can be expected from a Church consisting of such Men speak of Houses where the Devils walk where spirits haunt men dare not dwell there I tell thee That a Family where ignorance and prophaneness is nourished is an house not only haunted but even possessed by Devils And how canst thou eat sleep and live in such a place Fourthly In the primitive times there were a rank of people that were called Catecumini as we said before Candidati or Competentes such who being converted from Paganism were not yet fully instructed in the matters of Religiâ—n and therefore they had time to get knowledg before ever they were admitted to Church-Communion And answerable to this there was a Catechist one whose work and office it was to instruct such before they were Baptized Thus you see how carefull in Antiquity they were that they might have no ignorant persons among them And certainly as in all Arts there are Principles which must be learned before they can come to Conclusions so it 's here in Religion And oh that we could see this Knowledge brought in amongst people To be a Christian is to be anointed and this Vnction teacheth us all things Joh. 2.20 viz. necessary to salvation Fifthly Principles of Religion largely so called are of two sorts either Corrupt Idolatrical and Heretical or true Sound and Consonant to the Scripture Now there are many in the world are too forward to infuse poysonous and dangerous Principles so great a matter is it to consider what men are seasoned with at first either privately or publiquely Thus many are infected with Popish and superstitious Principles many with erroneous and false Doctrines and these foundations being laid it 's very difficult ever to remove them As the vessel is first seasoned or the tree at first planted so it is likely to continue The Apostle cals those Jewish Ceremonies the beggerly elements Gal. 4.9 or Principles of the world Why so because the superstitious Teachers made them the first Elements the Principles the foundation of all and therefore they thought all Religion was taken away if they were removed And thus you have divers persons they have indeed some Principles of Religion but they are Popish and Superstitious such as put out the Knowledge of Christ and the Scriptures And It 's a two-fold labour as Socrates said to a perverted Disciple of his to teach them for they must first be untaught their erroneous Principles and then must be instructed in the truth Oh then look to this that thy Principles about Religion be not false ignorant and superstitious ones Sixthly The true Principles of Religion are reduced to severall heads and are both short and easie but necessary to be known The Doctrine about God and Christ and our selves which is the Credendum The Doctrine about Faith and Repentance which is the Agendum And about things to come which is the Sperandum About God we are to believe That he is and a rewarder of those that seek him About Christ This is eternal life to know Jesus Christ Joh. 17.2 and the holy Ghost for we are Baptized in his Name About our selves the desperate pollution of our natures the hainousness of sinne the aggravation of the curses of the Law The things to be done are Repentance which driveth out of our sins and Faith which driveth out of our own righteousness But because these are Divine Works therefore a man must be regenerated and born again And this Principle Christ insisted on to Nicodemus Joh 3. The things to come are The Resurrection of the Body The immortality of the Soul The Day of Judgment The Heâ—ven and Hell provided for the godly and the wicked These Principles are plain and easie not to flesh and blood but in respect of the manifestation of them They are laid down clearly in Scripture None without horrible impudency can deny them Indeed there are many sublime Disputes about the Trinity and about Christs Incarnation but these are not necessary to be believed by every one Oh then how great is thy ingratitude God hath made the necessary things easie and plain and yet thou art not acquainted with them If God had commanded some greater matter of thee If he had required all thy time all thy study thou wast obliged to have done it How much rather in things of so easie apprehension But now when we say These divine Principles are easie you must take heed of two mistakes 1. We do not mean that the divine Faith and Belief of them is easie to flesh and blood no but they are easie supposing the grace of God in respect of other particulars in Religion For otherwise To believe with a Divine Faith viz. by the Spirit of God inabling upon divine Authority which is only true Faith is the immediate work of Gods Spirit Therefore Faith though it be but Historicall and not saving is the gift of God When we desire a Knowledge and Faith of these Principles we mean not such a Faith as most men have a Faith of custom and humane education a Faith because they are brought up in such a Religion but upon Judgment and Knowledge grounded upon the Scripture That which is usually called the Colliars Faith To believe as the Church believes Is the Husbandmans and the Tradesmans and the rich mans and the poor mans Faith too much in the world So that as Christ saith His yoke is easie and yet also it is very hard Easie to the heart sanctified but grieveous to the unregenerate So it is here The Principles of Religion are easie and plain to the mind inlightned but they are either foolishness or absurdities to the greatest Scholar that is if hâ—s heart be not opened And thus Paul found himself derided and called a Babler amongst the Athenians 2. We do not mean that the bare saying of the Principles of Religian by heart and rote is the true believing and knowing of them As the Child is not said to be fed with milk unless it swallow it down and be nourished by it So neither can they be said to believe the Principles of Religion unless they do with understanding apply them and receive them into their hearts But this is all that most attain unto they can tell you God made them That Christ is their Saviour That they must repent of sinne But these things are by meer rote They learn them as formerly in Popery they learned their Prayers in Lattin they knew not what they prayed for so neither these what they do believe Now the Grounâ—s for Instruction in these Principles are First Because God accounts of no zeal nor devout affections if they be not the fruit of Knowledge Thus Christ told the woman that was so zealous for her Fathers worship Ye worship ye know not what Joh. 4 22. Though God once accepted bruit beasts as a Sâ—rifice to him Yet now saith the Apostle let 's offer up our selves a reasonable Sacrifice Rom. 12.1 The Jew had a zeal but
then believe no longer as men Do not think or speak as men but as those who have God perswading you Secondly The Scriptures are only the foundation because they are the immediate verity or truth coming from God who is the first essential truth They have not only a Divine Authority but evident infallibility As God himself is Truth and is not like man that may lie So his Word is likewise Truth and cannot lie or deceive as the writings of men Therefore Psal 19. they are said to be purer than gold seven times refined And it 's said The Scripture that cannot lie or cannot be broken John 10.35 It 's an heavy judgement to be delivered up in matters of salvation to believe a lie It 's the spiritual curse that is threatned to those of the Antichristian apostasie 2 Thess 2.11 Now they must needs be thus punished that forsake the Scripture and build upon other foundations Seeing then the Scripture doth contain infallible truth onely and not one iota or tittle of that can fall to the ground and in all other foundations that may be laid there may be falsehood errour and grand Impostures Let then those hearers that are carefull to keep a good faith walk by this Rule Chrysostome said Never expect good from that man who is not searching of the Scriptures attending to the Scriptures It 's an heavy grievous sinne that in your family in your closets you do no more acquaint your selves with the Bible Take a Tree from the River side and plant it in a wildernesse what can you expect but a withering And thus it is if you take a man from the Scripture his seeming faith graces godlinesse will all presently vanish Thirdly The Scriptures onely are the foundation of faith because they are onely immutable and unmoveable They abide alwayes the same they are not subject to changes to perturbations of affections as men are Councils consisted of men carried by passions and interests Even in the Council of Nice and the four first Councils there were great sidings great animosities particular interests and parties and therefore unlesse we had an unchangeable foundation we must be mutable Camelions Now the word of God that is said To abide for ever whereas all flesh is grasse and the glory thereof fadeth away 1 Pet. 1.24 25. It 's called the eternal Gospel Revel 14.6 So then that which was three thousand yeares agoe is still true because the Scriptures are still the same There is no new Bible though there may be many new opinions and new Sects Aristotle commendeth the Government of a Nation by Lawes above the wils and arbitrary resolutions of men because Lawes are fixed and known And so it is in the Church of God that hath a known Law and Rule Therefore it is an hainous errour which the learned note in Cusanus though otherwise not a very bad man in affirming That the Scripture is to be interpreted Secundum currentem statum Ecclesiae according to the present course and exigency of the Church and therefore in some age those things are received which in another are rejected Lastly The Scripture is only to be laid for a foundation because this onely is strong enough to support and bear up in sad hours of temptation and dangerous times of persecutions Who would be cheated or distinguished out of the Truth by subtil Hereticks or scared and terrified by violent opposers Therefore we had need be built upon such a rock that can endure all waves How could the Martyrs have resisted to blood had not they had Scripture-assurance Luther had this temptation Tune solus sapis c. and nothing but the Scripture confirmed him Our Saviour quelled Satans temptations by arrows out of the Scripture quiver When a man comes to die may he not be assaulted about the truth of his faith whether he die not in heresie or damnable opinions and nothing but the Scripture can uphold him Now for the matter of Doctrine to be believed some men lay four rotten and weak foundations others may be reduced to this The first is that of the Papist The Authority of the Church and the Pope being wholly ignorant themselves but resting all on their Authority Bellarmine doth not blush to expound that place Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone secondarily to the Pope Now although we grant That the Ministry of the true Church is very usefull and necessary as the instrument of our faith and the preservation of it In which sense it 's called The pillar and ground of the Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 yet it is onely a Ministry not a Magistry It 's a political Pillar upon which