salvation which at first began to be spoken by the Lord and afterwards was confirmed by others God bearing them witnesse by signes and many wonders So that now the things of Religion cannot be more abundantly confirmed to you than they are you are not to expect more powerfull means to convert you than have been used and this will make Hell seven times hotter for all ungodly and prophane persons who are so under these Gospel-dispensations SERM. XCIX Of the convincing Nature of Godliness in Ministers and private Christians 2 COR. 1. 13. For we write no other things unto you then what you read or acknowledge and I trust that you shall acknowledge even to the end THe Apostle having formerly asserted the sincerity and holy simplicity of his conversation and that more abundantly to the Corinthians lest this should be a vain boasting of himself and that in giving testimony of himself that would not be valid or sufficient He doth in this verse appeal to the very consciences of the Corinthians likewise So that not only the testimony of his own conscience but of their consciences also must needs justifie him And indeed this is a good demonstration of that uprightness which is within us when we can appeal to the consciences of others For although men especially such as are prejudiced and alienated from us may suffocate and smother as much as lie in them that they have any such convictions of our integrity yet secretly their consciences cannot but bear witness to us The matter then wherein he doth appeal as it were to their own consciences is set down in the beginning of the verse For we write no other things unto you c. There is one expression in this passage that hath much perplexed Interpreters and made them go different wayes it is that we write no other things unto you then what you do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read so we translate it and likewise many others Now this is wondered at by some yea by Calvin accounted Nimis fligidum ne dicam ineptum saith he in loc It is too frigid and absurd to make this the sense I write to you no other things then what you read c. For who doubted of that And how could any man read otherwise than he wrote saith Musculus Estius also doth confess that the rendring the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye read did cause great perplexity to Expositors and therefore sheweth that Theophylact when he could not satisfie himself about that sense of the word did runne to another Yet there are learned men that endeavour to make a good sense of it though it be translated Ye read For Beza though he taketh notice of what Calvin saith against it yet followeth this translation and would make this Paul's meaning That he did not write cunningly artificially what they did read in the plain letter of the words that he did write he had no equivocations nor intended any delusions by his words Cajetan in loc he maketh this expression to referre to the former Epistle and also to this part of the second which we are now upon We write no more now then what ye have read formerly Therefore some render it in the preterperfect tense Others they make the general sense to be this Our words and our actions do agree we write no more than what may be read and acknowledged by all Though these interpretations may passe very well yet because the expression is not so full and proper to say We write no other things then what you read I shall rather go with those who say the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though it many times signifieth to read yet it doth also to take notice of to know to remember c. Indeed I find it not in this sense used in the New Testament but constantly for to read yet Varinus he maketh it to signifie as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To know to call to mind to remember to be convinced of a thing So that the meaning is We write to you no other things then what you know what you remember yea what ye are experimentally convinced of And thus it differeth from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which followeth and signifieth more For a man may know and remember yea and be convinced of many things which yet through some corruption within he will not acknowledge for that is when we do with a ready and willing consent approve and own such a thing The Pharisees were often convinced about Christs Doctrine yet they would not acknowledge it But the Apostle attributeth both these to the Corinthians for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered Or Erasmus suspects it crept in for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which things Vorstius preferreth that reading which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so paraphraseth If so be you do acknowledge but there is no necessity of this From the words thus explained we observe That a godly convincing life in a Christian especially in a Minister is of special advantage for many excellent effects Every Christian and much more every Minister are by their lives and examples so to convince that others may acknowledge verily God is with them verily the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in them This is no more then what our Saviour expresseth Let your light so shine before men Mat. 5. 16. that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Some make this exhortation given to Christians in the general Others to the Ministers of the Gospel in particular However by this we see that God cannot bear meer titles names and opinions unlesse there be an holy life accompanying of them he saith That they may see your good works not titles not professions not your ceremonious and instituted worship but good works good works then are necessary but such as flow from men enlightned by the Gospel-truth Many mistake about good works not knowing what the nature of them is and then Christ sheweth the end of these good works That they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven not that they may glorifie you and honour you We are not to do good things for applause and esteem neither doth he say that ye may merit a reward in Heaven Vain-glory and merit with self-confidence are the end why pharisaical men cause their light to shine before others but the Evangelical Christian he doth it That God may be glorified But let us cause the light of this Doctrine also to shine before you And First We are to know That godlinesse and exact holinesse hath a convincing and converting effect with it The sincere practice of it doth awe and conquer the conscience even of the vilest men Godliness is the image of God Now when God created man in that he gave him dominion over all the beasts of the field they stood in awe of him And thus where the image of God is repaired there it hath a convincing work upon the conscience of the
Therefore the Pelagians and Semi-pelagians of old these did so set up duty and their own power therein that they did take off from Christ and his grace The former they held not grace necessary unless it were for the more easie working ad facilius operandum but if this were so then Christ was in vain in respect of any absolute necessity The latter they held our endeavours our desires and groans did go before and then grace was bestowed upon us to put them into effectual operations But all this is derogatory to the grace and power of God who of spiritually dead makes us to live a supernatural life being made new creatures and so act from that principle of life infused into us Secondly We do exercise our selves in prayer and other Ordinances without any dishonour to the grace and power of Christ when we attribute no merit or causality to them And this is a step higher than the former For in Popery besides Christ they press the necessity of holy works as merits but they acknowledge the grace of God to be the foundation thereof They say our faith our love our repentance must be the fruits of the Spirit and the effects of Gods grace but then they destructively adde That these do merit eternal life and by such duties we make compensation to the justice of God Now you must know that they plead not for merit in a rude and grosse manner as if the works flowing from us did deserve a crown of glory but as we are enabled to them by grace and thereupon they say to call the graces we are enabled unto by Christ menstruous cloaths or dung and drosse they think to be a manifest injury to God himself But certainly when Paul would not be found in the righteousnesse he had And Abraham and David were not justified by the works they did though regenerated persons This doth fully overthrow all merit under any distinction whatsoever Look then thou distinguish between the necessity of the duty and the merit thereof See thy self bound to the use of all Ordinances but attribute no condignity to them to make thee worthy of Gods favour Thirdly Then we derogate not from Christ when in the constant exercise of these we rest onely upon him for our justification Though we pray for our selves and others though we diligently attend to the whole course of godliness yet in regard of reconciliation with God and acceptance of our persons we go out of all to Christ alone It hath pleased the Father that in Christ all fullnesse should dwell Col. 1. 14. Fullness is not to dwell in thy duties or graces but in Christ Hence also Ephes 1. 6. We are accepted of in the beloved It is not then in our own performances nor in any thing that we can do that we are to look for acceptance David though living under the Old Testament dispensations yet saw so much of Gospel-light and Gospel-grace That if God entered into judgement with his servant no flesh could be justified in his sight Psalm 143. 2. Doe not then confound sanctification and justification together which is the continual errour in Popery Be diligent in active righteousness but rest in passive viz. that righteousness of Christ imputed to the believer Fourthly We performe duties and Ordinances without derogation to Christ when we put no trust or secret confidence in them but look upon them onely as the signes and evidences of Christs dwelling in us We may indeed be much comforted and rejoyce in the discovering of graces in our hearts but to put any confidence in them to rest upon them as if in them we might stand before God This is to mistake and to give to our graces what belongs to Christ and that Christian must have a discerning spirit even an Eagles eye that can difference between comfort from duties and resting in duties Then also we put no trust in them when we are by them lifted up to draw nigh to Christ when they are to us what the tree was to Zacheus to raise us up higher that we may have communion with Christ If then we look upon our graces as the restimonies of Gods love and exercise our selves in duties as those whereby we draw nigh to Christ himself then Christ is glorified not dishonoured by them Fifthly Then we use spiritual duties oppositely to the honour of God when we thinke to profit him or advantage him thereby When we have done all we are to judge our selves unprofitable servants as to God God needeth not any of our service He hath millions of Angels and thousands of the spirits of just men made perfect which offer him praise and honour without the least spot and defilement So that it is his gracious condescension to accept of our duties It is his mercy that he will regard our prayers They are liker to noisome vapours than to frankincense and yet God is pleased to receive them as such If therefore thou art after all duties exceedingly debased and humbled saying Who am I Lord And what am I that I should be received into thy presence and so going from duties not as giving to God but receiving from him not as if thou hadst honoured him but he had honoured thee then Christ and duties are well accorded together Use of Instruction What subtil and secret refined wayes of sinning the heart of man is guilty of For whereas all will conclude that not to pray not to be diligent in duties is to oppose Christ and withstand him there is a more mystical and undiscerned way of opposing Christ and God which is by religious duties and Ordinances when we make them more than means when we give merit to them and put any confidence in them How heavy an aggravation is this while we pray to God to provoke God while we call on Christ to dishonour Christ Search out therefore for thy sins not onely in the open wayes of impiety but in the paths of holiness In thy prayers in the ordinances look to find out sinnes there as well as temptations of more dissoluteness The works of the Law kept men off from Christ as well as the works of the flesh SERM. LXXX The highest in Gifts and Graces should desire the Prayers of the Meanest And People ought to Pray for their Ministers as well as Ministers for their People 2 COR. 1. 11. You also helping together by Prayer for us THis Text you heard is declarative of the meanes which were to be used by the Corinthians that the mercy Paul trusted in God for might be accomplished The meanes that is Prayer but a labouring Prayer and with accord and agreement yea such an helping in Prayer as is a debt of service and ministration to their spirituall guides The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when taken strictly and distinctly to other words that are also rendred prayers and supplications as some would expound that place 1 Tim. 2. 1. doth signifie prayer only in
us Secondly We may rejoyce in them so farre as thereby to bear up our hearts against all accusations whether internally from Satan or externally from the malice of men Is there any greater temptation in the world then that when Satan accuseth the children of God that they are hypocrites that there is no truth of grace in them that what they do is not from a right principle but selâ—seeking Even as he accused Job to God that he served God for carnal ends because God had hedged him about but if he were touched in these things and stript of them then he would betray his hypocrisie Now it is lawfull for the children of God to defie these accusations of Satan to rejoyce in the sense of their uprigtness though the Devil rage at it While he roareth do thou be glad and praise God Oh how often are believers shaken in this very particular They are afraid to own what God hath done for them they think it their humility and lowliness thus to be in doubts and to be perplexed with fears not remembring how necessary it is to acknowledge thankfully what God hath done for us and to walk with joy triumphing over all the fiery darts of Satan It is the great blame of Christs Disciples that they do not more glory and rejoyce in this respect And then 2. This rejoycing is lawfull when we have to do with malicious enemies that are ready to charge us with hypocrisie and self-seeking that for all our religious pretences we have rotten and earthly hearts then is a time for thee to make use of rejoycing in the sincerity of thy soul And this indeed is one great part of the Apostles meaning The false Apostles they calumniated him they made the cause of all his afflictions and troubles to be his evil life and Gods displeasure upon him Now the Apostle hath this brazen wall within as the Heathen called it He hath the witnesse of a good conscience As Austin to Secundinus Senti de Augustino quid velis c. Think of Austin what you will so that my own conscience doth not condemn me This rejoycing therefore is necessarily seen in this particular In the third place Let us see wherein this rejoycing in our graces may be unlawfull And 1. It is when we dare rejoyce and that in the sight of God as if there were no blemish or damnable matter in them To rejoyce as Perfectionists do in their holiness daring to hold it up to God himself in his strict justice this is highly provoking God Hence this Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 3 4. Though he regarded not mens judgement concerning him because he knew nothing by himself yet he saith He was not thereby justified because it was God that judgeth God that knew more evil and saw more sinne in him then he could do in himself Therefore though we may rejoyce in them yet take heed of opposing them to the strict and righteous judgement of God And it is in this sense that Paul Rom. 3. saith All boasting is excluded and that Abraham in the matter of justification had not wherewith to boast 2. It is not lawfull to rejoyce in them as if they had any inherent dignity or worth to rest upon When we approach to God we must rest alone upon Gods grace as the efficient cause and Christ as the meritorious cause These are the only foundation we can build upon When therefore we have given Gods grace and Christs merits their full due then may we rejoyce in our holiness It is true we read of Hezekiah David Nehemiah and Paul here as also in other places pleading even in prayer their righteousness and desiring God to remember them and not wipe out their good deeds But these instances are partly in some particular wherein they were innocent as in David Or else they onely plead these as the qualifications in them to which Gods promises are made they are such to whom God hath vouchsafed his promises and therefore they may plead them in their prayers in this sense otherwise to urge them as having dignity they could not For at that very time Nehemiah prayeth God would spare him and have mercy on him 3. We must not rejoyce in these graces as if we had them of our selves as if they were not the gift of God Therefore Chrysostom's note upon the place is dangerous saying The reason why this good conscience is called glorying is because we obtain it by our own strength otherwise it would not be our glorying But the Apostle directly opposeth this 1 Cor. 4. 7. Why doest thou glory as if thou hadst not received But you may then say The Papists are not to be found fault with in their rejoycing in their good works for they make them the gifts of Gods grace and presuppose Christs merits But this will not acquit them For the Apostle maketh that a contradiction If of grace then not of workes It cannot be of grace and works together Besides they make grace only an universal cause and our own will to be the particular determining cause and thereby give much more to that then the grace of God If then we take heed of these three rocks we are allowed to rejoyce in our graces Use 1. Of severe and sharp reproof to such who do indeed rejoyce but it is in their lusts in the pleasures of sinne which is to rejoyce in their shame and that which will be terrour and torment to them What can these wretches say But our rejoycing is an evil and a seared conscience that we have lived in all prophaneness and impiety Oh remember into what howling and gnashing of teeth these short pleasures will at last be changed Use 2. Of Admonition to the godly to take this rejoycing which God doth allow them Why do they stand aloof off and trembling Why do they nourish doubts and fears Why will ye not own what God hath done for you Take an holy boldness call that grace which is grace Let not the Devil and thy fears dispute thee out of what thou art Be not so easily baffled and driven out of thy integrity Because hypocrites do deceive themselves do the sincere also Because Copper may appear splendidly is there therefore no gold Because a dreamer deceiveth himself shall he that is awakened SERM. LXXXV What is required to a good and well ordered Conscience 2 COR. 1. 12. The testimony of our conscience THe second particular which is also the ground of that rejoycing which Paul had doth in the next place come to be treated of and that is said to be The testimony of his conscience The object matter whereof is afterwards declared Let us consider this as it is in the general set down Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also the nature of the conscience what it is I have elsewhere at large shewed It is enough to re-mind you of thus much That in the Old Testament it is generally called the heart
his Office His name Paul His Office an Apostle This is further amplified 1. From the Authour of his Office Jesus Christ Jesus because of the Beneficium conveyed to us by him Christ because of the Officium undertaken by him 2. From the Manner how or impulsive Cause By the will of God In the Inscription there is also mention of a Companion or Person conjoyned with Paul not to dictate this Epistle but as an approver of it who is described from his name Timothy and from his relation a Brother In the next place we have the Subject to whom this Epistle is directed and that is either more special the Church of God described by its local situation at Corinth Or else more generally with the place where they live All the Saints which are in all Achaia The Verse divided into these parts will afford several Observations And 1. Let us consider the Author instrumental for the Spirit of God is the principal described by his name Paul and in that briefly consider his Name and his Person what he was His name is Paul so constantly in his Epistles but in the History of his life in the Acts of the Apostles he was constantly called Saul till Chap. 13. In the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now concerning his name the conjectures of learned men are divers Beza thinketh Saul and Paul to be the same name with a different dialect Others say he had two names and they are different Chrysostom thinketh Christ did in an immediate manner give him this name thereby making Paul his servant in a peculiar manner Imposition of names being a demonstration of dominion Thus he altered Abrahams and Jacobs names Others they say it was in an humane way he was named Paul either because of the conversion of Sergius Paulus mentioned Acts 13. the Proconsul who out of indeared affection to Paul would have him called by his name or as Austin thinketh Paul assumed it himself as signifying one that is little to shew his modesty he calling himself the least of all the Apostles But Scâ—ligers conjecture seemeth most probable That when the Jews were brought in subjection to the Romans they had commonly two names one of their own Nation and another Roman to ingratiate themselves and also for more familiar converse and therefore Saul is not called Paul till upon the setting him apart to preach unto the Gentiles But this is not so great a matter as the consideration of his person and his life what he was and by the history of his life which he himself also makes often mention of he was a cruel and bloudy persecutor of the Church of Christ being mad against the Saints and haling them before the high Priest never satisfying his wolvish disposition against the sheep of Christ At last he is converted in a miraculous and wonderfull way and of a persecutor made an eminent Apostle of Jesus Christ So that we may with greater wonder say Is Paul amongst the Apostles then they did once Is Saul amongst the Prophets Here is a wolf made a lamb a vulture become a dove a Bramble made a Mirtle-tree This work of Gods grace in making such a change upon Paul may justly be esteemed as wonderfull a work as those miracles that were wrought upon mens bodies though it were the resurrection from the dead Observe That God may and doth sometimes take of the greatest sinners and make them eminent instruments of his glory The worst of men sometimes his grace maketh to be the best of men we need go no further than these very Corinthians to whom Paul writeth Acts 18. God tells Paul He had much people in that City and yet of all the places in the world you would think the preaching of the Gospel would never have done good there but God even in this wilderness did make to himself a pleasant garden Paul might have wrote this Paul once the greatest of sinners to the Corinthians the greatest of sinners To open this let us take notice of Paul his sinnes his work of grace and his serviceableness after his conversion For his sins how great they were he himself doth aggravate them sufficiently insomuch that he saith he was the chiefest of all sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. In what sense Paul could say this truly is disputed for it 's plain he was not a greater sinner than such who sinned the sin against the holy Ghost Some therefore restrain it to converted sinners as if Paul meant he was the greatest sinner that ever was converted Others understand it thus that he was in the number of the greatest one of the chiefest and that seemeth most genuine He was a blasphemer a persecuter the blood sighes and groans of many Christians would witness against him And although he saith he did this in ignorance yet that did not excuse him for he confesseth himself a blasphemer and a persecuter for all that for this ignorance was vincible it was affected and wilfull he had means to the contrary Behold then here a worse sinner than Mary Magdalen out of whom seven Devils were cast for her sinnes were carnal and bodily but Paul's sinnes were spiritual and seated principally in his soul so that as the Devils are spiritual wickednesses thus was Paul and because he was thus corrupted in his spirit his disease was the more incurable For If the eye be dark how great is that darkness The prophane gross sinner he is easily convinced he is presently apprehensive of his evil but where sinfullness hath possessed the vital parts of the soul the mind and the heart what hope can remain for such an one This made our Saviour say The Publicans and Harlots entered the Kingdom of Heaven above the Pharisees Now Paul he was a Pharisee and most zealous above others for the tradition of his fathers and therefore thought his wilde zeal to be true love to God A man then so great a sinner and yet so self-confident that he had all the disadvantages in the world yet is converted and that when he had for some while lived in such a way being habituated and rooted in it For as some think he was converted about the thirtieth year of his age 2. The work of grace was admirable and wonderfull Twice the Apostle himself relateth it while he was in the way breathing out threatnings to the Church of God even in this his wicked posture He was striken to the ground and a glorious light shone round about him That as they say of some lightning it melteth the sword while it doth not hurt the scabbard at all Thus Paul's body not being any way hurt in this miraculous Vision his soul was wonderfully melted and changed insomuch that he crieth out Lord what wilt thou have me to do This instance of Paul's conversion is an hammer to beat down the Arminian Doctrine here they labour and sweat to give a clear answer Some
merits and dispositions in Paul At this very time Paul might have had a thunderbolt from Heaven fallen upon him which might have shaken him into Hell And behold a gracious arm stretched out to save him from thence And for this cause it is that none like Paul doth so amplifie the grace of God and is so frequently naming of Jesus Christ and therefore it's Paul's whole design in his Epistles to take off all from works and any thing in our selves and to give all to the grace of God And thus Austin a second Paul in some respect he in his former times had been a great sinner involved in unclean lusts and a cursed Maâ—…e but when converted what Ancient did so clearly fully and pregnantly maintain the true Doctrine of Grace as he did He had not only read Books but his own heart and experience to confirm this truth Therefore those opinions that Paul was predestinated because God fore-saw the good works he would do or that God by a Scientia media knew Paul would consent to Grace calling of him if put into such a condition and that thereupon God did ordain him to eternal happiness all these Doctrines and the like are meer Antipodes to Paul's discourse and expressions in his Epistles Thus you have the Reasons on Gods part now on mans part God may therefore take such rather than others Because hereby they may be alwayes kept humble in themselves Thus Paul findeth these old wounds now and then bleeding afresh he remembers what he hath been to his great sorrow and humiliation yea hereby a man is preserved from any dangerous fall afterward Peter and David after they had been converted unto God we read of their fals again breaking their bones and recovering with bitterness and much difficulty But concerning Paul after his conversion we never read of any scandal he fell into yea he saith He knew nothing by himself 1 Cor. 4. viz. in any gross miscarriage for the old bitterness would never out of his mind Lastly God may do this to provoke all Formalists and civil Justiciaries to an holy jealousie What shall such as lay wallowing in their mire that were like the impure Swine become Sheep to Christ shall get Crowns of Glory upon their heads and we who were never like any of such Publicans with our glistering goodness be thrown into hell SERM. II. Learning an excellent gift of God though through the corruption of man 't is often made an Engine to promote the Kingdome of the Devil yet by the Grace of God 't is very usefull in his Church 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle c. VVE have considered Paul as a great sinner yet made an Apostle of dung made a pearl Let us now take notice of him as a learned man and so made use of by God for the Ministry of the Gospel That Paul was endowed with much learning was so evident to Festus that he told him Much learning had made him mad And the Lycaonians called him Mercury Acts 14. He was for a while educated at Tarsus where he was born and it is recorded by Strabo as Lapide citeth him That the Tarsenses were so wholly given to literature that they did excell Athens and Alexandria And that he had perused humane Authors appeareth in that three times he alledgeth Greek Poets Now besides this he went also to Jerusalem and there was brought up at Gamaliel's feet an eminent Doctor amongst the Jews And if there were nothing else but his Epistles he wrote this would abundantly declare the rare and admirable wisdome he was endowed with Insomuch that Chrysostom 3. Hom. upon 1 Corinth speaks of a Dispute between a Christian and a Grecian Whether Paul was not to be preferred before Plato though Chrysostom condemneth the Christians argument as ridiculous and absurd Indeed the Apostle speaketh 2 Cor. 11. 6. That though he was rude in speech yet not in knowledge Now it 's questioned by Interpreters In what sense Paul saith He was rude in speech Austin thought he said so only by concession and in the repute of the false Apostles who accounted him so But Chrysostom and others think Paul speaketh properly and that he was really so not but that he was full of learning only he did not use those affected wayes of humane eloquence as he speaks in another place He did not write as a Demosthenes whom Plato censured as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hunter of words and a curious Artificer therein yet he hath masculine and strong eloquence such as becomes the divine and admirable matter he propounds And certainly to paint a Jewel would take off the proper lustre of it The more naked and plain divine truths appear the more lovely they are and do more immediately insinuate into the heart And if he said of Tully's eloquence because it 's not so affected and fancifull That he had made great progresse in Rhetorick who could delight in his Latine We may more truly say he hath attained to some good sufficiency in Christs school who seeth more excellency in Paul's Epistles than in all humane Writers Paul therefore had true and solid wisdome and was also indowed with acquired abilities in humane learning So that whereas Christ chose fishermen that were unlearned here we see him making use of one that was skilfull and learned So that God can make use of all and as Austin said Qui dedit Petrum piscatorem dedit Cyprianum Rhetorem So that we may observe When men of great learning and parts are chosen by God and sanctified they become eminently usefull in their place To amplifie this Doctrine consider That though Christ at first did choose Fishermen and other illiterate persons yet that makes nothing at all to that Anabaptistical position That men abiding in their Trades and destitute of learning may take upon them to be publick Preachers of the Gospel For that instance doth rather make wholly against them For First Though our Saviour called them while illiterate yet after their call he took them into his fellowship So that they were like a Colledge living together whereof Christ was the Head and Master and thus he trained them up with himself for two years before he sent them abroad to preach And Secondly When he enlarged their Commission before they did execute it they are commanded to stay at Jerusalem where they received the holy Ghost in a wonderfull manner and were inabled to speak in all strange tongues and were also inabled to work miracles for the confirmation of their Doctrine Now let the Adversaries demonstrate such an extraordinary effusion of Gods Spirit on them and we shall not envy if all the Lords people can so prophesie And Lastly As soon as they were called at the very first they left their trades they gave themselves to attend upon their work they had undertaken whereas these plead for the retaining of their Calling still private Christians
disparagement to it The Scripture is in a style full of Efficacy and Majesty sutable to God who speaks it and therefore the very Heathen could say That Moses wrote his History like one that was of God And for the Method also that some are Historical some Prophetical some Moral all this is from the Wisdome of God Therefore it 's prophane arguing on Bellarmin's part who saith That if God had intended the Bible to be Rule of Matters in Faith it would have been put into some other mould like a Catechisme or some Body of Divinity But what arrogancy is this to prescribe to the Spirit of God And this may satisfie us in that Question made by some Why Paul did write thus in an Epistolary way Why it was by way of Epistles that he wrote rather than in another manner For although some give Reasons as Because it was the way of the greatest and most learned to answer to questions propounded by others Hence we have the rescripta and responsa prudentium Or because it 's a more familiar way and apter to beget love Hence Gregory called the whole Bible An Epistle sent from the Omnipotent God to Mankind Though I say these Reasons be given yet it 's best to acquiesce in the Wisdome of God Fourthly Christians should not willingly enter into those Disputes which are apt to be raised about the Authority of the Bible and how we come to know they are the Books of God Austin spake fully to this when he acknowledged that God had taught him that such were not to be heard who would say Unde seis hos libros c. How do ye know these Books to be from the Holy Ghost and that the Authours thereof were guided by him For this is the first principle of Christianity We cease to be Christians if we deny the Authority of them So that as in all Arts there are the prima principia which are not to be questioned and are indemonstrable So is the Scipture to Christians They are like the Sunne that is visible by its own light And indeed it would be a vain attempt to undertake such a proof to a Christian seeing nothing can be apprehended of greater Authority with him than the Scripture it self Therefore the people of God should stop their ears against all such Disputes For it was the Devils way of old to make Eve question the truth of Gods Word Yet In the fifth place Because the importunity of Papists and Heretickes yea and sometimes the Devil himself who doth assault Gods own children In this very point it is good to consider these particulars First That we have as great a testimony to believe that the Books of the Scripture were written by those holy men to whom they are ascribed as we have to believe any works were made by humane Authours That Plato's works were made by Plato that Tully's works were made by Tully thus that Paul's Epistles were made by him Yea we have farre greater reason for there were miracles wrought by most of those who wrote those Books which could not but confirm their Authority in writing whereas Plato and Aristotle these never wrought any miracles Now then if there were no more this is something That there is not so much reason to doubt of these Books as made by such men then of any humane Authour that ever wrote And as thou hast no doubts there so neither may any be made here But In the second place We must go higher for this is but an Humane testimony and so only begets an Humane Faith They introduce Humanity in stead of Christianity who affirm We believe that there was such an one as Jesus of Nazareth upon no higher motives then that there was such an one as King Henry the Eighth Therefore this principle once granted as it must be then it will necessarily follow That we must receive the matter therein as the word of God and not of man For this being their Writings and they therein declaring that they are sent of God and that their Doctrine is of Heaven it must necessarily follow That the ultimate motive of our Faith is that Divine Revelation and Authority appearing therein So that if this be cleared in an humane way that such men there were once and they wrote those things as the malicious adversaries who wrote against them do confess then they therein declaring of whom they come and from whence inabled we do no longer receive their works as we do humane works but as the word of God Humane Faith may make way for a Divine Faith but this Divine Faith cannot be ultimately resolved into it And if to this In the next place you adde The wonderfull Doctrine informing us about God and the way of reconciliation of a sinner with him as also the purity and holiness of the promises the excellency of the reward promised and the terrible threatnings denounced as also the fulfilling of predictions spoken of many years before the miracles wrought to confirm it the Universal Consent of all Christians in those Books except some doubt for a while about a few which was afterwards quickly removed as also the patient Martyrdom of many millions to testifie this truth These and other things may abundantly quell all those Disputes and atheistical reasonings that may rise in thy heart But that these may perswade thee Thou art earnestly to pray for the Spirit of God which alone worketh a Divine Faith in us in and through the Word without which though all those Arguments be spread before us yet we remain Atheists or Scepticks Use Is this Epistle then of Divine Authority Is it not so much Paul as God by Paul Take heed then of rejecting any duty or truth contained therein Among other passages take notice of that 2 Cor. 4. 15. He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are passed away all things are become new If this be received as a Divine Truth then what will become of you who yet lie in your old lusts and sinnes Is this Gods Word Oh tremble then thou that hast thy old rags upon thee None is in Christ but a new creature Is not this place enough to convert the whole Congregation Do ye need any more to cast off all your former impieties But how long shall we complain Who believeth Gods word SERM. IV. What an Apostle was Christ in the building of his Church used extraordinary Officers but did not follow the Model of the Jewish Government What were the Properties and Qualifications of an Apostle 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. THe next thing considerable is Paul's description from his Office and that is an Apostle He nameth his Office thereby to be received with Authority And that they might honour his Calling it being of great consequence for those who come in the Name of the Lord to be assured of their Calling The word Apostle is sometimes used more
