to come in this life they are of two sorts Either 1. Mercifull and good things Or 2. Grievous and sad things For God can quickly turn a fair day into thunder and tempest Job felt a suddain alteration upon himself which was from the richest in the East to become the poorest in a moment Now both these kinds are the godly mans mercy No evil that is truly so can befall him But I shall not pursue these particulars for that will coincide with the former matter I shall therefore treat of it in a more general way Observe That all things which are to come or may fall out hereafter are a godly mans mercy and advantage This Doctrine speaketh the height of happinesse and comfort to the godly for there is no greater temptation we are subject unto then to be tormented about what may fall out hereafter Though for the present it be never so well yet we forethink our possible miseries as David One day I shall fall by the hand of Saul 1 Sam. 27.1 So that many times needlesse troubles about what is to come takes away the enjoyment of the present mercies we have But here we see the Text giving such a cordial to the godly that he may go and take his rest wholly relying upon the Lord for come what can come or will come nothing can come amisse it will be a mercy an advantage to him Now that this Doctrine is true I may prove à posteriori from such signes and effects that do evidently demonstrate the people of God are quietly to sit down with this conclusion Though the Lord only knoweth what will come upon me yet I know it will be only for my good For First It appeareth by this The Scripture commands the godly to avoid all distrustfull and distracting cares about what will be that he should quietly compose himself committing all to his heavenly Father who knoweth all he hath need of So that as little children are cheerfull and play never troubling themselves how they shall subsist and what if such miseries arise Thus ought the godly Matth. 6.34 Take no thought for to morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of it self q.d. God will then provide when other conditions other exercises come Do not thou distract thy self God will then upon any new trial or exercise come in upon thee to help and deliver See here then the blessed estate of a godly man he is commanded to shut out all distrustfull cares for the future he is to cast his burden upon the Lord whatsoever shall befall it will be well with him Secondly They are to perswade themselves that nothing shall fall out that can separate from Gods love And what a support is this Rom. 8. Paul there is triumphing and that not for himself but for all the people of God who are justified What shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Shall things present shall things to come vers 38. Is not this to bring the people of God up into the Mount of transfiguration Whatsoever shall befall thee before thou diest yet nothing shall separate between Gods love and thee Though it should come about that no friend love thee none in the world will own thee yet God will own thee Certainly this may rejoyce the heart of the godly if any thing hereafter might divide between God and thee might deprive thee of God and part thee from him then thou mightest tremble and quake fearing the worst is not past but when all is thus provided afore-hand that thou art sure to be in Gods love be thy estate never so disconsolate this may keep up thy heart Thirdly The godly concerning all future things may thus also conclude That there is no evil no temptation that shall fall upon them but he will give strength to bear and give a way to escape You have a Text more precious than the gold of Ophir to this purpose 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithfull who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able but with the temptation will make a way to escape Doth not this Text speak to the heart of some godly people Oh they lie under sad temptations heavy exercises are upon them such as the world knoweth not and they are afraid these will overwhelm them they shall never get out it will undo them But what saith the Text God will not suffer you to be tempted above measure and he will make a way to escape See then thy fears thy unbelief makes thee go contrary to the Text. Thou sayest thou shalt never be able to bear it God saith I will lay no more upon thee then thou art able Fear saith I shall never escape this never overcome this Faith saith he will make a way to escape Now whether wilt thou believe God or thy own fearfull heart Oh then let the godly that are tempted and lie in deep waters that are like Jonas swallowed up in the whales belly take this Text and hide it in their heart so they will not fear what will be to come Fourthly For things to come they have this promise That in all outward things God will never leave them nor forsake them Thus things to come are theirs for they have this promise And Heb. 13.5 the Apostle urgeth this against covetousnesse and to be content with what they have God will never leave thee nor forsake thee Now this temptation many times troubleth at least some godly persons they are afraid they or their posterity may be brought to wants they fear poverty may come upon them as an armed man especially they know not what they shall do in old age if God should let them live till they should lose their sight or their limbs or their parts what should become of them To live a burden to themselves or others Aristotle hath a wicked Position That all decrepit old men should be thrown down a steep hill headlong and be killed as being a burden to a Commonwealth Old people are many times a burden to wicked young people Therefore God commands us Not to despise our mother when she is old Prov. 23.22 Now we shall see David himself tempted about his old age Psal 71.19 When I am old and gray headed forsake me not Thus you see what wants or straits especially what decayes of grace the godly may fear they shall not have the same vigour and strength not the same memory and judgement But the Scripture gives a good promise Psal 92.14 They shall bring forth fruit in old age So Isa 46.4 To your old age I am he and even to hoary hairs I will carry thee He will have as much care of thee as a mother of a child in her arms Well then you see in that God hath said he will never leave or forsake us we need not fear poverty want the diseases and miseries of old age for these things are ours Fifthly The people of God may be perswaded of their
in this respect that he turneth to the creature too much leaving God Now as there is this in our corruption so in our Conversion or Regeneration there is the clean contrary there is aversion from the creature and conversion to God It doth not only make a man cast away his sinnes but also all creatures so farre as they hinder the love of God for now they are risen with Christ And as if a worm should be made a man it would no more crawle and creep on the ground thus when a divine Nature or a Nature from above is bestowed upon us Not only love to sinne but love to Father Mother or life it self is inconsistent with the grace of God in our hearts when it 's excessive Fifthly It is acknowledged by all that there is imbred in a man an appetite or desire after felicity and happinesse This Aristotle and others do abundantly confirm Man by nature hath such a capacious heart and the souls appetite is so vast that it 's more then the Horseleech or the Grave that sayeth alwaies Give The soul hath a Sheoll that is alwaies asking and never satisfyed Now then if there were a good regulated desire after this ultimate good where and in whom it was this were to be encouraged If the meaning of these in my text had been Who will shew us that which is indeed the chiefest and most reall good they might have been encouraged like those that asked what they should do to be saved But though there be in the generall an inclination to such a blessednesse yet wofull and dreadfull is the misapprehension and blindnesse of all men naturally about it so that mistaking the main end for which they came into the world it 's no wonder if at last they fall into the pit irrecoverably There were above an hundred Opinions amongst the Heathens in what true Felicity did consist but though some were not so grosse as others yet all come short of the true end That knowing of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent in the knowledg of whom is eternal life Neither are many Christians much better then the Heathens in this respect for although they know that God is the chiefest good in the enjoying of whom through Christ is only blessednesse yet practically in respect of their hearts and lives some place their happinesse in Riches some in Honours and some in Pleasures and these to whom David speaks here that did love vanity that cryed out for earthly comforts they were not Heathens destitute of the knowledge of the true God but such who lived in the Church of Israel only they were destitute of the sanctifying power of God within There is then acknowledged in all men some innate appetite whereby they would have a full and chief good which might compleatly satiate and fill the soul Sixthly The perswasion of what is the best good and which is chiefly to be desired is wounderfully diversifyed according to the several inclinations humours and conditions of men So that some place it in one thing and some in another One saith Give me this good there is none like that Another saith Give me that good there is none like that So that these many in the text do not all desire the same yea one matters not that which another would go through fire and water to obtain The voluptuous man he doth not matter wealth or riches let him enjoy his pleasures and he envyeth no rich worldling the earthly worldly man he matters not honour and credit let him get riches and he regards not a good Name Populus me sibilat at mhi plaudo The Apostle is thought to bring all that an earthly heart can desire into these three heads 1 Joh. 2.15 16 17. For speaking there terribly against the disposition of these in my text that they should not love the world he brings an Argument from the contraries The love of the Father cannot be in such an one They can be no more together then Dagon and the Ark The hand filled with dirt and stones cannot at the same time be filled with precious Pearles He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit with him and he that is joyned to the earth is made earth with it Si terram amas terra es said Austin And hereupon the Apostle giveth some examples and instances of the things of this world that are like Jaels milk to Sisera fairly inticing but afterwards mortally wounding and although some think there is not an exact and full partition yet others do judge so And by the lust of the flesh they understand all pleasures and delights by the lust of the eye all earthly and covetous desires as Achan saw the Babylonish garment and wedge of gold which made him sinfully covet it and the pride of life that is all ambition all proud and high desires after the great things of this world Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet This is the worlds Trinity and there is no man inordinately addicted to any creature comfort but it may be comprehended under one of these three heads Now when the Apostle had given us an Instance of these things he giveth another Argument against immoderacy after them This world passeth away They will rot in the grave when holinesse will abide for ever Seventhly That the preferring of the creature above God though it be the sinne of all man-kind and as large as Original sinne it self yet like that it is hardly discerned and discovered It 's almost unperceivable unlesse we are enlightned by Gods Spirit when we set up the creature above him It 's true there is a grosse manifest and palpable way which is seen in every covetous and ambitious or lustfull man these do so plainly make either their belly their god or their gold their god or their preferment their god that all men can easily condemn them for it because what is in their heart empties it self into foul and shamefull practises But then there is the mentall and soul deifying of the creatures when the heart is secretly stolen away and doth insensibly depend on or excessively love such a thing and this is hardly to be discerned No doubt but the third kind of hearers and so Demas were farre from thinking that they loved the world more then God So that as the nature and operations of the soul are in their Physical consideration little known much lesse in their Theological Now although the tendencies of the soul may be various and multiforme some to one Object some to another yet self is that great Diana self is the Belzebub all things in Religion even God himself is referred to self till a man be sanctified So that the heart being herein thus desperately deceitfull we are often and often to commune with our own selves whether self be renounced whether self be subordinated to God whether we can say as Mephibasheth to David Let Ziba take all
but seldome that he envyeth such a man because this denoteth a thought that such a man is Superiour to him and that is against the natural pride in every man Secondly Those are subject to this sin of envy who are in a similitude of condition estate trad or profession or where there is any competition for one thing and both cannot have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One tradesman envyeth another of the same trade or profit thus one Scholler one Gentleman one Favourite another one Co-partner in Government another The reason why Lycinius grew so desperately mad against the Christians whom he had formerly defended was because Christians in their meetings prayed for Constantine and not him the ground of Saul's envy and hatred to David was because the women sang Saul slew his thousands and David his ten thousands Phil. 1.19 Some preach Christ out of envy These were teachers that out of envy to Paul who had all the glory took the occasion now he was imprisoned and could not preach to set forth Christ and they thought Paul like themselves ambitious of glory and esteem and therefore that this would grieve and vex Paul but such was his grace that he could rejoyce in it Thirdly Such are subject to Envy who because they cannot abide the good of others they therefore study all the wayes to disparage and obscure the name and excellency of such If they have any failings if there be any weaknesses they rake in them talk of them neglecting the good as the Kite that flyeth over the pleasant meadows and delights upon the dunghills and Carrion therefore an envious man discovers himself by his talk his words though such a man hath never so much worth and excellency in him yet that he will never mention or if he do it 's only craftily that others may not think he doth it out of envy Thus where charity covereth a multitude of sinne envy covereth a multitude of graces Vse 1. Of all envyings take heed of that which is against men because they are godly because they live more holily then thou dost their lives condemne thy life their purity thy uncleanness their pure worship of God thy superstition and this makes theâ— as full of poyson as a Serpent Oh if there were an opportunity Never did Paul once or Bonner or any persecuter more greedily destroy those that fear God then thou couldst Never comfort thy self that thou dost not envy or hate them for their godliness but thou condemnest them for this fault and that fault for the Pharisees that were so moved with envy against Christ they said it was not for his good works they pretended he spake blasphemy he broke the Sabbath you see they had religious pretexts Take heed of this sinne that bordereth so near upon the unpardonable sinne it's too rife it 's too common amongst men if God give thee not grace to be godly thy self if God give thee not a heart to be holy yet let not the Devil so farre fill thy heart as to make thee envy rage and blaspheme at godliness in other Oh there is a great deal of difference between that sinner whom carnal pleasures or love to the world doth keep from godliness and that sinner whom envy and a secret rancour against godliness makes keep off from the practise of it Vse 2. You that are godly especially take heed of this How contrary is this spirit of envy to that love Christ hath put into you He prayed most earnestly as the great thing before his death that the godly might be one How then comes envyings and bitter thoughts among you you that ought to have one heart one mind yea to lay down your lives for one another How comes this divelish sinne to be in you How come doves to have gall Christ that thought it no robbery to be equall to God yet became in the forme of a contemptible man for the godlyes sake and hast thou so much glory or honour to deny thy self in as he had Grudge not one against another or sigh not as the Greek is no godly man should have the least bitterness or inward sighs and discontentedness against another Jam 5 9. Let us in the next place consider the aggravation of this sinne and howsoever the heathenish Poets have described it in such an ugly loathsome and deformed shape that all may see the unloveliness of it yet they being matter only of fancy and witty invention we shall draw the pourtraiture of it from the Word of God which is a two-edged sword and every arrow from this quiver may justly strike to the heart of it First The wickedness of this sinne may be excellently illustrated by that admirable good it is opposite to for this is a rule That privation is the worst whose habit is the best that is the greatest evil which is opposite to the greatest good Now there is a three-fold good that envy doth oppose as fire water and darkness light 1. The infinite goodness in God 2. The inestimable goodness in Christ 3. The admirable goodness in the grace of love or charity So that if you would know how great an evil envy is say it is as great an evil as God is good as Christ is good it opposeth Gods goodness so that phrase implyeth Is thy eye evil because God is good Mat. 20 15. that is not intensively but privatively for envy doth take God and Christ from me my neighbour from me and my self from my self it maketh Gods goodness and thy neighbours goodness to be his evil who envyeth this bitterness upon thy heart is because God is such a fountain of goodness that he communicates his mercies freely Were envy able to fall upon that pure and spotless Majesty of God he would not have created the world nor made such glorious Angels nor give such excellent perfections to some in the world for many times God loseth his glory by this meanes when they do not praise him but dishonour him yet for all this behold the goodness of God that doth so liberally diffuse it self though his glory be obscured thereby Oh! if it lay in an envious man to make men great or admired or despicable and contemptible how quickly would he make the world a poor Hospital that he might have all the glory Behold then the venemous poison of this sinne of envy which doth grudge and repine at the glorious Attribute of God his bounty and liberality that which David is so ravished with himself and calls upon Angels and other creatures to praise God for viz. His mercy which endureth for ever this the envious man is vexed at There was a seed of this bitter wormwood in Jonah how discontented and grieved was he that God did not destroy that populous City of Ninevâ—h on a suddain and how patiently did God expostulate with him and confute him by his own Gourd that he was troubled at because consumed by a worme on a suddain Jon. 4.10 Oh if an
was for his eternal torment They call such things the blessing of God and so indeed in themselves they are but to wicked men they are curses For as the godly mans afflictions come from Gods love Whom he loveth he chasteneth Heb. 12. so wicked mens mercies come from Gods anger Had God loved thee thou hadst had it may be more afflictions more wants and exercises Secondly Wicked men have not the world Because they are overcome by it the world hath them rather Therefore they are called as you heard the world as if their very souls as well as bodies were made of the dust of the earth whereas the godly have the world as if they had it not they have God and the world too they have Heaven and Earth too they do not prâ—â— the worse their duties are not the more thinne and distracted As Abraham and David these were rich and great men in the world yet if you reade Davids Psalmes you will finde his heart set on God above all these things Thirdly Wicked men have not the world Because they do not own and acknowledge God as the giver of all neither do they live to him but the things of the world are instruments to draw out their lusts to make them the more wicked They take the good creatures of God and abuâ—e them to wickednesse Therefore Rom 8. The whole creation is said to groan under them as being weary of them The very Air the very Earth is weary of them yea the timber in the house and the stones of the wall do witnesse against them they are by the things of the world made more wicked Lastly They have not the world Because they have not an holy contentation of mind They are not quiet or satisfied in their condition they have no true peace notwithstanding all their abundance and the reason is because they have not pardon of sinne and enjoyment of Gods favour with these and they are only blessed who are so Matth 5. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth You see the whole earth is promised to a meek humble contented spirit whereas a wicked man is compared to the Sea that is alwayes foaming and never lieth still The Vse is two-fold 1. Of Comfort and Exhortation to the godly Comfort in what distresse and strait soever thou art in Say not I have not this I want this I am poor and miserable for thou hast Heaven and Earth onely set faith on work This is the hand to receive those treasures This faith is not a fancy it 's not a foolish imagination but a real investing of thee with all things But it 's of Exhortation also to have the world for thy spiritual use Take heed of the wickednesse of it We have not received the spirit of the world 2 Corin. 4. Oh it 's an excellent thing not to have the spirit of the world but of God! Vse 2. Of Instruction To shew the power and miserable estate of the richest and greatest men in the world that want godlinesse none is so poor so miserable as they Thou sayest this is thine and that is thine Alas because Christ and the Promise are not thine nothing is indeed thine If they be thine they are thy poison thy destruction thy damnation and thus they are thine Or Life We proceed to the third thing in order and that is the several Conditions or Estates we are in Life is yours and Death is yours Chrysostome and Grotius after him limit this to the life and death of the Ministers in the Church If they live enjoying their liberties and outward comforts it 's for you If they die if they lose their liberties and lives it 's for the Churches sake As Paul said He was willing to be a Sacrifice offered up for the Philippians faith Phil. 2.17 This is indeed a truth but as the world is a general so there is no reason but that we should take Life and Death in as General a sense And indeed this limited one may well come under the first enumeration Paul and Apollo all are yours At this time we shall treat of Life The Scripture speaks of a three-fold Life 1. Animal which is in beasts 2. Humane belonging to men as rational And 3. Supernatural or an heavenly life which onely deserveth the name of it The other being but shadows and dying lives Now we shall especially speak of this humane life being perfected with that supernatural life Observe That Godly men do onely live or The Godly onely doe make a spiritual use of their life Life is only theirs 1 Pet. 3.10 He that loveth life and would see good dayes let him refrain his tongue from evil let him eschew evil and do good Here you see the only way to live and to have good dayes is to avoid all evil and imbrace all good Hence Christ John 6. cals himself The bread of life and he giveth the water of life none liveth till they be united to him We shall insist on these things 1. That only godly men live 2. That wicked men though in the midst of all their jollity yet the Scripture doth not account of them as living persons And First The godly man only liveth Because he is united to God and Christ the fountain of life David doth often style God The fountain of life Psal 36.9 And in his favour there is life And in the New Testament especially by John Christ is made the Author of all life He is therefore compared to the Head and to the Vine If the members or branches be separated from these they die and wither presently as John 15. This is so frequent an assertion that we need not dilate on it If not a member of Christ there is no life in thee Aut es in membris aut in humoribus said Austin Thou art either among the members or the humours of the body of the Church Gal. 3.20 Paul said He no longer lived but Christ in him and the life he lived was by faith in the Sonne of God What did not Paul eat and drinke and enjoy the common Aire as we doe Yes this he doth not call his life Oh they live who no longer live but Christ in them Thy sense thy carnal reason thy corrupt affections thy worldly inclinations these no longer live but Christ in thee and his graces Secondly Onely the godly man liveth Because he hath a spiritual and a new life added to his animal life For as the soul is the life of the body so grace is the life of the soul Hence our Saviour cals all wicked men dead men Let the dead bury the dead Matth. 8.22 That is a strange expression but very true No dead corpse is more destitute of life and apprehension than their souls are of any heavenly motions any spiritual hungrings or thirstings All the merry and jolly men in the world they are dead men if living in their sinnes Therefore among the Pythagoreans who kept strict
