of private persons though they also are to take heed they put no false or erroneous sense upon the Scripture but he speaks of publick Teachers who by their calling and Offices are to build Now the Object of this Exhortation is To take heed what they build To build after the foundation is laid is the same with watering after planting And it implieth a further continuation and illustration explication and application as also a clearer confirmation of that matter which is already laid down by the Apostles So that observe 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 They are with much care fear and trembling to consider how they build upon the Scriptures And if Ministers are thus to take heed then likewise all others who reade and search the Scriptures are to take heed of presumptuous boldnesse and irreverent ignorance in the perverting of it The Scriptures are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Testament or Will of Christ Now as it 's a dangerous thing even by the Laws of a Land to corrupt forge or falsifie a mans will No lesse capital is it to the soul of a man any wayes to pervert the Doctrine of the Word of God 2 Pet. 3.16 They that are unlearned wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction See here a man may damn his soul by wresting and tormenting the Scripture as it were upon a rack to a contrary sense then what it intended Oecumenius on the place saith It 's as great a sinne to pervert the writings of the Apostles as it was to cut and mangle or murder their bodies To amplifie this consider There may be a two-fold building or ADDITION to the Word of God either Destructive and Corruptive such as wholly overthroweth the true meaning and sense of the holy Ghost And this is a very dangerous sinne Or else Perfective and Explicative Thus the New Testament was added to the Old as a perfective addition not corruptive though it could not have been added as Scripture but that the Authors thereof had a divine infallibility And now what the Ministers of God in their Ministerial labours do it must be an addition explicative of the foundation though it be not with divine infallibility We see here God thought it not enough to plant a people but he will have in all ages men to water not enough to lay a foundation but he will alwayes have builders who are to build on this For indeed we must not strain the Metaphor too farre Paul did not only lay the foundation but did also build up all the necessary parts of the house also onely by this similitude he would shew That there must be alwayes in the Church publick persons who by their Office are to build up people in faith and godlinesse but they are not left to their own imaginations to their own thoughts They must dresse every Sermon at the glasse of the Word they must preach as they reade in Scripture Secondly The word of God which containeth the foundation that the Apostles have laid may be either considered in respect of the words only or in respect of the sense cloathed with the words Now indeed it 's not the holy Scripture but when both the sense and the words go together if a man take the words only contrary to the sense he abuseth it and so promoteth the Hereticks and the Devils interest not Gods glory For the sense that is the internal for me and life of all the words So that it is not enough to alledge the words of the Scripture It 's not enough to be able to say The Scripture saith such words but the true sense and meaning that is the soul the words are the body only yet the words must be diligently attended unto as that by which we come to find out the sense The Devil brought Scripture but he perverted it applying it to an ill sense and so all Heretiques have alledged words but not the true sense breathing in them In the next place Let us consider Why we ought so to take heed and that is to be manifest in many respects First From God himself his glory and honour is greatly concerned herein For when we come in his Name and pretend his Word and indeed it is our own What is this but an high offence to God God doth severely threaten those Prophets that broached their own thoughts and preached the lies of their own imaginations yet said Thus saith the Lord. It 's no dallying matter it 's a matter wherein much prayer much humility and many graces are to be exercised lest we should highly dishonour God Oh if this were written in mens hearts they would be more tender and fearfull in delivering their opinions in saying This is the sense or that is the sense For when thou sayest This is the meaning of the holy Ghost This is the truth of God it behoveth thee again and again to consider lest thou put thy lie thy falshood thy sinfull imagination on God Secondly On Gods part we are to take heed Because he hath so severely threatned all those that adde or detract to his Word Any that shall alter these foundations or change these bounds If it be so hainous a matter among men to remove a land-mark and to confound such bounds how much more here That command not to adde or take away is set home with a terrible threatning Revel 22.18 If any shall adde God shall adde unto him the plagues that are in this book Oh see then what thou deliverest out of Scripture as Gods word for the judgments of God are threatned to such as offend herein And Prov. 30.6 Adde not unto his words lest he reprove thee Thou challengest any adversary to confute thee see here God will confute thee he will reprove thee and thou be found a liar Thou thinkest happily such and such an adversary will reprove thee take heed God doth not become thy enemy for such an opinion Oh then while we are preaching and delivering our heavenly message to you we are under a dreadfull account we are to pray and fear and consider lest God find us liars and reprove us at last Secondly On the peoples part Therefore we ought greatly to take heed For 1. The word of God in the true sense of it is the onely food and nourishment of the soul That onely doth nourish and cause to grow So that all those who build up any thing but Scripture-truths they give poison to a people to live upon How great a crime is it to poison any fountain where all people fetch their water And thus all they do and if it be not poison yet it 's but chaff What is chaff to the wheat said the Prophet Jer. 23.28 All
