be applyed to you how can ye have comfort if ye live in the waies of sinne doe not any thing that may chase away this comfort if we preach never such comfortable truths if thou by thy negligence and unmortified walking dost deprive thy self of consolation then know the blame lieth in thy self and not in the Ministery Thou criest give me a word of comfort how can we comfort him whom God would not have comforted SERM. CXLVII God only the Lord of our Christian Faith 2 COR. 1. 24. For by faith ye stand THis last clause saith Calvin other Interpreters either take no notice of or else do not clearly instruct about it for whereas it is plain by the causall particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is brought in as an argument of something preceding it is very difficult to finde out the reason Those Interpreters that take notice of it are divided Some do make it a reason of the words immediatly foregoing Paul was a helper of their joy because they stood firmly in the faith for although there were some who denied the resurrection yet that was not the doctrine of the Chuch in general nor was it puhlikely professed by them It is true many abuses there were in practice both civill and religious yet because they did firmly retain the true faith therefore it was that he would not wholly cast them off as no Church Their true doctrine which they professed made him the more hopeful of them and certainly the pure sound faith professed by a Church though otherwise greatly corrupted maketh it to have the essence and life of a Church and withall suggesteth hope that God in time will make them an holy practical Church as well as a sound Orthodox one Hence Paul in his first Epistle to the Thessalonians c. 3. v. 5 6 7. doth much rejoyce in their faith that they stood stedfast therein When I could no longer forbear I sent to know your faith As also Timotheus brought him glad tidings of their faith And again we were comforted in our affliction by your faith and this interpretation is very probable and not to be wholly rejected But then a second is more probable and that maketh it a reason of the former part of the verse We have not dominion over your faith for by faith ye stand stedfast Insomuch that if I Paul or an Angel from heaven should preach unto you another doctrine yet you beleeve in the truth as Gods truth and not mans truth So that God alone hath the dominion over your hearts in beleeving Thus it is a very fit and proper reason Hence Heinsius thinketh there is a transposition of the words which is usuall with Paul and that they should be inserted before the later clause thus Not that we have dominion over your faith for by faith you stand Whether we reade it objectively you stand in the faith or instrumentally by faith you stand it is not much materiall Neither are we to render it in the past signification you have stood because it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Greek as if the Apostle did imply they formerly had indeed stood in the faith though lately they grew wavering for it is usuall to use the preterperfect for the present especially when a continuance or perseverance is intended as Matth. 20 Why stand ye here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idle all the day long Both these interpretations may be conjoyned but because the latter is the most considerable Therefore I shall insist on that and observe That the Christian faith is of that nature that it doth respect and relate unto God only We believe not in men but in God Whether we speak of dogmatical or fiducial faith they cannot have any other bottome to stand upon but the authority of God himself Thus saith the Lord Thus it is written is the ground of all true Christian faith which truth deserveâ—h explication in some particular Propositions As First There is an humane and there is a divine faith which onely deserveth the name of Christian faith and to which onely the promises of God doe belong An humane faith I call that when men doe beleeve principles of Religion meerly upon humane motives that is the ultimate reason and motive into which their faith is resolved These humane motives are manifold as the Authority of the Church the Authority of Ministers and Pastors our education by parents custome and universality as also the Laws and Edicts of a Magistrate commanding such a Religion to be received and no other Now whosoever maketh this the chief reason of the profession of his faith is upon no better ground than the Turkes is for their Mahumetan the Papists for their Popish faith Insomuch that many Protestants Turkes and Papists though they exceedingly differ in the materials of Religion yet agree in the formali motivo they believe so and so because brought up in it because commanded by their Civil Magistrates It is that which the Papists upbraid us with that our Religion is but a Parliament-Religion or a Queen Elizabeths-Religion because when they established it the Land generally received it Now to this we say That no doubt the generality of people except such as are enlightned by Gods Spirit doe receive even the Christian or true Religion but upon civil and humane respects and therefore when Emperours have been Arrians the people have been Arrians when the Kings of Israel were Idolaters the inhabitants became Idolaters And thus when the Kings of the Earth have been Papists the people have been Papists also So that they cannot object any thing more against the Protestant Religion than we may against the Papist Onely we adde a further position which introduceth a divirâ—e faith which they overthrow and so by consequence teach no more than an Lumane faith For we hold That every private believer is bound to have an explicite faith of the things necessary to salvation and this faith we say is knowledge the ground whereof is the Authority and Testimony of God in the Scripture So that we doe not believe in Magistrates nor in Ministers nor in the Church trusting our faith and salvation upon them but the word of God onely whereas the Papists do expresly affirm That a private Christians faith is enough to salvation if he content himself with this That he believeth as the Church believeth never troubling himself in reading of books or searching of the Scripture As Valentia's known instance of a Merchant brought in by him disputing What Religion he should be of doth evidently declare So then a Papist as a Papist cannot reach any higher than to an humane faith For though they will not yeeld the Authority of the Church to be an humane Authority yet both reason and experience doth fully convince that But let us come to our own people and sadly bewail the ignorance and stupidity of Protestants in general who are not moved by any divine motives or Scripture-respects to imbrace
sought not himself neither did he mind his own will or his own glory And certainly the higher the Office is the greater will thy account be and thy condemnation the heavier Oh the dreadfull account that is to be made at that day concerning this talent 2. Of laziness and idleness For the work is of great consequence The bloud of souls will speak more terribly than the blood of Abels body How severe was the master in that Parable of our 〈◊〉 to him who hid his talent in a napkin Luke 19. 20. he is called an unprofitable servant and must be cast into utter darkness Use 2. To you that are the people If we have our Commission from Christ then take heed how you reject the Word we speak from him The Apostle makes a comparison between him that refused Moses speaking and Christ speaking and saith How much forer punishment shall he be thought worthy of Heb. 10. 29. Every Sermon your condemnation will rise higher upon you Think not that our words will passe away No God saith by the Prophet They shall not return in vain for if it be not a saving and converting word it will be an hardning and condemning one No wonder if our Saviour spake one Parable to this very purpose and concludeth Take heed how you hear Mark 4. 24. The second thing observable from this relative consideration is That the Apostle intending to beget awe and esteem in the hearts of those he wrote unto he mentioneth his Office and from whom he had it An Apostle of Jesus Christ This was a greater glory saith Chrysostome then if he had styled himself any temporal Officer in the Civil State For he doth saith the same Father as if one next to the Emperour should write to a certain people giving himself that title of honour which was next to the Emperour Thus doth Paul The Apostle of Jesus Christ. This could not but astonish and startle all his opposers and enemies yet if you do consider with a worldly respect what Christ himself was and so any Officer under him you must judge it the most contemptible and despicable thing that can be that which a carnal man would have been ashamed to own for Christ himself was called The Carpenters sonne and bred up at Nazareth a most despicable place and his outward condition was so low that he saith He had not where to lay his head And as for his Apostles what repute they had in the world Paul himself telleth us when he saith They were accounted the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 13. Yet see how the Apostle glorieth in this title as that which might justly awe the consciences of those to whom he wrote From this observe That those things are of high account and respect in the Church of God which in the world are very despicable and despised As That which is highly esteemed amongst men is abominable before God Luk. 18. So that which is abominable and loathsom before men is highly esteemed with God We might instance in many things First Christ who is the Head of the Church and the chief corner-stone yet he was rejected by those who by their Office was builders Yea Christ crucified was accounted foolishness to the Gentiles Insomuch that had not God promised Christ To give him the Nations of the Earth and had actually lifted him up above all principalities and powers We should have thought there would not have been one City much lesse one Nation especially not so many Nations adoring him as God We may truly say This is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes Christ is called by the Apostle The King of Kings and Lord of Lords which 2 Tim. 5. 16. Drusius saith was the Title and Style of the great Kings of Persia but who except the Christian would admire Christ more than the Persian King Therefore it was a wonderfull work upon those Wisemen of the East that they should come and bring such presents and worship Christ though an Infant whom they found in a mean place at Bethlehem and in the meanest place there but where God giveth spiritual eyes there is a spiritual excellency discovered where the world seeth nothing but contemptibleness Secondly For the Officers of Christ In worldly considerations how low and despised are they But to those who are spiritual and acknowledge the Order and Institutions of Christ they esteem them as the Stewards of God and the Ministers of Christ insomuch that it 's the cause of contemning Religion when their Office is despised Paul was so received by the Galatians as if he had been an Angel from Heaven Yea Christ himself They would have pulled out their eyes to have pleasured him And we see in the after ages of the Church how much the Ministers of Christ were had in esteem insomuch that it greew unto an excesse Now though the carnal worldly man beareth no such respect to them yet those who are led by Scripture doe highly esteeme them and that for their workes sake Thirdly The Duties prescribed by Christ they are such as the world condemneth either for folly or pusillanimity as Faith in Christ alone for salvation self-denial readiness to take up our Crosse To love our enemies to do good to those that hate us Are not these such things that the magnanimous and gallant spirits of the world do disdain Fourthly The priviledges and encouragements which Christ also inviteth with they are not such baits as will take in the world Psal 4. Who will shew us any good that is the vote of the world As for the light of Gods countenance justification and assurance of Gods grace these things they do no more esteem than the Swine doth Pearl Lastly The due execution of the Censure of the Church upon just grounds to cast out the impenitent sinner This the world contemneth but yet you see how powerfully it wrought upon the Incestuous person And Matth. 18. when our Saviour had said He that would not heare the Church must be like a Publican and Heathen lest they should despise this he saith Whatsoever ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Use of Exhortation To admire the power and wisdom of God who hath kept up Church-officers Church-ordinances in the world when there are no outward pompous motives to perswade thereunto SERM. VIII In what sense Paul saith of himself He was an Apostle by the will of God Shewing likewise how all Church-Offices and Priviledges come meerly from the will and good pleasure of God 2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God c. VVE are now to consider the last particular in this Inscription as it is divided to us and that is the impulsive Cause or rather the Manner how Paul obtaineth this Apostleship which is said to be by the will of God Here is much comprehended in this expression for hereby is declared That it was