my self but he sent me But especially John 7.16 My Doctrine is not mine but his that sent me he that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory Here you see Christ acknowledging that the Doctrine he preached as a Minister and Mediatour was not his Yea if we speak of his humane Nature that invented it not because that was a finite creature though united personally to an infinite Person Oh what an admirable instance is this of modesty Christ speaks not preacheth not of his own but from the Father How should we Ministers then not preach our own fancies our own imaginations but the Doctrine delivered in Scripture How would this bridle up a deal of bold ignorance now in the world Men would not be so forward to teach before they have well learned themselves Christ speaketh nor of himself And consider that connexion vers 18. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory When we are not contented with Scripture-doctrine with truths delivered there but bring of our own it 's only to seek vain glory and applause in the world Thirdly That Christ is wholly Gods appeareth in that as the Doctrine he preached was the Fathers So he sought not his own glory did not exalt himself but the Father John 8 29. I do alwayes those things that please him And vers 54 If I honour my self my honour is nothing So John 17.4 I have glorified thee on earth Thus in all that Christ did and suffered it was only to glorifie and advance God his Father For alas in respect of himself he was of no reputation Under what reproach contempt and scorn did he live So that all might easily see it was not his own glory he looked at but the glory of the Father And this also is an excellent President for humility and modesty and self-denial The Apostles also when they did work wonders so as the people were ready to make Gods of them They rend their cloaths because of such blasphemy and say It is not they but Christ who inabled them to do these things Act. 14.11 Yes how ready are we to say these are our parts our gifts Fourthly That Christ is wholly Gods appeareth In that obediential resignation of himself to do Gods will Let I come to do thy will O God And he would be baptized because hereby he would fulfill all righteousnesse And John 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do Insomuch that Christ is said to become under the Law So John 6.38 I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me Therefore John 18.18 Gods will laid upon him to die for his people he cals it a Commandment And John 12.49 He gave me a Commandment So that we see the duty of a Mediatour to do and suffer what was required of us was laid on Christ by Commandment and it was truly and properly Obedience that which he did in fulfilling of it Now in all this truth there are these things admirable First The love of God and the love of Christ God so loved the world So The Apostle could not give an How it was such a So that could not be expressed When Abraham offered his only sonne for a Sacrifice God said Now I know thou lovest me How much rather when we see Christ dying and suffering all those agonies and miseries for us may we say now we know God loveth us Shall the Psalmist so admire Gods love in giving man the beasts of the field that he crieth out What is man that thou art so mindfull of him Psal 8.4 How much rather may man stand astonished at this love of God in giving Christ Well may God be said to be love it self for he is the fountain of all this honey Who may if repenting though a Blackmoor sinner doubt of Gods love in pardoning when he hath done the greater Which is greater to give a Christ or to pardon sinne And then The love of Christ is no lesse admirable for him to give his life for us sinners and enemies herein he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set forth his love in a most exemplary manner Jonathans love to David is much commended but what is that spark to this flame Oh how can the poor doubting and unbelieving sinner question forgivenesse doubt whether Christ will accept of him or no when he seeth Christ do so much for him already Fear not the worst of death and hell is over Secondly In this admire the self-denial of Christ that he layeth aside the exercise and manifestation of all that divine glory he had and became contemptible of no reputation for us The Apostle aggravateth this Phil. 2. When it was no robbery to be equal with God yet he became such a worm and no man for us This is so great a mystery viz. Christs condescension for our good that the Angels though he be not their Mediator though he took not their Nature on him yet they desire to look 1 Pet. 1.12 and search into this truth as being ravished with it Oh what an example is here for us of self-denial and preparednesse to part with all at his command Lastly In this it 's admirable The humble and ready obedience of Christ Doth Christ any way gain-say this commandment of God Doth he murmur at it Doth he begin to repent of his undertaking No but in all things giveth up himself to be a willing Sacrifice he bids the Law in its curses and the wrath of God in all the effects fall upon him As Saul runne his Spear at David but missing him it stuck in the wall Thus the anger and wrath of God emptying it self violently misseth us and fals on Christ What a willing expression is that Loe I come to do thy will O God! Heb. 10.9 Vse 1. Is Christ thus Gods Then we see that the Mediatory Kingdome of Christ is for a further end it is that at last God may be all in all Not but that Christ shall alwayes remain God and man and all glory shall be given to Christ who hath brought us into Heaven but this actual administration shall then cease The damned in Hell can no more plead Christ they cannot urge his death any more for now that gracious dispensation is ceased there is no more oil no more water to refresh It 's now as desperate as if there never had been a Christ thy estate and the Devils is now both alike Oh then let wicked men that need Christ awaken and look about them while a Christ may be had while a Christ is ready to do good the time will be when he shall not actually as a Priest or Prophet or King dispense such mercies any more 2. Is Christ thus wholly Gods Then what self-denial what humility and modesty should we learn hence Shall Christ not seek his own glory Shall not he seek to please himself Shall not he exalt his own will Why then are we so apt to magnifie our self-glory
God Doth not God require we should love him with all our might all our strength So that he will not allow any love to any thing else but him Indeed when we desire any creature in subordination to him as a meanes of glorifying him and thereby brought nearer to God this is not a-against God The Schoolmen say That it 's the same gracious habit of love that carrieth us out to love God and our neighbour because of him and so it is of every creature else As we say such a great House is such a mans Now though he have many servants dwelling there yet we say it 's his House not the Servants because they are for and under him Thus if God do chiefly dwell in our hearts then though we love other things yet because this is wholly in reference to God we may truly say We love none but him But now when the love of the creature opposeth God makes us contrary to him or makes us love him or holy duties the lesse then we are to conclude That this cannot stand with godlinesse So that not only grosse sinnes practised but any creature habitually and excessively delighted in above God is also incompatible with it Thirdly Take heed of this estate because it 's a wofull snare and temptation to thee He that is inordinately affected with any earthly comfort this will upon all occasions bring him into the foulest sinnes that can be imagined He will do any thing damn his soul over and over to obtain it As Judas because he was immoderately set upon gain he betrayeth Christ though he was admonished of it though he was told in particular he was the man Though heard what a fearfull condition such a man was in that should betray Christ yet nothing can stop him but he will satisfie that corrupt appetite of his Oh then take heed again and again of such an inordinrate appetite It will be thy poyson and damnation It will one time or other put thee upon such horrrible actions as will make the hearts of others to tremble when they hear it yea such as thou wilt abhor before they are committed As it was in Hazael Am I dog said he that I should do so And truly it is very sad when God by his Providence shall suffer such advantages for thy lust to fall out us Judas had a bagge Hazael a Kingdom all which were like spaâ—kes to that tinder The Devil findes the room then garnished and swept for him Let a man professe never so much love to God and be never so forward in Religion yet if he be not mortifyed to every creature there will come a fire from without and consume this bramble Fourthly This is a fearfull estate because the word of God though preached never so powerfully and pressed over and over again yet it cannot do any good while such a temper is on thee This is the Dalilah that will alwaies entice thee Intus existens prohibet alienum You see even in our Savious preaching though none ever taught as he did Though this was accompanied with astonishing Miracles yet the Pharisees who loved the world and the glory of men they derâ—ded him Yea our Saviour told the very Disciples themselves Joh. 5.44 How can ye believe if ye seek glory of one another And therefore at another time he took a little child setting him before them that if they did not become like such they could never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As long therefore as any thing sits too close to our hearts we cannot be Christs Disciples You see those hearers that went so farre as to receive the Word with joy and to bring forth some fruit yet it was the deceivablenesse of riches that did choak all Never then expect that any Ministry or any Preaching should ever do good to thee while this or that creature is so enammouring of thee Fifthly Take heed of this creature-affection because it 's a tormenting sinne It is not only a sinne but a torment and vexation withall Some sinnes bring a sweetnesse with them though they leave an Hell hereafter but this sinne for the most part brings an Hell with it What man is there inordinately afected to any thing that you may not call the Devils Martyr he endureth and suffereth so much He is under many vexations and through many tribulations he goeth to Hell In what a fiery Furnace was Haman though exalted so high above others And doth not Solomon the wise man pen an whole Book to inform of this that all is but vexation of spirit And what the Apostle speaks of one particular is true of all 1 Tim. 6.9 Those that will be rich they fall into many temptations and peirce themselves through with many cares They are as one Martyr in Gods cause that was by his Scholars stabb'd all over to death by Penknives Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Insomuch that if you could see the naked soul of any man inordinately affected to the creature you would see it all over wounded and scourged full of tormenting cares and fears never in any quiet or safe content at all Oh then consider what an enemy thou art to thy self Godlinesse would be great gain to thee It would make thee glad and rejoyce in the Lord It would teach thee how to have all things and how to want but while thy heart is vassalized thus to the creature no quietnesse can be in thy bones And what a folly is this to be miserable here and miserable hereafter Sixthly They are miserable who are thus craving after worldly good things because the Scripture represents all these things but as vanity As that which is a meer lye Called therefore often a Shadow which the foolish child catcheth at as some reall substance when it is but as was said a black nothing Therefore you see Solomon expostulating after this manner Why dost thou set thy eyes upon that which is not Prov. 23.5 That which at another time the wise man saith It answereth all things and calls it a defence yet here he saith It is not Even as the whole Creation may be said to be non ens comparatively to God And therefore God is called Jehova He is said to be I am what I am All creatures have not a being comparatively to him If then the best and most usefull of creatures be such a nothing to God even whole Nations are but as a drop or dust yea they are said to be lesse then nothing Isa 40.17 What folly is it to leave the Fountain of all happinesse and to catch after the shadow Oh then let the godly soul which enjoyeth God when tempted by the creature to immoderate love say as the Fig-tree and Olive-tree Shall I leave my sweetnesse Shall I part with my happinesse and blessednesse I have in God and go and tear my self with bryers For so indeed when we seek to the creatures for refuge in any distresse we do with the
all one to a blind man And thus now when a godly man sits in darknessâ— and hath no light which he perceiveth he cannot but be greatly dejâ—cted So it is here when the favour of God is not apprehended but we rather apprehend his frowns and anger against us then though we be Children of light yet we walk in darknesse David doth often pray that Gods face might shine upon him and yet even then it did shine upon him while he prayed for it otherwise he could not have had a praying heart neither could he be sensible of the want of it But he wanted the knowledge and the assurance of it So that although it be Gods gracious favour that putâ— us into a stare of blessednesse yet it is the assurance of it that makes us to rejoyce in it When David had more joy and gladnesse in his heart then all the voluptuous and earthly men of the world yet this could not be without the assurance pf Gods favour So that Gods gracious love is better then the whole world It is that which preserveth from sinne and hell It is that which keepeth off all condemnation But yet all the while till we know this our souls may conflict with sad agonies And this is the case of all the people of God who are in sad temptations and lye under heavy defections For these though under the favour of God yet not being assured of it apprehend God as an angry Judge continually against their souls Lastly Where the light of Gods countenance is there is implyed the love and delight the Lord takes in such The eyes of the Lord are often said to be on the godly as being a pleasant and delightfull Object He is never willing to turn his face from them It is true indeed there may be such a time with the godly they may either walk so negligently or commit such grievous sinnes that God may for a while turn his face from them but yet this will not be for ever God he will bring them to repentance to self-abhorrency so that they shall with the Prodigall be brought to see his face again But the constant course of a godly man being to love God and to avoid all sinne hence it is that the waies of the upright are pleasing to the Lord and his gracious eye is alwaies upon them Protection direction sanctification preservation all these are daily communicated unto them What great encouragement is the Fathers eye to his Child the Commanders to a Souldier but how much more should the light of Gods countenance put life into us The Qualifications or Characters of those who do value and desire Gods favour above all things else Having discussed what is comprehended in that expression of Gods lifting up his countenance upon a man I shall now proceed to give such Qualifications or Characters that are necesseary to such who do earnestly desire Gods favour And First They are such who have a deep and true sense of the guilt of their sinne who are wounded in heart and lye under their iniquities as their greatest burden Such as have this foundation laid they cannot have any rest or quietnesse nothing can satisfie their souls till God look graciously upon them We see this in David Psal 32. 51. there when he lay groaning under the weight of his sinnes and was ready to roar out because of God anger What is it that he so earnestly begs for but that sinne may be covered that joy might be restored to him That God would take away those sinnes which make such a sad distance between him and his soul Now David had many earthly and worldly refuges to fly unto he might have solaced himself with all kind of comforts but nothing could quiet his heart if he hath not Gods favour As all the Starres though they shine together are not able to dispell the darknesse of the night it must be the light of the Sunne that can do that Thus it is not any creature any comfort any content from them that can quiet and compose the troubled soul it must be the light of Gods favour shining into their dark hearts If therefore you aâ—k What is the reason why so many crave earthly things but as for this favour of God they prize it not they pray not or wrestle for it The answer is Most men are secure in their sinnes they have hardnesse of heart and a spiritual stupidity upon them Hence it is that they know not what stings are in sinne they know not what a wounded spirâ—t meanes They have never been in the Whales belly as it were nor in the deep waters of the soul feeling themselves ready to fall into Hell and damnation therefore it is that they judge all is well enough This full stomack needeth not the Honey-combe On then till sinne be more bitter in thy conscience the favour of God cannot be esteemed by thee Secondly Such as esteem the light of Gods countenance are many times those that are afflicted persecuted and of great exercises in this world For this is the wretched corruption of our natures that while we can take any delight in the creature we runne not out to God While we can have but the light of a candle we care not for the Sunne Therefore it is that God takes from us all our comforts He removeth this mercy and that mercy that so we may seek after God Thus God saith Hos 5 15. he would go frâ—m them they should not have the mercies they used to have But to what end doth God this That they may seek to him early in their affliction As Children while there is any day they love to be playing and sporting and will not come home till the dark night drive them Those then that are often â—fflâ—cted and chasâ—ened commonly such do highly regard the face of God Thus the Church of God Psal 80.3 being in great extremities God feeding them with the bread of teares and giving them teares to drink in great measure yea angry with their very Prayers What doth it beseech for in this great straight Verse 3. Turn us again and cause thy face to shine upon us and we shall be saved Aâ— the Sun is most esteemed after sad black and gloomy weather Thus is the favour of God most regarded when we find troubles to compasse us about on every side Hence it is that those whom God loveth he often chastens And nothing is more unhappy then constant happinesse because abundance and fulnesse of outward mercies doth take us from seeking the face of God Let not then the godly mourn away under any chastisements they lye under for if these are so sanctified that thereby the favour of God is more indeared to thee thereby thou canst rejoyce in his presence more these are the greatest mercies that can befall thee And indeed at such times the light of Gods countenance is more necessary then ever The lesse of the creature the more need to be
