thy own self Those that at first believed Christ upon the woman of Samaria's report did afterwards believe Christ for his own sake The Ministry is that by which we do believe but we doe not believe in it Now that is the reason many do so stagger and know not what to say or do They are not stedfast and immoveable in faith The just shall live by his faith by his faith in particular And then though the whole world should turn Sceptick yet he would be as resolute as a Stoick in the matters of God 4. Humble your selves under these differences when they goe not the same way when they preach not the same things Let these things fear and wound thy heart as much as they do the Churches peace Say as he did Why do we fall out seeing we are Brethren Say Oh Lord it 's for our sins that are the hearers our unprofitablenesse our barrennesse and vanity that God hath raised up such a contentious spirit amongst us But because this is more necessary for us than you though necessary for both let us see what Use you ought to make of it And First Is the Ministry thus one Then when any doth set upon this maine worke they meddle not with other things they preach not about other thins How inexcusable will you be if you answer not God thus calling of you You cannot plead Lord we heard nothing but disputes nothing but controversies we were puzzled with one side and with another side Oh no! The plain and necessary things without which thou couldst not be saved have every day sounded in thy eares Preaching hath not distracted hath not filled you with troublesome Disputations but wholesome Exhortations It will therefore be thy greater wickednesse if thou refuse Oh then as all the Ministry are to be one in this way so that all that hear were one also that their thoughts affections study and utmost endeavours were for the main necessary things Oh consider you frustrate the Ministry of the proper end it hath your edifying your conversion For this God hath appointed us to labour in preaching to you and if you fail here all is lost Vse 2. Ought all ministerial abilities to be imployed in one way Then no wonder if the Devil when he cannot destroy preaching yet makes it uselesse and unprofitable and that is by raising divisions and enmity And thus he takes the old Rule Divide impera while he divides others he himself reigneth alone and his Kingdom is advanced Vse 3. Are they all to agree in one in the same ends in the same Doctrine Then take heed of itching after sinfull novelties Faith is but one faith and if thou art weary of it it is as if a man should be weary of the Sunne because it 's not a new Sunne Why do you not desire a new Scripture and a new Bible as well Oh it 's a grievous thing to be weary of old truths because thou knowest them already This is to despise Manna and God in judgement giveth thee up to an inconstant spirit to have Reubens curse Vnstable like water And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour The former part of the verse was an Argument against Divisions amongst Teachers and People When all are one there they ought not to be divided Now this later part is a kind of an anticipation or answer to an Objection thus How can they be one who are so different in their parts abilities and labour The Apostle therefore doth by way of explication adde this although they are one in their Office Institution and End yet there is a diversity of Gifts and Labour as also a diversity of Reward So that the words contain a Proposition wherein you have 1. The Subject with the Note of Universality Every man If you take it strictly in relation to what went before then the meaning is of Teachers and Officers Every Church Officer shall receive according to his labour But it is also a truth concerning every man in any way God hath appointed him to work 2. You have the Predicate or Attribute He shall receive a Reward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here the Popish Writers triumph pleading for the merit and causality of works it 's a reward but the Scripture speaks of a two-fold reward 1. Of Debt Rom. 4.8 To him that laboureth the reward is of debt and that is when a man by his own power doth those things which have an inward condignity and proportion with the reward as it is in the paiment of a day-labourer 2. There is a Reward of Grace and meer Promise When such a reward is a sure consequent of such an antecedent not that it was a Cause or Merit but God hath appointed such a necessary order and connexion as between grace and glory glory necessarily followeth not by causality of our works though from grace but by the fidelity of the promise Hence God is said to be Debitor sibi not nobis reddit debita nulli debens and therefore this eternal life which is called a reward is in other places called a gift and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Inheritance very frequently in allusion to the Land of Canaan where several Tribes had their several portions of Land by lot not according to any worth and that the Ancients did meane no more by Meritum our learned men shew at large 2. Consider the Appropriation and Distinction of this Reward He shall receive his reward implying by this that there are degrees of reward and glory in Heaven There are some learned men that think there are no degrees of glory in Heaven but all are alike And certainly there are many places which are usually brought to prove it which when throughly understood do not convince it yet I believe the different Degrees of glory to be a truth and this Text among others may confirm it where you have an excellent Appropriation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not here opposed to a contrary species as in other places He shall receive according to his works good or evil but to degrees in the same kind one labours in the good work of the Lord more and another lesse now according to this gradual diversity shall be gradual differences of glory Lastly There is the Measure and rule of this reward According to his labour he speaks it of the Minister he doth not say According to his successe according to the fruit of his Ministry If he labour and take pains God will reward him though no man hath believed the Word preached I shall consider this Proposition generally and not limited to the ministerial labour Observe That according to a mans labour and working for God he is sure to have a proportionable reward Although the Wiseman inscribes this Motto upon all the labour under the Sunne That it is vanity and wearisomnesse yet spiritual labour hath a sure recompence It 's not praying in vain
in our hearts that our gifts may be successefull that our graces may flourish And that the Spirit of God dwels in you The first sort of the Spirits inhabitation in us viz. by Gifts hath been dispatched We now come to the more noble and excellent way which doth inseparably accompany salvation and that is the sanctifying graces of Gods Spirit By which indeed we may gather That God dwels in us For as when Daniel could so wonderfully open and interpret the Kings dreames they said The Spirit of the most high God was in him So if you see a people heavenly mortifying sinne walking in close communion with God you must needs conclude the Spirit of the most high God is in that man It 's not nature or moral virtues could raise him up to such an high Pinacle as this is And before we come to the particular effects of Gods in-dwelling after this manner it 's good to observe the Emphatical expressions that the Scripture useth equivalent to this of dwelling in us As Rom. 8. there it 's called Being in the Spirit as here The Spirit is in us So there we are in the Spirit Now that phrase is very emphatical and doth denote that all our lusts and sinnes yea our very selves are as it were swallowed up and nothing but the Spirit of God works and moveth in us To be in the Spirit denoteth the great efficacy and powerfull dominion in us as men are said to be in sinne because they no longer live but sinne nothing but sinne doth appear so it should be with the godly The Spirit of God not flesh not corruption not carnal or worldly principles should appear in them As the Prophets in the time of their Prophesie were said to be in the Spirit in an extasie minding no earthly or worldly thing Thus ought we to be emptied of our selves and filled with the Spirit of God Therefore John 3. it 's said Whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit in the very abstract We have also Gal. 4 pregnant expressions To live in the Spirit to walk in the Spirit to be led by the Spirit Oh let such expressions as these make you ashamed to see so much of a man or carnal affections stirring in you What believer hath these things in the full power thereof But to the Particulars First The Spirit of God dwels in us after a saving manner in the general By way of sanctification of the Spirit soul and body even the whole man 1 Thess 5. This is the general Every man is all over unclean filthy polluted full of enmity to what is holy Now the Spirit of God that makes an universal sanctification of all these Hence by way of Office it 's called The Spirit of sanctification and the holy Spirit as Creation is appropriated to the Father and Redemption to the Sonne so Sanctification to the Holy Ghost So then as Christ in respect of his body is said to be conceived by the Holy Ghost there was a preparing and sanctifying of it for the Personal Union and the work of Redemption So the Spirit of God sanctifieth the soul of every godly man it makes every part and faculty prepared for holy Duties in an holy man for as the soul is the life of the body that can doe no vital action without it So the Spirit is the life of the soul and that can doe no spiritual action without it Oh then consider this all ye that heare and ponder it in your hearts Have you thus been conceived and borne of the Spirit of God Thy other birth will availe nothing though borne rich or noble Yea Couldst thou be borne a thousand times in a naturall way thou wouldst still be a miserable wretched man What is a good or ingenuous nature What are excellent and choice abilities if thou art not sanctified by the Spirit of God Doe not thinke these things are fancies and notions The Spirit of God may as well be called a fancy as his operations fancies But more particularly The Spirit of God dwels in a saving manner First By Illumination and opening of the darke minde of every man Every man is darknesse it selfe he cannot discerne of spiritual things revealed in the Word till the Spirit of God enlighten him Therefore the worke of Gods Spirit is great upon the minde and understanding of a man it convinceth the soul of a man of those things it never believed before John 