them and to give them daily food watching over their souls and therefore their title of Shepherds and the people being called a Flock do evidently demonstrate the necessity of a Ministry not only at first as miracles were but perpetually even to the coming of Christ Thirdly There is in the Description the Formal Cause to which also may be reduced the Final Cause The Formal Cause is in the publick and solemn observation of that Church-communion which God hath required I shall only mention that formal and external Communion wherein it consists And that is 1. In the solemn assembling and meeting of themselves together Heb. 10. 25. The Apostle doth there reprove the neglect of this duty which is the seminary and fountain of all holiness while the coals lie together they keep their heat and inflame one another Thus it 's our communion in the Assemblies that is the means to keep up grace and holiness How much did David bewail his banishment from the Ordinances as you heard And is it not the highest censure and most dreadfull punishment that can be for a Christian upon just grounds to be cast out of the Church Is not this to fall into the Kingdom of Satan Is it not to be delivered up to him Now then if it be next to hell it self thus to be cast out of Church-communion and the publick Ordinances Why doest thou wilfully bring this upon thy self Thy own slothfull and prophane careless heart makes thee neglect the publick Assemblies This is a sinne of an higher nature than thou art aware of for God is present in Church Assemblies you have the benefit of the prayers then poured forth the Ordinances are of enlightning and quickning efficacy Now for thee voluntarily to deprive thy self of this spiritual advantage is a sinne of an high degree Indeed when want of health or other just impediments keep us from the Assemblies God can then make up the publick benefits in private But I speak of a voluntary wilfull omission of such publick Communion Oh little do such men consider that they have but a day Their life is but a day and the season of grace is but a day and doest thou neglect that day when it may be thou shalt never have such a day again never have a Sabbath any more That carnal plea also of getting as much good at home and they can edifie themselves as well with reading books in private unless in case of necessity as I said is ungodly and unjustifiable excuse for this is to make Church-communion and holy Assemblies to be of no necessity and so wholly to overthrow them 2. In this solemn meeting there are these publick duties wherein the Church is to imploy her self 1. Publick prayer to God This in the primitive times was done so servently and zealously that they did even seem to besiege Heaven and to take it by force Oh what prevailing power must the Church have with God when they are so many wrestling Jacobs If the effectual servent prayer of one righteous man prevaileth much how much mâ—… joyned together If it were a Congregation of Joâ—…s how mightily should we prevail with God But we mâ—… Chrysostome How are all the grave and holy things of Goâ—… formality and a shew How many in our Congregatioâ—…end to this publick duty of prayer They fear not lest â—…any Aâ—… in the Congregation So that for thy deadnâ—… the sinnes â—…est in God be angry with our Assemblies and â—…t be graciously â—…ent with us Thou art a dead flie in this box of ointment The prophane man little thinketh what obstructions he makes in our publick petitions by his wickedness unrepented of 2. There is the publick preaching of the Word And this necessarily supposeth a formed and stated Church wherein are Governours and governed Those who by Office preach and those who by duty hear This publick Ministry in the Church of God is not for convenience or good order meerly but it is an institution of Christ and hath several effects attributed to it as conversion of such who are in their natural condition the edifying of those who are converted for instruction that men be not led aside with errours and strange Doctrine for rebuke and reproof of such who walk disorderly c. And therefore because of the necessity of it those who have commission to do it have manifold directions about it To preach in season and out of season and the reason seemeth strange Because there are many who will not endure sound Doctrine 2 Tim. 4. 2. Yea there is a wo to them if they be negligent herein 1 Cor. 9. 16. And in all this they are to be instant and industrious it being a cursed thing to do the work of the Lordnegligently The matter they preach must be holy savoury and nourishing compared therefore to food You are to come to a Sermon with an hungry stomack Yea as new born children ye are to swallow down the sincere milk of the Word And therefore to preach froth and meer fancifull things is as absurd as if a man should invite another to a dinner and provide him nothing but the pictures of some meat It 's compared to seed the Husbandman will not sow his ground with chaff Yea it 's compared to a two-edged sword that is quick and piereing into the very secret thoughts of mens hearts It is for want of such soul-piercing and soul-saving preaching that people are lulled or sleep in their sinnes that there is nothing but formality and customariness in most men The word of God is to flash in your faces like so much lightning and to make even the proudest and the most scornfull to tremble within them They must speak as the Oracles of God What is that but as men filled with the Spirit of God breaking out like fire from them And with such proportionable affections are you to hear This is to meet as the Church of God no man sleeping no man drousie or wandering and roving in his mind but to say with the Centurion We are all here to hear what God will say to us 3. The Administration of Sacraments according to Gods order and such holy wayes as he hath appointed The Sacraments are of infinite consequence to the Church of God and when people through their ignorance and prophaneness make themselves unfit subjects they are enemies to their souls For though God be present in the Word and prayer yet his sacramental presence is in a more indeared and peculiar manner Lastly There is that godly Discipline and holy Order in Church-communion which is as the hedge to the field of corn Take away this holy order the Church will become a gangrened body either with heresies or prophaneness Hence is that binding and losing of sinners Hence is that command of casting out wicked obstinate persons of pirging out the old leaven because a little leaven will quickly sour all 1 Cor. 5. Hence also are those duties of admonishing and noting such
it saith he You see then orthodoxy is sooner received than godly and holy order but we are to know that though we have many things to glory in that we are a true Church that we have excellent preaching and many learned Officers in it yet if there be not an endeavour to take away all offences and scandals there is great matter of humiliation The Apostle speaketh notably in this matter to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5. 6. Your glorying is not good c. The Corinthians they gloried and boasted in many things but as long as they did not cast out the old leaven or the wicked man but this leaven was in danger to leaven the whole lump therefore he telleth them Their glorying was not good there was greater cause to be deeply humbled because of such disorders amongst them Let us not then though we can and may prove our Church to be the Church of God therefore sit down and take our rest as if therefore reformation of corruptions were needless No the Apostle doth farre otherwise to this Church of Corinth though he call it the Church of God yet his Epistle is full of sharp reproof to them he is very zealous and lively in putting of them upon this that they became a new lump that they be made as it were a new Church and a new Congregation Farre be it therefore from us to excuse or connive at our publick impieties because Corinth though so polluted is a Church No we are to tremble and humble our selves under such disorders they are great provocations of Gods anger You see God did begin to judge and chasten this Church of Corinth God takes notice and is very angry with all these disorders and great neglect Therefore if you observe those Epistles of Christ from Heaven to the seven Churches of Asia where their works were not perfect where there were any decayes yea if Christ had any thing against them though there were other things commendable yet he will take notice and rebuke them therein yea to some he threatens to take away their Candlesticks that is their Ordinances and to unchurch them Oh then let us humble our selves under Gods hand for all our Church-sins all our Assembly-iniquities lest the wrath of God break out upon us The second extream we are to take heed of is That because of the corruptions that are in a Church we are not so farre transported with misguided zeal as to take no notice of the truth of a Church Some are apt so to attend to a true Church that they never matter the corruptions of it Others again they do so eye the corruptions that they never regard the truth of it but it is good to avoid both these extreams Whence cometh that impatiency in us to bear any evil in a Church Whence is it that we uncharitably rend from it Is it not because we do not consider it may be a true Church and salvation is there to be had yea conversion and regeneration though there be many things to be reformed There is no Church so pure but that there are some imperfections in it no Church so reformed but in some things it needeth a reformation Thou mayest go from Church to Church and be like Noah's Dove not know where to set thy feet if thou look for absolute perfection in any Church whether thou goest As there is no constitution of the body which hath an exact temperament ad pondus but some humour or other doth predominate so there is no Church that is of such a perfect frame but it hath its several grievances and though it may be freed from those evils they separated from yet they may be assaulted with others that are as destructive of a Church in a contrary way though freed from tyranny yet not from divisions and daily subdivisions amongst themselves So that in these things we are diligently to make the Scripture our Rule Thirdly Though that Church be a true Church where we live yet if many corruptions do abound therein we must take heed That we do not pollute our selves thereby or become partakers of any sinne indulged amongst them As we may not sinfully separate upon this ground because they are no Church so neither may we continue so as to pollute and defile our selves with any known sin The Apostles exhortation to the Corinthians under these manifold pollutions is that every one in their proper place should endeavour their new moulding So that under Church-pollutions thou art to consider what God cals thee to do to rebuke exhort admonish and if this will not do to complain to Church-Officers who are to guide and watch over the flock and if yet this will not do then to be the more earnest with God in prayer to bring about Reformation notwithstanding all the gainsayings of wicked men To mourn and sigh unto God as a Lot in Sodom vexing thy righteous soul continually as a lamenting Jeremiah among the apostatizing Israelites And certainly God doth in a special manner take notice of such who do mourn for those abominations that they cannot remove or take away Ezek. 9. 4. when thou canst appeal to God saying O Lord these corruptions these disorders they grieve me to the very heart I cry out daily Wo be unto me because I dwell with men of polluted lips This will much ingage God to thee Likewise we read Revel 3. 4. in what a special manner God takes notice of a few names in Sardis which had not defiled their garments To be therefore in the midst of a defiled Church and yet to keep thy self unspotted this is admirable as they record of the river Alpheus which though it runne into the Sea yet it keeps its own natural sweetness though we have communion with the Church in those things that are commanded by God yet we are not to partake with them in any evil way as those seven thousand in Eliâ—ah's time though they did not depart from the Church of Israel yet they would not bow their knee to Baul In the next place Let us demonstrate this that a Church may be Gods Church though it be greatly corrupted And First It may be seen from the induction of several Churches as for example the Church of the Jews they were Gods people and God did own them as his yet as appeareth by the Prophets complaints and daily reproofs they were full of Idolatries and all moral impieties and for all this there were many repentings and turnings in Gods bowels to speak after the manner of men before he would call them Lo-ammi a people no more to him But you may say That was in the Old Testament when the Spirit of God was not poured out so effectually Consider then besides this Church of Corinth the Churches of Galatia were not they farre infected with doctrinal pollutions and vicious lusts of the flesh That the Apostle mentioneth not any where such zeal and sharpness as he doth to them threatning them with Apostasie
