didymus a blinde man whom for his incomparable learning S. Jerome was wont to call his Seer many such there are blind as to the abstruse notions of God but Seers in respect of experience which is the onely true saving knowledge of God 2. Practically and operatively as our knowledge influenceth upon our lives to conform them to what we know otherwise the Gospel and God are but notions to us and Scripture interprets it as a deniall of God They profess they know God but in works they deny Tit. 1. 16. him All our notions of God without this suitable practise can but amount to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of knowledge not to any saving Rom. 2. 20. discovery If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them not John 13. 17. else If knowledge would do it the Devils might be in heaven The exprobratory sentence will be at last not well read or disputed great Scholar but well done thou good and faithfull servant Seneca speaks of some Philosophers of his days Boni esse desierunt simui ac docti evaserint who ceased to be good when they began to be learned I shall charitably believe no such will be found amongst us for I speak not these things as S. Paul saith to his Corinthians to shame you 1 Cor. 4. 14. but as my beloved Brethren and Friends I warn you and exhort you in the words of S. Peter to adde to your knowledge vertue that you 2 Pet. 1. 5. may be such as Seneca would have every teacher to be Magis miremur visum quà m auditum such as may be admired more for holiness of life then subtilty of learning which God accounts no knowledge if destitute of the study and practise of obedience Hereby know we that we know him if we keep his commandments He that 1 Joh. 2. 3 4 saith he knoweth him and keepeth not his commandments is a lyar and the truth is not in him Eighthly and lastly I beseech you Fathers and Brethren suffer the word of exhortation which quickens you to zeal and diligence in the dispensation of the Gospel committed to your trust that you may effect in your people by the preaching of the word what the highest improvements of nature as you have heard cannot reach to wit a saving knowledge of God God instituted the preaching of his word and Gospel to supply the defect of natural light the Apostle is express that when in the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 21. the world by wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe God hath commissionated you on purpose as he did Paul to open mens eyes and turn them from Acts 26. 18. Mal. 2. 7. darkness to light The Priests lips must preserve knowledge that the people may seek the law at his mouth In order to bringing the people to a saving knowledge let me who would willingly lie as Disciple at your feet being by providence in this place take the boldness to give you a three-fold direction First Endeavour to bring those committed to your charge to a Scripture-knowledge of God Preach God not according to the abstruse Metaphysical notions of Plato and Aristotle all which Clemens Alexandrinus saith are but like a rotten nut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath no kernel nothing to feed souls which must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the same Authour but according to the revelation God hath made of himself in Scripture Thus you shall approve your selves to God in the discharge of your office Empty aiery speculations may perhaps gratifie the humour phansie and curiositie of men but Scripture-truths onely please and honour God S. Pauls advice to Timothy is very remarkable Study to shew thy self 2 Tim. 2. 15. approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed and the way to that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word of truth Secondly Preach a God in Christ. The Heathen can arrive at the knowledge of a God abstractly considered but a God in Christ is beyond the reach of natural sagacity but is your Commission to make known God saith the Apostle hath committed 2 Cor. 5. 19. unto us the word of reconciliation but what is that why that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Lay this as the foundation of all your building Christ in his person and Christ in his offices Christ in opposition to nature in contradistinction to merit and your own works and righteousness Thirdly Let all your other knowledge stoop to the discovering God savingly and so far as it is not consistent with a plain and profitable discovery of God to the people lay it aside S. Paul though brought up at the feet of Gamaliel yet layd down his learning at the feet of Christ and professeth that though he spake with tongues more then they all yet in the Church he had rather 1 Cor. 14. 18 19. preach five words that he might teach others then ten thousand words in anunknown tongue At Athens indeed a famous University he quoteth a Poet Acts 17. vers 28 but when he comes to 1 Cor. 2. 2. his Corinthians then he determines to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non magni feci is Grotius gloss I valued no knowledge but disesteemed it that I might bring you to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as crucified Our Saviour Coloss 2. 3. who had in him all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge yet condiscended to the capacity of those whom he instructed speaking Mark 4. 33. the word to them as they were able to hear it In this Christ is a fit pattern for our imitation to teach us by a familiar plainness to descend to the understandings of the people Quomodò paratus esset impendi pro animabus eorum si eum pigeret inclinari ad aures eorum saith Augustin in his book De catechizandis rudibus Rev. 2. 4. In a word you are stars in the right hand of Christ which speaks both your security and your duty it is the office of stars to shine in the night with that light which they borrow from the Sun so
vineyard because it would not stand with his interest thus doctrines do oft ebbe and flow upon politick considerations and and the truth is lost in the world 3. All is done by the Spirit the Word is but a dead letter may we not therefore better expect the whispers of it then to be tyed to a constant attendance upon the word preached As if the impotent people John 5. should have argued we cannot be healed unless we be put in therefore we will not lie at the pool nay they knew but one of them could be healed at a time and yet all lay expecting Is it in vain to sow your seed because you can have no crop without the influence of heaven so no sowing the seed of the word because no thriving without the Spirit It is said James 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us of the word of truth The word is Gods yet we are begotten by the word So S. Paul tells his Corinthians In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. Because the hand writes is the pen therefore needless The Corinthians were S. Pauls epistle written by the finger of the Spirit and Saint Pauls preaching too 2 Corinth 3. 3. The Sun enlightens but by a medium the Spirit begets and regenerates but by the word as in 1 Pet. 1. 23 24. 4. I have alreadie profited by the word and therefore I have no further need of it The Apostle commands indeed that we should attend upon the preaching of the word but no longer then till the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. and I finde that alreadie in those appearances of Christ to my soul and these spiritual illuminations I have communicated unto me therefore I am disobliged from any further attendance upon the word In the removing of this scruple I desire these particulars may be considered I. Thy former experience of the efficiencie and power of the word will if they have been true sweeten the word more to thee raise up thy esteem of it revive thy delight in it and engage thee in a further and more chearfull attendance upon it I beseech you consider that pregnant place of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious A true taste will sharpen our appetites as a childe that hath tasted the breast is still longing and crying after it and can hardly be weaned from it so it will be with every true childe of God who hath rellished this sincere milk of the word he gets a stomach by eating Indeed a man may have a light superficial taste of the word and apostatize as in Heb. 6. 6. and that is sad but a real experience of the power and sweetness of it most effectually quickens desires after it So it did in David Psal 63. 1 2. He had seen and therefore desires to see As it fared with Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. 27. Mine eyes have been enlightned because I tasted a little of this honey so it is with Christians who have tasted the sweetness of the word they are enlightned to see the excellencie and desirableness of it which quickens their desires after it as in Psal 34. 8. taste that you may see It is the want of taste and experience which hinders men from the sight of the excellencie and desirableness of it I should suspect that man never to have profited by the word who himself pretends so to have profited by the word as to be justly exempted from any further attendance upon it II. We will charitably suppose it to be true that thou hast been converted by the word preached but art thou so perfect all on a suddain that thou needest no furtherances and additions of further degrees What because thou art born again is therefore the sincere milk needless by which thou shouldest grow Thou professest the truth well but doest thou not need to be confirmed by the word preached It was the Apostles work to confirm the souls of the disciples Acts 14. 22. and surely most needfull in these unsteadie unsettled wavering and apostatizing times when many who have professed highly have apostatized fouly Be your knowledge true it is but imperfect for we know but in part and therefore you still need the word to be a light and a lamp to you your affections sanctified but perhaps are dull and heavie they need the word to quicken and enflame them as Christ did his disciples Luke 24. 32. Thou art at the highest pitch of thy attainments why Christ hath given Pastours for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4. 12. or if thy graces thrive and grow still thy comforts may be but weak and languishing therefore thou still needest the word quicken and strengthen them for God creates the fruit of the lips peace They are not sensible of their imperfection sure who feel not the want of a constant supply of the word of God The meat of one day will not serve you for a week and surely you do not pray onely for bodily but spiritual food when you say Lord give us this day our daily bread The Israelites gathered their Manna in the wilderness daily and not once for all if laid up it putrified while we are in our pilgrimage we must daily gather the Manna of the word of God to nourish us till we come to our heavenly Canaan and then we shall not need it Naaman washed seven times in Jordan before his leprosie was cleansed some of the old leprosie of sin cleaves to the best and we must be continually washing in the waters of the sanctuarie and Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates c. Prov. 8. 34. III. As to the Scripture pleaded in Peter it is necessary to observe 2 Pet. 1. 19. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill doth not denote the term of time but as Beza notes on Matth. 1. 25. tempus interjectum simpliciter denotat it asserts the present but denies not the future time as Scripture affords us many instances as Matth. 28. 20. I am with you unto the end of the world What no longer Yes it will be their happiness to enjoy him to eternity So Matth. 22. 44. Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool But shall Christ sit there no longer Yes surely So here untill notes the end of the word not the term of time for our attendance We must attend so long but it doth not say then no longer use of it The Enthusiasts use this place to favour their neglect of the word for by the day-star they would understand extraordinary immediate revelations so by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is evident the Apostle meant the same with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 20. as opposed to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. such are these
whose prayer was hypocrisie would see oft a mote in his brothers eye and pretend to a skill and desire to pull it out when he neglects the beam in his own He that is so much abroad it is to be feared he seldome turns his eyes inward to consider the plague of his own heart The Pharisee boasts that he is not as the Publican but the good Publican strikes upon his own breast and saith Lord be mercifull to me a sinner It is our dutie Brethren to reprove others but nor uncharitably to condemn them This censorious uncharitableness is commonly the issue of a Pharisaical opinion of a mans own righteousness It was otherwise with the disciples Mark 14. 18 19. they say not Is it he or he but each ready to suspect and accuse himself Lord is it I so the Apostle here accuseth himself by a particular indictment here in the gross of whom I am the chief Whereas in respect of others a Christian thinks it better to wrong himself by an over charitable credulitie then others by unjust censures and suspicions but before God none accuse themselves more hereby magnifying more the grace of God in pardoning haec ejus accusatio est laus salvatoris saith Ambrose accusing himself he exalts his Saviour who came into the world to save sinners of whom he accuseth himself as the chief That 's the third IV. Vox spiritualiter illuminati as the words of the Apostle inwardly enlightned to see and discern the nature of his former sins and this is one thing in which every true Christian is enlightned S. Paul in his unregenerate estate thought in his conscience he was bound to oppose the Gospel of Christ as he tells you himself Acts 26. 9. but now he discovers the horrid nature of his blasphemie and persecution and unbelief and therefore oft heightens it Gal. 1. 13. Carnal hearts do not see the evil of sin and therefore think it a light small matter they 'l be playing with the serpent as not feeling the sting of it but when a Christian spiritually enlightned sees sin through the glass of the law and the bloud of Christ it appears in its proper colours Thus to S. Paul by the law sin appeared exceeding sinfull Rom. 7. and himself here The greatest of sinners That 's the fourth V. Vox confitentis as the words of S. Paul confessing his sin He was primus in ordine confitentium saith Aretius upon the place as readie to acknowledge his sin as any and surely this is a great Christian dutie however many now a-days are high-flown into raptures and ecstasies and cry down Confession and Repentance as legal The Saints in Scripture have been express and frequent in this duty David frequently in the Psalms Psal 32. 5. and fully Psal 51. 2 4 5. confesses his original corruption Read holy Ezra's confession Ezra 9. 5 6. See Daniels holy and humble confession Dan. 9. 4. he recounts particular sins v. 5 6. so continues till v. 16. thus Paul v. 13. and here I am the chief of sinners Hereby Christians acknowledge their liableness to Justice and magnifie the grace of God in pardoning as S. Paul v. 13. yet he obtained mercy Much like this of the Apostle is that of Tertullian in his book de poenitentia Peccator omnium notarum sum nec ulli rei nisi poenitentiae natus that is I am a most notorious sinner as if I were born to no other end then to confess and repent That brings me to the sixth thing as they are VI. Vox dolentis as the words of S. Paul mourning and sorrowing in the remembrance of his former and meditation of his present sins ut se humiliet adhuc dolet de sua incredulitate saith Ambrose upon the place the Apostle still mournes upon the consideration of his unbelief Though many even of those who crucified Christ as those Acts 2. were brought to a sence of their sin yet none more then Paul who now converted yet grieves for his former unbelief True Christians are tender hearted so easily melted into sorrow It is one thing which God workes upon the heart in conversion viz. a melting tenderness under sin How doth Mary Magdalen formerly notorious shed a fountain of teares how tender was Davids heart when he had cut of Sauls garment and numbred the people 2. Sam. 24. 10. And Christians oft mourn even after God hath pardoned them that they should by sin formerly so much dishonour him I question not but upon this account David watered his couch with his tears and some say Peter never heard the cock crow but he wept for the denyal of his Master and Austin in his confessions often aggravates and heightens his sin while a Manichee so the Apostle here reflecting upon his former blasphemy c. seemes with a tear in his eye to cry out Of whom I am the chief VII Vox ingemescent is sub onere the Apostle speaks this as sensible of the burden of sin so that he was the greatest of sinners in respect of his own sence and feeling As suppose one sick of the tooth-ach or head-ach cries out No pain is like my pain because he feels that by experience but other mens by speculation only so the Apostle here from an inward sence of his own sins calls himself the chief of sinners Here 's again a Character of a true Christian He is one to whom sin is a real burthen whereas a wicked man makes light of it sin is there in its proper place A wicked man is in his Element when sinning and Elementa non gravitant in propriis locis but a Christian having a heart of flesh so tender the least sin is a burthen to him David complains of his broken bones by reason of sin and that his sins were a burthen too heavie for him to bear and Paul here confesseth himself the chief of sinners VIII Vox fidei applicantis the words of S. Paul by a particular faith applying to himself that general truth that Christ came into the world to save sinners As if he should have said * Ad quoâ— venit primus ego sum Aug. tom 10. pag. 200. I am the chief of those sinners which Christ came to save This is the special art of saving faith to bring down Vniversal truths by particular application so did David Psal 116. 5 6 7. See he applies the general mercy of God to himself It is not enough to believe in the general that Christ came to save sinners for this is but historical which the divels believe and tremble because they have no part in him and thousands will be damned who profess they believe this but true saving faith is a fiducial relyance upon and particular application of Christ as coming to save me in particular as S. Paul did Gal. 2. 20. so 2. Tim. 1. 22. and hereafter there is layd up for me a crown c. c. 4. v. 8. and here he brings down this general