directly argue from Gods love to chastisements Heb. 12.6 which is again mentioned Rom. 3.19 Insomuch that thou who art never afflicted hast greater cause to fear lest Gods wrath be upon thee The Physician administers no Physick to such who are incurable Oh the wonderfull and blessed effects which the godly find by afflictions when sanctified Doth not David say Before he was afflicted he went astray Psal 119.67 2. If it should be granted that these temporal mercies thou aboundest with come from the light of his countenance yet it is only in temporal things If we do suppose that they from Gods love to thee yet this is but a common and general love It doth not at all make to thy peculiar happinesse neither doth it tend to the special favour of God It may not be denied but God from a common love to men who have been just and diligent in their waies may bestow some outward mercies as a temporal reward Thus Austin thought the Romanes had that great Dominion given them because of their justice And so the Scripture saith A diligent hand maketh rich Prov. 10.4 But what is this common love without a special What is it for God so to love thee as to make thee strong healthy wealthy and not to give Christ and Heaven to thee Oh therefore rest not in the enjoying of these outward mercies but look to that which is the chiefest of all If thou hast grace pardon of sinne and Christ thou canst not be damned but if thou have the great things of this world thou maiest have also the great torments of Hell hereafter As Ismael had of Abraham some rich gifts but not the Inheritance As Luther said of the great Turkish Empire which God hath given to wicked and ungodly men it 's but mica canis a crum that the dog may have but not the Childrens Bread 3. Let it be given to wicked men thus from a common love yet it is withall from Gods anger and hatred if you do regard them in a spiritual consideration For they are not sanctified to them they are not thereby made more holy or drawn nearer to God They do become snares and occasions of sinnes to them so that they will at the Day of Judgment even curse the day that ever they had such abundance They will cry out Oh that they had been poor miserable deformed That they had been under any calamity then that they had such abundance for that hath made Hell seven times hotter That hath been like oyl poured into the flame which hath made the fire burn more terribly That which Solomon observed of wealth Eccl. 5.13 is true of all other outward mercies Beauty Strength Honours How often are they given to the hurt of them that have them Thus David's imprecation is fulfilled in them Let their Table become a snare unto them As too much blood indangers the body especially these outward mercies are sure to be a snare to them because they hinder and oppose all those Christian Qualifications which are absolutely necessary to every Disciple of Christ Thus it 's required that a man must love Christ more then Father or Mother or life it self that he must deny himself and take up his Crosse All which cannot be because of immoderate love to these outward mercies This is the Camels bunch This is that which choakes the Word The Pharisees because they were covetous derided Christ If then you comfort your selves because God hath given you all outward fulnesse examine how these are sanctified to you What spirituall effects do these mercies bring upon you Do you not pray the worse hear the worse Are not your hearts the more distracted and divided Doth not the earth make you forget Heaven Oh then be afraid and tremble at these things rather then confidently rejoyce in them Did not Abraham tell Dives He had received good things in this life but for eternity he was not to receive so much as a drop of water Pray unto God that all thy good things be not given thee here and thou have nothing hereafter A second sort of persons who mistake about the light of Gods countenance is Such who have a quiet untroubled and eased Conscience They commonly argue thus God loveth them for they have no trouble in their hearts they have no fear or disquietnesse in their souls but they put their whole trust in Christ Such as these that die as a Lamb so people expresse it they make no doubt but this is the favour of God They thank God God loveth them and they love God They never doubted of Gods love to them They are fully assured of it Thus they take a secure and sometimes a scared conscience for that which is quieted and made peaceable through the blood of Christ And this is the condition of very many they do even rejoyce in this That they never doubted They think the godly who have often fears and doubts who are in sad temptations to be the worst of men and that it is for their wickednesse they are so Even as the wicked thought Christ to be smitten for his own sinnes and that God did in such a peculiar manner bring him to that accursed death for his high impiety Thus do the prophane men of the world censure the generation of the godly who have many times sad dejections of spirit and walk without any sense of Gods favour at all yea ready to cry out They are damned and that God hath forsaken them But to search into the bottom of this Disease which is Epidemicall First Consider There is a great difference between a stupid senslesse conscience and a serene conscience made so by the light of Gods countenance shining upon it This is not a quieted conscience by the Promise and through Christ but a stupified one which the Apostle calls a seared one that cannot feel that cannot apprehend It is with thee as mad men that conceit such and such great things to themselves when alas it 's for want of their wits and sobriety that they have such foolish imaginations Thus when thou presumest of Heaven and salvation Oh thou art sure thou shalt go thither Whence is all this but because thou hast no spiritual life or feeling within thee Oh if thou wert in thy spiritual senses if thou didst understand aright thou wouldst quickly cry out and tremble at that cursed condition thou art in Who were more abominable to God then the Pharisees yet who justified themselves more Who put more trust and confidence in the workes they did Therefore do thou search into thy heart more Whence comest thou to be thus secure and confident Is it not because thou art delivered up to a reprobate sense Is it not because thou art dead in sinne And as dead men cannot feel any pain or torment so neither canst thou Therefore if you see men that lived wickedly yet die peaceably and confidently this is not the light of Gods favour upon them
pure Worship because 1. God is greatly provoked by the contrary God may be provoked by sinfull worship three waies 2. Corrupt worship â—ends to the breach of Union between God and his Church 3. God looks upon corrupt worship as done to Devils 4. Men are prone to invent new worship Reasons to prove that all acceptable worship must have a Divine Command Quest Answ Of the foundation of practice The parts are 1. It 's directory Gods Word 2. The justifion of our persons 3. A receiving power from Christ 4. A renewed and sanctified nature Why we should be carefull of laying these foundations for every good action The â—oâ—ten foundations that men build upon in regard of practice Observ Of Ministers praising themselves In what cases Ministers may magnifie their Work and Office Observ Ministers are not to preach any new Doctrine The use of Preaching notwithstanding the fulness of the Scripture Observ Of Ministers building upon the foundation of Scripture by their preaching Gal. 3.15 A two-fold building upon the foundation Both the words of Scripture and the sense of Scripture must be attended unto Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the true foundation 1. On Gods part 2. On the peoples part 3. On the Ministers part Directions to Ministers and people how to build aright upon the foundation Observ Of preaching Jesus Christ as the foundation How many waies Christ is to be preached as a foundation Reasons why Ministers are to lay no other foundation but Christ Object Answ Object Answ The great advantages which those people have who are built on Christ Observ What is implied by comparing the truths of Christ to gold and precious stones 1. In respect of the matter 2. In respect of the way and manner of preaching them Observ Errors not fundamental are hay and stubble Propositions to amplifie this point Why errors are called hay and stubble Wickedness in practice the fruit of errour in judgement Observ What secret sins shall be brought to light The aggravation of secret hidden sins Observ Hidden and secret wayes of false doctrine shall be made manifest What concerning errours shall be made manifest 1. The causes of errour shall be manifest 1. Pride 2. Ignorance 3. Hypocrisie 4. Ambition and affectation of high places 5. Discontent and imparience 6. Envy 7. Contemplative delight in a mans own notions II. The nature of errour shall be manifested III. The cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be manifested Observ That God hath his time for the discovering of errour Errors are spiritual judgements What is meant by fire The way God takes to bring people out of errour By the word and afflictions Which are both helpfull but differently in these respects How wandering sheep are reduced by the Word Object Answ How afflictions may help to reduce men from errour Observ Of the durable nature of Gods Truths Truth two-fold Increated and Created Created truths of two sorts Scripture truths reduced to four heads Truth willing to be tryed They grow more illustrious by the fiery Tryal The effects of truth also upon the heart will abide this tryal Object Qu. Whether any Ministers or Churches are quite free from building hay or stubble Observ Every man shal be a loser by what error soever he maintaineth Wherein they shall be losers Observ Errours in judgment may damn a man as well as a wicked life The several corruptions of the understanding that endanger a mans salvation The difference between errour and heresie The grounds of the Doctrin Observ The difficulty of salvation even to a godly man The Church is Gods Temple Observ Church Priviledges and Relations are great Obligations to Holinesse How the word Temple is used in Scripture What it doth signifie Of Gods spiritual Temple What there is in the Church alusively to the Temple Of Gods presence with his Church The significa of the word Spirit when attributed to God That the Holy Ghost is God and a Person That he is a Person That he is God Arguments Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit Of the Spirits dwelling in us What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Church Doubt Resolution Observ Of defiling Gods Church with errours Why errors are said to defile Gods Church How God will punish Heretiques A godly maâ—n may fall into a damnable heresie How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man Errour and erroneous persons distinguished Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and Worship Observ Of Eternal Damnation The punishment of losse The pain of sense The aggravations of this destruction Eternal Universal Inevitable Observ Of the Temple of God Of the Jewish Tabernacle and Temple Believers joyned in a Church way according to Scripture are Gods temple Observ Of humane wisdome what an hinderance it is to the things of Christ Carnal wisdom an enemy to the Scripture Carnal wisdom an enemy to Christian duties Observ Humane wisdome nothing to Scripture-wisdome Scripture-wisdome excels speculative wisdome Scripture wisdome excels the moral or practical wisdome of the world Observ True wisdome is but folly in the worlds account The things to be believed have these seeming follies The hope of a Christian foolish in the judgment of the world The duties of Christians foolish in the judgement of the world Observ That true wisdom is only in the Church of God demonstrated Observ All worldly wisdom is folly before God And that whether considered actively or passively I. Active foolishnesse How worldly wisdome is foolishnesse in a passive sense God turning all their wisdome into folly A two-fold humane wisdome viz. good evil Observ How God takes the wise men of the world in their own craft Object Answ Observ Of vain thoughts In what sense the Scripture useth the word vain Observ Of glorying in men How many wayes we may be said to glory in men in the general How many wayes we may be said to glory in Doctors and Teachers Observ All things are the Saints In what respects all things may be said to be the godly mans Why God made all things for the godly Object Answ Object Answ Doubt Answ Object Answ Observ All Offices are for the Church In what sense the Ministers are not servants to the Church against Brownists In what sense they are the Churches The end for which they are the Churches Observ In what sense the world is said to be a godly mans Object Answ Observ Godly men only live In what respects it is true that the wicked do not live Observ The generation of death In how many particulars death is a godly mans Observ Observ Observ In what respects a godly man is Christs Characters of such as are Christs In what sense Christ can be said to be Gods Observ Of the Natures and Person of Christ and of the hypostatical Union How Christ as a man and as a Mediatour is Gods The general Character of the godly and the wicked All good the creature affords should lead us to God the universal good All naturally desire felicity The perswasiâ— of what is the best good and which is chiefly to be desired is wonderfully diversifyed according to the several inclinations humours and conditions of men How hardly this sin is discerned untill a man be enlightned by Gods Spirit All have lost the Image of God which alone did elevate the soul And Original corruption is come in the room of it If the godly man is yet conflicting with this sinne then it must needs reign in an unregenerate man The common gifts and graces of Gods Spirit never cures this evil The point is proved from the nature of Conversion And from the restlesse and unquiet heart of every natural man Their very approaches to God demonstrate that they prefer something before him The creature is unable to help us in our greatest exigencies Immoderate love of the creature is inconsistent with the love of God Is's a wofull snare and temptation The Word is unprofitable to a man while he preferres the creature It is a tormenting sinne All the things thus affected are vanities It 's direct Idolatry It 's a debasing of a man Such as prefer the world before God cannot Pray The heart is too noble for the creature Consider that all that have over-loved the creature have experienced the vanity of it Consider the reâ—sâ—â— why God mingles gall with the Honey of every creature Consider how insufficient they are of themselves to help and comfort us Heaven and glory cannot be obtained without a preement and transcendent affection to all other things Consider how â— some Heathens and superstitious persons have trampled upon earthly things to attain a notable end What this phrase to lift up the light of Gods countenance upon a man implyeth I. Riches II. An untroubled Conscience is no Argument of Gods countenance 1. An untroubled Conscience may be a stupid seared Conscience 2. And may be accompanied with grosse sinnes 3. And without taking Gods way for the obtaining and preserving of it Causes of the eclipse of Gods face to the godly The nature of this joy How it exceeds all worldly Joy The wonderfull Effects of Faith in quieting the soul in Afflictions The Doctrine xplain ed. The Arguments by which Faith quieteth the Soul The Stoical Security The Mirth and jollity of most wicked men under Gods Judgements How it differs from a gratious Confidence God alone preserveth in safety I. II. God preserveth principally And by creatures instrumentally 1. Irrational 2. Rational men Angels III IIII. The several waies by which God preserveth his people in safety
deceive himself if any man seemeth to be wise in this world let him become a fool that he may be wise 229 Observ Thut humane and earthly wisdome is a great enemy to all the heavenly things of Christ 230 A man having no more than natural humane wisdome is an enemy to 1. The supernatural Matter and Doctrine to be believed 2. The manner of promulgation of it in Scripture 3. The holy and spiritual duties required of us ibid. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world 239 Observ That all humane and earthly wisdome cometh farre short and is but a meer shadow and appearance in respest of Scripture-wisdome ibid. Wisdome of the world Speculative and Political ib. That the Scripture way of believing exceeds their contemplative Science And That the Scripture motive of doing surpasses all their morality 237 Let him become a fool that he may be wise 239 Observ That true Christian wisdome is nothing but folly in the worlds account ibid The seeming follies that are in things to be believed ibid. Let him become a fool that he may be wise 243 Observ That onely in the Church of God or in Christianity is true wisdome ibid. The point evidenced by ten Arguments ibid. Verse 19. For the wisdome of this world is foolishness with God 246 Observ That all the admired wisdome of a meer worldly man is nothing but contemptible folly before God 247 Their folly manifested both Active and Passive iâ—id What humane wisdome it is that is here intended 253 For it is written He taketh the wise in their own craftiness ibid Observ That God delights to take the earthly wise men of the world in their own craft 254 How many wayes God takes the wise men of the world in their own craft ibid. And why he doth it 256 Verse 20. And again The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise that they are vain 257 Observ That the choisest and best thoughts of the wisest men are vain ibid. In what sense the Scripture useth the word vain or vanity ibid. Verse 21. Therefore let none glory in men for all things are yours 260 Observ That it 's a great sinne to glory in men 261 How many wayes we may be said to glory in men ibid. For all things are yours 264 Observ That all things are for the spiritual good and advantage of the godly man 265 In what respect all things may be said to be the Saints ibid. Why God made all things for them 266 Vers 22. Whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas 270 Observ That all Offices and Gifts howsoever diversified are for the Churches of God 271 In what sense Ministers are not Servants of the Church against the Brownists ibid. And in what sense they are the Churches Servants ibid. The end for which both Offices and Gifts are the Churches 273 Or the World 274 How the word world is to be here taken ibid. Observ That the whole world with all things therein is for the spiritual advantage of a godly man 275 In what sense the world is said to be a godly mans 275 Or Life 278 Observ That godly men do only live or The godly only make a spiritual use of their life 279 In what respects it is true that the godly man only lives ibid. And in what respects it's true that the wâ—cked man doth not live 281 Or Death 282 Observ That even death which in it self is so terrible yet is for a godly mans advantage ibid. Some Propositions about death ibid. In how many respects death is a godly mans 283 Or things present 286 Observ That whatsoever falls out for the present to a godly man it is for his good ibid. A division of all Events into happy and prosperous and adverse and afflicting ones ibid. In how many respects both the one and the other are for the good of Gods people ibid. Or things to come all are yours 290 Observ That all things which are to come or may fall out hereafter are a godly mans mercy and advantage ibid. This is proved by Instances and Promises 291 How on the contrary it is with a wicked man in respect of things to come 293 Vers 23. And ye are Christs 294 Observ That a godly man in all that he is or can do is wholly Christs ibid. In what respects a godly man is Christs ibid. Characters or Properties of such as are Christs 296 And Christ is Gods 298 In what sense Christ can be said to be Gods ibid. Observ That Christ as Man and as a Mediatour is wholly Gods ibid. Of the Nature and Person of Christ and of the Hypostatical Union ibid. How Christ as a Man and as Mediatour is Gods 299 And how admirable these Truths are ibid. THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE OF THE GODLY MANS CHOICE THat no Natural or Unregenerate man can lift up his heart any higher then unto a worldly happinesse and content in the Creature 1 The sinfullnesse and wofull Aggravations of such an Estate 10 Antidotes and Meanes against setting the heart upon the Creature 14 That a gracious heart doth more esteem the favour of God and the light of his Countenance then any earthly thing whatsoever 19 The Qualifications or Characters of those who do value and desire Gods favour above all things else 23 A Consideration of some false Grounds of a Perswasion of Gods Love 27 Of the Joy of Saints in God and Heavenly things as one Effect of the light of Gods Countenance The Nature of it and the Preeminences of it comparatively to all other Pleasures whatsoever 32 Of the godly Mans holy Security and Admirable quietnesse of spirit as another Effect of the light of Gods Counnance 40 How the vigorous Actings of Faith doth quiet the heart 46 The difference between Carnal and Gracious Confidence 49 The Reason of the Saints confidence viz. That God alone is their Preserver Shewing also the Wayes and Meanes by which God doth Preserve them 53 The Bookseller to the Reader I Hope there will not be found in the Reading of this Book any considerable Faults some lesser Errata's there may notwithstanding the great care that was used in the absence of the Author which of course must be pardoned The Contents noted in the Margin with the Table were done by a Friend for the pleasure of the Reader which is mentioned to clear the Author from what weakness may possibly be observed in the doing of them Tho. Underhill AN EXPOSITION WITH Practical Observations ON THE Third Chapter of the first Epistle of St Paul TO THE CORINTHIANS 1 COR. 3.1 And I Brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal as unto babes in Christ FOr the Apostles method observe this you have his Complaint and the Cause of his complaint His Complaint I Brethren could not speak unto you as spiritual but as carnal Where First There is the Compellation Brethren He reproveth yet keeps up his love This mollifieth and suppleth the wound Dilige
envious man would think thus would I have God no better to me then to such an one Should I be willing to have the Lord deal with me as I desire to others this might change him It 's related of Nero an envious cruel man That he would sometimes bewail there were none of those terrible judgements in his time as in former ages That there were no suddain earthquakes no violent plagues and such sore demonstrations of Gods wrath well might be called clay and blood mingled together 2. It opposeth that admirable goodness in Christ Oh come with admiration and read and consider the life of Christ and his death and you will see envy is as direct contrary to him as the Serpent to the Dove Consider what he was and yet how debasing himself for our sakes He thought it no robbery to be equall with God Phil. 2. for it was his due being of the same essence with him so that he might alwayes have declared that infinite Majesty but he willingly doth obscure this Sunne in a cloud this Divinity in a vail of flesh and when he doth not take the nature of Angels but man even then he doth act the condition of the great and mighty and honoured men of the world but of the most contemptible a worme and no man yea see how good to us to those that hated him envied him how destitute of a place to lay his head in that supported all the world by his power at his death how abused scorned reproached and handled in the most ignominious and scurrilous manner Oh admire all this you that hear and believe Had there been any gall in this Dove any envy in Christ would he have emptied himself thus to make thee full Would he have become poor to make thee rich Oh then if envy at any time stirre in thy heart say Did Christ do thus Was he of this temper and it must need fill thee with confusion 3. The grace of love and charity is often prayed for and that by Christ himself that his people might have it he prayeth for nothing so earnestly as that It is made the sign and symptome of Christs Disciples not by miracles not by prophesies but by love shall all men know Christs Disciples It is a duty enjoyned also for faith hath the preeminence in the upper region of justification so love in the lower of sanctification now the nature of the grace of love is to have idem velle and idem nolle to make all good things and all bad things common yea the soul of the lover is not where it animateth so much as where it loveth Love seeketh not her own love envieth not love is not puffed up 1 Cor. 13.4 5. Oh then if as in the Temple every thing was covered with gold so among Christians every word and action should be covered with love Let all your things be done with charity 1 Cor. 16.14 Then what a damnable sinne is envy which breaks these silken cords when these hellish motions of envy stirre in thee cry out for the Spirit of love Oh say this is none of Christs Spirit this is not a Gospel Spirit As love is the fullfilling of the law so envy is the dissolution of it and as Moses and the Prophets hang upon love so they do all fall to the ground where envy is if then there were but these three objects to look on God Christ and Charity it might make a man to abhorre to take this toad of envy in his breast But Secondly There is still further abomination in this sinne for it 's the very lively image of the Devil There is nothing so like the Devil as an envious man with his hornes to push at every one and his cloven foot to make divisions and wranglings This you heard this wisdome viz. whereby men make strifes and envyings is said to be divelish Jam. 3.15 Oh then What accord hath Christ with Belial Why art not thou ashamed to look God or good men in the face that hast this divelish temper in thee As the Bafilisk doth so hate man that they say he will take the very picture of him if he can Thus the envy and malice of the Devil is so great against God that because he cannot vent himself upon God therefore he doth upon man made after Gods image and although it be no profit to him yea an encrease of his torment to tempt man to sinne and to damne him yet he delights to do it Other sinnes of Drunkeness and Uncleanness turn men into Beasts but this of envy doth into Devils insomuch that an envious man in the constant full power of it I speak not of motions and temptations is farther off from godliness then a beastly prophane man Thirdly This sinne of Envy is a mother-sinne a fountaine-sinne There is no wickedness in the world but this sinne will conceive it and bring it forth Through envy they stoned Paul through envy they murdered Christ all the persecutors of Christians did burn with envy themselves before they burnt the Martyrs at the stake Hence Jam. 4.5 the Apostle alledgeth that place The spirit within us lusteth to envy aiming at that Gen. 6.5 The imagination of the thoughts of the heart are only evil and that continually Now he nameth not the general but particularizeth in envy as that which is the cheif cause of many sinnes For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam 3 16. Nay not only personal private evils are in the womb of this but all publique miseries commonly begin from this spark of envy A Commonwealth is made a field of bloud through the envy of ambitious men the Church is cut inpeices like the Levites wife through envy of ecclesiastical persons insomuch that we may say all Kingdomes and Churches in some respects have died of this disease this hath cut all the nerves whereby any society is compacted together Oh therefore pray we that God would have out this incendiary and Boutefeu from all Churches and States The Devil is called the enemy Mat. 13.15 and therefore the envious one that came and sowed tares so that all the tares of discord dissensions and different opinions are sowed by the envious one that grudgeth at our peace and unity Fourthly This sinne is a just torment to him that commits it When a sinne is a sinne and a punishment it 's the more deadly sinne now this of envy it 's a very gibbett a very rack to him that is moved with it he is like one possessed with the Devil that formeth that is thrown into fire and water his heart is a very hell he hath a torturing within him as if so many Devils were pulling of him The Heathen observed it saying That the greatest Tyrants that ever were never found out a greater torment And certainly if the motions and stirrings of envy in the godly be like so many Scorpions stings in them what are they to wicked men where envy