not man but God that called him and therefore they should take heed lest while they set themselves against his Office they fight against God himself The will of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used sometime for the Effect and Object of his will being the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 40. 8. and in many other places 2. For the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very act of willing Rom. 9 15. And Lastly For the attribute and property in God whereby he willeth but this being the same with his Essence is infinite and so transcendently differing from mans will which is supposed to be a faculty distinct from the soul and so an accident having also many imperfections accompanying of it because it is the will of a finite creature It is not proper in this place to enter upon those great and large Disputes which are de voluntate or of the will of God Though it might be operosum yet it would not be operae pretium especially in this place where it is mentioned upon a particular consideration viz. as that whereby Paul was made an Apostle Paul doth not here attribute any thing to himself but all to the good will of God for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is as much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his beneplacitum his good pleasure both approving and procuring Paul's Apostleship From whence observe That it is the meer will and good pleasure of God that calleth us to any priviledge or office in his Church As for Paul's own particular he is often affected with this grace of Apostleship as he cals it which was vouchsafed to him whereas he had been the chiefest of sinners And lest it should be thought that Paul indeed might well attribute his Office and all to Gods grace because he was so notorious a sinner you may read that Christ speaks to all his Apostles that he alone not for their merits had appointed them to that Office Joh. 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Let us illustrate this Doctrine And First Every priviledge we have in the Church of God we obtain it by the meer will of God And this must needs be so for our call to the Church-priviledges such as Justification and Adoption and Salvation are greater and higher mercies than any peculiar Office never so eminent If God hath called thee to sanctifying grace in an effectual manner this is far greater than to be made an Apostle Judas was chosen to an Apostleship but not to salvation and therefore his end was dreadfull The Scripture speaketh of a two-fold Call That general one which belongs to all the people of God who are his called ones and that according to his purpose and a special particular Call to some Office or Relation and both these are of the will and good pleasure of God For our effectual Calling as Christians This is frequently ascribed to be of grace not by works we have done Rom. 9 15 16. It 's not of him that willeth You see it 's not our will our power or strength but of God that willeth Thus Jam. 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us This consideration then should humble all the godly as Paul saith here An Apostle by the will of God so mayest thou a Believer by the will of God justified by the will of God it 's because God will have it so my will my power nor the will of any man else could not effect it for me And this is for the general as we are called to be believers But then more especially concerning Gods will as to particular Relations and Offices especially in Gods Church It is good to take notice of that old distinction which Hierom had long since concerning the Call of Officers in Gods Church For there are some saith he that were called only by the will of God and of Christ not at all by the will of man Thus were the Apostles they were appointed Officers by the meer will and appointment of Christ And therefore Gal. 1. 1. we see in what a special manner Paul was an Apostle by the will of God for he saith He was neither an Apostle of men or by men but of Jesus Christ nor of men that is he was not chosen by their votes and suffrage nor by men that is he was not as the ordinary Pastors who though called of God yet were made so by men as Timothy and Titus ordained Elders in every City where they had to do 2. There are those who have their Call of God but by men such as we now mentioned For though their Call was partly by the will of man yet not solely Therefore God is said 1 Cor. 12. to set these ordinary Officers in the Church as well as extraordinary As Joshua though appointed by Moses to be chief Magistrate to the people of Israel was as truly of God as Moses though not so immediately 3. There are those who are of men only but not of God and they are all such who by unlawfull and sinfull wayes get into the Ministry and so have an outward Authority and Office though they be wholly unworthy and unfit in themselves These are indeed by the will of God but it is a permissive will onely or by his just anger against an unworthy people Lastly There are those who have neither Call from God or men that are Preachers neither by the will of God or of men but their own self-will These are intruders that approve themselves that judge themselves fit without the advice of others These run and are not sent In the next place Let us consider how comprehensive this is when Paul saith An Apostle by the will of God and it is not useless for every Minister ought to say so I am a Minister of the Gospel by the will of God and the people ought to say Such an one is our Pastour by the will of God It is God that had a special hand that he should be our Pastor and we his flock And 1. It is more than a meer bare will of permission Paul did not mean Gods meer permitting and suffering of him to be so for thus all the false Apostles all the false and corrupt Teachers that are they are by the will of God It was by Gods will that any unworthy and corrupt Teachers have ever crept into the Church of God 1 Cor. 11. There must be heresies God will have it so but how It is only his permissive will whereby he suffers sinne to be It was a custom that some Church-officers had to say They were so permissione divinâ by divine permission as thinking themselves unworthy only God suffered it to be so Even as Bernard styled himself vocat us Abbas as if he had only the name not the reality but it is well if this was not proud humility To be sure as God sometimes suffers evil Governours in Civil Affairs so he doth
also in Church-administrations 2. Paul is an Apostle not by Gods just and angry will raising him up for the sinnes and punishment of a people but it was from Gods good pleasure And this consideration is very terrible God hath not only a permissive will but a just ordaining will of evil and ungodly Officers at some times to some people for wise and holy ends God in great anger doth will such Officers and Ministers to a people that shall be blind guides that shall be thieves and robbers that shall be ravening wolves and shall lead many to hell with themselves Sad and fearfull is the condition of such a people See a notable place for this 1 King 22. 22 23. where God is described as a just Judge sitting upon his Throne and an host ready to wait on him Now there was wicked Ahab who desired such Prophets that would speak no evil to him that would flatter him and thereupon see what God saith to the lying Spirit he bids him Go and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets and he shall perswade and prevail Thus the Lord still doth There are many people love not a Minister that will reprove sinne that will promote godliness and holiness but let them have a man that will let them be at ease in their sinnes and formality Now God in his just anger and by his provoked will brings such a Minister to such a people You would have such and God will have you have such and they shall perswade and prevail To this purpose also Jer. 5. 30 31. Now this will of God in ordering such Officers is sometimes to increase the condemnation of the Officer himself and to draw out his sins more They are Officers in the Church through the anger of God to themselves they will gnash their teeth that ever they were entrusted with such power for thereby they become more wicked Had not Judas better have been the poorest wretch in the Church of God then such an eminent Officer It is sometimes also for the wickedness and ungodliness of a people and therefore even those that are godly who live under such providential Ministers I call them providential Ministers because they are so by his providence in anger not by his approving will they are to consider two things 1. To bless and praise God that the lying Spirit in the Minister hath not prevailed on thee that he hath not led thee into the ditch that his poison hath not fallen on thee Oh admire Gods goodness herein And withall In the second place Humble thy self under Gods hand It is his will it should be so as yet the providence of God doth manifest him offended with such a people 3. The will of God doth imply that Paul was not an Apostle by chance or meer hap but that there was a directing hand of God in it And certainly such a consideration would much imbolden Paul for as he was by the will of God made an Apostle so by the same will he should continue and be preserved in the same notwithstanding all oppositions whatsoever And thus all the godly Ministers of the Gospel find the good will of God towards them that they were at first set apart for that function or by some providence of God brought to desire it They may find many times a peculiar will of God that sometimes when their friends would have it otherwise yet God would have them Ministers And thus also for their designation to such a people How many times are great discoveries of Gods will that where there was no likelihood yet God would have him Pastor to such a people It is of great use both for Minister and people to observe the special will of God For as in civil relations of husband and wife there God many times discovers a peculiar will of his bringing them together which made the Wiseman say Riches were an inheritance but a wife was the gift of God Riches and an inheritance are also the gift of God but those relations are in a more peculiar manner of him And it is good for those that are in such relations to quicken themselves by meditation on the will of God that brought such things about beyond all expectation or humane providence Thus also it ought to be in spiritual relations Oh it is good to lay to heart how the will of God hath been that thou shouldst live under a powerfull Ministry it may be all thy life time and it hath been denied to others who often have sought to God for such a mercy Act. 16. 6. You may there read that Paul while in his travails preached the Word every where where he came yet was forbidden to preach in Asia yet at the same time at the sixth verse There stood a man and cried Come over into Macedonia and help us See how the Spirit of God like the wind bloweth where it listeth commandeth Paul to one place and forbiddeth him another 4. It implieth That it was no merit or desert in Paul which advanced him to this Office For as believers John 13. are said Not to be born of the will of men or of the will of the flesh but of God which takes all from man and giveth all to God So it is in this work of the Ministry it is not because men have parts or learning or holiness that God sets them apart for such an Office but God himself God tels Jeremiah Chap. 1. 5. That he had sanctified him from the womb that is set him apart to be his Prophet and this was before any good at all could be in him And this also Paul himself acknowledgeth Gal. 1. 15. where he saith He was separated from the womb And observe how both the work of grace and his Apostleship came together and the fountain of all is made Gods pleasure When it pleased God to call me Thus you see that those who are raised up to be serviceable in the Church have all from God both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Potentia and Potestas as they are sometimes distinguished Hence it is that this will of God doth not reach only to the appointing of him to his Office but the inward preparing and fitting of him for that work Thus you see that all things necessary for a good Minister is comprehended in this That he is so by the will of God But you may say What if a Minister should at first enter into this Office meerly by the instigation of a corrupt will Nothing at first made him intend the Ministry but hopes of preferment and getting a livelihood in the world I answer It is indeed a most blessed thing when it is with a Minister as with Paul he was made an Apostle at the same time when God did also inwardly reveal his grace to him when from the youth the workings of sanctification and zeal to convert souls hath put them upon the Ministry but
where such corrupt principles did prevail and were the only motives to be a Preacher of the Gospel there must be great humiliation for them and no doubt many godly Ministers of the Gospel have greatly bewailed their sinfull entrance into the Ministry that they had only corrupt and carnal motives stirring them up thereunto and when this is done no doubt God will accept of their labours and they be made the more zealous for God Use of Exhortation both to Ministers and People to study and meditate more upon the will of God in these things Am I a Minister by the will of God Are these my flock by the good pleasure of God Was it of God that I was separated and set apart for this work This will be a great Goad both to duty and comfort And For the People it is for you to look up to God more in this matter Can you say Such an one is a Pastor to you by the will of God not by his permissive will or providential will only for this may be in wrath and anger to you but his approving and appointing will If so take heed how ye resist the will of God SERM. IX Paul's mentioning of Timothy shews That the Godly though exalted above others in Office and Gifts yet are humble towards them 2 COR. 1. 1. And Timothy our brother c. THis is the second part of the Inscription wherein we have the person conjoyned in this Salutation and he is described by his name Timothy and by his relation our brother The Apostle doth in several Inscriptions in his Epistles likewise name this Timothy not that he helped Paul in composing of them but partly for Timothies encouragement to shew the good esteem he had of him As Nazianzen if my memory fail not in his Funeral Oration upon Basil declaring the excellency that was in him said If Basil had lived in Paul ' s time he would have prefixed his name in his salutatory Prefaces as he did Timothy and Sylvanus c. And partly because Timothy as to the Corinthians had a peculiar relation For 1 Cor. 4. 17. Paul had sent him to them to put them in remembrance of their duty and it seemeth being now returned again unto Paul he informed him of the Churches estate there So that Timothy might well be mentioned as having some peculiar relation to their Church-affairs In some other Epistles he joyneth other persons is Sosthenes c. Yea Gal. 1. he conjoyneth all the brethren that were with him So that we may attribute this to that great humility which was in Paul that though so eminent and transcendent in Office and grace above all others yet is pleased to make others sit as it were upon the Throne with him and not to arrogate all things presumptuously to himself Indeed the Popish Commentators they instance in the Pope that he calleth other Bishops Brethren but all know that what title soever he may use yet he claimeth an universal Jurisdiction over them But in Paul it was otherwise From whence observe That the truly godly though eminent in Office and Graces yet are exceeding humble and condescending to those that are farre inferiour to them Paul though an Apostle esteemeth of Timothy as a brother though in other respects he was his sonne begotten by his Ministry The truly godly and the wicked they are discovered by their spirits The spirit of pride and ambition is in all corrupt teachers And therefore when Austin the Monk was sent over by the Pope for the conversion of England as they call it the Monks that were then in the Land opposed him concluding he had not the Spirit of Christ in him because he was so full of pride and lordliness but all the true Officers of Christ they are endowed with that Spirit which Christ himself had Now the holy Ghost descended in the form of a Dove upon him And he bids all learn of him for he was lowly and meek Hence he tels his Disciples That he will not any more call them servants but friends Yea after his resurrection he saith Go tell my brethren The Apostle aggravateth this great condescension of Christ Heb. 2. 11. That though he was the only Sonne of God yet he humbled himself to become man and so was not ashamed to call believers brethren Therefore there cannot be a clearer instance of this humility and condescension then was in Christ himself Now all the godly they are followers of Christ in this as well as in other respects inso much that it is a certain qualification in all the godly that though God hath never so much above others yet they become condescending to the lowest Christian Even as Christ himself disdained not the least that came to him Hence you have that command Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12. 16. Even the poorest and meanest that are godly are to be cherished and nourished by those that are more eminent The head must not despise the foot because both are in the same body Hence also at the tenth verse in that Chapter you have a paradoxal exhortation In honour to preferre one another How can that be Even because there is no godly man though never so excellent but a weaker and meaner Christian may exceed him in some things Thou hast more gifts more abilities but it may be another hath more sincerity than thee Besides every godly man though in the highest form is acquainted with those infirmities and corruptions that are in his own heart which he thinketh such though far inferiour to him are not guilty of and hence ariseth that duty of preferring one another amongst the godly But let us consider Wherein this humility in godly superiours doth discover it self to inferiours And First It is evident in that they dare not take that honor to themselves which others looking upon them as far above them are apt to give them when it 's not convenient or proper for them This certainly is a great discovery of an humble spirit when they do even tremble at those praises and reverence yea reject and refuse it when it is immoderate How often are inferiour Christians so dazelled with the lustre of those admirable gifts and graces which are in some superiours that with John to the Angel they are ready to make a god of such and set them up too much so as to worship them But the more godly any such superiours are the more they refuse it We see this notably in Peter Act. 10. 25 26. when Cornelius fell down at Peters feet and worshipped him Peter took him up saying Stand up I my self also am a man and at another time when the Barbarians would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas accounting them as gods with what fear and trembling rending their cloaths at such blasphemy did they come and forbid them Act. 14. 15. Thus you see let the godly be never so admirable in gifts and graces yet
writeth to them as if all were Gentiles as Chap. 12. 2. Ye know that ye were Gentiles carried away to dumb Idols c. Hence the same Author saith That it was one Church collected of all the believers in that place Licet esse potuerint in eadem civitate distinctae ut it a dicam parochiae As for the notion of a learned man That the Jewish believers and Gentile believers did make two distinct Churches and had two distinct Bishops which he thinketh would salve some seeming contradictions in Ecclesiastical History that being of an heterogeneous nature to my purpose I passe it by Thus also the Church of Jerusalem is called a Church which yet by many probable Arguments seemeth to be more than one Neither may we think that Christ hath invested one single Congregation ordinarily with all Church power For that president and example of a Councel or Synod mentioned Act. 15. doth inform That there are to be Synods not only by way of advice but by power and that over particular Churches We proceed to the next thing considerable in this description of the Church and that is the efficient Cause the Church of God This distinguisheth the Church from all civil and meer political Assemblies For though the Earth be the Lords and the fulness thereof yet the Church is the Lords in a more peculiar and appropriated manner Sometimes the Church is named absolutely without any addition as when Paul is said to persecute the Church Sometimes it 's restrained to the place Thus the Church of Ephesus the Church of Laodicea but most commonly it is the Church of God or the Church of Christ Sometimes both are put together as 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in Jesus Christ So also 2 Thess 1. 1. And certainly if so be the Apostle considering us meerly as creatures maketh use of and sanctifieth that of the Poet For we are his off-spring how much more is it true of us as members of a Church Observe That a Church is Gods people in a more peculiar and special manner Though he be the God of the world yet in a more special manner he is a God of his Church The consideration of this truth may tend much to our spiritual edification For if we are of God how much should it humble us to see any thing amongst us that is of sin or the Devil Is ignorance or prophaneness of God so are humane superstitions of God But to open this let us consider what is implied in this when a Church is said to be the Church of God First therefore this sheweth That a Church is a supernatural Society it 's spiritual company of men So that a Church is not like a civil Corporation or like Kingdoms and Commonwealths which are by meer humane Institution and agreement though Magistracy it self it be of God but are supernatural and therefore it 's called the Kingdom of Heaven and Jerusalem which is from above so the Church is called Gal. 4. 26. even while it is here on Earth before it is triumphant in Heaven Now the Church is a supernatural Society many wayes in which respect it may be called the Church of God in a more eminent manner For in respect of its Efficient so God alone is the author of it called therefore Ecclesia because God by his Word calls them from their Heathenish Idolatries and practises making of them a Church Thus the people of Corinth when they were securely indulging themselves in all manner of impieties having no thoughts or desires to be a Church God by Paul calls them to be one Even as God by his breath caused the dry bones to gather together and to live or as at the day of Judgment God by the voice of an Arch-angel will raise the dead in the grave who have no life or sense in them Thus it 's the Lord that made Churches every where in the preaching of the Gospel It was the gracious work of God that found us out in Britain and made a Church to himself so that we are loca inaccessa to the grace of God and his Spirit though to humane power It is true indeed God is the God of the world he created Heaven and Earth with all therein yet though God did thus immediately create the world at first we do not say the creatures therein are Gods grace or that they have a supernatural being For it 's not enough to make a thing grace or supernatural that God doth immediately create it but that his power be in a peculiar and extraordinary manner and that for supernatural effects and ends Oh therefore how greatly should we be affected with the grace and power of God in creating to himself a Church out of the world He might have no more made a Church here or there in the Earth then he did in Hell and he that at first planted a curious Garden and put man therein is much more wonderfull in making of a Church to himself yet how bruitish and earthly are we We can bless God for the world and the comforts thereof that the Earth brings forth food for us that we have the Air to breath in the glorious Sunne to be a daily light to us yet we are not thus affected with Church-mercies and Church-ordinances David indeed upon the former consideration cried out Lord what is man that thou art thus mindfull of him c But we may much rather from these supernatural respects Secondly It 's supernatural in respect of the purchase given for them the price paid to make them the Lords For you must know upon Adams fall all mankind was excommunicated unchurched as it were and therefore cast out from Paradise and Gods gracious presence and hence it is that we are said naturally to be without God yea the Devil is said to be the god of the world Thus untill God makes us a Church we are under the power of Satan wholly and therefore to be cast out of the Church is to be delivered to Satan Thus then being fallen off from the Lord and now become the Devils in whom he reigneth we could not be purchased from this thraldom but by the death of Christ and therefore we are called the Church of Christ as well as of God because though conquered by Gods Spirit yet we are bought by his bloud and this the Apostle urgeth That therefore we are none of our own but are to live to him We are to be his peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 15. Thus it cost more to be Gods Church then to be the world at first for he spake and it was made but here Christ died and so it was purchased What a powerfull ingagement is this for all of a Church to walk holily What did Christ die that you should wallow in the filth of your sins What will you deny the Lord that bought you If thou wilt be ignorant and prophane
because we by our sins might justly have expected Gods vengeance and his condemnation So that the word Grace is still to debase us more and more in our own eyes For it doth not only proclaim that all cometh meerly from God but also that we are wretched sinners who have deserved the anger and frowns of God when now we have the light of his countenance To Adam God was very bountifull and full of love yet some Divines say That we cannot call that Gods grace to him because Adam was not in a sinfull and contrary estate deserving the wrath of God 3. This grace of God is more especially demonstrated in those effects which relate to the happiness and blessedness of the soul Therefore it 's the grace of God in calling and justifying us in sending his Sonne to redeem us in vouchsafing Gospel-mercies to us In this the grace of God is made most apparent and this should teach us what we should prize most what we should be affected most with even these spiritual mercies The Scripture doth seldom or never call it the grace of God to give us wealth health and temporal mercies these are not worthy to be mentioned when we speak of Justification Remission and Salvation and yet how carnal and corrupt are we We desire the grace or favour of God for our bodies for outward happiness but who is sensible of the need of Gods grace in this spiritual manner Thou canst not therefore argue Gods grace is to thee because thou livest in prosperity and hast what thy soul can desire For these may stand with Gods anger and wrath thou mayest be a fire-brand of hell and one prepared for destruction for all this Oh then be sensible of that which the Scripture attributeth to Gods grace but none save an holy heavenly heart can do this 4. This grace is communicated to us in and through Christ So that it is called in Scripture The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ in a two-fold respect 1. Efficiently because he is able to bestow it upon us You see in the Text Paul prayeth it from him as well as God the Father And 2. Meritoriously because Christ by his bloud hath made a way open and free for grace to manifest it self Oh then let us know that without Christ God is a consuming fire a condemning Judge that there was no more possibility without him to have so much as a drop of grace as there was for Dives in hell to obtain a drop of water No no there was too great a gulph between God and us Indeed the Socinians they blaspheme and say If we hold the merits and satisfaction of Christ they say this overthroweth the grace of God making it none at all What grace is it say they for God to forgive and pardon when he receiveth full satisfaction for it But though it be of Justice to Christ yet it is meer and only Grace in respect of us and that many wayes but especially in these two particulars 1. That God was not bound to take a Surety for us he might have stood for satisfaction in our own persons that we who had sinned should also be punished And then 2. Although this price be paid yet the application of it is wholly of grace For how many are damned How many have no sinne forgiven or pardoned to them although Christ came as a Saviour into the world It is therefore meer and only grace to make thee partaker of this grace which cometh by Christ God is gracious but Christ made way for it 5. Gods grace therefore is the same with that which the Scripture calls the light of his countenance Which is an allusion to men who when they were pleased and delight in any they look in a smiling and chearfull manner upon such Thus it is with God when he is reconciled through Christ with those that are his he doth presently cast away his anger doth no longer turn his face from them abhorring and loathing their persons and duties but he accepts of them looketh upon them with delight Insomuch that the Scripture makes this to be the utmost blessedness that a godly man can desire to have The light of Gods countenance shining upon him to be under his gracious favour as you see by Davids earnest petition for it and the sad troubles and distresses which were upon his soul when he hid his face from him So that to partake of Gods grace comprehends all the comfort glory and blessedness we can desire 6. This property of God of being gracious though it hath alwayes been to the Church since Adam's fall yet it hath broken out by degrees Insomuch that the Gospel time is the time of grace in a more eminent manner Abraham and Noah and David these were all justified by grace as well as we though in Christs time this glorious light break out into its full lustre God telleth Moses Exod. 22. 27. He would hear the cry of the oppressed for he was gracious And David often Psal 86. 15. Psal 111. 4. doth acknowledge this comfortable property in God that he is gracious So that in the old administration though every thing was more covered and obscure yet then it was the grace of God alone that they made their refuge yet this was so dark comparatively that the Evangelist saith John 1. 17. The Law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ as if those former dispensations were not dispensations of grace Hence the expression is Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God hath appeared viz. in a most visible irradiant manner that our eyes are dazelled with it as when the Sunne shineth in its full strength at noon-day So that all those Doctrines which in these Gospel times do obscure the grace of God are more intollerable than those who pleaded the Law and the works of the Law in former times 7. Let us consider What are the opposites to this grace of God or What are those sinnes that do keep off this grace of God from us For though this Sunne shine never so gloriously though this Ocean be never so full yet if we shut our eyes or wilfully stop the streams of this fountain we shall not receive any good by it And there are these remarkable sins like so many opacous bodies that do interclude this grace from us I shall not meddle with Doctrinal opinions but practical indispositions And 1. He who seeketh to be justified by the works of the Law by his external obedience thereunto he will never come under the sweet benefit of Gods grace A man that is fully confident in his own righteousness and the good of his own heart will alwayes be neglective of the grace of God You may see this largely by those arguments the Apostle hath in his Episties A pharisaical spirit is alwayes an adversary to Free-grace but oh the proneness in all to this sinne especially men civillized and meerly moralized that are kept from the gross pollutions of
least cranny in his soul wherein the least glimpse of Gods favour can approach unto him Thirdly Such are capable subjects of Gods grace that are affected thankefully with the least discoveries and manifestations of it to the soul The Sunne is not more welcome to the world than the grace of God to a broken contrite heart If then the soul come to taste of the sweetness of it both heart and mouth will overflow in the acknowledging of this grace And indeed therefore doth the Lord do all out of grace to us that as the Apostle saith We might be to the praise of the glory of his grace Ephes 1. 6. And that we should shew forth the praise of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. So that there is nothing so comely and beautifull for a soul partaking of this grace as to be calling upon his soul and all within him to praise God Yea because he cannot do it enough to call upon all other creatures Angels and Saints that they would joyn with him in this work And certainly the dullness and negligence of the godly is much to be lamented in this very particular David discovered this when Psal 103. he cals upon his soul to blesse God and in other places Psal 18. 2. Awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Why then is it thus with thee that in temporal mercies and deliverances thou art so cordially sensible of them If God of weak and sick make thee healthfull if he recover thee from the gates of death if he bless thy outward estate so that thou art freed from the former streights and perplexities thou wert in If I say God do thus for thee thou lovest to take notice of it thou canst with tears and joy speak of Gods goodness to thee herein but for those great and unspeakable riches of his grace in calling of thee and justifying of thee in beginning of grace in thy heart these things thou dost not meditate of so affectionately as thou oughest to do How farre otheawise was it with Paul whose heart was like a fountain never dry but did alwayes stream forth abundantly in blessing of God for those spiritual mercies Certainly were this grace of God rightly considered by us it would put us into holy ravishments it would take us off from all worldly comforts or discontents The soul possessed with thankfull thoughts about this grace of God will be even in Heaven it self Indeed we should account this our meat and drink and our only blessedness Oh then abhorre thy self for not being ravished more with this grace of God to thee Say Lord what a stone what frost and ice am I yea worse than they for David calleth upon them to glorifie and praise God and they do it in their kind but I am forgetfull and dull in this blessed work which is the only duty to be done to all eternity It may be then thou feelest no more of this grace of God because thou are no more thankfull for the present enjoyments of it and it argueth thy heart not only too dull and sluggish but too earthly and worldly that thou dost not bless God in the first and chiefest place for the workings of his grace towards thee Lastly Such only are capable of the benefits of this grace who do not abuse it or turn it into occasion of sinne The Apostle Jude 4. complaineth of some who did turn the grace of God into wantonnesse And the Apostle Paul Rom. 6. 1. speaketh of some who encouraged themselves to sinne because of Gods grace Oh take heed of falling into this Libertinism and licentiousnesse As the sweeâ— and comfortable showrs of April breed frogs and other vermine as well as pleasant flowers Thus the grace of God when falling into a broken humbled soul makes him more godly and holy but dropping on the wicked and carnal heart it pampereth him and nourisheth him the more in his sinnes How many spiders get poison out of these sweet flowers How many do encourage themselves in their prophaneness and go boldly on in their manifest impieties hardening themselves with the thoughts of Gods grace Thus whereas bitter pils the judgements of God would have consumed their lusts those sweet and comfortable things of Gods grace do more confirm them in their impieties Oh take heed of being wicked because God is gracious For thou wilt find though he be infinitely gracious and that to great sinners when repenting and humbling themselves yet to such as abuse and turn his grace into an occasion of sinne the hottest flames of his anger will fall upon such In the next place Consider some Rules how rightly to understand and judge of this grace of God And First You must know that there are those who extreamly erre about the grace of God and yet are directly opposite to one another The Pelagian the Papist Arminian and Secinian all these do more or lesse diminish and nullifie the grace of God For howsoever they have many plausible and specious distinctions by which they would evade to be thought enemies to Gods grace yet unless we give all to grace we make it no grace at all Austin's known assertion is very true Gratia non est gratia ullo modo nisi sit gratuita omni modo The Pelagians of old did deceive the Eastern Church by granting That all those were to be anathematized who did not hold the grace of God necessary to every good work And the Papists with the Arminians do carry it so speciously as if they indeed did set up grace more than their Adversaries Let not therefore every one that speaketh of grace be presently accounted Orthodox and to endure the Scripture-proof and trial Again on the other side there are Antinomians who do erre grievously though they only would be thought to admire free grace condemning all as Legal Preachers and of an Old Testament spirit that do not speak of grace as they do Now God is so gracious these tell us to his people That he seeth no sinne in them that he doth not afflict for sinne They tell us of such a grace That God looketh upon us as if we were Christ himself and that he doth this from all eternity That Paul before his conversion while a persecuter and blasphemer was as much in the love and grace of God as after his conversion That the vilest and most wicked of men even while they are so are to receive Christ as a Saviour That neither sinnes or good works do at all marre or make our peace That faith justifieth only declaratively by manifesting unto us That God did from all eternity justifie us These and such like poisonous tenents they affirm and this they say is to preach free grace Thus you see the grace of God may be opposed on the right hand and on the left Therefore in the second place take this Rule That we must not exalt grace according to our own
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort THe Inscription hath been fully considered we proceed to the other parts of the Chapter which are 1. An Exordium 2. An Apologetical Narration against those calumnies that were charged upon him by the false Apostles This Text is part of the Exordium or his Introductory beginning to what matter he was delivering to them and it is by way of Doxclogie and Thanksgiving For the most part the Apostle begins his Epistles with cordial affectionate blessing and praising of God and that commonly for the gifts and graces which God had bestowed on them he writeth unto but here he blesseth God chiefly for those consolations and supports which he himself had from God and this he doth partly to give all glory and honour to God partly to animate and encourage all to suffer for Christ they would not be losers by it and partly to stop the mouths of his accusers when they should see that all the afflictions he underwent did turn to his and the Churches good Now in this Thanksgiving passage we may observe 1. The praise it self expressed in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed 2. The Object of it God which is 1. Illustrated from his relative title to Christ The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. From his Efficiency which is two-fold The Father of mercies 2. The God of all comfort So that this Text doth represent God in a most sweet comfortable and ravishing relation to us The Apostle stands as it were here upon Mount Gerizzim to bless the people of God we may here stand and see as it were the glory of God passe by It is not the God of all vengeance and fury It 's not the God terrible in his judgements that will not in any wise acquit the guilty but the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation Let then the troubled and grieved soul who looketh alwayes upon God as angry as ready to destroy bring with the widow its cruises and fill them with the pleasant oil that will runne out of this Text. Certainly if David say of Gods word in general That it 's sweeter than the honey or the honey-comb much more is it applicable to this verse I shall begin with the Praise it self in those words Blessed be God Paul you heard begins most of his Epistles in this manner and some have thought that all our prayers should begin with thanksgiving because the heart is hereby raised up sooner to Heaven The consideration of Gods love being like the fire that will put the soul into sweet distillations But certainly the method of prayer whether with confession first or thanksgiving is not commanded but left arbitrary Only this the soul must remember to be as diligent and carefull in praising of God as praying to God To open the word the Scripture speaks of a three-fold Blessing 1. Of Gods blessing of us 2. Of our blessing of God And these differ exceedingly For God blesseth us efficiently by exhibiting his mercies to us We bless God not by adding any good to him but declaratively only Gods benedicere is benefacere his words are works but our blessing as Aquinas on the place is only recognoscitium and expressivum an acknowledgment only and celebration of that goodness which God hath 3. There is mans blessing of man and that is two-fold either Charitativè Matth. 5. 44. which is to be done to our very enemies Psal 129. 8. Thus Job 31. 20. speaketh of it by way of comfort that the poor whom he had refreshed blessed him Or Potestativè and that is when Parents and Ministers such as are in Office and Power do bless their Inferiours and this God doth more solemnly ratifie and confirm Thus the Priests Numb 6. 23 24. were in a solemn manner to bless the people and in this sense the Apostle argueth The less is blessed of the better Heb. 7. 7. And because by blessing the greatness of a thing is set forth hence it is used sometimes for consecrating 1 Sam. 9. 13. Samuel is said to bless the Sacrifice So 1 Cor. 10. 15. The Cup of blessing which we bless Though we must not understand it of a Popish consecration although there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may seem to be one thing And because those who did bless others did commonly come with presents and gifts hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for gifts and the fruit of liberality 2 Cor. 9. 5 6. The Hebrew word to bless is observed by an Antiphrase to curse so it 's used three or four times in the beginning of Job and 1 King 21. Eustathius saith Aretius observeth also that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Heathens indeed had a superstition that they thought an ill omen in words hence was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expressing terrible things by gracefull names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they cursed so they called it Morbus sacer◠But the Scripture doth not attend to that superstition It is for gravities sake that it useth such an expression Though a learned man maketh that phrase in Job to be a Metonymy of the consequent because those do sometimes depart from others to whom they used to wish well saying valere Afterwards that word came to be used for a renouncing of all former friendship so he thinketh the word to bless might signifie that is to renounce God and not own his worship more But come we to the Observation which is That to bless and praise God for all his mercies is a duty that the people of God ought to be carefull and diligent in This cordial hearty blessing of God is greatly neglected some are borne down with the sense of their sins and unworthiness Some are greatly bowed down under the several afflictions God exerciseth them with Others are devoured with the worldly cares and discontents of their soul So that it is a very rare thing to meet with a Christian that walks with such a chearfull humble and thankfull spirit that he studieth all the mercies of God to him and is not willing any fragment should perish As Flies stick always upon the rugged parts of the glass and fall from that which is smooth Thus even Gods own children if they have any affliction if they want but one mercy they would have this doth more trouble and torture them than the thousand mercies they have from God do refresh and revive them That therefore we may make conscience of this duty and be much in that we may as the Apostle enjoyneth Col. 3. 17. In all things whether in word or deed be giving thanks to God Let us consider how much goeth to make a thankfull spirit what will enable us that we shall not alwayes lie among the tombs as it were affright our selves with our own sad thoughts but entertain