Edicts use to hang for Declaration of the Magistrates will not an Architectonical Pillar that beares up the house So that Austins speech is true I had not believed the Gospel had not the Authority of the Church moved me viz. by way of introduction and preparation As the woman of Samaria did to the Samaritans who at first believed because she told them but afterwards they believed for Christs own sake We do not believe in the Church as we doe in the matter revealed in the Scripture Therefore that ignorant implicit faith to believe what the Church saith is not a Scripture-faith faith of knowledge besides then every member must believe according to that Church he is of and seeing there are Churches against Churches there shall also be faith against faith The second foundation men lay is The Authority of the Civil Magistrate This is a meer political faith Many men have no other apprehension about Religion than the Laws of the Land wherein they live They matter not whether true or false whether acceptable to God or consonant to Scripture but this is commanded and this they do As Seneca said in his time He observed that Worship of their gods Non tanquam Diis grata but legibus jussa not as acceptable to the gods but commanded by the Lawes But the Apostles example is clean contrary for they preached a faith to be believed that was contradictory to that Religion which was established by humane authority and they resolve thus It 's better to obey God than man Act. 5 29. The third is Private Revelation and Enthusiasmes As the Papists on one side have cryed down the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture so Illuminatists men fancying to themselves Revelations from God have also decried it making themselves above the Scripture A dangerous and damnable delusion Therefore the Apostle John bids us Try the spirits and that cannot be without the Rule of the Word 1 John 4.1 And Fourthly Another false foundation is Meer humane Reason There are many risen up that make Reason the Judge and foundation of all Doctrinal Points the Socinian especially hereupon they reject the Trinity the Divine Nature of Christ as being against Reason Now although rectified Reason be necessary as an instrument to revive the things of faith yet it
or The Agreement of the Associated Ministers of Worcestershire with Mr Baxters Explication of it A Defence of the Worcestershire Petition for the Ministry and Maintenance The Quakers Catechism An Apology against Mr Blake Dr Kendal Mr Lodovicus Molineus Mr Aires and Mr Crandon His Confession of Faith The Saints Everlasting rest The safe Religion a piece against Popery His present Thoughts about Perseverance Mr Lukin The Practice of Godliness Mr Langly His Catechism A Treatise of Suspension Dr Teate His Sermon at the Funeral of Sr Charles Coote Mr Dury The desires of forrain Divines of a Body of Divinity from English Divines with an Essay of a Modell Lib. 2. de Gener. cap. 10 Observ In what respects Ignorance is an impediment to the Ministers preaching What precious truths in Divinity the sinfulnesse of a people make them uncapable of Carnal The several significations it hath in Scripture Primitive Christians distinguished What it is to be a spiritual man Carnal or babes described and counselled The Ministers two-fold Work What wisdome is required in a Minister to choose out sound matter 1. For Information 2. For Consolation 3. For Reproof Reas 1. Reas 2. Reas 3. Observ Considerations abouâ— the principles of Religion and the knowledge and ignorance of them How necessary the Knowledge of the Principles of Religion is Observ What are those effects of the Ministry for the defect whereof a people may be severely blamed 1. Intellectual effects 2. Practical Effects Observ The imperfections and sins of the godly Whence it is that the godly do not fully conquer sin Envy its several acceptians Of sinfull Envy It s Original The Degrees of it What that is in others which is the Object of Envy The subject of Envy Who are prone to it The Aggravations of Envy Remedies aginst Envy A Case resolved The difference between Envy and zeal Observ Of strife and contention Godlinesse the only motive of love and agreement The agreement among the ungodly A two-fold striving I. Good II. Ungodly and that about a two-fold object 1. Civil The cause of sinfull strife and contention The effects of sinful strife and contention about worldly things The effects of sinfull strife about religious matters The aggravations of this sin Of Schisms and Divisions Observ Divisions divided 1. Civil 2. Ecclesiastical What it is that goes to the making of division or faction The causes of Divisions 1 Tim. 6.5 A Christian life must exceed a humane life What is implied in this phrase To live as men Observ Wherein the spiritual respect due to the Ministers of the Gospel doth consist Wherein our respect to the Ministers of the Gospel may run out into sinfull admiration Motives to give spiritual respect to the Ministery Quest Answ Observ Of being called by the Names of eminent men in the Church The Names that Christians have been called by Disciples Believers Whence the name Protestant came What great use the Devil makes of the names and esteem of men What is the common and most notorious way of Satans doing hurt to the Church of God 1. By corrupting the lives and conversations of the Ministry Tit. 1.7 2. By raising up Ministers full of superstition and doting upon traditions 3. By raising up all the power civil and ecclesiastical against the Church 4. By causing men to give them too much honour How the devil hurts the Church by godly men 1. When he tempts them away into any errour 2. Evil practicâ—â— 3. Setting them up too high 1 John 4.1 Observ Of a sinfull setting up of Christ There are principal and efficient Causes of grace and subordinate and instrumental The cheif instituted instrumental causes of Grace The end of faithfull Ministers is not to win people to themselves but to Christ A twofold end of Preaching the Word A corrupt end A good end Characters of that Ministry that seeks not you to applaud them but to bring you to Christ Reasons why a faithfull Ministry doth thus The Ministry is the appointed means to work Faith and all other Graces in the Hearers How it is not an Instrumental Cause How it is a Cause The Properties of this instrumental Cause Observ Of Faith The nature of faith It consists in three Acts. 1. Knowledge 2. Assent 3. A resting on Christ The Effects of faith ad intra Ad extra Of diversity of Gifts in Ministry 1. The Office it self is a Gift to the Church 2. Their severall Abilities and various Parts that Officers in the Church have while they discharge their Office 2. And these are of two sorts 1. Extraordinary Why all have not the same Gifts Rules or Helps to profit by the Ministry Observ Of Gods planting his Gospel among a people Observ Wherein this spiritual watering or further quickning of Christians doth consist 1 Cor. 15. ult Why there is such daily need of these quickening graces God only gives success to the Gospel God works in and by the Ministery God works on whom and when he will Why God only gives the encrease What we must do that God may give the increase Wherein God giveth the Increase Why God only can give the increase John 11. Qu. What means must we use that God may give this increase Observa What the Apostle doth not mean in saying The Ministry is nothing Rom. 10.16.21 Directions how to hear the Word Observ Ministers should agre in one They should agree in Doctrine 2. In their end and scope 3. In Affection The sad effects of dis union in the Church What people shâ—uld do when Ministers and Professors are divided Of Reward and Merit Observ Of Degrees of Glory All persons have work to do for God There is a two-fold doing of good works What it is to do a good work which God will accept and reward A lawfull self-seeking Mat. 6. The reward of godliness two-fold Wherein lieâ—h the reward of working for God 1. In this life 2. In the life to come The greatness of the heavenly reward The vast disproportion that is between the work and the reward Observ Of the Ministers being workers with God Why God wiâ—l work by the Ministry of men Observ The people of God are his husbandry and building What our being Gods husbandry and building joyntly considered implies What to be Gods Husbandry implies 1. On Gods part 2. On oâ—â— part Of Gods house What Gods building and our being his house implieth Observ Of exalting free grace The Properties of praising Gods grace Why the godly are so sensible of Gods grace What Opinions are Coâ—â—ers of this duty of giving thanks to free-grace Observ Of laying a good and sure foundation in Religion A two-fold foundation The Scripture and Christ Four unquestionable Scripture foundations The Scripture is the only foundation of our faith Reas 1. Reas 2. Four rotten weak and false foundations 1. The Authority of the Church 2. The Authority of the Civil Magistrate 3. Enthusiasm 4. Meer humane Reason The foundation of Gods Worship The necessity of
Malunt credere quam judicare Thus they offer an Asse for a sacrifice Sixthly The Ministers of God though never so eminent have been afraid of this they have prohibited such restings upon them But of this in another Doctrine viz. That it 's the property of godly Ministers not to bring men to themselves but to Christ Several Uses may be made As First That a Papist as a Papist following the principles of Popery and going no further hath but an humane blind faith They are so of the Pope and bound to his Determinations that all their Religion is built upon his Decision One of their learnedst Rabbies Valentia brings in a private Man consulting what Religion he should chuse and he argueth That if he be a Protestant then he must reade the Bible and other Authours and saith he I have not time to do that Therefore I will be of the Popish Religion for it 's but believing as the Church and as the Pope believeth Now saith the Jesuite God will at the Day of Judgement crown this man with glory for believing so yea he merits by believing so Now how contrary is this to Scripture which bids us Search the Scriptures Try the Spirits Not think of man above what is meet So that their Faith is an humane Faith their Religion an humane Religion believed for mans sake And that is the reason why the people of the greatest ignorance are most taken with it for it commends ignorance and pleaseth the vulgar fancy with a gorgeous worship Vse 2. To bewaile the great ignorance and blindnesse that is even in most Protestants For how few are there that believe this Religion upon judgment and searching the Scriptures upon knowledge and faith of the Word but they were brought up in it and the Lawes of the Land command it Oh consider if God would not have a Sacrifice without eyes no more will he have a Faith and a Religion without eyes What Jeremiah can make Lamentations equal to this grosse ignorance that covers the face of all Congregations You have no more than an humane Faith and an humane Religion or Worship of God Vse 3. To blesse God for the Instruments of Faith and the Ministers of grace but still to rest in God for all benefit and fruit by their labours It may be the