dangerous But because many things may be pretended for the neglect hereof I shall remove a scruple or two First Object Say some I am unlearned I cannot search into it Answ To this I answer I wish thou wert learned and able to read they self but then know thou oughtest so much the more carefully to attend and conscienciously wait upon the publick reading of the Scripture in these publick assemblies This hath been the constant practise of the Church in all ages as is evident partly in Luke 4 16 17. and partly in Acts 13. 15. where you see in both places it was the usual custome to have the Scriptures read in their publick assemblies and after reading followed preaching The ground whereof was surely as to preserve the purity of Scripture-doctrine in the Church that the people hearing the word so frequently read might not be imposed upon by errour or delusions of men so also for the profit advantage and edification of those who cannot read or search the Scriptures and that the preaching of the word might come with more light and power upon their hearts If you cannot read your selves get others to read unto you and be you so much the more in prayer and meditation Second Object I have so much employment in the world that I have no leisure to search the Scriptures If I should privately search Scripture and attend frequently upon the preaching of the word it would set me behinde hand in the world and hinder my thriving Answ I answer This is much what the Apologie that those made who pretended their farms and oxen as an excuse for not coming unto the wedding Matth. 22. But Christians break through your worldly employments prefer God before the world and your souls before your bodies an act of Religion before all worldly business and believe it you will be no losers by it God will succeed and bless your labours more Never was any man a loser by his Religion See what God promised to the lews Exod. 34. 24. that He would secure their land for them while they went up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. And what our Saviour said to the Disciples Luke 22. 35. When I sent you out without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye anything Thou pretendest no leisure the truth is Non parùm temporis habemus sed multùm perdimus saies Seneca Yes we have time enough but we loose too much of it Thou hast no leisure for this but Art thou at leisure for thy pleasures and not for Religion for the world and not for God for shame cheat not your own souls with such vain pretences but as thou desirest the knowledge of Christ here and the enjoyment of Christ hereafter be consciencious in this duty of Searching the Scriptures Use Third It reproves those who believe not this truth that the Scripture is the word of God But you will say This concerns not us Go charge the Turks and Indians with this No my Brethren many of our selves here are guilty of this for though mens mouths profess it yet their hearts deny it as the Apostle speaks of some In words they profess God but in works they deny him Tit. 1. 16. Did men really believe the corruptions of their natures and their constant liableness unto wrath would there be so much pride so much confidence in sin Did men really believe that of every idle word they must give an account would there be so much idle frothy ungodly profane lascivious talking and discourse Did men believe the Apostle Gal. 5. 19 20 21. that all those vices there rehearsed were the works of the flesh would those sins so much abound Did men believe that they who did no wrong to their neighbour should enter into and dwell in the Tabernacle of God Psal 15. 1 5. would there be so much oppression and extortion Did men believe that God will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel as in 2 Thess 1. 8. would there be such a contented wilfull ignorance of God Truth where it is effectually entertained will have an influence upon the life How do most men hold Gospel-truth in unrighteousness as the Apostle saies the Gentiles did the light of nature Rom. 1. 18. so these with-hold Gospel-truths for certainly wickedness in the life speaks an ineffectual entertainment of the truth Use Fourth It condemns those who do not value and prize the Scripture How did the Heathens prize their Oracles yet the generalitie of Christians do not prize these Oracles of God as the Apostle calls them Rom. 3. 2. Three things there are that make this out unto us 1. Mens wilfull and contented ignorance of Scripture What things we prize we search into How does the Scholar pry and search into those notions he affects and values So would men do if they did value and prize the word aright but the contrarie to this rather is evident by their language Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. II. Mens weariness in searching the Scripture What things we prize in the search of them we finde delight but how are men tyred at a Sermon or Sabbath in which the Scriptures are read Is not the language of those Israelites in Amos 8. 5. the language of too many among us When will the Sabbath be ended c. Men are sooner weary of this then any other III. Mens seldom discoursing of Scripture As they said to Peter in another case Matth. 26. 73. Thy speech bewrayeth thee so mens speeches bewray their want of affections to the Scriptures The Scholar upon every occasion is discoursing of those notions which he prizeth but men are far more wise to discourse of the world then of heaven and heavenly things Use Fifth Of exhortation That you would endeavour to get your faith well grounded in this fundamental truth that neither Satan tempt you nor men dispute you out of it for till then I. Your faith will be uncertain and weak as a building without a foundation as a ship without ballast or anchor soon tossed and ship-wrackt and this we may think is the cause of most mens Apostacie in these declining times II. Your lives will be but loose If you be not throughly convinced of your dutie of walking by Scripture-rule you will walk at uncertainties and so amiss III. Your comforts weak if not grounded on Scripture-promises This is one main reason why mens comforts ebb and flow so much they are not grounded on a sure belief of Scripture and if once your faith in this truth waver the foundation of your comfort must needs be shaken For the attaining whereof I can give you no better direction then that you Pray earnestly for the Spirit that he would please I. To open the eyes of your minde illightning and irradiating the understanding to see those arguments and evidences of this truth which lie in the Scriptures So S. John tells us I John 2. 26. These things have I written unto you that no man seduce you And without this all other arguments will be ineffectual to the begetting of a saving and through belief of this truth As Agar when her eyes were opened saw a well of water Gen. 21. 19. so there are arguments to evince this truth sufficient in the Scriptures but they will never be brought home to the soul with a full conviction till the Spirit open our eyes to see them for this is one end why the Spirit of God is given to us and received of us that we may know the things that are freely given unto us by the Spirit of God as in I Cor. 2. 12. 2. To remove that natural enmitie and prejudice that we have against an effectual assent to the Gospel and so sanctifie our hearts as to make it close with and heartily embrace it as the truth and word of God Truth resists our corruptions and they it What is the great Gospel truth but Christ his coming to undertake as our Jesus this we cannot savingly assent unto but by the Spirit as in I Cor 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Corruption fills the soul with prejudices against the truth The Philosopher observes that the Mathematicks though abstruse in themselves are sooner learnt by a young man dissolute and that hath not tamed his passions then morality because those being mere speculations bring no oppositions to his lusts which the precepts of morality curb and restrain So mens corruptions and unsubdued lusts prejudice the soul against the belief of Gospel-truth which the sanctifying work of the Spirit doth subdue and remove and so disposes the soul for the entertainment of the truth of the Gospel as we see in S. Paul who having his lusts subdued once came to preach that Gospel which before he had persecuted FINIS
and effectuall propagating of the Gospel poured out plentifully of the extraordinary Gifts of his Spirit and it would be rashness in any one to assert that Apollos was not extraordinarily Gifted and if so this instance will nothing at all advantage those pretenders who want ordinary Gifts 4. Consider that this Apollos was one of Johns disciples ver 25. it is said He knew only the baptisme of John that is to say the doctrine of John concerning Christ to come and it may probably be thought the contrary cannot be proved that he was authorized and commissionated by John to preach the Gospel 5. Observe what this Apollos was afterwards an eminent publick and authorized preacher in the Church of Corinth S. Pauls helper and successor 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have planted saith Paul and Apollo watered and therefore S. Paul calls him his brother 1 Cor. 16. 12. and he is totidem verbis in express terms called a minister 1 Cor. 3. 5. Who is Paul or who is Apollos but ministers by whom ye believed and so famous he was that he hath the churches approbation of his Gifts verse 27. and when he came to Corinth he was so eminent that he proved the head of a sect and faction which is the highest ambition of their pretenders 1 Cor. 1. 12. One saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ and though this was after his preaching here at Ephesus yet I reading of no ordination he received afterwards have good reason to believe that he was now ordained 6. Negative testimonies from Scripture in things circumstantiall are but illogicall and inartificiall arguments God indeed hath in things fundamentall to faith and holiness made a plentifull provision in scripture which is able to make a man wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 17. and perfect to every goodwork To assume any thing as a rule of life or foundation of faith more then that the scripture affords is to impose upon our selves and defame the scriptures but silence of scripture in things circumstantiall especially in particular instances is not rationally argumentative Argumentum ab autoritate negante sed non ab autoritate negativè valet in Theologicis saith a reverend man of our own if scripture had said plainly that Apollos was not ordained the instance had been of some force but to argue he was not ordained becaused the scripture doth not say totidem verbis he was so is to me a very irrationall and unsatisfactory argument Nay if we consider the peremptory strictness of scripture-commands none should take this office upon him but he that is called as was Aaron and that was done by the outward appointment Heb. 5. 4. of Moses and withall considering the Apostles care to leave Titus to ordain in every citie and his strict charge to Timothy to lay hands suddenly on no man to wit without examination of his 1 Tim. 5. 22. Gifts and abilities and all this to prevent disorderly promiscuous daring intrusion into the ministeriall office considering withall the solemn separating of Barnabas and Paul by prayer and laying Acts 13. 12. on of hands which calling and appointment S. Paul frequently asserts to uphold his authority amongst them to whom he wrote as to the Romans he tels them he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated Rom. 1. 1. unto the Gospel of Christ laying these things and many more which might be alleadged together we I think finding Apollos here preaching which may equally satisfie other instances brought out of scripture have good ground to believe he was ordained though the scripture be silent in it when it doth not assert the contrary 7. If all this will not satisfie the objectors let me adde this last by way of concession let those who lay this instance as a foundation for a Babel of confusion in the church for there can be no order in a rude and promiscuous parity I say let those pretenders demonstrate themselves to be Apollo's men eloquent and mighty in the scriptures and for my part though I think those most fit to sit in Pauls chair who have been educated and instructed at the feet of Gamaliel I profess I see no great reason or evidence of scripture why they may not be admitted to the ministeriall office But when either out of weakness they dare not or out of pride and faction they will not submit themselves to the judgement and appointment of those whom scripture precept Apostolical practise and uninterrupted custom of the church hath impowred to set apart and authorise men for this office and so enter in at the right door but will audaciously climbe up some other way excuse the expression from uncharitableness 't is our Saviours concerning the Pharisees who were like intruders in these daies they are but thieves and robbers stealing away the hearts and affection of the people yea and the maintenance too from the right and duly-constituted ministrie These considerations of the person I humbly and willingly submit to your judgements and shall come now to those qualifications which were the intended subject of my discourse when I first laid out my thoughts upon these words First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may have a four-fold reference 1. To his skill in Historie and Antiquitie thus Lorinus understands the word a fit qualification for an Apollos a minister of the Gospel to be versed especially in Ecclesiastical and Church-history where he may observe the various and severall providences of God protecting his church the originall and growth of errors arguments for the truth and acquaint himself with those supports and comforts which Christians have had in suffering for it all which are very usefull for an Apollos 2. To his knowledge in scripture as if herein his eloquence consisted not in a vain pomp and proud ostentation of words but in a powerfull and quaint discoverie of that majesticall elegancie and heavenly eloquence which is in scripture no greater eloquence any where then in scripture he that will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Metaphor you know taken from diggers in mines search and dive into them shall finde rich and precious mines of eloquence golden Allegories height of Metaphors and all other tropes and figures of Rhetorick more fully and elegantly exemplified then in any the most eloquent poet or exactest orator which the learned Glassius in his Philologia sacra hath admirably discovered True indeed a cursorie and non-observant negligent reader cannot discover it as a man who onely looks upon but never digges into a mine will never finde the treasure S. Austin confesseth Lib. 3. Confess cap. 5. that whiles he was a Manichee he had low and mean thoughts of scripture visa est mihi indigna quam Tullianae dignitati compararem saith he he thought it not comparable to Tullies eloquence but when he search't farther into them then he discovered that elegancie which became the majestie of Scripture-mysteries and men acted by
the Spirit of God as you may see at large in that excellent piece of his De doctrina Lib. 4. c. 6. Christiana 3. To the freedome and fluencie of his language by which with a pleasing violence he captivated the ears and hearts of his auditors this is a great gift of God and a very requisite qualification of an Apollos the want of which made Moses decline the office O my Lord saith he I am not eloquent I am slow of speech and of a Exod. 4. 10. slow tongue and could not be satisfied till God gave him the promise of more then ordinarie assistance v. 12. I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shalt say This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the opening of the door of utterance which S. Paul exhorts the Colossians to pray for to God for him A free and full Coloss 4. 3. abilitie of expressing the conceptions of the minde according to the capacitie of the Auditors is an excellent and desirable ministeriall gift without which the greatest parts oft prove unedifying and unprofitable 4. To his exquisite skill in all arts and sciences and this the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as Camerarius notes and this too is a requisite qualification for an Apollos a minister of the Gospel This was the eminencie of Moses that he was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians that is to say the liberall arts and sciences Acts 7. 22. which Austin compares to the Egyptian spoils transferred to the use and service of the Israelites This was the commendation of Daniel that he was cunning in all knowledge and understanding Dan. 1. 4. and skilfull in all wisdome and learning S. Paul was born at Tarsus the Metropolis of Cilicia more famous then Athens if we credit Strabo for the studie of Philosophy and the Greek tongue and afterwards instructed by Gamaliel at Jerusalem so Apollos here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The greater wonder and pittie both that such knowledge which was the real honour of those should now be our discredit and reproach we being fallen into those times of which Espencaeus complained when Graecè nôsse suspectum erat Hebraicè propè Haereticum or if you will speak in the more uncharitable language of our times Antichristian when 't is the crie of too many what Festus cried out against Paul that too much learning instead Acts 26. 24. of qualifying and enabling any to be Apollos ministers of the Gospel does but make us mad I wish the want of it did not make them more such But I shall not now undertake the vindication of learning from those uncharitable imputations which hath lately been done by an ingenuous man amongst our selves but shall enter upon the second qualification of Apollos which I chiefly intended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty in the Scriptures which I shall speak of First Doctrinally in two particulars 1. I shall shew the excellencie of Scripture-knowledge in it self 2. The usefulness of it as to Apollos a Minister of the Gospel Secondly Practically in a few words of Application First the excellencie of Scripture-knowledge in it self appears in these considerations 1. The excellencie of things revealed in scripture so sublime and spirituall that the light of nature and the highest improvement of reason could never have discovered without divine revelation as the secrets of Gods electing love reconciliation by Christ justification by faith adoption the covenant of grace those are secrets which the eye of reason could never prie into these were mysteries hidden from ages and generations but now manifested by the Gospel To these adde the glorious mysterie of the blessed Trinity which is wholly indemonstrable by naturall reason indeed first supposing scripture-revelation there may possibly be some resemblances of it found in the creation as the esse posse and operari of every creature or those three common notions of Belng O neness Truth Goodness and many more which the schooles insist on and there may be some argument to evince my faith not to be against reason though I have the greatest reason in the world to believe it because God saies it as that God should infinitly communicate himself or from the perfection of the number three and the great account the Heathens had of it which arguments Estius urges who yet confesseth this mysterie abstracted from divine revelation wholly indemonstrable by any light of reason this mysterie scripture discovers There are three who bare record in heaven the 1 John 5. 7. Father the Son and the Spirit and these three are one To instance but in one which indeed is the summe and substance of all divine revelation the mysterie of Christ which is above the reach and beyond the discerning of most prying and improved reason I easily believe the Heathens the wisest of them at least might have some knowledge of the fall of man from the rebellion of passion against reason from the strange proneness which they experienced to vices quae sine exemplo discuntur saith Seneca not inclined to them Lib. 3. qùoest cap. 30. by any acquired habit nor led by any bad examples nay even to those vices which carrie a contradiction in them to naturall light adde to them the difficulty of acquiring habits and exercising the acts of virtue which would be easie if naturall these were evident signes and effects of some sin which prepossessed and inhabited our nature to which purpose that of Austin is excellent continentia tam concupiscentiae testis est quà m hostis Continence is both the enemy and evidence of concupiscence for virtue could not be heard if it were not opposed by the strength of naturall inclinations to sin These I say and many other sad effects of mans Apostacie which might be named are evidences to reason that man is not now as he came out of the hands of God but somewhat degenerate from his originall rectitude but Gods dealing with man in a Covenant-way and by his infinite wisdome ordering and disposing mans fall and Apostacie to the accomplishing so great a mysterie as the sending of Christ into the world to restore and recover man into a state in some respects better then that of innocencie is a depth naturall reason could never fathom God inhabiting humane nature the word made flesh and so undertaking for the recoverie of lost man Christ in his three-fold office as Prophet Priest and King to dispel the darkness expiate the guilt and conquer the rebellion of corrupted nature healing by Christs stripes life by his death are paradoxes to reason Per mortem alterius stultum est sperare salutem The candle of the Lord as the soul of man is called may discover something though but darkly of God but Scripture onely is the star to lead us unto Christ It was a just censure which Augustin passeth upon Tullies works that he could not finde the name of Christ in them The Scriptures are the