16.9 of sinne it makes a man see the woefull and damnable estate he is in It 's so plaine that he cannot deny it he believed and judged no such thing once in him but now such light shineth in his breast that he is a very dung-hill a very hell to himself and then he convinceth of righteousnesse viz. a Gospel-righteousnesse by Christ Now all his workes all his good duties are dung and drosse all that Religion he put confidence in is abandoned by him the Spirit of God convinceth him of a glorious righteousnesse without him which onely is able to cover his nakednesse Againe Another special worke on the understanding is To teach to guide and leade into all truth We cannot say Jesus is the Christ without the Spirit as you heard 1 Corinth 12.3 Spiritual things must have a spirituall ability to discerne them It 's true he leadeth in and by the use of meanes appointed but yet he onely doth efficiently dispell the darknesse and worke faith to holy Truths So then we see it 's the speciall worke of Gods Spirit not humane ability to be directed into truth And we must not onely study Books but pray to God and take heed of such sinnes which may drive Gods Spirit from us for then we are as a wilde horse without a rider like a ship in the midst of the sea without a Pilot. Secondly The Spirit of God quickens and reviveth those graces that by Regeneration were infused to us compared therefore to the winde as the blowing of that makes the flowers of the Gardens to send forth their sweet smels So it 's here It 's not enough to have the habit and principles of grace within us but we need a fervent and vigorous actuating of them And therefore is the Holy Ghost compared to fire and hence that phrase To be filled with the Holy Ghost which is applied to the godly sometimes doth as learned men observe denote some actual and vigorous impression upon their hearts Their graces were now put forth in a lively vigorous way Oh this is a blessed life when a Christian is constantly filled with the Holy Ghost that doth actually make his heart fervent and burning in all its duties towards God! If this were the life of the godly man there would not be such complaints such feares such doubts Oh they cannot tell what to say to themselves They are dull heavy earthly Alas all this is because the Spirit of God filleth not thy heart if this were working thou wouldst be like Ezekiels wheeles that
foundation in the hearts of their hearers 125 Of a two-fold foundation Fundamentum cognoscendi the foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion viz. the Scripture And fundamentum essendi or the foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation viz. Jesus Christ ibid Four unquestionable Scripture-foundations ibid. With a discovery of rotten foundations 127 Why it is such a sinne to worship God many wayes as man pleaseth 132 As a wise master-builder 137 Observ That it 's not vanity but a duty in some cases for the Ministers of the Gospel to magnifie and set up their Work and Office ibid In what cases a Minister may magnifie his work and office ibid. And another buildeth thereon 139 Observ That people are not to expect that Ministers should bring any other Doctrine than what is laid by Christ and the Apostles already ibid. The use of preaching notwithstanding the fulnesse of the Scripture 140 But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon 141 Observ The Ministers of God are greatly to take heed that they preach no other thing than what is already contained in the Scripture Or It 's a dangerous thing to put that sense and meaning on the word of God which is not the true genuine sense of it ibid. A two-fold building upon the foundation ibid Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the foundation 142 Verse 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 145 Observ That the Ministers of God ought to lay no other Foundation than Christ ibid. How many wayes Christ is to be preached as a foundation ibid. Reasons why he must be preached as the foundation 150 Objections and Doubts answered 153 How Duties are to be done and preached with relation to Christ 154 The great Advantages those have that are built on Christ 155 Verse 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble c. 157 Observ That the Doctrine and Truths of Christ are very precious and excellent ibid What the comparing them to Gold c. implieth ibid. If any man build hay and stubble 161 Observ That all errours and falshoods in Religion though not fundamental are no better than hay and stubble ibid Some Propositions about errour ibid. Why errours are called hay and stubble 162 Verse 13. Every mans work shall be made manifest 165 Observ That all the wayes and works of wickednesse though acted in never so hidden and secret a manner shall be made manifest ibid. What kind of hidden wickednesse shall be made manifest ibid. The Aggravation of those sins that are secret and hidden 168 Observ That all the hidden and secret wayes of false Doctrines God will one day make manifest 169 The Causes Nature the cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be made manifest ibid. For the day shall declare it 173 Observ That God hath his time when he will discover the errours and falshoods of mens Doctrines ibid. Errours are spiritual judgements the removal in mercy at Gods time 174 Why God will have a day to discover false Doctrine 176 Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall declare every mans work of what sort it is 177 The interpretation of fire 178 Observ That God useth to bring people out of errours and false wayes by his Word and Afflictions ibid. Though the Word and afflictions are both helpfull yet differently 179 How wandring sheep are reduced by the Word ibid. How by afflictions 181 Verse 14. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward 181 Observ That Gods Truths are of a firm and durable Nature notwithstanding any tryal or opposition whatsoever 182 Truth two-fold Increated and Created ibid Scripture-truths reduced to four heads 183 Verse 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 185 Observ That every man will be altogether a loser in any errour or false way that he hath maintained he shall suffer loss 186 Wherein they shall be losers ibid. He shall be saved yet so as by fire 189 Observ That even errours of judgement may endanger a mans salvation as well as ungodlinesse in practice ibid. The several kinds of corruptions of the understanding that indangers a mans salvation ibid. The Difference between errour and heresie with the grounds of the Doctrine 190 Observ That every godly man though never so eminent yet is very difficultly saved 192 Verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 193 Observ That the consideration of those Priviledges and Relations which all the People that professe God are put into would be a great Argument against all kind of Pollution ibid Some of the chief Titles or Relations which the people of God have 194 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God 197 Of the word Temple ibid. Observ That the people of God met together to worship him according to his way are the spiritual Temple of God 197 What there is in the Church allusively to the Temple 198 Of Gods presence with his Church 200 And that the Spirit of God dwels in you 201 Observ That the Spirit of God is God 202 The signification of the word Spirit when attributed to God ibid. That the holy Ghost is God and a person ibid. Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit 204 Observ That the Spirit of God dwels in his Church 205 What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth in that phrase ibid. How many wayes the Spirit may be said to dwell in Gods people 207 The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Chruch 209 I. Gifts ibid. How farre the gifts and abilities of Ministers that are acquired by humane study and industry are to be ascribed unto the holy Ghost ibid. II. Sanctifying graces 209 Of the saving inhabitation of the Spirit 212 Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 216 Observ That those men who defile the Church of God with corrupt Doctrines do highly provoke God to punish them ibid Why errours are said to defile Gods Church 217 How God will punish Heretiques 219 A godly man may fall into a damnable Heresies 220 How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man ibid. Errours are erroneous persons distinguished 221 Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and worship ibid Him shall God destroy 222 Observ That eternal Damnation is the destruction of a man ibid. Of the punishment of losse sense 224 With the Aggravations of this punishment 225 For the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 226 Observ The holy Temple of God under the Gospel is not any place though never so adorned or glorious but persons believing and worshipping of him according to his will ibid Verse 18. Let no man
Saviour to those that do not find themselves lost to commend a Physician to those that find themselves whole to pour oyl where there are no wounds is to pervert all order Ho every one that thirsteth saith our Saviour Joh 7.37 And Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden Mat. 11.28 The Spirit of God convinces the world of sin and then of righteousness Oh but how much unwise and unfaithfull preaching is there in this respect How many are there that strengthen wicked mens hearts and make them not sad whom God would have made sad That daube with untemppered morter that say to every prophane man if he do but cry Lord have mercy upon me Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee It 's this daubing and soothing up people in their wickedness striking out all fear of hell and damnation that makes them wallow like swine in their filth To such to preach no comfort but the Law and Threatnings but to those that are broken in heart a tongue of the learned is required to speak a word in season How carefull was Paul that the incestuous person should not be overwhelmed with grief 2 Cor. 2 And here is the more wisdome because Satans temptations are subtile and insinuating We are not ignorant of his devices of his schismes what false circumventions and appearances he will have Now How many are there that are not acquainted themselves with the depths of Satan that are no better Comforters then Jobs Friends were Christ himself was affected with all our temptations that he might know how the more feelingly to pity others Thus a Minister that hath himself been in the deep matters of God that hath himself been exercised with all kind of temptations he can only tell how to speak to the heart of another So that you see much wisdome is required in the giving of