Ministry hath been no more efficacious no more lively and profitable to thee because thou hast not owned God in it as thou shouldest It is God that openeth the eyes it 's God that openeth the ears and the hearts of men Therefore look up to him For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal The divisions here reproved in the Text have afforded us profitable Observations and yet we have not finished all We come to a third Observe the devils subtilty and emnity to the good and glory of Gods Church how many engines he useth sometimes he stirres up false Apostles who by their venemous doctrine may impoison the fountaines where all should drink and if that will not do then he labours to overthrow the Church by the repute and names of eminent teachers if the wickedness and malice of ungodly teachers do not hurt then the affected admiration of those that are true and godly shall bring about his end Nero was a man that envied and hated other mens excellencies and therefore at his Court when any had a mind to undoe another they would praise him which made Tacitus say Pessimum genus inimicorum laudantium And thus the Devil stirring up Disciples fondly and sinfully to praise eminent persons wrought the same destruction as he would have done by open hostility and persecution If he cannot by such Heretiques as Hymeneus and Philetus by open doctrine draw off from Christ then he will by secret applause and admiration make them so rest upon Paul and Peter that Christ shall not be eied as the author of all faith and success by the Ministery And Austin's observation is remarkable Quamvis non per impiorum sed sanctorum nomina tamen impia agebant Schismata Although they did not advance the names and persons of wicked men but of holy and eminent men yet by these names of holy men they made unholy and wicked divisions Observe That when the Devil cannot hurt the Church by a prophane and sinfull Ministery then he labours to destroy it by abusing the names and esteem of those who are truly holy and eminent The Devil hath his methods Eph. 6.11 and he is the old Dragon for cruelty and craft sometimes he is compared to a Lion roaring and that is in times of persecution sometimes to a glittering and curious Serpent and that is in subtle pretences and colours Now Bernard said Timeo Serpentem magis quam leonem rugientem yea he is said to have his depths Rev. 2.24 his secrets and mysteries of his state of darkness and as they say of some witchery that it comes by praising Hence that phrase praefiscisne loquor when we are about to praise any so the Devil when he cannot destroy souls by stirring up wicked instruments he will endeavour that men should think of good instruments more then they ought To open this First take notice What is the common and most notorious way of Satans doing hurt to the Church of God by the Ministers and Officers in the Church And this way he would alwayes take if he could The first is by corrupting the lives and conversations of the Ministery making them prophane and scandalous by which means all Religion comes to be abhorred Thus Hophnes and Phinehas Elyes sonnes because of their tyrannical violence and uncleanness it 's said the people abhorred the sacrifice of the Lord 1 Sam. 2.14 So that a prophane Minister is like a poisoned fountain where all must drink he doth not only damne his own soul but draweth others to hell with him Thus in the Old Testament the corruption of the whole Church did in a great measure arise from the prophaness of the Priests Hence in the New Testament it 's so carefully required in a Minister that he be blameless a lover of good men not given to any grosse sinne so that the Devil cannot have more service done him nor destroy the kingdome of Christ more then by the scandalous and prophane lives of Ministers this hardens the people this makes them contemne exhortations whereas let a Minister walk holily though their love to lusts will make them hate them yet in their consciences they cannot but fear and reverence them as Herod did John Baptist because he was a just man Mark 6.20 Secondly If he cannot hurt the Church this way then by raising up Ministers full of superstition and doting upon unwritten traditions and bringing in a will-worship where there is no rule or warrant One man though learned is not able to maintain his new notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will-worship as if it were in a
doubt may be raised How Paul can say He layeth the foundation which is no other but Christ as appeareth at the eleventh verse seeing God appropriateth it to himself Isa 28.16 Behold I lay in Zion a foundation stone c But The answer is God layeth this foundation 1. By his Decree appointing Christ thereunto And 2. By his temporal mission of him into the world but Paul layed the foundation only ministerially and declaratively by publishing Christ to be the Saviour especially to those who never heard of him before It 's a special part of the wisdome and heavenly art of the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a good and sure foundation in the hearts of their hearers This Paul makes the principal part of his wisdome that he began with a good foundation If people are not rightly built upon this any tempest that ariseth will throw down all theâ—r Religion Our Saviour speaketh a Parable Luke 6.48 49 like to this of the wise builder and the foolish builder And although there it be meant of every particular Christian yet we may apply it to every Minister He that doth not build up his people upon sure and Scripture foundations they are like the chaff and straw that the wind doth drive to and fro There is no true faith no truâ— godlinesse no true hope of salvation where the right and sure foundation is not laid The point therefore in hand is of great consequence both to the Preacher and to the Auditor to consider what foundation his Religion and Godlinesse is fixed upon For the opening of this Consider that Divines do ordinarily make a two-fold foundation The one they call Fundamentum cognoscendi The foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion and this is the Scripture only We can lay no other foundation for matters of Faith but the word of God Non credo quia non lego said Tertullian of old And Secondly There is Fundamentum essendi The Foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation and that is only Jesus Christ He is the foundation-stone and every one is to believe in him only for Salvation and Justification So that as God made two great lights for the world so he hath done for the Church the Scriptures and Christ This Doctrine is true yet Heb. 6.1 we there reade of more foundations than one for there are practical fundamentals as well as speculative I shall therefore not limit my self to this one foundation mentioned by the Apostle but enlarge my self to the necessary foundations in our Christian life and shew you the necessity of that wisdom which will build upon these fundamentals And although I am not ignorant That the Dispute about what are foundations or fundamentals in Religion and what not is very hard and difficult yet I shall instance in four unquestionable foundations which are the four main pillars that support our Christian building The necessary things of Religion are these four Either 1. The Matters to be believed 2. The Worship and necessary service of God 3. The spiritual Benefits and mercies Justification and Salvation 4. The things to be done by us in our way to Salvation All these are fundamental and necessary in their kind to salvation and therefore it behoveth every Minister of the Gospel to principle and settle his people in all these particulars For herein is the danger not of mens bodies or estates but their immortal souls We will begin with the first The foundation of our faith or divine assent in matters of Religion What is that which every man must build his faith upon What is the foundation he must lay there And that is the Word of God declared and written for our instruction in those Canonical Books of the Scripture When we come to believe the matters of our salvation the ultimate motive into which all is to be resolved is Thus saith the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word of God hath spoken it It 's not antiquity universality or the laws of the Land or the tradition of our fathers that is the warrantable foundation but the Scripture only Thus Timothy is commended for attending to the Scriptures which are able to make him wise to salvation through faith 2 Tim. 3.17 18. So that although other things be required by way of helps and means as prayer interpretation of the Scripture Gods assistance the guidance of the Ministry yet by way of a Foundation or a Rule that is the Scripture only As God at first put all the light into the Sunne and the Starres shine by a borrowed light from it So God hath now put all supernatural light into the Scripture and all guides are to shine by that Hence it is so often compared to a light and a lamp unto our feet So that the Ministers of the Word do then lay a good foundation when in matters of Doctrine and truths to be believed they build them on the Scripture make them a Scripture-auditory a people that dare not that will not take any matter of faith but upon Scripture-grounds Thus those Bereans are commended for a noble and ingenuous people that compared what Paul preached with the Scriptures they then had whether it was consonant to them or no Act. 17 11. So that that people who know nothing of the Scripture are not instructed by the Word have not their faith their Religion from it all they offer to God is a Sacrifice without eyes they do believe they know not what Now that the written word of God is the only foundation of our Christian faith appeareth by these Reasons First A Christian faith ought to be a divine supernatural faith not a bare humane faith Now nothing can be the ground of a divine faith but a divine authority a divine Argument suggested by God himself Most men that call themselves Christians have no more than an humane faith in matters of Religion They believe thus because their parents did so because the Laws of the Land compell them to do so Thus they have no other grounds of faith then the Turks or Papists have for themselves but as copper is not gold so neither is this humane faith that holy and Christian perswasion which the Spirit of God through the Word works in man because revealed in the Word 1 Thess 1. They are commended That they did not receive the Word preached as the word of men but as indeed the word of God 1 Thess 1.13 So that whosoever hath an holy faith he must have a divine perswasion for this from the Authority of God that as an humane faith is because humane authority speaks it so a divine faith because God revealeth it in the Scripture But alas generally our people can no more look into these things then an Owl in the dazelling Sun How few are perswaded of the true Doctrine of Christ from this Divine Authority because God hath said thus God hath spoken thus Oh