thee to sinne I do not foster thee in thy infirmities only make righteous judgement in this case Thou cryest out How can I be godly and have no better an heart How can Christ dwell in me and I feel no more of his power Oh distinguish between weak grace and no grace between the presence of sinne and the dominion of it Consider God hath left these for admirable ends and none of these is to discourage and overwhelm thee especially do thou cry out of those deeps to the grace of the Gospel be as much enlarged yea more than Paul was in this matter if thou canst Vse 2. Of Information to wicked men Do not conclude there is no grace in the world and that all men are hypocrites and liars because even the godly are subject to sinful weaknesses This is to be the spider to suck poison from a sweet truth Do not expect more from them than is to be expected Vse 3. If the reliques of corruption be thus to be bewailed as an heavy burden how then should they howl and roar out that are under the whole power of sinne That are not comparatively but absolutely carnal That have not weak grace but no grace Sinne is not only present with them but they with willingness and delight subject themselves thereunto If he speaks of strifes and factions when you do these things Are ye not carnall How much rather of Revelling Wantonness beastly lusts cursed oathes Are ye not carnall Oh remember all this is in a mortal body here to day to morrow it may be in Hell For whereas there is among you Envying Strife and Divisions are ye not Carnal The Apostle generally declared the ground of their Indisposition and Incapacity of heavenly sublime Truths Now he enumerats the Particulars whereof Envy stands in the front Some make a Gradation Envy breeds strife and strife breeds Divisions or Factions If we regard the generall state of the Church in all Ages especially in our daies there is no Subject more necessary to treat upon then these Distempers Especially to shew the Sinfulness and Cures of them The being divided into so many crums and atomes that unless Democritus his Opinion should prove true All things are composed of atomes Or rather unless God shew his power to make drie bones that lie here one and there another as in Ezekiel's Vision to come every one to his proper place and have flesh and life bestowed on them I know not how we can escape totall destruction It being such a known Maxim of state which Christ himself hath confirmed A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand And so Churches against Churches godly man against godly man they cannot stand Although I say this be necessary to the publique yet because I know not how necessary for this particular Auditory though I shall not pass by these Particulars yet I shall not handle them to the exactness of the Subject and latitude thereof And let us consider the first Subject Envying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used sometimes in a good sense and sometimes in a bad sense In a good sense it 's attributed to God and signifies that Jealousy he hath about his Church especially his worship When attributed to good men it signifies either that honest and lawdable endeavour in them whereby they are inflamed to imitate or go beyond the Virtue of others without any sinfull grief or hatred This is commonly called emulation 1 Cor. 12.14 Gal. 4. Or Secondly It 's taken oft for that grief of mind produced by an holy indignation in us at those things which we conceive are unworthily done against those whom we love And that either God or others God 2 Cor. 7. Or others Col. 4. Or else which is not so oft in humane Greek Authours if at all it is taken for Envy as Act. 13.17 Gal. 5. Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rekoned among the lusts of the flesh And somtimes the Epithete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to it bitter Envy Although the more known word in the Scripture for Envy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This for the word Observe That Envying wheresoever it is is a fruit of the Flesh and such a sinne that a godly man should especially watch against Are ye not carnall because of this Envying To open this Doctrine Consider First That the Original and Fountain of this Envy is the same with the other great impieties that are committed in the world viz. The flesh or Corrupt part in a man So Gal. 5. and James 4. Envying strifes are said to come from the wisdome of the flesh and diabolical wisdome opposite to the wisdome from above which is chast peaceable and long-suffering So then seeing this is a lesser stream from that bitter Fountain This is part of the gall and wormwood every one is in by nature