comfort Alas every sick man every dying man looks we should give comfort and they would have a word of comfort Oh but what hath thy life been What truth of grace is there in thee Have not some wicked men cryed out of their sinnes in fear of death and publique judgments as Pharaoh did Therefore we must take heed what we do we must not comfort whom God would not have comforted Here is great wisdome required A third part of his Doctrinal Key is To rebuke and reprove for sinne Now how great a skill is it wisely to reprove to have zeal and knowledge together Some must be reproved sharply Tâ—t 1.13 cuttingly We must not spare Thus John called some a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 and our Saviour Wo to ye Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites many times repeating that upbraiding of them These were obstinate impenitent Hypocrites Mat. 23.13 14 15. and little blows will not move them Others again are tender tractable meekness will do more than austerity So that there is scarce any thing requireth more wisdome than publique and private reproofs Men can so hardly bear them Genus quoddam Maritirii est reprehensionem patienter ferre It is a kind of martyrdome to bear a reproof patiently And Ministers are either apt to be too awfull and pleasing of men or else too boisterous or passionate So that the Shepherd of irrational Sheep have a farre more easie task then spiritual Shepherds of men especially in superstitious Customes in false waies of worship Here an Angels wisdome will scarce suffice What a trouble was that to the Church in her infancy about the retaining or leaving the Jewish Ceremonies The Questions and differences grew so hot that it had almost torn the Church in pieces The Council of Jerusalem was called about this many still Judaizing thought that if you took the observation of times and outward Ceremonies away you took away all Religion Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians and Rom. 14. is very diligent to inform them about this endeavouring to make them spiritual and to draw up their hearts from those beggerly elements Paul was circumspect how to walk in this slippery Controversie To the Jew I became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 Not that he was a dissembler or an Hypocrite or humoured them in their superstitious weakness but he took upon him all sweet affections he was as a Jew to a Jew as weak to weak he would consider them as if he were in their case Yea to walk in these Controversies was so hard that Peter gave great occasion of offence yea Barnabas was also laid aside for he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made Paul resist him to the face with this dissimulation Gal 1. Now if the Apostle was so industrious to root out the practice of those Rites and Ceremonies which yet God himself had once commanded how much rather should we those things which were brought into the Church without any command of God or warrant of Scripture but meerly by the will of man As for the other kind of Keyes Church-Government the wise managing of that is far more difficult then Political But I shall wave that as not so proper to this Text. Let us consider the Reason Why this Doctrinal feeding requireth such skill and Prudence And First Because divine truths are not to be managed by humane wordly wisdome but by spiritual wisdome As it 's God that teacheth people to profit Isa 48.17 so it 's God that teacheth the Minister to preach profitably Hence the word of wisdome is reckoned among the gifts of Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 14. and the Apostle saith We are not able of our selves to think a good thought 2 Cor. 2.5 as some expound it in the way of our Ministery we cannot think that which is good and profitable to mens soules without God Hence as of Christ the cheif sheepherd it is said the Spirit of wisdome counsell and understanding shall rest on him Isa 11.2 so it would be happy if the same Spirit proportionably did rest on inferiour shepherds I have caught you with an holy guile 2 Cor. 12.16 There are divine stratagems to win mens soules and if Aholiab and Bezaliel are said to have the Spirit of wisdome given them to build the material Tabernacle how much more do others need it to edifie this spiritual one Exod. 36.1 Seeing then the managing of holy truths is not had by humane prudence but by wisdome from above we must be Scribes instructed to the kingdome of heaven we are not born but made Preachers of the Gospel by God no marvel if this be so great a work Secondly Therefore is wisdome necessary in our preaching of divine things because the miscarriage of these precious truths is a farre greater loss then any earthly loss It 's pity for want of skill in any calling to miscarry in a mans wordly affairs but much more in heavenly there needs not only faithfulness but wisdome A wise and faithfull steward it is that makes five multiply to ten If the Prophet speaking of the Husbandmans skill about his several graines tithes and
live according to the wayes ignorance folly and customes of the world They are to shine as lights amongst a froward and crooked generation Phil. 2.14 Pure Religion is said to keep it self unspotted from the world Jam. 1.27 All the wicked and ungodly wayes in it are not to defile and soil him As they speak of a River called Alpheus that emptieth it self in the Sea yet even in the very Sea it keepeth its sweetnesse and is not made salt and brackish as the waters of the Sea are They are in the world but not of it Hence Rom. 12. Be ye not conformed unto the fashion of the world but be transformed in your minds Here you may see who are men of the best fashion in a place not men of the greatest wealth honours or earthly dignity but who do not conforme to the fashion of the world that hath not the cursing swearing lying uncleannesse and all the works of darknesse that the world is said to lie in Let us improve this Doctrine and I know no truth a sharper sword to enter into your bowels than this For generally men think it a disgrace not to live as most men do what to grow so precise and strict as not to do as others do They are afraid to own such to be thought such Oh what Antipodes are such men to the Scripture Either lay down the name of a Christian or else live above what men of the world do As Alexander said to a souldier named Alexander Either lay aside his name or else do valiant acts Matth. 5. If ye love them that love you what singular thing do ye do not even the publicans the same Mark that there is a godly singularity and the people of God must be singular not do so or live so as most men in the world do The Apostle in this phrase To live as men or According to man may imply these things First Meer men have no divine faith in the matters of Religion wrought in them by the Spirit of God but walk according to the natural dictates of conscience and education and so are for that Religion which they have been brought up in and accustomed to whether it be right or wrong whether good or bad This our Saviour cleareth when Peter made that excellent Confession of Faith That Christ was the Sonne of God our Saviour graciously accepts of it and tels him Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this to him Mat. 16.17 So that then men walk as men in all matters of Religion when they have no more than custome or the countenance of the Laws of the Land where they live no more than flesh and blood hath made known to them Thus we see the Jews the Turks the Papists they all wilfully adhere to the Religion they have been used to and so many Christians believe in Christ upon no better grounds than they do in their falsehoods Be not then any longer such men and servants of men as the Apostle cals it that is to believe the truâ—hs of Religion upon humane authority humane motives That our Saviour meaneth when he bids us Call no man master on earth because Christ is the only Master Mat. 23.8 Not that the instruction and teaching of Church officers is to be rejected as some absurdly would inferre from those places for we are commanded to hear them and to enquire for the truth at their mouth only it 's not a divine faith till it be upon divine grounds Not as the word of men but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 It 's a sad thing to consider how many walk as men in this respect being in matter of Religion without any eyes of their own as if another mans faith were to justifie them and not their own Secondly To walk as a meer man is to propound some outward inferiour comforts as the ultimate end and chief felicity of our souls Take a man as a meer man and the utmost end for which he labours and strives in this world is some earthly advantages Oh but what saith the Apostle of true Christians We walk not by sense but by faith 2 Cor. 5.7 And we behold not the things that are seen but the things that are not seen What made Moses deny all that earthly greatnesse he might have had in Pharaohs Court Who would have made such a choise as he did To suffer reproaches for Christ rather than the pleasures of Aegypt Why is this Because he saw him that was invisible and had an eye to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. See then Moses more than a man he propounds to himself as the greatest happinesse the enjoyment of God and communion with him And as the Sunne puts out the lesser light of the starres so this good in God obscured that in all earthly things Then therefore men walk as men when they look no further than the good things of this life riches honours earthly pomp and greatnesse and as for the enjoyment of God which is indeed the true end that they come short of Oh do not then walk as men any longer placing all your affections thoughts and desires in inferiour comforts Is this to have your conversation in Heaven Is this to sit with Christ in heavenly places Is this to make God your portion Is not this rather to have the Serpents curse upon you to lick up the dust of the earth and to mind earthly-things Thirdly To walk as meer men is to put confidence and hope onely in second causes and visible instruments not trusting the promise of God or believing his power that he reigneth and ruleth in Heaven and earth doing what he pleaseth This is not only to walk as men but as the wise men and most admired men in the world The Scripture brings in the thoughts of the wise men as if God sate in Heaven and did not judge all things as he pleased The fool hath said in his heart and that fool is every meer man there is no God Psal 14.1 No Judge no Governour Therefore they look only to instruments to second causes and they puff up themselves and grow insolent when they have these bladders to swim with As on the other side they sink even as Pharaohs hoast into despair when such outward props are taken away Know then that all thy dedejections cares and doubtfull thoughts either about thy self or the publick they argue thee to walk as a meer man Our Saviour doth excellently shame his Disciples for this when using several Arguments to the Disciples against their distrust and carefulnesse he tels them Such things the Gentiles and Heathens seek after Mat. 6.7 So that to walk as men is to be affected in our own particular or in the publick good as if there were no promise no God as if men were Omnipotent as if men brought about all things When Melancthon was often dejected about the affairs of the Church being prone to distrust and fears Luther told him That God had bound