foundation in the hearts of their hearers 125 Of a two-fold foundation Fundamentum cognoscendi the foundation of our knowledge and faith in matters of Religion viz. the Scripture And fundamentum essendi or the foundation of the being or existence of all our glory and salvation viz. Jesus Christ ibid Four unquestionable Scripture-foundations ibid. With a discovery of rotten foundations 127 Why it is such a sinne to worship God many wayes as man pleaseth 132 As a wise master-builder 137 Observ That it 's not vanity but a duty in some cases for the Ministers of the Gospel to magnifie and set up their Work and Office ibid In what cases a Minister may magnifie his work and office ibid. And another buildeth thereon 139 Observ That people are not to expect that Ministers should bring any other Doctrine than what is laid by Christ and the Apostles already ibid. The use of preaching notwithstanding the fulnesse of the Scripture 140 But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon 141 Observ The Ministers of God are greatly to take heed that they preach no other thing than what is already contained in the Scripture Or It 's a dangerous thing to put that sense and meaning on the word of God which is not the true genuine sense of it ibid. A two-fold building upon the foundation ibid Why Ministers must take heed how they build upon the foundation 142 Verse 11. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 145 Observ That the Ministers of God ought to lay no other Foundation than Christ ibid. How many wayes Christ is to be preached as a foundation ibid. Reasons why he must be preached as the foundation 150 Objections and Doubts answered 153 How Duties are to be done and preached with relation to Christ 154 The great Advantages those have that are built on Christ 155 Verse 12. Now if any man build on this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble c. 157 Observ That the Doctrine and Truths of Christ are very precious and excellent ibid What the comparing them to Gold c. implieth ibid. If any man build hay and stubble 161 Observ That all errours and falshoods in Religion though not fundamental are no better than hay and stubble ibid Some Propositions about errour ibid. Why errours are called hay and stubble 162 Verse 13. Every mans work shall be made manifest 165 Observ That all the wayes and works of wickednesse though acted in never so hidden and secret a manner shall be made manifest ibid. What kind of hidden wickednesse shall be made manifest ibid. The Aggravation of those sins that are secret and hidden 168 Observ That all the hidden and secret wayes of false Doctrines God will one day make manifest 169 The Causes Nature the cunning subtilty in divulging them shall be made manifest ibid. For the day shall declare it 173 Observ That God hath his time when he will discover the errours and falshoods of mens Doctrines ibid. Errours are spiritual judgements the removal in mercy at Gods time 174 Why God will have a day to discover false Doctrine 176 Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall declare every mans work of what sort it is 177 The interpretation of fire 178 Observ That God useth to bring people out of errours and false wayes by his Word and Afflictions ibid. Though the Word and afflictions are both helpfull yet differently 179 How wandring sheep are reduced by the Word ibid. How by afflictions 181 Verse 14. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward 181 Observ That Gods Truths are of a firm and durable Nature notwithstanding any tryal or opposition whatsoever 182 Truth two-fold Increated and Created ibid Scripture-truths reduced to four heads 183 Verse 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer losse but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire 185 Observ That every man will be altogether a loser in any errour or false way that he hath maintained he shall suffer loss 186 Wherein they shall be losers ibid. He shall be saved yet so as by fire 189 Observ That even errours of judgement may endanger a mans salvation as well as ungodlinesse in practice ibid. The several kinds of corruptions of the understanding that indangers a mans salvation ibid. The Difference between errour and heresie with the grounds of the Doctrine 190 Observ That every godly man though never so eminent yet is very difficultly saved 192 Verse 16. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you 193 Observ That the consideration of those Priviledges and Relations which all the People that professe God are put into would be a great Argument against all kind of Pollution ibid Some of the chief Titles or Relations which the people of God have 194 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God 197 Of the word Temple ibid. Observ That the people of God met together to worship him according to his way are the spiritual Temple of God 197 What there is in the Church allusively to the Temple 198 Of Gods presence with his Church 200 And that the Spirit of God dwels in you 201 Observ That the Spirit of God is God 202 The signification of the word Spirit when attributed to God ibid. That the holy Ghost is God and a person ibid. Why the holy Ghost is called Spirit 204 Observ That the Spirit of God dwels in his Church 205 What to have the Spirit dwell in us implieth in that phrase ibid. How many wayes the Spirit may be said to dwell in Gods people 207 The special works and effects of the holy Spirit in his Chruch 209 I. Gifts ibid. How farre the gifts and abilities of Ministers that are acquired by humane study and industry are to be ascribed unto the holy Ghost ibid. II. Sanctifying graces 209 Of the saving inhabitation of the Spirit 212 Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 216 Observ That those men who defile the Church of God with corrupt Doctrines do highly provoke God to punish them ibid Why errours are said to defile Gods Church 217 How God will punish Heretiques 219 A godly man may fall into a damnable Heresies 220 How a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man ibid. Errours are erroneous persons distinguished 221 Why God is so provoked with corruptions in Doctrine and worship ibid Him shall God destroy 222 Observ That eternal Damnation is the destruction of a man ibid. Of the punishment of losse sense 224 With the Aggravations of this punishment 225 For the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are 226 Observ The holy Temple of God under the Gospel is not any place though never so adorned or glorious but persons believing and worshipping of him according to his will ibid Verse 18. Let no man
built They are the Successours of Peter It 's the Patrimony of Peter They made him an Universal Head superiour to all other Apostles For the Fathers also it 's true many of them were of eminent parts and gifts yet all of them had their errours But how much hurt hath been done to the Church by setting them up as a Rule or infallible Judgers and Interpreters Therefore Austin good man as it were fore-seeing this disclaimeth it and saith He would have none read his or other mens books so as the Canonical Scriptures Soli Scripturae fides caeteris judicium Luther was afraid to leave any of his Works behind him lest they should draw men off from Scripture Thus the godly have been afraid with Paul lest any should idolize them We reade of a Dispute that the Arch-angel and the Devil had about Moses his body Some think it was this though other Interpretations are given God we know did wonderfully hide Moses his body when he was dead from the Israelites and the Devil would have it known and buried that so it might have been adored afterwards as in Popery What adoration what invocation and divine worship is given unto some Saints and to some that were no Saints but canonized by the Pope 2. The Devil worketh mischief to the Church even by the repute of good men when such opinions and doctrines are attributed to them as they never owned For as the Devil hath brought in his superstitions by pretended places of Scripture hence he wreâ—â—ed Scripture when he tempted Christ so also he useth the names of eminent instruments of God to countenance falshoods Thus Paul writing to the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2.3 bids them Not be troubled as by letter or epistle from him as if the day of judgement were at hand It seemeth there were some that taught in those dayes that the day of judgement was immediately approaching and this did much trouble the godly for they believed it and why did they believe it Some pretended it was Pauls judgement they had a letter and an epistle from him to this purpose Here you see even in those dayes men to propagaâ—â— or countenance their falshoods would abuse eminent men and so most of the Ancients have many spurious and counterfeit Tractates go under their name as Ignatius and Clemens and why so but that under this pretence many superstitious customes might be pleaded for Yea there is a Book called Enochs Prophecie and Barnabas his Gospel and many such pretended to be written by those that had divine inspirations and all are this grand Impostors Lastly The Devil brings hurt by good mens name when he sâ—weth discord and dissentions among them This makes the common enemy triumph Oh say the Papists if you Protestants have the Spirit why are there so many Sects Why doth the Lutherans spirit and Calvinists disagree Now although we might better retort on them Why have there been several Popes who have all said they determined infallibly and yet have condemned one anothers Canons And could this be by the same spirit Yet the answer is plain in the Parable when it was asked How came those tares seeing the Master had sown good seed The answer was The envious one hath sowed them Mat. 13. I might give Reasons for this As First The insatiable malice of the Devil against the Church of God He alwayes envieth the peace the good order and Ordinances of the Church and therefore when he could no longer raise up bloudy persecutions against the Church for Constantine was turned Christian then it was divided and miserably rent with heresies So that the Church hath alwayes been like Noahs Ark on the waters floating up and down Secondly The very name of Religion and piety hath such authority upon mens consciences that the greatest enemies of godlinesse have alwayes pretended to it If the Pharisees persecute Christ Oh they say it 's for his blasphemies he will not keep the Sabbath and because he said he was the Sonne of God This doth mightily justifie Piety and Religion that all men are fain to use the name of this for what they do Vse of Exhortation Take heed of two extreams either a prophane delight in wicked dissolute Ministers such who will never trouble thy conscience reprove thy sins Or the other extream of minding godly instruments so is not to look up to God The former is a general sinne For what people are there that would not have Ministers like themselves loose dissolute as they are Thus God of old complained of the wickednesse of Priests and the people love to have it so Oh that is too much Give them one that is not so strict that will do as they do Oh wretched men that think it not enough to be ungodly themselves but they would those also who are to be guides to them in the same manner people will be deceived and who can help it They will