Center wherein all these lines of revealed truth meet and when a Minister hath discovered Christ he hath done all and this he cannot do without the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me saith Christ John 5. 3. We are Embassadors for Christ and 2 Cor. 5. 20. the Scriptures are our Credential letters which contain all the terms of reconciliation and peace upon which we must treat with rebellious sinners and act for the interest of our great Lord and Master 2. That he may preach according to the analogie of faith which is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 12. 6. let him that prophesieth prophesie according to the analogie of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the scope consent and harmonie of Scripture Scripture is its own best interpreter one Scripture gives light to another as it was an ordinance of old for the Priest in the Temple to light one lamp by another and the Jews were wont when they read Moses to read so much of the Prophets as was most answerable to that part of the Law To observe the consent of Scripture is an excellent means of understanding Christ The Apostles themselves though acted by the same infallible Spirit yet alwaies quote Scripture not so much to confirm their doctrine as to demonstrate the harmonie of revealed truth and so to explain obscurer Scripture by plainer as S. Peter having alleadged that place Psal 16. Acts 2. from v. 25. to 32. 10. Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell c. which might seem obscure he presently adds other Scriptures to prove that this could not be understood of David but of Christ as you may see Acts 2. verse 30. A Timothy must have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a form of sound 2 Tim. 1. 13. words not onely some loose scattered confused notions of Truth but a methodical orderly Systeme of Scripture-truth that hereby discovering the dependance of one upon another he may the more fully understand all This notion of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rightly to divide the word of ruth to wit according to Scripture-analogie and consent canâ—not 2 Tim. 2. 15. be done without a laborious studie and perfect knowledge of the Scripture 3. That he may convince gainsayers which is a dutie the Apostle requires of every Minister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two sorts of Gainsayers a Minister is to grapple with 1. Gainsayers in Opinion 2. Gainsayers in Practise By Scripture-knowledge he may be able to convince both these 1. Gainsayers in Opinion whose errours contradict the truth of Scripture And if ever it were necessarie to be armed against such most certainly in our daies wherein it is the height of many mens ambition and a great attainment to be a Gainsayer to received and acknowledged truth None so successfull conviction of such as by Scripture-argument if you alleadge and urge Reason some of our Gainsayers are uncapable of it and will cast it of as Carnal if Learning too much say they makes you mad but as David said of 1 Sam. 21 9. Goliah's sword there is none like that no sword fitter to fight with these opposers then the sword of the Spirit the word of God none like this with this our Saviour routed Satan the Prince of darkness the father and patron of errour in three onsets Scriptum Mat. 4. 7. est c. as thus afterwards our Saviour dealt with Satans complices and abettors as the Sadduces who denied the resurrection Have ye not read he confutes them from Exod. 3. 6. I am the God Mat. 22. 3â— 32. of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but of the living So the Pharisees errour concerning the lawfulness of divorce Christ confutes from Genes 1. and 2. Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made Mat. 19. 4. 5 6. them male and female and they twain shall be one flesh and so forth The Apostles afterwards trod in their Masters steps and wrote after his Copie Stephen confutes the Jews by epitomizing the historie Acts 7. of the Old Testament S. Paul confutes the Idolatrie of the Athenians from Psal 50. 8. Who giveth us life and breath and all Acts 17. 25. things as you may see And this was one effect of Apollos his accuratness in the Scripture that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he convincèd the contradicting Acts 18. 29. and gainsaying Jews that Jesus was Christ So true is that of Tertullian that Hereticks are lucifugae Scripturarùm they De resur câ—r hate the light of the Scriptures lest their errours should be detected and reproved The Papists denie the people the use of Scripture upon this pretence lest it should breed errours the truth is lest it should discover and confute them He that doth truth comes to the light but errour hates it Thus the Manichees errour of God being Psal 5. 4. Habak 1. 13. the cause of sin flees the light of those Scriptures Thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness and A God of purer eyes then to behold sin and He that doth sin is of his father the devil So the Pelagian 1 John 3. 8. errour of Free-will and the Power of corrupted nature flees the light of those Scriptures Without me you can do nothing saith John 15. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Christ and God worketh both to will and to do of his good pleasure The Antinomian doctrine cannot bear the light of those Scriptures Mat. 5. 17. Rom. 3. 31. I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it and Do we make void the Law by faith God forbid nay we stablish the Law An induction of particulars would be too tedious but this in general that opinion which the Scripture confutes not either is no errour at all or be sure of no dangerous consequence in point of salvation 2. Gainsayers in practise who contradict the purity of the Gospel by holding the truth in unrighteousness and turning Gospel-grace into wantoness and these are more frequent then the former Many profess Gospel-truth yet do not embrace Gospel-holiness these are to be convinced by Scripture as our Saviour did Mat. 15. 7. Esay 29. 13. the Pharisees of hypocrisie from the Prophet Esay This people draweth near unto me with their mouth and their lip but their heart is far from me All things which are reproved are made manifest by the Ephes 5. 13. light that is to say by the light of the Scriptures There is a searching power in the word of God which is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged sword and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and if it be powerfully and wisely managed Hebr. 4. 12. how may a Moses make the heart of a Pharaoh sometimes â—elent a Nathan make a David weepe a Paul put a Felix into a 〈◊〉 of trembling and a Peter make the
justificationis salutis humanae non fidei in Christum tendenti eum ad se attrahenti sed Deo ipsi assignamus credentem gratuitò justificanti Haec ille Et hanc gloriam ut Deo nos etiam servemus illibatam concludimus Fidem justificare sub ratione instrumenti FINIS THE LIGHT and DARKNESS OF NATVRE Discovered In a Sermon at S. Maries in Cambridge on the Commencement-Sabbath June 29. 1656. BY JOHN FROST B. D. then Commencer Deus est quod vides quod non vides Senec. Deus ubique secretus est ubique publicus quem nulli licet ut est cognoscere quem nemo permittitur ignorare Aug. ep 44. CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII ACTS 17. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God ANd what such an inscription upon an Altar at Athens the eye of Greece and that the eye of the world and yet so blind as not to discover the true worship of the true God Had this Altar been erected in some ruder more obscure part of Greece it would have been just cause of wonder for the Grecians were the most raised and eminent of all the Gentiles the most curious and inquisitive searchers into the secrets of all knowledge which the Apostle takes notice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeks seek after 1 Cor. 1. 22. wisdome In which they were such exquisite proficients that all other nations even the Romanes themselves in comparison of them are in Scripture-phrase accounted but Barbarians I am a Rom. 1. 14. debtour saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he seems to amplifie or explicate in the next words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the wise and to the unwise But that such an inscription should be found at Athens a famous University so named from it's dedication to Minerva the Goddess of Learning the fountain from which the streams of knowledge were derived to the rest of the world the seat of the most eminent Philosophers who here disputed with Paul which Vers 18. Lib. de Anima cap. 3. Lib. 1. Deipnosoph therefore Tertullian calls linguatam civitatem in the same place stiling the Athenians caupones sapientiae facundiae the ingrossers and monopolizers of knowledge whence as Athenaeus calls Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the compendium of the world so the Grecians tearmed Athens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greece of Greece and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of reason yet that this Athens should be no less infamous for Idolatry then famous for Learning must needs much heighten and enhance your admiration Let the advocates of the power and improvements of nature produce their case and bring forth their strong reasons as the Prophet speaks to evince a saving Isai 41. 21. knowledge of God attainable by them surely wee shall have the less reason to credit them since we have the wisest most raised and improved amongst the Gentiles confitentes reos in the Text by the inscription of their Altars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Many such Altars there were erected at Athens if you credit Grotius Some of the Ancients as Oecumenius and Hierom especially Grot. in loc conclude that this was not the whole inscription onely the Apostle makes use of so much of it as might with advantage usher in his discourse of the worship of the true God from verse the four and twentieth to the one and thirtieth Calvin conceives that the inscription was not to any single Deity but Diis omnibus peregrinis Heinsius doubts not but it was erected upon the account of some signall unexpected benefit received as those which we read of in Tacitus inscribo adoptioni and ultioni whence the Apostle takes a sutable argument from the consideration of the benefits of Vers 24. 28 God as his making the world and giving to all things life motion and being to urge upon them the worship and service of the true God Some think the Altar was erected upon the Persians invading A Lapide Bâ—za Giotms Greece Others say it was upon the Athenians deliverance form the pestilence which they having in yain attempted to remove by homage and service to their native Gods at last consulting the oracle of Apollo receive a command to Instrate their city by sacrifice but no God named to whom they should perform it Epimenides then at Athens counsels them to let the beasts for sacrifice loose and where they stood still there to erect an Altar Deo ignoto propitio To the unknown and propitious Deity which being accordingly performed the plague ceased Others thinke it was set up out of superstitious fear lest some Deity whom they had omitted in their sacrifices should be incensed and so plague them I shall rather conclude this inscription to point at the true God neque enim ibi alius ignotus Deus praeter verum saith the learned Heins in locum Heinsius Else the words following the text would scarce be reconcileable to truth whom ye ignorantly worship preach I unto you intimating the inscription to have been to the true God Though whatever the occasion of the erection of this Altar was it is plain the Apostle had a fair opportunity offered him to discourse of the knowledge of the true God of whom they betrayed most gross ignorance by this inscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the unknown God The text presents to your considerations 1 the light 2 the darkness of nature First The light of nature it is inscribed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here is a God discovered and a worship acknowledged due to him by the erection of an Altar Secondly The darkness of nature it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These discoveries are but darke and imperfect the true God of the Jews was but an unknown uncertain God to the wisest of the Gentiles as appears by that of Lucan dedita sacris Incerti Judaea Dei Hence two notes obviously arise 1. Some discoveries of God may be made by the light of nature 2. Natural light in it's most elevated and raised improvements can make no full and saving discoveries of God By this introductory explication of the words you easily perceive what is the subject of my present discourse which none I presume can rationally judge unseasonable or unsutable either to the place I speak in in an Athens an University no lesse famous for Learning then that of old and infinitely surpassing it for Religion or the persons I am to speak to men of eminent and raised improvements If by the first of these I may quicken any stupid supine sluggard to a diligent industry in reviving and improving those principles which God in nature hath implanted in him and by the second knock off any proud wits from resting or vainly glorying in their acquired accomplishments which is the sin of most and ruine of many Scholars perswade them amidst their highest improvements
Dort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Christ blessing his Father for communicating himself to those who were least disposed Matt. 11. 25. Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy fight God will if you will say the Remonstrants I will because I will saith God Rom. 9. 15. If you improve God cannot be wanting to you say the Arminians It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth saith the Scripture verse 16. But after all this there is one shift more Deus paratus est dare fidem omnibus quantum in se est why then certainly omnipotent grace can effect it certo ordine saith Corvinus which neither Corvinus nor any man else can discover Nay he never denies special grace nisi spretae vocationis respectu say the Dort-Remonstrants unless the common call be refused wo were to the best of us did Gods grace depend upon such a condition for who doth not refuse common calls nay without special grace we cannot but refuse them Nemo bene uti potest libero arbitrio nisi per gratiam is Augustins Divinitie and our Saviours doctrine too John 6. 44. No man can come to me except the Father draw him True but God gives an universal assisting grace to all in order to the good improvement of natural light this is the plea which their great English Advocate makes for them But Brethren this is a Chymaera and a dream which the Scripture gives us no ground to believe nay that tells you that God suffered those who had onely the light of nature the Gentiles to walk in their own ways that is to say extra suam gratiam degere if Prospers Acts 14. 16. gloss may be admitted to live without the necessary supplies of his grace Besides it would be resolved whether this assisting grace be effectual or no if so then all must be in a capacity for saving grace if effectual or ineffectual according to the compliance of mans will then all is still resolved into nature nothing given to grace which is the height of Pelagianisme Sed quorsum haec perditio may some say To what purpose is all this waste of time and words I shall hope to evidence it no labour in vain by discovering the practical importance of this truth in the Application which I shall with all possible brevitie dispatch Application First This may help us to discover the sandy foundation on which the Doctrine of universal redemption and consequently the whole fabricke of Arminianisme stands For if this piller be pulled down the whole building falls about their ears which makes them so industriously voluminous in asserting this doctrine above all the rest Or if the purchase be particular then the purpose of God the execution of which that purchase makes way for must be particular the necessary consequents of which must be the certain efficacy of grace and perseverance of Saints because Gods purposes cannot be frustrated Now this Doctrine of universal redemption cannot be upheld without the designation of sufficient meanes afforded to all men which to those who never heard of the Gospel can be nothing else but the improvements of nature God not affording nay that I may prevent that common cavill Deus paratus est resolving not to afford the Gospel to many of them Paul was expresly Acts 16. 6. forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia and the Apostles at first commanded not to goe into the way of the Gentiles Matt. 10. 5. Well but though they had not the Gospel yet non defuerunt media quaedam communiora saith Corvinus but what other those should be besides the light and improvements of nature is not imaginable the insufficiency of which to salvation hath I hope been in some measure evinced by the former part of this discourse Secondly Hence be perswaded to set your selves in opposition to this doctrine in doing which you appear for the honour of Gods grace and Gospel Bradwardine justly entitled his book de causa Dei when he wrote against the Pelagians whoever peruseth it seriously will finde it a most soveraigne Antidote against the poyson of Arminianisme against which in this point it is Gods and your interest to appear First As you are ministers of the Gospel The Doctrine of the sufficiency of the light of nature vilifies and debaseth your office for what need the Commission of Christ to his Apostles and their Successours to teach all nations if God had before commissionated Matth 28. 19. and improwered Sun Moon and Stars to do it or what need the Stars in the right hand of Christ if those in the firmament have light enough to lead us to him Nay doth not this argue you the greatest impostours while you impose hearing reading prayer conference meditation grapling with the difficulties of Scripture upon the people in order to the knowledge of God and Christ which an Indian or American can arrive at by the contemplation of the creatures and providences of God Secondly As you are Scholars This Doctrine I apprehend makes Universities and Commencements useless no need sure of the Schools of the Prophets you may go without any expences to school to the creatures What need youth hazard their eyes in studying the apices and points of the Greek and Hebrew Text for the understanding of the New and Old Testament in the latter of which some of natures Advocates tell us there is not a word to be found of faith in Christ which the Gentiles can arrive at by the improvement of Nature and read written in the legible characters of the heavenly bodies Thirdly As you are Christians especially for this Doctrine 1. Robs you of your priviledges in the enjoyment of the Gospel and means of grace Surely the Apostle was out when he put a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. 2. to this as the greatest priviledge of the Jews that to them were committed the Oracles of God and our Saviour mistook when he said Salvation was of the Jews Why it seems by this Doctrine the Joh. 4. 22. Gentiles were every whit as near it whom yet the Apostle describes to be without hope And surely we Christians do but flatter Ephes 2. 12. our selves in a fools-paradise while we imagine our selves so highly advanced in our priviledges above the Indian or American who by this Doctrine can oblige God to give them that grace which we profess no claim to after our utmost improvements of the Gospel but say as our Saviour hath taught us We are unprofitable Luc. 17. 10. servants What great priviledge is it to enjoy Ordinances if the creatures and providences of God can bring any to a saving discovery of him Or what great advantage to be planted within the pale of the Church the inclosed garden of God if the dew of grace fall as plentifully upon the wilderness of the world Or what need their being added unto the Church who should be saved if they