a little yet inflaming and increasing the disease more So that these worldly joys being not universal nor pure and unmixed yea being the seed of eternal grief and torment therefore they may be well excluded from the name of joy and the Doctrine be truly asserted That God is a God of consolation onely to believers Let us explicate this truth And First We are to know That God doth not only vouchsafe grace but comfort also and delight to his people in the exercise of those graces He doth not only give bread that strengthens but wine that makes the heart glad Grace that carrieth us out to honour God to love him and live to him but comfort that is for our encouragement that is to sweeten and facilitate the heart in doing so So that if a man have never so much grace and holiness yet if he want this conlation as you see it was with Job with Jeremiah with David when Psal 51. he prayed so earnestly for the restoring of it again to him all his desirable things perish Christ himself under those agonies he conflicted with had an Angel to comfort him So that you see they are two distinct gifts of God to give Grace and to give comfort therefore the holy Ghost hath a two-fold work both to sanctifie and also to comfort yet though distinct God doth many times joyn them together yea there is some unusual impediment if joy doth not alwayes follow grace and that like Castor and Pollux they do not alwayes appear together Therefore Godlinesse is comprehended under the name of gladnesse in that expression Ps l. 45. 7. applied to Christ Heb. 1. 9. Thou hast anointed him with the oyl of gladness as Christ was so also are his members thus anointed with the oyl of gladnesse God then doth not only sanctifie and make his people holy but he also doth fill their hearts with joy and gladness Thus Acts 9. 31. They in the Churches walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost Only when we say That God giveth his people comfort as well as grace You must know the comforts are of two sorts Sometimes they are concomitant so that even in the very exercises of grace they find unspeakable joy and sweetness The very Heathens had some glimmering of this when they said Virtus was sibi ipsi praemium Virtue it self was a reward as well as duty because of the great tranquillity and contentation of mind that it brought to the soul Even as wicked actions have an immediate horrour and remorse of conscience accompanying them And then 2. There are consequent joyes which follow after the work is done as Paul found at the 12th verse This is our rejoycing the testimony of a good conscience So that a man of an ill conscience who hath stings from that though all the world applaud him yet he cannot have any true solid joy Quid proderit tibi non habere conscium habenti conscientiam The Martyrs they found concomitant joyes in their most dreadfull sufferings Act. 5. 41. The Apostles went away rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christs Name They minded not their stripes nor their reproach and disgrace but they went away rejoycing not from hearing the Word from prayer from such holy Ordinances but even from scourges and stripes But in many other duties and services for God though for the present we may feel no joy yet there are subsequent joyes that may arise long after For as sinne may not sting for a while as we see in Joseph's brethren the guilt of their conscience awakened them many years after So the comfort of holy duties though for the present thou mayest not apprehend them yet sometimes or other God will revive them Secondly Although God giveth not only grace but comfort to his people yet we are not to serve him onely for comforts sake but for his own sake and that while he denieth us the brests of consolation to suck on yet we are as fervently and zealously to obey him as ever It is many times the sad complaint of Gods children that they want comfort and thereupon are dejected and discouraged they care not for praying for hearing they have no heart for the Ordinances and all because they find their hearts like a barren wildernesse full of howling beasts Oh when they have comfort then they can runne the way of Gods Commandments then they have fire in their bosome But when this is gone they become like a stone or a lump of earth But although it be true That the joy of the Lord is our strength Nehem. 8. 10. yet for all that it is too low and mercenary to serve him onely for comfort This is Amor concupiscentiae not amicitiae towards God The grace of love carrieth us to God so that we choose him and delight in him above all things that though he should not give us Heaven and everlasting glory yet we were to love him because he is the supream and most excellent good How much more than are we to serve God to be diligent in his work though we find not those experimental suavities upon our souls for the present Therefor thou art to deny thy self in this matter of joy when God dispenseth it to thee walk thankfully humbly and fruitfully under it And when in darkness in desolateness of soul yet let not thy soul abate in love and service to God The Stoick was so severe that he thought he could not be virtuous who did any virtuous action for the delight and sweetness that followeth it They would not have Virtus propter voluptatem but voluptas propter virtutem How much more should our Christianity teach us to preferre Gods will and his honour above all consolations If Job said Though he kill me yet I will trust in him then do thou though when thou askest for bread he give thee a stone when thou askest for fish he give thee a serpent yet still say I will own him as a Father honour him as a Father Christ when he was in those agonies and destitute of all comfort yet he did not refuse to accomplish the will of God Thirdly As God giveth comfort to believers so he doth it proportionably and sutably to their tryals necessities and wants Greater tryals need greater comforts greater temptations need greater consolations Thus the Apostle at the next verse As our sufferings abound so our consolation also aboundeth through Christ One drop of honey is not enough to sweeten the salt waters of the sea neither can small consolations equal great afflictions Hence the wisdome and goodness of God is most remarkable that he reserveth his comforts for such times and seasons when the soul doth most want them Now if ever the Lord must comfort else they shall be overwhelmed as in the time of our first conversion to God when our sins lie with all their weight upon our backs when we see nothing but terrour which way soever
dat quod not habet is the old Rule They have no skill or ability to comfort others who have not the experience and feeling of this upon their own souls It is not enough for the Ministers of the Gospel to have devoured many Books of learning to be able to decide Polemical questions in Divinity to convince gainsayers to be Doctors Angelical subtle or profound to be Mallei Hereticorum The hammers of Hereticks unlesse also they have the experimental works of Gods Spirit upon their own souls They are not able to apply themselves to the hearts of others Paul had not been able to comfort others if the Lord had not practically acquainted him with heavenly consolations 2. There is the Subject to whom or the Persons whose wounds Paul like a good Samaritan is desirous to pour oyl into and that is Them which are in any trouble 3. There is the manner how which is by that very comfort Paul himself found And Lastly There is the fontal and original Cause of this Whereby we our selves are comforted of God The final Cause will afford two Observations First That the heavenly and spiritual works which God vouchsafeth to his people are not for themselves only but for the advantage and edification of others Who would not think that the inward comforts and soul-consolations should not be wholly inclosed within our own breasts that these should not be communicated to others Who would not say of these as Solomon in another case Prov. 5. Let these fountains be only thine own and not strangers with thee Yet God giveth us these soul-comforts that we may be able to revive and comfort many sad troubled hearts which lie languishing for want of them The second Observation is That those have the greatest ability and fitnesse to help the souls of others who have had the experience and work of God upon their own souls First Let us consider the former Doctrine viz. That those great and spiriritual works which God vouchsafeth to his children are not for their own god only but for the good of others If he said in a political sense Nemo sibi vivit sed patriae it is much more true of a Christian Non sibi vivit sed Ecclesiae He liveth not to himself but to the Church of God Hence is that frequent comparison in the Scripture of the Church of God and a body together making all Christians so many several Members that if one rejoyce all must rejoyce with it To be throughly possessed of this truth we are first to know That there are two kinds of Gifts of Gods Spirit unto those of the Church The Ancient Schoolmen which distinction is still retained with the Papists is that there are Gratiae gratis datae Favours freely given which are bestowed not so much for the good of them that have them as of the good of others Such were those extraordinary gifts of Gods Spirit in the primitive times to work Miracles to speak with tongues c. And such are also those common gifts of Prayer and Preaching which many may have and yet they be never the more holy But as water-pots that conveighs water to the Garden making it fruitfull while it self beareth no flowers at all so are they And truly this is sadly to be considered by all the Ministers of the Gospel whether the gifts God giveth them be not for the good of others more then their own As the Nurses of young Princes live upon excellent food not for their own sake but to give more excellent nourishment to their young ones The other sort of gifts they call Gratiae gratum facientes such gifts as he that hath them must needs be accepted of with God And these they make faith and love with the like graces Now this distinction is absurd for the Members are confounded The graces making acceptable are graces freely given It is solely and wholly of the grace of God to make thee differ from others in the special work of sanctification as it was in the primitive times to make one who had miraculous gifts to differ from another And then it is false for no grace we have doth of it self make us gratos accepted of to God but it is in and through Christ that their imperfections are pardoned and so received Therefore our Divines do distinguish better That there are Dona Ministrantia and Dona sanctificantia Gifts of service and Gifts of sanctification Gifts of service are such which God giveth for the use of the Church Gifts sanctifying are such as are for the good of those that have them Now though this be true yet in the second place you must not limit this so straightly as that sanctifying gifts may not be serviceable gifts also For it 's plain that in all the people of God their very graces as well as their gifts are to be exercised for the good of others Thy repentance thy faith thy joy may be put forth to quicken and edifie others Therefore we say in the Doctrine All the spiritual works of God upon the souls of his people are not only for themselves but for others All not only gifts but graces Not only their parts and their duties but their holinesse also Hence Prov. 15. 4. an wholesome tongue which is the gift only that a godly man hath is said to be a tree of life because it doth so much spiritual good to others Think then that God hath not given thee grace and comfort for thy self only but for others who may stand in need of thee As it was with Christ the Head so it should be with his Members proportionably Isa 50. 4. To have the tongue of the learned given them from God to be able to speak a word in season to him that is weary As therefore God hath given thee fullnesse temporally to feed the hungry and to cloathe the naked when such due objects of charity are presented to thee Thus also God giveth thee faith to help him that complaineth he cannot believe He giveth thee comfort to succour those that can find no joy This is to be considered that thou beest not a fountain sealed up but opened whereat many may occasionally refresh themselves Thirdly The godly mans improving his gifts and graces doth not at all hinder and diminish his own but thereby increaseth and multiplyeth them It is like the widows giving of oyl to the Prophet which was so farre from impoverishing that it did enrich her We may not then refuse those who shall desire help for their souls as the wise Virgins did the foolish saying It might be there would not be enough for themselves No the more thou art willing to season others with thy own salt to quicken and comfort others by thy own quicknings and comforts herein thou wilt find thy self more edified and the good will rebound upon thy own self For these improvings of thy gifts and graces serviceably to others souls will multiply thy
experimental knowledge which may be accompanied with some kind of sensible affections Mat. 13. the temporary believer received the word with joy You see then that some may have joy and that from the Word yet this not be the true saving knowledge or faith Heb. 6. some are there also said not only to be inlightened but to have tasted the good word of God Here you may observe that some may tast may have joy all which do inferre some affectionate inward experimental workings on the soul and yet not attain to have the true and honest heart And the reason is because these affectionate workings they are but transitory they quickly vanish away There is no setled constancy or permanency in them So that we are not to give credit to all the affections nor to all inlargements that we may find in our selves even about holy things but we are to be sure that there be deep rooting enough Hence Fourthly All experimental workings of the soul are to be judged and tryed by the Scripture Our hearts being full of guile and imposture the devil also transforming himself into an Angel of light hence it may come about that we may have the experience of much joy of many inlargements and yet all the while be in the devils waies Hence it is that all Sectaries almost will tell us of the great support and comfort they have had and that ever since they embraced those new waies yea some make themselves to be the only spiritual men that all other are in the flesh as Tertullian wrote a Book against the Orthodox stiling it Contra Psachicos as those that were meerly natural in the mean time he pretended to private revelations The experiences therefore which we find in our souls we must examine and try lest we make that to be of God which is indeed of the devil No doubt many deluded souls in dangerous and damnable waies comfort others of the same way with them by that comfort wherewith they are comforted not of God but of the devil Therefore let our experiences especially of comfort be judged by the Word in these Particulars First In the manner and way how thou comest by them Are they by the Scriptures truly understood I say truly understood For if thou abusest Scripture putting thy own sense upon it and thereby receiving comfort it is no longer then Verbum Dei but verbum tuum thou wrestest it and makest it thy own or the devils and not Gods If therefore thy experience of comfort be grounded on the Word if thy consolation flow from hence then this will abide That we through comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. 4. The Spirit of God doth first lead into all truth and then into all comfort Secondly In the original and the efficient cause is it from God from the Spirit of God Or from the devil who may harden thy heart and make thee have such joy as mad men have not feeling their own misery The comfort and the joy that is truly so is still attributed to God and the Holy Ghost as the fountains thereof Thirdly Doth thy experience of Consolation make thee more humble and empty Doth it drive thee out of all thy vain carnal confidences This argueth it cometh from God if with the Centurian when Christ cometh to thy soul thou sayest Lord I am unworthy this joy this consolation should enter into me And therefore the more comfort the more lowly and debased in thy own eyes And never more then when the most joy This is a good experience of comfort as coming from God So also if this comfort be conducing to holinesse if by this thou art more quickned to mortifie sinne to subdue the corruptions that remain if this be like oyl to the wheeles thou art more fervent more zealous in all holy duties then make much of this comfort for it cometh from Heaven If then we have the experience of Gods working upon our souls both in the way of grace and the way of comfort then and never till then are we fitted to deal with the souls of others And there are these Reasons First None can wisely be a Physician to heal a disease in another unlesse he have skill and understanding in the nature of it and the fit remedy for it Now while a man hath no experimental knowledge of Gods workings upon his own soul he hath no skill no heavenly heart about the diseases in others souls Bring a poor wounded soul that is burdned with sinne that would be directed into Evangelical comforts to a Pharisaical self-righteous Doctor and alas he will as Ely thought the poor weeping woman bitter in soul and praying to God to be drunk so will these think such an one mad and foolish Hence you heard Christ would be tempted as we are that he might succour those that are tempted that he might have the tongue of the learned to speak to such who are weary Those that have not been thus humbled thus exercised thus comforted they are no waies able to be any helpfull comforters but like the Priest and the Levite will passe by those who are thus wounded Secondly As such can have no skill or understanding so they cannot have any sutablenesse of pity and compassion to those that are so afflicted in spirit and needed comfort She said Non ignara mali miseris c. The experience she had of miseries made her pity those that were in the like God would have the Jews be kind to strangers because they had once been strangers themselves Thou that hast been in the deep waters of Gods wrath thou that knowest how insupportable it is to feel the frowns and wrath of God for sin with what melting bowels with what pittifull affections wilt thou be like the good Samaritan Hence it is that as the Lord Christ himself did conflict with the wrath of God being in unspeakable agonies so also many of the choicest servants of God especially Ministers have been under the harrow and hammer of these desertions that they may be more polished for Gods building Luther doth manifest in several places what the great works of God were that he felt on himself so that though of a stout and undaunted spirit yet the anger of God did beat him to powder and finding no help for his afflicted soul in any Popish Principles no more then the Dove could place of abode while the waters did overflow at last when it pleased God to comfort him by Evangelical comforts through a right understanding of Christ and righteousnesse what a tree of life did his tongue become to others How many did he comfort by those comforts God had comforted him Calvin also it 's noted of him that he was a man of deep and retired thoughts within yet did retain them much in his own brest and no doubt by this he was the more prepared to be an excellent Instrument in the Church of God We see
it is that it is an art of arts and much heavenly wisdome is required to administer the proper comfort for such a grief This makes Casuistical Divinity which is applied wholly to rectifie and comfort a wounded conscience more difficult than Polemical is The afflicted soul hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its deeps and Satan also in their temptations hath his deeps likewise Insomuch that it is choice prudence to give the proper cordial and to find out the true way of comforting such yet though there be special comforts in special cases yet all the godly that are in like temptations may and ought to take the like comforts That which hath done any godly man good under such an exercise may do thee also good if thou art not froward and unbelieving In the next place let us consider Why those arguments which some godly men have found powerfull to comfort them should also be very conducible to others And First Because all the Godly they are as I may so say Ejusdem speciei They have all the same substantial sundamentall worke of grace in their hearts That as you see all men have the same specifical humane Nature though there be many individual properties and differences Thus all the godly do partake of the same Divine Nature They are all borne of God they are all become new creatures Although indeed for the manner of conversion and the degrees of grace as also experiences of Gods favour and love in these things there may be much variation yet in the main as they all have the image of God and so are like him So they are also like one another It 's the common faith it 's the common love it 's the common Image of God which they all doe partake of So that godly men though they may differ in their gifts in degrees of graces in their judgements and opinions yet because the Image of God is stampt on them all there is a likenesse and similitude between one another What one feeleth the other feeleth How one is affected the other is affected they understand one another they do as it were see themselves in one another We have an expression Prov. 27. 19. As face answereth face in water so the heart of man to man There is a two-fold exposition of this place and that contrary Some say it is brought to shew the falshood and deceitfulnesse of mans heart That as in water there is not a true representation of the face so one mans heart is not truly known to another Others they goe on the contrary As say they the face of a man and the reflexion of it in the water are alike so is the heart of man to man that is of one friend to another Therefore a friend is Alter Ego They have all things common one soul as it were and one heart Now if this be true of moral friendship that their hearts are fo alike how much more of the people of God who are all made one in the Lord cis not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3. 21. They are all but one Person their hearts must needs answer one another Let a godly man read David's Psalmes wherein he doth experimentally declare what the workings of his soul were will not a godly man say he speaketh his heart his doubts his complaints Seeing then there is the same fundamental work of grace in all no wonder if what is suitable to one is also to another Secondly Another ground of the Doctrine is From the samenesse and identity of that Spirit of God which enliveneth all and worketh in all For as it is with the body though it hath different parts yet all those are informed and animated by the same soul It is not one soul that informeth the arms another the feet but it 's one and the same soul that informeth all Thus it is also with all the people of God they may differ much in externals their condition their estate yea in internals also in illumination and sanctification yet it is the same Spirit of God that liveth and worketh in them all If therefore the same root give nourishment to all of them they all grow upon the same stock if the same spirit diffuse it self through all no wonder if what comforts one may also comfort another no wonder if the same promises revive one that doth another He said Homo sum nihil humani alienum c. He was a man and so nothing of a man was strange to him Thus thou art a believer a new creature and so nothing that is proper to such should be strange to thee If you say Seeing they are all animated by the same Spirit which is a Comforter then it would follow they are all comforted alike all have joy alike but experience confuteth that Two have the Spirit of God and one is comforted the other is dejected walking in darknesse so that you would say certainly the same Spirit is not in both The answer is Though the Spirit of God which is a Comforter be in all the godly yet it is a free agent he dispenceth this voluntarily as he pleaseth And again Though the Spirit of God in the godly encline to comfort yet it is in an ordered and appointed way If thou art unbelieving froward then thou resistest the Spirit of God within thee The Jewes have a Proverb Super maestum non cadit Spiritus Sanctus which in a good sense may be true As it is in matter of Doctrine so it is also in respect of Consolation All the godly have the same Spirit whose work it is to lead into truth yet what wonderfull differences in judgement may be amongst them that have the same Spirit yet they all hold the foundation because the Spirit of God doth communicate it self by degrees and in measure to one more to another lesse Thus it is also in respect of Consolation though they have the same Spirit of comfort yet the out-goings of this are in one more than the other And why should it seem a strange thing for all the godly under the Gospel to have the same Spirit seeing the holy ones under the Old Testament and those under the New are led by the same Spirit Whatsoever Marcionites of old and Socinians of late say to the contrary as appeareth notably 2 Cor. 4. 13. We having the same Spirit of faith as it is written I believe and therefore have spoken we also believe and therefore speak so we also believe and therefore rejoyce Thirdly Another ground of the Doctrine is Because the main arguments of comfort promised in the Word are not upon personal considerations neither are particular priviledges but from that common reason which belongs to every believer Paul is comforted not because Paul not because an Apostle So David findeth God putting gladnesse into his heart not because a King not because a Prophet but because godly If therefore comforts Fundamental I mean are given upon a
the reproach amongst men That which the carnal heart is so afraid of the Scripture makes matter of joy and of glorifying God for it Secondly It being therefore so glorious a thing it is good to inform you What it is to suffer for Christ For we may be the devils Martyrs suffer as offenders or as busybodies suffer for heresies and the works of the flesh yet perswade and flatter our selves that we suffer for Christ Now to clear this we must consider what is required ex parte objecti on the behalf of the matter we suffer for And 2. What is required ex parte subjecti what qualifications ought to be in him who doth suffer for Christ And for the Object matter the Scripture describeth it in these Particulars First That what a man suffereth for it must not be for any sinne that is justly punishable by the Law It must not be for our folly and busy medling in such things wherein we have no call The Apostle Peter 1 Pet. cap. 3. 15 16. speaketh notably to this for giving the people of God in that Chapter great encouragements to suffer he cometh in with a caution They must take heed for what they suffer which is laid down positively and then oppositly Positively as a Christian it must be for professing and doing such things as Christ requireth Let it not be strange fire but the fire from the Altar If thou wouldst have comfort it must be for doing that which as a Christian thou art bound to do And the opposite to this is to suffer as a murderer as a thief or which is more general as a busybody in other mens matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is one who busily spyeth into and medleth with those things that he hath no call to it 's not his Office to deal in Now this must not be understood as the world will judge a man a busybody If a Minister a Magistrate or any in Office be zealous against sin and see to the punishing of it the prophane ones of the world call this an an hot busy medling So if private Christians cannot bear the impieties they see committed in the places where they live but do faithfully and boldly admonish and reprove such offenders and if this doth no good then they will proceed further to the Magistrate and Officers to complain of such that sinne may be punished God honoured and publique judgments prevented If I say private Christians be thus stirring as they ought to be unlesse they will have other mens sins lie at their doors and they become thereby very guilty then what an out-cry is made these are factious troublesome disquieting follows So that to judge who is a busy-body and when a man is guilty of it you must have recourse to the Scripture and to sound casuistical Divinity applying the general rules of Scripture to particulars and not to the common voice and noise of people in the world That good zealous Prophet for God Elisah who because he burned with fire for God had a wonderfull reward thereof to be carried up in a fiery Charriot to Heaven yet because he would not endure the ungodlinesse of Ahab and Jezebell what is said to him Then art the troubler of Israel They condemn him for a busy-body whereas indeed Ahab by his wickednesse as the Prophet said was the troubler of the Land In suffering then for Christ we see much prudence as well as zeal is required yet so as not to regard the censure of the world For who ever suffered for Christ and their persecutors did not represent them so odiously as that they might seem to deserve it This is the first thing Secondly For the object matter The Scripture expresseth it another time for the Name of Christ Mat. 19. 29. Whosoever shall for sake houses lands c. for my Names sake Job 15. 21. All these things will they do to you for my Names sake What is Christs name not only the Person of Christ himself but as the Name of God is that whereby God is known so is the Name of Christ Yea under this is comprehended those Doctrines and that Faith which Christ had delivered to us The truths of Christ are to be dearer to us then ourlives Hence it was that Christianity hath amazed the world with those millions and millions of Martyrs that have been for the faith of Christ It was a wicked opinion of the Priscillianists of old That a man migh lye dissemble and forswear the truths of Christ bow to Idols and communicate with heathens in any bodily worship so as they kept the true faith in their hearts But this is directly opposite to Scripture Rom. 10. 16. With the heart man believeth and with the month confession is made to salvation To salvation So that a man cannot be saved though he doth in his heart believe if he do not when it is casus confessionis a case of confession confesse also with his mouth the same faith And Rom. 11. 4. The true worshippers of God in Eliahs time are described not only by their inward grace but externally also that they did not bow their knee to Baal It is true there is a difference between profession and confession strictly taken As Cyprian Maluit nos Dous confiteri fidem non profiteri To professe is to do it ultroneously of our own accord when we are not called to it as some of the Martyrs would do crying out Christianus sum I am a Christian for which they were put to death And this could not be excused in them unlesse we say an extraordinary heroical frame of spirit was at that time infused into them by the Holy Ghost This voluntary profession when danger is is not required Yea in lesser truths we are not to professe them so as to disturbe the faith of others So the Apostle Rom. 14. 22. Hast thou faith have it to thy self But then in case of confession when the glory of God the good of the Church and our own salvation requireth it then we are to confesse the truths of Christ though we loose all It is the great glory attributed by Paul to Christ that 1 Tim. 6. 13. before Pontius Pilate he witnessed a good confession To suffer then for Christ it is to loose all for his Truth for his Faith when he requireth Therefore though Heretiques may glory in their sufferings and they be canonized as Saints amongst their Disciples yet they will be sound to have lost their blood in vain and that they were not the Lord Christs but the devils Martyrs The Donatists of old yea those Circumcelliones that would kill themselves and like mad men would make others kill them did triumph in the name of Martyrs The Messaliani also because they were punished for their Idols called themselves Martyriani the Martyrians as if they only were the Martyrs How greatly are the Popish Calenders filled with their saints when yet some of them dyed of desperate and
high rebellions and treasons So that this alwaies falleth out as men are perswaded of their way so they judge it true persecution or false Hastia did truly call the Donatists persecutions Persecutiones steriles â—barren and fruitlesse as losing the crown of glory though they boasted of them On the other side the rigid Lutherans did condemn our Martyrs in Queen Maries daies because they dyed against that error That Christ was bodily present in the Sacrament yea and called them Martyres Diaboli The Devils Martyrs This I confesse is more grievous many times then all the persecutions of the adversaries when those who are of the same general profession yet for some particular differences shall so uncharitably censure one another But this is no new thing in the Church of God The Socinians though they blaspheme the Deity of Christ and their doctrine is not simply heresie but blasphemy also yet they will admire their sufferings as if for Christ also The Polonian Gentleman that writ Socinus his life would preferre him above Luther and Ignatius As for Ignatius the Father of Jesuites we have nothing to do with him but that he should preferre him above Luther for the greatnesse of his faith Because saith he Luthers Doctrine at the first had many to applaud it but Sociâ—ius had few or none to encourage him Though we might say Luthers was universally hated the whole world being then subject to the Pope yet that can be nothing with that writer who confesseth that pride and vain-glory may make all a mans sufferings to be fewel to it Thus you see how that all suffering parties in Religion will pretend to Christ and plead they suffer for him but as Christ is Christ though there have risen many false Christs so suffering and persecution for Christ is truly so and some there are and they only who can claim this honour though others do gloriously pretend to it It is a true rule of Austins Causa non paena facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause makes a Martyr Even as Causa non separatio facit schismaticum It must be indeed the Doctrine of Christ not our opinions and presumptions we suffer with Thirdly The Scripture expresseth this Suffering for righteousnesse sake He that suffereth for doing that which is righteous suffereth for Christ Mat. 5. 10. If ye be persecuted for righteousnesse sake blessed are ye This is made the same with suffering for Christs sake This is good to observe lest we should think that then we only suffer for Christ when the matter we are troubled for is either Christ himself or his truth and ordinances something that is immediately terminated upon Christ No this is to be extended farther For when a Magistrate is zealous to rebuke sinne and put it to shame if he be maligned for this he suffereth for Christ So if a private Christian set himself in a lawfull way against all the impieties that abound where he liveth and thereupon all his neighbours hate and oppose him he suffers for Christ And all because it 's for righteousnesse Insomuch that thou maiest take much comfort herein as one Martyr did That it is not for any wickednesse of thine any wrong or injury thou hast done them only because thou hast had a zeal for God and his glory therefore it is that they rise up with such malice against thee And let this encourage all such who desire to have all ungodlinesse and dishonour to God by sinne be wholly rooted out though in this labour they have many oppositions and much hatred yet remember it is for Christ It is true indeed that besides meer righteousnesse there must be also a knowledge of Christ For without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 3. And therefore though Aristides the just was banished for righteousnesse and Socrates put to death for maintaining there was but one God yet these cannot be said to suffer for Christ because they had no knowledge of him Seeing Christ is only in the Church therefore there cannot be any true suffering for him but in the Church Lastly In respect of the object matter Then we suffer for Christ when we are persecuted for keeping a good conscience and will not break the peace thereof for all the advantages in the world Thus the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3. 16. maketh the having of a good conscience to be equivalent to suffering for righteousnesse sake and also for the Name of Christ This good conscience consists in this That whereas the enemies and persecutors speak all evil of us as evil doers they may at last be ashamed for such false accusations Here you see none ever persecuted the Church of God but they laid foul things to their charge That as they did put the Christians sometimes in Bear-skins to make the dogs tear them with the greater rage so also they have turned their names into Heretiques Schismaticks and every odious title that so they might be the more justified in their cruel waies Now then to suffer with and for a good conscience is to be innocent from all these calumnies that we dare appeal to God as Christ said For which of the good works do ye stone me So for what good is it that I have done you reproach you revile and persecute me But when we say a good conscience we mean that which is truly so and informed out of Gods Word otherwise as Paul said he had a good conscience while he was a Pharisee and thought he was bound to do against Christ what he did So many deluded consciences may indure much misery yea death it self with a good conscience thus farre that they do not go against any light thereof They are not as some Heretiques 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned as it is commonly expounded No they may think they are bound to suffer as they do Yea if they should recant their errors though never so damnable while their conscience is perswaded to the contrary they would sinne against God not because they renounce an error materially but because they do that which formally appeareth a truth to them and it may be bring much horror and teror upon their own consciences It is not enough therefore to make a man a sufferer for Christ if in a false way because he is perswaded so his conscience doth not tell him to the contrary he hath much comfort doing as he doth whereas if he should do otherwise he should have no peace For conscience is but an inferiour Judge and is no further to command then guided by the Word of God and when it is so then whosoever will not please men but indure all hardship rather then wound this conscience this man suffers for Christ Thus you see what it is to suffer for Christ in the Scripture expression and let it be thy earnest prayer to God to have a preparednesse of heart thus to suffer Oh consider how much Christ suffered for thee both from God and
off for ever Will he be gracious no more Thy tribulations are not eternal After thy wildernesse condition thou wilt be brought into a Canaan 2. We have the effect or end of such consolations which are vouchsafed to others especially the Officers of the Church who are like the mountains whose springs empty themselves into the valleys and that is two-sold Consolation and Salvation Of the former enough hath been said already We come therefore to the latter which is their Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have three words in the New Testament tending to the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Saviour thus Christ is often called and his Name Jesus is because he doth save his people Christ is the cause of our salvation Then there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actual salvation Act. 4. 12. Yea this is applied sometimes to Christ himself metonymically Even as in the Old Testament David doth often call God his salvation Act. 13. 47. Christ is there said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For salvation to the ends of the earth Luk. 1. 69. he is called the horn of saluation that is a powerfull and strong Saviour Lastly There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not so much signifie salvation it self as the means and instrument by which it is procured and thus Christ as Mediator is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 2. 30. Luk. 3. 6. Hence Ephes 6. 17. The helmet of salvation because it 's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may relate even to Christ himself as David calleth God his helmet and his shield c. As for the thing it self viz. Salvation that may answer the Hebrew word Peace which containeth a confluence of all good things The Heathens did so admire it that they built a Temple Deae Saluti to the Goddesse Safety though they understood only a temporal safety and therefore when they were saved or delivered from dangers they did offer their Sacrifices called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus they thought all their safety came from Heaven though corrupted with blind minds In the Scripture we read of a two-fold salvation A Temporal one and the Old Testament speaketh much of this salvation because temporal mercies were in a more plentifull manner vouchsafed to them not but that the godly looked for a spiritual salvation as Jacob witnesseth in his benedictory prayer before his death saying Gen. 49. 18. I have waited for thy salvation O Lord only spiritual things were not so clearly and plainly manifested as in the Gospel times Hence the Temple 1 King 6. 4. had windows indeed but they were of narrow lights This Salvation temporal is often in the Old Testament expressed in the plural number The salvations of the Lord because of the multitude and Frequency of them 2. There is a spiritual Salvation and this is sometimes applied to the Gospel and means of grace because they are instituted means to bring to salvation Act. 13. 26. It 's called the Word of salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the day of salvation Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation So that the very title which is given to the preaching of the Gospel should partly much affect and winne upon us who would not be saved Why should not all Congregations endeavour after a godly Ministry This is to bring in Salvation amongst them And partly it should terrifie all prophane atheistical men who delight in their lusts and slight the Gospel preached what is this but to refuse salvation What is this but to say Let me be damned I had rather with my lusts go to hell then without them to Heaven Every Sermon thou despisest salvation it self is rejected by thee But then 2. This spiritual Salvation is either inchoate or consummate Inchoate or Salvation begun is attributed to the works of grace in this life Sanctification especially Justification So Ephes 2. 5. and 2. 8. By grace ye are saved he speaks of Justification in this life and as that which is already obâ—ained 2 Tim. 1. 9. Justification is salvation begun though good works are otherwayes required to one and the other The Consummate or compleat Salvation is that in Heaven which is the Salvation so often promised in the Scripture and that is the Summum bonum and the ultius finis the mark all are to aim at The Scripture doth clearly describe that which the Philosophers did grope in the dark about having many several opinions about it That as our Saviour asked his Disciples Whom do men say I am And they answered Some John Baptist some Elias Now though these were holy men yet it was a dishonour to Christ to be accounted no more than a man Woe be to us if Christ had been no more than a meer Prophet Seeing therefore these did so mistake our Saviour asketh further But whom say ye that I am Then Peter answered The Sonne of the living God It was the Father not flesh and blood that had revealed this Thus if you ask What do the men of the world say Happinesse and Salvation is One will reply Riches another Honours but what do ye say who are more than flesh and blood who have the Spirit of God revealing things to you Even the enjoyment of God and Christ to all eternity this is Salvation this is Blessednesse This Salvation is that which we are to endeavour after in our whole life Better never have been borne and not saved What will it profit thee to have had a little pleasure a little greatnesse and honour in this life and hereafter to lose this salvation There are some places of Scripture wherein it 's disputed what Salvation is spoken of whether temporal or spiritual or both 1 Pet. 3. 20. Eight persons were said to be saved in the Ark. So 1 Pet. 4. 18. The righteous shall scarcely be saved The Arminian would bring that place 1 Tim. 4. 10. Who is the Saviour of all men to a spiritual salvation But that is absurd for he speaks of being an actual Saviour and that cannot be to wicked men for they are not saved therefore it is of a temporal preservation for even to wicked men he vouchsafeth daily salvations and deliverances Now it is plain my Text speaketh of a spiritual Salvation and that which is to come called eternal Salvation Observe That God doth by all his dispensations carry on and further the salvation of his people If others be afflicted if others be comforted all helpeth forward to the salvation of those that believe In this sense it is said 1 Cor. 3. ult All things are yours The Officers and Ministers of the Church life and death things present and things to come How are all these things a godly mans Even because they further his salvation by all these he promoteth the happinesse of his people Thus Paul knew Phil. 1. 19. that all his enemies practices yea their preaching Christ out of envy thinking thereby to afflict