have those that shall speak peace to them give them comfort when yet the Lord hath commanded them to make the hearts of such sad 1 COR. 1.12 And I of Christ THat I may finish Pauls reproof from that Text 1 Cor. 3.4 concerning the Factionâ— and Divisions at Corinth I am necessitated to take in this Text for here is a larger enumeration than in that place for here is an addition of two persons more I am of Cephas I am of Christ By Cephas is meant Peter and because he was the Apostle of the Circumcision as Paul of the Gentiles Happily some of the believers who did too much cleave to those legal Ceremonies might advance him And if that opinion of some be true That in most Cities converted to the Faith there were two Churches the Gentile Christian Church and the Jewish Christian Church then this might foment the division more howsoever the Popish Interpreter laboureth under this difficulty how they could be guilty of sinfull factions who advanced Peter but they build upon a rotten foundation But I shall not consider any further this division that did exalt Instruments and Ministers too high I come therefore to those that did offend on the contrary way and that is such Who did so set up Christ as to neglect Paul Apollo and the Instruments of their faith For here two contrary factions are forbidden which are very frequent in the Church and oh that this age were not infected with this disease Some did glory in their teachers boasting of them in a contentious way to the contempt of others Others again they ranne into the clean contrary and contemned all Teachers all the Prophets and pretended to be taught by Christ onely And I of Christ To open the word we must acquaint you that many of the Ancients thought they that said thus I am of Christ were not to be reproved but are instanced in as an example that they all should follow Yea Chrysostom thinketh this to be Pauls words others said I am of Paul I am of Apollo but saith Paul
affected wisdome of the world without either miraculouâ— signes or scientifical demonstrations either of which would much perswade men Fourthly and lastly It 's the perpetual invariable means God hath appointed to the worlds end When the Ministery and Preaching shall cease then shall all this world with the things therein cease Thus Eph. 4. it 's there said to continue till Christs coming and Paul's direction about the Ministery must be kept till the coming of Christ The former dispensation is altered he hath taken away Priests and Levites the sacrifices and Altars but he will never take away Pastors and Teachers and Sacraments and these must abide as long as there is a Church on the world Vse of Examination It 's the Ministery this is the ordinary necessary appointed menans for faith and other graces Why then is it that it hath not been so to thee Oh it would be an heavy trouble to thee thou wouldst think God had some extraordinary jugement upon thee if thou couldst have no cloaths to warm no food to nourish thee no creature be that to thee for which it is appointed But behold a greater judgement then this no Ministery doth convert thee no Preaehing begets faith or repentance in thee In the Apostles times What multitudes were converted by the Word Yea in the first times of Reformation from Popery How many did not only receive the truth in their minds but grace in their hearts they were not only converted from Popery and superstition but from prophaness and impiety But now alas to whom is the power of God made known Certainly the Word is the same Gods arm is as strong as ever but men by their wilfull ignorance by their unthankfulness and rebelling against the light have sinned away the presence and power of God from the Ministery and then if God go not along with us Alas what can we do Oh that you who are hearers would deeply lay these things to heart God saith his Word is an enlightning Word a sanctifying cleansing Word Why is it not so to thee Why art thou no more reformed then where there is no Preaching no Ministery at all The same cursing swearing the same lusts pride covetousness and ignorance Is not all this because God doth not appear in his own Ordinances Oh men without hope How desperate is such mens condition for if the Ministery cure thee not what will cure thee Woe be to thee if the Word that is so effectual and operative to others be not also to thee Who is Paul and who is Apollo but Ministers by whom ye believed even as the Lord gave every man The third thing in order to be discust is the noble Effect whereof the Ministry is said to be an Instrumental Cause viz. Ye believed Faith is one of the most eminent Common-places in Divinity It 's the Sanctum Sanctorum in this spiritual building It s the fat in that spiritual Sacrifice we offer to God And because of the spiritual and most sublime nature of it it is least understood by the natural man I shall not at this time handle all the main particulars about it because the holy Ghost intends it not in this place Onely take notice that in stead of all the work of grace repenting reforming he nameth believing because this is Initial and Introductory to all the rest The word Faith or Believing is of a very large and fruitfull signification but it 's impertinent at this time to trouble you with it Observe That Faith is the great and eminent grace which God by the Ministry works in some hearers Thus upon Christ and the Apostles preaching still this is recorded And many believed Insomuch that Faith is said to come by hearing Rom. 10.17 The Scripture indeed sometimes speaks of faith as prerequisite to make the Word profitable Who hath believed our report And the Word profited them not because it was not mixed with faith Heb. 4.6 Here we see unbelief doth obstruct and hinder the savoury effect of the Gospel But that is finally in those that pâ—rish but in those that shall be saved God in his due time will by the Word preached work faith viz. enlighten their minds and open their hearts to entertain it To open this Doctrine Let us consider the Nature of Faith and that is usually said to consist in three acts whether they be all essential or some only I shall not here determine The first is Knowledge and understanding This is eternal life to know thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 Yea it 's a strong and powerfull conviction of the mind Hence it 's called The substance and evidence of things Heb. 11.1 Believing in the soul is compared to the corporal seeing of the body To say a blind faith is as great a contradiction as to say a dark Sunne or a cold fire If it be faith it doth see the ground of its belief Indeed faith cannot comprehend the matter we believe the Doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ are like the dazelling Sunne to our Bats-eyes but though faith cannot comprehend the matter believed yet it knoweth the ground why it doth believe in those places of Scripture and the testimony of Gods Word which saith It is thus and thus Oh then How farre are many from being believers For ignorance covers their souls as darknesse did the Chaos at the first The very principles of Religion the total ignorance whereof doth damn a man yet is like a veil upon most mens eyes Oh then consider that knowledge and understanding is the necessary way to let in faith or rather is a beginning and part of it If thou hadst lost thy eyes or wert smitten with corporal blindnesse How much would it affect thee But now thou hast unbelief and spiritual blindnesse yet it doth not break thy heart Say no more thou believest in Christ thou believest in God if thou knowest not what Christ and God is Though ignorant people are full of their devotion yet because it 's without knowledge and faith it 's as abominable as a Sacrifice without eyes Secondly But knowledge is not all How many Atheists are there that know much and understand the points of Religion yet believe not Therefore the second Act of Faith is to Assent to give credit to them as true and this indeed we mean and Scripture also means this most commonly when it speaks of believing the Word of God that is giving a firm and sure assent to it as true Hence that expression Faith is the substance Heb. 11.1 that is by faith we make those things that are future really subsist as it were in our souls as if present Thus Faith makes Heaven and Hell present The Apostle excellently describes it They behold not the things temporal or seen but the things eternal which are not seen 2 Cor. 4 18. Thus Moses is said to have an earnest eye of faith fixed upon the reward and that is an act
it sometimes again to pull it up Oh fear lest that curse fall upon you yea that sentence be already come out Cut that unprofitable tree down and cast it into the fire Appolo watered This is the second main particular of the ministerial imploiment of Church-Officers To water 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he doth a little alter the metaphor for that is properly to give beasts water yet as those that have plentifully drunken are said irrigari so to give to drink may be said to water The Metaphor is taken from plants to mans soul as the Garden is of a wildernesse planted with sweet and precious herbs but this is not enough it is afterwards to be watered else all will immediately decay So it is here Though we have received the principles of Christianity and are setled therein yet if there be not continual watering and pains taking the Church of God will presently become like a wildernesse No Church is like Paradise at first which being once planted needed not any water from Heaven but rivers came from the midst of it to water it and make it fruitfull So that to water is no more then to use all those ministerial helps that Christ hath appointed that the spiritual seed once sown may grow up to a plentifull crop God Isa 5. compared his Church to a Vineyard which when he had bestowed much cost on and for their unfruitfulnesse was resolved to destroy it then among other things he commanded That the clouds should not rain on it So that for God to deny spiritual watering to a people once planted is a sad forerunner of future desolation The Doctrine is That it is not enough for a people once to receive the true Faith and principles of Religion but they need a further watering and quickning them up to grow If the Husbandman should sow his seed and never have any rain to drop fatnesse his seed would rot under the ground And the Gardener who hath set his plants hath had his water-pot to cherish and refresh his dried plants Now as the Apostles they planted so there were Evangelists who did either accompany the Apostles or went where they had already planted and further instructed them Sometimes we read Paul himself watering where he had planted And it 's the constant imployment of Ministers in a Church already setled to water that is to endeavour the further growth of their knowledge and graces First Let us consider Wherein this spiritual watering consists and then the grounds First It lieth in a more explicite and distinct instruction about the principles of Religion already received For there is no vessel that receiveth all this heavenly liqour at first Apollo himself was an eloquent man and potent