inflamed affections to God Fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boyling over that argueth the fire of zeal is under every duty I have something against thee saith Christ because thou hast left thy first love Revel 2 5. she had not lost all her love she was not bereaved of all but yet because she had not such degrees such fervency as she had God reproveth her Have not many of Gods own people lost their first praying first hearing their first zeal and affections to good things Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer 48.10 Here is no reward but a curse to such who in Gods work are negligent and carelesse and it 's a great dishonour to God that thou shouldst be fervent and active in the pleasures of sinne in the service of Satan and not in Gods work 4. The work to be rewarded is that which is constantly done with perseverance holding out to the end Mat. 24.13 He that endureth to the end shall be saved If a righteous man leave his righteousnesse and commit iniquity c. all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred Ezek. 33.13 There are those who begin in Gods work and end in the Devils There are those who by the knowledge of God escape the pollution of the world and then return again to their vomit The later end of such is worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2. Take Judas for a dreadfull instance he leaveth all and followeth Christ he preacheth the Gospel he worketh miracles he casts out Devils from others but he proveth an Apostate himself the Devil enters into him at last and so all those seeming good works perish Oh that those who have an aguish goodnesse some good fits in time of danger of diseases Then they will call upon God then they will speak of God and do what is good Oh that such had an heart alwayes to do so Blessed is he whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing Matth. 24.46 5. The work to be rewarded is that which is done fully and plenarily There is a full measure of grace to be heaped over The Scripture speaking of Caleb as one that followed the Lord heartily saith in the Hebrew He fulfilled to go after the Lord Deut. 1.36 that denoteth his whole heart was in it Now there must be a three-fold fulnesse in the work of the Lord 1. A fulnesse of the Subject The united strength of the heart must be joyned together not to serve God with distractions an heart for him and an heart for the creature 2. A fulnesse of the Object every work of the Lord. They are to be prepared for every good work You read of many that did many good things Joash Amasiah Herod but because they were not fully for every good work they lost this reward Now of all works those that do more immediately relate to God to the Gospel his truth any work looking this way will be rewarded Hence a Cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mat. 10.41 in reference to this work shall have a Prophets reward And lastly Fulnesse of degree They are to abound in the work of the Lord to adde one grace to another to be rich in faith and other graces Vse Will a good work thus circumstantiated be sure to be rewarded Then take heed of two contraries to this work of the Lord 1. Of idlenesse unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse The way to Heaven is a way of labour the work of faith the labour of love and the patience of hope saith the Apostle 1 Thes 1.3 Every grace is laborious and therefore we are commanded to strive to enter in at the straight gate Luke 13.24 Oh set it down for a principle such a jolly loose and secure life that I live can never be happy Christianity is compared to running in a race 1 Cor. 9.26 27. to fighting and wrestling the subduing of sinne to mortifying and crucifying of the flesh What then will become of thy carelesnesse thy negligence Oh fear lest God curse thee as the barren fig-tree lest he say Cast that unprofitable servant into everlasting flames 2. Take heed of the other contrary upon which the greater wrath of God will fall and that is To do the Devils work Our Saviour told the Pharisees They are of the Devil and his works they did John 8.44 What were those works To oppose Christ in the Ministry to rebell against that glorious light of the world Men are possessed with the Devil in their souls as well as in their bodies Thus the Devil is said to enter into Judas heart and to fill Ananias heart and when they are thus then they only serve him and fulfill his lusts Lying that is the Devils work Malicious opposing of godliness and good men that is the Devils work Yea all sinne is in some sense the work of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 Therefore Christ is said to come into the world to dissolve the works of the Devil Take heed then lest while thou share with him in his works that thou do also in his punishments Lâ—st it be said Depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels as also his fellow workers Having considered what the work is now let us consider and admire at the Reward And before we come to shew what Reward it is take notice of a distinction or two First There is an Essential Reward and that is The enjoyment of God in full Assurance and Delight This all that work for God are sure to have All that are made happy have the same God and the same Christ They all agree in this The dwarf and the gyant are both equall in this as the Apple of the eye in a Child as well as in a grown man is able to see the same great Mountain Secondly There is an Accidental Reward and that is Some Degrees of Glory Because of greater labour and sufferings for Christ one may partake of more Glory then another For though all the glorified Saints are compared to Stars yet as one Star differeth from another in Glory so it 's here In Justification all the godly are equall though some men have more sinnes pardoned then others yet the acceptation of them through Christ is equall So that intensively though not extensively all are alike justified But in salvation there are Thrones prepared for some above others Neither in that ambitious Petition of the Mother of Zebedees Children did our Saviour deny there were chiefer places then other in his Kingdom but he rebuked their carnal apprehensions about such things Mat. 20.33 Thus you have a Prophets Reward spoken of as a greater Reward then others because of their choice work for God and the manifold contradictions they endure from sinners because of their labour Secondly It 's lawfull to encourage a mans self in working for God by this that there is a Reward There is a lawfull
have us honour Thirdly We must preach Christ the foundation because in him there is such a Treasure of the riches of Gods Grace and Gods Love that the Angels they were never satisfied with this point How greatly the Angels were affected when Christ came into the world there Hymne signifieth As also how speedy they were to be Evangelists to bring glad tydings of a Christ Glory be to God on high in earth peace and good will to men Luke 2.14 This Song is the foundation of all Religion and Comfort Yea The Angels saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.12 desire to search into this Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoop down as they did to look into the Sepulchre or as men do to behold themselves in a Glass If therefore the Angels such pure and heavenly substances be so affected with this way and Doctrine of Christ how much more we For we need him more then they Some Divines indeed say The Angels needed Christ to confirm them And in this sense he is their Head but a Mediatour of an atonement he was not unto them as he is to us Consider that place Ephes 3.10 By the Church and the Ministery thereof the manifold wisdome and riches of Gods grace in Christ are made known So that the very Angels are glad to hear and know this Doctrine about Christ Fourthly Therefore are we to exalt Christ in our Ministry to lay him the foundation because in Heaven though Christ will then lay down the exercise of his Mediatory Kingdom yet the glory and honour must be given unto him for ever The Saints in Heaven will for ever acknowledge the glory the happiness the blessednesse they have to be by Christ Is it not necessary therefore to instruct you in that work which we are to do to all eternity Christ is not to be laid aside in Heaven His blood his sufferings his atonement will never be forgotten For only by Christ is their such a place as an Heaven only by him is salvation possible Why then should not that truth fill our mouths and our hearts here which will possesse our souls to all eternity Fifthly The necessity of preaching Christ the foundation ariseth from the ignorance of people who do grossely erre about Christ both Doctrinally and Practically Doctrinally For though Christ be in every mans mouth yet few have knowledge of his Person and his Offices Though they be called Christians from Christ yet they can give no good account of their knowledge of him And if this be eternal life to know Jesus Christ John 17.2 certainly the grosse and notorious ignorance in many proclaimeth them farre off from the Kingdom of Heaven How canst thou hope in Christ and believe in Christ who knowest not what Christ was and for what end he came into the world And then Practically many are ignorant of him They feel not the necessity of him as a Physician as a Mediatour They perceive not at what a distance sinne hath cast them from all hopes They feel not the arrows of the Almighty darted into them They feel no lâ—ad or burden of sinne upon them and therefore the Name and Office of Christ is not welcome to them Sixthly The necessity appeareth because of the subtilty and emnity of Satan who hath continually set himself against Christ and his Church I hat as at the first ingresse into Christs Ministry he violently assaulted him and never left opposing his person so ever since he hath laboured to obscure Christ and traduce his way In the first age of the Church