truly love one another because the Motive of it is the Image of God The cause of it is Gods command And the end of it is to do good temporal and spiritual to one another Hence this is called love in the Faith Tit. 3.15 and in the Spirit Col. 1.8 And therefore if the people of God at any time quarrell and strive one with another there is so much manifestation that their love was not because they were godly but for other ends For if so then because they are the Children of God still they are such as have grace They are such as God hath cast his love upon therefore thou darest not but love them still How darest thou but be reconciled with him to whom God the Father through Christ is reconciled The Apostle doth very frequently urge this duty of love and that without dissimulation knowing the corruptions and falsehood that would be even in the godly did they not take heed But as for the wicked the very Heathen said Amicitia nisi inter bonus esse non potest Friendship can only be upon grounds of goodness and honesty Therefore if you see any man agree upon evil grounds because others are wicked like themselves or for matter of profit or matter of pleasure here is no sure Concord But are as dogs playing together in the room while bones are cast amongst and then they snarle and fight with one another Take all the wicked men that are though they are never so great yet matter of pleasure or profit will presently divide them So that it 's no wonder if Herod and Pilate cannot agree unless it be against Christ Wicked men never joyn together unless it be to oppose godliness In the second place take notice there is a two-fold Striving or Contention First That which is good and laudable Thus Jude commands to contend for the Faith once delivered To be in an agony for it vers 4. And we must in our places strive and ever zealously quarrell with wicked men for the honour and glory of God Now though this Contention and Striving be not intended here yet I shall speak a little to it in the close because there are those who account all zeal and fervency for God to be quarrelling and making tumults As Jer. 15.10 Wo is me that my mother bear me because I am a man of contention Why so He reproved them for their sinnes He spake contrary to their carnal humours and thereupon he was thought to be the only troubler of the Kingdom But Secondly Their is a sinfull and ungodly Striving And that may be about a two-fold Object Either in Civil worldly things quarrelling and wrangling about them or in Religious matters Their is a desire in some to be cavilling against the Truth and to be gain-saying those Duties that are commanded or needlessly striving with idle Disputes that make not for godliness Of which the Apostle speaketh fully Tit. 3.7 A great disease in these times Now le ts briefly speak to both these And we will First Shew the Sinfulness of the Causes Secondly The Effects wherein they manifest themselves And Thirdly The Aggravation of the sinne The Cause in the general is That bitter poisonous fountain of corruption within every man Man by nature is a Spider a Toade He can spit nothing but venome He is a bramble that tears every one that cometh near him Thus Gal. 5. strifes and Contentions are made the manifest works of the flesh It 's not a doubtfull or an hard matter to determine whence they come All thy jangleings clamours and evil speakings they come from that gall and wormwood in thee James 4.1 Whence come wars and fightings He cals that strife amongst them a Warre Do they not come from the lusts that warre in your members See here There is no man striveth and brawleth with another but he hath a lust in his heart which striveth and fighteth against his soul Thou seekest to be wronged to undoe another but that anger in thy heart will undoe and damn thy own soul But the Particular Lusts are 1. Pride Where pride is there is Contention Prov. 13.10 A proud man he cannot but strive no more then fire cannot but set all on a flame where it is All the Divisions and Troubles that are either publique or private come from Pride Every man would have his will to be done Whereas humility and lowlimindedness that keeps all in peace and quietness The Chimny that is higher then other parts of the house puts out all the smoak and dark vapours and those sometimes that would exalt themselves above others they must needs evaporate their loathsome stomack against others 2. Ambition and vain glory Which comes near to Pride When men are ambitious for great earthly power or the high places in the Church this maketh many quarrels Absolom's ambition for the Kingdom what a terrible shake did it make in Israel This ambition is an huge Whale that quickly will swallow up all the good and welfare of others and it 's no less dangerous in the Church Have not the Divisions thereof been through the ambition and vain-glory of some who have inordinately loved applaus and many followers This hath alwaies been like a Sword in the side of the Church that hath brought out both blood and water 3. Malicious froward dispositions There are some of that rancorous turbulent natures that they cannot be quiet but in the disturbing of others Salamanders that can live no where but in the fire never at rest but when they are in brawlings or contentions that have not only their tongues as James saith but their hearts also set on fire from hell Jam. 3.6 As these are dangerous persons in a Kingdome for they do to it as the Devil to the possessed body throw it sometimes in the water and sometimes in the fire so they are also in Families and in Townes These are cursed men For as Peace-makers are blessed so strife-makers and quarrel makers are cursed men 4. Covetousnesse and sinfull love to the things of the world that makes men quarrel and brawl So that some say those two Pronouns Meum and Tuum make all the strife that is in the world an unjust covetous desire to have more than is thy own or lusting after other mens or discontent at thy own condition This makes thee fill the world with quarrels Lastly Impatience when men know not how with patience and godly wisdome to passe by many injuries and wrongs The Scripture bids us overcome evil with good and if a man strike on one cheek to turn another Luke 6.29 He doth not there forbid a lawfull resistance of evil before a Magistrate or a defence of his right but all private revenge and impatience of spirit whereby we are ready to resolve As he hath done to me I will do to him Oh no! Christ teacheth us a spirit of meeknesse of patience to pray for those that persecute and hate us Now the
them therefore he concludes The rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11. ult So that herein also is a great work the labouring to instruct and bring people to a full conformity to all that heavenly order and godly course of life which Christ hath commanded We see men have quickly submitted to the doctrine of Christ who yet do not in their lives to the Laws of Christ men may have a sound faith but a rotten and unsound conversation Oh this is the blemish and reproach of Christianity to this very day Herein is great work still for the Ministerial employment Though we are planted gardens yet they are so full of noisome weeds and poisonous herbs that there must be daily inspection Hath God planted thee and watered thee for this only to become a weed or a bramble The work of the Ministery is necessary as long as there is one bitter root growing up amongst us Esau a prophane man is called a bitter root Heb. 12.15 And so indeed every wicked man is a bitter root bitter in himself he is in the state of gall and wormwood he is not a Naomi but a Marah though he doth not feel it yet his soul is full of all misery and then he is bitter to others both actively and passively actively in grieving and troubling the soules of those that are godly and passively in being grieved at the godly their doings their actions make heavy the hearts of the godly as it was in Lot by the Sodomites Now then what care is here required that there may be nothing in our Assemblies that may offend the pure eies of Gods glory Fourthly This watering lieth in the stirring up of men to fruitfullness in their places and relations The end of watering is to make fruitfull and thus all the spiritual plants in Gods garden though they have deep root yet need this outward watering Barrenness is a great sinne even amongst the godly they may all fear God hath a controversie with them Oh the decayes and consumptions that are upon Christians graces Now how may these withered plants be restored to health and strength again but by the daily watering of the Ministery these spiritual clouds are to drop fatness upon them the barren heart under these waterings is made like the tree planted by the rivers side Here are fountaines to refresh the thirsty soul How distastfull unto God unfruitfullness and unprofitableness is appeareth partly by those terrible curses Never fruit grow on thee more and at another time Cut it down why cumbers it the ground And partly by that enraged anger against that servant who hid his talent in a napkin Mat. 25. Consider then it 's not enough to receive the Truths of God it is not enough to be once planted by him but there must be fruit and still more fruit brought forth by thee Therefore God as he hath appointed watering so he hath an hook also to cut out all the weeds to prune off all the branches and these are afflictions and chastisements so great a matter is it to have people fruitfull and profitable in their places to make the best they can for God and the advancing of his Kingdome At the day of Judgement it is not commission of sinnes but omission of duties for which they hear that dreadfull sentence of departure into everlasting torments In these things mainly doth consist this duty of watering Let us consider Why there is such daily need of those quickening means of grace And First It doth arise from the heart which is an unnatural soil to grace and supernatural things The temporal curse to the ground to bring forth nothing but thornes and thistles is likewise spiritually true in us of it self there come nothing but evil thoughts corrupt affections distempered lusts it 's like an hell from whence are unquenchable sparkes of lusts Were it not therefore for this daily watering and spiritual inspection the soul would immediately degenerate into a barren heath Oh therefore call often for these waterpots thy graces will quickly wither thy heart is no kindly soil As some grounds will bring cockle instead of wheat such is thy heart if not daily dropt upon unless it be alwayes fenced it will bear no crop Secondly The temptations that are so frequent and many do likewise wonderfully destroy and wither all if this constant watering be not As there are Pauls to plant and Apolloes to water so there are also the Devils to plant and his instruments to water men in wickedness Seeing therefore thou art in a daily expence of thy oil thy lamp will quickly go out if there be not daily supply you had therefore need of quickening need of thriving when there be so many obstructions so many hinderances all is little enough to put thee forward the Devil the world thy own heart draweth thee back therefore thou needest daily drawing forward Thirdly There needs watering because of that indispensable duty to grow to grow both in light and heat to grow in head and heart grow in the knowledge of God and in grace 2 Pet. 3.18 It being then a great sinne to stand at a stay to be dwarfes alwayes to be Babes alwayes God having appointed this as the way to grow it behooveth thee the more diligently to wait on this watering Vse of Exhortation To try whether you grow up into more knowledge and grace or no Are ye more acquainted in the wayes of Religion and Piety Know it 's your duty not only to be planted but to grow up exceedingly Oh it 's to be feared that many are dead at the very root at the very heart all the watering the preaching the exhorting makes them not stirre forward If a man water a plant dead at the root or a dead stump of the tree though he do it a thousand times over yet no leaves or fruit will ever grow on it so when you see a people after much preaching many exhortations to be as ignorant as prophane as ever Oh say these are dead at the very root something would sprout forth if there were life Vse of Admonition To the children of God to prize the Ministery and means of grace Be you as the thirsty land and the Ordinances like streames of water fruitfulness and flourishing in godliness is expressed for this end We preach and you are to hear Let the things that are dying be strengthened Let thy decaying love be revived Oh how will formality and deadness trouble thee at thy last hour the barrenness of thy life will be terrible to thee But God gave the encrease The Apostle as you heard doth excellently joyn these two things togeher which the world is so apt to sever The Ministry and Gods efficacy therby We may not rest upon the Ministery so as not to depend on Gods efficacy we may not expect Gods efficacy but in the Ministery Here may be a sweet subordination mans corruption makes the opposition so that this Text as it
it 's not seeking Gods face in vain 1 Cor. 15.58 Alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labour is not in vain Oh it 's comfortable to be found alwayes doing Gods work for we are sure that will have a good end there will come eternal profit by it To clear this Consider First That there are no persons be they never so mean so poor so contemptible but they are in their way and calling to do Gods work Do not think that onely Ministers and men in publique place Onely rich men and great men they have the Lords work to do Thou deceivest thy self herein For the service of God is required of a poor man of a coâ—tager as well as those in great places Matth. 20. and Matth. 25. you have two excellent Parables to this purpose to shew That God gives to every one more or lesse Talents none are to stand idle but to labour in Gods vineyard God at the day of Judgement will call these labourers together and see how they have improved all things and the idle servant or unprofitable hath a dreadfull sentence upon him To be cut in pieces and to have his portion with hypocrites All idlenesse is a kind of hypocrisie because it deceiveth the expectation as it were of God who looked for fruitfulnesse and behold barrennesse Know then whosoever thou art thou art called to labour in Gods vineyard thou hast thy peculiar service whether married or single bond or free rich or poor and thou must abound in this work Secondly There is a two fold doing of Gods work either the work of his providence as passive instruments or the work of his commands as active instruments This is a necessary distinction God hath raised up many men as instruments to bring about the works of his providence but because they did not know God or propound godly ends in doing so therfore though they did the work of the Lord yet they shall meet with no reward in Heaven You have a notable instance for this Isa 10.5 6 7. where the King of Assyria is called a rod or a staff in Gods hand God did use him as an instrument to scourge the Israelite howbeit he meaneth not so he thinketh it not in his heart here he was a passive instrument he did Gods work without any heart or love to God and therefore vers 12. When I have performed my whole work saith God against Jerusalem I will punish him Here you see a man may do Gods work and yet be punished for it So Jehu he was immediately raised up by God to destroy Ahab and his whole family and God tels him He had done all that was in his heart a great expression yet Hos 1.4 God saith he will be avâ—nged upon the house of Jehu for all that blood he had shed For though he did the work of Gods providence yet because he did it upon ambitious and sinfull grounds not keeping close to Gods way therefore was he punished Thus you see there is a great difference between doing the work of Gods providence and the work of his command out of faith and obedience to him For this later is when we do not only the matter God commands but out of love and obedience to him with that godly frame of heart that is acceptable unto him In the next place therefore let us consider What is the acceptable doing of Gods work which will be rewarded And First That onely is Gods work which is commanded and willed by him We are often commanded to understand the good and acceptable will of God Many think they are doing Gods work when it 's the Devils because they look not for warrant of it in Scripture By the knowledge of Scripture a man is made perfect or prepared for every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 So then that is Gods work which is appointed by him approved and commanded by him of which a man can bring Scripture and say Thus saith the Lord. All that superstitious worship which the Pharisees so multiplied and for which they thought to be more accepted with God than others It was none of Gods work It was not acceptable coin it had none of Gods superscription upon it And our Saviour speaks of cruel persecutors that they would think they did God service in killing his own sheep John 16.2 This is an heavy and a dreadfull delusion for men to take the works of the flesh and the works of the Devil for Gods work If therefore thou wouldst not be deprived of a reward be sure out of the Scripture that it be Gods work for the matter of it Secondly It 's acceptable labouring when it is done in such a manner For God doth not accept of any labour for him meerly from the painfulnesse of it For if a man give his body to be burnt and have not love to God it 's nothing worth Not I say from the painfulnesse or length of time but from other quaâ—iâ—â—cations and they are these 1. It 's profitable working when the persons are first made the Lords when they are justified and sanctified Make the tree good and then the fruit will be good The person must be first sanctified ere any work can be acceptable He is an unclean person till then and all things are unclean To the defiled all things become defiled Tit. 1.15 Oh that people would attend to this They only look to the good matter of the work they pray they give alms they live soberly but they have no knowledge about the root thereof Are their persons justified their natures sanctified without which no work of God can be done acceptably 2. A Reward is due to that work only which is done for Gods sake out of love to him The Pharisees praying and other acts of Religion have a terrible verdict by Christ upon them Verily I say unto you they have their reward Mat. 6.2 O words of terrour and horrour They did all those acts to be seen of men to be applauded by men and they have their reward this is all they shall have our Saviour useth that affirmation Verily I say unto you when he speaks earnestly and would have men diligently mind what he saith Verily they have their reward Oh what will the praise and glory of men avail thee when thou and thy duties shall be cast away Know then this worm will devour thy gourd vain glory carâ—al ends and designs upon Gods works will make all to be thrown away When the Devil cannot keep thee in the works of darknesse and of wickednesse that thou wilt do them then he indeavours to marre thy good works by throwing some dead flie in this box of ointment vain-glory and self-advantage 3. That work will onely have a reward which is done with that measure and degree of love and fervency that it ought to be Every Sacrifice was to be offered up with fire and every duty is to be performed with much zeal and