No man can conclude he is wholly godly that hath not power to mortifie this sinne in some degree And therefore in that Gal. 5. the Apostle reckons it amongst all those gross sinnes Murders Vncleanness Idolatries Wichcrafts And concludeth They that do such things shall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Yet though the Scripture brand this sinne as the seed of the Devil and the spawn of the flesh how prevalent is this sinne every where amongst bad yea amongst good How many sad Envyings and evil eyes are there towards one anothers good For so the Scripture cals it an evil eye because they look with discontent and grudging upon others Envy is a squint-ey'd sinne and so the more deformed sinne Vixque tenet lachrymas quia nil lachrymabile cernit Secondly This sinne of Envy may either be in the full Predominancy of it or only in Motions and Combates or if breaking out into act bewailed and repented of In the former manner it is in wicked men In the latter sort it may be even in the godly For this Envy is such an imbred sinne that the Spirit of Regeneration finds it one of the last enemies to be destroyed Wicked men are as full of it as Toades of poyson Thus Act. 13. The Jews are said to be filled with Envy against the Apostles Filled they were with this sinne as the godly on the contrary are filled with the holy Ghost And hereupon this Envy within carryes them violently to all outward wickedness especially Murder For that is the natural fruit of Envy Whom men envy they presently resolve the death of if there be no restraint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very near in sound and efficacy Thus Pilate knew that for Envy the Pharisees desired to crucify Christ And the Apostle puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 5 21. Envyings and Murthers together As the words are alike so one presently follows the other In the godly this sinne is too vigorously also These Corinthians and the Hebrews James writeth to
but this is the way to health It 's good to be troublesome to the sins of men and better be a man of strifes in this sense then preach peace to sinners Vse of Admonition To lay aside all those malicious revengefull actions one towards another These times of warre have especially wrought such bitter enmity against one another that this generation will not quiet it unlesse grace overcome Take the Apostles Rule Let nothing be done through contention and pride and covetousnesse or impatience and then what calmnesse and quietnesse will there be As he said of Physicians Quot funera tot opprobria so many funerals so many reproaches to them And certainly so many branglings so many Law suits so many reproaches to the Gospel of peace to Christ the Prince of peace to the Officers in the Church the Ministers of peace I speak not of necessary defensive Law-suits to which men are unwillingly haled having used all other means before but that pronenesse and impatiency that is in men Oh be not thus Tygers and Savages one to another Thou that dealest in anger how doest thou expect Gods love Thou that wilt not be pacified but breathest revenge how shall God spare thee Whereas there is divisions amongst you We are now upon the third and last sinne enumerated as an argument of their carnal estate The worst wine or rather vinegar is left to the last Divisions Some render it factions it addeth to the wickednesse of the former that by this envying and strife men are divided into several parties They imbody themselves in several factions to the destruction of the whole The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word Gal. 5. is translated Seditions There are three Greek words in the Scripture which expresse Factions or Divisions That in the Text when men divide themselves into parties in a sinfull and inordinate way otherwise to divide from wickednesse and from the general impieties and errours of the world is no faction though the world be apt to call godly men factious so that not the meer division but the cause and the ground is to be considered For as all punishment and constant sufferings for a point in Religion doth not make a Martyr so neither division or opposing in a lawfull way of a multitude when erring is a faction The Christians were charged by the Heathens for making factions To this Tertullian answered Apolog. Quandò boni coeunt non est factio sed curia dicenda The other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 1 Cor. 11. a metaphor from cloath or the body when one part is rent from the other As Austin thought it a very difficult thing to define what heresie was so it is also what Schism is This is certain it 's a breach of that love and union which ought to be among Christians 3. There is Heresie or a Sect which is more than a Schism especially as Ecclesiastical use hath made it And although it was at first used for a meer opinion or way without any evil sense as when Tully said Cato in ea fuit haeresi and some say it is so used in the Acts of the Apostles but in the Epistles it is alwayes used in a bad sense I shall not trouble you with what learned men say in the Explication of these words This is enough That the Scripture condemneth them as great sinnes They come from a bitter root Christ nor his Church do not own such things Observe That Divisions and Factions do quickly creep into the best and purest Churches This Church of Corinth was a Garden planted by Paul and notwithstanding all his care his constant inspection yet these weeds grow up in it In the Parable when the good seed was sown the Devil came and sowed his tares while men slept Matth. 