then he set against the Person of Christ Hence came up those many Heretiques some denying he was God saying He was only man Others Only God and not a man but in the appearance of a man Some confounded his Natures some multiplied his Personality so that all the subtile power of the Devil was to overthrow the Person of Christ But in this latter age he set against the Offices of Christ And thus in Popery though Socinians revive those old blasphemies his Priestly Office his Prophetical his Kingly all those were quite darkned by their Masse and Indulgences and many such abhominable derogations from Christ Seventhly We have the more need to exalt Christ because there is proâ—enesse in every man to trust in his own works To rest upon his own righteousness To advance and set up nature Now so much as these are exalted so much is Christ debased We see our own natures in the Jews though it was in those glorious times wherein Christ and the Apostles manifested themselves yet men did still seek to be justified by the works they had done Their endeavour was to establish their own righteousnesse though that like Dagon before the Ark did fall to the ground before Christ and truly such were greater enemies to Christ more then prophane Publicans and sinners So that the Scripture preaching of Christ will drive men out of their civil righteousness out of their formality and confidence in themselves which is the strongest hold that the Ministry hath to batter We may sooner dissolve those grosse acts of wickednesse then remove this mountain of self-righteousnesse Yet if Christs Righteousnesse his worth be all why wilt thou be a Christ to thy self Vse of Instruction What matter of wo and lamentation it is to see so few build upon this foundation Some put their trust in riches in charriots and horses some in the works they do and thus Christ whom God designed to be all over glorious is not glorified by us Examine your selves in this one thing among others Is Christ the bottom and foundation of all thy love joy and delight Art thou affected with him in a spiritual manner as the Church is Is he the chiefest of ten thousands Do men of the world come and ask thee What is thy beloved more then others What is there in Christ more then any thing else Canst thou say as Aristotle to him who asked why such colours refresh sight It was a blind mans question So this is a natural mans an earthly mans question It 's a sign thou never didst taste of his goodnesse of his power It 's a sign thou hast not eaten of his Honey-combes or wert fed on his spiritual dainties that doest make such questions Never lay claim to Christ if Father Mother Riches Honours and thy own life be dearer to thee then Christ is For no other foundation can any man lay but Christ Jesus In how many particulars Christ is to be preached as a foundation and the reasons thereof you have heard I shall now remove some Objections that so the truth may be more cleared and then give you the Properties and Incouragements or Priviledges those people have who are built on Christ this foundation And First It may be objected How can Christ only be preached as a foundation For is not the Doctrine about a God that there is a God and but one God Is not this a foundation Doth not the Apostle say
gold and silver is there we must dig thence we must replenish our selves Teirdly There is implied the durablenesse and constancy of it Gold will not melt away in the fire or be consumed as hay and stubble will And thus the Apostle alludeth to afterwards He shall be saved so as by fire and the fire shall try every mans work He speaks of a probatory and not a purgatory fire that is afflictions or the light of Gods word shall burn all this stubble So that the truths of God they are so constant and abiding that when a man comes to be afflicted to be persecuted to be undone for the truth of God this will abide What is the chaff to the wheat Jer. 23.28 When a wind comes the chaff is blown away And therefore this should make all very carefull herein both Pastor and people God will have his fire there will be winds and tempests whether it be gold or stubble wheat or chaff then it will be discovered whereas divers and strange erroneous Doctrines they have not been willing to come to the fire Every Heresie in the Church went up and down like Cain trembling left every place of Scripture that met it should kill it Fourthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and silver Because of the solidity and ponderosity of them they are weighty and heavy Whereas errors are compared to hay and stubble what is lighter than these And therefore such as give way to falshood they are said to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 as if they were so many feathers or straws Whatsoever opinion then is accompanied with vanity levity and emptinesse it 's not solid grave and substantial refuse that It is said Solomons ships they went for gold of Ophir and they brought home pearls Thus do many men they make us if they sought out the admirable and solid truths of God and they bring Peacocks empty gaudy flourishings of wit or curious opinions This is not the weighty and solid truth of God Fifthly They are compared to gold Because of the purity and sincerity in them The truths of God they have an holy simplicity and sincerity and therefore false Teachers are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. to corrupt the pure word of God as hucksters do their wine David compareth Gods word to pure gold even seven times refined Psal 19 And hereby it becomes a very dangerous sinne for any to counterfeit it or corrupt it If among men their Laws make it a capital crime to counterfeit or clip their coin certainly God will account it no lesse hainous a sinne to do so with his truths As it's gold for sincerity so it 's compared to the water of life for its purity And as Isaac complained of the Philistims as the greatest injury that could be to stop up his wels with earth and it 's a matter of death to poison a fountain or spring where men use to drink so destructive and hainous a sinne it must be to infect the pure streams of the Sanctuary that people should thereby suck down their own poison Sixthly It 's compared to gold for the efficacy and choice vertue thereof Gold is not only of price and esteem but it hath it's powerfull operations in medicinal wayes against bodily diseases And thus certainly the truths of God are when received by faith they are mighty to the casting down of all the strong holds of sinne they are powerfull to overthrow the greatest oppositions Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth John 17. Thus it 's said Psal 19. To convert the soul as the learned there interpret it is revive the soul to bring life again when a man by discouragements and dejections is even swooning away Oh then these golden truths of Christ they have a special influence upon the heart of a man to revive against faintings to dispel all distempers and to preserve against all languishings Seventhly They are compared to gold and silver For the usefulnesse and profitablenesse to all things Money answereth all things saith the Wiseman Eccles 10.19 Many outward comforts in this world may be had for gold and silver you may have friends food raiment Hence the Heathens made Pluto wealth a god because it wrought all things among men Clausum aur â custodit Jovem Horace spake of the covetous man He keeps his god in his chest And covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 Thus gold and silver prevail in the world And therefore Balaam to expresse his resolvednesse not to curse Israel said Though Balaak would give him an house full of gold yet he would not curse them But alas what are these to the truths of Christ They are profiâ—able for such things which material gold and silver cannot do Judas when tormented in in his conscience foa sinne What could his thirty pieces of silver comfort him Could that ease his conscience Give gold and silver to the damned men in hell will that comfort them There are many mercies that all the gold and silver in the world cannot help us unto but now there is no condition no doubt no affliction no want but the truths of Christ are very profitable unto The truth of Justification by faith in Christ Is not that more worth than the gold of Ophir What precious and powerfull operations hath it upon the hearts of the godly Eighthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and precious stones Because they are able to enrich a man with all graces There is spiritual and heavenly wealth as well as earthly and temporal and the truths of God are of the first sort Thus the poor of this world are said to be rich in faith Jam. 2 5. And Christ became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 not in outward respects or external greatnesse but in internal and spiritual riches Mark that counsel Revel 3.18 to the Church who thought her self rich and needing nothing I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich Oh that people were spiritual You see here is gold offered to all and he is indeed foolish that refuseth this There is many a man with gold and silver and much wealth in this world and yet is very poor towards God When our Saviour had declared that Parable of Dives and the eternal torment he had after his great pleasures he concludeth So is every man that is rich in the treasures of this world and is not rich towards God Luke 12.21 In the second place To build gold and precious stones on this foundation is not onely to preach sound and pure matter but this matter in a pure and exact way Now this golden way of preaching to be Chrysostoms and Chrysologues indeed consiâ—eth First In preaching of them after Scripture Authority when they are conveyed unto you as having the stamp and Authority of God The Prophets came with Thus saith the Lord and this like thunder may make the