Christ the Pâ—llar and foundation of all his boldnesse and acceptance of grace through him Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and free access We cannot inherit or obtain a blessing unless we come in our elder Brothers cloaths as was even now said before He is made unto us wisdom righteousnesse and sactification yea we are made the righteousnesse of God through him 2 Cor. 4. ult Which expression first used by Ambrose but found in Calâ—in by Pighâ—uâ— was a means to bring him off to imputed righteousnesse And Paul throweth away all his own works as dâ—â—g in comparison of the righteousness through faith in Christ Phil. 3. Thiâ— iâ— a special foundation few are acquainted with this Gospel foundation Theâ— build on their works on their duties they rest on them as a foundation nor making Christ all in all He is the Altar from whom the incense of the Prayers of the Saints is accepted As Jacob said Let not me see your face unless you bring Benjamin Thus God saith Pray not but in the name of Christ Give not thanks but through Christ What a Mystery was this to the seduced Belivers even in the Apostles times The Epistle of the Romanes and especially to the Galathians is wholly to settle this foundation That it was not the righteousâ—ess of the Law iâ— their own persons or â—f works they were to seek after but a righteousness of Faith through Christ Yet where is the Christian to spiritual so Gospelized as to go out of all his duties resting on Christ only He is diligent and carefull in the use of them but leaneth on Christ only We are the circumcision who worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus only Phil. 3.3 Sixthly Christ is to be preached as the foundation of all fulnesse for all our necessities and spiritual wants The people of God they sit dejected through theâ—r nakednesse and poverty Oh they would have better hearts more fruitfull lives and they complain and complain but they do not make use of Christs fulnesse for all their wants He is the fountain their streams are to be replenished by him Of his fulness we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 That is aboundance of grace as some or grace answering the grace in Christ And Col. 1. It pleased God that in him should all fulness dwell So that the soul cannot be cast into such straights as not to know where to be supplied There is the fulness of the fountain and therefore the vessel may well be filled This is the fulness in the Head therefore the members may thrive and flourish It 's a sad thing to consider how unacquainted even the godly are in this point They do not improve Christ They do not go to his fulness As the Mothers breasts are filled for the Child and it 's an ease to the Mother to have the Child to suck them Thus Christ received the fulness of grace as an Head for us and by Faith we sucking of it do exceedingly please and honour Christ Vse of Instruction What it is to preach Christ even to set him up in all this glorious fulnesse To represent him in all these Offices and Perfections for us It 's true indeed there are few people that can prize him that can see the glory of these Properties They admire nothing but the pleasure of siâ—ne and the glory of the world Therefore our work is not so often to set forth the beauty of Christ as the foulness of sinne and the torments of Hell We like John Pâ—pâ—ist are to prepare a people for Christ to cast down high mountains to wound and break the heart of sinners to take them off from all false foundations The ignorance stubbornnesse and stupidity of most hearers do call for the two-edged sword to wound and cut not for balm and oyl to be poured in their wounds But yet certainly this is our main work to preach Christ in this his heavenly glory Although to speak properly as is to be shewed in time to preach Christ is to preach also all the duties all the threatnings all the Commands Christ required To preach Repentance is to preach Christ but we take it most strictly in this place Oh then that our Auditories were such to whom Christ in all his glory might be displayed such as we might have into this Wine-celler every day such as might be invited to this Banquet and heavenly Feast that the Gospel hath provided A people that know the the need of Christ that desire and thirst after Christ That say with the Church I will hold him and will not let him go Bernard did not like to read Tully's Works in all his eloquence because he did not find Christ there How shouldst thou in all prayers duties conference still desire to enjoy Christ Saying with the Church I am sick of love The Ministers of the Gospel are to lay no other foundation but Christ Jesus If ye are branches he is the Vine If ye are the body he is the Head If ye the building he the Foundation He is the Rock He is the Root Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the Word of his power in Creation much more in Redemption Two or three Particulars more we are to instance in by which it may appear in what Christ is laid a foundation And Seventhly He is to be preached as the Fountain of all the happiness joy and spiritual content the godly hearer can have We are to preach Christ as the center in whom all the lines of your hope love and desire are to meet Thus Paul himself I determined to know nothing but Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 The Greek words are comparative Christ crucified rather then any thing else There is no Doctrine no Opinion there is no outward or earthly advantage that I desire to know but Christ And in many other places you have Paul despising and renouncing all priviledges To be a Jew was nothing Circumcision was nothing To be an Apostle to be a pure Roman all these were nothing with Paul in respect of the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Therefore it is that Christ is compared to our King to our Husband to our Head because all our affections desires and inclinations should be towards him And this is so necessary a foundation that no man can be Christs Disciple that doth not attain to this that doth not hate Father and Mother and Children for his sake Oh then consider Where is thy joy thy love Upon whom is thy heart set If it be on any thing but Christ thou errest in the Foundation Oh but how hard a thing is it thus to Disciple our Auditours Some have the world for Christ some their lust for Christ and thus instead of building gold and precious Stones they build dung and silth Eighthly Christ is to be preached as the person with whom we are to close in all Ordinances We are to look for Christ and enjoy him in every Prayer in every
have us honour Thirdly We must preach Christ the foundation because in him there is such a Treasure of the riches of Gods Grace and Gods Love that the Angels they were never satisfied with this point How greatly the Angels were affected when Christ came into the world there Hymne signifieth As also how speedy they were to be Evangelists to bring glad tydings of a Christ Glory be to God on high in earth peace and good will to men Luke 2.14 This Song is the foundation of all Religion and Comfort Yea The Angels saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.12 desire to search into this Mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoop down as they did to look into the Sepulchre or as men do to behold themselves in a Glass If therefore the Angels such pure and heavenly substances be so affected with this way and Doctrine of Christ how much more we For we need him more then they Some Divines indeed say The Angels needed Christ to confirm them And in this sense he is their Head but a Mediatour of an atonement he was not unto them as he is to us Consider that place Ephes 3.10 By the Church and the Ministery thereof the manifold wisdome and riches of Gods grace in Christ are made known So that the very Angels are glad to hear and know this Doctrine about Christ Fourthly Therefore are we to exalt Christ in our Ministry to lay him the foundation because in Heaven though Christ will then lay down the exercise of his Mediatory Kingdom yet the glory and honour must be given unto him for ever The Saints in Heaven will for ever acknowledge the glory the happiness the blessednesse they have to be by Christ Is it not necessary therefore to instruct you in that work which we are to do to all eternity Christ is not to be laid aside in Heaven His blood his sufferings his atonement will never be forgotten For only by Christ is their such a place as an Heaven only by him is salvation possible Why then should not that truth fill our mouths and our hearts here which will possesse our souls to all eternity Fifthly The necessity of preaching Christ the foundation ariseth from the ignorance of people who do grossely erre about Christ both Doctrinally and Practically Doctrinally For though Christ be in every mans mouth yet few have knowledge of his Person and his Offices Though they be called Christians from Christ yet they can give no good account of their knowledge of him And if this be eternal life to know Jesus Christ John 17.2 certainly the grosse and notorious ignorance in many proclaimeth them farre off from the Kingdom of Heaven How canst thou hope in Christ and believe in Christ who knowest not what Christ was and for what end he came into the world And then Practically many are ignorant of him They feel not the necessity of him as a Physician as a Mediatour They perceive not at what a distance sinne hath cast them from all hopes They feel not the arrows of the Almighty darted into them They feel no lâ—ad or burden of sinne upon them and therefore the Name and Office of Christ is not welcome to them Sixthly The necessity appeareth because of the subtilty and emnity of Satan who hath continually set himself against Christ and his Church I hat as at the first ingresse into Christs Ministry he violently assaulted him and never left opposing his person so ever since he hath laboured to obscure Christ and traduce his way In the first age of the Church then he set against the Person of Christ Hence came up those many Heretiques some denying he was God saying He was only man Others Only God and not a man but in the appearance of a man Some confounded his Natures some multiplied his Personality so that all the subtile power of the Devil was to overthrow the Person of Christ But in this latter age he set against the Offices of Christ And thus in Popery though Socinians revive those old blasphemies his Priestly Office his Prophetical his Kingly all those were quite darkned by their Masse and Indulgences and many such abhominable derogations from Christ Seventhly We have the more need to exalt Christ because there is proâ—enesse in every man to trust in his own works To rest upon his own righteousness To advance and set up nature Now so much as these are exalted so much is Christ debased We see our own natures in the Jews though it was in those glorious times wherein Christ and the Apostles manifested themselves yet men did still seek to be justified by the works they had done Their endeavour was to establish their own righteousnesse though that like Dagon before the Ark did fall to the ground before Christ and truly such were greater enemies to Christ more then prophane Publicans and sinners So that the Scripture preaching of Christ will drive men out of their civil righteousness out of their formality and confidence in themselves which is the strongest hold that the Ministry hath to batter We may sooner dissolve those grosse acts of wickednesse then remove this mountain of self-righteousnesse Yet if Christs Righteousnesse his worth be all why wilt thou be a Christ to thy self Vse of Instruction What matter of wo and lamentation it is to see so few build upon this foundation Some put their trust in riches in charriots and horses some in the works they do and thus Christ whom God designed to be all over glorious is not glorified by us Examine your selves in this one thing among others Is Christ the bottom and foundation of all thy love joy and delight Art thou affected with him in a spiritual manner as the Church is Is he the chiefest of ten thousands Do men of the world come and ask thee What is thy beloved more then others What is there in Christ more then any thing else Canst thou say as Aristotle to him who asked why such colours refresh sight It was a blind mans question So this is a natural mans an earthly mans question It 's a sign thou never didst taste of his goodnesse of his power It 's a sign thou hast not eaten of his Honey-combes or wert fed on his spiritual dainties that doest make such questions Never lay claim to Christ if Father Mother Riches Honours and thy own life be dearer to thee then Christ is For no other foundation can any man lay but Christ Jesus In how many particulars Christ is to be preached as a foundation and the reasons thereof you have heard I shall now remove some Objections that so the truth may be more cleared and then give you the Properties and Incouragements or Priviledges those people have who are built on Christ this foundation And First It may be objected How can Christ only be preached as a foundation For is not the Doctrine about a God that there is a God and but one God Is not this a foundation Doth not the Apostle say
Corinthians are said to have Christ amongst them because they had the Spirit of God in the gifts and operations thereof Vse of Instruction What manner of persons ye ought to be such who have a sure and a good foundation both for faith and godlinesse Look to what bottome you stand upon The reason given why stormes and tempests could not beat down that house is Because it was built upon a Rock Mat. 7.25 Especially try your selves by those fore-going properties do you under all temptations of troubles or errours stand like the rock in the midst of the waves whereas Christ said We must leave father and wife and children and houses and life to follow Christ Do ye not leave Christ to follow these Are you like the green leaves in the river The Locusts did not eat or consume and not the dried ones prepared for any falling off Doe ye shew the efficacy and lively power of Christ in your selves Oh if ye were branches in him how could such ignorance and prophanenesse be in many mens lives Eph. 4. The Apostle speaketh of knowing the truth as it is in Jesus How is that When the truths we believe make us put off the Old-man and put on the new when they are like coals of fire in your brest but the impiety and formality of most people proclaim they have not this foundation Verse 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble c. THis verse containeth a distinction of builders upon the foundation and they are of two sorts 1. Such who build gold silver precious stones 2. Who build wood hay stubble Now these are allegorical expressions and you may ask What is the plain meaning of them Some therefore of the Ancients understood by gold and precious stones godly and holy works And by hay or stubble evil and wicked works or as Austin inordinate affections and desires to earthly things preferring them before Christ It is true the same Author calleth this Text Vnus è difficilimis locis one of those most difficult places to which the Apostle Peter relateth But this his interpretation cannot be the meaning here partly because the Apostle saith Those that build hay and stubble shall be saved though by fire whereas those that live in wickednesse and inordinate love of the world cannot be saved under any notion whatsoever And partly because the Apostle restraineth his matter to those that are builders and they are Doctors and Teachers not to all believers Secondly Some by gold and precious stones understand the pure and solid preaching of the Word and by hay and stubble curious light and vain affectation of humane eloquence And indeed this is part of the Apostles meaning as appeareth by the sharp reproof of those Teachers for their carnal humane wisdom But Thirdly That which is chiefly the meaning is the matter they preach Gold and silver is the pure and sincere Doctrine that is agreeing with the foundation Hay and stubble are corrupt and sinfull errours which disagree from it He doth not by hay and stubble speak of such dangerous and damnable heresies that overthrow the foundation such are not saved though by fire but they bring upon themselves swift damnation 2 Pet. 2.1 but lesser errours and falshoods which do not overthrow yet are no wayes agreeable or sutable to the foundation As if you should set a glorious Palace with marble wals and pillars of gold and silver but then a wooden rooff and thatch covering with straw how ridiculous would this be Such is every mans preaching though he keep the foundation that addeth dissentaneons Doctrine thereunto We shall joyn the two last senses together the Matter and the Manner The truths of Christ preached in a pure and sincere manner this is gold silver and precious stones Whereas then you see the truths of Christ compared to these glorious and excellent things gold and precious stones From whence observe That the Doctrine and Truths of Christ are very precious and excellent The preaching of the Gospel is compared to a Pearl that a man sold all that he had to obtain Mat. 13.45 And indeed so must every heaâ—er do he must part with all his lusts his sins he must throw away all the earth he hath in his hand before he can receive this gold To open the Doctrine let us consider What is implied in this when the truths of Christ are thus called gold and precious stones And First The preciousnesse of them is hereby declared They ought to be esteemed and desired by us as much as the covetous man desires his gold and silver The truths of Christ are sometimes compared to milk for the nourishing vertue in them Sometimes to honey and the honey-comb for the spiritual sweetnesse and refreshment the godly find therein and sometimes to gold and precious stones because of the admirable excellency and worth in them Hence we are commanded To contend for the faith Jud. v. 3. to be in an agony Why It 's more worth than gold This made the holy Martyrs willingly die for it they thought it more precious than life they thought it no losse to be deprived of their own gold and silver to testifie to this and to propagate it to their posterity The Apostle cals it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That good thing committed to thee To you that believe Christ is precious saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 2.7 and so is every truth of Christs Secondly It doth denote the rarity of it It 's hardly and difficultly obtained Gold and silver is not so common as the stones of the street There are but few mines of gold to the mountains of earth And thus for the most part the Churches of God have been so corrupted with errours that very little gold did appear It was a rare thing to have any one truth of God made known In the Old Testament under many Kings Idolatry and Superstition had so prevailed that the book of the Law of God in Josiahs time was a rare thing and in Asa's time They had been without the Law and a teaching Prophet for a long while 2 Chron. 15 3. And in Popery not only the covering was thus deformed but the very foundations were shaken So that it 's not so easie a matter to obtain the truth that is found out with much prayer humility holinesse of life and industrious using of all means appointed by God There are few it may be none who though they build gold and silver do not also adde some hay and stubble So that this very expression Truths are gold are precious stones and they lie one by one called therefore uniones they say should teach us not to be confident not to rest in our own understanding Search the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 5.39 Some make it a metaphor from those that with much labour dig into a mine of gold So that the Scripture that is the mine where all the
his nakednesse And 2. It shall be manifest to others to the whole world that they shall see a difference between truth and errour Even as you see the Magicians did such things as Moses and for a while there seemed to be no difference but at last there was a plain discovery which was of God and which was not Observe That all the hidden and secret wayes of false Doctrines God will one day make manifest God will raise a fire to consume hay and stubble it will be put to a touchstone whether gold or counterfeit This certainly should make us tremble about what we teach or preach it will all be examined again God will discover all the Errata's and that by a sharp fiâ—e if we build hay we shall suffer losse All that time labour and study will be wholly lost To open this let us consider What concerning errours will be made manifest And 1. The Causes and Ends of them 2. The Nature of them 3. The cunning Artifiâ—e in divulging of them And First God will manifest all those hidden causes and ends of thy false Doctrines Now the Scripture gives these causes 1. Pride and self-conceit or overweening of thy own abilities and sufficiency such a man is in the high way to all errours For the humble and meek God will teach Psal 25. The valleys are fruitfull when the high mountains are barren Therefore the Apostle in this Epistle and in many others beateth down pride and vain-glory Hâ— that thinketh he knoweth any thing knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 Oh this is a golden truth A man must have that modestie that humility as to think himself a Disciple rather than a Teacher Paul that had such extraordinary Revelations God gave him a thorn in the flesh some extraordinary heavy tempâ—ation to humble him that he might not be lifted up 2 Cor. 12. Consider that God will make manifest all those secret works of thy heart Thou thinkest it zeal thou thinkest thou hast received greater abilities than others but God wil make it known whether it be noâ— thy self-confidence thy self-conceit or no. As in the Apostles times they had miracles to confirm their Doctrine and that they were of God they did heal the sick and raise the dead So I may now say humility is that miracle which may confirm our Doctrine If thou art of God if thy wayes are of God thou hast no glory no boasting in thy self above others Christs symbol was a Lamb and the Spirit of God appeared in the form of a Dove If thou hast the Spirit of God and Christ thou wilt be of a Lamb-like Dove-like disposition Take heed then of heart-pride and pride of gifts it 's worse than pride in cloaths or wealth This carrieth thee to the pinacle of a Temple sets thee on high and throweth thee headlong Vnlesse a man become as a little child he cannot be my Disciple Matth. 18 4. Here is a copy of humility and modesty to write after Many Heretiques have bâ—en bold self-conceited men the first that ever were almost in the Church called themselves Gâ—ostici The knowing men as if none had knowledge or understanding but they but God will raise a tempest that shall discover this root under ground 2. Ignorance and weaknesse of judgement And truly this is the most innocent cause of errours when men through ignorance and weaknesse go in a false way yet this doth not excuse For Peter saith Even ignorant men wrest the Scripture to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 Though ignorant or unlearned men yet that will not excuse them Thus the Disciples through weaknesse of â—heir faith and knowledge manifested very grosse errours about Christ and his Office till they were endowed with the Spirit of God from above And where there is a cordial and plain desire to know the truth they sâ—udy they reade they pray they do conscientiously make use of all means God hath appointed for tâ—at is a great matter to make use of all means what one opinion saith as well as another what one Texâ— saith as well as another such I say as those are to be tenderly handled Rom. 15. Him that is weak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 receive him lovingly In this case Saeviant illi qui nesciunt quantis gemitibus vel tantillum datur intelligere de vero as Austin of old When it 's not obstinacy perversnesse but meer ignorance and thou doest instantly day and night pray to God using all means this doth greatly extenuate though not totally excuse thy blindnesse may make thee fall in the ditch and God will have all this ignorance manifested to thee sometime or other it may be 3. Hypocrisie The Scripture brandeth that for a heavy cause sometimes of the errours and falshoods in Religion This indeed is a work that God only can manifest who knoweth the hearts and trieth the reins yet that this is the bitter root of many bitter errours the Scripture giveth pregnant instances The Pharisees were famous for building hay and stubble What trash and trumpery superstition and false worship did they introduce And now Christ who knew their hearts tels them it was nothing but hypocrisie It was not God nor a love to his truth or glory but their own credit and glory They do all things to be seen of men Woe be to you hypocrites said he often Maâ—th 23.14 And Paul tels of men that taught lies in hypocrisie 1 Tim 4.2 Oh it 's a matter to be trembled at that such hypocrisie should ever fill a mans heart that we should scatter errours propagate falshoods to get our selves a name As they went to build Babel that they might have a name Search thy heart what moveth thee to hold any opinion if it be this hypocrisie God will bring hidden things to light and to have our portion with hypocrites is the highest condemnation Mat. 24 51. 4. Ambition and affectation of high places in the Church of God and to be above others This hath made men build hay and stubble This indeed is a daughter of pride and so is of the same nature yet it 's a distinct head for more bitter fruit hath grown on this root than upon most sinnes which made the Apostle James give that excellent Antidote Not to be many Masters James 3.1 Do not ambitiously affect places of trust and rule in the Church of God and thereupon he makes a large digression to shew the several wicked wayes of the tongue that is the unruly member that setteth all on fire If thou once hast a pronenesse to offend there look to it set a watch before thy mouth nature hath hedged it in by teeth and lips The Scripture also hath put many muzzles on thy mouth especially that My Brethren be swift to hear and slow to speak Jam. 1.13 You ought to be farre more desirous to hear than to speak If ambition and affectation to be above others provoke