ose who think these not worth lending an ear too The Gibeonites may draw water to the Sanctuary the Egyptian pearls may enrich the Israelites the Gentiles may be afforded an outward room in the Court of the Temple There is certainly excellent use of the Fathers of the Church to evidence the consent of truth and unity in several ages and if ever to be listned to in this age wherein we have almost lost the truth in a crowd of errours wherein yet they are most neglected To me next to Scripture-evidence universal consent if there be such a thing to be found seems the most cogent for embracing doctrines of faith we should especially attend to what the Revel 2. 7. Spirit saith unto the Churches But others may be listned to so they be cited without affectation and vain-glory S. Paul was resolved against coming to his Corinthians with enticing words of mans wisdome as desiring to know himself and preach to others nothing but Christ and him crusified yet himself hath adopted more then one of the expressions of the Heathens into Scripture and especially when he preached at Athens cited one of their own Poets Act. 17. 28. But all others are onely to be heard as they conform to the word of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as most worthy to be heard That 's the first Secondly As most necessary to be heard and that both in respect of Divine command and in reference to our own good for our illumination for as Clemens saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 psal 19. 8 9. Clemens p. 30. so is the world so is the soul without the light of the word of God notwithstanding all the star light of other knowledge So necessary for the begetting and increasing faith it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 2. and the Apostle makes it an impossibility in an ordinary way to believe without hearing Rom. 10. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall they believe that is ordinarily they cannot So again necessary for the begetting and upholding the comforts through the Spirit creating the fruits of the lips peace In a Isa 57. 19. word necessary as the fiery pillar to gvide us to our heavenly Canaan for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 5. 20. the word of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 13. 26. the Gospel of salvation Ephes 1. 13. Necessary for our spiritual strength and growth the vvant of it is compared to a famine What weak bodies have men in a famine what starved souls under the want of the word of God so as it is most worthy of hearing in it self so most necessary to be heard in respect of us It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It did not profit that is not truly and savingly From this exposition you may easily prevent me in your thoughts in what must be the subject of my discourse viz. Unprofitableness under the means of grace the preaching of the Gospel In speaking to which lest as it was said of Diogenes that he trampled upon Plato's pride but majori cum fastu I should preach unprofitably whilest I speak against unprofitableness under preaching I shall confine my self to this plain practical and I hope profitable Doctrine The generalitie or most of those who hear the word do not truely Doctrine and savingly profit by it A truth which they that run may read in the experience of this present age in which I think I may say it without any dishonourable reflexion upon the former or pride of present times the Gospel was never more frequently or powerfully preached yet how little profit by it I call to witness the profanation of Sabbaths noon day-sins neglect of ordinances contempt of Ministers those monstrous Sects and Heresies those outrages and that profaneness which prevails amongst us which might justly astonish and amaze us did not this lessen the wonder that from the first preaching of the Gospel it hath been so At the first dawning of the Gospel in that promise of the seed of the woman to break the serpents head yet Cain a murtherer Afterward Noah was a preacher of righteousness yet the old world remain ungodly Isaiah 2 Pet. 2. 5. Isa 53. 1. complaineth who hath believed our report Descend to our Saviours times there you finde Christ himself preaching the Pharisees deriding him Luke 16. 14. In the Apostles times Paul preached Christ at Athens and there he is accounted a babler and a setter forth of strange gods Acts 17. 18. Again he preacheth to a company of women and onely Lydia's heart 's opened Acts 16. 14. Simon heard the word and yet remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 23. And the Apostle applies the Prophets complaint to Gospel times Lord who hath believed our report Rom. 10. 16. The Word is compared to meat but the richest fare will not make some men fat and thriving to seed yet you know in the Parable Mat. 13. 3. but one of those four grounds into which it was cast was good and brought forth fruit verse 23. So though this seed of the Word was sown in Jerusalem by the hand yea and watered too by the tears of her Saviour yet she remained fruitless and barren Luke 19. 41. and at Christs second coming he shall finde iniquity abounding charitie cold and scarce faith on the earth Matthew 24. 12. In prosecution of which Doctrine I shall shew First What it is savingly to profit by the Word Secondly The grounds and reasons of most mens unprofitableness under the Word Thirdly Apply it in two words one to the Minister and the other to the people For the first 1. Partic. In this it is necessarie to speak distinctly thereby to correct those common mistakes whereby most men do dangerously delude themselves One remembers the Text a second picks a flower of Rhetorick a third runs away with a notion a fourth admires the preacher a fifth gets a little floating head-knowledge a sixth makes a few formal resolutions a seventh is somewhat moved and affected at a Sermon another lastly praiseth the quaintness and elegancie of the preacher and each of these thinks himself abundantly profited by the Word It is then I. Not to profit and advantage a mans self in the world by the profession and constant hearing of the Word though this be all the profit they look after who count gain godliness Men care for 1 Tim. 6. 5. the Gospel no longer then it is consistent with their wordly advantages who when they come to serve God in attendance upon his word secretly sacrifice to the Idol Self and propound no more to themselves then secular advantages Quantas nobis divitias comparavit haec fabula Christi as Leo the tenth was oft heard to say Men may esteem the Gospel but a Fable and yet adhere to it for outward advantages care not for Diana but her silver-shrines that affect not the Gospel so much as that respect and
profit it brings them in That this is the temper of many is evident from this that if the world solicites Demas he forsakes Paul the Scribe 2 Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 8. cares not for following Christ though he professe zealously when once he understood he had not where to lay his head and many such followers we have like those John 6. 26. who followed Christ not for love to his person or doctrine but for the gain of the loaves II. Not to admire or praise the preacher The Church is not a Theater but a Market and it is not a plaudite that 's expected from you to close the Sermon with a humme but that you should be trading here for spiritual merchandize that you may go from hence richer in faith and more encreased in all grace Ezekiels preaching was to the Jews as a very pleasant song yet they profited not by it for they did not practise but their hearts went after their covetousness Ezek. 33. 31 32. So oft as you approve the Preacher and his Doctrine and do not so profit as to practise it you are self-condemned and guiltie in the judgement of your own consciences III. Not onely to be enlightned by the Word I know spiritual illumination is the first work of the Spirit by the Word where it savingly profits S. Paul was sent to the Gentiles first to open their eyes but that which I here assert is that there may much common illumination be wrought by the Word of God where it doth not savingly profit It is most evident from Heb. 6. 6. where we read of some who were once enlightned yet in a possibilitie to Apostatize and fall away and that beyond the renewing to repentance so consequently of salvation And indeed this illumination is one requisite in the unpardonable sin it must be after the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26. A man may have his head full of the word of God and be never the better for it Simon Magus was wrought into an historical belief by the preaching of Philip yet not savingly profited by it but stil remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 13 23. A man may be enlightned to know and to discourse of the Word of God and yet not savingly profited by it IV. Not barely to be affected and delighted with the Word of God This may arise not from the efficacy of the Word but from the sublimity of the truths contained in it For truth the more sublime it is the greater delight it bringeth with it but this is neither solid nor lastin those who receive the seed into stony places were such as heard and received the word with joy but they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 13. 20 21. it lasted but for a while The night of persecution damps his joy and he turns Apostate Ezekiel's preaching was to the Jews as a well-tun'd instrument in the place fore-quoted Herod heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6. 20. Those we spake of before Heb. 6. 6. had tasted of the good word of God that is found some rellish and delight in it and of the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come all which from verse 9. appear not to be saving gifts For the Authour there tells those to whom he wrote that he hoped better things of them and such as accompany salvation whence it is obvious to collect that those whom he had mentioned in the fore-going verses were not sanctifying but common gifts of the Spirit of God amongst which is this light superficial taste and rellish of the Word of God which may arise either from our 〈◊〉 affection to the Preacher or from some common work of the Spirit of God As the hearers of John Joh. 5. 35. rejoyced for a season yet vers 38. had not the word abiding in them V. Not barely to be wrought upon by the Word to reform some gross sin or to comply with a partial outward obedience unto God for thus Herod when he heard John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6. 20. he did many things Gross sins spoil credit cross interest rack conscience and upon these motives a man may forsake them and yet not savingly profit by the Word of God A man may hear and practise much of what he hears the Word powerfully awakening natural conscience and stirring up and closing with the dictates of it till it comes to some darling-bosome-lust and then the word proves ineffectual Herod hears John Baptist gladly till he came to his Herodias the yong-man brags of an universal obedience to the commands of Christ till he comes to his covetousness and prescribes him to sell all A man may in part be outwardly reformed by the Word of God and yet not inwardly renewed and so not savingly profited So much negatively I shall not lead you far for a positive resolution The word then profits when 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mixed word that speaks a three-fold reference First To seed Secondly To meat Thirdly To Physick Seed must be mixt with the soil and with the dew and rain from heaven or else it will not spring Meat must be mixed with the stomach or else it will not nourish Physick must mix with the humour or else it will not cure When in analogie to all these the word is mixed then it may be said savingly to profit And first as seed I. When the word of God is rooted in the heart This is the seed mixing with the soil it is not seed kept in your barn or granaries or cast superficially on the earth that will grow and increase it is not the word of God scattered upon the ear or laid up in your heads or in your paper-books but treasured up in your hearts which will savingly profit therefore God promiseth this to his people Jer. 31. 33. The reason why the seed thrived not upon the stony ground was because it had no root Matth. 13. 21. It is but sowing in the aire if the Word takes not root in the heart As it is said of Mary she kept all Christs sayings in her heart Luke 2. 51. The Wiseman requires Prov. 2. 1. that we should hide his commandments with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens as seed in the earth which he calls Clemens pag. 270. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall ingrafting the grast must be mixed with the stock if it thrive the seed with the earth if it springs the word with the heart if it profits as it were incorporated II. When it fructifies in the life As the seed did in the good ground Matth. 13. And this is consequent upon the former if it takes root downward it will spring upward It is a dangerous deceit many are under who satisfie themselves with a bare hearing of the Word and never look to the fruit of it in their lives It may fructifie diversly as the good seed did in some an hundred in some sixty in some thirty but
outward exercise of them from which place we may note 1. That there can be no profiting without a door of utterance 2. That God must open it as he did for Moses who was of slow speech Exod. 4. 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Clemens Alexandrinus God is the onely teacher of us to speak and of you to profit He must open our mouths and your hearts as he did the heart of Lydia and the word to both before it can profit So God saies in regard of the people Esay 48. 17. and so Christ promises to his ministers Luk. 21. 15. 3. Prayer is the key to open this door of utterance to reveal the secret cabinet of Gods will and word Knock and it shall be opened is Christs promise in Matth 7. you must knock by prayer at the gate of heaven that this door of utterance may be opened to the Minister S. Paul mentions this to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 1. 11. II. That God would open your hearts God must do both or neither will be done Acts. 16. 14. S. Paul prayes for his Ephesians chap. 1. ver 17 18. and David for himself Psal 119. 18. Cathedram habet in caelo qui corda docet saies S. Augustin You may open your eares Lib. 4. cap. 16. de Doct. Christ to the word of God and all the while your hearts may be shut against it unless God open that As our Saviour spake to his disciples Having eares hear you not c. so it will be with every one whose heart God doth not open the Minister may bring the Word to the eare but it is the spirit onely can carry it effectually to the heart Prov. 20. 12. The hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made even both of them God must not onely give thee the word but an eye to see it and a heart to embrace it as it is said of Christs preaching to his two disciples Luc. 24. 45. Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures The summe of it is Prayer is the means to open the Ministers mouth to speak and your hearts to entertain the word so as to profit by it and therefore neglect of this must needs cause unprofitableness The Wiseman directs you to this course as in Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 6. It is the Lord onely that gives it and if you would have it from him you must crie after it If any of you lack wisdome you must ask it of God James 1. 5. How deeply are most men to be charged here I accuse none of you but I wish you to deal faithfully with your selves How seldome do you pray seriously to God before you come here Have you this morning been upon your knees earnestly begging of God for the Ministers and your selves if not no wonder if you go away as you come charge it upon your selves quarrel not with God his Ordinances or his Ministers as the cause of your unfruitfulness if you come without praying I do not wonder that you go away without profiting Fifthly Pride when men come with proud hearts to the preaching of the word they are more ready to scorn and oppose the word then to profit by it This hinders I. Pride of our own righteousness When men are puffed up with a conceit of that they discover not their want of the word of God and so undervalue and sleight it this was the reason why our Saviours preaching wrought so little upon the Pharisees as you may see John 39. 40. they were not convinced of their blindness and sin but lifted up with an opinion of their own holiness so it was with the Jews too Rom. 10. 3. If ever we intend to profit by the word we must come emptied of our own righteousness and breathing after the righteousness of Christ held forth in the Gospel An humble though notorious sinner will profit more at the word then a proud self-justitiarie as the Publicans did at the preaching of our Saviour more then the Pharisees II. Pride of our own knowledge this makes men think that constant preaching of the word is needless we shall hear nothing but what we have heard before we know it as well as the preacher can tell us this is the pride of mens hearts It was the Athenians pride of their Philosophical notions which made them esteem Paul's preaching as a vain babling Acts 17. As some proud scholars think themselves beyond their Tutours reading so many are too goodly to be taught High Seraphical souls that are lifted up above ordinances that pretend to such growth that they can live without this spiritual food there is pride of heart at the bottome of all In heaven we shall live immediately upon God but here mediately by his ordinances there we shall see face to face but here in the glass of the word and if we desire to profit by it we must bring an humble frame of spirit Jobs language would become us well Job 34. 32. That which I see not teach thou me wait at wisdomes gates for further discoveries for here we know but in part and see nothing but darkly the best of us had need daily of eye-salve from Christ to have our eyes opened by the word we Acts 26. 18. must become sensible of our ignorance and in this become fools that we may be wise this pride must needs make the word unprofitable upon a three fold account 1. It makes men untractable and unteachable A proud heart is apt to set up many carnal reasonings and proud imaginations which exalt themselves against the word those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 2 Cor. 10. 4. whereby they quarrel with the truth of God as Nicodemus when our Saviour preached to him of regeneration he was as at his How can this thing be John 3. It was this pride made the Greeks count the Gospel foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. This pride makes men despise the word and they think it a kinde of pusillanimitie of spirit to submit to it who is the Lord saith proud Pharaoh Exod. 5. 2. and thereupon rejects all his messages by Moses so those proud Jerem. 44. 16 Jews in Jeremiah Clemens Alexandrinus saies The word is not to be submitted to the judgement of those who are not yet humbled but have their minds pre-occupied and prejudiced by proud carnal reasonings Observe what the Psalmist saies Psal 10. 4. God is not in the thoughts of his heart The proud will not seek after God that is in his ordinances he thinks it needless or else below him the proud Pharisees were of all other men the most untractable of Christ's doctrine 2. Because pride makes men unwilling to hear what may most profit A proud heart cannot endure to hear his particular sins his darling corruptions struck at or discovered by the word of God A particular reproof of sin is certainly the most profitable 2 Tim. 4. 2. and this a proud heart cannot endure If Christ reproves
the Pharisees hypocrisie they are enraged against him and plot his death Herod must not endure to hear of his Herodias see Prov. 1. 25. where it is said Ye set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof these were proud scorners at the 22. verse and you may easily judge how little like these are to profit He is not like to have his wound healed that cannot endure to have it searched 3. Because God will have nothing to do with such in his Ordinances He gives more grace to the humble but resists the proud James 4. 6. God is his enemy God as I may say every Sabbath keeps open houses every one may come but believe it a proud heart is like to go away without his alms He fills the hungry with good things but sends the rich emptie away Luke 1. 53. and we finde at Isaiah 66. 5. that God speaks comfort to such as tremble at his word not that scoff at it and sleight it as a proud heart doth God pours the oyl of grace and knowledge into emptie vessels and therefore as you desire to profit by the word preached so labour for an humble frame of spirit It is said by the Wiseman Prov. 11. 2. with the lowly is wisdome and to this end I shall suggest onely three notes I. This is the proper qualification of scholars in any science Nothing hinders knowledge more then pride this was intimated in the posture which scholars amongst the Jews were wont to use viz. to sit at their Master's feet so we finde it Acts 22. 3. as an expression of humilitie It is Philo's observation that when the Essens came into the Synagogue each scholar according to their standing was wont to sit at their Masters feet this expression speaks aptness to learn and also a modest humility Quòd si haec reverentia terrenis praeceptoribus debetur quantò magis nos ad Christi pedes jacere convenit ut ex coelesti solio loquenti dociles nos prestemus saies Calvin Calv. in locum We read of Mary Luke 10. 39. that she sate at Jesus feet and heard his word upon which saies S. Augustine Quantò humilior ad pedes Domini sedebat Maria tantò ampliùs capiebat We must cast our selves at the feet of Christ in his Ordinances if we will be his scholars It is said that the people stood at the feet of the mount when the Law was given Exod. 19. 17. so must we sit at the feet of Christ when the Gospel is preached II. This humilitie will make us teachable by the word of God An humble heart is like melted wax which is fit to receive the impression of the word of God and willing to be moulded and fashioned according to it An humble heart trembles at the threatnings and so is like to profit God will dwell with such Isaiah 66. 2. It closes with the commands of it as Cornelius said to Peter Acts 10. 33. We are all here present to hear all that is commanded of God and David tells us that he will hear what God speaks Psal 85. 8. It submits to the reproofes of the word of God it accounts of them as precious oyl whereas a proud heart holds up against the threatnings Psal 141. 5. slights the commands and rages against the reproofs of the word of God That place of the Prophet Jeremiah Jerem. 13. 15. is full and worth our observation Hear ye and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken as if he had said If you continue in your pride you will never give an ear to the word of God But III. To make all sure an humble heart shall have the Spirit of God for its teacher and then such shall be effectually and profitably taught the humble he will teach Psal 25. 8 9. it shall have the Spirit to lead into all truth John 16. 13. The more humble the more of the teachings of God It is said that the Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove the dove is a meek creature to teach us that the discoveries of the Spirit are made to humble hearts Sixthly The sixth ground is carnal reasonings and prejudices in the hearts of men which pre-possessing the soul make the word ineffectual which prejudices while they remain obstruct the soul against the word of God these are as so many bolts upon the doors of our hearts that the word can get no entrance these are naturally in every one of our hearts and they are of two sorts I. Against the word it self II. Against the preacher of it I shall discover and remove some of them I. Against the word it self which although it be admirable in it self and appointed for most excellent ends by God yet are many prejudices against it in mens hearts as 1. The meanness of this Ordinance and seeming outward inconsiderableness of some hours speaking which makes many to disesteem it whence the Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1. 21. because most men are apt to judge it so The ground of this prejudice is mens non-attendance to the authoritie of God's institution as if a man should consider the matter not the stamp of the coyn which may make baser mettals currant we should attend to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it which makes it valuable as the diamond in a ring makes the ring much more precious and as the seal upon a scedule which makes it effectual to the purposes contained in it so is it the institution of God that makes this Ordinance so worthy and considerable and if we would profit by the word we must remove this prejudice against the word for the means of it in it self and come to it as Gods institution and in obedience to his command and then are you like to thrive and profit by it The Apostle gives you this as an account of the Thessalonians thriving under the Gospel that they received the word not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. and this made it to work effectually in their hearts 2. The pre-possession of some politick opinion it may be in compliance of some great ones and the strain of the times hence the word of God finds no entrance much truth is stifled upon this account because it will not comply with mens politick concernments and the opinions they have taken up in compliance with their outward advantages when truth comes to cross these then it is rejected This is no new thing it was so in our Saviours time amongst the chief Rulers John 12. 42. and with the chief Priests and Pharisees John 11. 48. and upon this account both Christ and his doctrine was rejected and hence it is said that the great ones received it not John 7. 48. Thus many make truth to stoop and vail to politick designs and this makes the word of God ineffectual Ahab would not make restitution of Naboth's