when they called the Blackmoors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silver white Thou art a Saint in that sense he said Auri sacri fames indeed thou art most accursed and art but a mockery in respect of God and man As it is a shame so it is an horrible reproach even as Revel 2. there is the blasphemy of some who said they were Jews and were not Thus it is a blasphemy in thee to be externally a Saint and not really as the Apostle Rom. 2. 24. speaking of such saith The Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you The mischief of the scandalous prophane lifes in the Church hath been the cause not only of Gods eminent judgements upon it even at last to unchurch them but also hath been like winds in the bowels of the earth making a dreadfull earthquake Heresies in Doctrine have not more molested the Church than prophaneness in life The troubles of the Donatists made in the Church for many years together was it not because of the prophaneness of Christians lives In our dayes What is the great argument against our Churches that they are no true Churches that they are the Synagogue of Satan Doth not this arise wholly from the ungodliness of most mens lives Call such Saints you may as well name darkness light Yea what is the cause that the bringing in of any good Order in a Church the purging out of the old leaven is such a grievous tormenting matter Why do generally people dislike and rage at it Is not all this because though men are contented with the name of a Saint yet they cannot endure the practical power of it So that we may say the real ungodliness of such who are in the Church is the cause of all the evil that comes in the Church Thou blamest this and that way of Government thou sayest Such or such a thing is the cause of all our evil No it 's the love to mens lust men would be of the Church and yet live the life of beasts and Devils And it is for this general impiety that even Heaven and Earth may be astonished Thou cavillest How can this or that Practice or Order be proved Jure Divino But where canst thou prove thy oaths thy lusts thy drunkennesse thy contempt of Godlinesse to be Jure Divino 2. Real Saintship is so acceptable unto God in his Church that let men have 〈…〉 eminent places and esteem therein yet if they walk contrary to this Rule of sanctity and that obstinately Christ hath commanded such to be cast out as utterly unfit to be of such a Society The incestuous person in this Church of Corinth is thought by Chrysostome to be a man of chiefest place and note amongst them yet for all that till he repent and humble himself they are commanded to cast him out from amongst them As the Apostle to this Church saith What communion is there between light and darknesse Christ and Belial The Pythagoreans were so strict about the manners of those who were in their sect that as Origen against Celsus relates when any of their society had fallen into a foul sin they did cast him out of their company and commanded a Coffin to be placed by him as being a dead man But the Lord Christ hath commanded That such who live in the Church obstinately against the manners of a Saint should be thrown out from his people and so delivered up to Satan as being more properly of him and his way But because more may in time be said of the nature of this Church-Saintship I passe it by for the present concluding with a severe Reproof even like thunder and lightning against all such who deride at sanctity and purity Are there not too many sonnes of Belial who make a scoff at such glorious names of a Saint of a Christian of a Brother of a Believer Wherein canst thou demonstrate thy self to be of the Devil more than in this one thing Thy heart rageth thy tongue foameth at sanctity and purity What is this but to blaspheme the Scripture yea God and Christ himself Why do not such cast off their Christianity and live with Pagans and Heathens SERM. XXI Wherefore 't is a Christians Duty to joyn himself to Church-society And in what cases he may be excused What are the false Grounds why some neglect this Duty The Soul of the poorest Saint is to be regarded as well as of the richest 2 COR. 1. 1. With all the Saints that are in all Achaia IT is now full time to conclude this Text. There remain two things more which deserve some consideration The first is occasioned by Calvin's Question upon the place How is it saith he that he distinguished Saints from the Church Did not these Saints imbody themselves that lived in the Province of Achais Was it lawfull for them to live dispersed and single lives not entring into Churchcommunnion To which he answers That the times might be then so turbulent and persecution so hot that they could not gather into a Church nor have any such publick meetings Now this Interpretation is not necessary For the Apostle writing to the Church at Ephesus and Colosse yet doth not use that name but speaks in the general To the Saints and faithfull Brethren when yet without question they were in a Church-state there Yea in his Epistle to the Romans he makes no mention of them as a Church but styleth them Saints which puts Salmeron upon his guesses Why he doth not give the name of a Church to them As also Why he doth not salute Peter their supposed Bishop Neither may we think that when James and Peter inscribe their Epistles to the Believers scattered in several Regions but that they might have occasionally their publick meetings to worship God in Yet though this Exposition be not necessary we may well receive Calvins conjecture as probable For there have been times when the Saints have been forced to hide themselves in Dens and Caves not having opportunity to meet together though even that was an heavy burden and trouble to them This being granted we may observe That although it be a Duty for Saints to joyne themselves in a Church-way yet there may sometimes fall out such just reasons that may excuse them Indeed voluntarily to keep off from the Assemblies and to think a private worshipping of God is enough and that he requireth no more is both against Scripture-command and the example of primitive Christians but when there is some unavoidable necessity than there is a lawfull excuse That it is a duty for Saints to joyn themselves in a Church-way may be made evident from these Grounds briefly First From the name Church ordinarily given to â—olievers Now a Church is a Society or Company met together and therefore it is not lawfull for thee to live alone or be a Minister of Sacraments and all things to thy self Even as Aristotle said of him that would live alone not joyning
there are sinfull and unjustifiable grounds of some persons who do not joyn themselves to any Church-society and that may be either from a Corrupt Opinions or a Corrupt Heart though they seldom be separated from one another First From a Corrupt Opinion As 1. Of those who call themselves Seekers confessing they cannot yet find a Church to which they may joyâ—… For they affirm That since the Apostles dayes there are no Churches and therefore till they can see Apostles Apostolical gifts and miracles with the like effusion of the holy Ghost upon persons they cannot own any Church But this is against those Texts of Scripture which speak of a perpetuity of the Ministry and the duty of receiving Sacraments till the coming of Christ which could not be if there were no Church 2. Another corrupt opinion is of those who call themselves high Attainers These make themselves above the Church-ordinances they need them not yea some Anabaptists in Germany made themselves above the Bible living wholly upon spiritual revelations and called those who would leave to the Scripture as a Rule Creaturistae as depending upon a creature But the Scripture and Ordinances are necessary to quicken grace in the most holy and there are none so spiritual but they need them daily to comfort or instruct them yet such have their publick Assemblies wherein they deliver their opinions to be received But if people ought to be above all Ministry and teaching then also above theirs And certainly if those places of being taught of God and having an unction which teacheth us all things be against our Ministry it is also against theirs 3. There may be a corrupt opinion which though it be not against Church-communion absolutely yet they judge it Arbitrary and not necessary Of this opinion Grotius seemed once to be for he is thought to be the Author of that Book which asserts Quod non semper communicandum per symbola and Rivet in his Dialysis against him chargeth this upon him that he was not a member of any Church acknowledging it a just hand of God upon him that at his death when a Minister was brought to him he was wholly sensless So that he who in his life time cared not for Church-communion could not have any benefit by a Minister of the Gospel at his death 4. The last corrupt opinion by which men may not joyn to a Church may be from a superstitious conceit whereby men thinking it impossible to have salvation in the world have imprisoned themselves as it were in Cells and holes of Rocks thereby to give themselves wholly to divine Contemplation Thus the Monks Eremites and Anchorites of old For though some of the most ancient are excused as being driven thereunto by persecution yet the latter seemed to be transported wholly with superstition and therefore in that they lived solely not coming to the publick Ordinances of God in a Church way it was not justifiable by Scripture Indeed if they took their times to come to publick Societies and receive Sacraments as Rivet affirmeth against Grotius Dialys pag. 106. pleading their example for being of no Church then they are to be excused à tanto though not à toto The second unlawfull ground of keeping from Communion with Church-assemblies is A prophane Atheistical disposition that look upon a Church and a Church-assembly as humane devices to keep men in awe or if they be not so eminently Atheistical yet their love to their lusts and pleasures to the world and contents thereof make them weary of the Sabbaths and publick Ordinances as those in Amos 8. 5. When will the Sabbath be over that we may set forth wheat to sell How many are there that comes as seldome as ever they can to these publick Assemblies and when they do come it 's but for custom and fashion not that they ever found any spiritual good or expect and desire any Therefore let the Use be of Instruction that as ye are not to rest in any Church forms or external Communion to think that the very bodily doing of them will save you So on the other side Take heed of voluntarily and wilfully neglecting the publick Assemblies How have the godly when banished and driven from them bewailed their misery whereas thou dost voluntarily absent thy self Think how it may lie upon thee at thy death when thou shalt remember the many Sabbaths the many Ordinances thou hast neglected and now if God would give thee but one day or one hour to make thy peace with him thou wouldst judge it a great mercy The second Observation is from the Universality All the Saints There are none so mean so inconsiderable but this Epistle is directed to them as well as the most eminent From whence observe That the soul of the poorest and meanest Saint is not to be neglected That as the rain falleth upon the least spire of grass as well as the choisest flowers so ought all ministerial planting and watering to be to the meanest plant in Christs garden as well as the chiefest Though Christian Religion doth not abolish civil Polity nor the distinctions and relations of Magistrate and Subject of Master and Servant but strictly enjoyneth their respective duties yet in respect of religious considerations all are but as one Thus the Apostle notably Gal. 3. 28. There is neither bond or free male or female but all are one mark that in Christ Christ looketh upon all as one man And certainly if Christ in shedding his bloud for his people had an equal respect to the meanest with the greatest he died for the godly servant as well as the godly master the godly poor man as well as the godly rich man Then it behoveth all Christians to imitate him in this Whosoever is a Saint though he be never so contemptible do thou own and imbrace such else we do not love the brotherhood we do not love a godly man because he is godly but because he is great or rich or may advantage thee in the world Paul will not except or leave out one of the Saints in all Acbaia SERM. XXII How Grace and Peace and such like spiritual Mercies and Priviledges are to be desired before any temporal Mercies whatsoever 2 COR. 1. 2. Grace be to you and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ HItherto we have considered the Inscription we now come to the Salutation which is in these words and it containeth matter of prayer It is not any earthly or temporal mercy he prayeth for but what is heavenly and spiritual The Apostle Paul doth constantly use this Salutation only in both those Epistles to Timothy and Titus which were Church-officers he interposeth Mercy between Grace and Peace Calvin thinketh he putteth it in his Salutation to Timothy because of his dear affection and love to him but why should he do it to Titus also Certainly it ought to be considered that only to Church-officers he useth