in the Scriptures yet he that watered others did once need watering himself Priscilla and Aquila did further instruct him in the wayes of God Act. 18 26. As the Sunne doth not come to the vertical point immediately but by degrees so neither do a Church or people presently arrive to the fullness of knowledge in the things of Christ but they still grow in more understanding Thus the Apostle prayeth Eph. 1. for the Ephesians already converted and enlightened that they might have the Spirit of revelation and wisdome and may be able still further to know the depth and breadth of Gods love in Christ And the Apostle Peter commends Believers that they did still give heed to the Scripture till the day-starre did arise in their hearts 2 Pet. 1.19 Oh then Who can bewail the imperfect and defective knowledge that is every where The eyes that should have grown clearer and clearer are become blinder and blinder You consider not that much more even about the very principles of Religion is yet to be understood then most do understand The Heathen even dying would still desire to learn and know more how much rather should Believers seeing the objects to be known are so heavenly spiritual and necessary The Philosopher thought a little natural knowledge about the Heavens better then a great deal of knowledge about the nature of sublunary things how much then is the supernatural knowledge of heavenly things in a practical way to be esteemed which will bring us to life everlasting Know then it 's your great duty to come up to more understanding in Religion Shall a David that had more knowledge then his Teachers pray yet to have his eies opened Psal 119. What fervent and earnest prayers should thou then have that thou die not and be damned in ignorance Secondly This watering lieth not only in advancing our knowledge but in giving further and clearer Arguments to confirm our faith and to make us unshaken and stedfast Oh we see for want of this particular how many reeds there are that be shaken with every wind They were indeed planted but not well rooted and what hath not a deep root will immediately wither Thus the Apostle exhorteth often to stand stedfast and immoveable in the work of tho Lord How can that be but by being strengthened more and more in believing We read of the Disciples that sometimes when any great miracle was wrought by our Saviour it 's said His Disciples believed Joh. 2.11 Why did they not believe before Yes but now they were more confirmned establishment and confirmation either in the truth or in godliness is a great matter yea it is all in all We read of a glorious likely building but because it was upon the sands therefore it fell down immediately and the fall was great Mat. 7.27 The third kind of ground miscarryed after all the hopes it gave because it had no deep root Mat. 13. So that a choice part of the Ministers work is to see that whatsoever faith whatsoever holiness there is this be so confirmed that it waver or wither not We read of the Apostle going even to those places that were already planted that they might confirme those that believed Alas the things of Christ meet with so much subtilty to undermine them and so much open violence to prostrate them that there needs daily confirmeing and following them We are subject to many strong winds and violent blasts that unless deeply rooted we cannot subsist Thirdly This watering containeth direction about the beauty and order of Churches in the government thereof when once planted As Rome so neither Jerusalem is not built on a day The Church at her Infancy is not a prepared subject for those many duties that are required of her especially the Church being a society of men orderly knit together there is need of governement without which men instead of being Saints and Christians would be wild beasts and this must come in by degrees it 's an essential Church before it can be a political one Thus the Apostle Paul after he had planted this Church yet had not setled all things concerning the order of it especially he bewailed that irreverent and prophane receiving of the Sacrament which was amongst
's no Judge no foundation because our natural Reason is corrupt and therefore the understanding must be captivated Many things are above our understanding though not contrary to Reason to which we must yeeld the obedience of faith Vse of Admonition In matters of faith lay this foundation in times of disputes of varieties of opinions such as these are be as a people that have had a good and sure foundation laid among you Runne not on one side into a Popish bruitish and blind obedience of faith Nor on the other side be not carried away as empty straws with every wind of Doctrine Oh it 's a blessed thing to have the full assurance and perswasion of truths necessary to salvation not to have Reubens curse to be unstable like water Especially you that are ignorant and earthy who never make any matter about the principles of Religion do you rouse up your selves Why hath God given you reason and understanding Why are those many Texts To search the Scripture To prove all things if you sit down and regard not these things As a wise master builder I have laid the foundation It hath been observed That it 's a great part of the wisdom and heavenly skill of the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a right and good foundation in the hearts of the Hearers What principles are in any Art or Science the same is a foundation in matters of Religion Now if the principles be false all the Conclusions likewise are false so it is in matters of Religion If we lay rotten and unsound foundations all the building will prove no better You have heard of a fourfold foundation upon which this spiritual building is fixed A foundation of Faith or Doctrine to be Believed and that is The written Word of God only This hath been dispatched The next in order is no lesse necessary and that is The foundation of Gods Worship For as their are heresies and false doctrines which over throw the sound Faith so there is idolatry and superstition which destroyes the true worship of God We shall at this time therefore shew you how necessary it is for the Ministers of the Gospel to lay a sure and right foundation about the worship of God And 1. We shall shew the necessity 2. What is the foundation and the Reasons of it It 's necessary to lay good Principles here First Because there is no sinne doth ordinarily more provoke God then the corrupting of his worship The glorious eyes of God have not sparkled more with vengeance against any persons then those that have defiled themselves in sinfull worship Now three waies God may be provoked about his worship 1. When we adore and worship a false god instead of him Thus all the Heathens that worshipped the Sun or the Starres and other creatures they were guilty of gross idolatry So the Jews when they worshipped Baal-Berith Baal-Phegor and Dagon and Ashtaroth they did point blanck thwart the first Commandement Thou shalt have no other gods before me 2. Gods worship is corrupted when we do indeed worship the true God but not by such means and wayes of worship as he hath appointed but in such a manner as we in our immaginations think best This God often doth caution against that they should not go after the the imaginations of their own heart Thus they set up groves and high places Thus Jeroboam made a golden calf They intended the solemn worship of the true God but only they forsook the true manner of worship he had commanded 3. Then is Gods worship corrupted when though we worship the true God after the true manner yet we adde something to what is commanded We rest not in his simple institution but as Eve added to the Commandement of God so do these Thus the Pharisees they retained the substantial worship of God but then they added a thousand of superstitious observations more to it Now the corrupting of Gods worship any of these waies is a grievous sinne for though the first be a greater sinne then the second and the second then the third yet all of them are such as are immediately committed against God and for which the Prophets do chiefly pronounce those Judgments threatned by them For this sinne Jerusalem was brought low and the Temple had no more a stone left upon a stone The Jews to this day are so sensible of it that of all sins they take heed of this idolatry Secondly It 's necessary to lay a good foundation in this Because this sin doth either immediately break the spiritual Vnion between the Church and God or else much dispose thereunto The Prophet Ezekiel and the â—est do frequently delight to express the sinne of idolatry by adultery and going a whoring after our imaginations And when the Apostle was carefull to lay a good foundation here among the Corinthians in this matter of worship see what he saith His care was to present them a pure Virgin to Christ 2 Cor. 11.1 2. He was afraid they should be corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel So then Idolatry and Superstition they are Adulteries and Fornications Now as Adultery doth dissolve the marriage bond and may justly provoke the Husband to be no more an Husband so it is in matter of worship It 's true all superstitious worship doth not presently rise to such an height Many sound Churches have retained some superstitious worship yet as wanton Dalliances and meretricious behaviour in a Wise though they do not break the conjugall knot yet dispose thereunto and raise much jealousie and anger in the Husband so it doth in matters of Gods worship Oh then how carefull should people be to see they go upon right grounds in the worship of God Thirdly We had need be carefull because God is so farre from accepting of that worship which he hath not commanded that he accounts it as done to Devils and not to him Though those that worship so thought they honoured God and had a good intention yet God judgeth it as done to Devils not to him So was Jeroboams worship he did not forsake the true God he set up that worship only out of politique designes and certainly the people that went in the ignorance of their spirit little thought to give worship to the Devils thereby yet saith the Text Jeroboam set up this worship to the Devils 2 Chron. 11.6 So these very Corinthians 1 Cor. 10.21 Who would go to the heathen Corinthians Feasts and communicate with them in that worship though they thought they might lawfully do it and it was an act of charity and good society yet the Apostle saith They did drink of the cup of Devils Oh then how shouldst thou be like Ezekiels living creature full of eyes behind and before of heavenly wisdom lest thou worship Devils instead of God Fourthly There is a necessity of laying a good foundation Because our hearts do in nothing more presumptuously work then in the