the Apostle adjoyns in the Text as the cause of the Jews unprofitableness because it was not mixed with faith and truely this must needs cause unprofitableness both because we cannot draw near to God in his Ordinances without this Unbelief is a departing from God We may present our bodies indeed before God yet without faith can we not digest the word of God into spiritual nourishment as Clemens Alexandrinus saies There is required of us 1. An historical faith whereby we believe the word of God to be the word of God and close with the truth of it in our assent and judgement The understanding is the leading facultie of the soul and the guide of reason I shall never close with that truth in my affections to love it in my will to practise it which I do not first assent unto in my understanding nor can the will embrace that as good which the understanding assents not to as true But this is not enough for there is required further 2. A particular applying faith whereby the soul closeth with the word as proper to it self when it particularly applies the promises and closes with the reproofs and threatnings of the word This makes the word of God to be ineffectual because men shift it off from themselves as such a reproof of sin concern'd not me the Minister reproved such an one c. A man may assent to the truth of a promise and yet it be a dry-breast to him without the application of it by a particular faith so to the truth of a threatning and yet not be humbled Faith is necessarie to the hearing of the word profitably I. As the eye of faith discerns the truth of the word as it pries into the mysteries of the Gospel which the natural man perceives not The Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 14. gives a reason why a natural man cannot perceive these because they are spiritually discerned and so no object suitable to a carnal eye It is said of Christs entertainment John 1. 5. The darkness comprehendeth not the light every unbeliever is no better then mere darkness though improved with the height of acquired knowledge as Nicodemus and Paul are very pregnant proofs of this and I appeal to your selves Are men like to profit by the word they perceive not nor understand II. As it makes the soul to relish and delight in the word of God To an unbeliever the great mysteries of the Gospel are but foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. The carnal minde is not subject to the law of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 7. A carnal minde may approve of the word of God as true and good but never close with it throughly and heartily because it is contrarie to it As a learned man may approve of the light as excellent in it self but will not endure to look long upon it because it may be hurtfull to his weak eyes thus a carnal heart may assent to the truth of Gods word and be convinced of the equitie and goodness of it yet not close with it because contrarie to his carnal interests and corrupt principles and so long no profiting by it As S. Augustine saith Quid haec duo conferunt Aug. lib. 4. c. 13. de doctr Christ homini qui confitetur verum collaudat eloquium nec inclinat assensum who inclines not his assent viz. so as to practise it Ninethly The nineth ground is love of some darling and bosome sin and corruption The Apostle indeed James 1. 21. commands to lay aside all superfluitie of naughtiness but especially any darling sin which else will make the word unprofitable upon a double account I. As it prejudiceth the soul against the most profitable preaching Such an one must have placentia and speak the language of those in Isaiah 30. 10. They say to the seers see not and to the Prophets prophesie not to us right things but speak unto us smooth things c. Wholesome reproofs are too bitter pils for him to take down because they will stirre the humours that are corrupt And therefore you shall observe that some who have seemingly made large progress in the profession of the word have been wholly offended at it when it hath searched and disturb their secret bosome corruption Thus it was with Herod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did many things and demonstrated a very fair affection to the word of God as in Mark 6. 20. till it came to his Herodias and then he is incensed so far against John as to take off his head nay the young man went further to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all these have I kept and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his youth Mark 10. 20. till it came to his covetousness then the commands of Christ prove ineffectual and he goes away sorrowfully While a man retains the love of any darling sin he is apt to come with a settled resolution let the Preacher say what he will shew him the nature danger and guilt of such or such a sin to go on still as it is Jer. 2. 25. II. As it disaffects them to the preacher That did disaffect the Pharisees so much against Christ his reproving their darling sin of Hypocrisie This caused Felix to dismiss Paul his touching upon his darling sin of intemperance and injustice And hence proceeds the ebbings and flowings of mens affections to the same Minister You shall have some who will constantly attend upon a Minister and afford him a very fair aprobation till he come powerfully to search his bosome corruption then he is offended nay and perhaps persecutes the Minister too Thus it fared with Christ himself one while they crie never man spake like him and another while Crucifie him crucifie him See the Galatians inconstancie to S. Paul in Galat. 4. 14 15 16. they afforded him both reverence verse 14. and love verse 15. rari amoris indicium oculos eruere plus est quà m vitam profundere saies Calvin but how soon is this love degenerated into hatred and enmitie verse 16. and that onely because he told them the truth Veritas odium as saith the Comoedian so tell men the truth in laying before them the evil nature and danger of those sins they live in they presently entertain a secret enmitie against them and if once mens spirits come to be embittered against the preacher suavis non erit doctrinae gustus they will finde no sweet relish in the word of God Tenthly The tenth ground is unpreparedness when men rush out of their worldly employments without prayer or meditation into the house of God never considering either into whose presence or service they come God requires a holy preparation to all our services and that not onely habitually but actually prepared and disposed for them Keep thy foot saith the Wiseman Eccles 5. 1. when thou goest to the house of God This holy preparation was shadowed out by the peoples washing their clothes before the deliverie of the Law Exod.
19. 10 11. and by Moses his putting off his shoe before God spake and discovered himself to him Exod. 3. 5 6. intimating a putting off our carnal affections and purging our souls before we come to hear the word this is necessarie because to come without this preparation I. Is irreverent You esteem it justly a high incivilitie to press into a Princes Palace with ragged dirtie clothes or to sit at his table with unwashen hands How much do men affect cleanness and studie neatness when they present themselves to the presence of any great man and is it not much more irreverent to appear before God in his Temple in our sins and corruptions May we not justly fear to be an offence to his pure eyes How do men studie words and gestures suitable to the person of any great one to whom they make their applications and doth not a resolved prepared reverence much more become us when we address our selves to God David resolved himself upon this preparation Psal 26. 6. I will wash mine hands in innocencie so will I compass thine altar Thus when Jacob went to worship God at Bethel he purged his house of all the Idols and made his sons to wash their clothes Gen. 35. 2 3. We should not onely have our hearts raised to awfull apprehensions of Gods Majestie and presence but our outward man also composed to a decent becomingness and holy reverence as Jacob said of Bethel Gen. 28. 16 17. How dreadfull is this place And thus did Cornelius when Peter was to preach unto him set himself in the presence of God Acts 10. 33. So should we come with that reverence and preparedness as becomes the presence of God II. Unprofitable Hence that caution Luke 18. Take heed therefore how you hear Thornes grow naturally but seed you know thrives not but when the ground is first fitted and prepared sin encreaseth naturally in our corrupt hearts but they are no fit soil naturally for the word of God they must be first fitted and prepared before the seed will grow and thrive there Unpreparedness makes every duty to be ineffectual as you may see in Job 11. 13 14. Give me leave to allude to that of the Wiseman prepare thy work without and make it fit for thy self in the field and afterward build thine house Prov. 24. 27. so say I Prepare thy self at home and then come to build up thy self in faith and holiness And unprepared hearer will be an unprofitable hearer Eleventhly The eleventh ground is Curiosity when men come to the Word affecting more the elegancy of the expression then the wholesomeness of the truth Cui nullus in dicendo sermo placet nisi Grammaticè fuerit conceptus Dialecticè imaginatus Rhetoricè purpuratus as S. Augustine expresses it Such like not their spiritual food unless it be adorned with the flowers of Rhetorick who regard more how handsome the provision be than how wholesome Hence errour many times handsomely dressed findes more entertainment then a plain truth So men take poyson instead of nourishment thus when men catch more at an elegancy in a Sermon then a promise they may be pleased perhaps but little profited In seed you look not at leaves as you doe in flowers but at the inward vertue whereby it hath an aptitude to fructifie so should we in the seed of the word not prize the outward seeming dress and beauty of it so much as the inward efficacy of it whereby it may fructifie in your hearts and lives Qui maturitatis fructum quaerit despicit amaena camporum saies Chrysologus Chrysolog serm 18. He that desires profit from a field lookes to the ripeness of the corn not to the beauty of the cockle which may more gratifie the eye but not fill the barn and granary so he that desires to profit by the word must not attend the adorning of Rhetorick which may perhaps more please the fancy but not at all rellish the soul such may more gratify the palate but it is not so good for nourishment The affected elegancy of a Sermon may more gratify curiosity but not profit and nourish the soul It is true that S. Augustin observes that propter fastidia plurimorum etiam ea sine quibus vivere non possumus alimenta condienda sunt But they live miserablely that live altogether upon sauces There is another curiosity much like this which makes the word unprofitable and that is a nice squemishness that men nauseate truth that they have heard of before as an ill squeasy stomach which cannot make two meales of the same meat whereas we had need considering our dulness to understand our forgetfulness of what we have heard to have the same truths preached over and over again and yet shall we finde all little enough We may see what was the temper of those in Acts 13. 42. they besought the Apostles that the same words might be taught again the next Sabbath this I speak not to patronize laziness in the preacher but to correct the curiosity of the hearer which makes the word become so unprofitable to them Twelfthly The twelfth ground is Not attending upon a constant settled ministery This is that which God hath used from the first planting of Churches for the edification of his people as appears from Acts 20. 28. and confirmed by the practise of the whole primitive Church Trees oft transplanted can take no firm rooting a rolling stone we say gathers no moss those whose fickle unsettledness prompts them to run from this Minister to that and to settle under none are like to profit very little by the word This S. Paul reproves sharply in his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. He walkes securely that is guided by some fixed star whiles he who followes some meteor is led into some bog or pit so those who walk by the light of some settled Minister as a star fixed to his orb are preserved safe in the way of Religion but those who follow wandring meteors fall into some pit of errour Many thrive and live healthfully on one dish while others surfeit of variety By attending upon a settled Minister you come to be acquainted with his style familiar with his phrase and learn his method which will facilitate and strengthen memory that you may carry away and profit more by him Thirteenthly The thirteenth ground is want of love to the word of God Men come out of custome and not out of a real sense of the want of the word or with any love unto it If men had such affections to the word as David professeth of himself that he had Psal 119. 20. that his soul did even break for the longings he had after Gods word much more would they profit by it If with Job they prized it more then their ordinary food Job 23. 12. A man that sits down to his meals when he hath no liking to the meat set before him he will not nourish kindly by it neither will any
nourish spiritually that brings not a good affection to the word of God I. It is so in all other knowledge you may perhaps have it by experience If you put your children to a trade which they do not desire or love they will scarcely prove artists in it so if men put their children out intending to make them scholars if they do not love their books they will prove but dunces and therefore many parents do wisely dispose of their children according to their affections and inclinations so if men love not the word of God they are not probable to make any great proficiency in it Love is a quickning affection what I love I am ready to take pains for and not to endure to be without it Thus if men did love the word they would take pains for it familiarize it to them by much reading frequent hearing serious meditation and not endure to be without it Let David be an example Oh how do I love thy Law and this puts upon meditating upon the law day and night and when he was without it he mourns for it and sayes One day in Gods courts is better then a thousand elswhere and he cannot reflect upon his former enjoyment of that word without a tear Psal 42. 4. The Apostle is very full and pertinent to this purpose 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby as a childe finds sweetness in nothing but the breast so that it cries if it be without it and thus if we affect the word we shall thrive by it II. This provokes God to proceed judicially to give men up to unprofitableness and while they like not the truth to give them up to errour The Apostle is express in this 2 Thess 2. 10. And here we see that notional professours who have got a notion of truth in their heads but not the love of truth in their hearts oft turn Apostates and back-sliders as these times give us sad experience of When the Israelites began to loath manna God gave them quails indeed but his wrath with them Numb 11. 33. and leanness into their souls Psal 106. 15. So when men love not the manna of the word c. Love of the truth puts men upon a constant attendance upon the word as the means of grace and knowledge and so consequently they are like to profit by it so it is said of the Thessalonians that they were exemplary believers 1 Thess 1. 7. and the reason thereof is given vers 6. because they received the word with much joy Fourteenthly The fourteenth ground is a resting in the Ordinance in the opus operatum the work done and so look no further And this men are very apt to do as Micah blesses himself Judg. 17. 13. because he had gotten a Levite into his house so many conclude the love of God and their own security barely upon the enjoyment of a ministery and preaching So did those in Jer. 7. 4. They cry out The Temple of the Lord and so many also of the Gospel We enjoy that and therefore all is well You may finde some making plea of this unto Christ Luke 13. 26. Thou hast taught in our streets but Christ dismisses them for all that with a nescio I know you not vers 27. Thus did the Jews of old as in Rom. 2. 17. they rested in the law and made their boast of God and so do Christians now they think that they have done God service abundantly if they have heard two sermons on the Sabbath-day and never look to their proficiency As many an idle scholar satisfies himself that he hath been at his Tutours lecture though he cares not to profit by it If you rest onely in this it may be so far from profiting you that it may be your ruine Christ at the last-day will acquit none for enjoying the Gospel but condemn them for not profiting by it 2 Thess 1. 7. Fifteenthly The fifteenth ground is Unfaithfulness of memory and forgetfulness when the word goes in at one ear and out at another When this spiritual food stayes not with us it is not like to nourish us The word must be treasured up in the memory before it can fructifie in our hearts It is not the forgetful hearer that is blessed Jam. 1. 25. such an one is like a man who looks his face in a glass and presently forgets so such an one takes a glance at the word and the word is out of his memory assoon as himself is out of the Church If you would profit by the word you must practise the Apostles counsel Hebr. 2. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let nothing slip a Metaphor from a sieve or leaking vessel when the liquour runs out as fast as it is put in But because want of memory is a great complaint among many and some of them out of question serious Christians I shall give these brief directions 1. Pray for the Spirit one office of whom is to be a remembrancer John 14. 26. 2. Meditate in private upon the word of God Men goe out of the church presently to their worldly employment and give liberty to their vain thoughts and idle discourses and so the word is forgotten 3. Confer with others about the truths thou hearest This conference will both strengthen memory and fasten truths in it and also quicken and enflame affections to it as coales lying together kindle each other thus did the disciples Luc. 24. 14. Rather then forget a profitable truth consult the minister it is needless modesty in thee if thou enquire not and pride in him if he does not enforme thee 4. Get your affections raised and enflamed to truth If men loved the word of God they would remember it more did you ever know a covetous miser forget where his bags were laid if we could esteem the word as our treasures and greater treasures then those of Gold we should remember more of it 5. Perhaps what thou remembrest though but little keeps thee to close walking with God Be not discouraged thou thrivest more then one who can carry away a whole Sermon and lives not suitablely and likely it is that God may bring into thy remembrance more according as thou standest in need of it 6. Improve what thou remembrest by prayer and practise Retire thy self and turn the Sermon into a prayer and that will rivet it in thy memory however turn it into practise and thou wilt never forget it An artist will never forget the rules of that trade vvhich he daily practiseth Sermons are but notions to such vvho experience not the efficacy of them in their lives Sixteenthly The sixteenth ground is affectation of novelty and itching eares This puts men upon heaping to themselves teachers and forsaking sound preaching and teachers too The Apostle foretold such there should be in 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. and vve may safely say that it is fulfilled in our daies This is one of