the Gospel is though to some a savour of life yet to others a savour of death Thus afflictions and troubles to some do discover their hypocrisie and guile as winnowing doth the chaâ—â— but to others they are blessed either to conversion or to edification So that in all the sufferings of the Church we are by prayer to importune God that by these means greater glory may come to Christ and that these waters of persecution may be like those to the Ark which could not drown it but exalted it nearer to Heaven Hence Fourthly We may admire the wisdome power and goodnesse of God that wherein the enemies of Gods Church deal craftily and cruelly in that very thing he is above them working the contrary to that which they are intending For how many persecutors hath the Church had who like Haman resolved to root out the very name of Christianity and their persecutions have increased the number of Christians Thus it must needs be madness and torment to the Churches enemies to see that the wayes they take to demolish is indeed to build up the Church of God Even as it was with Pharaoh when he called a counsel to deal craftily with the Israelites to oppress and diminish them then they were the more multiplied Thus Act. 12. 24. when Herod set himself to kill the eminent servants of the Lord and thereby weaken the Church of God for when the shepherds were dissipated what would become of the flock it is said But the word of God grew and multiplied See how the contrary fell out to Herods design These things premised Let us consider What is the general good promoted by the Churches sufferings And 1. Hereby the glory of God and Christ is the more exalted amongst all that fear him For when the Churches of God shall see the wisdome and goodness of God thus to his people turning all the cruelty and craft of their adversaries to their own good that what they could never do their enemies do for them What glory and praise doth this cause in all Congregations How is the Church indeared hereby to God to trust in him to continue faithfull to him in all exercises God hath been good and will be good God hath turned the greatest evil of men to the greatest advantage and he will do it As Christs death is called a glorifying of him Thus also are the sufferings for Christ the believers glory and not only so but the glory of Christ also What saith Paul Phil. 1. 20. Christ shall be magnified in my body whether by life or death But 2. The great good overflowing to the Church by its sufferings are the propagation and enlargement of the Gospel thereby Phil. 1. 13. Paul there sheweth how his troubles fell out to the furtherance of the Gospel for his bonds were made manifest in Caesars palace and in all other places That of Tertullian is known The blood of Martyrs is the seed of the Church When men did behold their faith the râ—patience their constancy and courage it made them enquire into the cause of their sufferings what it was that could make them so constantly endure all kind of torments Insomuch that this was in stead of the working of miracles to bring men to faith So that as the shaking of a ripe flower maketh many seeds fall to the ground and in stead of that one flower many come up in the room of it or as when the Vine hath its branches cut off there come farre more in stead thereof Thus it hath also been by all the troubles on the Church of God by afflictions and by patience under them How numerous did the Church of God grow even like the stars in Heaven Let the Use be To consider those examples of all such worthies who have suffered for Christ whether recorded in Scripture or in Ecclesiastical History read them for thy comfort and thy salvation The word of God and the lives of Martyrs bearing witness to it may much prevail over a stony heart It hath been a good blessing of God that the Names and Histories of most Martyrs have been preserved and recorded for the good of the Church of God to come The lives and sufferings of our Martyrs here in England what influence may they not make upon thee What patience what heavenly mindedness what courage should this put into thee As Abel though dead speaketh Thus do all the godly Martyrs the Bradfords the Ridleys the Latimers they all speak still and God suffereth such persecutions to be as perpetual Sermons to teach us SERM. LI. The Afflictions which others suffer for Christ make much for our Comfort and Salvation 2 COR. 1. 6. And whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation and salvation THe second particular in this Text as it stands divided is the Consequent or Effect of this tribulation which is set down in a particular and special manner above any other fruit of it and that is two-fold Consolation and Salvation Of the word Consolation enough hath already been said For the other viz. Salvation we shall remit it to the end of the verse where it is again specified So that our work is immediately to proceed to the Observation which is That sufferings for Christ should be so farre from disheartning and offending others that a true and right consideration of them may much provoke our comfort and salvation This truth is of great use For the afflictions accompanying the wayes of Christ have been an offence and a stumbling block to many Now when a curb shall be made a spur when an hinderance a furtherance and we shall be encouraged from those particulars which should drive back this consideration must be very profitable Before we come to amplifie in what manner in what respects persecutions are made thus serviceable to others Let us take notice First That the sufferings of others do work good only occasionally or by way of example We must not conceive any merit or causality as was declared before in Martyrs They are Examples not Mediators Their light did shine that we might thereby glorifie God So that we must take heed that the sufferings of the godly do not obscure the sufferings of Christ that they should not be accounted the only treasure of Christ But as Luther was afraid lest his books should take men off from meditating on the Bible Or as Paul was afraid men should judge of him as if he by his own power had done that miracle and therefore told them It was onely by the Name of Christ. So also it was with all the true Martyrs of Christ they were humble looking upon themselves as unworthy of the name of a Martyr neither would they have their blood derogate from the blood of Christ Hence Secondly We may greatly deplore and bewail the Apostasie of the Church concerning those that were Martyrs and sufferers for Christ in what superstition and sinfull devotion were they plunged in about
their rust cleansing out their spots they would quickly become very loath some and unclean Now in the pursuing of this Doctrine because I have already opened the nature of this self-trusting I shall only aggravate the evil of it that because the godly are so prone to it they may the more bewail it and watch against it And certainly the people of God doe not thinke and meditate upon the evil of this sinne enough you heare them complaining often of other sinnes they lie heavy upon their hearts but very little of this whereas this is like sweet poison it destroyeth and you feele it not And First It must nneds be a sinne highly displeasing God Because he doth so severely chastise his own people to prevent this sinne The sharper physick is given the greater danger of the disease God would not have exercised Paul thus above his strength but that he might see his own feebleness and infirmity and might accordingly trust in God onely Lighter and lesser afflictions do not drive thee out of all humane props thou hast some creature-consideration or other that doth make thee bear up thy heart but when God cuts every rope and drives the ship into the midst of the Sea among waves and tempests then thou art provoked to look up unto God Let then the children of God lay to heart this sinne more and examine themselves in every affliction that doth befall them Thou many times sayest Oh that I could find out the sinne the Jonah that hath raised this tempest Oh that I knew what was the peculiar corruption God would bring me in mind of by this trouble upon me Why try and search whether thou hast not secretly trusted in thy own self or in some earthly hopes Whether thy heart hath been weaned from all things It may be there is this or that creature thou doest inordinately lean upon and therefore because thou doest not yet trust in God with all thy heart he doth thus imbitter thy condition to thee Insomuch that were the children of God in no danger of self-dependance or creature-dependance they should seldome meet with the rod of God upon their backs Who was a man of greater afflictions and exercises than David was And who speaketh more of trusting in God than he doth This he learned by all his temptations Secondly This sinne is to be aggravated Because it is such a secret close imbred sinne it is the last sinne that will be mortified There is a difficulty of finding it out and a difficulty of overcoming it when it is discovered and both these make it the more dangerous and damnable sinne It is difficult to find it out This sinne like Saul hideth it self behind the stuff you may search and search as they did for the Spies in Rahab's house but because something or other covereth this sinne therefore you passe it by undiscerned How apt are we to say I do not trust in my graces I do not trust in my gifts Would you not have me to take notice of them How can I then be thankfull to God How can I bless God for them And for my graces Do not all Divines say though they may not trust in them yet they may take them as comfortable signs of Gods favour and thereupon rejoyce before God yea and plead them against the accusation of Satan or as an argument to God not by way of merit but because of the gracious promise made by God to our graces after this manner Hezekiah under the sentence of death prayed Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with an upright heart 2 King 20. 3. Thus also Paul did I have fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for me a crown of glory 2 Tim. 4. 7. All this is true godly men are allowed to take comfort from their graces and thankfully to receive the evidences of Gods love thereby but how hard a matter is it to stay there and go no further How difficultly are consolations from them and confidence in them separated one from another Even as to have riches and not to trust in riches so to have grace and not trust in grace and the rather by how much grace is accounted a more excellent thing then wealth As it is hard to find it out so no lesse difficult to overcome it Caesar had some enemies of whom he said it was Difficilius invenire quam vincere but it is not so with this corruption Paul himself cannot so quickly shake off this viper that sticketh not to his hand but close to the heart For as faith is therefore the most difficult grace because it carrieth us out of our selves out of the creatures out of all things and fixeth the heart upon God alone So on the contrary this is the sinne that is most easie and where unto we are most propense with the worme we crawl upon the ground our feeblenesse and infirmity is such that we must have churches to rest upon and till faith be made perfect we cannot but catch hold upon some reed or other though never so weak Thirdly It being an heart-sinne It may be frequently committed in a day in an hour Thy heart is alwayes in motion it never lieth still now every time it moveth it may put forth some carnal dependance or other upon the creature Thus whereas many sins cannot be often committed there are many things concurrent ere they can be accomplished This may be committed as often as there is the twinkling of the eye The air then may not be fuller of Atomes or the sea of water than thy heart of carnal confidences And certainly every time God is not made thy refuge every time thou doest not rest under his shadow so often doest thou put trust in something else than God onely Take heed then of that sinne which like the Poets Hydra as often as thou cuttest off their Heads new ones arise again in the room thereof That the emptying of thy heart is like emptying of a lively and quick spring the more water is cast out the more new cometh in immediately Fourthly This trusting in any thing but God is a very great sinne Because it is a making of the creature a God and so a breach of that first Commandment wherein we are forbidden to have any other gods but the true one Now how great a sinne Idolatry is the Scripture doth every where speak Thou therefore that abhorrest to worship a stock or a stone who darest not fall down before an Idol to doe reverence thereunto How often doest thou as bad in thy heart to the creatures Yea many times some Idolaters did worship the true God they did not erre in the object onely they formed sinfull representations of God to themselves As the Israelites in that Calf which they made crying out These are thy gods O Israel And this Idolatry is not so bad as when that which is not the true God is set up for him