Thus Jude vers 23. speaking to this purpose of many people led aside with errours saith Save them with fear pulling them out of the fire They were in as great danger as a child fallen in the fire whom the father pulleth out with great fear and amazement Thus Joshua Zech. 3.2 is said to be a fire-brand pulled out of the fire that is delivered from great and imminent dangers The same expression is Amos 4.11 Ye were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the fire he speaketh of such who had escaped the pubâ—ick judgements oâ— God upon them This proverb the Latines and Gâ—ecians also have e slammâ cibum petere This being so clear we would wonder what should make the Popish Interpreters dream of a Purgatory fire for they hold Purgatory a real fire even as that of Hell but the Apostles expression is As it were by fire which denoteth a meer similitude and comparison Gods examination and judgement as also the Word and heavy afflictions these are the fire which he must go thorow Besides many of them hold That the Apostle speaks of the Day of Judgement when all mens works shall be examined and judged so that this fire must not be till the Day of Judgement whereas they hold Purgatory fire presently upon a mans death and so necessarily before the Day of Judgement So that Austin long ago farre more probably interpreted it of afflictions in this life Even as a Merchant in a dangerous tempest throweth away all his goods and â—oseth all that he loved to escape with his own life So shall it be with any man that builds unsound and false opinions when God shall awaken him by tâ—â—bulations he will be content to throw all away to lose all He will forsake all those Doctrines he was so dearly inamoured with that he himself may escape Now here may be a very profitable Question raised Whether there be any Doctor or Teacher in the Church of God yea or Church though never so reformed that doth onely build gold and silver and not some hay or stubble Answ To this onely in the general we say That setting aside the Apostles who were infallibly inspired and directed There is ignorance and sinfull affections cleaving to every man in part and so to every Church and therefore even the most excellent men and Churches have had their straw and stubble whereby even every mans salvation though never so eminent even on his Doctrines part not attending to his life is very difficult All the Fathers had their Navi their hay and stubble And this is true of all though never so eminent in after ages But from the first observe That every man will be altogether a loser in any errour or false way that he hath maintained He shall suffer losse Sometimes by false wayes men propound base carnal ends wealth riches honours and applause in the world sometimes they think of spiritual ends more comfort and peace of heart more enjoyment of God but what Doctrine or wayes are not of God a man is sure to be frustrated of his expectations if they have them for a while they will quickly vanish away as the crackling of thorns make a blaze but continue not In the first place we shall shew Wherein they shall be losers First If they thought by erroneous wayes to better themselves in an outward condition in this world in this they are sure to lose How many have turned from truth when persecuted to errours and false wayes only to have their lives and liberties and external comforts but in the issue have been deceived of all When the Turk so prosperously prevailed many Christians imbraced the Turkish Religion In Popery and times of bloody persecution men through fear and love of the world denied the truth asserted and maintained false Doctrines But what got they many of them Did not our Saviours Rule prove true He that will save his life shall lose it and he that will lose it shall save it Mat. 16.25 And doth not the Prophet Jonah tell us a good lesson They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy Joâ— 2.8 They that would worship Idols or go into superstitious wayes they forsake that very mercy God hath provided for them otherwise Oh that this were well thought of by those who think to better themselves by those wayes that are not of God! Secondly If they looked for honour and outward dignity to be applauded and esteemed this also they shall be losers in For by the judgement of those Churches or persons that are orthodox they shall fall from all that repute and esteem they had The Church of Rome was set up like an high Mountain Did not all the people of the Christian world when there were breaches in Religion look upon her like a brazen Serpent thinking to be heard presently The repute and authority she had in all mens consciences made the politick Popes triumph over all the great ones of the world thereby and enlarge both Civil and spiritual jurisdiction But when her Idolatries and errours were discovered How odious and abominable is her very memory Now it 's the Sodom the Babylon the Aegypt John speaks of So that howsoever errours may have great applause and glory for a while yet God in time will make them vile as dung As of those corrupt Priests in thâ— worship of God God said He would spread dung upon their faces Mal. 2 3. The Phâ—risees by their superstruction of hay and stubble they intended glory and honor of the people They did all things as men acting upon a Theaâ—re but when Christ came and preached the pure word of God and discovered all theâ—r vanity and hypocrisie then their esteem and honour fell immediately inâ—o the dust Mat. 5.19 Our Saviour speaking against false teachers saâ—th If any teach the breaking of the least commandment he shall be called the leâ—st in the kingdom of Heaven The kingdom of Heaven is the Church in this life as some expound And he shall be called the lâ—ast that is He shall be of no repute and esteem Thus the names of all the Heretiques that have lived are they not of unsavoury memory And though some had excellent parts and held many truths yet this dead flie falling into their ointment marred all Thirdly They lose all their ministerial labour and study they used in building such stubble And truly this losse should much affect every man whether Minister or private Christian Some opinions thou hast thinking them truths but they being errours all thy preaching for them writing for them all thy indeavour to proselyte others to thee thy going farre and near to make others of thy mind all this is lost labour It will not have so much reward as a cup of cold water given â—n Christs name will have A Wasp is busie and flieth up and down as well as a Bee but a Bees businesse brings honey a Wasps doth nothing but a sting Thus it may be thou art
not Christ ours because though Christ was given for us yet it was as a Mediatour to work our peace that so thereby he might be exalted and might have the preheminence in all things So that the Church is for Christ not Christ for the Church Secondly Because all things in the world are ordered by his providence onely but the whole worke of God about his children is the effect of his Predestination Now Predestination is an act of his more immediate love than Providence is and the Providence of God is subservient to his Predestination Therefore is Gods care and government over all things that he may attain the ends of his Predestination Insomuch that there had been no Creation at first no world at all nor would there still be any sustentation or conservation of it were it not for the Churches sake Vse 1. Of Exhortation to the godly to live by faith on such principles What generous noble and heavenly dispositions would these thoughts breed Scito te Deum esse said one thinking the soul to be a beam of that Divine Essence but thou mayest truly say God hath made thee heir of all things It 's not the Devil but God that doth now shew thee the glory of the world and the Church and saith All these things are thine Consider then whether they be thine by that spiritual end they are intended for Do all creatures all conditions all events make thee more godly Do they work such divine effects upon thy soul Oh do not thou be thy own adversary herein Vse 2. Of Terrour to wicked men for it followeth by way of contraries Nothing is yours viz. for your spiritual good The Ministry God gives is not for you The mercies you have they are not for your souls health Oh the depth of thy unspeakable misery whether life or death all things help thee forward to hell Having asserted a comfortable and rich Doctrine out of these words for the godly we proceed to make some Objections or doubts about it which will be as file to the iron or like the Wine-presse to the Grapes to prâ—sse out the sweet Wine therein And indeed this truth seemeth Obnoxious to many Exceptions as in Religion there are many Doctrinal points which do amaze humane reason such as that of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ the Resurrection of the body so there are also many Practical Positions which seem contrary to all reason and experince of which this in my Text is one All things are the godly mans It seemeth to be an Idea or meer fiction and expression if we consult with what befals the godly Come we therefore to Answer some of the Objections And First The doubt may be How are all things the godly mans for his use and spiritual edification when many times we see the godly man gets no goâ—d by these The Corinthians who had Paul and Apollo and all those eminent Teachers for their use yet by their Divisions and carnal Emulations they made no spiritual improvement of them How many Sermons and Sabboths do even the godly let go that there never appeareth any footstep of them as if they had never been And then as for their mercies and their afflictions how many times do these draw out their corruptions and they seem to be the worse for them To Answer this First We must distinguish between Gods intention in giving these and the godly mans actual improvement of them to that end When the Apostle saith All things are yours his meaning is on Gods part His love is so great that for the godly only all things in Heaven and Earth were created If so be therefore at any time these things turn to thy hurt blame thy self The Physician will tell the Patient sometimes All these Potions and all these Cordials they are yours you are to take them you may expect much good and ease by them But if the Patient be wilfull and disorder himself it is his fault not the Physicians that they do hurt So that the meaning is all things in their creation and Institution were for the godly mans good Therefore Secondly The godly man through his weaknesse and sinfulnesse not walking up to Gods order may make that an hinderance which God intended a furtherance A godly man may receive the Word and Ordinances sometimes in vain Sometimes afflictions may for the present make him more froward and passionate and mercies more presumptions and confident as the Examples of David and others shew So that our folly and corruptions mingle bitter things with Gods sweet and then we complain this Text is not true The foolishnesse of a man perverteth his way and his heart fretteth against the Lord Prov. 19.3 When we do not our duty we think God doth not fulfill his Promise Our waies are unequall and then we think Gods are not equall So that you must understand this Promise All things are yours in a well ordered use of the means as all other Promises are It 's said The Spirit will lead you in all truth Joh. 16.13 Gods Word is promised to be accompanied with the fulnesse of the Lords blessing to those that are his But how If we order and prepare our selves If we do not put in some barre and obstructions For sinne that withholdeth good things from us that separates between God and us as also between these Promises and us Thirdly Though the godly may for a while make these things against their end and not for it yet this will not be alwaies Nay God will so order it that this decay of theirs or this disorder shall likewise be turned to their good As those who through mistake may swallow down some strong Physick though for the present they may be deadly sick and worse then ever they were yet afterwards it may be they are the better for such violent helps Fourthly When we say all things are the godly mans you must take them in their Collective cooperation as Rom. 8. All things work together This particular or that particular may throw thee down may make thee worse but then God bringeth about some other things that help altogether for thy good As they say of Aegypt All the venemous Herbs grow there and also all the Antidotes are to be had there Where there is a Malady there is also a Remedy And truly thus Gods dispensations are with his Children This or that particular may hinder thee this or that may prejudice thee but God hath appointed other things to correct these There is a benigne influence with the malignant as it were and both tempered together advance speedily towards Heaven The second doubt is this If all things are for the godly and only theirs exclusively to the wicked then this may seem to justifie all the wickednesse and impiety of ungodly men Why should they be blamed if they get no good by the Ordinances if they profit not under the Ministry for God did not intend them for their
be not against thee Paul said He was the savour of death to some 2 Cor. 2.15 that perish Oh tremble that this Ministry this preaching should be for the good of others but not to thee They can say these are ours for conversion quickning and consolation but I stand like a dead tree under all the rain sending forth no fruit at all You would think it an heavy curse to have your bread not yours to nourish you your cloaths not yours to warm you but this is more terrible the Word preached is not thine to convert thee or reform thee What Shall God out of his great love provide these mercies for thee and thou go away with no advantage at all He is your Minister and that is your Sermon which is made yours in your life and obedience otherwise he is yours to accuse and condemn you at the last day Vse 2. Of Instruction How precious and dear the salvation of mens souls is that God hath appointed all things in the world and in the Church for this end All the creatures of God would teach thee this All the Ministers and Ordinances are for this end All thy mercies thy afflictions thy health thy sicknesse is for this Why then doest thou no more consider of it and lay it to heart Or the world all is yours We proceed to the second enumeration of those Goods the Apostle giveth an Inventory of and that is a very large and comprehensive one the world with all things therein The Devil once thought to tempt Christ by promising him All the glory of the world but here we see a gift made indeed of the whole world to every believer First All the things of the Church are given Then All the things of the world This is to have the fatnesse of heaven and earth together The word world as for the nature of it is wide so for the significations thereof it is also very large Sometimes we reade it in the plural number Heb. 1.2 Heb. 11.3 Christ is said to make the worlds not as if that fancy of some were true That there are many worlds but it supposeth the world in all the successive generations of it Now the world is sometimes used for the meer Fabrick of this universe with all things therein Heb. 4.3 Since the foundation of the world sometimes it 's used only for the Elect and godly as when it 's said John 12.47 I come not to judge the world but save it And John 6.33 he is said To give life to the world but this sense is very much questioned yet the Orthodox propugn it Lastly The world is used for the wicked inhabitants thereof Thus John 15. the world is said to hate the Disciples of Christ And 1 John 5.19 the whole world is said to lie in darknesse And well may the world be put for wicked men because they are farre the greater part and therefore the world is used in opposition to the Church 1 Cor. 5.10 because believers are called out of the world If you ask In what sense world is taken here I answer principally in the first for the fabrick of the world and all the contents therein the Cabinet and all the treasure in it this is a godly mans not in a political civil sense but a spiritual sanctified way And thus he that hath not where to lay his head or set the sole of his feet may yet be said to have the whole world as it was with Christ and Abraham Observe That the whole world with all things therein is for the spiritual advantage of a Godly man He may say of the whole Universe All this is mine for the advantage of my soul one way or other We have a pregnant place for this Rom 4.13 where you have a promise of being heir of the world and to whom is this made To Abraham and his seed What seed vers 12 Those that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham So that you see the inheritance of the world iâ— made to Abraham and to all believers which is not true of the civil possession of it but of the sanctified use of it It 's true Interpreters do much dispute in what sense Abraham and so all believers can be said to be heirs of the world But certainly this Text is a good exposition of it Come we therefore to shew in how many particulars we may say the whole world is a godly mans it 's for his use And First It 's the godly mans School or Academy it is his study or library The Heavens and all things therein are so many books whereby he admireth the wisdome of God Rom. 1. If the very Heathens might make this use of the world How much rather the godly who from Gods making of the world do gather many excellent and solid supports As you may observe David never encourageth himself more about Gods support of the Church than from this Argument That he made Heaven and Earth He that did so great a thing what may he not do Psal 19.1 The Heavens declare the glory of God viz objectively as an excellent book declareth the glory of the Author but as he who would understand the excellent sense of a book must peruse it and understand it So he that would make a true use of the world for the exalting of Gods wisdome and power must diligently meditate on it This is that which one man saith the world is a godly mans mentaliter in his mind because by that he takes the occasion to admire God and to be affected in all love and fear This is the right consideration of the Heavens not to prognostick future contingencies which God reserveth as a property to himself but thereby to advance the wisdome and power of God Thus every herb every creature is a tongue yea the whole world is but one great tongue proclaiming aloud that there is a God Let then the world be thy study all the creatures so many books Do ye look on a watch or some curious needle work and admire the workmanship and shall ye not much more the world as Gods work Arianus Epictetus speaketh well to this though an Heathen condemning the negligence of men herein How many goe farre saith he to see the workmanship of Phidias and judge themselves unhappy if they die before they have seen that sight and shall not we much rather admire this world that is made by God Secondly The world is a godly mans Because every thing therein is given him for his necessary use Though he hath not every thing yet he hath as much as is needfull to him Rom. 8. If he hath given us Christ how shall he not with him give us all things else If you take a man into your house and bid him call for what he will he may command every thing in the house though he doth not call for all things but what is for his use that is as if he had all And thus
so that the King be safe Thus let honours creatures self and all perish so that God and Christ be exalted Every man even he that seemeth to be the best hath cause to search whether he be yet above creatures as well as sinne The Demonstrations of this Truth that no man Vnregenerate can ascend any higher then to some earthly content and Happinesse And first This will palpably evidence it that every man by nature hath lost the Image of God which only did elevate man and made him qualified for the enjoyment of God as his suitable Object God made man after his Image which was righteousnesse and true holinesse so that as he made a woman like man for man to delight in so man was made like God to delight in him Then Adam desired no other good but God While he continued he was above the creatures in his affection as well as in dominion He that had power given him to rule over all creatures could also rule over all his affections He did not over-love any creature or delight in it but subordinately to God Oh glorious and blessed estate But now we have lost all this this Image is defaced Now Sampson hath lost his hair Now the Bird is deprived of her wings Now we are not able to lift up our hearts to him Hence is that expression of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 17.6 His heart was lift up in the waies of the Lord. You see even a regenerate man hath much adoe to raise up his dull frozen and earthly heart to enjoy God in Christ He doth like the Artificer that with some Engine and great drawing gets a peice of timber up to the top of that House he is a building such heaving and pulling and tugging is a godly man forced to use to get his heart up to God An unregenerate man then who hath nothing of this Image of God repaired in him no wonder if he hath an heart like Nabal's even a very stone that sinketh down heavily within him This losse of Gods Image is that which beateth downward and makes the earth to swallow us up as it did Dathan and Abiram As the body deprived of the soul presently falls flat to the ground and there it lyeth thus doth every man destitute of Gods Image Secondly This Image of God being thus lost in the room thereof succeeds Original pollution For this light cometh an universal darknesse and confusion Now this native pollution that is a depravation of the whole power and all the faculties of the soul puts the soul off its hinges it takes off the Charriot Wheeles It makes man love where he should hate rest where he should move It makes Princes go on foot and Servants ride In a word the soul is now turned upside down God the Object whom he should with all his soul and might delight in now he loveth not at all and what he is allowed to love in measure and subordination that he doth over-love So that who so doth duely consider what disorder and confussion Original sinne hath put the heart into he will see it cannot be that God should be duely honoured and esteemed by a natural man This curious Watch is now broken all in pieces And as you see a Paralitical hand is weak and quaking not able to fasten upon any thing so is now the soul of man towards God Insomuch that Ambrose complained of it as our great misery that Cor nostrum non est in nostrâ poâ—estate our heart is not in our own power but is carried hither and thither up and down as the force of original corruption doth drive it How abominable then are those Doctrines that advance the power of nature Some determining that a man is able by nature to love God above all things and that it 's as easie to do things in reference to God as the creature If saith Molina no mean Jesuit I have power to throw my money into the Sea why cannot I as well give it to a poor man out of love to God Such presumptuous Doctrines as these arise from the ignorance of that horrible confussion and disorder which is now upon all by nature Thirdly If a godly man though regenerated and partaking of the Divine Nature do yet grapple and conflict with this sinne of creature affection above God then certainly an unregenerate man is over-mastered with it For this we may conclude on that what all the regenerate men are combating with that is victorious and predominant over all natural men It 's true the regenerate men differ in their fightings and conflicts some do find it a greater difficulty to loose and wean their affections from one thing more then from another and so the natural man one is more easily captivated to one earthly good then another yet in the general As â—here is no unsanctifyed man but one creature or other reigneth or ruleth in his heart so there is no godly man but something or other it is that he can hardly mortâ—fie some secret and subtile motions of soul he hath So that did not grace check and withâ—tand that creature that object would damn him at last If Eve though in a state of Integrity could be tempted by an object alluring sense how easily then may we be ensnared You read when our Saviour spake that amazing sentence That a Cammel might as well go through the eye of a needle as a rich man be saved they made this unversal exclamation Who then can be saved What rich man might have been a proper consequence but they say in the general Who then implying there is no man no not a godly man but if God should not keep down that Cammels bunch he would have some creature or other to be as affectionately and prejudicially to his salvation carried out unto as the rich man to his wealth I then the godly man can so hardly say Whom have I in Heaven but thee and in earth in comparison of thee no wonder if the earthly man fall down to the ground as the Aegyptians like a stone into the Sea That which is fighting and active in a regenerate man must needs be conquering in an unregenerate Fourthly That sinfulnesse which cannot be rooted out and conquered by those things that are above nature and are in the next degree to grace that certainly will abide prevalent till grace it self come That which Elisha's Servant nor his Staff will do but Elâ—sha must come himself that is hardly cured Now thus it is an unregenerate man may have great abilities may have the common gifts and graces of Gods Spirit he may be admirable in the whole way of Religion and yet this man who hath God and Christ so often in his mouth may have the world and creatures more in his heart So that he may in his heart say Who will shâ—w me any good when yet at that time he may say Lord lift up the light of thy countenance For this latter is not