did not presently discharge himself of Jerusalem but after many calls and warnings and wilful contempt of all these How oft would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not Matth. 23. 37. He warns Ephesus to repent before he takes away the candlestick Rev. 2. 5. Let us then improve this time of patience and the Gospel while we enjoy it lest through the hardness of our heart under it we treasure up wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. The fifth General ground of unprofitable hearing is in respect of Satan who doth what he can to make the word unprofitable several ways and devices Satan hath to compass this end Sometimes he is at your elbow jogging you asleep that men sleep away a Sermon sometimes he steals away the word you have received which our Saviour expresseth by the seed that fell by the ways side Matth. 13. 4 and 19. otherwhile he presents your thoughts with the glory and greatness of the world and so they are wandring and distracted sometimes begetting prejudices in your hearts against the word or the preacher of it and so disaffecting you to the truth preached sometimes suggesting suitable motions and temptations to steal away your hearts from the word as to the voluptuous mans pleasure to the ambitious man honours so suiting their corruptions and by that they prove careless to profit by the word And the truth is the more powerfull the word is the more the devil opposes it and the more the light of the Gospel hath appeared the more hath Satan sent out the smoke of the bottomless pit to obscure it and therefore though the multitude of heresies errours which abound among us be real matter of a lamentation as being a sign that the devil hath set his cloven foot amongst us yet I cannot but from hence conclude there is agreater power of Gospel-light which the devil thus endeavours to extinguish it appears that the sun is up that these locusts swarm so If now you ask me why the devil so much opposes the word and Gospel I answer I. Because himself hath no share in it he is fallen irrecoverablely from God and as an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he endeavours to bring others into the same destruction with himself he envied mans estate in paradise and thought to have ruined him but perceiving man by a second covenant in a possibility of a better state then that he more envies his recovery which the Gospel discovers and conveies as being the Gospel of reconciliation and therefore he endeavours to make this ineffectual II. Because it is a means to ruin and demolish his kingdome The word of God is mighty to throw down Satans strong holds 2 Cor. 5. 10. whereby he keeps possession of the soul As the walls of Jericho fell down at the noise of rams horns so at the sound of the Gospel the walls of Satan fall down Some stones out of this brook will conquer our Goliah this sword of the Spirit conquers Satan Ephes 6. 17. When Christ had sent out his seventy disciples to preach the effect of it was that Satan fell like lightning out of heaven Luke 10. 18. that is that power and dominion he exercised before in the world This was one end for which God sent Paul to the Gentiles Acts 26. 17 18. Hence it is that Satan employs all his subtilty and strength against it for where the word comes in power the devil is a looser by it he looseth a subject of his kingdome who by the word is brought from under his obedience While men remain his subjects he lets them alone quietyly all is in peace while the strong man keeps the house but when the Gospel comes to bring his subjects to the obedience of God then he raiseth all the force he can against it by himself and wicked men He hath the possession of our corrupt hearts and therefore will not submit to a dis-possession without much resistance The Gospel brings us from under Satans power by a pure conquest for he will not deliver his right and possession upon terms The devil looks upon it as his interest to oppose the Gospel to uphold and secure his ovvn kingdome Observe vvhat the Apostle suys expressely to this 2 Cor 4. 4. The God of this world hath blinded the eyes of them lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them vvhen the Gospel shines in his full lustre the devil endeavours to blinde men vvith wilfull unbelief that they see it not The ultimate end that Satan aims at in this is the ruine of their souls and therefore in order to it is carefull that they come not to the knovvledge of the truth without which is no salvation 1 Tim. 2. 4. vvhich he knovvs they cannot do vvithout the shining of the light of the Gospel into their hearts and therefore endeavours to hinder it vvhat he can The Prince of darkness rules in dark ignorant souls holds them by those chains of darkness and endeavours to shut their eyes lest by the light of the Gospel they should discover the delusions by which he hath held them captive and so these should be taken from under his obedience as in the day we discover the vanity of our night-phantasies dreams and imaginations In a vvord Satan looseth where the word profiteth therefore he doth all he can to oppose it To conclude with these brief directions by the use of which we may become hearers with profit I. Go to the word as the word and for the word So thou meetest with the wholesome word of God regard not the dress it comes in Bonorum ingeniorum insignis est indoles in verbis verum amare non Aug. de doct Christ lib. 4. cap. 11. verba Augustin Say thou Lord here I come to thy word nothing else will satisfie me not huskes but bread in my fathers house 2. Come to the word as the means of salvation Were men convinced throughly of this that their salvation was concerned in the word they would certainly be more careful to profit They who are soundly taught and instructed by the word of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens observes they mount up to heaven as on eagles wings Think with thy self every Sermon thou comest to Now I come to further my salvation my soul is concerned in this Ordinance this Sermon will be but like Vriah's letter to me a message of death if I profit not by it did men come with these resolutions they could not but go away with profit I shall conclude therefore with that of the Prophet Esay 55. 3. Incline your eare and come unto me hear but remember so to hear as to profit by your hearing and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David FINIS THE SEVERITIE AND IMPARTIALITIE OF DIVINE JUSTICE A Sermon preached before the JUDGES at the Assise at Cambridge July 25. An. Dom. 1654. By JOHN FROST B.
his devotions was solicited to pardon a Malefactour condemned to die he as willing to shake off such an unseasonable importunitie granted the request but Psal 106. 3. suddenly meeting with that passage of the Psalmist Blessed are they that keep judgement and be that doth righteousness at all times recalled the Malefactour and revoked his former grant of mercie upon this reason Principem qui punire potest crimen nec punit non minùs coram Deo reum esse quà m si id ipse perpetrâsset that Prince or Magistrate which can and will not punish sin is in the judgement and sight of God as guiltie of it as if he had commited it There are no men in the world more guiltie of other mens sins then Ministers and Magistrates the first by not reproving the other by not punishing 3. In faithfulness to the offendour to him that doth wrong the Magistrate by punishing him may do him a real courtesie as certainly they did the thief who condemned him to the same Cross with our Saviour and his receiving punishment by the hand of the Magistrate may be a means of his repentance for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Plutarch and so prevent his receiving it from the just hand of God Magistrates in Scripture are oft called Fathers as Pater patriae among the Romans and we know what Solomon saith of them Prov. 13. 24. He that spareth his rod hateth his son and severitie and justice against the sin may oft in the event prove mercie to the sinner but however He that doth wrong shall receive c. 4. In order to the common and publick securitie that by one mans punishment others may fear to sin Which is the account Moses gives of Gods appointment of capital punishments under the judicial law as the seducer from the true worship of God was by Gods command to be stoned Deut. 13. 10. and the end is expressed verse 11. that all Israel might hear and fear and do no more such wickedness And the false witness to be punished Deut. 19. 19 20. That those which remain may no more commit any such evil amongst you That which is a punishment to one becomes a terrour to all Besides punishments are necessarie for the protection of weak and unarmed innocencie to which Magistrates are or should be a refuge and shelter and which is chief for the securitie and defence of the Laws which would be every villains scorn and derision if they were not hedged in with thorns as I may say and secured by punishments For though the most ingenuous principle of obedience be love yet the most common principle is fear and those who will not for conscience sake as the Apostle commands Rom. 13. 5. conform to the Laws yet will for wraths sake for fear of punishment and many whom Religion will not Policie will oblige to obedience God sees it necessarie to secure his own Laws by annexing punishments to them mans corrupt nature is become now servile and with those in Psal 2. 3. would think of breaking all bands in sunder and casting away the cords of Gods commands from them did they not fear as it follows there v. 9. to be bruised with the rod of iron Many keep Gods Laws more out of fear of Hell then out of any love to Holiness and much more invalid will any humane Laws be without punishments annexed If men could promise themselves securitie from the punishment which the Law threatens they would quickly indulge themselves the libertie of violating what the Law commands I like not indeed Draco's Laws which were so cruel that they were said to be written in bloud not with ink nor approve of Caligula's decrees which were termed furores non judicia and surely capital punishments should then onely be inflicted when the Laws cannot be secured nor the publick safetie and peace preserved without them But without some punishment neither can be safe the Magistrates authoritie would be contemned and the Laws like Cobwebs swept down by every hand and therefore those same men I mean the Socinians and others who inveigh against all punishments especially if capital as a breach of charitie charge the Laws too as a violation of Christian libertie these are timely to be looked too Magistrates in Scripture are called Physitians it is a cruel pitie in a Physitian to Isa 3. 6 7. spare an ounce or two of corrupt bloud and thereby endanger the health of the whole bodie A Gangren'd member must be cut off that the whole be not corrupted immedicabile vulnus ense rescindendum est Nè pars sincera trahatur so must a corrupt member of the Common-wealth and however this may seem crueltie to the Offendour yet I am sure it is mercie and pitie to the Publick which can oft no otherwaies be secured and preserved from danger By this time I hope you see the Magistrates right to punish them who do wrong but lest the great Nimrods of the world might here take sanctuarie and because of their own power or policie or of the Magistrates cowardize or partialitie they may hope to escape the stroke of the civil sword and so be encouraged to tyrannize and wrong others let them know they shall certainly receive at the hand of God for what ever wrong they do c. that brings me to the II. The indispensabilitie of divine justice A truth very necessarie to be demonstrated because though the worst of Atheists fear it a clap of thunder strikes a Caligula under his bed as fearing the stroke of a revenging justice and a discourse of it strikes a cruel Felix into a fit of trembling yet many would go for Christians who do not believe it or at least do not express the power of such a perswasion in their lives Would there be so many mightie Nimrods hunters after their neighbours estates and lives so many unjust Ahabs and the like if they really believed they should receive for that wrong they do from the hand of an indispensable impartial justice Truth is men must offer violence to the principles of natural conscience in which there are strong impressions of this truth as being that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that judgement of God which the Apostle saith the Heathen though given over to a reprobate sense had a Rom. 1. 28 32. knowledge of before they can cast off all thoughts and jealousies of a revenging justice but few live under the actual belief of it the fear of it scares them but the belief of it doth not reclaim them Truth is most men have many carnal prejudices against it as to do thus is the mode of the world and I shall escape as well as others and not to do it will cross my gain and profit and that which indeed is the chief and makes most Atheists is present prosperitie they can do wrong and yet thrive and prosper and this makes many think God rather likes and approves of the sin then intends to punish
love to God engagements to obedience encouragements and enablements to do God more service Doest thou rejoyce in them as giving opportunities to do more good to others Canst thou say they are arguments and motives with thee to walk chearfully vvith God They are thy viaticum to a better inheritance but if thou usest or rather abusest thy riches to luxurie and riot thy power to tyranny and oppression thy beauty as a bait to uncleanness thy learning in patronage of errour and opposing the truths of God If thy worldly enjoyments draws thee from thy obedience to God as fat pastures make beasts more unruly If with Jeshurun Deut. 32. 15. thou waxest fat and kickest against God sadly think of it without repentance thou art the man who hast thy portion onely in this life The sum then is whoever gets his earthly portion unjustly affects it inordinately useth it unfruitfully and ungodlily he is the man whose misery it is to have his portion in this life Tenthly Christians prize your portion Though you have little or no portion in the world there is an excellency in a Christians portion above what is to be found in the largest portions of the world which wicked men enjoy Eleventhly Let us all seriously set upon it this day to treasure up a portion to our selves in another life to take our Saviours advice Matth. 6. 20. to lay up for our selves treasures in heaven To you especially I speak who have the largest portion in this world none so apt to neglect the thoughts and care of heaven as those who have most upon earth as being immers'd in worldly pleasures and on every hand beset with temptations to sin and solicitations to forget God Luther was wont to resolve se nolle sic satiari that God should not put him off with an earthly portion That you may get a portion hereafter take these directions First Make it your first and chief business to lay up a portion in heaven 'T is the most compendious way to get a portion in the world Matth. 6. 33. Seek ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousness You will be every way gainers by it even in this life for all these things shall be added unto you cast in as an addition and over-plus Solomon had riches and honour cast in as an additional over-plus to that wisdome he asked of God or else the sanctified use of thy little portion in this life and as in Prov. 15. 16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith and Prov. 16. 19. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly then to divide the spoil with the proud Thou shalt have the world so far as it is good for thee and that little thou hast shall be filled up with the blessings of God here and in the other life too Godliness hath the promise of both 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come of the one absolutely and the other conditionally Secondly Live suitably to the nature and expectations of a portion in another life that is holily without this holiness no man shall ever see the face of God Hebr. 12. 14. and that 's the portion of Saints hereafter as appears vers 15. after my Text David opposing this to that portion the men of the world have in this life Thirdly Get a portion of grace here treasured up in your hearts Psal 84. 11. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glorie not one without the other all the glory in the world without grace will not entitle us to glory hereafter Let us then labour to make sure of God as our portion in this life that in another life he may be our exceeding great reward FINIS SALVATION BY CHRIST The Summe of the GOSPEL A Sermon preached in S. Benedict's Church in Cambridge May 27. 1655. By JOHN FROST B. D. then Fellow of S. JOHNS Colledge and late Preacher in Olaves-Hartstreet in London Luke 19. 10. The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost Nulla causa veniendi Christo Domino nisi peccatores salvos facere Tolle morbos tolle vulnera nulla erit causa medicinae August serm 9. de verb. Apon CAMBRIDGE Printed by John Field Printer to the Universitie Anno Dom. MDCLVII 1 TIM 1. 15. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief NOne can set an higher estimate and value upon mercie then those who have the deepest sence of their own sin and misery Christ is more pretious to none then to souls who have been truely humbled for sin The revelation of Gospel-grace is not so acceptable to any as to those who see themselves condemned by the Law Thus S. Paul here reflecting upon his former sins ver 13. how doth he exalt the mercy of God and the grace of Christ ver 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he wanted expression and that Gospel-doctrine That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which he now saw himself to be the chief which the Jews scoffe at the Greek counts foolishness the Atheist derides the Pharisaical Justiciarie undervalues to him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most acceptable message c. Which words in their relative consideration seem to refer to ver 12. as a vindication of his Apostleship and Ministry from that prejudice and calumnie of those who objected his former persecution and blasphemie to him as a charge upon his present Ministrie The Apostle first acknowledgeth the charge ver 13. and secondly he asserts both right to and abilities for the Ministry to be from God ver 12. and thirdly he lays down the reason of Gods dealing thus with him ver 13 14. and lest perhaps some might think this false or impossible 1. he demonstrates the truth of his conversion by the fruits and effects of it Faith and Love ver 14. and 2. the possibility of it from the general end of Christs coming into the world which was to save sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word signifies notorious infamous sinners that 's in the Text This is a faithfull saying c. That 's the coherence of the words in which observe three things First A preface 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation Secondly A Doctrine or proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Thirdly The proof of the proposition by a Particular accommodation to himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom I am chief And his example was as he tells you ver 16. a pattern of that mercy which God through Christ would manifest to other sinners In the Preface four things are held forth I.