very powerfull for their salvation They are like the saws and hammers that did prepare and polish the stones to be fit for the building So that to be deprived of these to be denied these is even to be deprived or denied salvation it self Only when we say they are means instituted to procure salvation You must not think there is any intrinsecal vertue in these as the Lutherans speak about the Word preached or as the Papists about the Sacraments working salvation as Physick doth health by a natural causality No the Apostle tels us That in some it is not the Word of life but of death 2 Cor. 2. 16. It 's to some people as the Ark to the Philistims because not used aright it becomes their further damnation 2. There are occasional means which do not directly but occasionally promote the salvation of believers And they are 1. Their very sinnes These are Occasiones passivae passive occasions meerly because sinne of it self hath such a deadly nature that it is not ordinable to salvation only the Omnipotency the Wisdome and Goodnesse of God make the former sinnes the godly have commitred to be admirable antidotes and preservatives against future sinne Thus Pauls blasphemy and persecution was overpowred to promote his salvation by making him more active Even as one grief doth cure another sometimes or the burning of fire is taken out by fire which made one not afraid to say That he got good by his sinnes more than by his graces Hence Rom. 8. many learned men do not exclude sins themselves from that comfortable expression of the Apostle All things shall work together for their good The second occasional means are Afflictions and these may be called Active occasions because in their nature they are ordinable and actually by God are ordained to help forward our salvation Now the ground of all this is from Gods Predestination and Election of such to salvation and because so elected every thing becomes instrumental to that end so that God governeth and ruleth in all things thereby to bring them to eternal blessednesse for Election will obtain and cannot be frustrated So that the Use may be to inform the people of God of their infinite obligation to the goodnesse and grace of God towards them in this particular if grace did fall asleep as it were but a moment thy salvation might be for ever lost but this grace that keepeth thee doth neither slumber nor sleep What joy and gladnesse may it fill the godly heart with when he is allowed to say with Paul I know this shall turn to my salvation If I be afflicted if I be comforted if I have mercies if I be without them if I live if I die I know all these things shall carry on my salvation SERM. LVI Of Pauls Hope and Perswasion of the Corinthians with the Reasons and Grounds of it 2 COR. 1. 7. And our hope of you is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation THese words brought in as some say be a parenthesis are by way of mitigation and mollifying the minds of the Corinthians For Paul in his former Epistle having severely reproved them it obtained good successe and procured some spiritual effect upon them for they were made sorrowfull thereby and set upon the work of Reformation And although the false Apostles had too much prevailed with them yet they were brought to a sounder temper than formerly Neither were Pauls afflictions such matter of contempt as formerly yea they are partakers of the same sufferings with him These things laid together maketh Paul use these encouraging and softning passages to rebukes we must joyn meeknesse and love together The Artificer cannot build his house with hard brick or stone he must have his soft mortar to cement them together Rigidnesse to rigidnesse will nener unite There must be yeelding as well as severity else the edification of Gods Church cannot proceed The words are a profession of Pauls charitable esteem and loving apprehensions of them though sometimes he doth rebuke them very sharply If he had said I have no hopes of you no Epistle or writing will do you any good this might have more hardened them in obstinacy Yea as Chrysostom well observeth on this place He speaketh more hopefully and confidently of these Corinthians then he doth of the Thessalonians For 1 Thess 2. 2 3 4 5. he there discovereth the holy jealousie and fear he had lest they should be oot much moved with the afflictions that do accompany the Gospel When I could no longer forbear saith he I sent Timotheus to establish you that no man should be moved by these afflictions Again he repeateth it When I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith lest by some means the tempter should tempt you By these vehement and doubled affectionate expressions you see with what a holy jealousie he was possessed concerning them but he speaketh farre more confidently about these Corinthians Our hope of you is stedfast That which the Apostle here calleth his hope he doth often in other places name his perswasion Heb. 6. 9. We are perswaded better things of you 2 Tim. 1. 5. I am perswaded that the same faith dwelleth in thee also 1 Pet. 5. 12. The Apostle speaking of Sylvanus calleth him a faithfull brother 1 Pet. 5. 12. as I suppose The word doth not there denote any doubt or fear about him for that is contrary to the Apostles scope who intends to commend him but it signifieth a firm and stedfast judgement concerning his faithfulnesse Now the Question is What is that hope and perswasion or knowledge which Paul had concerning other men To understand this you must know Paul had a two-fold hope A Divine Hope and a Charitable or Prudential Hope which we may call a Moral Hope Divine Hope is a supernatural grace wrought by God in the heart of Paul and so in every believer whereby he is enabled to put his confidence in God expecting from him onely what he stands in need of So that of Divine Hope God is the efficient and God also is the object on which it is determined and as we must not believe in any thing but God so nether hope in any thing but God Of this Divine Hope Paul doth not here speak he doth not say Our hope in you is stedfast but of you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as those Prepositions are often changed Therefore it is a Moral Hope which is grounded upon principles of prudence and charity by which Paul was bound to judge thus favourably of them Paul could not tell the hearts of those he wrote to he could not infallibly discern whether they were hypocrites or sincere onely he judgeth the tree by the fruits Yet you must not understand this as spoken o◠every particular and individual but collectively for he writeth to them as a body and a
observable in the Corinthians repentance that they repair and set up that good and holy order which was collapsed amongst them And therefore as Paul said to the Colossians Chap. 2. 5. He did rejoyce to behold their order So might he here In his former Epistle he severely taxeth them for want of Church-Discipline that they neglected good order there was a scandalous sinner suffered amongst them and they did not mourn and humble themselves because of it they did not cast him out and free the Church from that contagion therefore with many arguments he presseth them to gather together and to execute Church-Discipline to cast out this wicked person from amongst them 2 Corinth 5. which accordingly they did or were about to do yea they seem to fall into too much austerity from their laxe indulgence and connivence at sinne to too much severity against a penitent humbled sinner as appeareth 2 Cor. 2. where the Apostle exhorts them To confirm their love to the incestuous person now deeply sensible of his sinne lest he be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow When therefore Paul saw that those who had such disorders in their Church no zeal against sinners no endeavours to purge out the old leaven to be so greatly changed that they are hardly perswaded to moderate their zeal this may well provoke him to say His hope was stedfast of them For if they would have been remisse and negligent in any thing it would have been about Church-order For we see sound Doctrine is sooner received into any Church than holy Discipline There were but few Kings among the Jewes that did endeavour a Reformation of the disorder which was about Ordinances and it is noted as a peculiar work of God upon those mens hearts who were ready thereunto as for the other they mocked and derided at such a pious endeavour 2 Chron. 30. 10 11 12. There was the hand of God upon some in a special manner to induce them thereunto The Church of Ephesus Revel 2. 2. is commended Because she could not bear those that were evil It argueth the strength of the stomack to exonerate it self of burdensome humours So that by this we see That the hopes of those who are faithfull Guides in the Church are greatly quenched concerning such who are refractory and adversaries to that holy order which would deliver the Congregation from the ignorance and prophanenesse abiding there The very Heathens will rise up in judgement against them who would admit no prophane sinner to their Heathenish Rites witnesse that known acclamation Procul ô procul este prophani The Priest also about to sacrifice asked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who was there And answer was retuened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Good and honest men Origen also justifying the Christian Discipline that did shut out from their communion prophane persons instanceth in the Sect of Pythagoreans who when any of their company had fallen into grosse sinnes they ejected him and sent a Coffin to him made for that purpose signifying thereby that he was no better than a dead corpse Yea the Socinians though blaspheming the Deity of Christ will condemn such carnal Gospellers For this is one argument they use against the Evangelical Reformed Churches that there is not such holy order against prophane and impenitent sinners as ought to be Yea some of them go so farre as to say That that is not a Church which hath not Discipline If then Heathens and damnable Hereticks have been zealous for purity about their religious Rites how hopelesse are they who had rather with the Gadarens have Christ go out of their Countrey then be deprived of their swinish lusts Thirdly Lastly Pauls hope was therefore stedfast concerning the Corinthians Because of that which followeth in the Text they did communicate with Paul in a patient suffering for Christ and therefore being sufferers with Christ they should also reign with him Christs friends are tried in the time of adversity It 's an hopefull sign of an honest and sincere heart when thou canst cleave to Christ and confesse his Name in the midst of all persecutions Then Christ saith Now I know thou lovest me because thou hast not withholden thy dearest comforts for my sake When under persecutions for Christs name thou canst rejoyce and not as Bonaventure expresseth it be like the Cart-wheel which while it beareth its burden doth sometimes make an harsh and unpleasant noise Christ hath both his Summer and his Winter for his Church and therefore this Garden Habet Lilia sua rosas suas Her Lilies in time of peace and her Roses in time of persecution Now those that love Christ more than father or mother or life it self and then as it followeth Matth. 10. 37 38. take up his crosse for this can never be done without the former these do give great hopes of the truth of grace in them Now the ground of this encouragement to a godly Minister is the state of grace here and of glory hereafter For his flock is both the end of his work and the end of him that worketh It is both finis operis and operantis As then Christ whose death was for the salvation of believers is said to see the travail of his soul and to be satisfied So it is with every true Pastor What a joyfull thing would it be to have good hopes of the work of grace in every one that belongeth to his charge So that thy ignorance dissolutenesse and such damnable wayes are the grief and trouble the thorns in the sides of those who are to give an account for thee Oh let not the contrary be true that such is the ungodlinesse the prophanenesse of thy life that our fear of thee our grief about thee is continual SERM. LVII Of our partaking with others in their Suffering for Christ and how this is a way to interest our selves in the Joy and Glory which such Sufferers enjoy 2 COR. 1. 7. Knowing that as you are partakers of the sufferings so shall ye be also of the consolation IN these words we have a Declaration or Specification wherein or wherefore the hope of the Apostle was thus stedfast concerning them it is because they did not wholly cast off Paul and contemn him for his afflictions as the false Apostles endeavoured The Apostles hope was stedfast as you heard not like the hope that we sometimes have which is mutable and uncertain For how many are there with Pharaoh and Abab under some judgements of God or under some exquisite agonies of the soul which complain of their sinnes cry out of their impieties So that we have some buddings of hope concerning them till at last they dash all and disappoint all expectation by their Apostasie but such is not the Apostles hope concerning these he hath a surer foundation and therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowing not guessing or opinionating by slight conjectures but knowing It should according to the rule of Grammar be 〈◊〉
do attain it They take civility for godliness they take the outward performance of religious duties for godliness they take some sudden pangs and fits of devotion for godlinesse Thus they judge copper to be gold But In the next place if they do understand what it is to be regenerated how great a matter it is to be a New Creature then such is their self-love that they presently apply it to themselves and do believe they are such ones For this end is that duty so often commended To commune with our own hearts to try and search our own hearts For this end we are informed of the deceitfulnesse and desperate wickednesse of the heart that no man knoweth it that God only knoweth it Thou boastest of thy heart thou trustest in thy heart Ah poor deluded wretch thou knowest not what a sea of evil thy heart is till grace shine into that dark dungeon thou canst never perceive the loathsome lusts that crawl there Pray therefore to be delivered from this heart-trusting as from hell it self It is this that is the Beelzebub sinne This maketh thee shut thy eyes stop thy ears harden thy heart and therefore till this root be pulled up no preaching no Ministry can do thee any good For the first thing done by converting grace is to take away this trusting in our selves and in stead thereof to work an holy despair in our selves This the Spirit of God doth by convincing of sinne through the Law by this we see our selves a sinfull people and a cursed people we are also convinced of our impotency and insufficiency to help our selves By this we are convinced that it must be the righteousness of another even of Christ himself and not our own that we must appear in when we approach unto God Till therefore thou art in this heart-trusting way as long as this good perswasion and secure thoughts are in thy self thou art wholly out of the way to Heaven This is not the way to Christ if thou art not wounded the good Samaritan will pour no oil into thee if thou doest not judge all things husks and seest thy self ready to famish there will no entertainment be given to thee at thy fathers house Oh then that the Spirit of God would in a mighty and powerfull manner fall upon such sinfull considers that he would shake the very foundations of their souls For as long as this self-trusting a bideth in thee thy condition is incurable if the heart be deceitfull above all things why doest thou believe it above all things Thou believest thy own heart more than Gods word more than the Ministers of God No man doubteth of his heart none questioneth or examineth his heart and therefore cometh not to the Word preached to have that purged to have that cleansed but takes it for an undoubted principle that his heart is good already But how cometh it to be good When was it made good by nature it is full of evil and therefore it can never be sanctified but by the grace of God effectually working by the Ministry Secondly The Scripture instanceth in another object of sinfull trusting that is secret and close but also very dangerous and that is in the righteousnesse we conceit we have and this was the great pharisaical sinne This was the Camels bunch this made them stand in such immediate opposition to Christ that they rejected his Person and Offices They did not look upon themselves as sick and therefore would not admit of a Physician And oh that this sinne had been like Jonah's gourd that sprang up for a day only and presently was consumed but it is a sinne that passeth from one generation to another to put confidence in their own righteousnesse to seek to be justified by the works they do Doth not this reign in Popish spirits in all formalists in civil and moral men Do they not look to be saved to be justified by their works of righteousnesse and charity How often doth the Scripture thunder against this sinne And indeed well it may for it maketh our selves our own Christs our own Saviours It maketh Christ to die in vain Now how natural and imbred a sinne this is appeareth by the Jewes Rom. 10. 3. They went about to establish their own righteousnesse and would not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of faith Hence because this sinne did so reign in the Pharisees our Saviour spake that excellent Parable Luke 18. 9. concerning a Publican humbling himself and sensible of his unworthiness as being justified rather than a Pharisee He spake this saith the Text to certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous And why doth our saviour make those blessed that mourn that are poor in spirit that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse but to shew in what a blasted and cursed estate they are who put any trust in the good works they do to be justified by them You see then by this how dangerous and damnable a thing that common sinne is which every civil every just and righteous man is apt to lean upon if his eyes were opened and his heart made tender he would not dare to eat or sleep or stay one night in it as good and safe as now he believeth it to be Thirdly Another object of this sinfull secret trusting is in spiritual or Church-priviledges or Ordinances that we have more than others This is also like the Psalmists plague which destroyeth at Mid-day thousands fall dead into hell because of this religious trusting in priviledges and Ordinances They trust in them not regarding what holinesse and godlinesse God doth require of them How palpably did the Prophet Jeremiah reprove this in the Jewes Jer. 7. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying The Temple the Temple of the Lord are these but amend your wayes and your doings as vers 3. When the Prophet exhorts them to repentance and reformation then they plead The Temple of the Lord and the Ordinances This is so enticing a sinne that in the Christian Church many were perswaded by false Teachers That unlesse they were circumcised and kept up the Rites of the Ceremonial Law they could not be justified Therefore the Apostle speaketh excellently Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision which rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh When it cometh to this that thou doest not trust in Duties or in Ordinances but in Christ in them then art thou a true worshipper of God in the Spirit In the same Chapter Paul layeth upon his own heart what trust and confidence he once had in his being a Jew in being circumcised in his legal righteousness But when it pleased God to reveal Christ to him What doth he trust in these priviledges any longer No by no means for he accounts all things but dung and losse in comparison of that righteousnesse which is by faith in Christ Is not this likewise an universal predominant sinne amongst Christians Do they not
Nathan came to declare the good purpose of God towards him in raising up him and his posterity to glory see how humbly and in a self-emptied manner he addressed himself to God Who am I and what is my house that thou hast brought me hitherto As if he should say Oh Lord what am I and my family the meanest and most unworthy and wilt thou doe this to me Yea as if this were a small thing thou hast spoken of thy servants house for a great while to come and hast regarded me after the estate of a man of high degree What can David speake more Yea as it is 1 Sam. 7. he saith Is this the manner of men O Lord God implying that onely God vouchsafeth mercy to such as are unworthy As then he who would build high must lay a deep foundation So he that would exalt God on high must lay himselfe low And if it be thus for temporal mercies we are not worthy of a crumme of bread and though with Dives we should begg for a drop of water it might be denied us Then how much more in spiritual mercies if God bestow them upon us Shall not our affections be greatly kindled in blessing of God Take that fountain of all mercies the giving of the Lord Christ to believers to worke out their salvation by being made a curse for them How diligent is the Scripture to put an account as it were upon every passage therein That it should be as impossible for a believer to thinke of this love of the Father to us and not be ravished with it as for a man to carry hot coales in his bosome and they not burn him For the Scripture aggravateth it from the person who died for us even the onely begotten Sonne of God John 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne He so loved it if God would have denied any thing to mankinde it would have been this who would not think that he should rather suffer all men to be damned then to give up his Sonne to death And yet what astonishing love is here Dared a poor sinner of himself ever thought to have begged such a thing at Gods hand Rom. 8. 32. He spared not his owne Sonne Certainly thy heart may be amazed more than the Queene of Shebaes in seeing of Solomon's glory in meditating on this God to give his own Sonne his onely begotten Sonne his Sonne out of his bosome all which are aggravating circumstances If all the parts of the body if all the haires of thy head were turned into tongues could they speak enough of this goodnesse of God As God said to Abraham Now I know thou lovest me because thou hast not withholden thy onely sonne from me How much more may we conclude from Gods giving his Sonne to us As the Scripture aggravateth it thus from the quality of the person so also from the quality of those for whom Christ was thus given and that is for enemies and adversaries And here is an aggravating circumstance to enflame thy heart Rom. 5. 6. When we were without strength when we were enemies To die for righteous men to die for godly men would not have been such an aggravation but for sinners and enemies this is wonderfull Here then is another coale from the Altar to warme thy heart with when thou wouldest blesse God for Christ againe The Scripture to aggravate this mercy doth consider to what end he is given for us that is To die for us to die an ignominious death to be made accursed for us to bear the punishment of our sinnes upon himselfe This also doth deeply sinke into the heart This is like oyle to the Chariot wheeles of the soul This is like the Spirit in Ezekiel's wheele Thy heart cannot be quiet but it will exceedingly dilate it self in blessing of God for him That whereas he who would be our Saviour must purchase our salvation at so deare a rate yet he doth willingly make his soul an offering for our sinnes Lastly The Scripture aggravateth this comparatively That Christ did not take upon him the nature of Angels Heb. 2. 16. He did not so love them he died not for those Apostate Angels who yet were more glorious creatures than man and if redeemed would have brought God more glory but it was for sinfull wretched and weak man But this mercy of God in Christ can never be comprehended in the depth breadth and length thereof it being like Ezekiel's waters that will ascend higher and higher even till it covers our head We may instance in a second spiritual mercy viz. of Conversion or Effectual Calling us out of the damned world Oh the soul can never be affected with this How much doth it delight to speak of his owne vilenesse and unworthinesse once that so the riches of Gods grace in calling of us may be the more exalted We see it in Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. how willing he is to speak what a blasphemous persecutour he had once been even the greatest and chiefest of sinners and therefore in him the grace of God was manifested even for the ages to come To this purpose also 1 Corinth 15. 8 9 10. he speaketh debasing himself That he was not meet to be called an Apostle because he persecuted the Church of God This discriminating and differing grace of God whereby God chooseth thee a poor contemptible worme and passeth by others many in the same Towne in the same family of the same profession yet converting grace layeth hold on thee and not on another As our Saviour said There were many widowes at that time besides she of Sarepta yet the Prophet was sent to her alone This comparative worke of grace passing by others and taking thee when if God would have regarded Externals or Internals there were richer there were more learned there were lesse vicious must for ever enlarge the soule yea so astonish her that she will cry out What shall I say to these things A third Aggravation of Gods mercy that the people of God take notice of is From the time and season that God doth it In the fullnesse of time God sent his Sonne And the Wiseman saith God doth every thing beautifull in its season To have mercy out of its due time is to give bread instead of stones It is like good Physick but not administred in its proper season Now the observing Christian who loveth to seek out the workes of God towards him and studieth all Gods dispensations towards him doth in this respect finde out infinite matter of praising of God that the Lord should put off to helpe so long that he should let Lazarus die and be buried all this is to make the soule affected with the seasonable timing of a mercy To have a mercy in its season maketh it a double mercy Onely you must remember that Gods seasons and fit opportunities are not alwayes well discerned by us We are ready to thinke
experience of Gods goodness and power to his people formerly may incourage them to trust in him for the future Paul was delivered by God and therefore he trusteth he will deliver him Thus David also argued 1 Sam. 17. 37. God had delivered from the Lion and the Beare therefore also he trusted he would from that uncircumcised Philistian Hence at another time David professeth He will remember the mercies of God which had been of old for these are of great use to keep the heart fixed for the future We have the Apostle expressing his confidence even concerning others and that in the matter of grace and salvation from the foundation God had already laid that spirituall building Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will performe it till the day of Jesus Christ That this hope in Paul concluding from one deliverance to another was fixed upon may see also at another time 2 Tim. 4. 18. Where having acknowledged Gods mighty prefervation to him in that he was delivered from the mouth of the Lion he addeth And the Lord shall deliver me from every evill work How greatly then are the people of God to be reproved for their diffidence and distrust who though they have the Word of God and the workes of God the promise of God and the providences of God upon which to quiet their soules concerning all events to come yet upon every new trouble are as much tormented and perplexed as if they had never heard or known any thing of God To amplyfie this consider 1. That although we have in many particulars found the goodness and power of God to us yet every new trouble every new danger is ready to startle us and to overwhelme us The Children of God in any new exercise are many times as much to seek as if they had never been delivered by him They are ready to feare that now they shall sink though hitherto preserved Even as David when his trust in God was weakned then he cryeth out He should one day perish by the hands of Saul all the great deliverances vouchsafed to him did not settle his heart for the future Such therefore is the diffidence and sinfull fear which is ready to surprize us upon any new tryall that we are apt to think though God hath done thus and thus for us yet can he conquer this temptation can he help out of this trouble This is worse then all the rest and can he deliver herein Even as we read of the people of Israel who had the experience of so many wonderfull preservations and miraculous mercies bestowed on them in the Wilderness Psalme 78. 19. yet questioning Whether he could furnish a Table in the Wilderness and Verse 20. Behold he smote the rock and waters gushed out can he give bread also See here how they limited God to one mercy and to one deliverance now this was so great a sinne that the Psalmist cals it a speaking against God it was Blasphemy and he addeth an aggravating particular yea they speak against God as if this were a greater sinne then all their former rebellions therefore it is said Verse 21 22. The Lord heard this and was wroth his fire was kindled against Jacob Because they trusted not in his salvation Oh let this be a dreadfull instance never to be forgotten by thee how often doth thy heart say such things God hath hitherto maintained hitherto delivered hitherto provided for me and mine But Can he furnish a Table in this Wilderness can he succour me in this exigency that I am now plunged in Oh take heed of such distrusting thoughts it is speaking against God it is a kind of blasphemy 2. Although the promise of God be ground sure enough for us to trust in yet such is our weakness and infimity that experiences and sensible props do wonderfully promote our faith Could we act purely and perfectly from Divine Motives the promise of God would be as good to us as all the experiences in the world for it is the word of him that cannot iye and therefore nothing of sense or reason is so sure as that of faith But because we consist of a body as well as a soul therefore as in other things God doth condescend to our weakness so here also The Sacraments and miracles were vouchsafed by God to confirme our faith not that they add any certainty to the promise or can bring more authority to it only in respect of our imbecillity so they became helps to our faith Thus also when we have great and glorious promises which may abundantly satisfie us so as to conquer all distrustfull and perplexing thoughts yet experiences joyned with these and when we see him fullfilling with his hand what he hath spoken with his mouth this doth greatly add to our confidence It is true our Saviour saith John 20. 29. to Thomas who would not believe unless his sense did confirme him Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed because such do give more glory and honour to God As Abraham did who regarded the power of God resting on that and considered not Sarahs dead Wombe Yet they are not wholly cast off by God who do believe and see also There is a time when we are to trust in God before we can have experience of Gods dispensations such is the time of conversion Then the soul being brought into the deeps of the Lord then it being in divers and sad agonies the heart is more difficultly brought to trust in God For all things are then new the soul never felt such temptations before it was never in such feares before it is ready to cry out Never any was in the like case with me what will be the issue of those wonderfull things in his soul he knoweth not All this diffidence is because at that time the believer had no experience of Gods dealings is not acquainted with the deep mysteries of God in bringing us to salvation our with the depths of Satan who indeavours our destruction But when once the soul cometh to have more experience of Gods works upon it selfe and is more acquainted with the wayes of God then he comes to hope whereas before he was ready to cast off all in despaire If then God hath from year to year trained thee up in many experimentall discoveries of soul-mercies and body-mercis how inexcusable wilt thou be if thou are ready to be shaken and to loose thy hold upon every new trouble Gods promise should be enough to thee thou needest no more If a man that is faithfull and able should assure thee so much thou wouldst rest contented How unworthily then dost thou deale with God when his word and his workes put together yet do not compose thy heart Oh remember is not he the God that created light out of such darkness as did once cover thy soul Is noâ— he the God that helped in
this limited sense as it is a deprecation against some evill rather then a petition for some good and in this sense it may very well be used here But because we see the Scripture commonly using it in a more large sense neither will we restraine it in this place From the former part then of this Verse there remaine further Doctrines observable As First Those that are the most eminent in gifts and office yea and grace also do need the Prayers of those who are farre inferior in the Church of God No eye in this spirituall body is so perfect that it may say to the foot I have no need of thee When the Apostle doth thus desire the Prayers of the Corinthians he doth it not in a complement neither doth he speak it for modesty and humility sake but cordially and really as finding the want of them Christ indeed being God and Man though as Man he prayed to God yet he needed no mans prayer for him neither did he ever require his Disciples to pray for him no not when he was in the greatest agonies He blamed them indeed for their dullness and that they could not watch with him one hour but he did not require their prayers for him But there is no godly man though a Paul though never so eminent but as he is to pray for others so also he needeth that others should pray for him Hence you have this eminent Saint often desiring the prayers of others his interest in God alone will not do it Though he be a favourite in the Court of Heaven yet others also must intercede for him Job Daniel and others though they be instanced in as such who can greatly prevaile with God in prayers for others as if the eare of God were open to them more than to others yet they themselves did want the prayers of others for them And thus we have Paul again and again desiring the prayers of others for him 1 Thes 1. 17. when he had delivered many short and excellent Aphorismes more necessary to the soules health then those of Hippocrates for the body and having also prayed for them he requireth the same duty for himself Brethren pray for us That as the Clouds drop upon the earth to refresh that and that sends up vapours again which are congealed into Clouds thus it should be with Pastors and People a mutuall and a reciprocall praying for each other will greatly advantage and promote their spirituall good Thus the same Apostle to the same people 2 Thes 3. 1. saith in a concluding way Finally Brethren pray for us In the like manner also Heb. 13. 18. he desireth they would pray for him giving his reason because of the good conscience he had in his work So that where there is godliness and holiness we ought to be so farre from neglecting prayer for them thinking they do not need it that we are the rather to be incouraged in that service for them And if you say these instances are of whole Churches Paul may well desire the prayers of Churches Assembled together but doth he need the prayer of a particular person Yes this you will also find Phil. 2. 2. I trust through your prayers I shall be given to you Thus you see the most eminent desiring the prayers of those that are inferiour to them and there are good grounds for this First Because there is a more particular promise made of Gods presence and power to many gathered together than to one to the prayers of more then one as more coales together do the more easily inflame What Solomon saith of two that they are better than one is true also in respect of prayer You have this notably affirmed by Christ himself Matth. 18. 19 20 If two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall aske it shall be done for them This is so remarkeable that our Saviour useth that expression Again I say to you and then giveth the reason For where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them By this it is plain that vis unita est fortior the united force of believers is stronger then single and alone Hence our Saviour in his Forme of Prayer directeth to say Our Father not my Father because of the Communion the godly have in this duty Seeing then there is a more peculiar presence of God in the midst of his people Assembled together then when alone no wonder if Paul desire their prayers Thus it was in Peters case the whole Church met together to pray for his deliverance which prayer was so prevalent that it broke open the Prison doores and made every thing yield to it It is mentioned as a speciall priviledge by the Psalmist to be vouchsafed to Solomon Psal 72. 15. Prayer also shall be made for him It is of great consequence to be remembred in the Assembly of the Saints as on the other side when the Church following Scripture-Rules have cast some persecuting Emperours out of their Prayers this hath been the greatest evill that could befall them a forerunner that God also would cast them out of his favour One occasion which made Licinius to oppose Constantine was because the Christians in their meeting prayed for Constantine but not for him though happily he regarded more the dishonour he thought put upon him than any esteem he had of their Prayers Secondly Another Reason is From the similitude which the Scripture delighteth much in when it speaketh of the Church of God that it is a body and every particular Christian is a Member thereof now in any naturall body though the noble and eminent parts thereof be never so sound and able for their particular operations yet there is not the most ignoble part in the body but they want the help thereof and therefore nourishment is carefully distributed to every part as having its respective necessity Thus it is also in the spirituall body the Church of God only Christ the head needeth not the Members but they him As for the rest there is a mutuall help of every part so that unless Paul were not of the body unless he were not of this spirituall union he must need the prayers of others The Communion then that the body hath in this life is the ground of praying for one another and that is the reason why though we pray for others though alive yet not when they are dead It is absurd to pray for such who are deceased because they are now no longer in this Church-communion The eye doth not now need the feet all want is removed and that visible union of believers in Church-administrations is now quite dissolved What else may be added in this particular shall be suggested in the next Only the Use of this is to admonish the most excellent and choisest Christian of humility and modesty though thy gifts and graces though thy office and place be farre