13. But here while the Officers were awake and diligent yet these tares grow up To open this point I shall but give you drops out of the Ocean of this matter It 's a subject to be handled with tears onely the Scripture gives cordials that the godly should not sink under it First Let us divide for Logical divisions are good to teach and instruct though Church divisions are not and then shew wherein the Nature of a division or faction lieth Then the Reasons why such things will be Divisions or Factions may be either 1. Civil or Ecclesiastical Civil are all those rents and ruptures that are made by the lusts of men in a Commonwealth Thus Jeroboam made a division he rent ten Tribes from the other two and made a distinct Kingdom and which would make one wonder but that God had foretold it those ten Tribes never re-united again that breach was never made up These Civil seditions are sad Prognosticks of the destruction of those places where they are as the renting of the Temple was a Prognostick of the abolition of all the Jewish worship Aristotle giving several differences between Monarchy and Tyranny reckons this for one That tyranny makes and foments factions nourisheth divisions that so while people haue a mutual hatred against and diffidence one in another that reigneth the more securely according to that Rule Divide impera But this is wicked policy Our Saviour cals those blessed that are peace-makers and they who indeavour to make all the godly as one man do instrumentally accomplish Christs prayer for this thing It was horrible wickednesse in Ahitophel to perswade Absolom to go into his fathers Concubines thinking thereby to make a perpetual irreconcilablenesse These are not the Scripture-rules of State government The other Divisions are in the Church and they are o◠two sorts either when different Doctrines and Opinions are maintained and these are called Heresies Or when there is a soundnesse of Doctrine yet men break the bonds of love and live in malice frowardnesse and uncharitablenesse and this is called Schism Now all these kinds of divisions are very sad and dangerous things And when God speaks of the destruction of a people Zech. 10.11 13. it's excellently described of breaking two staffs the one called beauty the other bonds that is as some expound it their unity and their order 2. Factions or Divisions are either Personal between godly men particularly or more publick between Societies and Societies Churches and Churches Between Persons Thus Paul and Barnabas they were in a bitter dissention one with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 15.39 and that about the companion they should take So Paul and Peter Paul reproved Peter and withstood him to the face Gal. 1. Or more publick Thus many Jews that believed raised great dissentions about Circumcision and the retaining of the customs of the Law What sad divisions did that dispute make In Antiquity the like might be shewed Epiphanius and Chrysostom were at extream variance one with another and both orthodox Several dayes before the famous Council of Nice was gathered those many hundred Bishops that were assembled
it but Faith would quickly dispossess these and make it clean for Christ to dwell in And then thy life How pure is that Dost thou talk of believing in Christ when thou hatest purity makes a scoff and a taunt at it I tell thee if thou didst believe thou wouldst be pure and strict also As Saul that went with no good will to the Prophets when he came to them the Spirit of God sell on him and he prophesied also Thus thou that art a malicious enemy a prophane scoffer at purity and holiness should the Spirit of God once fall upon thee thou wouldst become pure and strict also Know then a man can no more carry faith in his heart and this not reforme his life then oyntment about him and that not discover it self Secondly Where there is a true lively Faith that will make a stout though wise confession of the truth when God doth require it Rom. 10.10 With the heart man believeth with the mouth confession is made to salvation and the Apostle We believe therefore we speak 2 Cor. 4.13 Indeed there is a faith about some disputable poinâ—s in Religion that are not essential to salvation that the Apostle bids a man have it to hâ—mself Rom. 14. but for the main points the owning or not owning whereof is the owning or not owning of Christ Our Saviour speaks terribly to the not confession herein He that shall not confesse me before men though before a croâ—ked and perverse generation him will not I confesse before my Father nor the holy Angels Mark 8.38 Thirdly Where faith is there it will carry a man out to the ready performance of all obedience justice temperance liberaâ—ity equity and every good worke The Apostle James Jam 2. doth at large shew That that man is but a vain man and an hypocrite one who cousens his own soul that thinketh by faith to be saved when this is not incarnated and manifested in all godly conversation Yea faith puts all graces on working as Heb. 11. That seemeth to be the great wheel that sets all others on going Lastly He that doth truly believe is not discouraged from his duty because of any trouble or persecution in the world Christ prayed for Peter That his faith might not fail him No danger no fears could have drawn him into sinne had faith been active It was faith made Moses chuse reproaches