same necessary soul-saving things for the affections are slow to receive though the understanding be quick You are not weary of the same sun though it rise every day We proceed to the next particular in the Text viz. the Event or consequent of Paul's foundation Another buildeth thereon So then Paul and the other Apostles laid the foundation in that they planted Churches at first and all that are to come after are only to build on that They must not divulge any new necessary Articles of Faith we must rest content with what is done by them already Observe That people are not to expect that Ministers should bring any other Doctrine them what is laid by Christ and the Apostles already Religion is matter of Doctrine which we receive from the Scriptures not matter of invention that we make of our own head Thus even Timothy is commanded only to build upon not to lay any foundation O Timothy keep that which is committed to thy charge 1 Tim. 6.20 That good thing comitted to thy trust The necessary truths of salvation are deposited in the Scripture and committed to faithfull men Now they must look they deliver the same Aurum accepisti aurum redde as Lyriuensâ—s To open this consider That the Apostles sent by Christ made it their business to inform in all things necessary to be believed and done They declared the whole counsel of God by a lively voice preaching to those that lived in those daies It is true they likewise informed of many other truths and duties in Religion that were not fundamental but still wheresoever they came they preached Faith in Christ and Rpentance Faith in Christ that required the knowledg of things to be believed and Repentance that was about things to be done And indeed if the Apostles had not laid down all things necessary their Commission would have been very imperfect and it would have redounded to Gods dishonour to send such foolish builders that could not lay a sound foundation So that it is horrible presumption for any to think that God hath revealed more to them then the Apostles What the Apostles had not revealed to them as necessary we are not to think it necessary Therefore 2. When the Apostles were to leave the earth and could no longer by a living voice commend those necessary things to them it pleased God that what they had delivered by mouth should be commended to writing These things are written saith John that believing we might have eternal life So then the believing of things written is enough to bring eternal life Joh. 20 31. And Timothy is commended that from the youth up he was acquainted with the Scriptures which were able to make him wise to salvation 1 Tim. 3. Since therefore the Apostles were taken into Heaven the foundations that we have to build on are the Scriptures only Hence though Christ be here called the foundation yet the Apostles and Prophets also are called the foundation Eph. 2.20 upon which Believers are built viz. secondary foundations So that to expect necessary things beyond the Scripture is as vain as to look for another Messiah with the Jews He that cannot see with one sun would not see with an hundred 3. Although the necessary foundations be thus laid yet our preaching and your hearing is not in vain for there is this further work to be done First Those necessary things we are to explain more distinctly and confirm more plainly that so Faith may be the more setled Necessary Principles of Religion have many excellent conclusions latent in them as fire lyeth in a stone which doth not appear but by striking out The Ministry therefore is to explain and distinctly to interprete these things As the candle though of it self it hath light enough yet unless put on a candlestick it cannot enlighten the whole room so the Word of God though it be full of light yet there must be the interpretation and application of it Therefore they are commanded to divide the Word aright 2 Tim. 2.15 The bread must be broken and digested else it cannot nourish So that this building lyeth in the further explication of what is believed We do not preach nova but novè not new things but in a new manner Secondly Though we are only to build on this foundation and no new thing be expected yet matters of Religion may be said to be new in themselves or unto us In themselves and so certainly there can be no new thing preached for as there cannot be a new Christ or a new Scripture so neither any new Faith Yea the Apostles and Christ himself did not bring any new necessary matter of salvation to what the Patriarchs and Prophets had before The Old Testament and the New are the same for the substance of Salvation though there be new Rites and new Sacraments and a clear explication But in the second place things may be new to us As in Popery when the reformed Divines first preached Justification by Faith denyed the merit of works as also the Pope to be head of the Church These were said to bring a new Gospel but it was a slander it was new only to men corrupted with errors and living in ignorance as the sun is new to a man that was blind but hath received his sight Thirdly This building upon the foundation lyeth in the powerfull application of necessary truths to the hearts and consciencies of men For the Scripture that speaks generally the Ministry that is to come particularly that doth as Elisha laid himself upon the Child mouth to mouth and body to body that so life might be procured To do by particular application of what is spoken generally in the Word this is the Ministry Vse of Instruction That it is a fundamental miscarriage in Religion to affect any thing further then the Scripture and the Apostles have left to us To expect such new things as cannot be built on this foundation Oh take heed of being weary of any point in Religion because thou knowest it already There is a sinfull itching both in Preachers and Hearers many times in these things As they were weary of the Manna because used to it We are indeed to grow in knowledg and in light both Persons and Churches are to grow in a reformation yet they must grow within the same kind as a Child groweth in the parts of man-kind he doth not degenerate into another nature But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereon We are now come to the later part of this verse which is Exhortatory Let every man take heed c. By this he sheweth that it 's a matter full of danger his losse may be exceeding great And then withall a man had need use much diligence and circumspection otherwise he may think â—he buildeth gold and silver when indeed it is nothing but drosse or lead And when he saith Every man his meaning is onely of Officers and Teachers he doth not speak
Aggravation of hidden and covered wickednesse First All the secret and hidden thoughts affections and purposes of the heart God will one day make manifest to the whole world The heart of a man that is the womb wherein all those serpentine and venemous lusts of mens hearts are begotten and bedded and for want of a Summers warm day these snakes many times do not creep out Men do not accomplish the wickednesse of their hearts because they want opportunities for shame or fear of men but God hath a time when all that heart-malice heart-adultery heart-murder shall no longer be kept close So in that place mentioned He will make manifest the counsels of the hearts 2 Cor 5.10 That as there are a world of flies and motes in the air which we never see till the Sunne-beams arise so there are thousands and thousands of proud unclean covetous and malicious thoughts and purposes lodging in mens hearts which the world never knows but God will one day have Heaven and Earth take notice of them Oh then what a curb should this be to thy heart to thy thoughts Thou thinkest they are free you may think what you will No God will manifest and jâ—dge thee for these things Good Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 22.23 It 's the property of a godly man though he commit no outward wickednesse yet to mourn and humble himself for his secret thoughts Oh what a beast what a Devil was I for thinking so What if God should discover those imaginations to all the world When Gehezâ— had taken gifts of Naaman Elisha discovering it rebukes him sharply saying Is this a time to buy fields and orchards 2 King 5.26 Why saith he thus to Gehezi Because it was in Gehezi's thought and purpoâ—e to enrich himself And Christ doâ—h often reprove the Pharisees for their wicked thoughts they had when yet they did not manifest them Oh then remember your thoughts are the first-born of your soul and your soul is much as they are they shall noâ— alwaâ—s be hid Every mans brest shall be according to that mans wish to have a glasse there that all may see and read what is therein Secondly All the impure and unclean works of the flesh committed in secret these also shall be made manifest The Scripture speaks of the hidden things of dishonesty 2 Cor 4.2 And the adulterous waiting for the twi-light As also the whores wiping her lips pretending even Religion paying her vows when she hath been committing her leudnesse And again the Scripture saith That it was a shame to speak of what was dâ—ne by some in secret Ephes 5.12 Oh how greatly doth the Land mourn to bear such unclean persons Thou walkest abroad boldly in the day time thou comest to Church and performest the duties of Religion But Oh the secret hidden wayes of uncleannesse thou runnest into The wals of the chamber the timber in the house will bear witnesse against thy wanton and lascivious carriages Thou doest these things secretly but God will reward them openly Hence he saith Whoremâ—ngers and adulterers God will judge Heb. 13.4 Why God Will not men judge them in this world And will not God judge other sinners as well as these But therefore he saith God will judge them because such sinnes are carried so closely so craftily that none but God can find them out Oh therefore let all such tremble who have been or are guilty this way let them judge themselves that God may not judge them All things are open and naked to the eyes of God and shall one day be to the whole world then it will no longer be smothered up yea in thâ—s world God many times doth so terrifie the hearts the consciences of unclean persons that they themselves out of very horrour and to have ease are forced to confesse it Prov. 5.14 Oh know that heart of thine that now burneth with hot lusts will if not timely converted burn like hell with tormenting flames and be consumed with gnawing worms Thirdly The hidden works of thieving and stealing and unjustly taking away of other mens goods will one day be manifest Stollen things though sweet in the mouth will prove gravel in the belly yea thou wilt be forced to vomit all up again Onesimus ran away from his master Philemon and stole some of his goods from him now the Apostle writeth an Epistle on purpose to him concerning this matter and the holy Ghost thought it good to have it recorded as part of the Canonical Scripture though he would think the matter were but light for it is to assure Philemon of Onesimus his repentance for what he had done and that he would be indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereafter though he had not been so before and that wherein he had wronged him he would forgive it and set it upon Pauls score Achan stole a wedge of gold Josh 7.21 and God would not let all Israel alone till it was discovered for a wedge of gold is a tongue of gold as it is in the original and indeed it did speak and cry aloud against Achan and so all the things thou hast craftily and falsly taken from others thâ—y have a tongue with them they many times talk to thee in thy conscience and cry to God to be delivered to their true owners This is a secret work of wickednesse that God will manifest Fourthly There is a hidden work of unrighteousnesse which is not plain stealing but it 's crafty and artificial cosening in thy trading and commerce with others You shall not find them grosly cosen you but they have mysteries in their trade and crafty over-reachings These are secret works of iniquity which God will also manifest You know a notable place Hos 12.7 8. The balance of deceit was in his hand and he was become rich yet he should find no iniquâ—ty in him that was sinne they should not discover he dealt unrighteously they could not prove he dealt falsly Oh then let such who trade who buy and sell in the world take heed that for worldly gain they do not circumvent or go beyond their brother This be assured of that in such sinnes of injustice there can be no pardon till there be restitution or a prepared heart for it The first thing that troubled Zacheus when he was converted was his wronging of others If I wronged any saith he I restore him fourfold Luke 19.8 God is a righteous God and he loveth righteousnesse Oh then take heed of over-reaching this way Thou bringest such money or goods home and thou thinkest this will help my wife my family this will enrich me and thou doest as the Eagle that catching flesh from the altar had a live coal cleaving to it which when she came to her nest set nest and young ones on fire The curse of God is like a secret moth eating into such things Fifthly Carnal and worldly policy to have earthly greatnesse and power and honour in the world