of heart whereby we are enabled to know our condition is alwayes accompanied with a godly filial and holy fear That fear which is so often commanded in Scripture and with which we are to worke out our salvation Phil. 2. 12. It is true there is a slavish and servile feare tormenting us with daily doubts and this is properly expelled by this knowledge of our sincerity and there is no greater enemy to an Evangelical and Gospel life which is in faith peace and joy in the holy Ghost then these tormenting doubts about our selves And therefore the Papists who teach and encourage these doubtings under the colour of humility do thereby drive us from Christ Yea Luther said If there were no other cause then this we had ground enough to depart from the Church of Rome But though this Ishmael must be cast out yet not Isaac too There is a lawfull fear whereby as children we reverence God are afraid of any frowne from him and doe thereby diligently attend to all those duties he hath commanded and this is necessary to beget a true knowledge of our upright hearts and by this that rash presumption of Epicures of impenitent and secure sinnes is wholly excluded for they doe in a presumptuous manner indulge themselves in all sinnes having no holy fear in the godly use of all those means God hath commanded Fourthly To enable the soul of a believer thus to know and be assured of its sincerity there is above all required The helpe of Gods Spirit For the Texts above-mentioned doe attribute it to the Spirit of God dwelling in us whereby we come to know what God hath wrought in us It 's the Spirit of God which helpeth our infirmities in prayer and doth seale and witnesse unto us that we are the children of God Therefore though a godly mans soul be as fully bespangled with graces as the firmament with starres yet if the Spirit of God enable not to discerne of these we are in daily fluctuations of spirit As Hagar had a fountain of water by her but she was ready to perish with thirst till God opened her eyes to see it And as the Prophets man could not behold that great company which was on his side till his eyes were inabled thereunto so neither do we know what are the gracious workings of Gods Spirit in us without this sealing witnesse of Gods Spirit But of this more largely when we come to the 22th verse in this Chapter Now when all these are concurrent together Doth the godly soul with a certaine knowledge conclude that it is in a state of grace and so justified with God Whether this be a knowledge of faith or of sense or mixed of both is disputed But it seemeth to be the later For as faith in the assenting act is carried out to principles clearly revealed in the Word And then secondarily to conclusions by good and sure consequence deduced from them So is faith in the fiducial actings of it to the promises as laid downe in the general and then to the same as particularly applied So that faith and experience concurre to make up this certaine knowledge a glorious and rare priviledge For because men doe live so dissolutely and carelesly because they doe so little exercise themselves in holinesse and close walking with God therefore they thinke such a thing is impossible Yea because the people of God are so sensible of their infirmities and constant weaknesses they think it is no duty but sinfull presumption to believe any such thing concerning themselves But in the next place we are to shew you that it it is a duty which we ought to presse after SERM. LXXXVIII Of the Impediments which keep us from Assurance Commands for it and Cautions about it 2 COR. 1. 12. The testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity c. THe next thing to be pursued concerning the Doctrin already observed viz. That a believer may certainly know that he doth not onely do the duties God requireth but also that he doth them with a sincere and single heart The manner as well as the matter is manifested to him is to shew our duty herein that we are bound by Gods command not to rest till we come to some assured knowledge herein Therefore of all the Questions in Divinity thou art to study to exercise thy self most in this Whether doest thou know that thou art in a state of grace that thou art no hypocrite no self-deluded wretch in the wayes of Religion but that thou hast sincerity and truth in the inward parts How much more advantagious would it be to Christians if they studied the resolution of this case more It is strange that many can spend their time in disputes about either unnecessary things or too sublime for their capacities or such Questions that they are not concerned in And as for this which is the main fundamental one as to their particulars be wholly negligent about it Certainly a good resolution herein is of so great importance that we may wonder that we do not lay all other studies aside yea bid all other businesses stand alooff off till the Spirit of God upon sure grounds hath perswaded us herein If your temporal estate were questioned if all your livelihood were called into question and it began to be doubtfull whether the estate you enjoy were your own by the right of the Laws or no especially if others did sollicite and indeavour to take it from you Would not this make you runne and ride night and day till you had obtained such firm evidences that all your adversaries could not invalidate How then cometh it about that we will thus desperately put the state of our souls to a venture if I be regenerated I am regenerated if but a temporary believer I am no more I will put it to the event let it fall out how it will Oh the sad blindnesse and heavy judgements of men in this particular and yet thou that livest thus doubtfully and wilt die thus doubtfully How uncertain is thy life What a bubble and vapour art thou Oh remember that the time is coming that a godly ability to answer thy self in this doubt and temptation will be more worth then all the world when thou art to be snatched from this world to enjoy the comforts thereof no more when thou apprehendest thy self summoned by death to stand at Gods Tribunal where grace and only grace through the blood of Christ will be a sure plea. What agonies what perplexities what confusions will be upon thy soul If thou criest out then Oh I know not what I am what will become of me whether I am going Live I must not die I dare not Oh that I could hear a voice from Heaven immediately witnessing unto me that my spiritual estate is safe and good Be sure that of all the Questions in the world you will one day be put most to answer this Not so much what knowledge
complain of such a dull and liveless Ministry yet how little do people think that many times they give the cause so that its Gods punishment upon them in that very thing yea though Ministers be never so faithfull and godly yet as Calvin observeth they cannot go on in their Ministerial work with that vigor and alacrity they ought to do when their hearts are bound up with sorrow and discouragements about their people All cannot attain to Pauls excellency who could have enlarged bowells to that people who had streightened ones towards him SERM. CVII Of the Necessity of a constant Ministry not only for the constituting but to an establishing the Church 2 COR. 1. 15. That you might have a second benefit IN these words we have the End of Pauls purpose to come to them It was wholly spiritual It was not for any advantage any earthly respects but but wholly for their good to encrease and confirm their graces The End is expressed in these words That ye might have a second benefit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some as Chrysostome interpret for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea their are some who would have that to be the word in the Original It is no doubt but that much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joy did follow upon this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All spiritual effects and heavenly exercises are apt to breed much joy Hence none have true joy but those that are godly and so by consequence none are blessed but they for Joy is a great ingredient to Happiness Hence Aristotle maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceedingly to rejoyce yet is more consonant to other places of Scripture to read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus Rom. 1. 11. He desired to see them that he might impart to them some spiritual benefit The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is chiefly used in the New Testament for the free grace of God towards us in reference to our Eternal Happiness so that the very name ought to be sweet and precious to such who labour under the sense of their unworthiness and see no power or works of their own any wayes able to save them It is of grace therefore that doth not onely exclude merit but supposeth thee unworthy for such mercies of thy own self It is sometimes in Scripture applyed to such Almes as were freely given for the use of distressed Churches 2 Cor. 8. which is therefore called Grace partly because it is of Gods special goodness to give us such a free and liberal Disposition as the first Verse in that Chapter implyeth I do you to wit saith Paul of the grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia and that was to be liberal to the other afflicted Saints and partly because it cometh from the bountifull disposition of a man to such as are in want In this Text it is to be applyed to spiritual bounty that is to be willing and ready in all serviceableness to promote the spirituall good of others for there are spiritual almes as well as temporal which lieth in reproof in Admonition and frequent Exhortation to what is good Now this Grace or Benefit is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate iterated and repeated though it be more than the Second or third time Chrysostome referreth it to his Epistles and his presence for by both these he communicated spiritual benefit unto them But it is most probably and generally referred to his first and second coming whether Paul did come a third time to those Corinthians is disputed by Commentators because of some passages in the 12 and 13 Chapters of this Epistle of which in its time It is enough that by the first grace or benefit we mean the first work upon them by Pauls Ministry when they were converted from their Paganism and planted a Church of Christ And the second benefit was to confirm them in the same Faith and also to quicken them up unto further degrees of Holiness and this was the second Benefit Paul desired to impart unto them For it appeareth that though this Church of Corinth was a garden planted by Paul yet many weeds and some poysonous ones began to grow up amongst them There were both in Doctrine and Manners many things amiss which needed Pauls presence to reforme Observe That it is not enough to be a Church planted and gathered from out of the world at first but there needeth a constant and dayly Ministry to be tilling and dressing of it That Garden which God planted and put Adam into yet was to be dayly dressed and so it is still with the best Churches even those that are of the Apostolical Plantation yet needed the Apostles care and diligent visitations which was one main cause of writing those several Epistles to several Churches They were not written to convert them or make them Churches but to admonish instruct or confirm and comfort as occasion did require and upon this ground it is that though the office of Apostles and Prophets as also the gift of miracles are now ceased because the Church is now planted yet the office of Pastors and the Ordinances Christ hath instituted are perpetual and must be continued to the end of the world So that the opinion of the Socininians about the Ministry as it were only a thing of order and not of Divine Institution is grosly repugnant to Gods Word as also their Doctrine about Baptism That it was but a temporary Ceremony instituted for the beginning of the Church is full of falshood Churches though constituted yet must be dayly watered neither is it enough for a people once to be brought home to the Faith but they need a second and a third yea a continual benefit For though the Apostle haply did come but the second time to these Corinthians yet he appointed Officers in an ordinary residence amongst them as wel as in other Churches which were continually to watch over them The particulars wherein the Ministry is necessary for perfecting work as well as foundation work for progress as well as ingress for consummation as well as imitation are these First To inform against those Errors which false Teachers do easily insinuate into the hearts of people No sooner hath God sowed his field with precious wheat but the envious one commeth and soweth his tares As the April showers that make grass and flowers to come cause also weeds to grow Thus at the same time God is building the Church the Devil and his instruments are raising their Babel No sooner have the Ministers of God with Isaac digged up Wells but the Philistines have been ready to throw their earth and mud therein If then Errors and damnable Heresies may so quickly infect a Church formerly pure no wonder if there be such necessity of Pastors and Guides who are to lead the people into all truth by their Ministry as the spirit of
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