and persecutions rather than the glory of Aegypt A man that liveth by sense and by worldly advantages he cannot but with the Chamelion turn into every colour of that object which is by him because worldly fear reigneth and ruleth in his heart but Faith that overcomes the world If it conquer Devils and Hell much more the world Yea it makes a man rejoyce in tribulations Vse of Examination Hath the Ministry had this effect to make you believe Oh you will say Who doubts of that Are we Atheists Do you make Pagans and Infidels of us Consider there is a great difference between the Title Name and Profession of a Believer and the reall Efficacy of it It 's said Simon Magus believed because he outwardly professed so yet he was in the state of gall and bitterness It 's said John 2. ult That many believed but Christ would not commit himself to them because he knew what is in man Therefore Do you really believe all that the Scripture saith And if so How darest thou lie swear deal unjustly No you flatter your selves The Faith of these things would make you tremble yea roar out Oh! What shall I do to escape this great wrath Therefore set Faith more on work from day to day I am no Atheist I am a Christian I believe a Day of Judgment Why then live I thus But Ministers by whom ye belived even as the Lord gave to every man We are come to the last Particular observeable in this Verse and that is the Efficient Cause of this Ministry and Service in the Church with the variety of the Gifts of those that are employed therein Even as the Lord gave to every man This the Apostle addeth still to take off all from the Instruments and give it to God They are indeed Pipes to conveigh Gods grace but they can no longer runne then this Fountain fils them They are indeed spiritual Trumpets to give warning of Gods wrath approaching but they cannot breathe forth any sound but what the mouth of the Lord doth first breathe into them So that although the Church of God in respect of the several Gifts God bestoweth on her Officers be like the Queens Daughter cloathed all in needle and embroidered work Even as the Kings Daughters were wont to go in parti-coloured cloathes Yet all this Ornament and comeliness is put upon her by God alone So that every Minister hath a peculiar Gift yet so as all comes from above from God to him Doct. That God hath given several Gifts and Abilities to the Ministers of the Church and thereby makes use of them all for his glorious ends The Apostle doth in many places delight to compare the Church to a mans body where there are several parts and every part hath its peculiar Office There is the eye the hand the foot and though all are not equally eminent yet all are equally necessary But 1 Cor. 12.4 5. you may see this excellently described I here are diversities of Gifts and of Administrations but all from the same Spirit the same Lord and all is for the same end The manifestation of the Spirit is to profit withall Whatsoever Abilities and Gifts God hath given they are not for vain ostentation They are not for humane applause but for use to profit withall Insomuch that if any man should should use his parts his abilities to propagate errour or to strengthen men in wickedness they did greatly abuse the good Gifts of God and turn wholesome meat into poyson To open this Doctrine you may consider That the Gifts of God to the Church are as to our purpose of two sorts Sometimes the very Office and Function it self is called a Gift To be an Apostle to be a Pastour to be a Teacher is a Gift Thus Ephes 3. Yea Christs Ascension He gave Gifts to men As Kings at their Coronations distribute large and plentifull gifts And what are these Gifts Apostles Evangelists Pastours and Teachers Thus the very Office is a Gift and that a great one too More then all temporal mercies though the ungratefull world cannot think so Thus the Psalmist speaking of the Word of God and the Ministry given to the Jews he addeth He hath not done so to every Nation Psal 147.20 Alas for temporal mercies he had he gave them peace quietness and plenty all aboundance and filled them with good things but this was nothing to the Ministry of the Word And certainly no plenty no quietness no abundance is a mercy equall to the Gospel Therefore Amos threatned the famine of the Word as more terrible
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
yet is as confident as if he had been at rest in his dwelling place But because all that dwell are not secure especially in times of violence and warre therefore he addeth safety Some translate the word in Spe in Hope and so it may denote both the outward condition and his inward disposition Lastly Here is the solitarinesse of this Efficiency It 's God alone It 's not David's own care nor the asistance of others but God alone All the glory is to be ascribed solely to him Indeed some relate the word to David as if David though alone God made him dwell in safety He can keep one man securely in the midst of all enemies Thus God promiseth to Israel Deut. 33.28 Israel shalt dwell in safety alone But we rather take it as attributed to God And thence Observe That it is God alone who doth preserve in safety Did he withdraw his protection every stone in the street every tile on the House might be an Executioner If we consider how many waies man is subject to death and dangers we must acknowledge it even a Miracle that we rise safe and go to bed in safety It 's good to suggest this truth to you for who is there