The truth and certainty of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an expression much used by the Apostle quoties aliquid magni momenti adfert cui fidem adstruendam putat as Heinsius observes The Apostle useth it here to secure Christians from those doubts which their own hearts or false Apostles or justiciaries or legalists might object against the certainty of mans salvation by Christ Is dignus cui fides habeatur ut qui fallere non potest saies Beza II. The worth and excellency of Gospel-revelation That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sermonem non quemvis sed eximium selectum declarat saith Beza a choice truth the summe and substance of the Gospel III. That esteem and entertainment which the Gospel deservedly calls for from Christians It is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is non tantùm sententia vera sed digna quae fiat plurimi saith Grotius not onely a true sentence but most worthy also of our highest esteem and valuation and not onely so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of our acceptation too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aliquid avidè arripere saith Musculus as a poor man will money or a hungry man his meat Nay further the Apostle by all meanes endeavouring to provoke us to an entertainment of the Gospel said it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut nihil relinquat quòd sit avidius acceptandum quà m Evangelium Dei de peccatorum all at a salute per Christum saith Musculus on the place So that imagine the greatest and most readie entertainment any thing in the world meets with from carnal hearts gold to the covetous c. the Gospel deserves a more ready welcome from Christians as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worthy of all acceptation IIII. A Paradox to reason ideo Apostolus seriâ illâ obtestatione Gerard. in loc utitur saith Gerard. Secondly In the proposition observe I. The person who came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ the eternal son of God II. The place whither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the world a vally of tears a stage of misery III. To what end or wherefore he came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to save For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Joh. 3. 17. IV. The persons whom he came for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—nners and those not Angels but men c. Each word heightens the mercy of Christ and should provoke us to an effectual entertainment of that Gospel which reveales Christs coming into the world to save sinners I shall summe up these into this Doctrine The Gospel of which this is the summe that Jesus Christ came into Doctrine the world to save sinners is a most certain truth and most acceptable doctrine In prosecution of which I shall endeavour to shew First That the promised Messiah is already come into the world Secondly That Jesus Christ whom we acknowledge and profess is that promised Messiah Thirdly The importance of that phrase Christ came into the world what that implies Fourthly That the design of Christs coming into the world was to save sinners Fifthly How Christ carried on this design or in what respects Christ may be said to save sinners Sixthly Why it was necessary Christ should come in order to this end viz. mans salvation Seventhly Upon what accounts this is and ought to be a most acceptable doctrine I shall be brief in the two first as knowing I speak to Christians onely suggest some things to strengthen your faith And first That the true Messiah is come appears upon a four-fold 1 Partie account I. Because all those cities and places in which Christ was in order to the fulfilling of the prophesies in the old Testament to be born brought up and manifest himself in are long since ruined and utterly demolished He was to be born at Beth-lehem But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel Mic. 5. 2. He was to dwell at Nazareth to come into Jerusalem Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy king cometh unto thee c. Zech. 9. 9. And that while the second Temple stood the glory of which upon this onely account was prophesied by Haggai to be greater then the glory of the former Temple because of the person of the Messiah in it Haggai 2. 7 9. Add Malachy who lived in the time the second Temple was built and was Mal. 3. 1. contemporary with the Prophet Haggai But now all these cities are ruined and which is a clear evidence the Messiah is come the second Temple destroyed and Jerusalem demolisht by the Romanes II. The ceasing of the Jewish politie and commonwealth which was not to be till the coming of the true Messiah according to Jacob's prophesie Gen. 49. 10. which the Antient Jews themselves understood of the Messiah Per quem CHRISTI ADVENTUM non est intelligenda Christi nativitas stetit enim respublica Judaeorum Molin Vates p. 289. firmam aliquam politiam habuit per annos septuaginta duos post Christum natum sed per adventum Christi intelligimus manifestationem Christi per Evangelium By which coming of Christ we must not understand Christs birth for then there was a common-wealth of the Jews which had too some kinde of a settled politie for seventy two years after Christ was born but we understand by the coming of Christ the manifestation of him by the Gospel in which sence 't is said Matth. 10. 23. ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel till the son of man be come The power of life and death was taken from them in Idem de disciplina instructione Judaeorum our Saviours time as appears by their own ingenuous confession to Pilate John 18. 31. Then said Pilate unto them Take ye him and judge him according to your law the Jews therefore said unto him It is not lawfull for us to put any man to death Romani Judeae praefectos habebant cogebant fidem homagii praestare Caesari numisma cudere illis â—ram p. 91. licitum non fuit I shall not dispute the punctual time when this Scepter departed whether in Herod's or when Titus destroied the Iewish State which I must think most probable because then the gathering of the nations was to Christ by the coming in of the Gentiles but this is evident that that Politie is now destroyed and the Jews a scattered nation throughout the world III. The abrogation of the Jewish worship and Levitical ceremonies This was prophesied by Daniel as one thing which
should be by the coming of the Messiah In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease Dan. 9. 27. as wholly needless after the coming of the Messiah whom they typified and prefigured God never intended the Jewish worship should continue alwaies as being a heavy yoke and after the coming in of the Gentiles especially as to the place of it impossible as Eusebius demonstrates in the third chapter of his first book De demonstratione Evangelica Moses himself spoke of another Prophet Deut. 18. 15 18. who should deliver from the bondage of sin to the heavenly Canaan as Moses had done from Egypt's as a Law giver to the Gentiles when the Jewish rites should be wholly abolished and prophesying and vision failed amongst the Jews when this great Prophet was come into the world IV. The heathen Oracles are silenced and their idolatrie destroyed which was to be at the coming of the Messiah according to the prophesie of Zechariah And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of hosts that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land and they shall no more be remembred and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land Zech. 13. 7. and of Isaiah And the idols he shall utterly abolish Isa 2. 18. and at verse 20. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made each one for himself to worship to the moles and to the bats And so it happened at the coming of our Messiah when Augustus consulting the Oracle about his successour received this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. An Hebrew childe hath bid me leave these shrines which Oracle Augustus having received erected an Altar in the Capitol with this inscription Ara primogeniti Hottinger p. 35. Dei Plutarch in his book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de defectu oraculorum concerning the defect of the Oracles confesseth the thing though he knew not the cause Delphis Oracula cessant Juvenal observed in the time of Domitian and the rest decayed soon after Secondly That our Jesus is the promised Messiah appears I. From the evident fulfilling of all the prophesies of the old 2. Partic. Testament concerning the Messiah in Jesus Christ the Messiah He was to be born of a virgin Isa 7. 14. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son so was our Jesus Matth. 1. 23. And that too in the citie of Bethlehem Mich. 2. 2. But thou Beth-lehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel and so was Christ Matth. 2. 11. brought up too in Galilee Matth. 2. 22. and he rode in triumph into Jerusalem Matth. 21. as it was prophesied of the Messiah Zech. 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion shout O daughter of Jerusalem Behold thy King cometh unto thee c. There is not a passage in the death of Christ but was in answer to some prophesies of the old Testament his side pierced as foretold by Zechariah They shall look upon me whom they have pierced Zech. 12. 10. his drinking of vinegar in Psal 69. 21. In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink his crucifying amongst thieves Isa 53. 12. He was numbred among the transgressours his death and burial Isa 53. 9. He made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death yet so as not to see corruption Psal 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell nor suffer thy holy one to see coruption but to be raised again as in Acts 2. 25 26. By the harmony of which events to the prophesies the Gentiles were convinced to leave their Idolatrie and to embrace the Doctrine and Gospel of Jesus Christ witness whole nations whose conversion from a setled inveterate Idolatrie in a short time without worldly power and force no enticements of pleasure or profit no carnal means in the face of fire and faggot brought over to the acknowledgement of a crucified Messiah must needs speak God in it and must certainly be imputed to the care of God in fulfilling those prophesies which he that runs may read concerning the calling and coming in of the Gentiles at the coming of the Messiah see Isaiah 2. 2 3. Jer. 16. 19. Malachi 1. 11. Genes 49. 10. all which evidently speak the truth of our Messiah II. From those many miracles by which Christ confirmed his Doctrine which if you observe are the very same which the Prophet Isaiah foretels should be wrought by the true Messiah Isaiah 35. 5 6. In reference to the fulfilling which prophesies Christ bad John's disciples tell him as an argument that Christ was he which should come that the blinds received their sight c. Matth. 11. 5. It was a rational conclusion which they made John 6. 14. when they had seen the miracle of the multiplied loaves This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a teacher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And far be that blasphemie from the thoughts of any of our hearts that these were done by Magick or the power of the devil why did not his enemies accuse him of it especially when it was one condition in the judges of the Sanhedrim that they should be skill'd in Hornbeck pag. 234. magick that they might detect and Judge others for it For certainly then others who envied Christ the glorie that he got by these miracles would out of envy and emulation have learnt the same art which yet no history makes mention of that ever I saw or heard of Nor were they done by the power of the devil for the manner of Christs miracles were casting out of devils and Beelzebul could not cast out Beelzebul and surely Christ would have affected privacie and solitude if he had intended to have imposed upon the credulitie of the ignorant who yet chose the most conspicuous places and the greatest multitude to work his miracles amongst having oft thousand eyes witnesses of them The Jews themselves can give no other account to a Pagan why they credit Grot. de veritat Relig. pag. 222. c. the miracles of the old Testament then the testimony of those that saw them the rapture of Elias onely upon the bare testimony of Elisha 1 King 2. 1. If they will not give credit to the Apostles testimonies though no reason why an historical faith should not be given them yet let them credit Josephus which the Jews say â—â—s phus Antiq. lib. 18. c. 4. cannot be found in their copies and no wonder Nam Judaei non habent Josephum filius Malachiae qui graves scripsit libros Antiquitatum de quo nos loquimur sed Josephum filium Gorionis qui aliquid simile scripsit Hebraicè saies Bellarmine And these things speak the Bellarm. de script
to What thankfull admiration should it create in our hearts and we say with Mary Luke 1. 46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour that he should thus come into the world to save sinners of whom we are chief Fifthly How Christ carried on this design or in what respects Partic. 5. be said to save sinners I. Not barely by giving himself an example and pattern for a Christians imitation It is true that Christum imitari salutis via est which Socinus make his ground for this assertion to imitate Christ is the way to salvation It lies upon Christians as a duty to walk as he walked 1 John 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk even as he walked And it is one end of Christs death to set us a copy of patience and submission 1. Pet 2. 21. Because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps And it is as true that whoever expects upon good grounds Christ for his purchase must take him as his pattern and example but through the rebellion of the flesh and the temptation of Satan it comes to pass that the best of us can but imperfectly imitate him and so still stand in need of a Saviour to satisfie for the imperfections of our obedience through whom it must be accepted Besides in this sence the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs may be called Saviours as setting us an example of piety and patience and so the Apostle bids us to account of them Jam. 5. 10. Take my brethren the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience And therefore we must rise higher then this in conceiving Christ to save sinners therefore the Apostle where he propounds the death of Christ as an example of patience suggests it also as an expiation for sin and purchase of our pardon as 1 Pet. 2. where exhorting to patient suffering for well-doing after the example of Christ ver 21. For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps he adds at ver 24. who his own self bare our sins in his own bodie on the tree that we being dead to sin should live to righteousness by whose stripes ye were healed And it is the issue of Christs undertakings his death and purchase that we are redeemed from sin and freed to walk in imitation of Christ in righteousness and holiness then which Scripture speaks nothing more plainly as is clear from Gal. 1. 4. Who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver us from this present evil world and 1 Pet. 1. 18. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation c. and so Titus 1. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works II. Not as Christ is an instrument to convey salvation to sinners which is another account Socinus gives why Christ may be said to save sinners It is true indeed that Christ doth bestow and confer eternal salvation upon sinners yea but not instrumentally and principally but in joynt efficiency with his Father who as one in being so in working as in John 10. 28 30. therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Authour of eternal salvation Hebr. 5. 9. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 3. 15. the Prince of life III. Not onely because he revealed the way of salvation to sinners though this be true yet it is too short and insufficient for thus the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel may be said to save sinners as laying before them the way and opening to them the Gospel of salvation So the Apostle of himself 1 Cor. 9. 22. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and Acts 16. 17. it is the confession of the Damosel possessed with the spirit of divination These men are the servants of the most high God which shew unto us the way of salvation he exhorts Timothy so to preach as that he may save them that hear him 1 Tim. 4. 16. If Christ be only in this respect a Saviour then after he had by his Doctrine revealed the way to salvation his death was altogether needless upon which yet Scripture laies the great stress of saving sinners He is the Saviour of the bodie saith the Apostle Ephes 5. 23. he tells you how verse 25. he gave himself for it and expresly Tit. 2. 13 14. Who gave himself for us c. IV. Not onely by confirming this doctrine revealed It is true this was one end of Christ's coming so saies our Saviour himself to Pilate demanding of him Art thou a king John 18. 37. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth But who can imagine that God should give up his onely begotten wel-beloved Son expose him to the scorns of men frowns of God and at last to a cursed ignominious death onely for confirmation of Gospel-doctrine which was sufficiently done by the innocencie of his life and his miracles for it is said of the Apostles Mark 16. 20. That they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following The Martyrs and Apostles might as well upon this account be called Saviours who sealed to the truth of the Gospel with their bloud as S. Paul saith of himself Acts 20. 23 24. The holy Ghost witnesseth in every city saying That bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self c. to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God Christ is therefore said to save sinners by way of a real price paid and purchase made this Scripture speaks expresly Mat. 20. 28. where it is said The Son of man came to give his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome for many which word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies to redeem by way of purchase as those other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so frequently used in Scripture as to Christ giving hâ—mself for sinners 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. Coloss 1. 14. So that Christ did truely pay to God a price for the Salvation and recovery of sinners Ephes 5. 2. The effects of which in reference to this end of saving sinners were 1. A perfect satisfaction to Divine justice which required the punishment for sin either in the person offending or in his suretie hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such like expressions in Scripture an oblation a ransome a propitiation for sin 1 John 2. 1. hence those expressions Isaiah 53. 5. The chastisement of our peace was