charge our base and unworthy hearts with much lazinesse much formality much worldlinesse whereby we are hindered from spending our selves and being spent in his service Do we not live as if we had no other business in this world then to eat and drinke to buy and sell And yet againe Who looketh upon himself as running in a race and so will not give over till he come to the prize And truely if wee but consider the infinite comfort that is in doing of Gods worke above the worlds and the Devils this would be a sharpe goade in our sides to make us forward therein SERM. CIX Of the Office of Apostle and particular Pastours and of the Peoples esteeme of their Minister 2 COR. 1. 16. And to passe by you into Macedonia and to come againe out of Macedonia unto you and of you to be brought on my way toward Judea WE proceed to a second Observation from this relation made by Paul of the manner how he intended to performe his promise of visiting of them For it 's plain that Paul by this instance doth declare that he had an universal commission to oversee all those Churches in several places and countreys which he had planted And therefore in this particular his Office was distinct from ordinary Pastours which were appointed for particular Cities and Churches who were to have their ordinary residence with them and so were in a peculiar manner to give an account for their souls as their proper charge God then did not or doth not require of ordinary Pastours that they should like Paul travail from countrey to countrey for the propagating of the Gospel but in a diligent and faithfull manner to watch over their own flock at home From whence observe That the Office of an Apostle and an ordinary Pastor were among other things distinguished in this that the one had an universal charge over all Churches the other was limitted to a particular flock I say Among other things for there were several particulars wherein Apostles and Pastors are diversified as their immediate call their ocular testimony and witnesse of Christ their power to work miracles their infallibility in Doctrines All which are not now to be looked for in an ordinary Pastor Only that which I am to take notice of is their illimited and universal power which the Apostles had they were supream Governors in the Church yet even their Authority was but ministerial not magisterial Therefore their name declareth they were but as Embassadors sent and so were not to do any thing in their own name but the name of Christ who sent them The opening of this Doctrine may serve for information and practical improvement And First We are to take notice that the Apostles had an universal commission to go and preach to all Nations to disciple them to plant Churches And therefore they were in constant travails up and down for they were the leaven to leaven the whole world They were like the Sunne whose light and heat have influence upon the whole earth It is true they divided their labours some going into one part and some into another so that thereby the word of God prevailed more powerfully than the Emperours sword Christ indeed saith He was sent only to the lâ—st sheep of Israel but the Apostles were sent to all the lost men of the word and that grace of God which before was inclosed within the borders of Judea was upon Christs ascension publickly offered to all Nations This was that mystery which the Apostles at first perceived not but when throughly instructed then they began to call nothing or man unclean It was then necessary for the carrying on of this universal and illimited grace of God to have such Officers that should also be universal and illimited that should go up and down preaching the Gospel of Christ the goodness of God herein mercifully appearing that no Nation though never so barbarous and in such remote parts of the world were shut out from this glorious light Secondly The Office of the Apostles though thus differing from all other Offices yet it did virtually and eminently contain all therefore they could do what the Pastor and Teacher did Hence Peter cals himself an Elder 1 Pet. 5. 1. And John the Apostle for we take it for granted it was he that was the Penman of them in his two last Epistles styleth himself only Elder So that the Apostles they did preach they did administer Sacraments and thus what any other Officer did they also could do Even as Philosophers say the vegetative and sensitive soul is contained in the rational after a more eminent manner Thirdly The Apostles therefore had in their Office that which was ordinary and that which was extraordinary In their extraordinary they had no successours in this particular of universal inspection and over-sight to Churches they had none This Question indeed is greatly disputed by Saravia and others that adhere to his opinion who affirm That though the Apostles had many extraordinary and personal priviledges yet their Office was perpetual even as that of the Pastors There being say they the same perpetual grounds for one as well as the other But that doth not appear probable The first constitution and planting of Churches requiring that peculiar Office which planted Churches do not Even as miracles were then required but not now and if any Nation were in these later dayes to be converted there would be required no more an Apostle to do this then miracles to confirm his Doctrine As it was with the people of Israel while they were at first to be an imbodied people and before they were fully planted in the Land of Canaan they had extraordinary Officers and the Lord wrought wonderfull miracles amongst them but he did not so afterwards Fourthly But the Office of an ordinary Pastor is to watch over his flock to keep constant residence amongst them Even the best Popish Writers do determine That a Pastors residence with his people is Jure Divino It is true there are some cases when they may for a while be absent from them viz. when they are called to consult in Synods and Councils about the publick advantage of the Churches of God to stop the gangrene of errour or any prophaneness endangering the whole body but a voluntary absence from a people is a great sinne and inconsistent with all those ministerial duties that God doth require of them How can they feed them How can they admonish them How can they rebuke them and reprove as occasion shall serve unless present with them That distinction per se vel per alium will not hold at the day of judgement It is not another mans diligence another mans care that will save thee Now when we say his residence is necessary we mean not his meer personal and bodily presence only For if men be lazy and negligent their presence is an absence The Scripture speaks of Idol-shepherds such have
saved come to a Nay There is sometimes a necessity of changing and that is when people and Ministers have been carried away with errours and false wayes Though such things may plead antiquity though you may urge prescription for many hundred years yet upon conviction and illumination we are to change from yea we are to bewail such errours as we once lived in Was it not thus with Paul Though Paul was not now Yea and Nay since he was an Apostle yet he was once so neither was that to his dispraise but his honour in the Church of God Did not Paul once violently persecute that way which afterwards he preached for Those traditions and pharisaical superstitions which once he maintained even to the killing of all the opposers thereof Doth not he in time with as much zeal renounce them as ever once he did plead for them This change of Paul was so wonderfull that Act. 9. 21. Many who heard him preach Christ were amazed saying Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this Name in Jerusalem You see then that there may be a just occasion to change our opinions our practices in Religion There is a just occasion for a Jew a Turke to leave his Religion and become a Christian There is a just occasion for Papists and Hereticks to forsake that way of worship they have followed with so much zeal and devotion Neither may they fear the shame and reproach of being accounted weather-cocks and turn-coats but rather they have cause to blesse God who hath opened their eyes and not suffered them to perish in the Aegypt and Sodome they were in It is true naturally it is accounted an hainous sinne to change that Religion which a man is born and bred up in Therefore we have an History of our King John Fuller Histor of the Church who being in great Stateextremities sent to the King of the Moors for aid and assistance promising him his Kingdom if he would and that the Nation should receive the Turkish Religion But the Morocco King refused the offer saying That he had lately read Paul ' s Epistles and did like the matter well so that he found no fault with Paul but because he changed the Religion he was born in I bring this instance to shew what a great influence that Religion hath let it be false or true upon a man in which he hath been educated Yet there is a necessity if men will be saved sometimes of forsaking that Religion our Fathers and Ancestours have lived in For seeing that is directly against Scripture that any man in any Religion may be saved and also that seeing there are so many contrary Religions in the world it followeth inevitably that there are some in such damnable wayes and that of Religion that without repentance and coming out of those former impieties they shall never escape the eternal flames of hell and such a change is not matter of reproach but it is the wonderfull conversion of Gods grace upon our hearts Hence the Apostle doth so often admire the riches of Gods grace to those Heathens who were delivered out of that ignorance and darknesse with the abominable impieties they once lived in As it is in Philosophy they distinguish of alteration or change it is either destructiva or perfectiva Thus when a man of a fool is made wise of a vicious person virtuous here is a perfective alteration so it is also in the matters of Religion we may change the best errour for truth darknesse for light It is not then enough to say Thou wilt not change thy principles thy way of Religion thou hast been born in them and thy Ancestours have lived in the same way for this every Jew every Turke may plead as well as thou The Heathens pleaded this against the Christian Religion Sequendi sunt patres qui foeliciter sunt suos sequuti contumeliosa est emendatio senectutis If this be true why art thou not a Papist still Why doest thou not call for the Masse and Church-duties to be done in Latine For this was the way thy Ancestours were brought up in Hence in the second place It is not simply the Yea and Nay that is to be blamed but when it is in the truth when we ought to be constant and immoveable therein As every party doth brand another with Heretick Schismatick Apostate so also with inconstancy but it is not the meer names but the reality that maketh such persons If then a man holds Gods truth he is no Heretick though the whole world should condemn him He that hath a scripture-Scripture-ground to depart from the Idolatries of the Church is no Schismatick though others charge him with it for Causa non separatio facit Schismaticum Thus if a man forsake his former errours his former superstitions if he leave his corrupt Doctrines this mans change is a duty he is not to be blamed for it but if a man leave the truth if he forsake the way of God then his Yea and Nay is to be reproved If then you see a man leaving one opinion after another one practice after another so that all this while it is a progresse in the truths of Christ this man is the more to be encouraged For such is the pertinacy of man and love to his owne credit and glory that it must be some great cause which shall make him retract and recant that which he did once zealously professe so that it is in Doctrinals as in morals if you see a man that hath for many years wallowed in his lusts that hath been glewed to them so that he appeared Non tam peccator quam ipsum peccatum if this man through the grace of God be converted do contrary to all that once he did shall this man be derided because he will not be the same prophane person that once he hath been No God rather is to be glorified who made the prodigal that was lost to be found that was dead to live again Thirdly Although thus to increase in knowledge and light whereby we leave off doing the things we once did be thus a duty yet even such a change supposeth an imperfection in a man For were our understandings fully illuminated we should be able to see the truths of God at the very first light would not come in successively upon us and by degrees dispelling darknesse as we see the Sunne doth in the morning but it would be in its vertical point immediately Even as Photius reporteth out of an Historian Agatharcides that there are a people to whom the Sunne doth not appear by degrees as to us but it cometh suddenly and perfectly upon them out of the depth of darknesse It is true therefore our weaknesse and imperfection not that we come to know things better than we did or that we are changed but because we needed such an alteration We know but in part saith the Apostle 1 Corinth 13. putting himself into the number Hence