for they have not returned to glorifie me It is love to our selves it 's a self-seeking that makes us pray but it would argue love to God and an honouring of him when we returne praises to him It is therefore the duties of Ministers to press you upon the duty of praising of God as well as of praying unto him Many are horribly negligent in both some are more often in prayer then they are in thanksgiving Whereas God is said to inhabit the praises of his people Psalm 22. 3. as well as he is the God that heareth prayers Psalm 65. 2. God dwelleth in the praises of Israel that is in or amongst Israel continually praising of him or else it is to shew that as a man dwelleth in his house constantly residing there so God is daily administring matter of praises to his people implying thereby that there is no time no place no condition wherein we ought not to bless and praise God Those many Psalmes which David made declare how necessary a duty it is and how much the people of God are to exercise themselves therein Hence it is that David professeth he will never intermit this duty as we are to pray without ceasing so to praise God without ceasing Psalm 145. 1 2. I will bless thy name for ever and ever I will bless thee every day See what an ardent affection David hath to this For although the Apostle James saith Is any man afflicted let him pray is any man merry let him sing Psalmes James 5. 13. implying thereby that there are speciall times wherein one duty is to be exercised more than another yet there is no time wherein the Lord doth not give his people occasion to give thanks to him That your hearts may be both rightly instructed in the manner of this duty and awed against all slothfullness therein take notice of these ensuing particulars 1. What is required to this Duty And 2. The Motives thereunto And First To praise God there is required an acknowledgement by faith that God and God alone is the Author of all the mercies both temporall and spirituall that we do enjoy Hence an Atheist can never be thankfull because he owneth no God the giver of mercies And the practicall Atheist who liveth as if there were no God he like the Swine eateth indeed upon the fruite that he findeth upon the ground but never looketh up to the tree from whence it falleth Now this practicall Atheisme doth raign every where and that causeth the universall ingratitude that is in the world men take these mercies as so many debts belonging to them They look upon them as the things of a naturall course not as the dispensations of a free and voluntary Agent even the great God who giveth them and denyeth them at his pleasure David therefore in his Psalmes doth so often magnifie God by many glorious Titles thereby professing that From God cometh every good and perfect gift Hence also the Apostle James Cap. 4. 15. maketh it the duty of every one in their daily resolutions to buy and sell or to go to such a place to say if the Lord will declaring hereby that it is from God that we are inabled to performe any naturall or civill action I also add that it must be an acknowledgment of God alone because in spirituall mercies many corrupt Teachers have divided the kingdome between Gods gracious power and mans mans free-will Therefore the Papists the Socinians the Arminians these do either in whole or in part destroy the very foundation of thanksgiving to God in respect of spirituall mercies especially in that whereby one man differs from another That which the Apostle doth so evidently attribute to God only 1 Cor. 4. 7. that they appropriate to themselves the good use of free-will or the improving of grace offered is made mans work and then certainly we are to glory more in our selves then in God But if we are to give God thankes for every morsell of bread we eate shall we not much rather for every spirituall mercy to the soul It was Tullies observation that though their Ancestors praised God for their prosperity and success yet they never did for their vertuous actions thinking that absurd as if unless they were not done by their own power there was no commendation due to them and too much of this Heathenish and Philosophicall leaven doth still soure the minds of many Learned men in the Church Know then so much as thou settest up a free-will beyond Scripture bounds so farre thou takest off from the duty of praising and blessing of God Besides we say God must be acknowledged in every mercy temporall and spirituall Thou that prayest God would give thee thy daily bread wilt thou not praise God when he doth it yet how sottish and brutish are many persons and Families when they go to meales and rise from meales and no thankes or praises are given to God should not the example of Christ move thee when he had but some loaves of Barly and a little Fish yet he blessed God before he did eate thereof How then cometh it about that there should be such unthankfull wretches that take their food and yet never thank God that giveth it Thou wouldst account that poore man a proud or unworthy person to whom thou shouldst give some food in his necessity and he never so much as open his mouth to give one word of thankfullness to thee Thou dealest more frowardly and wickedly with God And if for temporall mercies then much more for spirituall if thy meate thy drink thy rayment be Gods mercy much more is thy regeneration thy justification which do so far transcend the power of nature 2. To this duty of praising God is not only required These generall acts of faith whereby we own him for the Jehova and the Creator of Heaven and Earth but also those particular Acts whereby we do apply and appropriate him as our God in particular For it is this particular applying Act of faith that maketh the heart full of praise and thanksgivihg Therefore you may observe David in his Psalmes not only calling God a buckler a refuge a strong tower but his buckler his strong tower his God Neither can we be thankfull in spirituall mercies about pardon of sinne support in temptations till with Paul Gal. 2 we say Who loved us and gave himself for us and this is one reason why we urge the People to take heed of diffidence not to give way to distrust and doubtfull perplexities of soul because while these are predominant they cannot walk thankfully and give the glory that is due to him 3. Love to God Because he heareth our prayers will raise up the heart exceedingly to thanksgiving Psal 116. 1. I will love the Lord because he hath heard my supplications That God should hear the prayers of one so unworthy and polluted as thou art that God should do thee good who art so evill this freeness
we not to have done it 4. One chief motive which is to put us upon all holy obedience unto God is Thankfulness There are two great and principal parts of Divinity the one is De gratià Dei of the grace of God and the other De gratitudine hominis of mans thankfulnes There are indeed several reasons why we are commanded to abound in holy works but one of them is thereby to testifie our thankfulnes to God that though we cannot do anything to merit at his hands though Christ as Mediator hath purchased all spiritual priviledges so that we cannot do any holy duty as a cause to procure them yet to manifest our thankfulnes to God we are ready with delight to do his will 5. A thanksgiving heart is the most proper and sutable disposition to the Gospel dispensation wherein grace doth in so many wonderfull effects demonstrate it self Now praise doth properly answer to free grace and love Eph. 1. 16. Gods predestination and his adoption it is That we should be to the praise of the glory of his grace These new songs should alwayes be in our mouths And again v. 12. That we should be to the praise of his glory So that if you say Why did God predestinate thee It is to his praise Why doth he convert It is to his praise Thus he adopts he justifieth that we might be only to his praise Thus 1 Pet. 2. 9. we are a chosen generation a peculiar people that we should shew forth his praises The children then of free grace must be the children of praises and thanksgivings unto God Every power of the soul every part of the body should be a tongue as it were to glorifie God Were we more affected with the depth breadth and length of this grace of God we should be more abounding in this duty of blessing God David cals his tongue his glory though some apply it to the soul because of this work Lastly If we praise not God when mercies are obtained by prayer it discovereth a rotten and insincere heart It argued thou never didst pray for mercies upon right grounds to glorifie God to be thereby more instrumental in our service of him but only for our own ends and our own necessities For he that prayeth spiritually will praise God cheerfully he will more rejoyce in the favour of God because God heareth his prayers then the benefit obtained If then thou neglectest this duty of thanksgiving thou discoverest a prophane earthly heart that thou preferrest the mercy desired above the glory and honour of God and therefore it will be just with God never to hear thy prayers more For thankfulness is the only way to preserve mercies and to have more added SERM. LXXXII God is the fountain of all our Mercies they are his Gifts and why 2 COR. I. II. That for the gift bestowed upon us THe second part in order to be treated of is The Object matter for which or that for which Paul would have solemne thanksgiving after such solemn prayer The gift bestowed upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This temporal deliverance he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it came from the favour of God not from any merits or deserts in Paul Some make a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was applied onely to the common gifts of Gods Spirit especially those which Divines call Dona ministrantia Gifts of service and the Schools Gratiae gratis datae and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the grace and favour of God in a special manner or to the effect thereof which is inherent grace in the soul These graces are called Dona sanctificantia Gifts that doe truely sanctifie those that have them The Schooles falsly call them Gratiae gratum facientes But though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be often applied to such common spirituall gifts as 1 Cor. 12. alibi Yet sometimes we must thereby understand sanctifying grace and justifying grace Rom. 5. 16. Rom. 11. 28. And indeed if we will make any difference it seemeth to be this rather that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Effect and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Cause as Rom. 12. 6. Having gifts according to the grace that is given to us Hence it is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is generally translated gift in the New Testament So Favorinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that what the Scripture other where calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jac. 1. 17. Act. 8. 21. Psal 1. 17. it may be the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 onely it doth properly signifie such a gift as maketh to the publick and spiritual advantage of the Church onely in this Text it may have the general signification and the special The general Paul's Deliverance was a temporal gift It was a mercy in these outward things a preservation from death either violent as the common exposition you heard is or from natural For Baldwin the Lutheran Expositor thinketh it may well enough be understood of some desperate sicknesse Paul was afflicted with Howsoever this outward mercy of preservation is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it may have also the special signification of a Paul's life and preservation was a gift in this sense for hereby his ministerial labours might be more successefull But this latter consideration will come in in the close of this verse Let us take notice of the general one Paul's life and preservation it is a gift From whence observe That not onely spiritual mercies which are above natural causes but even our ordinary temporal enjoyments are the gift of God It 's not Gods gift onely to sanctifie us to justifie us but to give us our health our food our preservation so that we live wholly upon the meer bounty of God we are all so many Almes-men the world is an Almes-house Man doth not or cannot obtaine the least mercy with his owne wisdom and power without the blessing of God This is a necessary truth For we look more upon these ordinary mercies as the fruit of our own labour than as Gods meer free gift The Apostle Jam. 1. 17. saith Every good gift is from God Every gift whether natural or supernatural what have we that we have not received is true both in nature and grace For although in the sense that Pelagians did it was very erroneous to confound Creation and Nature with grace yet in this respect we may say That Creation and Preservation is of the grace and favour of God because he communicated of his goodnesse to the creature onely from his meer favour But to speake after the Scripture-language onely those spiritual favours and Church-priviledges which conduce to eternal blessednesse are called The grace of God So that health life and other mercies though they be The gifts of God yet are not called The grace of God However
of glory and rejoycing to us So likewise Gal. 6. 4. the Apostle pressing every man to try his own works to examine his intentions therein giveth this as the consequent fruit thereof That then he shall have rejoycing in himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kind of glorying and boasting in himself To clear this truth let us first shew what is required to this glorying and then in what respects it is lawfull and allowed us And for the former First It is necessary to this rejoycing and glorying in the first place That we have an high esteem of the excellency and worth of that grace we discover to be in us If so be we are to rejoyce in these outward mercies which yet are only for the body what matter of joy should it be to find those spiritual workings of Gods Spirit in us which are of eternal concernment What Solomon saith concerning the esteem of wisdom which is indeed nothing but grace we should all make good Prov. 2. 4. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures That soul then which can rejoyce in the discovery of grace must esteem of it more than all the treasures of the world To say O Lord I had rather find my self sanctified I had rather see the powerfull workings of grace upon me then to be made the greatest or richest man in the world we have many exhortations to examine our selves and try our hearts to see if we can find this precious jewel in our souls Now none will be cordial to examine and search herein but those who look upon it as the greatest treasure Did the woman in the Gospel make such diligent search for a lost groat only and call her neighbours to rejoyce with her when she had found it How large and boundless then should our thoughts be about the excellency of grace And indeed to the godly soul this is the great question it labours to study and to resolve Whether it be in the state of grace or no knowing that this onely is the most blessed and happy estate in the world Secondly As we must highly esteem this work of grace so we must have a Certainty and perswasion that we have obtained it Had not Paul known that his heart had been sincere that he was not acted by carnal wisdome he could never have rejoyced For Philosophers make joy to be in that good thing we do possesse and also the knowledge thereof This Text then doth abundantly declare that the people of God may have a certain knowledge of the work of grace So that although the heart be indeed deceitfull and full of hypocrisie yet when sanctified it hath some measure of truth and sincerity in it and so far doth not deceive us He then that would rejoyce in the grace of God wrought in him must presse after assurance must endeavour after a certain perswasion of the truth of grace in him And although this perswasion be not justifying faith yea it is separable from it A man may be justified may be sanctified and not know it yet it is such a priviledge yea and duty also that we should diligently take heed of all those things that may weaken our assurance that may make us to doubt and question whether Jesus Christ be in us or no. Thirdly A sure perswasion of the goodnesse and integrity of our hearts is not enough but it must be upon right grounds and in a Scripture-demonstration For if it be a false perswasion it may produce indeed a rejoycing but a false rejoycing also It is more than probable that Paul while a persecutor being zealously affected to the tradition of his fathers and thinking himself bound as he professeth to do what he did against Christ and his members could then say His rejoycing was the testimony of his conscience being perswaded that in those wayes he glorified God And therefore some do extend that profession of his before the Council That he had lived in all good conscience before God untill that day And if this be so then we see plainly That every perswasion though never so confident is not enough to make us rejoyce but we must look to Scripture-grounds Doth not experience confirm this Take any heretical person any erroneous person though it be to the destruction of the very fundamentals of Religion yet he will proclaim a rejoycing in his heart from the good testimony of his conscience So that an erroneous conscience satisfied doth bring peace and rejoycing but it is an erroneous joy It is either from meer humane principles or from diabolical delusions But this will come in more properly when we come to the ground or reason it self of Paul's rejoycing Fourthly To this rejoycing there is required The Spirit of God enabling us thereunto So that the same spirit which doth seal to us the assurance of our estate doth also cause comfort in us The Spirit of God doth enlighten and sanctifie after this it doth seal and comfort And this latter work of Gods Spirit is necessary as well as the other For we see it lieth not in the power of Gods people to have comfort when they will Hence Gal. 5. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit and it 's called Joy in the holy Ghost not only objectively because it is a joy in spiritual objects but also efficiently because it is wrought by him Hence it is that the Spirit of God mouldeth the heart for comfort removeth fears and doubts restraineth and keepeth off Satan whereby no sinne no Devil is able to deject and cast down because God comforteth â—Thus you see what goeth to rejoycing in the graces of God and thereby an holy glorying in them Now let us see in what respect it is lawfull thus to rejoyce And First It is lawfull to rejoyce in them as they are the effects and fruits of Gods favour and love as they signifie the cause from whence they come Rahab could not but rejoyce to see the thread that was a signe of such a great mercy designed for her If then the godly man have that spiritual skill as to difference between trusting in his graces as any way causes of his salvation and thankfully receiving them assignes from which he may be perswaded of it then doth he hit the mark It is usually said from Luther That we are to take heed not onely of evil deeds but of good and holy works also because the heart is apt to be carried away with pride and self-confidence insensibly yet this much not so deterre the people of God that they may not take comfort from their graces For how can they see them and not rejoyce because they are the pledge of Gods favour it self and of an interest in Christ So that though their graces be weak and full of imperfections yet they manifest that to be ours which is fully perfect and hath no fault at all in it Imperfect graces do manifest Gods perfect grace to
you had what gifts and enlargements you had what not what remarkable external duties you have done for God but with what sincerity and singlenesse of heart all this hath been performed Therefore meditate on this lesson as it were every day be studying of it to know all the practical mysteries about it And as the Husbandman before he can sow his ground with corn must cut up the roots and bushes which are in the way so do thou That thou mayest the better set thy self upon this duty of pressing after sure knowledge in this great matter remove first All those impediments and hinderances that keep thee from exercising thy self therein and they are these First A self-fulnesse and presumptuous security that thou art already in a good estate This is the condemnation and eternal ruine of many a mans soul he will not so much as put it to the Question Whether he be in a state of grace and salvation or no he will not so much as entertain one doubt about it No this is the way to bring him in despair by this means he may have trouble and disquietness of conscience he cannot live so jollily and securely as he doth Therefore whatsoever Gods word or the Ministry speaketh though never so terribly about the deceitfulness of mans heart that we delude our selves taking that which is like grace for true grace they matter it not they will perswade themselves that their souls are in a good estate and none in the world shall make them question it Of all the men in the world such secure confident spirits have the most cause to doubt and fear Never to doubt or search into thy heart and to compare thy self with the Rule is a very ill signe To take all for granted thus concerning thy soul and never to commune with thy own heart is a great argument that thou art rotten in the foundation Doth not the Wiseman observe it as a general Rule Prov. 16. 2. The wayes of a man are clean in his own eyes but the Lord pondereth the heart Though thou sayest with the Church of Laodicea Thou art rich cloathed and wantest nothing yet God knoweth thou art poor cursed and miserable God knoweth otherwise by thee then thou doest We charge it upon the Church of Rome that she is incurable because of this principle she holdeth That she cannot erre For if she would yeeld that if she would grant happily for so many years they have been grosly deceived then there would be some principles to proceed upon to reform them So it is if we meet with a man that confesseth his heart is deceitfull his condition may be very miserable though he hath applauded himself thus many years if I may be found out not to have laid a good foundation about the work of grace I would gladly be convinced of it It is the great desire of my soul not to be deceived about the nature of grace in me There are fearfull and sad instances of hypocrites and temporary believers therefore I would gladly be informed Whether I came not too short as yet Whether there be not a more excellent way then I have attained unto This man is not farre from the Kingdom of Heaven this man is in a way to be secured But the self-righteous man that supposeth himself good it is the first principle with him that he will never suffer to be questioned this man is remediless as to humane appearance Such a presumptuous man in practicals is like an Heretick in doctrinals and so after the first and second admonition we may even reject knowing that he doth willingly damne himselfe Be sure then to take heed of this rock at which so many have split themselves A second cause that must be removed is A prophane carelesse spirit whereby men do not at all matter their souls nor in what relation they do stand in towards God If their bodies be well if their worldly affairs prosper then they say Soul take thy ease But as for their spiritual condition whether God be reconciled or an enemy whether yet they have been ever taken off that natural and cursed estate they were born in they never look after it Oh foolish and brutish man If the Spirit of God shall once convince thee of thy sinfull and dangerous estate of the curses of the Law which may fall upon thee every moment then thou maist have no rest day or night till thou obtainest some assurance herein The third cause is The over-greedinesse and importunate minding of our earthly businesses We rise with the world in our heart and go to bed with it in our heart so that we never set time apart seriously to think how it is with us Hence come those constant delayes and procrastinations promising our selves we will after such and such businesses are over set our selves to the examination of our wayes but still the work is not done our dayes passe away our hearts grow more hardned and indisposed every day till at last death unexpectedly seizeth upon us and then we would gladly have oil when it is too late then with Esai we cry out for a blessing with tears and bitterness but we come too late How comfortable on the other side is it for a godly man dying to say his soul hath been set in order long before he hath not his evidences now to seeke The knowing of his heart hath beene all his study in his life time Satan can object no new thing which he hath not already thought upon Lastly There is another cause in the other extream which is to be removed if we would arrive to this certainty and that is To shake off all despairing and discouraging thoughts as so many vipers fastened upon thee This valley must be exalted as well as the other mountains levelled Paper too much wetted as well as foul receiveth no characters So the heart sinfully dejected and disquieted is indisposed for assurance as well as the presumptuous one For this reason we need the Spirit of God to seal us and to confirm us yea we need Gods Spirit more in this work of confirmation then of illumination Darkness and ignorance is sooner removed out of the mind than unbelief and diffidence out of the heart Do ye not see it thus often with the children of God who are very tender in respect of illumination are very quick and Eagle-eyed in respect of conviction are wonderfully ingenuous to find out all the secret pollution and guile of their souls But then for assurance and confirmation in the grace and favour of God towards them they are exceedingly fearfull and very weak Therefore the believer must look upon slavish and disquieting fears as adversaries to his peace as well as presumptuous and secure thoughts These impediments being thus rolled out of the way the next thing he hath to do is to awe his foul with those Commands of God that require us to get a certain knowledge of
the property of those who are godly to take nothing to themselves but to give all to the grace of God You see here though Paul was so eminent for godlinesse and so admirable for gifts yet he maketh the grace of God to be alone the sole Authour of all spiritual successe This subject the Apostle doth very willingly enlarge himself upon wheresoever he hath occasion Hence in the fore-mentioned place 1 Corinth 15. 10. he saith By the grace of God I am what I am The grace of God made him an holy man The grace of God made him an eminent Apostle he had nothing as a private Christian or as an Officer but by the grace of God and because many may have grace in a common way bestowed upon them that yet abuse it as Judas he addeth This grace was not in vain Yet lest it should be thought that it was his improvement of the grace bestowed that made it so effectual he presently correcteth his expression Yet not I but the grace of God which was with me As it is not the pen but the Writer that is a cause of fair Characters Let us discover this Doctrine And First We see the Apostle rejoycing in the sincerity of his heart and yet acknowledging all to the grace of God so that these two may well stand together to take comfort from our holinesse yet to put our trust in nothing but the grace of God It is true this is a very hard lesson to performe there is required much skill and prudence herein for we are apt to runne into extreames Either through unbelief and peevishnesse we nourish doubts and perplexing thoughts in our selves not taking notice of the grace of God in us Or else if we doe behold it and rejoyce in it we are presently in a secret manner lifted up and confident thereby But we see by the Apostles practice both are consistent together So that the people of God are diligently to labour after this heavenly frame of heart To be in doubts and fears about thy condition is to live in the jaws of hell and to be presuming or carnally confident of thy graces is the next door to a sad and miserable downfall Secondly It is not enough to acknowledge the grace of God in the general but so to set up grace as to give all to it The Apostle maketh an immediate opposition between grace and workes Rom. 11. 6. there cannot be a reconciling of grace and workes together This hath been often attempted but as unhappily as the building up the walls of Jericho again The Pelagian Arminian the Socinian and Papist all these doe acknowledge grace but when we come to the root of the matter it 's nothing at last but the free-will and workes of a man It is his good use of grace that doth determine and make all things effectual not grace it self And this is the rather to be noted because Stapleton would antidote against Calvin's poison as he speaketh from this Text. For whereas Calvin taking notice of the Apostles glorying in the testimony of his conscience concernin his sincerity doth shew that Paul hereby doth not oppose that command Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord because Paul giveth all to the grace of God and resteth alone upon that From this Stapleton would excuse the Papists also because they acknowledge all good workes to come from grace Their merits are founded onely upon Christs merits Even as it doth not derogate from the power of God that he useth second causes in natural things because they are subordinate to him both in their being and operation but it doth illustrate as his bounty so his power the more to make other things powerfull Thus saith he it is not injurious to the grace and merits of Christ if we attribute merit to our workes seeing this cometh onely from Christ but it argueth his fullnesse and rich grace the more that communicateth of it to us So that saith he to put trust in the workes of grace as the proxim and immediate cause but in the grace of God as the chiefe and universal cause is no derogation to the honour and glory of Christ But that of the Apostle must be alwayes remembred If of grace then not of workes otherwise grace is no more grace It is not grace unlesse it be grace every way And therefore to make our workes the second causes to trust in though it be not so high a wickednesse as to exclude Christ throughly yet it doth in part and therefore as in the matter of worship we admit of no primary and secondary worship no more than a primary and secondary God So it is in matter of trusting we must depend only upon Christ not but that holinesse and godly works are necessarily required but not as causes under any subtil distinctions whatsoever These two things premised let us now consider What is that grace which the Apostle doth here exalt against all fleshly wisdome And First As the ground-work of all there is to be understood That grace of God whereby he was called out of that pharisaical estate and condition of enmity against Christ to be a faithfull and ready servant to him This wonderfull grace of God to him doth often melt the heart of Paul he speaketh of it with aggravating particulars as much as may be Thus Galat. 1 15. When it pleased God who called me by his grace to reveale his Sonne in me c. And therefore 1 Tim. 1. 15 16. he acknowledged himself an instance Because the chiefest of sinners of the long-suffering of Christ In Paul's conversion there were no preparations no merits of congruity there was no docible and fitted dispositions Insomuch that the adversaries to Gods grace do acknowledge Paul's conversion to be an extraordinary thing In the midst of his persecuting sury when God might have struck him dead with thunder and lightnings from Heaven and so send him quick as it were to Hell God did visit him with his grace and give him another heart to his own amazement and of all those who heard of it So if you look upon Paul in a single capacity as a private person in the whole course of his life he giveth all to the grace of God Secondly The grace of God which Paul doth also greatly exalt is In the setting of him apart to be an Apostle and an eminent Officer in the Church of God This crooked and rough timber that was onely fit for the fire God doth not onely polish and smooth by grace but advanceth it to be an eminent part in the building notwithstanding all Paul's former unworthinesse God doth not onely by his grace call him but maketh him an honourable vessel in his house This our Apostle doth likewise with great enlargement in many places take great notice of See how emphatically is he affected with this grace of God towards him Ephesians 3. 7 8. Whereof I was made a Minister according to the gift of
the grace of God given unto me unto me who am lesse than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ Doe not these words proclaime how greatly his heart is affected with the grace of God in setting him apart to be an Officer in his Church and to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles Thus the grace of Conversion and the grace of Apostleship are a two-fold obligation upon Paul for ever to keep him humble and lowly in his own eyes Thirdly The grace of God exalted by Paul is seen In the inabling of him in his ministerial worke and going along with him in an effectual manner That whereas he had so many adversaries the false Apostles who gloried in humane wisdome and all external enticements of the flesh of man yet for all that that his seeming folly should conquer their towering wisdome that his contemptiblenesse should surmount their eminency This argued that it was not Paul but the grace of God with him that was thus effectuall Even as it was not little David in his own power but in the name of the Lord that did destroy that vaunting Goliah Now as there were many choice ingredients that did make up that precious ointment which was to be poured on the head of the Highpriest So there are also many choice and gracious qualifications with the Concomitants thereof required in those who are Pastours over people especially in the Apostles who were Pastours over Pastours as well as people As First It was the gracious worke of God To make Paul to be sincere and to walke in all plainnesse and integrity of heart whereas we see many in the broaching of their false wayes are filled with great deceit and subtilty The Apostle chargeth upon such who deliver false Doctrines Ephes 4. 14. By cunning craftinesse and sleight of men they lie in wait to deceive Those that are false Prophets in the Church of God they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A strange slighty jugling and even bewitching of men but it is from the grace of God that those who are his true Ministers are sincere and upright They have an agreement betweene their heart and tongue It was the speech of one reading Lectures in the Popish Schooles Sic dico quando sum in Scholis sed penes nos sit aliter sentio I speake thus when I am in the Schooles but to tell you a secret I thinke otherwise It was also a boast of another Fredericus Staphylus That he had so many yeares beene a professour of Divinity in the Schooles and yet no hearer was able to tell what judgement he was of Gerhardi Cathol Confessio lib. 1. par 2. cap. 19. Now this craft and dissimulation in the old Dragon and his seed is no wonder but the Ministers of Christ as they believe with their heart so they make confession with their mouths and dare not but reveale the whole counsel of God It was horrible impudence in Melanthus the Grecian who having got a Kingdome by fraud and deceit did in honour thereof as if it were pleasing to their gods appoint Festivals calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as coustning and deceiving inculcating that of the Poet Dolus an virtus quis in hoste requirat Capel Histor An. Mund. 2872. Certainly the Church of Rome and many other Hereticks have gone by no better Rule counting gaine godlinesse counting lying and dissembling godlinesse when they conceived that it made for their end As if they were of that Kings mind Darius Hystaspes that to lie and speake truth were all one For he that spake truth did so to obtain his desires and so he that lied did no more and therefore both truth and a lie were all one Vide Laurent Vul. Jisuit cap. 1. pag. 30. But oh how abominable is this and contrary to the Spirit of Christ The grace of God in such who are his faithfull Ministers maketh them not to turn into such false and crooked wayes though the preaching of the truths of Christ bringeth much hatred and opposition though they know they are unwelcome and despised and that for their very message sake yet they consult not with fleshly wisdome but doe the work of God zealously and with much faithfulnesse And truly the Ministers of God are much to pray for this grace of God upon them that they may be above all humane feats all sinfull compliances and be afraid of nothing but that they should sinne and not preach the Gospel with that boldnesse as they ought to do That great commendation which the spies gave Christ upon a wicked designe is to be endeavoured after by every faithfull Minister of Christ Luke 20. 20. Master we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly neither acceptest thou the person of any but teachest the way of God truly So that you see this sincerity in the Ministers of God is the special effect of Gods grace towards them And therefore let us make an Use of Admonition to all such as desire to serve God in the way of the Ministry that above all things they would pray to God for this grace To have thy ministerial conversation with much wisdome and learning with great applause and glory in the world is nothing so advantagious as this integrity of spirit This is above parts above gifts above books and all learning It is said of Barnabas Act. 11. 24. He was a good man full of the holy Ghost and of faith and much people was added to the Lord This followed as a blessed effect upon the former If we Ministers had more mighty workings of Gods Spirit in us we should find more mighty workings of his Spirit with us SERM. XCVI Wherein the Grace of God appeared towards Paul in his Ministerial Labours 2 COR. 1. 12. But by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world WE are enumerating the particulars of that grace which the Apostle doth especially acknowledge in his ministerial course We proceed therefore and First The faithfulnesse of Paul to his Apostolical trust fixing his heart upon that and using no other meanes then what are proportionable and commensurate to such a noble end was wholly of the grace of God towards him It is required of Stewards that they be found faithfull saith this Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 2. and with this grace God had honoured him Insomuch that we do not find in Paul any halting any carnal compliance which might contradict the holy end of his Apostolical Office Those are two noble expressions 2 Corinth 10. 8. Our authority the Lord hath given us for edification and not for destruction The other is 2 Cor. 13. 8. For we can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth In these Texts we have expressed the end of all ministerial power it is for edification And therefore if any