this is a very deep and secret work but God will manifest it Policy is no policy if the design be not laid deep and secret Therefore Isaiah reproving carnal Politicians saith Woe to them that take deep counsel Isa 29.15 And in other places That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit God hath his time that he will discover the thoughts of the worldly wise to be vain he will make known all the secrets and crafty consultations against his truth and people and he will be avenged for all the Atheism and prophane boldnesse and hardnesse of heart such carnal policy hath been accompanied with For he said well That a Politician was a man that stood upon his head with his heels upwards shaking them against Heaven Well then it 's good for such to remember that â—very work shall be made manifest and when the storm ariseth those cob-webs will be driven away Sixthly Dissimulations and inconstancies in matter of Religion This is a secret work God will manifest Divines call it to be a Nicodemite He came to Jesus by night John 3.2 and durst not openly professe Christ for fear of the Jews There were some who have held That they might do any external acts of Idololatrical worship be at Masse say they believe any thing so that they keep their consciences and minds pure The Priscillianists are noted for wicked dissimulations herein In Ezekiel we reade the Prophet is commanded To dig through the wall to see the women and men committing their religious abominations in private Ezek. 8.8 Now God will bring this hypocrisie to light External profession is nectssary to salvation when the command requireth it as well as inward faith With the heart man believeth and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Rom. 10.10 So that in case of confession it is damnable not to acknowledge the truths of God God gives a great commendation of seven thousand in Ahabs time that had not bowed their knee to Baal 1 King 18.19 They would not dissemble that outward worship commonly there are never more subtil and secret shiftings then in matters of Religion But of that more in time In the next place Consider the aggravation of those sinnes that are secret and hidden For although to be an open bold sinner is in some respects a greater sinner than a close private sinner because hereby there is more dishonour to God more scandal to others and more impudency in the sinner which happily might be the cause of that speech attributed to Athanasius Vtinam omnes essent hypocritae Hence some are reproved for having an whores fore head that they were not ashamed when they had sinned that they bâ—asted of it yet in many respects these secret sins have terrâ—ble aggravations 1. It argueth a mâ—n hath more consciousnesse to himself that he doth not welâ— therefore he wouâ—d not have the world know Now when any man sins with a consciousnesse to himself that he doth sinne this is a bloody aggravation Tremble at this you who live in secret wickednesse Why doest thou keep it so close Why art thou so fearfull Why doest thou as Rachel make aâ— excuse to cover thy Idols All this argueth the more consciousnesse the more guâ—â—t in thee Thy conscience is awakened thou hast â—â—ruglings and convâ—ctions within thee this is to rebel against light this is to stop the mouth oâ—â—hy monitour thy conscience within which the very Heathen could say was a god to every man I tell thee sinning thus against conscience more have despaired than upon any other ground Oh they did thus and they lived thus but all this while they had a consciousnesse to themselves they should do otherwise This hath made them so deepâ—y possessed though happily upon false grounds that they have sinned against the holy Ghost 2. This secret sinning puts farre more respect and fear upon men than God Thou wilt be unjust in secret thou wilt be unclean in secret Why thou art afraid such men know it Oh thou wicked wretch Art thou afraid of the eye of a man and not of a great God Carest thou not though God see thee whereas thou wouldst hide thy self if man come near thee Thus thou art a coward to man but thou bravest it to God Thou doest in effect say Though God behold though God know though God be acquainted with it I matter it not Oh foolish and unwise Can man damn thee Can man fill thy conscience with terrours Can man bid thee depart into everlasting howlings Why then art thou afraid of man and not God 3. The more secret any wickednesse is it argueth the heart is more studious and industrious â—bout it how to contrive it how to bring it about Of all Davids sins that in the matter of Vriah the Scripture giveth the greatest bâ—and on it because it was done with such secrecie David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord save in the matter of Vriah 1 King 15.5 and premediation Mark Josh 7.11 how Joshua in Achans sinne observed the secresie and the dissimulation and craft used in it Oh that men and women would consider this thing God takes notice with how much craft and subtilty you commit your sins and none never know it Vse of Admonition Take heed of secret hidden sins God will one day manifest what thou hast been Oh it may be the world thought of all the men that lived thou wouldst never do such and such things but God knoweth thy down-sitting and uprising Whither can you flie from his presence Oh let every one then bewail the plague sore of his own heart When Christ convinced the woman of Samaria of the secret sinne she lived in she crieth out Come and hear one that hath told me all that ever I did John 4. Prevent confusion hereafter at the day of judgment by humble confession of all thy secret sins unto God and he will not then upbraid thee Every mans work shall be made manifest This Proposition hath been handled as a general truth and so is a thunder-bolt against all secret sins what they do in secret God will reward openly The more secresie the more guilt Now I shall consider this Proposition in its limited and restrained sense as it relates to false Doctrines to those that build haâ— and stubble where the very expression That it shall be made manifest denoteth That errour for a long time may go undiscerned it may have a counterfeit passe even hay and stubble may be thought gold The false Prophet may get Elijah's mantle and hide himself in it but it shall be made manifest first to the builder and then to the whole world To the builder it may be a manifestation for Direction and Illumination he shall see he was in errour he shall confesse he was seduced and built unprofitable stubble or a maniâ—estation of confusion He shall be confounded with shame when his nakednesse shall appear and like Adam shall hide himself because of
thee to false wayes know God will make it manifest yet this corruption is wonderfull pleasing The Pharisees loved the high places and to be called Rabbies Nestorius and many others broached heresies because they missed of such great preferment as they desired Donatus was so admired of his Disciples that they would swear by him as by a god Thus men with Herod love to have acclamations The voice of God and not of a man though his terrible judgement might be a warning 5. Discontents and impatiencies at some things which have fallen out in the Church hath been a great cause to make divisions and to sow tares amongst the wheat Marcion because he was censured by Church-Officers for his misdemeanours he cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will throw fire into the Church and divide it Thus men by way of revenge to grieve and vex others have taught false wayes Paul complained of such That thought to aâ—de afflictions to his bonds Phil. 1. But this will not alwayes be under the ground 6. Envy and siâ—full emulation to the gifts and abilities of others that have been above them This hath made men bring in strange Doctrines This worme is apt to breed in the finest spirits You see John Disciples were soured with it Master say they Him to whom thou bearest witnesse baptizeth and all goe after him That this was envy appeareth by the remedy John giveth He must increase and I must decrease John 3.31 Thus among the Disciples there was often emulation Who should be greatest amongst them Oh this hath eaten like a Gangrene in the body of the Church and hath made the Church to have such a deformed face as envy it self is said to have Pallor in ore sedet macies in corpore toto So then as some sharp thorny bushes have pleasant blossomes on them so many specious and fair opinions that are set out with much glory may yet grow upon such thorny and corrupt causes 7. A contemplative delight in a mans own notions and conceptions he hath This hath caused more errours than any thing especially in learned men Therefore heresie is called from chusing when a man doth voluntarily chuse such a way to go in and the Scripture doth excellently call it Going a whoring after a mans heart No adulterer finds more pleasure in those delights of the flesh then the minde of a man corrupted doth with its owne notions No womaâ— is more fond of her childe than the understanding is of its owne conceptions The second thing to be manifested is The nature of every mans Doctrine and if false than the vizor will be pulled of It will appear counterfeit coin and you know to be guilty of that is a capital crime pro thesauro caâ—bones Gods authority and stamp will not be â—ound on it Rehoboâ—m when the golden vessels were taken out of the Temple he put brasse ones in the stead It 's not so well in the Text for here is stubble for gold so an Ancient did well expresse it as if a man should â—â—e an Image all over guilded and touch it you shall find nothing but mouldring dâ—st though it may be ae aurata yet it is not aurea it 's but earth guilded over If theâ— God would never bring our assertions to his touchstone we mighâ— be the more bold but that cannot be I shall say no more to this head because enough was spoken when we shewed why errours are compared to hay and stubble In the last place God will manifest every mans work In the cunning subtilty he hath managed it with For the Scripture speaks of the great crafty and subtil wayes men use that they do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Corinth 2. adulterate and mix the word of God he cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.14 such jugling and cheating as men use with their dice. For 1. Before hearers are publickly prepared for them they go privately and secretly vent their ware So they are said Privately to bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 They are said To creep into houses 2 Tim. 3. They are the moles that creep under ground whereas Christ said He taught nothing but what he did publickly all did hear 2. Their craft is seen In mingling some truths with their errour that while we take one we may swallow down the other and this is worse than palpable heresie in some sense Pejus est veneno oceidere quam gladio they mingle their wine with water Thus some false Apostles they preached Christ as well as the works of the Law but this craft God will manifest when â—e shall separate the precious from the vile and that is the reason say some why Christ would not own the confession that the Devil made That he was the Sonne of God lest speaking some truth he should also vent his lies by owning him 3. This craft is seen Either in sweet and winning words full of love and kindnesse or else in pretence to deep and sublime mysteries Some men are most taken with moral and popular discourses therefore Paul saith