to charge it upon all other Ministers as if they were all alike It was for this that Paul doth not only apologize for himself but his Associates also But how unreasonable is this grant that some were truly blame-worthy must all be so If in the Old Testament there were many false prophets that daubed with untempered mortar that cried peace peace to sinners when destruction was at hand shall we therefore condemn the good Prophets who reproved even the greatest and most mighty for their sins Because Judas was a thief and for filthy lucre sake betrayed Christ shall we condemn all the Apostles making them to be no better Must Sylvanus and Timotheus be accused Because they thought Paul was inconstant and light yet thus it falleth out continually and that from these Grounds First The policy and enmity of false teachers who like Haman think it a small matter to destroy one Mordecai unlesse they root out the whole race of the Jews Thus the false Apostles concluded Though Paul was disgraced and vilified yet if Sylvanus and Timotheus be in esteem and authority our Kingdom will fall to the ground It is therefore the adversaries design to cast dung in the faces of all the faithfull Ministers of Christ that so there might not one be left that should be usefull in their place A second Ground is From the injudiciousnesse and indiscretion of people who are credulous and apt to believe all rumours and reports How could it be that the Pharisees by their calumniating Christ as an Impostor and a Blasphemer should prevail with the greater part of the people to be on their side because they were blinde and led by the blinde they would not make use of their own judgement they would not examine and try whether things were so or no. And then the third Ground is From the natural enmity that is in all wicked men to the Office of the Ministry when faithfully discharged That is a burden to them they must needs say with Ahab to such faithfull Michaiahs We hate him because he alwayes prophesieth evil Alas godly Ministers cannot give any comfort cannot promise peace to such ungodly persons therefore they have hatred against them and are glad to receive any false report concerning them Ministers are compared to Light and to salt now the Light must needs be offensive to distempered eyes and Salt to soars Thus if the Ministery be powerfull to enlighten to convince to reprove no ungodly man can endure this Therefore it is that the office of the Ministery when faithfully managed is so great a trouble to wicked men They are thievs therefore cannot endure this light they cry out with Ahab hast thou found mee O my enemy Every Sermon that is powerfull is as bitter as gall and wormwood to them and therefore there being such an enmity and ill-will against them it is no wonder if they be quickly prejudiced and will not believe there is a godly or faithfull Minister in the whole Church of God But I hasten to the Last Observation and that is It is a most blessed and happy thing when all the Ministers of God agree with one consent to advance Christ As Luke calleth it chap. 1. The mouth of all the holy Prophets which have been since the beginning of the world It was but one mouth as it were They all agreed in the same Doctrine Paul and Sylvanus and Timotheus they all preach the same Christ they were not yea or nay This accord and agreement among the Ministers of the Gospel is of so great concernment that our Saviour in his valedictory prayer doth with much efficacy and vigor press this Petition That his Disciples may be one and one in the most near manner imaginable even as the father and son are one I shall not enlarge on this because heretofore much spoken off only I shall instance in some usefull Effects and consequences of this happy Agreement Only before I do that we have cause to take notice of the goodness of God and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifold wisdome of God whereby he hath provided many Offices many Officers for his Church and those variously gifted and all for the spiritual benefit of our soules some are Barnabasses some are Boanergeses Thus as the Kings Daughter is said to be cloathed with needle work of divers colours so hath God richly adorned his Church with variety of abilities that if men be not converted the greater will be their condemnation For whereas Auditors are of divers appetites some are for doctrinal Preaching some for affectionate some are for legal terrible Sermons others for sweet Evangelical discourses if Christ send Embassadours thus qualified every way what can they look for who are not by these several baits allured and taken For this cause we have Christ himself upbraiding the Jews that no kinde of heavenly way would please no kinde of dressing the Word of life was acceptable to their palates Matth. 11. 18. John came neither eating nor drinking and they say he hath a devil The son of man came eating and drinking and they say Behold a friend of publicans and sinners Hereupon he compareth them to children playing in the markets saying we have piped to you and ye have not danced we have mourned unto you and ye have not lamented Thus nothing would do any good to them Admire then Gods goodness that hath thus abundantly provided for thee Do not simply and enviously compare one Ministers gifts above another but adore the mercy of God that useth all the different abilities of men for the Churches good This premised we may from the harmony and Agreement of Ministers in advancing Christs Kingdom see First The greater Confirmation of the truth If out of the mouth of two or three witnesses then how much more out of the mouth of many thousand witnesses is every truth abundantly confirmed How canst thou give way to any atheistical thoughts whether there be a God or a day of Judgment or an heaven or an hell when thou shalt hear so many thousands of Gods servants in all ages witness to this thing All the Prophets and Apostles men renouned for holiness for miracles they all preached the same Doctrines that we do to you And therefore consider with thy self what a cloud of witnesses thou gainsayest by thy unbelief 2. The greater consent and harmony the greater defence there is for the truth The old rule is vis unita fortior Our Saviour confirmeth it when he saith A Kingdome divided against it self cannot stand What advantages do the enemies of Gods Church make by the Divisions and different Judgments of men in the Reformed Church The Papist doth confidently conclude that all will turn to them at last for say they you have so many Sects amongst you and one saith he hath the spirit of God and another he hath but all contrary to one another Now although it were easie to recriminate yet this difference
and division is greatly to be lamented A late Papist saith Ford against Taylor That seing Protestants write against Protestants and fight against Protestants and that for the Protestant Religion he hopeth that at last all will see cause to turn to the Catholique Religion But not to tell them of their Divisions though our differences are a great stumbling-block yet to any settled judicious Christian they should not prove so for the Scripture doth so evidently foretell that there must be heresies and that false Prophets will arise that shall come in such deceivable wayes that they would deceive the very Elect if possible and also that God doth for wise ends suffer all such rents to be that none should stagger thereat yea the approved will be made more manifest and this file will get off the rust from the iron this winnowing will drive the chaff from the wheat Lastly This harmony will be for the greater conviction of every one that shall abide in his unbelief and impiety For what a stock or stone art thou if so many droppings will not at last enter into thee Go from one Minister to another doest thou not hear every one cry down prophaneness incourage to godliness If you hear hundreds of faithfull Ministers what is the work of all but to subdue sin to dispossess Satan to bring men into obedience unto Christ Do we not all come with the same Embassage Intreating of you to be reconciled to God and to agree with this adversary while you are in the way What can more convince yea confound than this It was this which brought utter destruction upon Jerusalem there was then no more remedy 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. It was not one or two but many Messengers he sent and yet all these were refused with the same disobedient heart All the Prophets and faithfull Pastors that have ever been in several ages will rise up against thee for thy condemnation in that day directly or indirectly one way or other they will witness against thee SERM. CXXIII The truths of Christ and the Ministers of it are alwayes the same 2 COR. 1. 19. Was not Yea and Nay but in him was Yea. VVE are now arrived at the last Particular to be considered in this Verse which is The Predicate affirmed of the Doctrine preached by Paul and his Associates and that is It 's not Yea and Nay but Yea. The expression hath been explained already The sense is That the Doctrine of Christ is certain constant and immutable As also that such only are to be accounted of as true Doctors who do adhere to the same truth For Calvin saith gravely upon the Text That this taxeth all versatil and Proteus-like men who can transform themselves into any shape preach one time one Doctrine for their advantage and then again change and preach the contrary or else for sinfull fear do at one time assert such Doctrines as true and afterwards retract and recant them again whereas the truth of Christ is like Christ himself The same yesterday today and for ever Heb. 13. 8. and like God himself who changeth not yea in whom is no shadow of change So that from the words we may observe That it is a proper note of Gods truth and true preachers thereof that they are alwayes the same There is no change no contrariety in their Doctrines As the Apostle you heard expressed it If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor Gal. 2. 18. It is in an heynous manner to transgress when a Minister is thus contradictory This Doctrine is the more to be observed because Stapleton in his Antidotes upon this Text maketh a long harangue to demonstrate that Luther Melanchthon Zwinglius Calvin all the eminent Reformers cannot be the true Apostles of Christ because in their writings there was yea and nay one while they preached such and such things at another time the clean contrary Hence he brings a passage out of Zwinglius confessing that he did tempori not rei scribere he did write to serve the time not the matter that he could not deliver pearl because for the present auditors like swine would trample it under their feet and rend him also especially Melanchthon is instanced in as a very inconstant man in whose judgment they could put no confidence Hence he alledgeth a Synod of the Flaccians who were rigid Lutherans that call his Common-places Jocos communes and not Locos communes and much more to this purpose We finde him triumphing in the incertainty of the Protestants Doctrine so that although we know what they hold this year we cannot tell what they will the next and in the constancy of their Popish Religion which they have adhered unto for many years To all this we will readily grant that the truths of Christ are alwayes the same there cannot be any more new truths than a new Christ than a new Bible and therefore we will grant the Thesis but deny the Hypothesis or application of it to Protestants that wheresoever there is yea and nay there cannot be the truths of Christ But that we may throughly understand this point let us consider these particulars First That we must distinguish between the external administrations and formes of Gods worship and the doctrinalls between the Diducticalls and the Rituals For the former though appointed by God himself yet we plainly see a great a teration therein What a vast difference is there between the service and Sacraments of God in the old and in the new Testament There was Circumcision and the Paschal Lamb we have Baptism and the Lords Supper there were Sacrifices and many external Rites and Ceremonies which when Christ the substance came they presently vanished as the blossome falleth when the bud cometh This great change with some other Arguments made the Marcionites of old conclude that it was not the same God of the Old and New Testament but different but that is absurd The Church administrations though by Gods command are now altered so that it would be a heynous thing to circumcise children to offer Sacrifices to God though once it was the peoples duty Here you see then there is a lawfull yea and nay a time when we might circumcise and a time when we must not circumcise And if you say Doth not this argue inconstancy in God doth not this contradict that glorious Attribute of his immutability I answer No for God doth here as the Physician with a diseased person that sometimes administreth one kinde of Physick and sometimes another according as the nature of the disease requireth or as the husbandman soweth his ground sometimes with one seed and sometimes with another God then was pleased to appoint such a temporary worship and afterwards to appoint another which was more suteable to the Church being now no longer an infant as the Apostle insinuateth Gal. 3. 1. As therefore the mother ordereth her childe otherwise while a childe than