and glory not his own that he aimed at His patience also was no lesse remarkable when he could quietly go through all the reproaches and calumnies that the false Apostles did charge upon him especially his patience was even miraculous in those sufferings he was exercised with for the Gospels sake He that informed others they had need of patience how much more had he being put to so many combates as he was Yet under all this he fainted not he forsook not Christ and his cause yea he rejoyced in his sufferings and looked upon them as so many marks of honour 2 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 27 28. you have a long Catalogue of the manifold bitter trials he was put upon yet he was gold in this fire he was wheat in this winnowing he doth not complain of the cause of Christ he had espoused as Zipporah to Moses Thou art a bloody husband yea in all these things He is more than a conquerour as Rom. 8. 37. For the greatest Conquerours do for the most part receive some losse but these tribulations were so farre from making him a loser that he was thereby a gainer The grace of God was wonderfully in Paul to make him so zealous for the Churches of Christ as he was he learned of Christ himself to have the zeal of the Lords house to eat him up 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is offended and I burn not There was nothing in the Church of God that fell out which might be a stumbling block to any believer which might any wayes tend to make such an one fall but his heart was affected therein as if it had been his own cause Therefore in the fore-mentioned Chapter 2 Cor. 11 28. he acknowledgeth the care of all the Churches to be upon him and this made him so compassionately sympathizing with every member thereof Thus Paul is like a spiritual Atlas bearing up the Churches of God not that he owneth himself in this any further than to acknowledge the grace of God thereby to him Now this zeal did necessarily imply publick affections whereby Paul was inlarged in his soul towards the glory of God and the good of others which heavenly constitution doth necessarily suppose the grace of God Man naturally making himself the utmost end of all his actions and his own self-love like Phaeaoh's lean kine doth devour and swallow up all that is before it Is not that passage of his publick affection matter of amazement Rom. 9. 2 3. where he professeth his great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart for the Israelites Yea this did so farre possesse him that he saith I could wish my self acoursed from Christ for their sake Such an high expression that it hath troubled Interpreteâ—s how to explain it and make it lawfull as if in publick affections as well as private that were true Difficile est amare sapere It is hard to love and to be wise also Now this is a blessed effect of Gods grace upon the hearts of those who preach the Gospel when they preferre Jerusalem above all their joy when they preach not to live upon the Gospel and to be maintained by the Gospel but rather use these as steps whereby they may ascend higher That as the body is for the soul not the soul for the body so they make personal accommodations for the publick not publick for the personal Lastly That I may not weary you out the courage and spiritual fortitude that Paul did upon all occasions demonstrate doth plainly demonstrate the grace of God towards him The ministerial Office is compared to a souldiers imployment 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. where Timothy is commanded to endure hardnesse as a souldier of Christ And because he is set apart for this spiritual warfare therefore he must not entangle himself with the affaires of this life and herein Paul did shew himself an excellent pattern Was not he an excellent souldier when Phil. 4. 11 12. he had learned in whatsoever estate to be content he knew how to abound and how to want every where and in all things He must needs have spiritual fortitude that could thus endure hot and cold No wonder then if at the close of his life he hath this comfortable testimony from his conscience That he had fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4. 7. This is that which maketh the ministerial work so difficult we are to conflict with the lusts of men we are to demolish the Kingdome of Satan all our work if faithfully discharged breedeth nothing but the malice and opposition of ungodly men And that this is wholly the gift of God appeareth 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind of power that subdueth all worldly fear and man-pleasing yet lest this power should make us too harsh and austere there is love to mollifie and sweeten it For Dilige loquere quod vis said Austin Love and then reprove as much as you will But lest love should make us foolish and too indulgent there is added a sound mind as salt to season this Sacrifice These are the qualifications of a Minister but who giveth these From whence doth this good and perfect gift come Even from the Father of lights Jam. 1. 17. Fifthly The grace of God proclaimed by Paul was In the heavenly wisdome that he did use in the managing of his Office For although he disclaimeth fleshly wisdome yet he attributeth to himself true heavenly wisdome he considered his auditours what they were able to beare he did not put new wine into old bottles he had serpentine wisdome though Dove-like innocency Wisdome and discretion is the eye in the body of all our holy actions Zeal without knowledge maketh a man like Samson when his eyes are pulled out though he pull down the house upon the Philistims yet he himself is also destroyed thereby 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. I could not speake unto you as spiritual but as carnal I fed you with milk and not with meat Argus was not fuller of eyes then a Minister is to be of wisdome and circumspection to know the dispositions capacities and temptations of the people to whom he preacheth But above all the Ministers wisdome is seen in laying a good and sure foundation This grace of God to him Paul doth acknowledge 1 Cor. 3. 10. According to the grace of God given to me as a wise master-builder I have laid a foundation For if we be not in justification built upon Christ and in practice carried beyond morality yea and religious duties to a principle of regeneration within All other building though never so glorious and applauded in the world is but like an house built upon the sand whose fall will be great when tempests shall arise It was from this wisdome that Paul said I became all things to all men that I might save some 1 Cor. 9. 22. Not in that sense as the Jesuite is said to become
to the course of the world not according to the lusts of men but as Christ hath commanded so we live and then partly because by Christs blood we do obtain this life he hath redeemed us from our former evil wayes he hath purchased a liberty for us and then partly because our life is terminated in Christ and we doe objectively propound him in all our wayes as Paul saith Galat. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christ is the principle or authour Christ is the means and way Christ is the finisher and end of this life In the next place let us consider What goeth to make a mans conversation godly that we may say it is not some sudden motions or transitory workings but his conversation that is according to the Gospel For if some particular good actions at some times were enough to make a man godly then the way to Heaven would be no longer a narrow but a broad way Now in this description you must not expect a metaphysical or punctual decision of how many actions goe to make a mans conversation So that if he come up to such a number yet if he want one more then it cannot be called his conversation but we must understand it morally and in a large sense Briefly therefore to a mans conversation there is required as the foundation of all First A principle of regeneration to be made a new creature There must be spiritual life before there can be spiritual motions and actions So that if men are brought sometimes to what is holy by external motives because they have godly parents godly Magistrates godly Governonrs as Joash all the while Jehoiada the Priest and his Uncle lived This cannot be called a mans conversation there is not a new nature within but outward motives prevail with him and thereupon as they ebb or flow so is there a variation and change in his practices Secondly There must be a predominancy in his heart and affections to what is holy Christ must be his treasure he must love him more than any thing in the world then father or mother or life it self For if the soul be not thus principally fixed on him when that which is dearer and more loved doth suggest it self then they leave Christ This is plainly seene Matth. 13. in those hearers who believed for a while and brought forth some fruit but then when persecutions did arise they fell off then these seeming vines became thorns Thirdly There must be an actual improvement of those habitual principles of grace that are within For though a man have never so much grace within yet if it be not improved by outward exercise we cannot call it a godly conversation and therefore it is a vain thing for men to appeale to the goodnesse of their heart and their good meanings for the conversation is more to be believed than all these There must then be these streames as well as the fountain we must shew our faith as you heard by a godly conversation so that this relateth most to the exercise of grace though it presuppose the fountain and root within Lastly To our conversation There are required pure and heavenly motives that we do holy duties for holinesse sake That we follow Christ for Christs sake not for loaves The old Rule is A quatenus ad omne valet consequentia He that doth a godly duty because godly will do all godly duties As the fire because it burneth naturally it burneth in one countrey as well as another Thus a Christian because carried out purely and naturally as it were to the things of God doth own them every where in all places in all companies That which is godlinesse at one place and in one company is godlinesse in another Onely we must necessarily take along one Caution lest we condemn all the generation of the godly for hypocrites A mans conversation is godly though in many things he faileth by common infirmities though in all things he cometh short of that perfection which is required of him Yea though for a season through prevailing temptations he fall into and lie in some grievous sinnes David's conversation may be called godly he was a man after Gods own heart And Peter's conversation may be godly though he had such a foul fall So that infirmities yea sometimes grosse sinnes fallen into through urging temptations cannot be said to make a mans conversation wicked when the general inclination of the soul is set for that which is good It is true he that doth customarily and habitually sinne he is not borne of God neither can a regenerate man sinne so as the Apostle speaketh 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Every swoon or fainting is not death yet such having the seed of grace within will as Trees that seemed to be dead all winter because there is life in the root at last revive and flourish when the spring of Gods grace shall draw it forth This is necessary lest the Doctrine of a godly conversation seem onely an Idaea like Tullies Oratour and that it cannot be found any where in the world In the last place let us see what profitable Uses may be drawn from this truth And First Of Instruction who are to informe themselves their conversation is not holy notwithstanding some good things may sometimes be found in their lives And 1. Such who in fear of death onely and in times of sad dangers doe call upon the Lord and cry out of their sinnes Is this your conversation Doe ye ever thus but in some times of exigency It is greatly disputed Whether a death-bed repentance can ever be sincere The Socinians are too rigid denying the salvation of such persons because they have no time to shew forth good works in their conversation But as this may be too rigid so on the other side Austin and others put it greatly to the doubt Non dico damnabitur sed nec dico salvabitur then is the conversation holy when in all conditions rich or poor sick or well living or dying thou doest diligently seek the face of God 2. Such cannot plead for an holy conversation in the world Who are onely such in some companies and in some places Many of the Nations became Iewes for fear of them Thus if thou because the company thou art with is religious or in the place where thou livest godlinesse is owned with credit then thou wilt also doe as they doe talke as they talk This is not thy conversation Paul was godly in all the places of the world even at Rome and where he was in the greatest danger Lot was righteous in wicked Sodome It is not with a godly man as they say of some Trees in one Countrey they bring pleasant and wholsome fruit but if transplanted into another soil poisonous and destructive So he in some places speaketh for godlinesse and in other places to laugh and deride it This is not thy conversation 3. Neither
passage of Paul's life so that it behoved him as to walk with more circumspection so also to expresse his hearty love towards them seeing they were in such a weak and uncertain condition Even as Aristotle observeth The affections of parents are most carried to those who are the weakest and most infirme And thus much for explication From the words we observe That the more evidences and demonstrations a people have had of Gods presence with the Ministry the more inexcusable will they be if they do not profit thereby The longer you have enjoyed the meanes of grace and the more powerfully God hath manifested his presence therein If still thou persist in thy rebellion and opposition to God the greater will thy condemnation be The Apostle doth much presse this upon the Corinthians as a special means to preserve them from revolting 2 Corinth 13. Since ye seeke a proofe of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weake but mighty in you and thereupon biddeth them Examine themselves whether they be in the faith or whether Christ be in them or not And if so they must needs acknowledge this to be the fruit of his Ministry Oh it is an high aggravation of a mans wilfulnesse to sinne when he cannot but be convinced that the Minister doth his duty he dischargeth his Office he hath informed me fully of my dangerous estate yet for all that he will go on in disobedience We read of the Apostles pressing this likewise 1 Corinth 4. 15. with much earnestnesse Though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ yet have ye not many fathers He was the first that through the grace of God begot them a new from their former impieties So that the more good a people have received by a Minister the more they stand obliged still to follow his Doctrine Our Apostle dealeth in this Argument also with the Galatians Chap. 3. 2 3 4. This would I learne of you received ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith He appealeth to what they had found experimentally by the preaching of the Gospel upon their owne soules and would they who had thus begunne in the spirit end in the flesh Our Saviour also telleth the Iewes concerning John They did once rejoyce in his light for a season John 5. 35. At the first while his preaching and life was new before he came throughly to convince them of their hypocrisie and wickednesse and then when they saw his preaching was against them and that he was not a man for their carnal interest they who once rejoyced in him afterwards reproached him and said He had a Devil But let us amplifie this point in several particulars First The longer time a people have enjoyed a faithfull Ministry the more inexcusable will they be if they answer not Gods expectation A great part of the world sitteth in darknesse and have nothing of this spiritual light arising upon them They have had no Prophet amongst them to warne and admonish every man to forsake his evil way If therefore God hath fixed Pastours and Teachers amongst us who continually informe us of our duties How great will our condemnation be if we shut our eyes against light Though thou doest not account the yeares yet God doth he taketh notice of the precise time that he hath been calling and inviting of thee to come in and submit unto him We see this notably in that Parable Luke 13. 7. Then said the Master to his Vine-dresser Behold these three yeares I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and finde none It is but three yeares and yet this is accounted a great matter their unprofitablenesse though they had but three yeares trial was so hainous that there is a command to cut down the tree as that which cumbreth the ground What cause then hast thou to fear lest such a sentence passe upon thee who hast not onely for three yeares but many threes been dressed and pruned and yet continuest barren How should you number every Lords-day How should you account and set downe every Sermon For though you let them passe yet God will not Thus we have God complaining concerning the people of Israel mentioning the exact time they had been froward and rebellious against him under his gracious dispensations Psal 95. 10. which is also also alledged by the Apostle Hebr. 3. 9 17. They saw Gods workes fourty years in the wildernesse What a long time was here to convince them to humble them under all these wonderfull workes which God did before their eyes yet God complaineth that these fourty yeares they did only grieve God by their sinnes and provocations And is not this the sad case of too many May not God say fourty yea fifty and threescore years Ye have grieved him every Sabbath-day because not reformed or changed by the Word Remember this therefore the longer that the Ministers of God have continued with you the more is all excuse taken off from you if ye repent not Secondly The more faithfull and diligent the Ministers of God have been by publick preaching and otherwayes to convert you from all your evil doings the greater will your account be if ye be negligent about your soules Indeed people may have a Ministry but because a lazy corrupt one because a superstitious or prophane one men are encouraged more thereby in their wickednesse And although this will not free a people they shall not think to escape by laying the fault upon their blinde guides for rather than their bodies should starve they would break thorow stony walls and goe farre before they would be famished So if people were sensible of their soules undoing by such a Ministry if they lived where the famine of the Word is they would wander from sea to sea and from the North even to the East to look the word of God as you have it Amos Chap. 8. 12. Though I say the people will not be acquitted they shall die and be damned in their sinnes yet God will require their blood of such Idol-shepherds Ezek. 33. 8 9. But as it followeth there If they be faithfull shepherds if they doe warne every wicked man and yet they will goe on in their evil way then such faithfull Ministers have delivered their owne soules and the peoples blood will lie upon their owne head The more paines then and the greater labour that the Ministers of God have taken to reduce men from their evil wayes and yet thou continuest unreformed the greater will thy confusion be Their study their Sermons their prayers their sweat their wearinesse will all witnesse against thee at that day We may see this notably fulfilled in Christ himself that great shepherd of our souls Matth. 11. 20. It is there said Then began he to upbraid those Cities wherein most of his mighty workes were done because they repented not Woe to thee Corazin woe to thee Bethsaida c. And thou Capernaum which art exalted
concerning me We may very well take in both together for the latter doth necessarily suppose the former they could not continue in their acknowledgement of his integrity unlesse Paul also did persist in his uprightnesse Now in that Paul saith He trusteth viz. in God that he shall be thus preserved you see the humble and holy frame of his heart he doth not put confidence in his own strength in his own gifts and graces but alone in God which might teach us That though never so godly yet we are to depend upon God alone for our perseverance in the way to Heaven But we have already spoken to this in the general That it 's the property of the godly to acknowledge the grace of God towards them in all things We shall therefore pitch upon another which floweth from both the interpretations joyned together viz. That hopefull beginnings in the wayes of Religion are not enough without a faithfull perseverance therein It is not enough for a man that runneth a race to set out at first with all speed and swiftnesse unlesse also he hold out to the end Neither doth it avail a Traveller to get up betimes and to beginne his journey with all haste if afterwards he loiter or come back again Now this falleth out too often very sadly in our course of Christianity many that were once first are now last Yea are now nothing at all but turned clear out of the narrow way into the broad way that leadeth to Hell and destruction Thus the Apostle upbraideth the Galatians Galat. 3. 3. For ginning in the Spirit and ending in â—he flesh are you so foolish saith he It is the greatest folly that can be For hereby all our former zeal all our by-past activity for God is forgotten all is in vain Have ye suffered so many things in vain as it followeth in the next verse And again it is extreame folly because we part with God for sinne with Heaven for Hell with honey for gall we lose our sweetnesse and fatnesse to become briars and brambles that are fit for nothing but to be burnt To enlarge this consider First That a man who doth first set upon the way of Religion who will become a Disciple of Christ must above all things look to his foundation well He must have a special care that he layeth a good beginning otherwise though he may make a glorious shew for a while his fall at last will be very great and terrible Therefore our Saviour knowing the hypocrisie and inconstancy of mans heart doth much presse this point and that to such hearers who did shew exceeding great zeal and forwardnesse in following after him witnesse the Parable of the several kinds of grounds that received the good seed Matth. 13. and Luke 8. The difference between the good and bad lay in this that one had a good and honest heart wherein the word of God had deep rooting The other had onely a superficial worke and therefore when hardship came could not endure So likewise the Parable of the foolish and wise builders Luke 6. 47. is expresly to this purpose that none should please themselves in hearing of the Word in publick duties and profession but look to their foundation to observe what all their duties and expressions are built upon For what is built only upon a Rock will endure when stormes and tempests shall arise It is necessary to instance in some of those particulars that will thus qualifie our beginnings For as in diseases yea and in sinnes the Rule is To looke to the beginnings So in another sense it is good counsel to observe what was the first beginning that ever brought you into the wayes of God How came you to leave off what was formerly done by you and to appear in a contrary way For in some sense we may say here not dimidium but principium est plus toto And First We are to look to our motives whether they were temporal external upon some outward advantages or whether holy and spiritual Christ had many followers because of the loaves There are many that know Christ after the flesh that come with the petition of Zebedee's children Grant that we may sit in thy Kingdome one on the right hand and another on the left thinking Christs Kingdome would be outward and glorious Now such as these will never continue It is but painting and near the fire it will melt It is but the morning-dew when the Sunne ariseth it will vanish away Oh then above all things look to thy motives Consider what it was that brought thee off from thy former wayes Was it from beholding a spiritual excellency in Christ and holy things Was it for godlinesse sake Then because Christ is the same and godlinesse is the same thou wilt also be the same but if to get the favour of men to get wealth to obtaine paces of credit and profit then thou art but a meteor compounded of terrestrial materials and so wilt be tossed up and down as any winde driveth thee A second thing necessary to look to in thy beginnings is to see That the workings of Gods Spirit make impressions deep enough that it have full rooting For Matth. 13. and in many other places we read of many common gifts of Gods Spirit bestowed upon men whereby they may make very hopefull beginnings they may be furnished with excellent gifts and abilities so as to be able to work miracles they may taste of the good word of God they may be enlightned they may believe they may receive the Word with joy and are not these great and rare things How few are there that attain to thus much They have not that common illumination nor those transitory affections whereby we may say they do for a season rejoyce in the light When therefore we begin to take the first step to Heaven we are to consider whether we have any more than the common breathings and inspirations of Gods Spirit whether we have more than gifts or abilities more than some bodily ravishments or extasies For all these do not necessarily inferre the new creature oâ— a divine nature within us Indeed we could not have these things without the assistance of Gods Spirit and therefore when carnal and natural men are partakers of these they admire them they take these for grace they never had such workings upon their souls before there is a vast difference in themselves as they find between what they were once and what they now feel and this maketh them very secure and confident but because a good foundation was not at first laid therefore many of such a frame of spirit going no further do greatly apostatize and are more taken with their opinions experiences and apprehensions than Christ dwelling in them they are affected with them and not renouncing all go out of every thing that Christ may be exalted and they debased Thirdly And I will instance in no more It behoveth those who are
the admirable gifts and efficacious parts of a Ministry but the powerfull grace of God alone is that which doth open the doors of mens hearts Not any tractableness in people therefore the Socinian and Arminian Doctrine is with indignation to be excluded who speak of a probitas naturalis and ingenium docile a natural teachableness in some persons which doth prepare them for the Gospel and that is the reason why some are converted by the word and not others yea they are not afraid to offer violence to that Text which doth so evidently witness against them Act. 13. 48. As many as were ordained to eternal life believed The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they would wrest to signifie some inward Disposition and Qualification men that had fitted themselves But certainly If God so often tell the Israelites that he gave them not that rich Land of Canaan because of their Righteousness or for that they were better than others can we think Heaven and Salvation which was typified by that Canaan shall be obtained by our own worth Nay experience telleth us that sometimes the most prophane have received the Gospel when others more civilized and moralized have been great enemies to it If any have Humility and Meckness which is necessary for the success of the Gospel in his heart that is the gift of God it floweth not from nature Neither Secondly is it any thing in the excellent gifts of any men though they could preach with the tongue of Angels Though the Apostles were designed by Christ to be leaven to leaven the whole World to be salt to season all people yet too many here as the favour of death and some were the more enraged and made more obstinate in fin by how much the more affectionate he was to do them good Yet the Ministry though of it self it cannot roll away this stone or open this door of mens hearts is not therefore useless God hath appointed to convert by it We must not out of Pride refuse to wash in this Jordan as Naaman at first did thinking other waters as good I mean to think that stayiug at home and reading of good Books is as profitable because this is to neglect the instituted means by God and it is just that it thou do not seek God where he is to be found that thou shalt never finde him there where thou seekest him Though this be so yet it is God that openeth the door of mens hearts Paul said An effectual door was opened in a passive fear he doth not say I have opened it Hence Christ speaketh from heaven to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 7 8. I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it When Christ will open the hearts of people as he did Lydia's all the rage and violence of the Devil cannot hinder it How many men are wrought upon that of all in the world you would not have exspected it who would have thought such bears should be turned into sheep Thus God sometimes continueth a Ministry to a people which doth a world of good when there are many persecutors many enemies men that have used all their fraud and power to remove it and could not any more stirr it then they could mountains While God hath converting or saving work to do by a Minister though it be but for one soul though all the rest should maliciously conspire against him yet they do imagine things in vain Observe that I place already mentioned 1 Cor. 16. 9. An effectual door was opened and their were many Adversaries There was a large door opened for all that It is true we have that Expression even in the same Chapter Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any man open unto me c. But that place onely implyeth our duty what we are bound to do not our ability He that knocketh must also open the door although the will is not forced in this but God hath insuperable power over it whereby he can make it of unwilling willing 3. It may fall out sometimes that God calleth a man to preach to a people concerning whom their is none or little hope of doing any good Now such who are thus called must continue in their slation obeying the will of God though they see they labour in vain This was Isayes case Ch. 6. when he is commanded by his preaching to make the eyes of the people blinde their hearts heavy It was also Ezekiels case Cha. 3. 7. But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee for they will not hearken unto me for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard hearted so Cha. 2. 7. Thou shalt speak my words to them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear Thus a Minister lawfully called to a people must not presently think of departing from them because of the little hope that he hath to do good but must patiently and constantly wait upon the Lord in his way The case of a Ministers removeal from a people is of great difficulty and tenderness The causes of his departure may be either Internal which God onely knoweth as Whether it be a pure Zeal to Gods glory or some carnal and sinister respect or External and those externally may be either by some powerfull and cogent Providence of God as some think in the Plague or personal Persecution of the Minister or by the command of Superiours or for want of Maintenance or where he cannot have his health or hy a voluntary dismission of the people or Lastly when there is a manifest Opposition generally against the Ministry so that the madness and malice of the people force him away Thus our Saviour commandeth Matth. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not reteive you when ye depart out of that city shake off the dust of the feet Thereby to signifie say some so God would at last cast off such a people with as much abhorrency as we do the dust of our feet or else thereby to declare that all the labour and pains they had been at should one day give in Testimony against them Thus we read Act. 13. 21. Paul and Barnabas shook off the dust off their feet against the persecuting and unbelieving Jews And Verse 46. Paul speaketh boldly to them Seeing ye put the word of God from you and judg your selves unworthy of Eternall life lo we turn to the Gentiles Thus You see there may be weighty Causes of a Ministers Removeal For they are two rigid who think the Union between Pastor and people is indissoluble like that of marriage Yet among all the Causes nothing is so clear as when a when a people by their wickedness and Opposition do persecute and drive him away or when they are too refractory to the Orders of Christ that he cannot with a good conscience exercise all Ministerial duties amongst them But though this be so The frowardness and unprofitableness of a people must not
immediately make them take up such Resolutions they must shew much Constancy and self-denial using all means to recover them For seeing it is God that giveth the encrease though we plant and water and his time is unknown to us it may fall out that a people who give no hope for the present may afterwards appear more curable and the seed that is now sown thou for the present it may seem buried yet afterwards it may grow up Therefore we are to imitate God himself who useth much Patience and Forbearance even to the vilest men thereby to allure them to Repentance This counsel also Pasl giveth Timothy as a Minister of the Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Though then hopes of doing good to a people is a great Encouragement to co continue with them yet a people that appear incurable for the present are not to be immediately abandoned because the times of success are in Gods hand and sometimes Persecutors are at last made Lovers and imbracers of the truth Besides we see the Prophet quieting his heart with this though he had no success in his Ministry that he had his reward with God Isay 49. 5. Though Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of God Such as are despised and contemned in the eyes of men shall be glorious in the eyes of God 4. This confidence and hope of doing good must not depend upon a mans own apprehensions but must be guided by the word of God So deceitfull and corrupt is the heart of a man that many times it flattereth it self and when a man seeketh his own advantage yet he may perswade himself that it is confidence and hope of doing good Therefore to know when their is more hope of doing good in one place than in another must not be decided by selfish and private desires but by general Rules fetched out of Gods Word and indeed because all success of Ministerial Labours lyeth wholly upon the good Grace of God and the Word is blessed sometimes to one people not so likely and at another time not to a people more likely Therefore the will of God is very difficultly discovered in such cases which sheweth with how much sincerity and fervency God is to be sought unto at such times Now the Reasons are palpable Why Confidence in a Minister to do good to a people should be a matter not onely of continuance but of studying and diligent improving all his Ministerial Labours with the greater joy First Because the End of his Ministry is hereby accomplished When the Disciples had fished all the day and caught nothing they were disheartened but when Christ bid them throw the net in again and they brought up a multitude this made them rejoyce even to amazement If the Husbandman is at much cost and pains about his ground and that bring forth nothing but bryars and thornes Is not that a disheartening If a Physician see that no Potions no Medicines he giveth ever do any good will not that make him weary of his imployment How much more if a Minister labour in vain Preach in vain Admonish in vain and still people grow more ohdurate in their sinnes Doth not this teach them with Jonah even to run from their work Secondly There is great matter of rejoycing where this hope is because Success in the Ministry is above all Successes Herein the Souls of men are concerned In this is contained our everlasting Happiness Oh that men should be no more sollicitous in this than they are How few do examine what fruit the Word preached hath upon them whether it be a sustaining Word or an hardening Whether it be the savour of life or the savour of death That Ark which brought so much blessing to Obedmelech and his Family to the Philistines was cause of grievous Plagues And thus the same Sermons that are life to one may be darkness to others that are light to one may be darkness to another If then the Minister shall see his work like to prosper in the end it is sent for here is greater cause to rejoyce then in any outward blessing whatsoever for this is of everlasting consequence Let the Use be of Exhortation to you to be a people of good Confidence that our Ministeriall Labours shall not be in vain That we do not in vain preach to you or pray for you Can there be a greater grief to the Minister yea and provocation of God than to be like that ground the Scripture speaketh of Heb. 6. 8 Which drinking in rain often yet bringing forth nothing but bryars and thornes is rejected and whose end is to be burned And is not this the sad case of most of those trees that stand in the Lords Garden Do not many grow more ignorant more prophane more hardened Oh what hope can a Minister have about such a man May we not see sad symptomes of Gods wrath upon your soules many such desperate Patients have the spiritual Physicians of mens soules to deal with But take heed of shewing thy self an hopeless man to a faithfull Minister one to whom no admonition no reproof will ever do good For First Those sighs and troubles that thou put test such spiritual Guides unto are in a speciall manner taken notice of by God It is true we see Jeremiah so grieved and offended sometimes at the wicked carriage of the people he prophesied unto that he prayeth against his persecutors yea God commanded him saying Pray not for this people for their good Jerem. 14. 11. But we have not an extraordinary Spirit neither dare we pray against any hopeless people yet remember all their â—ighs all their grief will one day witness against thee Certainly if the ears of God be open to the Curses of an hired Man whose wages are kept from him how much more will God hear the sad complaints of those Ministers who are faithfull poured out because of a peoples rebellion and incurableness 2. Consider this That your discouraging them by your evil wayes maketh them the more unfit and heartless in their studies and Labours Why doth rain fall on the rock say they Why do we wash blackamoors and so some expound that place Heb. 13. 17. That they may give their account with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you in this sense by grieving and disheartening of them they cannot be so active in their Ministry they will grow more heartless therein and that will be your damage Oh it s a terrible thing when this heaviness and dulness of a Minister ariseth from the discouragements he hath from the wicked lives of a people and therefore Calvin upon that place speaketh excellently That people should take notice of God punishing them for their ingratitude When their Ministers abate in zealous and lively watching over their soules we are apt many times to
be thus diligent in thy wayes What is it that is set most upon thy heart all the day long For although we cannot continually have actual thoughts upon our chief end yet we are to have an habitual and virtual inclination from whence all is to come that we do Even as a perfect Grammarian speaketh alwayes true Latine from the habit within him though happily he doth not actually think upon every rule in his Grammar In the next place we told you This acting and working for God in our whole life and callings is more eminently to be fulfilled in the Ministers of the Gospel The name of a Bishop is a name of labour and not honour The Ministry is Negotiorum negotium the work of all works which made Paul say Who is sufficient for these things 2 Cor. 2. 16. All the title and names they have denote diligence labour sollicitude and constant perseverance in the work of the Lord against all the cruel oppositions that the Devil and wicked men do raise against them Hence Timothy is commanded To endure hardship as a good souldier of Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. and that he may discharge this faithfully He must not entangle himself in the affairs of the world All which sheweth that in a peculiar manner they are by their Ministry to dispossess Satan of his Kingdom They are clouds to refresh the dry ground and to make it fruitfull They are salt to season those who are corrupted by sinne But you may say What qualification is requisite that both private Christians and Ministers may lay themselves wholly out in their respective wayes for God For though Paul instance here only of his own travails yet the end of this is general and belongs not onely to all Ministers but all Christians We are to do in our way what Paul did in his way We may in the Apostles consider some things as commanded them in their proper personal capacity Some things again as Ministers which belong to all Officers in the Church Some things again as commanded them under the notion of believers and what they do in such a capacity we all are to imitate them in It was not the Apostles duties only to watch and pray to take heed their hearts be not overcharged with the cares of this world to strive to enter in at the streight gate but it is every believers duty we have all the same end though not the same way What Paul aimed at by preaching by travailing from one Countrey to another the very same thing art thou to aim at in thy buying and selling in thy trading from one place to another Now amongst the several qualifications to inable us thereunto there is required 1. A renewed Nature We must be made new creatures else the first stone is not yet laid in this foundation Paul never was busie in this spiritual merchandizing for God till he was converted while some men have their lusts their god others their god others the world their god others honour and greatness their god They cannot but toil and moil go farre and near only to satisfie these spiritual Idols that they worship in their hearts Oh but when God shall make this iron to swim shall convert this earth into fire then he beginneth to improve that first Commandment and to do all things in pursuance thereof even to have no other gods but God alone 2. There is required a publick Affection whereby we preferre Gods glory and the spiritual good of others above all our particular concernments If Paul could even desire to be an Anathema for Israel's spiritual good Rom. 9. 3. How much more then would he readily part with riches honour and his own ease to have procured it When we read in prophane Histories and see how much some of their Worthies have denied their profits pleasures and lusts to promote the publick good we may admire that publick spirit God gave them yet Austin observeth truly That corrupt aims and ends did prevail in all they did How much more then may we behold the glorious work of Gods Spirit upon many Christians in this very particular of giving them publick affections that had rather with Jonah be cast into the Sea then see the Church sink wherein they are If it be our duty To lay down our lives for the brethren 1 Joh. 3. 16. is it any wonder if we do the lesse things for the good of others 3. There must be Heavenly mindednesse Cold doth congregate heterogeneal things together the Earth is an heavy element and falleth downward If therefore a man would be active and diligent for God and his Church he must be of an heavenly frame he must be able to say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. As fire assimilateth all things into its self Thus doth the godly man endeavour that all his relations may be godly all his friends all the world if it could be Hence it is that every godly man because of this heavenly affection is in some measure though not equal to Paul to say 2 Cor. 11. 28 29. The care of all the Churches is upon me who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burn not It is said to be a kind of proverbial speech in the primitive times If an elect that is a believer hath sinned his neighbour hath sinned implying the great care Christians took of one anothers soul that if any did sinne they were to consider whether other mens sins were not made theirs some way or other Lastly Fervency and zeal is a choise ingredient in this precious ointment If you observe who ever did much in their places for God or his Church you will find they were alwayes men of zeal Hence Rom. 12. 11. you have those duties excellently put together Not slothfull in businesse fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Every Sacrifice must have this fire that it may be offered up to God It is the sluggard that hath this field grown over with briars and thornes want of zeale maketh a man stand like an unprofitable tree that cumbreth the ground It was Paul's zeal made him do and suffer so much for the good of the Church Thus zeal also will inflame thee and make thy heart which naturally is like a cold stone within thee to burn like fire and then as Solomon speaketh in another case It is an impossible to keep in thy godlinesse as to binde up the winde or to conceal the ointment thou bearest about with thee Zeal will make thee work for God speak for God These and the like qualifications will make us put this Doctrine into daily practice viz. To improve all we are and all we have for Gods glory and the good of others Let the Use be To examine our selves in this point Is all we do in reference to God Doe we live and move to glorifie God May we not