that doth acknowledge God in these common mercies That blesseth God for preserving him daily in his wits in his senses in bodily health and dangers For although these be bodily mercies and we delight in them as such yet we do not look up to God the Giver of them whereas that Petition Give us this day our daily Bread doth not only extend to nourishment but Protection also It 's God giveth every crum of Bread It 's God giveth thee breath every time thou breathest The Psalmist Psal 127.1 2. doth extend this safety not only to particular persons but Families and Nations and Cities All care in a Family all military power in a City is in vain if God doth not guard it Thus Solomon sheweth that it is not any outward thing in the world that can defend a man even those things that we are most apt to trust in Prov. 21.31 compared with Psal 33 17. To open this Doctrine consider these Particulars First That the Hebrew word that was hâ—nted before doth denote two things 1. An inward disposition of hope and undaunted courage 2. External safety and quietnesse For these two are â—eparable God may keep a man in a quiet couragious hopefull disposition even when dangers do inviron round about as it was with David in the former Psalm Though ten thousand should compasse him about he would not be afraid Yea in this he â—aith in another place he would be confident And certainly herein God is much to be praised that he keeps the heart from feares and the understanding and senses in their regular operations How easily can God make a man a Cain a Magor-Missabib it's a curse that God threatens the wicked Israelites with Deut. 28.66 Such a cursed miserable life every man might live And so for our understanding and senses and imagination who is it that preserveth thee What a wofull dreadfull thing is it to have the fantasie disturbed Some think that wonderfull work upon Nebuchadnezar that God struck him into was only a melancholy disturbance of his fantasie It 's said The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth Prov. 21.1 and he feareth where no fear is Now thus God might deliver thee up to a deluded imagination to a terrible fantasie he might deprive thee of senses and understanding or thou mightst go up and down with a fearfull spirit which shall impetuously and tyrannically â—â—quiet thee so that in no outward danger yet thou shalt create danger to thy self But God giveth this inward confidence 2. There is external safety a condition of freedom and quietnesse which is also Gods gift only Secondly God preserveth thus in safety Principally and appointeth his creatures Instrumentally Principally Therefore he is called the Lord of Hosts as having supream dominion over all creatures to use them as Instruments either of vengeance or mercy Hence he is called in Job The Preserver of men Job 7.20 No creature though wise and strong yea though working as natural Agents can put forth their strength for our preservation unlesse the true Word of God which giveth a command to their being give also a command to their operation So that it 's God who by men or other creatures doth preserve nourish and comfort thee Jacob's Ladder reaching up to Heaven is said to represent the Providence of God whereby he works in the governing of all things through Instruments Now the Instruments whereby God doth preserve his in safty are sometimes the Irrational creatures sometimes the Rational By a Raven which is the most greedy and devouring Bird yet God preserved the life of Elijah And it 's a remarkeable History of a godly Martyr who having hid himself in a hole of the house for safety immediately a Spider made a large web over the hole so that when the Pursuers came to enquire after him and one of them moved to search in that hold No saith the other none hath gone in their lately you may see by the cob-webs And thus that holy man escaped their fury By Rational creatures Thus God stirreth up many to preserve those that are appointed to die Esther was a meanes to save her whole Nation the people to preserve Jonathan For as God in just and wise Providences doth raise up many times one man to be the destruction of another Which made Habbakuk complain Why Lord hast thou made man to be like the fishes of the Sea the greater to devoure the lesse So on the other side he doth in great mercy raise up some men to be a safeguard to others Thus Obadiah hid many Prophets by fifty in a Cave from Jâ—zabels fury As men so Angels are notably used by God for the preservation of his people Insomuch that some godly men have greatly blamed Christians that they are no more thankfull to God for those Guardes he hath appointed them Not that we are to pray unto Angels or that there is a peculiar Tutelar Angel vouchsafed to every man though not only the Papists but even some of the Antients and of later Orthodox Divines have been of that Opinion though abhorring all Angel-worship Not I say to determine that yet in the generall it 's plain that the Scripture makes the Angels to be our helps and defenders Insomuch that by them as Instruments we are preserved from those falls and dangers which otherwise would come upon us Psal 91.11 God is there said to give his Angels charge over us Yea They shall bear thee up in their hands as a tender Nurse beareth a young Child that the godly do not so much as dash a foot against the stone Here you see the Instrumental serviceablenesse which is vouchsafed to the godly by Angels And so you have a full place to this purpose Psal