desired heartly nor is he indeed weaned and set loose from other things The New-Testament is full of such sad Instances Take Judas a famous Apostle eminent in Gifts and Miracles often in communion with Christ yet he never got his heart above the bagge all the Sermons all the Prayers all the conference with Christ did not make him ascend higher So that a mans duties and expressions may be high even when his heart is as low as the earth yea when corrupt ends may put a man upon zeal and fervency It 's a creature that gives fire to all this heat Thus the third kind of hearers that received the word with joy it was the deceivablenesse of the creature that undid them Demas cleaveth to the present world and that makes him forsake Paul either totally or in some special service If then an immoderate heart to the creatures may consist with duties gifts and many inlargements and much asistance in holy duties if these are not able to cast out these Jebusites no wonder the natural man cannot Fifthly That a natural man cannot set his heart higher then upon some creature appeareth in the true nature of Conversion For that is not only turning from sinne but the creature also Excessive love to lawfull things otherwise is no more consistent with grace then to unlawfull things For if any thing have thy heart but God let it be what it will be thou art yet a natural man When the Apostle Col. 3. discovered that the godly are risen with Christ he makes these Inferences First Set your affections on things above and not on things below And then Mortify your members which are upon the earth reckoning up several sinnes No man then is converted till he goeth out of all sinnes yea and all creatures and cleaveth to God himself Therefore the Command is to turn to God even to God he only is the terminus ad quem of our Conversion If a man leave off his grosse sinnes take upon him a religious Profession yet if he be not lifted above the world as well as his former sinnes he is not Converted It 's not to God even to God So that a man must be undone not only in respect of his sinne but all worldly hopes he must with the Prodigall begin to account the whole world but an husk as that which will do him no good if God be not his Father Therefore those in the Parable though invited to the Feast yet refused to come it was not any grosse sinne hindred them it was not unlawfull lusts that did outwardly entangle them but those creatures which might have been lawfully enjoyed and yet they have gone to the Feast also I have bought a Farm I have married a Wife These were not inconsistent with godlinesse but in the immoderate desire after them Oh is not this the Millstone about many a mans neck I have a Shop I have a Trade and I cannot come Oh then set this home upon thy self Hath thy Conversion taken thee off from all creatures as well as thy sinnes thou darest not love Husband Wife Houses or life it self more then God Thou doest esteem the favour of God and the light of his countenance above all these things Thou canst truly say with David as it followeth Thou hast put more gladnesse in my heart then they have had when their best things encreased Many a man steppeth from his sinnes but into the world and so falls short of Heaven The right understanding of true Conversion makes it plain that no natural man can go beyond the creature Sixthly It may be demonstrated from the restlesse and unquiet heart of every natual man that doth like the Bee fly from flower to flower to get some Honey but stayeth not long on one place So that these in the text will every day complain Who will shew us any good Should God grant them their desire and give them the good they would have yet that would not satifie still they would be craving still they desire something more As you see Haman though he had never so much honour yet the want of something still he desired made him tormented within himself Solomon writeth an whole Book to shew that all these things are vanity and vexation of spirit and though he set himself on purpose to find out happinesse in the creatures yet he grew weary of all Now certainly if a natural man could center his heart upon God could put into that Haven he would never suffer himself to be tossed up and down in tempests and stormes as he is never having any rest There is no natural man that is contented with any creature he enjoyeth Let him propound to himself such and such a condition if he had such and such advantages when he hath them he is as far from solid contentment as at first Zacheus his shooe can never fit Goliah's foot As a man would think that the Heavens seem to touch the earth at such a distance and if he should ascend such high mountains he could go no further but when he cometh there he seeth the Heavens as far from him as before And therefore the godly man whose heart is united and hath taken God for his Portion for his Shepherd for his all as David professeth he can lie down and sleep he can take his rest fearing nothing in the world So that godlinesse drawing the heart to God is the best Antidote against all discontents whatsoever He that can say God is better then ten Husbands then ten thousand creatures he is not disquieted but is the same in all conditions because his God his Father his Portion is alwaies the same As he in the Ecclesiastical Histiory when one brought him word his Father was dead he said Desine blasphemias loqui Pater enim meus immortalis est So thy Husband thy Wealth thy Friend thy Portion is the immorâ—al God who cannot die but it 's not thus with the ungodly He is like a tree in the wildernesse and like the dust blown with every wind So that the troublesome restlesse and discontented thoughts of every natural man argueth that he doth not and cannot ascend up to God Seventhly It 's demonstrated thus that if at any time natural men make their applications to God those very approaches do declare that they love something more then God For it might be an Objection Why cannot a natural man be above the creature Do they not in distresses in times of calamity seek unto God May they not fast and humble themselves It 's granted but even these duties demonstrate they have only a natural carnal heart making use of God only to satisfie their earthly desires Hos 7.14 God there by the Prophet complaineth that they did not cry unto him when they howled on their beds They assemble themselves for their corn and wine You see they were as carnal and as earthly in their Fast-daies and publique Humiliations as in their worldly affairs and
filled with God Thirdly Those can only desire the light of Gods countenance that do renounce their own righteousnesse That do not justifie themselves or put confidence in their own righteousnesse Commonly there are none more ignorâ—nt and stupid about this glorious priviledge then the civil pharisaical and formal men who placeth all their trust in the good works they do Those affections and that hope which should be placed on God they are apt to put upon their own seeming righteousnesse Hence Mat. 5.3 our Saviour pronounceth those blessed that are poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And the Virgin Mary magnifieth God in her Song Luk. 1.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent empty away Not only the prophane man who trampleth this Pearl under his feet but even the formall civil man is a great stranger to this petition This favour is wholly a strange thing to him and all because he is full of himself He makes his good heart his good workes a god a saviour to him and so no wonder if he seek not up to Heaven and desire light from thence Yea in godly men it is thus that the more debased and self emptyed they are the more is their fellowship with God The more do they place their happinesse in beholding of him As you see it was with Paul Who laboured more then he yet Who undervaluing all his graces more then â—e And all this was that Christ might be wholly exalted Oh then know that there is nothing doth so much bolt out this glorious light from shining into thee as self-confidence as self-righteousnesse And this is the reason why God doth so many times withdraw his gracious presence from his own Children that they are in the dark and cannot see any grace and the least spark of heavenly fire within themselves and all because they are apt to be lifted up They must have these thornes in the flesh else they would depend too much upon their own strength and their own graces And when they have been thus humbled then at last they come to esteem Gods favour more then ever as Paul's passengers after a stormy black time rejoyced to see the Sun more then ever Fourthly Such only can esteem the light of Gods countenance who are a spiritual and an heavenly people who have the holy Image of God repaired in them He that is of the earth is earthly and speaks earthly things Joh. 3. but he that is of Heaven is heavenly Such as we are in respect of our spiritual constitution such are our operations and our inclinations No wonder then the natural man desireth not the favour of God for he is in a corrupt and sinfull estate and so can desire nothing but what is suitable thereunto Whereas on the otherside he that is made heavenly he that hath an holy frame of heart the motions of his soul ascend upwards still As you see by David How often doth he professe the breathings the longings and thirstings of his soul after God He cryeth aloud that he hath nothing in Heaven and Earth but God He makes God his Portion his Shepherd his Refuge his Hope his all things unto him Whence is David thus carried out to the favour of God but because of an heavenly heart within There could not come such sweet fragrant smells but because his heart was like a spiritual Garden You see all like desireth and delights in that which is like And if a godly man love to see the face and have the company of another godly man how much more must he desire God himself Oh then complain of that heavy lumpish earthly heart of thine that doth not often say My heart breaketh for the longing after God at all times As the Hart desireth the waters so pants my soul after thee O God If thou complainest that thou hast affections for every thing but God thy heart is taken with every comfort but him Oh bewail this dull and sinfull frame Thou wantest heavenlynesse Thy heart and conversation is not in Heaven Fifthly Such only pray for the light of Gods countenance as live by Faith and are affected with things as revealed by the Scripture It 's as impossible for a man living wholly by sense and upon worldly Principles to rejoyce in the favour of God as a worm that crawleth on the ground to delight in the Sunne Faith is that noble grace which is like Wings to the soul to make it fly up to Heaven We see it in Paul What was that which so raised up his heart to Christ What is that which made him to sit with Christ in heavenly places What is that which is the substance of things hoped for to every Believer but Faith We are all lame cripples till Faith heal us And this is the reason why all worldly men have no more sense of this divine Benefit then the very bruit beasts because they are wholly strangers to the life of Faith For it 's not the bodily eye that can see the face of God neither hath God any bodily face or eyes but these things are wholly spiritual And therefore as the deaf ear cannot be affected with melodious musick so neither can a natural heart discern of this light of Gods favour Oh then acquaint thy self with Faith This is a Prospective-Glasse that will discover such Objects to thee that of thy self thou couldst not apprehend Faith makes us to behold the glory of Gods favour We are starke blind till Faith open our eyes Sixthly Such onlâ— can esteem the favour of God who have had the experience of the sweetnesse and excellency of it A man that hath not tasted Honey knoweth not how sweet it is Therefore David calls upon the men of the world to taste and see how good God is If the natural man ever had any experimentall feeling of Gods favour and his love then he would quickly have another heart be of another mind Then he would sell all to get this Pearl But all the while men are unregenerate they know no other good then that of the creature It hath never entred into their hearts to conceive what it is to have the face of God shine upon his people Insomuch that all the invitations and allurements are in vain untill God be pleased to come into the soul and discover his sweetnesse and consolations to him The experienced Christian that hath often drank of this Wine still remains thirsty and desirous after more For whereas the having of earthly things doth satiate and at last nauseate a mans heart so that he hath enough in this heavenly enjoyment of God he never hath enough but the more he hath tasted of it the more hungery he is still Alwaies praying with David Oh when will he come to me When those in the Canticles asked the Church which was so ravished with Christ preferring him above ten thousand What is thy beloved more then others it was an Argument they
had never seen him they had never known him If they had they would have been enammoured with him as well as the Church And thus when natural men wonder saying Why do these men thus pray thus mourn thus long after God Why is it that they are never satisfied but in him It 's a demonstration that this experimentall work hath never been upon thy heart If it had the spirit of Prophesie as I may so say would fall on thee also Thou wouldst admire the favour of God as well as they Seventhly Such only can desire the light of Gods countenance who have the Spirit of God working in them It 's that which maketh the soul go upwards We being like that man bowed down that Christ healed till the Spirit of God thus raise us up The holy Ghost came down in fire which denoteh the activty of it When fire assimilateth any thing into it self it makes it ascend upwards And thus when the Spirit of God converts and sanctifieth a mans soul it giveth it a contrary motion to what it had before Then it made provision for the flesh then it minded earthly things but now the Spirit of God hath raised it from the death of sinne That as you see it 's the mighty power of God which will make these bodies that are now corruptible heavy and pressing downwards to be immortal spiritual and so agile that they shall meet the Lord in the aire Even these bodies will be so transformed that they shall move in the air like Birds No wonder then if Gods Spirit is able so to work upon our hearts that they shall be constantly inclining to God And indeed none are to rest till they find God thus mightily prevailing upon them This excellent frame may be given by the Spirit and the Spirit is promised to such as ask for it Mat 6. Especially the Spirit of God as adopting enabâ—ling us to call God Father rebuking legall slavish feares and filling us with a filial and evangelical frame of heart Eighthly Therefore another Property of such who do thus highly esteem Gods favour is That they are diligent in Prayer and fervent in approaches to God Prayer is the ascending of the heart to God who is in Heaven The eyes lifted up argue what the heart should be Now Prayer is of this excellent advantage if spiritually and fervently performed that it carrieth up the soul to God and thereby God also manifests his loving kindnesse to his people Even as Moses upon his Communion with God had his face shine so gloriously that the people could not behold it and Christ himself upon Prayer had his countenance changed that his face did shine like the Sunne and his garments were white as snow So that such who esteem of Gods favour they are instant in Prayer They perform that duty with watching and attending thereunto which if so discharged then many consolations many irradiations of his favour are communicated to them So that a man diligent in Prayer is like the tree by the water side whose leafe will never fade Hence we have that encouragement No man seeketh Gods face in vain And no sooner did God command this but immediately David's heart yeelded to it Psal 7.8 Thy face Lord will I seek We cannot have it without seeking for it as that which is most precious and a very infinite Treasure And withall you see the encouragement God bespeaks it he saith Seek ye my face Lastly Such as prize the light of Gods countenance they walk closely with God and keep up strict Communion with him Slothfull and carelesse walking will never be blessed with this glorious advantage You read the Church was but once carelesse and negligent when Christ proffered himself and immediately Christ withdraweth so that though she runne up and down much perplexed to see the face of her Beloved again yet it cost her dear ere she could obtain it David began to have but some proud and presumptuous thoughts Psal 301.7 And God bid his face and then he was troubled You see a little thing a word a thought may do it Therefore those who desire to enjoy it they walk circumspectly lest they should do any thing that may make him angry with them Vse 1. Of Exhortation to Gods Children To keep up a tender mollified heart to take no rest till the light of Gods countenance shine upon thee Let not lusts passions or any thing be an eclipse between this glorious Sunne and you How can you live without this May not the Devil come with seven more tormenting Devils then ever if thou provoke God to withdraw his gracious presence To whom are woes To whom are sad terrours and perplexities of spirit but to such who cry out God frowneth on them Oh they feel his anger consuming of them Vse 2. Of Admonition to natural and unregenerate men To know there is a better good then ever yet they tasted Oh that thou couldst desire God as thou doest wealth and pleasures Is not the pleasant smiling face of some great Potentate a reviving to thee What endeavours for the favour of a great man who yet is mortal Will not this condemn thee at the Day of Judgment Oh how will the face of God be then esteemed of A Consideration of some false Grounds of a Perswasion of Gods Love We have declared already the Characters of such who can truly esteem the light of Gods favour let us now consider the condition of such who are mistaken herein and take that for Gods favour which is not And First There is the rich earthly or great man of the world He who aboundeth in all Prosperity and needeth nothing this man thinketh that Gods face is towards him in mercy They gather from all the mercies they enjoy that therefore God loveth them but this is a very dangerous mistake For 1. In the Scripture we read That chastisements and afflictions are sometimes an argument of Gods love and that God is never more angry then when he lets a mans waies be smooth and prosperous As it was with Moab because he was not moved often therefore he was setled upon the Lees. And thus in Hosea when God is angry in the highest manner then he threatens He will not punish their sonnes or daughters any more Hos 4.14 They therefore have little cause to boast in this That they are not afflicted as other men they are not in such bonds as others are For David Psal 73.6 did of old observe this That whereas the wicked of the world had all encouragements they had all temporal increase yet the godly were bowed down all the day long and that in those times when Promises of temporal abundance were in a larger way proposed to them If then the godly man had this measure in the Old Testamant no wonder if he meet with it much more in the New Testament where tribulations are made the Red Sea to go through into the Land of Canaan Hence the Apostle doth