therein that do denominate him and seeing they are either the Spirit or the flesh every one either walketh in the flesh or the Spirit let a man faithfully search into his own bosome and observe what hath the predominant efficacy what he may call his principles he purposeth and liveth by and the rather because In the fourth place These principles though efficacious yet are manytimes latent and hidden It is a Rule Principia sunt maxima virtute minima quantitate Therefore being thus secret and inward it is not easily found out what principles we walk by Do those that walk after the flesh know they do so Do they believe so Do they complain of such a rotten and sandy foundation No they rather applaud themselves even the most carnal men that are do judge their principles good and right they have a good heart and good ends No doubt when Paul persecuted the Church opposed so zealously the way of Christ though in all this he was acted by fleshly principles yet he thought them Religion and service of God It is therefore our duty to examine and search into every corner of our hearts to find out the bottome of thy soul For thou art never able to judge of thy condition whether good or evil till thy principles are made manifest in thee How often mayest thou flatter thy self as doing things for God and his glory when it is thy own corrupt self thy own glory thy own advantage Fifthly These principles of the flesh are not onely in our external dealings with men or in grosse bodily sins but in religious duties and our sacred performances Oh consider this diligently A man may pray after the flesh hear after the flesh preach after the flesh and that is when a fleshly motive putteth us upon spiritual duties The Pharisees when they prayed they did walk according to the flesh and those who adored Angels and introduced voluntary worship these had a fleshly mind Col. 2. 18. Men are in the flesh and walk in the flesh not onely in respect of grosse sinnes and bodily iniquities but even when in spiritual duties they are led by sinfull motives Thus Jehu when he purposed the destruction of Ahab and his family the overthrow of Baal and his worship he did all this after the flesh When Judas resolved to follow Christ to be his Disciple all this was a resolving according to the flesh Now this we should hear with trembling and an holy fear my religion may be flesh my holy duties flesh my profession of godlinesse nothing but flesh For though the duties themselves are good and commanded by God yet the principles from which they flow may be the flesh in thee Do not take therefore all holy performances to come from a principle of sanctification in thee Did hypocrites and temporary believers diligently consider this it would be a special means to prevent their final destruction Lastly The principles of the carnal and the spiritual are directly contrary to one another even as light and darknesse and therefore one can never agree with the other Prov. 29. 27. An unjust man is an abomination to the just and he that is upright in his way is an abomination to the wicked Every godly man cannot but abominate the way of the wicked and then the wicked abominateth the way of the godly so that there can never be any agreement Now both strive for their principles dispute for their principles The godly man urgeth his and would bring men off to them The wicked man is as resolute for his principles and is active to have them take place And from hence is that enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent Now it 's a godly mans duty to keep close to his principles not for a moment to depart from them This is to betray God and his conscience But the wicked man he is bound to leave his to come out of them with all haste for they will be his damnation at last In the next place let us consider What are the principles of a godly man by which he thinketh purposeth and liveth So that if at any time he deviateth from this his heart is smitten his soul melteth saying This is not according to my principles I have not thought said or done like my self Now there are two general principles of a godly man whereby he is kept from purposing or living according to the flesh The one I may call Principium cognoscendi The other Principium essendi or rather efficiendi For the first which is the principle of knowledge by which we are to regulate our selves in faith and manners that is the holy Scriptures which are a perfect sufficient and adequate Rule to live by how contemptuously soever the Papists on the one hand and Enthusiasts on the other do speak of it We see the Apostle Paul 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. directing Timothy though so eminent in the Church of God to the Scriptures not to the immediate inspirations but unto them which he had known from his youth giving admirable commendations of them from the efficient cause they were by the inspiration of God who would not regard what God himself saith That will prove true and every thing contrary to it a lie and then the adjunct property holy they are holy Scriptures By these alone thou wilt be enabled to have an holy nature and to live an holy life As those that keep in Apothecaries shops smell of the ointment thus those who exercise themselves in the holy Scriptures they become holy they are conformed thereunto Such a man is like a tree by the water-side bringing forth his fruit in due season Again they are commended from their end which is to make us wise to salvation This is the desirable and ultimate end of all men to be saved But we are ignorant of the way how to attain it we mistake the paths that lead thereunto and therefore the Scripture only giveth us wisdome herein Furthermore they are commended from a four-fold effect For Doctrine correction reproof and instruction in righteousnesse with the consequent thereof That the man of God even Timothy and such who are in holy Offices of the Church may be throughly furnished for every good work By this we see what is the Rule a godly man walketh by it is the Scriptures he believeth according to them he worshippeth according to them he liveth according to them Oh the holinesse and admirable lovelinesse that is in his life who thus walketh according to Scripture Oh remember that you have no other Rule to walk by in reference to heavenly things Thy Religion must be a Scripture-religion thy faith a Scripture-faith thy repentance a Scripture-repentance thy godlinesse a Scripture-godlinesse else at the day of judgement thou wilt have that sentence upon thee which was an hand-writing in the wall against that great King Thou art numbered and weighed in the balance and art found
prepare themselves to be combustible matter in Hell Indeed a modest and humble enquiry into the Truths preached as the Bereans did about Pauls Preaching is allowed and commendable but a froward cavilling Disposition indisposeth to finde out the Truth and is like some fretting humour in the eye which hindreth the sight 2. We then do sinfully oppose the Ministry when we strive and contend with them because of their zealous and faithfull reproving and withstanding the course of sin Because a Minister would bring thee to the sight of thy sinnes to a deep and serious Humiliation because of them because he would recover thee out of those damnable wayes thou livest in Hence it is that thou cryest down the Ministry and their Labours This is the true ground of most mens calumny and malice because the word Preached is a convincing Word a reproveing Word a discovering Word of that evil and wrethchedness which is in thy heart Hence it is that thy soul cannot endure the messengers thereof This is not meerly to be wicked but Diabolicaly wicked And yet if many Despisers of the Ministry were asked What is it that moveth them to such despite against the Officers of Christ They would but for shame speak that which lieth in the bottome of their heart viz. That the Ministry discovereth unto them all the evil they have done That is speaketh onely evil and Damnation to them and therefore they cannot abide it but wo be to that man who striveth with a Minister doing his duty That because he telleth thee the truth he dealeth faithfully with thy soul therefore thou dost become an enemy to him Consider that place Hos 4. 4. Let no man reprove another for this people are as they that strive with the Priest The meaning is It is to no purpose to reprove the wicked men of Israel any more it is to no purpose to bring them balme or spiritual Medicines for they are an incurable people Why how doth this appear In that they strive with the Priest They will not et him do his duty If he reprove them for sin if he set against their iniquities they rise up as proudly against him as the Sodomites did against Lot their Preacher of righteousness By this you see it s a property of a desperate and incurable people when they strive with their Church-Officers in doing of their Duty Indeed if Ministers should pervert the Ordinances of God endeavour to bring in Heresies Supersâ—ition and Prophaneness to exalt the Kingdome of darkness then they are in all lawfull and wise wayes to strive with them even as Children may in some cases reprove their Parents who are desperately set to damn their soules provided they shew that Reverence and Humility that they ought to do This Text of the Prophet is made use of by the Papists who charge our Reformers that they did strive with the Pope and their Bishops refusing submission to them For their Canonists have a saying That if the Pope should draw thousands of soules to Hell none might say unto him why dost thou so But this place will not be a Sanctuary to them for if we take the ordinary exposition and common one which I have given there being another by-Learned man who maketh directly against them it speaketh of such a people who do sinfully strive with the Messengers of God because they reprove sin and zealously do their Duty This is the highest Degree of sinfull Opposition that can be no contesting with the Ministry is so heynous as when it cometh upon this account These are like frenetique men who fight with their Physician In other diseases commonly men send for physicians they desire their help but the mad man he will ne re send for any and if any be brought to him he rageth at them Thus doth such wicked men and so are like a ground Historians speak of that is dryer by the rain that falleth upon it and the more drought the more moysture 3. Then we sinfully reflect upon the Ministry when the vices of the persons we cast upon their office and Doctrine This was that which made Paul so di ligent and zealous in this Text had it been his own glory and name he would more patiently have born it But when they come hereby to disparage his Doctrines to call that in question then he could no longer bare it Take heed then of this disposition upon any evils or faillings in them presently to fall upon the Calling immediately to dislike the Doctrine they preach For though it ought not to be so yet we are naturally ready ex personis probare fidem not ex fide Personas We are ready to like and approve of Faith as we approve of mens persons and therefore if any failing or weakness be seen in them we presently charge their Doctrine with it What should a man have refused all that Peter said thinking it is no matter what he Preacheth because in his fear and temptation he denied Christ What shall a man exclaim at Paul and say we know not how to believe what he Preacheth For he was once as hot and zealous for the contrary way Oh take heed of such ungodly Judgment The Truth is Christs Truth the Gospel is the Gospel of God however men may fail 4. This is still the more abominable when men take false rumors and slanders up or go upon their own surmises and conjectures and thereby refuse the Ministry for this was Pauls case He had just grounds as is in time to be shewed why he did not come to them as he promised It was to spare them as he saith v. 23. So that if there were any fault they were the cause of it yet how readily do they make an occasion to bring Pauls Doctine out of credit and nothing is more ordinary than this for men to feign Reasons and pretend many absurd Arguments to vilifie the work of the Ministry which yet is appointed by God for the good of their souls If you ask What are the Reasons why men are so apt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Doctrine preached They are such as these First Wicked men being under the power of the Devil they are acted by him and his works they do Now his greatest work is to destroy that which if suffered would destroy him and his Kingdome The end of the Ministry we may read in Pauls Commission Act. 26. 18. which is To open mens eyes to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God It is no wonder if the Devil in all ages tempt men to this sin rather than others For hereby his Kingdome will be lift up so that as the Physicians were never quiet till they had deprived Sampson of that which was his strength so neither is the Devil and his Instruments ever at rest till they have removed that strength Christ hath appointed for the destroying of the works of the Devil 2. Men are carryed
Christ herein the world knoweth Insomuch that St Francis or St Dominick or the Virgin Mary or some other Saint these were preached more than Christ Insomuch that we may say Till God raised up our Reformers there was no preaching of Christ Images Saints Pilgrimages and workes of Supererogations these were made the whole of Christianity It is true they would sometimes mention Christ but then they make him but a semi-Saviour they make others to joyne in this worke And although they runne to many plausible distinctions yea would perswade us that they more honour Christ then we doe yet all the water of their Tyber cannot cleanse them herein It was then blessed mercy when the Sunne-shine of the Gospel began to arise so that Christ was exalted in his Glory and his Offices that now there was no more robbery making others equal to him Yea the bold blaspheming picture was not ashamed of this Inscription That the way to Heaven by St Francis was easier than by Christ The Papists then do not preach Christ And as for the Socinian he surpasseth the Papist and deferveth not to be reckoned amongst Christians For although they hold him to be a constituted God and some of them say That religious adoration is due to him yet they say This is meerly from Gods appointment Hence as they dis-robe him of his Deity so they deny him to be a Saviour and Redeemer by way of satisfaction and atonement to the justice of God and therefore make him but as an eminent Prophet and Martyr but having no essential God-head nor procuring by his death any atonement for our sinnes to the vindicative justice of God What cause then have we to rejoyce under the full and exact preaching of Christ where Christ in his Natures in his Offices is so magnified that he alone is to be our Mediatour In his obedience alone in his death alone we put all our confidence For if Christ be not known as the way truth and life If the Natures and Offices of Christ be not understood all the way of consolation of justification of remission of sinne is wholly mistaken Because Christ is not known in his Mediatory Office therefore men either runne into despair and tormenting fears on one side or else into instituted wayes of superstition and supererrogation to the workes of the Law and to merits which hath been the poisonous Doctrine in Gods Church for many yeares together this was the wormwood that was in all their water The Popish Casuists did give consciences troubled for sinne nothing but gall to drink and in stead of healing did provoke and irritate the wound farre more Fifthly Christ is preached when he is set up as the King and Lord of his Church to whose Lawes and commands we are wholly to submit else we shall hereafter finde him to be the great Judge of the world who will judge it in righteousnesse People are deceived when they think Christ must be preached onely as a meer absolute Saviour that though they live in prophanenesse and dissolutenesse yet they are to trust in him as a Saviour Whosoever preacheth Christ thus he preacheth another Christ than what is revealed in the Word Therefore the Doctrines of Antinomians and Libertines who turne the grace of God into wantonnesse are to be abhorred with all abomination though there may be a sinfull setting up of righteousness and our good workes against Christ and his grace so there may be also a licentious conjoyning Christ and wickednesse We must therefore distinguish of what persons we have to do with For as Luther observed well to this effect Comment in Gen. The Antinomians who cry down holinesse and mortification they maintain themselves by my words and doctrin which I have preached but they must remember that when we came out of Popery we found the whole world in pharisaical admiration of superstitious workes as if by them they should be justified and saved which made us so advance Christ But under this pretence to cry down the preaching of the Law to give way to all licentiousnesse as if a Publican living in his sinnes might be saved by Christ though not a Pharisee This is to separate one Scripture from another But you will say If we are onely to preach Christ then we must not preach the Law we must not preach about regeneration and the differencing characters between a temporary believer and a true one we must not then preach repentance holy duties nor the day of Judgement To this it is answered That the right preaching of all these is to preach Christ Therefore the Law is preached hell and damnation are preached that so Christ may be the more welcome that so the grace of the Gospel may be the more conspicuous Even as it is with the Physician it 's health that he aimeth at even while he maketh sick while he putteth to paine and seemeth to take the ready way to destroy and kill The Husbandman while he ploweth and harroweth the ground it is the crop he looketh at in all this So it is with the Ministers of God while they convince threaten terrifie while they informe direct all is to bring you nearer to Christ These are the Ladders to stand upon while Christ is built in you SERM. CXX Our Lord Christ is the Son of GOD. 2 COR. 1. 19. For the Sonne of God Jesus Christ c. VVE heard what was the Subject matter of Pauls Preaching even the Lord Christ who is described from his Natures and Office The first is His Divine Nature in the former words The Son of God What is necessary for the Explication of this shall be brought in the Amplification of the Doctrine which is That The Lord Christ is the Son of God This is the greatest and most glorious Attribute that can be given to him It is for this that all adoration and divine worship is due to him It is for this that we are commanded to put our trust and confidence in him Had he not been truly God he could not have been our Mediator nor purchased our Salvation for us No meer pure creature Man or Angel could accomplish this work but he that is our Saviour must be Immanuel God with us I shall not inlarge my self concerning the dignity of this Subject but briefly dispatch all I shall say at this time And First When we say He is the Son of God the meaning is so that he is truely and properly of the same Nature with God It is not to be understood diminitively as if he were not the most High God and Jehovah but distinctively in respect of the Father he is the Son of the Father so that he hath the true nature with God though not the same personal propriety with the Father As then he is called the Son of man because he hath the same nature of a man so also the Son of God because he hath the true nature of God and therefore Rom. 9. called God
Christ is Jesus a Saviour to his people 2 COR. 1. 19. For the Son of God Jesus Christ c. VVE have in a brief manner declared the former description of Christ in respect of his divine nature The Son of God whose Deity so much oppugned by blasphemous Heretiques is yet the Foundation of our Christianity Therefore those Socinians who would reckon the manner how he is God among the Accessories and not Fundamentals in Religion are justly to be exploded If we believe he is God say they it is enough to salvation but whether he be an essential God or made and constituted one that is not necessary Even as they instance prophanely concerning Alexander to some he was accounted a God to others a man but because both these though different in their Opinions did reverence and obey him as a King that was enough But oh prophane mouth The Lord rebuke such spirits and let not the Godly so much as bid God speed or receive into their houses such as bring this blasphemous Doctrine But let us proceed to the other descriptions of Christ which are partly in respect of his Humane Nature Jesus and partly in respect of his Office Christ. We have already said enough from the first Verse to clear the Grammatical Interpretation of these words as also what the judgments of Learned men are about those two Names So that I may not actum agere I shall insist upon New matter not then delivered and first we Observe That the Lord Christ is a Jesus and a Saviour to his people This Name containeth the glad Tydings of the Gospel If so be the news of a Physician that can cure all Diseases be so welcome to diseased Persons if the year of Jubilee was so acceptable to all those whose Lands were morgaged amongst the Jews and they perplexed in extream Debts how precious and dear should the name of a Saviour be to poor undone sinners who while they look upon themselves only and their own power see no way to escape Eternal wrath Did the Angels so much rejoyce when this Jesus came into the World who were not concerned so much in his Redemption and shall distressed and sinfull man not have his heart leap within him for joy hereat That we may be affected herein let us consider what is implyed in this Title He is a Saviour 2. Of whom he is a Saviour First In that Christ is thus called a Saviour their is necessarily implyed that all mankinde are lost that we are all in an undone and hopeless condition Thus our Saviour Mat 18. 11. For the son of man is come to save that which is lost What blessed words of comfort are here He is come to save it is of his own accord of his own good will he cometh there is no necessity he might have chosen whether he would or no but of his own meer will he is come and then he is come to save that implyeth this is the work he had no other thing to do if man had not been lost he had not come into the world If then it be Christs proper work and Office to save shall we think he will be frustrated therein and then it is to save in that it comprehended all things He came to convert to sanctifie to justifie to glorifie for Salvation includeth all these Hence the Scripture speaketh of the Godly as saved already though but in the way 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath saved us and called us Lastly He came to save that which was lost actually lost not in danger to be lost not in probability to be lost but lost and then lost that doth imply our hopeless estate It s grace must finde us out it s Christ that must seek us out as the good Shepherd did his wandring sheep So that we see in what condition every man is though never so great wise and learned till he hath an Interest in Christ though a Great man a lost man though a Rich man yet a lost man and that to all Eternity for ever lost till this Saviour doth recover What then hast thou to do but to sit down and bewail thy loss to aggravate thy loss Oh wretched and undone man I have lost God I have lost his image I have lost Eternal glory Is it not a reproach to thee to see how thy heart can mourn and mert for outward losses I have lost my dear Relations I have lost all I am worth and to have it like a stone and a rock in this particular It is one thing to be lost and another thing to be sensible of this All men by nature are lost though they do not feel it though they rejoyce and are carnally jolly but then some few only whose hearts God doth soften by his Grace they feel and groan under this lost estate 2. We are to consider what kinde of Saviour he his and what kinde of Salvation it is And now that is plain he is not a temporal Saviour but a spiritual one so the Angel interpreteth it for he shall save his people from their sinnes Mat. 17. 21. In the Old Testament we read that God did raise up his people many temporal Saviours Thus Moses was a Saviour Joshua who hath the same name with Jesus he was a Saviour and the Apostle to the Hebrews maketh Joshua the son of Nun delivering the Israelites from their dangers and enemies so that at last he bringeth them into the Land of Rest to be a Type of Christ our spiritual Saviour who delivereth us from all our spiritual enemies sin and Satan not leaving us till he hath made us sit on Thrones of Glory Now this carnal Opinion that Christ would come as a temporal Saviour did almost infect the whole Nation of the Jews yea the Disciples were leavened with this sower leaven And because some places of Scripture did plainly speak of the lowliness and afflictions of the Messiah and other of his glory and greatness therefore some Jews fancyed two Messiahs one humble lowly and poor the other magnificent and glorious And certainly if Christ had come as a temporal Messias to vindicate his people from all external bondage and to bestow on them outward pomp and greatness this world would have suited with flesh and bloud but it is a spiritual Salvation he bringeth and though natural men do not think so yet this is the greatest Salvation this alone deserveth to be called Salvation To be saved from thy sinnes to be saved from hell to be saved from damnation This is that which alone makes happy The Romans they sacrificed to Jupiter as their Saviour and that was only for temporal Deliverances But with what praise and joy are we to acknowledg Christ our Saviour who doth thus vanquish our most potent and spiritual enemies But no hearer can relish this truth unless he be spiritual he must be like the man of Jericho wounded not in body but in soul crying out I am not a dead
with his name as well as his own putting it also before Timotheus He with Barsabas were chosen by the Synodat Jerusalem to distribute the Apostolical letters having this character They were chief among the brethren they were in great eminency and esteem We read also when there was that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sharp contention between Barnabas and Paul we see the frailties of the best in this for I cannot approve of those that take the word in a good sense because it is so used Heb. 10. 24. that Paul chose Sylas to be his companion and no wonder he nameth him here in this text for he was a special coadjutor to Paul in the planting of the Gospel at Corinth for you may read Act. 18. 5. how that when Sylas and Timotheus were come to him thither being afore sent for by him it is said Paul was pressed in spirit and testified unto the Jews that Jesus was Christ Paul then took more courage having these Companions and was the more animated to discharge his office so that it was not for modesty as Chrysostome hinteth that Paul doth assume him to this Colleagueship but also because there was need of his help the harvest being great at Corinth there needed many labourers and withall he conjoyneth these himself to shew the harmony and consent that was between him and the other Ministers in preaching of Christ So that from the conjoyning of these with Paul there are three Observations deduceable which shall be briefly dispatched at this time The first is That whereas the Ministerial labour and work is great there needeth the more assistance and help from others Paul himself alone is not able to do all the work that this Church of Corinth doth require and therefore he calleth in other Labourers to assist him therein Hence our Saviour directs us to pray unto God that where there is work for a Ministry suitable Ministers may be sent thither Matth. 9. 37 38. The harvest truly is plenteous and the labourers are few He compareth a people prepared by grace for the Ministry to the harvest now as it is a high degree of lazinesse to be idle in harvest thus it would be inexcusable in the Ministers of God if they should be loitering and sluggish when the souls of people are ready to receivd the good message of the Lord. Two things the Scripture taketh notice of in harvest the joy of harvest and the labour in harvest and both these are to be seen in a people fitted for Ministerial work for Instruction for Reformation There is infinite matter of joy to the people and to the Minister whereas to meet with a people that are like a field of bryars and thorns as Ezekiel did this is wholly discouraging The people may rejoyce because God gave them such a willing mind How many Congregations are there that cannot be called an harvest-field but a wildernesse an heath a dunghill Now it is the meer goodnesse of God that maketh such a difference between Congregations some are a stiff-necked obdurate and prophane people others a willing attentive and a ready people But God makes Congregations as well as persons to differ one from another Then there is joy to a Minister it is comfortable to be plowing and sowing upon fruitfull ground What joy is there to plow and sow upon a rock The same it is to preach to a senslesse and stupid people As there is joy so there is labour none must be a sluggard at that time and truly the people must labour and the Minister must labour and so both joyn together for the bringing of men to Heaven Now because it is such pitty to see a field of corn perish because there cannot any workmen be had to cut it down how much more is it to have a people damned for want of a faithfull and diligent Minister Therefore saith our Saviour Pray the Lord of the harvest that he would send labourers into his harvest It 's Gods harvest it 's his corn and therefore we may the more effectually prevail with him in prayer for this matter And you see here what the title of the Ministers is they are Labourers and labourers in harvest which is the sorest He saith The labourers are few there were many Priests and Scribes but few Labourers Hence though the people lived under their Ministry who read and expounded the Law every day yet because it was done so corruptly our Saviour had compassion on them as sheep without a shepherd So that such as enter upon this work must not dream of ease and idlenesse All the Names the Scripture giveth them denote hard work and labour It is matter of sollicitude and care more than honour and dignity And truly What Minister is there who reading the labours zeal and diligence of Paul in his Ministry may not cry out Oh me adwarf to such a Gyant If no Minister should be saved unlesse he be a Paul what would become of most of us Again they are called Labourers therefore this confuteth the fancies of common people that think the Ministers doth not labour at all that he hath his Maintenance for his ease and idlenesse As if there were no labour but what is bodily the labour of the mind of the heart is greater than that The Labour of a godly Magistrate and of a godly Minister is transcendent to all other Labours Indeed Who is sufficient for these things saith Paul 2 Cor. 2. 16. Men are sufficient for earthly imployments we cannot say Who is able to be a Tradesman to be an Husbandman but we must Who is able to be a Minister So that is a monstrous inconsideratenesse though coming from pride and covetousnesse that the Pope would have all the Churches in the world to be his charge and Bishops but his Curates yea some Bishops Metropolitans and Diocesans they plead to have all the Diocesses to be their charge only not assuming other Pastors in partem sollicitudinis as Cyprian did Even as Ignatius also in his Epistle ad Trallianos calleth Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Bishops But alas if a man be not able to be a Pastor to one Congregation how can he be to many If Paul would have Sylvanus and Timotheus to help in this Church of Corinth how much more doth the Pope and such Metropolitans need assistance As for their distinction of inspection per se vel per alium that will not be made good by the Scripture which commandeth Pastors to have a personal residency and government over their own flock Hence God hath appointed several Officers in the Church and given various gifts that all may be imployed for the good of the Church whereas though Paul was supposed only faulty about his breach of promise yet they charge Sylvanus and Timotheus with the same inconstancy thinking all were alike In the second place we observe That where there is any one real or supposed fault in one Minister people are apt
free mercy of God The Apostate Angels have not the least promise of any good to them so that being without a promise they are in that respect altogether miserable but the Lord having a love to mankinde did freely and graciously make his promise of Christ and in him all blessednesse to those that are his Insomuch that the spring of all our happiness is Gods promise We cannot pleade any worthiness only thy promises Lord that we put thee in minde of which is like the rainbow when God beholdeth that he will not drown the world more and when God remembreth his covenant then he worketh all good for his people Thus when God would delay his help no longer but deliver his people groaning under their oppressions It is said God remembred his Covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob Exod. 2. 24. there was no natural necessity nor no morall necessity that could induce God to make these promises to us No naturall necessity for God is a free agent and so doth not as the Bee that necessarily maketh his honey God doth not necessarily communicate his goodnesse to us As God is a free agent so he is alsufficient he is perfect and blessed in himself he needeth not man he wanteth not his service and therefore he did not upon this account make any promise but it was his meer voluntary goodnesse Again there was no morall necessity that is there was no supposed worth or dignity in us for which it behoved God to make such promises He found nothing in us but matter of his displeasure and wrath to us all the threatnings in the Law did belong and not one promise Insomuch as the damned in hell have not any promise made to them they have not the least ground for any hope no not for a drop of water to releeve them in those scorching flames so it might be with every man if Gods grace did not interpose not any promise might have been made for thee to have the least dependance upon Thus you see Gods mercy alone to be the ground of all promises Fifthly Because God doth this out of his meer bounty make a promise of good things to us the fullfilling of them is not of debt to us but from his grace and verity And thus it differeth from the promises between man and man that are made in contracts or otherwise there a promise is made but upon some consideration or work done which is equivalent to the thing promised but it is otherwise with God he promiseth out of grace and fullfilleth it likewise out of grace Thus when God hath promised pardon to the humbled sinner and beleeving not only the promise but the actuall pardoning is of grace neither is God by his promise become a debtor to us as if God would be unjust if he did not bestow such a priviledge upon us but because as the Scripture saith he cannot lye or he cannot deny himself So that the reason why he maketh good his promises is not because we have any condignity in our selves to claim those things but because he is immutable and unchangeable so that upon this account he maketh good his promises even because he is God and cannot lye or change his minde Therefore Divines speak well of a twofold debitum about Gods promises debitum fidelitatis and debitum justitiae a debt of fidelity and a debt of justice When God maketh a promise of eternall life to a godly man he may urge God with his promise and there is a debt of fidelity whereby God hath engaged himself to do this but we cannot say God is a debtor to man hereby no he is a debtor as it were to himself he cannot go against his own word his truth will not suffer him to change but in no respect must we say he is a debtor to man reddis debita nulli debens it was said of old This is necessarily to be understood that so under all the promises of God made to us we may not look upon our selves but Gods promise only But then there is a debt of justice and righteousnesse and herein many Papists are proud and arrogant for they distinguish of Gods promises those that are for the first grace and those that are for the second and after grace They grant the promise of the first grace to be only from a debt of fidelity but then for the second grace they maintain a debt of justice Hence it is that they conclude that heaven and salvation though we have it by the promise of God yet it is by debt of justice and not meer grace Hence we reade of a dying Monk who blasphemously uttered these words Redde mihi Domine vitam aeternam quam debes sive velis sive nolis but a gracious heart cannot but tremble at such arrogancies It is true Paul calleth God a righteous Judge who will give him a crown of glory and he telleth the Hebrews that God is not unrighteous to forget their labour of love Heb. 6. 10. but righteousnesse is not here taken strictly for proper justice but for fidelity and faithfulnesse If God should not give heaven to his people who endure persecution for his Name sake he would go against his own nature he would deny his truth and so even cease to be God not that he would be unjust properly to man as if man by doing or suffering any thing for his sake did that which was equivalent to eternall glory We see the Apostle defying this 2 Cor. 4. 17. calling it but a light affliction and for a moment in respect of that eternall weight of glory And Aristotle observed that there cannot be justice or righteousnesse between us and the gods and our Parents for their is no equality and we owe all to them And as Durand well argueth it is so far from justice or righteousnesse that we may claim glory that the more grace God hath given us to prepare thereunto the more we are beholding to him and can the lesse pleade for our selves by how much the more we receive of his grace so that the more gracious acts we do we are so far from meriting that we are the more obliged to God Yet Sixthly Lest because all the promises of God are said to be fullfilled of his grace only and because all works of ours are rejected as causall and meritorious we should fall into Antinomianisin and fancy to our selves such absolute and irrespective promises that though abiding and wallowing in our sins yet we might think it lawfull to run to them as to a city of refuge and there to be delivered from the guilt of our sins we must know that the promises of God are of two sorts absolute and conditionall Absolute and such are the promises of God for the working of our first grace in us of conversion and taking away the heart of stone from us of which promise the Prophets Jeremiah and Ezechiet speak Though some will not allow those to be promises