the seeming plausible pretences of reason should contradict it As the mysterie of the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection and the like are to reason seeming contradictions yet to be believed upon the account of Scripture testimony in which the ultimate resolution of our faith ought to be made not into the fallible evidences of reason or the erring dictates of men If you finde a scriptum est Let God be true though all men be liars Rom. 3. 4. 2. Because of that consent and harmony that is in Scripture testimony no jarring or contradiction in it but what the Prophets foretold the Evangelists speak of is fulfilled In humane writings how frequently may we observe one contradicting another and this reason clashing with that Nay the same authour through ignorance or forgetfulness inconsistent to himself but in Scripture there is a full and perfect consent as all proceeding from the dictate of the same infallible spirit as in 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God c. and 2 Pet. 1. 21. For the prophesie came not in old times by the will of man but Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And though there may seem sometimes to be some contradictions and inconsistences yet these arise not from the Scripture it self but from our shortness weakness or ignorance and the like therefore we say what our Saviour saith at vers 46. of this chapter Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me and as Paul speaks in his Apologie for himself Act. 26. 22. Saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come A sweet consent there is between Christ Moses and Paul 3. Because Scripture was given to this very end to be a certain and infallible ground of truth for though God during the infancy of the Church while it was inclosed in some few families revealed himself by visions and communicated his will from hand to hand by tradition from Adam to Moses and by extraordinary revelation yet when the Church increased and the people grew more corrupt and inclining to the heathen Idolatry God gave the law by Moses and so successively by the Prophets and Apostles by whom it pleased God to reveal his minde and will to all in writing both that it might be the better conveyed unto posterity as we finde it in Psal 102. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the more easily secured from corruption Had God still conveyed it unto us by the way of tradition either through the unfaithfulness of mans memory or his being subject to errour or affectation of novelty it had been laid open to a multitude of corruptions which if as experience shewes us scarce prevented by the penning of it how much less if it never had been written And also that the Church might have an exact standard of faith a perfect rule and an infallible judge of truth and therefore Ephes 2. 20. The Church is said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone Faith builds surer here then upon the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles And this S. Luke tells us expresly was his reason of writing the Gospel Luke 1. 3 4. That thou mightest know the certainty of those things c. And thus more certain then Humane testimony II. More certain then miracles for though it pleased God at first to confirm the truth of the Gospel by miracles to the conviction of the Adversaries as Nicodemus speaks to our Saviour in John 3. 2. Yet now God having compleated the Canon of Scripture and warned us not to receive any other doctrine though an Angel from Heaven should bring it Galat. 1. 8. and pronounced a wo upon all those who should add or detract from it Revelat. 22. 18. if any should bring any doctrine contrary to Scripture with pretence of confirming it by wonders and miracles we ought to reject it as erroneous and Antichristian and so we see the Apostle makes this one of the badges of Antichrist 2 Thessal 2. 9. III. More certain then Revelations There is a place that I have oft thought of it is in 2 Pet. 1. 18. A true voice of God from heaven of his son Christ yet the Apostle tells us that we may more infalliblely finde Christ in in the word of Prophesie what that is he tells us ver 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then by extraordinary revelations Revelations we acknowledge viz. of the spirit revealing and clearing up gospel-Gospel-truth and this is that the Apostle pray'd for in behalf of the Ephesians in Ephes 1. 16 17 18. I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him c. and thus Christ revealed the Scriptures to the disciples Luke 24. 45 46. that they might understand them but not that under that pretence of Revelation they should reject and lay them aside It is fond and ungodly to pretend to Revelations besides or contrary to the Scripture S Paul would have an Angel from heaven if he brings it to be accursed Galat. 1. 8. and what are they then who receive them Again he tells the Church of Ephesus that he had declared unto them the whole councel of God Acts 20. 27. and yet at Acts 26. 22. he professes that he said nothing but what Moses and the Prophets had said should come yet this S. Paul was rapt up into the third heaven and there heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable words in 2 Cor. 12. 4. There can be no security for our faith from Revelations unless they be such as bring evidences and assurances that they are from God for Satan can transform himself into an angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Now how shall we distinguish Satans delusions from Revelations but by the Testimony of the Scriptures by which we are commanded to try the Spirits 1 John 4. 1. For these Revelations and Enthusiasmes men pretend unto are oft as contrary and inconsistent to themselves as they are all contrary to the truth and therefore must be tryed by some infallible rule otherwise we shall constantly lie exposed to delusion unsetled in judgement and irresolved as to practise as not knowing what the next revelation may be perhaps quite contrary to the former Wherefore believe it they who will not rest upon the Scripture as the foundation of faith can rest no where When the Rich man in the Gospel would have had one extraordinary to have been sent from the dead to his brethren observe what answer Abraham gives him Luke 16. 29 30 31. They have Moses and the Prophets and if they hear not them neither will they hear though one come from the dead If one comes with Revelation and tells me It comes from God he must
so nor follow it without sin neither so that the obligation which an erroneous conscience lays upon a man is not to act contrary to it but he ought to get that false light extinguished and his conscience better informed and a true light set up from the word of God Notwithstanding this therefore and all other pretended lights or rules contrary to or besides this I shall close this argument with that of the Apostle Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule Peace be on them and the Israel of God The second argument or ground for Scripture-search is Scripture plaineness and perspicuity It is the desire and plot of the Church of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscurity upon the Scripture that hereby she may with the more plausible pretence exalt Peters pretended successour in the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage the people from reading them as perswading them that the treasure lies too deep for them to finde and therefore it is to no purpose for them to search but this is to bring a false report upon the Scripture as the spies did upon the land of Canaan All truths necessarie to salvation are plainly laid down in Scripture whence the Scripture is so oft compared to a light as in Psal 119. and Prov. 6. Indeed here we must distinguish between the mysteriousness and obscurity of the things revealed and the manner of the revelation Scripture-mysteries indeed are obscure and deep in which respect S. Peter observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood in S. Pauls epistles 2 Pet. 3. 16. but the revelation of these mysteries are plain to those that use the means as devout prayer serious meditation frequent reading and the like This is that which David saith Psal 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull there is the mystery but in verse 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light there is the perspicuity Some things are less plain ob futuritionem because they foretell things to come as Prophesies and some ob majestatem for the loftiness of them as to instance The mysterie of the Trinity is incomprehensible yet most plainly revealed in 1 John 5. 7. what greater mystery then for God to take flesh for a childe to be born of a virgin yet these most clearly revealed in Scripture 1 John 1. 14. and the other Luke 2. 6 7. Thus that which is obscurely insiâ—â—ated in one place is clearly revealed in another at least in those things that be absolutely necessary to salvation for to this very end Nihil continetur fidei necessorii quod Scriptura per sensum literatem alicubi non manifestâ— tradit Aquin p. 1. q. 1. a. 10. it was written John 20. 31. Yet Scriptures are dark and obscure as to us 1. Because of our pride and though God be said to resist the proud yet he teaches the humble Psal 25. 9. 2. Because of mens unbelief 2 Cor. 4. 3. The Gospel is hid to them that are lost So that while men-are in a state of unregeneracy they are amidst all their acquired knowledge in the dark as to any true saving knowledge of Scripture-mysteries they have no relish of these things A carnal eye cannot see those things which eye hath hath not seen they being the things of the Spirit therefore Christ councels us to buy of him eye-salve Revel 3. 18. without which we can see but little The cloud was light to the Israelites but dark to the Egyptians so is the word of God light to the true Israelites that is believers but dark to unbelievers the dark side of the cloud is towards them who are conversant onely in the letter 3. Because of our weakness and infirmity The mysteries of the Gospel are profound our capacities but shallow we may say of them as the woman of Samaria said of Jacobs well John 4. It is deep and we have not to draw with 4. Because of our curiosity as not content to know onely what God hath revealed 5. Because of our idleness and carelessness in searching Difficultas non est ex re ipsa sed ex nostra oscitantia saies Paraeus He that rides post cannot take a map of the countrey he rides through so he that makes too much hast in reading the Scriptures cannot take an exact account of them To the best by reason of the remainders of their natural blindness it is not so plain as it is in it self therefore Scripture is more perspicuous to some then to others some are better scholars then others in this school according to the means of grace God hath bestowed upon them Ephes 4. 7. and according to the diversity of the Spirit working in opening their eyes but they who understand most have reason to say with the Apostle We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and to pray with David Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes The use of this will be two-fold First Here we learn the unexcusableness of mens ignorance of Scripture Thou can'st not pretend that it doth not concern thee for Christ hath bidden thee search it nor yet make the obscurity of it a plea for all saving truths lies obvious and plain in it There is indeed strong meat for grown Christians but here is milk too for Babes in knowledge here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements but what may make thee wise to salvation is so plain that a man of the meanest capacitie may apprehend it therefore especially amidst so many means of knowing it as publick reading and preaching the ignorance of it in any is inexcusable Secondly Pray to God for the Spirit to be your teacher in these Gospel-mysteries that you may all be taught of God as it is in John 6. 45. Without this you will be in the dark and grope at noon-day The Sun is most perspicuous yet we cannot see it without its own light the things of the Spirit revealed in Scripture are clear and perspicuous in themselves but will not be so to us without the light of the Spirit There is indeed an external perspicuity of Scripture in the words this may be made out to the worst of men by the improvement of natural abilities and by accomplishment of Arts nay the devils may have a clear understanding of this but then there is an internal perspicuity of Scripture evidenced to the soul by the enlightning of the Spirit of God shining into the heart so irradiating the minde with a Divine light that it sees through the veil of the letter and discovers the mystery of the word This light conveys an experimental taste and a sweet relish of the truths of the word of God In a word the Scripture is plain though we want light to see it the Sun may shine though a blinde man cannot perceive it but now the Spirit brings a suitable light into the soul proportioned to these scripture-Scripture-truths which were indited and can onely be evidenced by
Humane writings gain acceptance by the command and Patronage of Great ones as Mahomet's upheld by a continued war Nebuchadnezzar makes a fiery furnace for them who will not bow down to the Image he sets up but here it was quite contrary a furnace fiery tryals and persecutions prepared for them who did receive and profess the word under many Heathen Emperours yet it thrived and the professours thereof multiplied not withstanding all opposition and disadvantages Which certainly even in the conviction of reason speaks the hand of God stretched out to preserve his word and bringing in many to the acknowledgement of it that notwithstanding the opposition these Scriptures have met with from persecuting Emperours cunning Hereticks and at first promulged onely by a few poor fishermen sent out with that commission Matth. 28. 19. to preach a crucified Saviour to an obstinate world that notwithstanding all this I say it should be preserved and propagated speaks it from God as Gamaliel a Pharisee argued Acts 5. 38 39. Had it not been thus from God surely God would long since have stopped the mouths of us Ministers of it as the greatest deluders and impostours in the world whom yet he hath oft miraculously preserved and encouraged and have countenanced the opposers of it whom yet his severest judgements have overtaken witness Antiochus Julian and the rest That the Professours of the Gospel should be as lambs among wolves yet not devoured that persecution should be illecebra magis sectae as Tertullian saies and that it should thrive by Tertull. Apol. cap. 49. opposition this speaks it surely to be from God 6. Consider the confirmation of this word by miracles such as created power could never reach The Apostle indeed foretels the coming of Antichrist to be with many signs and wonders 2 Thessal 2. 9. yea but lying wonders but Scripture-miracles are such as can be effected onely by the arm of omnipotency as Dividing the sea curing one born blinde Feeding thousands with a few loaves and fishes Raising the dead from a setled corruption as Lazarus these are such as Antichrist I think never pretended to therefore as the Magicians when they could not do the like miracles as Moses did cryed out This is the finger of God Exod. 8. 19. so we here This is the truth the word of God God would never certainly lay out his power or work miracles to confirm or seal to alye At John 5. 36. our Saviour urgeth this as an argument why his person and doctrine should be entertained 7. Consider Satans enmity against the Scripture His great design is if possible to keep men from the letter of the Scripture to hinder men from an effectual entertainment of the Gospel and therefore hath stirred up in all ages almost Persecutours to oppose it and Hereticks to delude and wrest it It strikes at and threatens ruine to his kingdome therefore he endeavours his utmost to subvert it and therefore all the designs now on foot against the Scripture you must look upon them as the plots of Satan You may read a piece of Philosophy History or any Humane writing and finde little or no reluctancie against the entertainment of it Now why should not men bring as ready a belief to Scripture or entertain the truth of it when they read it surely it is from the Devil tempting them to unbelief even because the God of this world hath blinded their eyes as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 4. 4. Tertullian gathered the goodness of the Gospel from this Quòd à Nerone damnatum because it was so persecuted by Nero and we the excellencie of the Scriptures from this because the Devil so much malignes it 8. Consider how it advances God and debases man It gives God the glory of all his Attributes and Works both in the work of Creation and Redemption It gives him the glorie of what we have and do What hast thou that thou hast not received I Cor. 4. 7. there in what we have and in what we do S. Paul acknowledges I Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly yet not I but the grace of God within me It tells us that of our selves we are not able to think a good thought 2 Cor. 3. 5. yet that we are able to do all things through Christ Phil. 4. 13. Now in Humane writings men seek their own applause and credit and this moves them to write but these writings the glory of God which our Saviour more then once makes the badge of the truth of his doctrine John 7. 19. and John 8. 50. c. Scripture advances God as the first cause and last end And thus having finished the Doctrine I proceed to the Fifth General The Application of it Use First See here the cruel Antichristian tyranny of the Church of Rome which forbids private Christians the use and search of the Scriptures Antichristian surely in this Christ bids Search them for in them ye think ye have eternal life they forbid the search of them for fear of Heresie and Errour The Apostle tells us The Scripture is profitable they say it is pernicious our Saviour would have the light be set upon a cà ndlestick Matth. 5. 15. they put it under a bushel and so leave the people in darkness How much against nature is it to with-hold milk from a childe so much it is to withhold the sincere milk of Gods word from his children or to send a souldier into the field unarmed how cruel is it So to rob the people of this spiritual armour this sword of the Spirit and expose them naked to the power and fury the delusions and stratagems of Satan As the Philistines out of envy dealt with the wells of water Gen. 26. 15. so do these with the Scriptures they envy the people the water of life therefore stop up these wells of salvation or else throw dirt into them so that the people can have little of the pure water but as it is pudled with the dirt of their traditions or Monkish and Jesuitical glosses and depravations and being thus robbed of the compass of the Scripture they quickly split upon the rock of errour Use Second Hence we learn that they are inexcusable who neglect this duty whom neither the command of God their own good and advantage neither Religion or Policie can prevail with but a few obscene Poets or idle Romances or ridiculous Ballads are more searched by them then the Scriptures Get you Bibles saith S. Chrysostom which are the physick and medicines of your souls Surely the neglect of this is intolerable God hath not over-burthened you with Scripture There are many things that Jesus did which are not written but these are written John 20. 30 31. that is these few It is neither so costly nor dear but the meanest may purchase it nor so voluminous but the most employed may read and search it The motives to it as you heard before are weighty and therefore the neglect of it the more