they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16.18 good sweet honey words Others aâ—e more taken with subtil and philosophical Arguments therefore the Apostle bids them Beware of philosophy Col. 2.8 and saith it 's knowledge falsly so called Philosophi fuerunt Patriarchae haereticorum Yea these Nani that hay and stubble we find in some of the Greek Fathers about Free-will and Grace is attributed to their Platonical Philosophy which was soaked too much in them and so continued though Christians as Aristotles Philosophy infected the fountain in the Schoolmens time 4. Their circumspection to observe the fit seasons to disseminate their errours Thus while all were asleep tares were sown upon the fittest subjects women as being more affectionate They leade captive silly women 2 Tim. 3.6 Tender and soft hearted men upon whom specious pretences will easily work These and thousand of other subtil and artificial wayes God will make manifest Vse of Instruction to us Ministers Take we heed how we build and that is by avoiding the causes of error pride ambition envy discontent Oh it 's an happy thing when we can say O Lord we have served no parties drawn on no designes ingaged in no factions but plainly and faithfully desired to know thy will and to preach the truths of Christ This will be a crown of rejoycing unto us at our death Not as pleasing men but God saith the Apostle 1 Thes 2.4 As of God and in the presence of God 2 Cor. 2. Vse of Admonition to People Take you heed of those causes likewise for the same sins that spread errours the same sins make hearers to receive them Be not proud self conceited though you have got some understanding and can conferre with better gifts than others Alas thou hast cause enough to be humbled the more thou knowest thou wilt see thy ignorance the
unthankfulnesse and disobedience with corrupt ends and practices As it 's said Because men did not receive the truth in love God gave them up to believe a lie 2 Thess 2.10 So that it 's hard to say whether is more sad to consider the nature of the errours that dishonour God or the cause of them which is Gods anger against a people for barrennesse and unthankfulnesse God then hath his times when for the sinnes of a people he lets Satan loose and suffers this red Dragon to vent his dreadfull poison Thirdly As the corrupt errours of men came from Gods anger so in mercy he hath appointed times wherein he will purge and take away their drosse For these Church-burthens and Church-corruptions have been farre more heavy upon Gods people than State-oppressions Therefore the first thing that Gideon did who was raised up by God to be a Judge to deliver Israel from their cruel oppressions was to remove their Altars and all their Idolatry he began with God first Judges 6.28 And so when Moses had gathered the people of Israel into a body and they were capable of a Civil Government yet the first thing he doth is to prescribe them Lawes concerning the worship of God and in the Decalogue the first Table is for the Duties relating to God By this you see That corruptions in Gods worship and truth as they are greater sinnes than others they are talents when others are pounds so they lie more heavily upon the people of God they bewail them more Rome as it was Aegypt did not so much trouble the godly as it was Sâ—dome the Idolatry more than the cruelty offended the people of God This being so God among temporal promises of deliverance of righteousnesse and peace doth also comfort the godly with times of Reformation in his Church that this hay end stubble shall no longer stand to dishonour his building Thus God by the Prophet Isaiah promiseth To purge away their drosse and to take away their tinne from them Isai 1.25 which doth relate to their Church-sinnes their Idolatries as well as State-sinnes And by Ezekiel you have a glorious promise concerning Church-Reformation Ezekiel 36.25 as well as temporal He will give them to see their Idolatries so that they shall be confounded and never open their mouths Especially God hath those times when people shall be ashamed of their errours of their superstitions and shall never open their mouths again to plead for them or justifie them When they shall see the patterne of the Mount Ezekiel 43.10 You have a notable promise Malachi 3 3 where upon Christs coming there is promised a glorious restauration He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sonnes of Levi. Christ when he came into the world found all Gods worship grossely polluted all the Priests had defiled themselves Now this was one end of Christs preaching to purifie them to cleanse them from these defilements It 's true prophane and worldly men or meer Atheistical Politicians they make no matter about Gods truth they make advantage of any Religion that serveth a designe but this was the great worke of Christs Ministery to make a Reformation in Doctrine and Worship Though this was very unpleasing to corrupt men therefore it is said Who can abide the day of his coming It is even like a day of judgement to them It is observable what our Saviour saith as much to our purpose and parallel with the Text John 4.23 The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth You see how God hath his houre his time and season for such a thing and then when that is come they shall worship God will so over-rule enlighten and perswade mens hearts that they cannot but yeeld Such an hour or time God had when we recovered out of Popery Then darknesse covered the face of the earth The Sunne and the Moone and the Starres were turned into blood The Officers of the Church who should have had light to instruct did cruelly and bloodily persecute such as did hold the truth Now though all the world was thus in darknesse yet when God raised up those instruments of his truth Luther Melancthon Calvin and others They were no more able to stop the spreading of the Gospel then they could hinder the Sunne from running its race Gods hour was come and then the eyes of men would be opened There were many persons before Luther's time learned and godly men that did withstand Popish errours that died in contradiction of them but yet the world was not awakened they did not thinke of coming out of Aegypt till Gods time was come Fourthly This Day of Gods revealing may be a long while as to our expectation God may suffer corruptions to cover all the body of the Church You may see onely chaffe and no wheat and this may be a long while so that the godly doe even languish under their expectations Thus in Elijah's time 1 Kings 19 14. to his knowledge and according to visible appearance he onely was left to vindicate the pure Glory and Worship of God And in what a temptation was he about it It 's true God told him He had reserved seven thousand that had not bowed their knees to Baal that did not communicate in Idolatry But what was seven thousand to all the people of Israel No more than the gleanings of the Harvest And thus also we might shew how in the Christian Church when errours had once got possession in it they were like the Jebusites and the wilde beasts in the Land of Canaan which could hardly be destroyed Donatisme lasted above two hundred yeares Pelagianisme and Arianisme though but sparkes yet kindled such a fire that it was not extinguished in many generations So that we may say of this time as Christ to the Disciples It is not for us to know the times and seasons when God will restore his Church to her purity That is enough which our Saviour saith Every plant that is not of my Fathers planting shall be rooted out Matth. 15.13 That is an excellent place compared with this Text God hath his time when he will root out all the plants that he did not plant in his owne Vineyard But how long it will be ere this day breake forth God hath not discovered to us These things thus explained Let us consider the Reasons Why God will have a Day to declare mens workes in matter of false Doctrines And First Because the truth of God is deare and precious to him Christ himselfe makes it one main reason why he came into the world viz. To beare witnesse to Gods truth So that Divines say Though Christs death in respect of God the Father appointing him to be a Sacrifice for sinne was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an attonement or expiation yet if you doe respect men before whom he made a good Confession as Paul saith 1 Timothy 6.13 So it
much without Prayer to read much without Prayer is like the stomack that eats much but wants natural heat for digestion But you will say How is â—â—aâ—s word a fire How doth that reveal when many very expâ—rt in Scripture do yet runne into very many errours Do not those that build hay and stubble bring many texts of Scripture How can these be said to reveal Answer 1. The defect is not in the Scripture but in men themselves The Owle and Bat is made blinder by the Sunne-beames not through any defect in the Sunne A diseased stomack groweth worse by the good meat it eateth The Papists call the Scripture The Heretiques Book and Luther did so also but upon different grounds For the Papists they say the blame on the Scripture making it insufficient imperfect a nose of wax but Luther on mens corruptions that prophanely and presumptuously put that sense on it which it doth not own But Secondly Men swallow down first the sweet poison of errours from false Teachers and then they think every place in the Scripture makes for them And this is the main cause of errours They have mens persons in admiration they do not judge of persons by their Doctrine but their Doctrine by their persons and when they are thus prepossessed then they easily perswade every text is for them or at least not contrary to them A man that hath a noise of wind in his ears thinketh he heareth the like abroad and the distempered palate thinketh every sweet thing bitter Thirdly They do not attend to the whole Scripture They compare not place with place Mark any errours they fasten upon some places of Scripture and they do not wisely consider other texts as well If we take that place We are no more under the Law but under grace Rom. 6.14 here you would think the Law were quite laid aside but take â—â—other place The law is good if a man use it lawfully 1 Tim. 1.8 And â—â— we make void the Law God forbid Rom. 3.31 So then you see the Law hath its use still Lastly It 's not enough to have Scripture to have many texts but we are also to make use of those helps for the understanding of them which God hath appointed The Scripture is the only Rule but not the only Means for else there needed no praying there needed not the Spirit of God nor the Ministry but God hath appointed Ministers in his Church who by way of Office are to interprete