sinnes provoke God to take it away All the world cannot give such a joy as this is Therefore Gal. 5.22 it 's called the fruit of Gods Spirit and often Joy in the holy Ghost Hence the Spirit of God is called the Comforter And God is stiled 2 Cor. 1.3 the God of all consolations because it is he alone that workes it Men may create the world as well as of themselves get such a joy as this Hence the people of God walk many times mournfully for the want of it And there is no Samaritan can put this Oyl into their wounds David cannot alwaies say God put such joy in his heart Yea he professeth the clean contrary sometimes That his soul was bowed down that he watered his bed with teares And Joh. was almost like a damned man in Hell But of the Reason of this desolatenesse we may speak hereafter It 's enough that this demonstrateth God to be the Author of all our joy And that as all the men in the world cannot make the Sunne arise in the morning did not God appoint it that natural course so neither are any able to bring this joy into their hearts Therefore in the second place The second discovery of this joy is from the manner of working it Thou didst put it into my heart That is an excellent expression It sheweth what dominion and soveraignty God hath over the heart He can as easily put joy into thy soul though afflicted though tempted though grieved with sinne as thou canst pour Wine into a Bottle He can with a word command waters to become Wine So that as the Orthodox maintain That Gods grace in converting the heart is irresistible it 's insuperable The heart cannot resist it with finall prevalency For à nullo duro corde respicitur quippe ad hoc datur ut tollat cor durum So it 's true also in spiritual joy The grieved heart the sad heart cannot reject it because it 's given to take away the sad heart Hence we read of the people of God the Martyrs and others that they have rejoyced under their tribulations more then their Persecutors did under all their abundance How was this possible but that God did so fill their hearts that no outward or inward misery could have any room there This should teach the people of God to walk so exactly that they may not on the contrary say God hath put more bitternesse into their heart then any can have in their worldly miseries For as the joy of God is more then all earthly joy so the sense of Gods anger and wrath causeth more sorrow and anguish of spirit then all outward calamities can do A wounded spirit who can bear Thirdly This Joy which God puts into our hearts followeth upon a true godly sorrow and mourning for sinne All the joy of thy heart which doth not flow from humiliation and deep sorrow for sinne it 's but a blaze it 's like the crackling of thornes And this is necessary to be observed for the Hypocrite who never had any true sound grace yet he may have some transitory joy So Mat. 13. They received the Word with joy And some rejoyced in John Baptists light but it was for a season only And thus many in some fits yea in some holy duties find a gladnesse and inward joy upon their hearts but this never had a true sorrow go before Before Paul was admitted into Gospel joyes he was striken to the ground and had a deep sense of his former guilt Therefore the Promise is Blessed are they that mourn for they shall rejoyce Mat. 5. Therefore as the Psalmist speaks concerning afflictions it 's true also of godly sorrow They that sow in teares shall reap in joy Many desire joy they are willing to hear of a Sermon that may cause gladnesse in their hearts but then they cannot endure the preparatory unto it They do not love the Law should wound them before the Gospel heal them But this is the nature of all heavenly joy it 's a daughter to godly sorrow Verus paenitens de peccato doler de dolore gaudet And this is it which makes godly joy so welcome and so precious because the heart was mourning and humbled before thinking it self unworthy of any joy in the least manner Though others might rejoyce yet not they This then is the method God takes First the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Supplication and mourning then it 's a Spirit of Joy and consolation Fourthly This joy which God putteth in the heart it 's from spiritual and heavenly motives Therefore the duty is so often called for to Rejoyce in the Lord And it 's called Joy in the holy Ghost It ariseth from Gods favour from Gospel-Priviledges because God is reconciled because sinne is pardoned because we are justifica through the blood of Christ So that the joy of a godly man and of a natural man differ as much as Heaven and Earth For what makes thee rejoyce at any time Is it some worldly pleasure Is it not some earthly content Is it not because such and such earthly advantages befall thee Thy heart is never cheerfull and merry but from such considerations Now how different and poor and contemptible are these to this heavenly Joy For the gladnesse of their heart ariseth from the love of God from an Interest in Christ from the consideration of eternal glory These sublime and spiritual Objects do ravish the godly soul So that the delights of a beast are not more inferiour to the delights of a man as a rational man then the delights of a man are to him as a Christian What the Apostle speaketh concerning the thoughts and words of a Child comparatively to a man the same is true also in respect of joy 1 Cor. 13. Children have their joy they laugh as Children they rejoyce in their Babies as Children but when they come to be men they cannot rejoyce as Children they cannot delight to play as they did when little Boyes Thus when thou art once made godly and hast tasted of more excellent Joy thou canst not delight in the pleasures of sinne nor in the greatest advantages of the world They are below thee Thou saiest to thy self when inordinately rejoycing in these things as she did but falsly to David Thou hast made thy self like one of the vile fellows to day The godly mans joy comes from an higher Spring then the worlds doth Fifthly Hence in the next place No man can have this spiritual joy but such who are regenerated and born of God Who have a spiritual and supernatural life We see in nature that according to the several kinds of life so there are several delights and proportionable thereunto the natural and animal life the rational life the sense hath its delights and reason hath its delght Thus when a man is born again he hath his joy and his delight Do not ye read often of David that professeth the Word of God
but that is not absolutely considered For the Devils cannot trust â—n him neither may wicked men yet God is able to help them to save them but relatively as a Father as reconciled Therefore Christ Mat. 6. makes this the ground of all the trust his Disciples must have because their heavenly Father is in Heaven So that till we have these perswasions of God as a Father we are but as so many vagabond Children that know not where to have relief The Child because he hath a Father never takes care what he shall eat or drink or put on because his Father will provide all these for him Fifthly We adde That this Faith must depend on God in a lively and strong manner as David's was at this time or Abraham's when he considered not the dead Womb or did so much as stagger within himself For if thy Faith be weak if it be fainting and languishing though thou maist have support yet not such prevalent peace within thee Thou art in a Combate not in a Triumph David at another time is like Sampson without his strength he saith All men are lyers He thinketh God had forsaken him So that unlesse Faith be very vigorus though thou maiest be preserved in thy afflictions they shall not quite overwhelm thee yet thou wilt not have this peaceable frame Now the Children of God should think it not enough to rub through their troubles with agonies and Combates but with joy and quietnesse Grieve because thy heart is so much as disquieted say Oh weak wretch that I am that I cannot be as much at ease as if I had no affliction at all There remain two more Propositions to explicate this Doctrine And First When we say Faith doth thus quiet and compose the soul you must take two Cautions to season this First That Faith doth not this principally of it self for that is but a grace or habit created and infused into the soul And therefore as all other graces needs the continual quickning and asistance of Gods Spirit so likewise doth Faith Hence our Saviour prayed for Peter that his Faith might not fail Implying that grace of it self would wither and decay as well as any other if God did not preserve it Therefore the Apostle Peter doth fully expresse the manner of Faiths Influence into this Perservation 1 Peter 1.5 It 's the power of God that doth principally and efficiently keep us only it 's through Faith We are not then to conceive as if Faith of it self had such an inherent efficacy that by it's sole jurisdiction it would command the soul and say as God did at the first Let there be light and there shall be light No Faith it self needs the daily quickening of Gods grace as well as other graces Yea this grace would sooner decay then others because of the hearts contrariety to it making a man to live above the Principles of sense and common reason Insomuch that it 's no wonder to see a man love God be patient in afflictions these though not wrought by the power of nature yet have a conviction from the light of nature but so hath not Faith The second Caution is That we do not think as if we could believe it our selves as if by our own humane strength we could obtain such a peaceable frame of heart No If it could be so then David at other times and that it may be in farre lesse extreamities would not have been dejected as he acknowledgeth himself to be Neither would that man have prayed to Christ to Help his unbelief if he could have helped it himself And the experience of the godly doth abundantly confirm this in what agonies they are plunged how grievously tormented Oh how desirous to quiet their hearts They Pray they Meditate they Read and all cannot compose their souls Now if their hearts were subject to their power as the Winds and Waves are to Christ they would never endure such Conflict within This argueth therefore that it 's not in mans power to put forth such strong vigorous Acts of Faith no more then we can command the Heavens to give rain It 's God that must both plant and water and give the encrease Lastly The truth of this Doctrine doth extend even to those great Afflictions and Calamities we are in and that because of our sinnes We can evidently see what sinnes they are that have provoked God to give such a bitter stroke our own hearts testifie unto us and this argueth the greater work of Faith For happily it might be granted That in such Afflictions and Temptations which befall us for Gods cause and for righteousnesse sake we may be full of such joy and sincerity as the Apostle saith James 1. Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations And thus the Martyrs they could and did with David lay themselves down to sleep in their dark Dungeons and that the very night before they were to burn at the Stake But you will say How can this joy and confidence hold in such Calamities as fall upon us wholly because of our sinnes we behold Gods anger and our folly hath brought this on us Now in such troubles If we humble our selves unto the Lord for our sinnes and bewail them we may have such Calmes of spirit For this was David's case The Prophet had told him afore-hand that this should fall out Because of his Adultery and Murder his conscience cryed aloud in the midst of his military noise yet for all that he could thus set himself to his quiet rest How the vigorous Actings of Faith do quiet the Heart These things premised Let us consider How these vigorous actings of faith do thus quiet and appease the heart And First In that faith doth in the first place carry us out to rely on Christ as a Mediatour whereby all our iniquities and sinnes are done away If then sinne and guilt be removed out of the way there cannot be any trouble For as if there had not been sinne the earth would not have brought forth briars and thornes So neither were it not for iniquity eating into the conscience there would not be the least fear and trouble upon the heart This is the wind that makes so dreadfull an earthquake at last Wonder not then if Davids faith did compose his soul in respect of that outward danger for it had before removed a greater evil the guilt of sinne was now blotted out David is not in that case as when he cryed out that his bones were broken and that God sets his sinnes before him Oh that is a wofull condition when the guilt of sinne and afflictions both meet together when outwardly we have no hope and inwardly no hope But this faith doth in the first place It obtaineth reconciliation with God it seeth Pharaoh and his great host drowned in the sea and then it doth easily over-look other afflictions for the favour of God is able to sweeten all calamities Thus it was with Paul he
He that would come to God must believe that he is and a rewarder of those that seek him So that this foundation must be laid as well as about Christ And it 's made eternal life to know God the Father the only true God as well as Christ John 17.12 Where the object of our faith that is fundamental is divided into that of God and of Christ the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus also the Doctrine of the Trinity That there are three and these one God is a foundation because we are baptized into the Name of these three and the knowledge of them must needs be fundamental To answer this When we say Christ is to be laid as the only foundation that is exclusive of all humane foundations it doth not exclude God the Father or God the holy Ghost but incluâ—es them rather So then we are not to preach Jesus Christ as the foundation of all our comfort peace and salvation as that God the Father and the holy Ghost are to be shut out of this No they had all their appropriated working in this great Redemption of mankind And therefore as in those places where God the Father is said to be the only God and one God that is not exclusive of the other persons but of made and feigned gods of Idols made gods by men So it 's here Christ Jesus is preached as the foundation yet God the Father and the holy Ghost have their peculiar workings also though only the second Person is the Mediator And therefore secondly Christ Jesus cannot be preached as the foundation unless the Doctrine of God the Father and the holy Ghost be also made known Hence are those expressions He that knoweth the Sonne knoweth the Father also And He that denieth the Sonne denieth the Father And he that honoureth the Sonne honoureth the Father John 8.19 John 5.23 The Doctrine of Christ as Mediatour cannot be laid down without the Doctrine of God the Father giving his Sonne to be thus a Mediatour for us and the Spirit of God as applying working and sealing all those benefits that Christ hath purchased Hence Christ doth often acknowledge the Father in that work he came to do for mankind So that Christ Jesus is the foundation but there may be a more explicite revealing of what is necessarily implied in this foundation A second Objection is Is Christ only to be preached as the foundation And are people to be built upon him Then what need Ministers preach of any thing else but Christ What need they preach of faith and repentance Especially Why should they preach of the threatnings and the curse of the Law of the torments of Hell Doth it become the Ministers of the Gospel to be sonnes of thunder Have they any work to do but to offer Christ to every one Every Sermon should it not be an Ho to every one that is thirsty naked or miserable that is burdened and laden to come to Christ Thus indeed some have runne into extremity and thought Christ was not preached because he is not alwayes proffered as a Saviour to sinners but the Law and Duties and Hell torments are preached Now to this we say many things First When the Ministers of God preach duties the work of repentance or mortification they preach them not as foundations They do not lay them in Christs room and therefore they do not crosse this Text. Doth not this Paul who is so carefull to lay no other foundation but Christ diligently exhort in other places to avoid sinne to live in the fervent practice of holy duties Who is more zealous in this way than Paul Paul to these very Corinthians hath many severe admonitions to make them humble and sorrowfull for their sinnes yet he did not lay another foundation because these are preached only as the way whereby Christ may be obtained We do not then transgresse this Text when we preach repentance to the sinner humility to the proud man heavenly-mindedness to the earthly man righteousnnesse to the unjust man chastity to the unclean man We do not forget our Office we do not runne from our Text because we preach them not as a foundation Indeed if any preach them so as to rest on them to put confidence in them this man layeth another foundation but so do not the Orthodox we preach Christ the meritorious cause duties are the way not the cause And although Christ be said to be in a different sense the way yet duties are the way Christ is the way effectively and meritorious but so are not duties Secondly Though the Ministers are to lay no other foundation yet they are to build upon this they must enlarge themselves in the explication of this foundation They must not build hay or stubble but gold and precious stone So that we are not only to lay the foundation but to adde all other things that may make us a comely building upon Christ Thirdly To preach Christ is not only to preach Christ as the Object matter but all the things Christ would have us to preach That is to be observed we preach Christ when we preach all those things he hath commanded as well as when he is the subject matter of our Sermons When Paul about the Lords Supper said I delivered unto you that also which I received of the Lord Christ Here he preached Christ as well as when he said This is a faithfull saying Christ came into the world to save sinners So that here may be a great mistake thou thinkest Christ is never preached but when he is named when he is the matter of the Doctrine and Use Yet when we preach the whole counsel of God and deliver what ever he hath commanded us to reveal to our people then we preach Christ Thus the Apostles in their voyages and journeys where they went are said to preach Christ and in those Sermons they did not onely preach Jesus to be the Messias but also commanded all other duties of faith repentance love as the Auditories did require Fourthly We are to preach duties but in reference to Christ Take any particular grace that the Ministers of the Gospel provoke men to this cannot be done without bringing the soul to Christ and therefore though the Ministers of the Gospel do not in every Sermon name it yet it is to be supposed As for example take repentance we say every ungodly sinner unlesse he repent unlesse sinne be a burden an heavy bitternesse to him and he fully forsake it he must necessarily perish Now many wayes Christ is concerned in this For 1. He cannot repent and be humbled for sinne unlesse Christ give him strength Without me ye can do nothing The branch separated from the tree hath no moisture no juyce in it John 15. Thus a man without Christ hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an hard heart a withered heart an heart without any moisture any softnesse so then Christ is here
implied 2. Repentance cannot be Evangelical and filial without Gods love in Christ Judas did repent the Scripture cals it so but because there was only gall in it and no honey only horrour and terrours and no faith to allay those waves Therefore his very repenting and despairing was a grievous sinne So then to preach such a repentance as driveth from God filleth the heart with cursed horrours and hated of God and thereby to runne to hils and mountains to cover us from God Or to put a man upon such penal and afflicting labours to the flesh that may satisfie and appease God This is to bid men bring wild and sour grapes for sweet This is to preach from Christ not to preach Christ But repentance truly preached is to have our sorrow for sinne accompanied with faith in the promises and a resting upon tht bloud of Christ Thus as it is in repentance so in every grace When we preach it we preach Christ because by him we only have ability to do it and through him only have acceptation and as we said though the Ministers in every exhortation do not thus name Christ yet this is to be supposed Lastly We do not transgresse this Text no not when we preach the Law the threatnings the torments of hell because these are to drive us out of our selves to make us see our own poverty and wickednesse that so Christ may be the more welcome Christ himself though sometimes he cals the heavy loaden to him in a meek way yet when he hath to do with such as trusted in their own righteousnesse and found no need of his Mediatorship he cals them Hypocrites he bids a woe to them he threatens them with hell And Paul tels you in his own experience he had never come to prize Christ to esteem him had not the Law discovered sinne to be out of measure sinfull then he died then he was undone then Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me What shall I doe And thus Peter converted three thousand by conviction of a particular sinne they had committed viz. the murder of Christ and the aggravation of it and this pricked them at heart And so Paul being called to preach of faith in Christ to Felix he presently preacheth about righteousnesse and temperance because Felix lived in the two contrary vices and also of the Judgement to come Thus he would have brought Felix to the esteem of Christ So that to preach the Law in the purity of it in the cursing nature of it to preach hell and the eternal torments thereof is necessary because this is to make way for Christ This is to put iron in the fire that so being softened it may be put into any fashion Thus we have removed the Objections and shewed you That though other things are to be preached besides Christ yet reductively all things are brought to him at last They are but as the rivers that come from the Sea and empty themselves therein I shall conclude thiâ— Text with shewing you The great advantages that people have who are built on Christ First They are a sound stedfast people not carried away as the chaff and straw is with every wind of Doctrine Heb. 13. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and for ever and then followeth Be not carried about with divers and strange Doctrines The Connexion is thus made by some The truth of Christ the Doctrine of Christ is still the same And therefore do you retain the same stedfast faith Oh when men are not built on Christs Doctrine but their own opinions their own conceits they have Reubens curse Vnstable like water Col 2. They that fell to the worshipping of Angels and Saints did not hold the head Look then to what thy faith thy soul is bottomed upon whether Christ be thy teacher or thou be thy own teacher Now this stedfastnesse and immoveablenesse of those that are founded on Christ appeareth in their resisting of the violence of persecution and the subtilty of heresies In the one the Devil is a roaring Lion In the other he is a glistring sliding Serpent The one is like the violent wind to the traveller that by force would pull off his garments The other like the hot Sunne-beams that by degrees maketh him throw them away Oh this is excellent comfort in the winnowing to be found wheat and not chaff in the fire to be gold and not drosse God you hear in this Text will have a fire to try all mens doctrines and if it be stubble and hay it will quickly be consumed My sheep hear my voice and a stranger they will not hear or follow John 10.5 Secondly A people built on Christ will not be formal and customary in religious duties resting upon the performance of them but carried out to Christ himself Oh who can bewail this enough How are all duties of Religion but as the picture without a substance as a body without the soul They pray and hear and hear and pray but close not with Christ in these things Thus as Rehoboam for the golden vessels that were in the Temple put in materials of brasse So whereas the people of God in their spirituality fervency and heavenly mindednesse had their hearts up to Christ Now they think all is done with the external labour of the lips or bowing of the body We may say to you thus affected in your duties as they that were looking for Christ in the Sepulchre He is risen he is not here As false teachers that brought in the works of the Law and the duties of the Law did put these in stead of a Christ so do Christians make their Duties their Ordinances their Performances a very Idol-Christ to save them but those that are built on Christ know better Thirdly Those that are setled and founded on Christ they have spiritual strength and holy vigour communicated to them in the wayes of godlinesse For though Christ be here called a foundation and that giveth only support yet in other places he is the root of the Vine the Head which denotes more than a meer foundation viz not only supporting but conveying all grace and lively nourishment to the godly heart whereby they grow up and increase to more degrees of holinesse Now this is a wofull spectacle to see a people the same both for knowledge and life they were many years ago no more understanding in heavenly things no more growth in faith in zeal in communion with God Even as the picture on the wall that is still the same not one cubit is ever made to the stature thereof Lastly Those that are built on Christ receive of the Spirit of Christ in all the works of it A spirit making thee pray with groans unutterable a convincing a sanctifying spirit or sealing and assuring spirit An auditory destitute of Gods Spirit is like a Golgotha a place of dead mens skuls or rather dead hearts They savour no spiriual duty priviledge or motive The