the surety if he hath undertaken for thee and performed for thee what was required by the Law then thou maist pleade though not for my sake yet for Christs sake let thy promise be made good to me But the troubled soul will object very plausibly against this Though Gods promises are made good in Christ yet there is the duty of faith and repentance required of me so that if I do not beleeve if I do not repent there is no promise through Christs blood established that will do me any good what is it your meaning that though I am a sinner and while I abide in my sins I should pleade the promise of God in Christ Is not this to dash my soul at the Antinomian rock This deserveth a full answer And first It must be acknowledged that in this point it is hard to sail between the Scylla and Charybdis of the Arminian errour on one hand and Antinomian on the other side For the Arminians they indeed make Christ to be the atonement for our sins but so that we must beleeve and repent all which is true But then if it be asked how come we to beleeve and to repent here they fly in part at least to our own free will for they deny that faith is purchased by Christs death so that by their doctrine the whole fruit of Christs death standeth suspense and indeterminate till it be determined by our faith Christs death is made effectuall to us by our beleeving and this beleeving is not wrought in us by Christs Spirit nor is it bestowed on us as the fruit of his death but only we joyning with the grace of God do make the redimibility which was before faith by faith to be actual redemption And the Papist he erreth more grosly herein for he addeth further that our faith and repentance yea all holy works are causal conditions such as are meritorious and have an inward condignity and proportion to the reward Thus generally the Papists though some of them deny this merit and causality But the Antinomian falleth into another extremity for he doth so offer Christ and his promises to a man as if nothing at all were required on mans part and therefore tels a sinner that it is his duty while a sinner and abiding in that state to receive the promise yea one goeth so far as to say that Christ did beleeve for us Christ did repent for us and therefore that we are not bound to beleeve or repent but only to rest on Christ that he hath done these things for us Thus you see here are two extreme opinions and it is very hard for the soul in its first troubles and pangs to be guided out of this wildernesse how many have been seduced by Antinomian errours under the specious pretence of free grace and how many again have fallen into Armintan and Popish principles thinking that way to asswage their bleeding hearts but the Scripture truth doth lie between these two for Christ and so the promises are not applicable to sinners as sinners whether they beleeve or not beleeve whether they repent or not repent but do require indispensably of all grown persons faith and repentance but yet on the other side this faith and repentance of ours have no merit or dignity in them nor are they the effect and fruit of our own will and power but are the gifts of Gods grace and the consequent of Christs death so that Christ did not only die for our sins he did not only dye to confirm the promises to us but he died also to give us faith and repentance that by them we might be qualified subjects for such glorious mercies Hence the Scripture maketh faith and repentance to be the gifts of Gods grace as well as remission and pardon of sinne These duties then are necessarily required of us that the promises may be made good to us against the Antinomians yet these duties are Gods gift and the work of his spirit not the issues of our free-will against the Arminians Therefore in the second place when a Christian cometh to make use of a promise he must not oppose Christ and his duties but compose them together he must subordinate his duties to Christ We complain that the Popish doctrines oppose Christ and duties even as the Apostle argueth against the Galathians who by works of the Law made Christ of none effect and we cannot deny but the heart of man is so prone to put confidence in what we do and although we disclaim the merit of works yet to have a secret rest of the soul upon them that it is very difficult to keep within our bounds but yet we are also to know that every thing in Christianity is very hard to flesh and bloud Any thing graciously done is exact and accurately commensurated to the rule of God whereas such is the instability and unrulinesse of man naturally that he is apt to run from one extreme to another and while he seeketh to avoid one to fall into another our duty therefore is to rest upon Christ alone in the promises as the meritorious and fundamentall cause yet diligently to pursue after holinesse as that which qualifieth the subject for the glorious things promised God hath required these duties of thee therefore be thou as faithful and diligent in the performance of them as if there were no Christ no Mediatour And again be thou as wholly recumbent on Christ as if thou hadst no faith no repentance at all distinguish between the necessary presence of them and the causality of them Thus it ought to be the wisedome and skill of Ministers so to preach and exalt Christ as thereby no duties are to be omitted or neglected And again so powerfully and exactly to presse duties that Christ be not in the least manner disrobed of his glory for although Christ interposeth between the Fathers wrath and us yet you must not so understand it as if by our sins we could not provoke Christ as if through our unbeleef and impenitency we might not cause him of a lamb to be like a roaring lion We must not apprehend Christ to have only mercy in him and all wrath to be in God the Father only for observe that counsel given to the people of Israel concerning this Angel who was to guide them which is Christ Exod. 23. 21. Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for my Name is in him Though then the promises are established upon Christ yet take heed of provoking him by impenitency for even Christ will be a judge against thee because of thy disobedience Well let all this be granted yet still the tender and broken heart will object I dare not lay hold on the promises they do not belong to me I finde so much unworthinesse so much dulnesse and stupidity that though others may pleade the promise yet my heart is so full of fears and confusion that I dare not do it What
not consider how severely it 's commanded insomuch that that very sin of not believing of not resting our soules upon the Lord Christ would damn us if there were nothing else How happy then is it and in what good forwardness are they for establishment who begin thus to be inlightened who are thus perswaded Though I cannot believe yet it is my duty to believe It s not Gods will that I should excruciate my self with these tormenting doubts I am sure to be damned if I go not to Christ the Saviour if I take not this way there is no way for me to take and thus we have got advantage when we are come thus far And that this may be done all those Texts which do either command faith or commend faith are very often in his minde 3. The minde of a man is antecedently wrought upon for establishment by illumination concerning the Evangelical way of grace wherein God doth vouchsafe all spiritual mercies to the broken in heart For the spirit of God doth not inable us to cry Abba Father till our understandings are opened to know that glorious Gospel-way Christ hath taken for to save the humbled sinners the sum whereof is this That it is in believing not in working Rom. 4. the Apostle argueth against all conceits of Justification by the works we do yea that Abraham himself though so eminent in holiness did not obtain remission of sinnes hereby and in other places the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works are made immediately opposite to one another It is then a special mercy of God to have the judgment of a man satisfied in this truth although the poor humbled sinner cannot yet repose himself in the bosome of a Promise though he doth nothing but stagger and reel up and down by fears and temptations yet this is no small proficiency to arrive at the certain perswasion of this Doctrine For we see in the Apostles dayes that this very Doctrine was called into question and is it not still by Papists and others arraigned as teaching men Presumption and Security and truly as the head of a man may invent many plausible Arguments against the truth of it so the heart of a man is naturally proud and self-righteous and therefore is hardly brought off from works to faith for faith seemeth not to have that activity for justification as love and other graces have though indeed that be the life and soul of all the primum vivens and ultimum moriens As it is with the roots of trees they have no sweetness nor comeliness in them when the fruit thereof hath Thus when good works are glorious and precious faith from whence they have their life and being seemeth contemptible But this order the spirit of God taketh before it is a sealing and a witnessing spirit unto us It is also an enligtening and teaching spirit and that especially in this grand truth which is the sum of the Gospel viz. that by faith and not by works we become justified before God and where his Gospel-light hath not taken place in any afflicted conscience for sin Oh the unspeakable temptations oh the wofull dayes and nights that they meet with When the spirit of God hath thus antecedently wrought upon the judgment then in the next place cometh this chief and special work of establishing and setling the heart And as it is in planting of a tree first the briars and thornes which cumbred the ground before must be removed and then the tree is planted Thus also it is with God while setling the heart of a man upon the Promises he doth first remove that which is prohibent and hindring of this confirmation and positively inables it to rest upon Christ even as the sun doth first dispel the darkness and then introduce the light The two Impediments to our establishment on the Promises alone are Presumption on the one hand and Despair on the other for those are the two Generals as it were under which all the other sinnes opposite to this way are comprehended The first is Presumption and that is the damnable estate of most men they are secure in their own condition they rest contented in their own righteousness and goodness Now these indeed are settled but upon a rotten foundation these have no changes no inconstancies of spirit arising from the fear that is in them but are therefore the more dangerous Such as these are the most untractable and unteachable both about the promises of God and their dependance on them you can no more remove them out of their Presumption than mountains out of their places the saddest subject in the world to preach upon or to preach unto for they have door upon door and bolt upon bolt that must be opened ere you can make any way for Christ or the Promises in their soules All the weapons taken out of Gods word are peesently dulled when they fall upon them like a bullet in a pack of wool When we come to such upon their sick beds we know not how to begin with them what to say to them for whatsoever is said they are confident it is in them and all this while its nothing but Presumption and spiritual security of soul The other is Despair with all diffidence and distrustfull fears that incline thereunto This I confess is not so common as the other We have very few that cry out of their sinnes fearing they are greater then can be forgiven But some there are that are ready to be swallowed up in this whirlpool When therefore God doth confirm the heart of man in the Promises both these sinnes are removed he is no longer a self-righteous man a self-full man he looketh upon himself as wicked and destitute of all and yet on the other side doth not despair in God though he doth in himfelf though he hath nothing of his own to stand upon yet Christ is his rock on whom he is setled Thus God keepeth his people from being Cains and Judasses on one side and proud self-righteous Pharisees on the other side SERM. CXXX Of Gods confirmation of us upon his Promises by his own grace 2 COR. 1. 21. Now he which establisheth you with us in Christ and hath anointed us is God THe establishment of a Christian upon the Promises of God is only the work of God Man cannot settle himself no more than he can make himself There remaineth for the explication of this truth to declare wherein positively this confirmation by God doth consist and First Hereby God doth strengthen the heart in reference to the Promises by working in us habits of grace and some permanent constant Principles whereby we are carried out easily and delightsomly unto them The heart of man being originally and habitually corrupt is contrary both to the commands of God and the Promises of God which is greatly to be observed for the enmity indeed of our hearts against those holy duties which the
Law commandeth is often treated on that is constantly preached upon but the sinfull enmity that is in our hearts naturally to close with the Promises of God that is seldome thought upon It is therefore very necessary to know the backwardness and frowardness of the heart to embrace Promises as well as to obey commands For whence is it that the heart is humbled for sin whence is it sensible of the guilt and burthen thereof that it flyeth from the Promise whence is it that the Gospel of Grace and Justification of a sinner is such a Mystery to it Whence is it that experience in a godly man teacheth him that Faith in the Promises of all works is the most difficult Is not all this from the contrariety of the heart though humbled to Gods way of Promises This being then laid for a foundation when God doth sanctifie a man he doth not only put these Principles into him wherby he is inabled to obey the commands of God but also whereby he is strengthened to receive the Promises of God And therefore as we have the Spirit of Sanctification whereby we are fitted for Holiness so we need the Spirit of Adoption whereby we are prepared for the Promises of God Now if you ask what are those habitual Principles wrought in us by God whereby we entertain the Promises and apply them to our own selves I answer They are these The First which doth immediately and formally work the soul thereunto is Faith Faith and the Promises are mutually related one to another They are like the stomach and meat hence Gal. 3. 22. it is said That the Promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe And Ver. 14. the Gentiles are said to receive the promise of the Spirit through faith By which it doth appear that the Promise without faith doth us no more good than meat without eating Therefore to believe is John 6. to eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood This Faith therefore in the Scripture is commended above all other Graces both in respect of its working ad intra and ad extra ad intra for by it Christ dwelleth in our hearts by it we receive the Promises by it we are justified by it the heart is purified and then ad extra by faith we are quickened up to all those holy duties which are required of us It is faith which worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. and so by patience by zeal by repentance If then thou wouldst have thy soul fixed upon the Promises pray above all things for this grace of faith Faith dispelleth fears doubtings and all temptations of Satan therefore we are said to be kept by the power of God but through faith to salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are left as in a safe garrison so the word signifieth as some observe Know then that if thy faith could alwayes be kept lively and vigorous in thee there is nothing could divide between thee and the promise but as the childe in the wombe is nourished by the navel of the mother so is thy heart by Faith in the Promises Hence it is observed that of the same root in the Hebrew whence the word Faith cometh there ariseth also the word signifying a nurse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Numb 11. 12. as a nursing father beareth the sucking childe as if faith did make a man continually suck at the Promises as a childe doth at the nurses breasts This then is the most eminent and principal grace establishing the heart As on the contrary unbelief is that which doth unsettle and distract the heart A Second habitual grace and principle inclining the heart to the Promises is Love not that we are justified by love or that love is a receptive grace applying the Promises but only it doth sweeten the heart in reference to God It putteth us upon good thoughts to God we look not upon him as a severe judg taking all opportunities to damn us but as a gracious and loving father reconciled to us through the blood of Christ Therefore not only faith but love likewise doth expell tormenting fears and doubts Thus the Apostle notably 1 John 4 18. There is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear because fear hath torment He that feareth viz. in this slavish manner is not made perfect in love We see in this Text what the nature of slavish fear is and what is the proper effect of a filial love of God Slavish fear is tormenting doth not every soul exercised therewith subscribe thereunto are not servile fears almost like the torments of Hell it self How intolerable is it to fear God as Cain did as Judas did with dreadfull apprehensions of Gods wrath against them Thus fear produceth spiritual hornets as it were in the soul to sting it day and night but love the more that is perfected it casteth out them How blessed a thing then is it to have the heart filled with the love of God For as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13. Love suffereth long and is kind is not easily provoked thinketh no evil Thus doth our love affect us towards God though he exerciseth and chastizeth us yet we suffer long and bear it patiently neither do we entertain hard thoughts of God as if he were too severe as if he did punish us more than our sins deserve it removeth these suspicious thoughts which guilt is apt to raise up in us as if God were become our enemy and interpreting every thing in the worst sense yea this love seeketh not her own but so that God is honoured that his great name is magnified and glorified he mattereth not his own consent and ease Therefore though God leave him long in desertions though he be under manifold temptations yet he saith God is good and he loveth God even when God seemeth not to love him so we may truly say with Solomon Cant. 8. 6. Love is as strong as death the coales thereof are as coales of fire Many waters cannot quench love many floods cannot drown it Certainly if this be true of humane love how much more of divine love If therefore thou wouldst have thy heart setled upon the promises preserve this love like the fire upon the altar of thy heart daily Thirdly Another habitual principle to confirm the heart upon the promises is Spiritual fortitude and heavenly courage Aristotle maketh fortitude a moral vertue when a man either doth or suffereth great things for vertues sake but Christian fortitude is of a more sublime nature neither do we speak of it as enduring great things from man but from God For we may see David many times ready to sink under the heavy temptations he was conflicting with but then see how his holy generosity recovereth it self Psal 42. 9 11. I will say unto God my rock why hast thou forgotten me c. And why art thou cast down O my soul Why art thou disquieted hope in God Hence David
if you ask Have all the sanctified persons of God this sealing Have none the sanctification of the Spirit but they must also have the witnessing of the Spirit I answer this Question because of great practical importance shall God assisting be handled by it self after the description hath been explained That which I shall here take notice of is That sanctification is necessarily presupposed to this sealing A great Prince will not set his seal to dung to make an impression there neither will God to an heart unsanctified For as in matter of Doctrine God will not vouchsafe miracles to confirm that which is a lie neither in practicals will the Spirit of God witnesse to that heart which is not made holy For indeed it should witnesse a lie in such a case informing such they are the sonnes of God when indeed they are the children of the Devil This order of Gods Spirits first sanctifying and then sealing is clear Ephes 1. 13. In whom after ye believed ye were sealed Those eminent Divines who defined faith to be assurance making it the same with the sealing of Gods spirit are gravelled at this Text and therefore make this Objection If faith be assurance be the sealing how doth the Text say After we believed we were sealed To this therefore Piscator answereth not yeelding that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be rendred Having beleeved as of a thing past but beleeving as in the present but there is too much forcing in this interpretation Others they consider of faith as it hath two parts Illumination of minde and fiducial assurance Now say they the Apostle meaneth by faith the former work of faith and so the meaning is After you were enlightned to know the truth you were confirmed and assured but that opinion making faith justifying to be an assurance that Christ is mine is justly refused It is plain then that when the Spirit of God hath in order of nature for in time they may be both together sanctified a man throughout whereby he is made a new creature then the Spirit of God maketh this glorious stamp upon him then he giveth him this seal as an honourable priviledge whereby he may know himself to be the Lords Even as in antiquity none might have seals but persons of honour and dignity So that the natural and unregenerate person is to stand aloof off thou hast nothing to do in this priviledge thou art not the man whom the great King of Heaven and earth doth purpose thus to honour We proceed in the Description and there we meet with the formal Nature of it wherein it doth essentially consist with the object thereof The Nature of it is In confirming and establishing the heart of a man For this is the chief and usual end of seals to ratifie a thing and to make it no longer uncertain and doubtfull And to this property doth the Scripture chiefly attend For whereas the soul though sanctified is apt to be in daily fears and doubts about Gods favour and grace towards it it fluctuateth up and down having no subsistency the Spirit of God cometh and consolidateth the soul inabling it to rest satisfied in this that God is his God that his sinnes are pardoned that he is become a reconciled Father in Christ And if you say Why do we not need the Spirit of God to do this Cannot we by our graces by our repentance and holy life sufficiently establish our own souls in peace No by no means we need the Spirit of God to comfort as you heard as well as to sanctifie and that for these Reasons First It is very hard for a man whose guilty conscience doth presse him and condemn him daily telling him that he hath deserved at Gods hands to be eternally tormented in hell not to thinke because God may doe thus that therefore he will do so In such terrours and affrights we look more to what we have deserved we look more to what God may do then what he will we are naturally suspicious and think the worst of God even as we doe to man If we have offended a man greatly and it lieth in his power to undo us we are never quiet we cannot but think when ever the opportunity is he will be avenged and therefore we dare not trust him Yea though we have given no just cause if others have taken up an unkind spirit towards us we expect nothing else from them but our ruine when it is in their power Therefore for all Saul's tears and good works to David yet he would never trust him Now although there be no cause for us to have such suspicious thoughts about God for he hath graciously promised that he will receive us insomuch as not to believe him herein is to give more credit to a man whose words many times satisfie us than to God who is truth it self yet the heart being guilty and full of fears doth work in this doubtfull manner about God How hard is it to bring the afflicted sinner to good perswasions about God and that though by promises and other wayes God hath so abundantly provided against such distrust Here then is the reason why we need the sealing of Gods Spirit we cannot perswade our selves but God will doe what he may do and what we have deserved And A second Reason followeth upon the former We can hardly be perswaded that the great and good things which we stand in need of God will ever bestow upon us who are so unworthy of them Can a beggars daughter be perswaded that a great King will marry her But here is a farre greater disproportion What will the great God of Heaven so holy so full of majesty look graciously upon me and not only forgive me my sinnes but advance me to eternal glory These things are very improbable Shall Joseph be freed not only from the prison but promoted to the greatest honour in the Land next to the King Who would have believed it And thus it is here the soul having low and humble thoughts of it self cannot be perswaded that the great God of Heaven will look upon such despicable wretches as they are 3. The way of evangelical confidence with the comfortable effects thereof are wholly supernatural And therefore no wonder if we need the Spirit of God to help us therein Not only holinesse and grace is supernatural but assurance and joy are likewise supernatural As we cannot pray without the Spirit helping our infirmities so neither are we able to call God Father If faith in Christ by which we are justified be supernatural then also is the comfort and peace flowing from the knowledge thereof As the Doctrine of the Gospel is by divine revelation flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto us that Christ is the Sonne of God so neither can flesh and blood enable us to the perswasion of this Mediator as loving me and giving himself for me Certainly if it be the gift of
God to have a dogmatical faith to be kept from heresie it 's no lesse to have this fiducial application with the sense thereof upon our souls Wonder not then if we make it the Spirits worke to have this assurance 4. We need the Spirit to confirm us because the flesh within us is full of objections and bringeth many plausible arguments against it Insomuch that what Bellarmine and other subtil Papists bring as Engines to demolish this foundation are very sutable to the corrupt heart For they think the heart is very deceitfull there is much hypocrisie I may think I do that for God which I do for vain-glory that I am humbled for sinne when worldly motives only afflict me Again flesh doth doth suggest there may be much unknown evil in thee thy heart may be worse than thou takest it to be Though the Sea seeme calme sometimes yet there are dangerous Rocks under the water and thus though outwardly there may appear much tendernesse yet there may be a rock in the bottome Furthermore the flesh may suggest Wilt thou be perswaded of Gods favour to thee in particular Is not this to enter into Gods secrets Is not this to climb up into Heaven in an arrogant manner Yea is not this the way to nourish security in thee and make thee presume of Gods favour though thy iniquities be never so many and grosse Lastly The flesh telleth thee of former sins thou didst once wallow in as also the present failings that thy own soul doth frequently condemn thee for Now are not these very plausible Do they not importune to diffidence And certainly these would overwhelme thee did not the Spirit of God overcome all and support thee against them Yea 5. We need the Spirit of God to seal us because the Devil is very busie and active in destroying this perswasion He knoweth that those who enjoy this priviledge walk with joy peace thankfulnesse with strength and activity in the wayes of God therefore to weaken them herein that their graces may wither he tempteth about their comforts that they may wither thus the Devil as he opposeth the Spirit of God in its holinesse called therefore the unclean spirit so he doth also in its comforting effects and therefore is called the tempter Yea 2 Cor. 2. we reade how active he was to have the incestuous person humbled for his sinnes even swallowed up with too much sorrow And do not many of Gods people feel this experimentally Doe they not see they should sink and fall into all horrour and despair did not the Spirit of God support Little doe the natural men of the world apprehend what the agonies and spiritual conflicts are which a tempted soul endureth in this case Lastly The Spirit of God must seal us because this assurance is not obtained in a natural way as if we had perfectly obeyed the will of God and therefore we merited pardon but it is by the gracious promises of God made to a believer though accompanied with infirmities Indeed if it were thus that we could purge out all sinne from our selves and be perfect in every good work then assurance would naturally follow as the Saints in Heaven because cleansed from all sinne cannot doubt of Gods favour but our establishment is more upon the promises of grace without us than any thing that is within us while we behold our own unworthinesse and are deeply humbled under it yet even then are we inabled to assure our selves of the grace of God towards us SERM. CXXXVI Of the Object Manner and End of the Spirits sealing 2 COR. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us THe next particular considerable in this Description of the Spirits sealing is the Object about which it is conversant and that is said to be the Promises of Grace as belonging to a sanctified person in particular and herein doth the most expresse and efficacious effect of this sealing appear that it particularizeth the Promises of grace what is spoken generally that it doth bring home in a peculiar manner to our own breast What is it to hear of health if it be not thy health What of wealth if not thy wealth So what comfort is it to hear of a Christ if not thy Christ To know there are blessed and precious promises if they doe not belong to thee Doe not the Devils know in the general that Christ is a Saviour that there are excellent promises declared in the Word But they are miserable and wretched howsoever because not applicable unto them We may therefore divide Faith according to the object thereof First Into a general Faith whereby we are carried out to believe the whole word of God upon a divine motive whether it be the historical or comminatory part as well as the promissory Thus whatsoever is revealed in the Scripture though it be but an appendix to any History as that Sauls father had asses though we cannot call it an Article of the faith yet when sufficiently propounded to us then not to believe argueth a wicked and an obstinate spirit because we despise the authority of God and his testimony in that particular though but little Secondly There is a special Faith and that I call The worke of Gods grace for all faith is the gift of God whereby a man is enabled to believe the promissory part in the Scripture whereby he believeth this truth that Jesus Christ is a Saviour to those that believe in him And this the Papists yea and others too make all the faith that is required of us that this is it which doth justifie us but very absurdly Thirdly There is a particular Faith and that is When the Spirit of God doth enable us to receive Christ as our Christ to apply the promises as belonging to us in particular To say with Thomas My Lord my God And with Paul Galat. 2. Who loved me and gave himself for me Such a particular faith is not onely possible but a duty of which much excellent and profitable Discourse might be made but I forbear because I am to treat of it God assisting upon another account Therefore for the present you are to know that this worke of Gods Spirit in confirming and sealing of us is especially manifested in this particular and appropriating way of the promises of grace as our portion Therefore it is said to cause us to call God Father which implieth our peculiar interest and propriety in him Doe not then be discouraged from this Canaan because of the Anakims that are in the way Fear not to call God thy Father though thou findest many discouragements within thee The Devil would not have thee taste of this honey But I proceed and the next particular in the Description is the Manner how the Spirit of God cometh thus to witnesse unto us how we come to be sealed and that is said to be First By the meanes God hath appointed thereunto This is very observable
some by election also and that there are persevering sons and apostatizing wherein election maketh the difference which opinion some attribute to Austin is wholly inconsistent with Scripture and Austin himself in other places if that were his opinion The godly then are to look upon the grace of God wrought in them as the effect of Gods immutable and unchangeable love which will certainly obtain its end Secondly Their certainty of salvation and so of perseverance therein is built upon the many promises of God which are made to this very end as that famous one Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me What can be more pregnant than this God covenants he will not turn from them and withall to put such fear in their hearts that they shall not turn from him So also Phil. 1. 6. being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good work in you will also finish it His confidence was not in them for alas we should prove the prodigals and lose all but it is in Gods grace and that because he had begun for none shall say of him he began to build and could not finish So that the wisedom mercy and glory of God is interested in our perseverance and indeed if our sinnes should hinder him from continuance of his grace why did they not from the beginning at first were we not then objects of his displeasure So that in our conversion the greatest work was done then we had as Chrysostome saith upon the place the beginning and root of what was to come Lastly The union that is between Christ and a beleever being indissoluble doth necessarily infer the certainty of his salvation a member of Christs body shall not be taken from him and thrown into hell for from this union as their bodies shall necessarily rise to glory so their souls also shall be prepared for the same SERM. CXL Of Swearing 2 COR. 1. 23. Moreover I call God to record upon my soul that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth THe Apostle having made a short but happy and admirable digression occasioned from his discourse vers 17. about the calumny of levity and carnal reasonings and motives concerning his promise to come to them doth in this verse return to that matter again plainly informing of them that it was not any inconstancy or carnal respect in himself that made him delay his coming but the fault was wholly in themselves they were not yet prepared for his coming which for the greater confirmation and authority he doth attest with a solemn and sacred Oath It is true Chrysostome doth beginne the second Chapter at this Text and so the Syriack Yea Beza saith We ought to beginne the second Chapter here In which respect Calvin and Musculus comment upon it accordingly but the matter is not worth a contest In the words you may observe 1. An Oath And 2. The Matter of an Oath 1. The Oath is a very compleat and perfect one I call God to witnesse upon my soul Of the Oath first As for Pelagians and others who affirm an Oath to be unlawfull under the Gospel at least and that in these or the like expressions Paul doth not swear because he doth not use the Preposition per or by or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek it 's an absurdity afterwards to be refelled The Oath in the Text is an Assertory Oath wherein God is expresly called upon as a witnesse and withall an Execration is added Upon my soul that is Let God damn my soul if it be not true he doth not mention his soul as part of the Oath as if that were a witnesse as well as God but he mentioneth it as a pawn or pledge and so it is lawfull to name some creatures that we love or are dear to us in an oath not that we may swear by them but as pledges So that this Oath is both Assertory and Execratory not that these make two distinct kindes of Oaths for one doth necessarily imply the other He that calleth upon God as a Witnesse doth thereby imply him a Judge and an Avenger if he swear falsly Onely I call it an Execratory Oath as well as an Assertory because the Execration is mentioned whereas for the most part in Oaths it is not expressed If you say What reason or urgent necessity was here for Paul thus to make such a deliberate and solemn Oath I answer Very great The adversaries of Paul did accuse him and traduce him for a vain and inconstant person which hereby did redound to the dishonour of the Ministry the hinderance of the Gospel the destruction of Christs Church therefore it was necessary for him to take this Oath That no carnal motive made him delay his promise but a wise and spiritual consideration of their good Thus at another time speaking of his earnest affections to his brethren after the flesh Rom. 9. 1. he sweareth after this manner I speake the truth in Christ I lie not my conscience also bearing witnesse in the Holy Ghost So in this Epistle again 2 Corinth 11. 20. As the truth of Christ is in me Rom. 1. 9. For God is my witnesse that I make mention of you alwayes in my prayers Gal. 1. 20. The things that I write unto you behold before God I lie not Thus you see by many instances the holy Apostle making use of an Oath but alwayes upon necessary occasions for Gods glory and the edification of others From whence observe That it is lawfull even under the Gospel to swear after a right and godly manner upon necessary and urgent occasions I say under the Gospel for some have granted it lawfull under the Old Testament as they say to circumcise to sacrifice was but under the Gospel they hold it absolutely forbidden So that the handling of this truth about swearing or a lawfull oath is of great importance both for doctrinal information against Pelagians Socinians some Anabaptists who hold it unlawfull under the Gospel As also of direction to know wherein an Oath doth consist and whether many formes used commonly by people are oaths or no. And then withall it is of great practical use if possible to remove that ungodly and wicked custome of ordinary swearing without any due consideration of the nature of an oath For how general and epidemical is this sinne Old and young yea little children can swear as soon as speake rich and poore yea men glory in their oaths and deride at the strictnesse of such who will be so precise as to abstaine from them They looke upon oathes as the glory of their speech and becoming a Gentleman But Solomon's description of a godly man will abide good when such prophane miscreants shall lie for ever roaring in hell
Four Propositions clearing it 220 221 The general good of such Sufferings is Gods glory and the Gospels enlargement 222 Others Sufferings for Christ may much conduce to our comfort and salvation 223 Three things premised concerning such Sufferings 223 224 How our Sufferings for Christ work our comfort 225 226 227 How they promote our salvation 228 229 230 Sufferings not barely in themselves but as improved by patience conduce to our salvation 232 Communion with those that Suffer for Christ a sure way to interest us in their glory and comfort 251 Two propositions clearing it 251 252 The reasons of it 253 254 Vid. Afflictions Swearing 'T is lawfull to Swear under the Gospel upon urgent occasions after a right manner 658 668 669 Whether it be lawfull to Swear by any creature 663 How we may mention a creature in an oath and not Swear by it 664 How and when we may lawfully Swear Motives against ordinary Swearing 672 673 674 675 The excuses and cavils for Swearing answered 675 676 T Thankfulnesse to God vide Blessing and Praising God Timothy OF the name Timothy 41 Two things observed concerning him 41 42 Trouble Trouble whence it ariseth 113 God is both able and willing to help his people in hopelesse Troubles 325 326 327 Truth God is a God of Truth and a true God 536 Propositions clearing the nature and kinds of Truth 537 538 539 540 The truth of God is alwayes the same 575 576 577 578 Trust Two sorts of Trust humane and divine 301 What are the sinfull objects we are apt to Trust in 304 305 306 307 308 God always the proper object of our Trust 315 Propositions concerning our Trusting in God 315 316 317 318 What is the matter for which we Trust in him 318 What is required to our Trusting in the Lord 320 321 322 Of the excellency of this grace of Trusting in the Lord 322 323 324 There are motives to Trust in God both from personal and general priviledges 349 Of the opposites to Trusting in God 350 The grace of Trusting in God cannot be perfect in this life 352 Trusting in God and the use of means not to be separated 355 W Wisdome WHy the Wisdome of this world is called fleshly Wisdom 423 Ministers ought not to use fleshly Wisdom 423 424 425 Principles of fleshly Wisdom 426 427 428 429 430 431 FINIS The Division of the Chapter and of the Verse Why our Saviour called Jesus Christ Why this Apostle called Paul who sometimes was called Saul Pauls persecution of the Church of Christ His conversion to it God of great sinners often maketh most eminent Saints 〈◊〉 Pauls sins great How the chiefest of sinners The work of Gods grace wonderfull Pauls serviceableness admirable Reasons why God of great sinners often maketh such eminent Saints 1. On Gods part 1. Hereby the power of God is manifested 2. Hereby the Wisdom of God is clearly evidenced 1. In converting Paul when in the height of his impieties 2. Because such fire-brands plucked out of the fire are the fittest to enkindle a fire in the hearts of others 3. Hereby he shews the freeness of his grace 2. On mans part 1. That hereby they may be more humble in themselves Lastly that all Formalists and Justiciaries might be provoked to an holy jealousie Pauls learning When men of great parts and learning are chosen by God and sanctified they become eminently usefull in their place Christs chusing of illiterate men to be Apostles makes not for the chusing of such now to be publick preachers Obs 2. Learning an excellent qualification in man the choisest of Gods gifts in a common way Obs 3. Learning through the corruption of man often made an engine to promote the Kingdom of the Devil This is not from the nature of learning it self but from the abuse of 〈◊〉 The assistance of Gods Spirit necessary to an holy and sanctified understanding and interpretation of Scripture Use 1. Use 2. Use 3. Why Paul prefixed his name to his Epistle Pauls name being prefixed to this Epistle argues it to be of Divine Authority The prefixing of the name of the Author not a sufficient argument of it self to prove the Divine Authority of any book The Pen-men of the Bible only the instruments used by God in an extraordinary way not the authors of it The Scripture being inspired by God we should rest satisfied in the style and method of it The authority of the Scripture not to be questioned or disputed of Yet to arm our selves against the Devil and all Hereticks 't is good to consider 1. That we have as good ground to believe the Scriptures were written by their acknowledged Pen-men as that any humane works were made by their Authors 2. Hence it follows that we must believe the matter therein to be of God 3. Hitherto we are to add the heavenly Doctrine and matter of the Scriptures as also the consent of all and martyrdom of many Christians and miracles testifying the truth of them 4. To these we are earnestly to beg the assistance of the Spirit of God Why Paul cals himself an Apostle What an Apostle was Two kinds of Apostles primary and secondary Christ in his first planting of his Church appointed extraordinary Officers which he called Apostles Our Saviour in the building of his Church did not follow the Government of the Jewish The properties of an Apostles 1. He should have an immediate call from Christ 2. The Apostles were to be the first builders of the Church 3. They should be eye-witnesses of what Christ did and suffered 4. They were universal officers 5. They were endowed of an infallible spirit 6. They were endowed with miraculous gifts 7. They were the chiefest and highest officers in the Church 8. They were equal in power and authority 9. They were temporary officers 10. Though they were extraordinary Officers yet they contained what was inferiour under them Lastly though they were thus admirably qualified yet they did not convert all below them It is of great consequence both to Ministers and people to be informed of the Divine Call of their Church-officers Both ancient and modern Writers have much disputed about the Call of Church-officers It is not enough only to have a true Call but that Call must be likewise faithfully improved What advantages follow upon a true Call 1. To the Officers themselvs 1. They may expect Gods assistance 2. Gods protection 3. Success and fruitfulness in their labours The word commonly more succesful to those who never had it before The Word less successfull to a people that have lived long under the preaching 〈◊〉 A two-fold Use of the Ministry besides conversion to increase grace and prevent errour Lastly They may expect a greater reward from God 2. What advantage the people may have by being assured of their Ministers call Use Of the proper Name of our Saviour Jesus The Lord Christ is a Jesus a Saviour to his people 1. Christ is not a Saviour in