and explain Scripture They are called eyes and Shepherds And the neglect of this may lead a man though perfect in the Scripture into errours I come to the second way Afflictions are Gods fire they will discover mens works by of preparation and fiting the heart to receive even as the plowing and harrowing of the ground makes it fit for the seed Many Psalms have this Inscription Maschil a Psalm of David that is a Psalm that giveth Instruction Now many have afflictions for their subject Hence is that old saying Schola crucis est Schola lucis We are careless proud wanton negligent and will not hear what the Word saith till God hath câ—â—stized us and therefore the Church of God was most Orthodox and the purest Virgin in times of persecution but in the times of prosperity then the most damnable heresies did overflow As in Summer the Snakes and Adders are busie but in Winter they do not stirre Vse of Instruction How much we are to blesse God for his Word and the pure preaching of it It 's that which preserveâ—h thee from swallowing down the damnable poison of thy soul It is that which keepeth thee from falling into the dâ—tch though now we are grown wanton under it We are weary of this Manna Yet when at first they came up out of Aegyptian Popery the pure preaching of the Word was accounted the greatest mercy There was a solemn day of rejoycing in Germany when the Bible was translated into the vulgar native tongue Observe the Devils methods when for a long time he destroyed men through ignorance and horrid blindnesse afterwards he did it through too much knowledge or rather abuse of that knowledge and light which shined upon them But let not the building though of hay and stubble be accounted a light matter it will cost fire It will not be a small matter to endure the burning in this Text. Verse 14. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward THe Apostle you heard hath in a general manner treated of the time and manner how all the works of the builders in the Church shall be tryed which persisting in his Metaphor he cals fire He now comes to the application of this Allegory and to shew the particular disparity And 1. He beginneth with the wise builder and herein you have the good work supposed And 2. The good reward promised The good work supposed is If it abide If it can endure the fire and be not consumed by it for so all truth will The good thing promised is He shall receive a reward By the reward here promised to understand only that honour and dignity he shall have in the Church is to limit it too much we may take it for all the honour and blessing God will bestow on him here and eternal life hereafter Now why it 's called a Reward and the improvement of that hath been already considered we shall therefore pitch on the matter supposed If any mans work abide Now this must be understood supposing all the other conditions likewise required to salvation For if a man preach truth never so truly if he be never so Orthodox yet if his life be wicked he shall loose heaven for all that Therefore those who are Orthodox in their judgments and do not walk exactly in their lives are like those posts in the high-way as Austin said that direct passengers to go the right way but they themselves stand still The meaning then of the Apostle is That on his Doctrines part there shall be no impediment to his salvation If his life and if his aims and ends be gold likewise as well as his Doctrine he is sure to have a glorious Reward Now though this be a necessary point to shew that it 's not enough for such Officers to preach that which is truth but they ought to have such aims and ends and such an holy conversation also as the Word requireth else they but make Crowns of glory for others and they themselves shall be cast into eternal darknesse yet because it 's not intended here I wave it Again when it 's said If a mans work abide By work is meant Doctrine That you may not suck that poison which a Papist from hence inferreth That there are some works so pure that they can abide Gods tryal David thought otherwise when he said Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord c. Psal 143.2 From the matter then supposed
active and diligent thou art speaking of thy opinion to all but art thou a Bee making honey or a Wasp stinging others Never care to company with those that you perceive have a sting onely and no honey The Pharisâ—es what a deal of pains did they take to disciple others to themselves They compassed â—ea and Land as Merchants to get wealth and when all was done they made themselves and their hearers in greater danger of damnation than before Thus the Jesuites are as industrious as the Devil compassing the whole world to make a prey of mens souls But all this labour will accuse them the more The Wiseman observeth great vanity in all worldly labour but especially in matters of Religion to labour in vain there to lose all thy nights and thy dayes and thy study and thy pains is beyond expression miserable Fourthly They will lose their inward peace and comfort of conscience How many that have turned aside from the truth to errour have found tormenting worms gnawing their conscience They have not found it a light sinne witnesse Spira and many others He that denieth me saith our Saviour him will I deny before the Father and the holy Angels and the whole world Mat. 10.33 And indeed there can be no sound comfort but upon Scripture truths for Gods presence will go along only with his own truths Even as it is in his Sacraments Gods grace will be exhibited and true comfort conveyed only in his instituted Sacraments if men should appoint any of their own head they cannot look for his presence and efficacy So it is here If men broach errours and false wayes God will not own them a fire of straw and stubble will give but short and little comfort to a cold man Fifthly They lose though not the total seed of grace yet the degree and fervency of it yea in regard of outward appearance all seemeth to be lost They have not that tendernesse that strictnesse they once had Hence the Apostle couples The shipwrack of faith and a good conscience together 1 Tim. 1.19 Lose one and you lose the other How carefull is the Apostle to forbid all those disputes which do not tend to godlinesse and which do not edifie 2 Tim. 2.16 The shell-fish was unclean it had but little meat in it and a great deal of difficulty to get it Men given wholly to dispute do not mind the affectionate part of godlinesse Grapes do not usually grow on such thorns This then should make every one look to what he buildeth take heed thou art not falling into a noisom pit look lest that when thy eye groweth dark thy whole body will quickly grow dark and to decay in grace is a great provocation of God To decay in thy estate in thy health are sad things but in thy love to God in thy fervency in thy zeal is much more miserable Remember from whence thou art fallen and do thy first works Rev. 2.5 It 's our duty to grow in grace and for thee to do the clean contrary to decay in grace must needs provoke Now part of this growing in grace is to keep stedfastly to the truth That is very observable 2 Pet. 3 17. They must not fall from their stedfastnesse And how shall that be By growing in grace and knowledge Yea lastly Men lose their parts and gifts They have not that clearnesse and soundnesse of understanding as they had Hence errour doth corrupt the mind as rust doth the iron To him that hath shall be given it 's spoken of the right using of our talents and from him that doth not use it in a right manner shall be taken away all that he hath Mat. 25.29 Vse 1. Of Exhortation to us Ministers to be much in prayer and diligent study in attending unto the word of God You see here unsound and false preaching may bring us to great and sad losses worse than of outward substance and maintenance even of inward comfort and peace with God and this we are the more to attend to by how much we know but in part and understand but in part As the bodily eye is subject to a world of diseases and any distemper there is very dangerous So the mind of a man is subject to much corruption blindnesse ignorance injudiciousnesse vain and false reasonings insomuch that it 's a proverbial expression Humanum est errare what is that but as much as humanum est damnari if God prevent not Seeing therefore we are thus compassed about with infirmities which may prove destructive this should make us humble modest to say as Hierom Nunquam meipsum habui magistrum I never was my own master If others will be bold and presumptuous yet do thou tremble then thou wilt gain when such shall lose Vse of Admonition to you the people see that in the matters of Religion you be no losers Religion is every mans study the Bible should be every mans book Though God doth not require of you controversal and sublime Divinity yet the knowledge of such Doctrines as are fundamental and necessary to salvation you are to be acquainted with yea you are not to be alwayes in principles but as the Apostle saith To be carried on to further perfection Heb. 6.1 Now in all your study you may be losers You may have a vain faith a vain Religion and that is when it 's not upon the Scripture-foundation every man hopes he shall not lose The Turk thinketh he shall not lose by believing his Alcoran The Jew that he shall not lose his expectation of a Messiah The Papist hopes that all his Image worship all his fastings and pilgrimages shall not be lost but the Word speaketh contrary He shall be saved yet so as by fire A two-fold losse you heard was here threatned to erroneous teachers And the first part we have dispatched and now proceed to the later and the phrase is already explained To be saved as by fire signifieth The great extremity and danger such a man is in of damnation He is like a fire-brand pulled out of the fire For that explication of some of the Greek Fathers especially Chrysostome who in many other places of the New Testament doth often judiciously interpret is in this particular very incredible He shall be saved saith he that is he shall be kept alive and yet in hell fire So that he thinketh the Apostle saith he shall be damned yet this damnation is a kind of a living death and a dying life he shall be alwayes in hell fire yet saved alive He doth use saith Chrysostome a good word in a sad and evil matter Every one may see this is forced We stand therefore to the former explication as that which is most genuine And two things may be observed very material 1. Whereas you see erroneous and false Doctrines though not overthrowing the foundation do yet dangerously shake a mans salvation puts it to a great hazard Observe That even errours of judgement may endanger a