to be known ibid. All are not of equal necessity ibid. A latitude to be granted in the application of them 60 Of the twofold form of the Church internal and external ib. The marks of the visible not to be confounded with the properties of the invisible Church 61 Why Paul writeth to the Church and not to the Churches of Corinth 63 A Church is Gods people in a more peculiar manner 64 Seven things implied in the Churches being said to be of God 64 65 66 67 A Church sometimes gathered amongst the most prophane people 69 A Church may be a true one though defiled with many corruptions 70 Three propositions clearing it 73 Three reasons demonstrating it 76 What corruptions were in the Church of Corinth 71 72 The soundnesse and purity of a Church admits of degrees 73 The Church of God as 't is a Church doth farre surpasse all civil societies and temporal dignities 77 Three propositions clearing it 78 79 The grounds of it 79 80 'T is hard for Churches to keep within their proper bounds about Church administrations 80 'T is a Ministers duty by all lawfull means to promote the Church he is related to 81 All that are in the Church are Saints by profession 83 What is comprehended under Church-Saintship 84 85 All Saints ought to joyn themselves to Church communion 91 Yet some causes may excuse them 91 92 What are those sinfull grounds why many do not joyn themselves to Church communion 93 94 The best Churches changeable in their affections to their guides 464 Propositions clearing it 464 465 The causes of it 466 467 The Church esteems many things which the world despises 31 32 Church-officers Church-officers appointed by Christ as the head 28 Propositions clearing it 29 30 Two things Church-officers are to take heed of pride and idlenesse 30 31 How it concerns Church-officers to agree in matters of Religion 46 Three propositions clearing it 46 47 Three things conducing to that happy agreement 47 48 Comfort God a God of all Comfort to his 148 What is implied in that expression 149 What in the word Comfort 150 151 Propositions about the Comforts of God 152 It is so to be managed as to be made an antidote against despair and yet a curb to presumption ib. Comfort not to be judged of without Scripture-light 153 God actually Comforts his people 157 How God comforts his people 158 159 160 God a God of Comfort only to believers 161 Six propositions clearing the truth 162 163 164 165 God Comforts his people in all afflictions 166 167 No Philosophers ever had the true art or grounds of Comfort 169 God Comforts onely by the Scriptures 170 What are the grounds of Comfort in Scripture 171 172 173 How God is said to Comfort his people in all their afflictions notwithstanding they are oft disconsolate 174 175 176 177 Comfort not absolutely necessary to salvation 175 These only are fit to Comfort others who have the experimental work of Gods grace upon their own hearts 182 Four propositions clearing it 182 183 184 Four reasons confirming it 184 185 186 It is a special duty to Comfort the afflicted 187 Propositions clearing it 187 188 189 190 Two things required to the Comforting others in a right manner 190 191 The same grounds of Comforts which revive one may revive another also 191 What are the general grounds of Comfort in afflictions 192 193 Reasons of it 193 194 195 Our Comforts are and abound by Christ 209 210 How Christ makes our Comforts to abound in our sufferings for his sake 210 211 212 God commonly proportions our comforts to our sufferings 214 And sometimes makes them to exceed 215 The reasons of it 216 217 Why God often denies Comfort in trouble 217 218 Our Comfort is promoted by others suffering for Christ 223 224 225 226 227 'T is universal holiness that is the ground of Comfort 443 Communion Two sorts of Communion 251 Communion with the sufferers for Christ a good way to interest us in their glory ibid. Confidence self-confidence Self confidence a great sin 302 Propositions clearing the nature of Self confidence 302 303 304 A godly man sometimes guilty of it 309 310 Of the sinfulnesse of it 313 314 315 Confirme vide Establish Conscience Of the Conscience 384 The witness of a good Conscience a great ground of comfort 385 What is required to a good Conscience 385 386 387 388 389 How the Spirit witnesses with our Consciences 389 What are those effects of the Spirit by which our Consciences are rightly guided in witnessing to us 390 391 Distinctions concerning Conscience and its testimonies 392 393 Consolation vide Comfort Conversation Of a twofold Conversation 443 What is required to a good Conversation 445 446 Conversion A great deal of difference in the persons the Converted 42 And in the manner of their Conversion 43 The reasons of both 44 Corinth Of the City Corinth 68 D Day CHrist hath a solemn Day wherein great changes will be made 479 Wherein these great changes will be 479 480 481 482 c. Dead Of Gods raising the Dead 326 What it implies 328 329 Death The natural fear of Death not removed by grace 284 Propositions clearing it 285 286 Of what use the natural fear of Death is 286 There is a natural fear of Death in all though in some more in some lesse 288 When the fear of Death is sinfull 289 290 291 Deliverance Deliverance both temporal and spiritual from God 341 342 Despair Whence Despair arises 352 Dispensation All Gods Dispensations further the salvation of his people 242 c. Two sorts of Dispensations which conduce to that end 244 Vide Administrations E Earnest GRace the Earnest of glory 651 How grace and an Earnest differ 652 653 What is implied in the Earnest of Gods Spirit 654 655 656 They who have the Earnest of the Spirit cannot fall away 657 658 Education Education not to be rested upon 44 45 Ends. What are these inferiour Ends interposing betwixt God and us which we are apt to look upon 416 417 Enjoyments Temporal Enjoyments as well as spiritual mercies are the gift of God 369 Propositions clearing it 370 371 372 Reasons for it 373 Establish Wherein the Establishing worke of Gods grace lieth 607 608 609 610 611 612 Arguments proving all Establishing to be from God 613 The most eminent need Establishment as well as the weâ—kest 614 Demonstrations of it 615 616 617 'T is in Christ alone that we are Established 617 618 Reasons why we cannot Establish our selves 636 637 Experience Experience in former should encourage to trust in God for future mercies 345 Propositions clearing it 346 347 F Faith OF the different judgements which Faith and flesh put upon afflictions 274 c. The division of Faith as to the object 638 Whether in Faith and by Faith be oaths 665 Ministers have no power over a Christians Faith 684 A Christians Faith relates onely to God 694 Propositions clearing it 696 697 Father
worke consisteth in a great measure in comforting the afflicted 689 N Names THe prefixing of a Name is not a sufficient argument to prove the Authority of any Scripture 11 Note What things are necessary to make a Note 59 O Oath WHat an Oath is 659 660 661 VVhether words be necessary to an Oath 663 VVhether in faith and by faith be Oaths 665 Officers of the Church vid. Church-officers Ordinances Publick Ordinances usefull and acceptable 374 375 Reasons for it 375 376 377 Oyle The properties of material Oyle compared with spiritual 621 622 623 P Patience 'T Is Patience in sufferings that makes them conduce to our salvation 232 Patience commended by all 233 What goeth to the producing of it 234 235 Motives to Patience 236 237 238 239 Paul Why Saul called Paul 2 Paul's sins 3 His serviceablenesse 3 4 His learning 6 Of the Name Paul being prefixed before his Epistles 10 11 That argues them to be of Divine Authority 11 Why he styles himself an Apostle of Jesus Christ 31 Peace Peace from God and Christ earnestly to be prayed for 108 Wherein it consisteth how wrought and preserved 109 110 c. What are the effects of it 114 115 Directions for the attaining of it 116 People as related to Minister Vide Ministers Perseverance 'T is Perseverance that is the crown of holinesse 458 Hopefull beginnings in the wayes of Religion are not enough without Perseverance 459 Propositions clearing it 459 460 461 Prayer The most eminent in gifts and graces still need the Prayers of the meanest 359 Reasons of it 360 People ought to Pray for their Minister 361 362 363 Prayers to be made not only privately but publickly 375 Reasons of it 375 376 Praising It is our duty to Praise God for all his mercies 364 What is required to our Praising God 365 366 367 Motives to it 367 368 Vide Blessing Publick Praises vid. Publick Prayer Preaching Christ is the only object of our Preaching 557 When Christ is Preached 557 558 559 Presumption Signes of Presumption 350 351 Principles Two distinct Principles in every regenerate man 271 272 Of Principles in general 525 526 527 Of the Principles of a godly man 527 528 529 Principles of flesh vid. Flesh Professours Carnal Professours make great opposition to the Ministry 261 262 263 Who are they which Professe Religion meerly upon carnal ends 263 264 c. Promises God hath made many Promises to us in Christ 581 Propositions clearing it 581 582 583 584 Of the several sorts of Promises 585 586 Promises are the executions of Gods Decrees 587 No wicked man hath any right to the Promises ibid. The Promises suppose faith 588 God hath sealed them to us ibid. 'T is great skill to make use of the Promises 589 The Promises are all confirmed in Christ 591 Propositions clearing it 591 592 593 What a Christian should doe that doubts whether the Promises belong to him or no. 596 597 598 The Promises of God will never be altered 598 599 The Promises give glory to God both as made by him and as believed by us 600 601 Wherein the glory of God is manifested in his Promises 601 602 How faith in the Promises gives glory to him 602 603 Our establishment in the Promises is the work of Gâ—…lone 605 Propositions clearing it 606 607 Signs of our interest in the Promises 640 Prudence What is that holy Prudence that Ministers are to use in the exercise of their Ministerial power 678 679 Wherein it doth consist 680 681 R Raising WHat is implyed in Gods Raising from the dead 328 329 Rejoycing An holy Rejoycing and glorying in the graces of God lawfull 380 What is required to this holy Rejoycing 380 381 In what respect 't is lawfull 381 Wherein unlawfull 382 383 Religion Religion opposed by two sorts of people 262 Who are those who professe Religion onely upon carnal grounds 263 264 c. S Saints GOd of great sinners oft makes eminent Saints 2 Reasons for it 4 5 All that are of the Church are Saints by profession and ought to be so by conversation 83 Of the nature of real Saintship 86 87 89 Two motives to it 88 89 Saints ought to joyne themselves in a Church-way 91 Yet some reasons may excuse them 90 What those reasons are 91 92 What reasons are not justifiable 93 94 The soul of the poorest Saint not to be neglected 94 Salvation The Salvation of believers is promoted by their suffering for Christ 228 There is a two-fold Salvation temporal and spiritual 241 The Salvation of Gods people is furthered by all his dispensations 242 What this Salvation doth imply 242 243 Two sorts of dispensations whereby Salvation is promoted 244 Saviour Our Saviour how called Jesus Christ 1 24 26 How Christ is a Saviour 25 What kind of Saviour he is 26 Vide Jesus Saul Why Saul was called Paul 2 Scripture The Penmen of the holy Scriptures were instruments not the authors 12 We are to rest satisfied with the style and method of Scripture 12 The authority of Scripture not to be questioned 13. Four considerations whereby to arme our selves against the opposers of Scripture 13 14 Sealing The people of God are his Sealed ones 625 Propositions clearing it 625 626 What the Sealing of the godly implies 626 627 628 629 The description of the Sealing of Gods Spirit 632 633 634 c. Whether all the people of God be his Sealed ones 645 646 How this Sealing may be stopt 647 648 Self-confidence Vide Confidence Simplicity Godly Simplicity affords much comfort 404 Of the nature of Simplicity as it relateth to God 405 406 407 408 c. As it relateth to man 411 412 Sincerity How 't is called godly Sincerity 413 Godly Sincerity carries a man above all other things to God himself 414 What it is in God that a Sincere heart looks upon 415 416 Propositions discovering the nature and effects of godly Sincerity 418 419 420 Spirit How the Spirit witnesseth with our consciences 390 Spiritual Spiritual mercies to be desired before temporal 96 A natural man cannot desire Spiritual things ibid Onely the regenerate 97 What ars the qualifications which provoke the godly to esteem Spiritual favours before others ibid. The reasons of it 98 Gods Spiritual works upon his people are not only for their but also for others good 179 Two kinds of Spiritual gifts ibid. What are these Spiritual things whereby we may be seruiceable to others 180 181 Suffering What is implied in the Sufferings of Christ 196 197 What in the Sufferings of Christ abounding 197 The profession of Christ is accompanied with Sufferings sometimes excessive ibid. Propositions clearing it 198 199 200 What is required in our Suffering for Christ ex parate objecti 201 202 203 What ex parte subjecti 205 206 207 208 How Christ makes our comforts to abound in our Sufferings for him 210 The advantages of our Suffering for Christ 213 Our Sufferings for Christ are for the Churches good 218 219
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