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
mans salvation as well as ungodlinesse in practice An unsound mind as well as unsound life may undo a man Austin once made a Question and knew not well how to resolve it viz. Which was worst an Heretique living with an unblameable life or an Orthodox man with a vicious and corrupt life Non audeo dicere saith I dare not determine it Though Austin could not determine it yet Salvian a religious and zealous Ancient he seemeth to preferre an Heretique if unblameable in his life before a wicked liver Now the truth is in some respects one is worse than another only herein there can be lesse said to excuse a prophane wicked Christian than an Heretique because moral duties such as not to lie swear or to be drunk or unclean are more easily known than many points in Religion especially those which are of a sublime consideration But yet if we speak in the general they both do endanger a mans salvation Thus the Apostle Peter saith That ignorant men wrâ—st the Scripture to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 So that you see a man may destroy his soul not only by a prophane life but by a presumptuous abusing and wresting of the Scripture from the true sense And the Apostle James speaketh of it as a great matter To convert one that erreth from the truth he hath saved a soul and covered a multitude of sins Jam. 5.20 To open this Doctrine consider That the understanding of a man hath sâ—veral kinds of corruption whâ—ch do more or lesse endanger a mans salvation First There is ignorance in a mans understanding whereby he doth not know or believe the truth and this indangers a mans salvation This is eternal life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.2 Therefore not 〈…〉 these is eternal death God would have all men to be saved and to come to thâ— kâ—â—wledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3 7. Thus as the true knowledg of God and Christ is the way to salvation This is the starre to lead to Christ so ignorance of these things is the way to damnation Hence wicked men are often said Not to know God and yet how universal is this sinne Few have any knowledge or understanding in the matters of Religion They have Eagles eyes to worldly things but very blinde Owles they are in heavenly things A second Corruption of the understanding is Errour Ignorance is in the first act of the understanding which they call simple and bare apprehension but Error is in the second Act which they call Judgement So that to erre is to mis-judge in matters of Religion as those that denied the Resurrection are said to erre because they did not know the Scriptures Mat. 22.29 Indeed sometimes the wicked wayes of a mans life are called errours They have alwayes erred in their hearts saith the Scripture of the Israelites in reference to their ungodly actions Heb. 3.10 because every sinne is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an errour or missing of the mark so that in this sence we may say thy ungodly actions are errours Thou dost well to complain of errours in doctrine but why dost thou not complain of thy errours in thy life Omnis peccans est ignorans every sinner as so is ignorant and erroneous but we speak not of this but of those errours in judgement whereby it judgeth false things true or true false And there is no man in the world but he hath some errour in his mind As there is not in any constitution Temperamentum ad pondus an exact temperament So neither in any mans understanding an exact and right judging of all things in matters of Religion We know in paâ—t saith the Apostle 1 Cor 13. Yea we are ignorant of farre more things than we know Thirdly There is a further corruption of the mind and that is heresie Which word though in the first rise of it was innocent in its signification and is so used twice or thrice in the Acts of the Apostles as some affirm yet in the Epâ—stles it is alwayes used in an ill sense and by ecclesiastical use it 's different from errour two wayes 1. Errour is in matters of lesse consâ—quence that are not of necessity but heresie they make to be of things fundamentall therefore the Apostle speaks of some Who shall bring in damnable Heresies 2 Pet 2.1 2. They make it differ in the affection of the person He that is an Heretique hath pertinacy and obstinacy An Heretique after the first and second admonition reject Tit. 3.10 But errours are with willingnesse to learn and to be informed as Austin Errare possum haereticus esse nolo Thus Ecclesiastical custome hath used the word Heresie though I cannot say the Scripture doth make that the adequate notion of the word Thus you see in these three wayes the minds of men may be corrupted and through every one of them more or lesse a man may be brought to the very brink of hell This is a truth little thought of yea some have thought Heresie to be innocency yea there are some who have maintained a man may be saved in any Religion or in any sect which if so then there could be no damnable Heresies Let us consider the Grounds of the Doctrine And First Therefore errours as well as ungodlinesse in life will damne Because they are a sinfull corruption of the best and noble faculty in a man The understanding is wounded with sinne as well as the will and affections insomuch that if it were possible for a man to have a right will and well ordered affections yet the sinfulnesse of his understanding is enough to damn him Grant then that ignorance errours or heresies are sinnes and you say enough to make any godly man afraid of them Therefore think of this you who make it no matter to hold this or that opinion in Religion If not to know the truth be a sinne know that is an infinite evil that will divide between God and thee and then it 's a sinne of the best and most noble part the understanding and reason whereby we are differenced from beasts A disease in the eye is a dangerous thing because so choice a part and if our eyes be so dear to us as that it 's a Proverb How dear should your minds and understandings be Nature hath provided a covering for them and hair to defend them and thus we should be carefull to keep our minds from all infections Secondly It must needs be damnable Because it 's opposite to saving grace and that is a true faith and knowledge of God in his Word Now this is a Rule We judge of the illnesse of every privation by the excellency of the habit it is contrary unto Now ignorance and errour they are contrary to a sound faith to a true knowledge and deprive the soul of those divine truths which are so instrumental to all holinesse Therefore to say to
this later way of Gods Spirit as formerly you heard dwelling in us is most comfortable and most to be regarded though the other be more admired The former did especially belong to the Church in its first plantation Hence Acts 2. we reade of the accomplishment of that glorious Prophecy Joel 2. To pour out his Spirit c. but now these miraculous operations are ceased Vse of Instruction What Congregations and what manner of persons we ought to be To be meer men cometh farre short of being spiritual men we ought to be above sense and all humane principles Take the most refined men for morality and civility the choisest for all humane abilities yet without the Spirit of God they are no more than Adams body till life was brethed into him no more than those bones in Ezekiel till the Spirit of God gathered them together Oh that our Congregations consisted of spiritual men Paul complained He could not preach to them but as carnal The Spirit of God would lift thee up to other affections other desires As the Spirit took some mens bodies and lifted them up into the air so would it doe to the soules of men they had the Spirit of God who said Our conversation is in Heaven They had the Spirit of God that did look for the coming of Christ They had the Spirit of God who had prayed with groanes unutterable and who had joy unspeakable But oh we poor worms and not spiritual men cold clods of earth destitute of Gods Spirit And that the Spirit of God dwels in you We have heard what this inhabitation of Gods Spirit in his Church doth imply and how he may be said to dwell in us In the next place let us consider the special Workes and Effects of Gods Spirit in his Church For therefore partly hath he the name Spirit because of that power and efficacy he hath in the Church Hence he came downe in a mighty rushing winde and cloven tongues of fire So that he is called the Spirit internally and externally internally for his personall character whereby he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne Externally because of those admirable effects and demonstrations of his presence in the Church Now I shall not speak of these operations which he hath as God in creating and conservating of the world but what are more peculiar to the Church in which sense he is called The Spirit of Christ Romans 8.9 because Christ by his death did purchase such gifts and graces for his people the efficient whereof in an appropriated manner is the Spirit of God And First The very ministerial functions and abilities to discharge them are of the Holy Ghost in the Church For although Ephesians 4.11 it 's said That Christ after his Ascension and triumph over Death and Hell Gave gifts unto men Even as great Emperours when they ride in glorious triumph after a final Conquest over their enemies use to distribute large favours and many bountifull signes of honour yet because upon his Ascension he promised the Spirit of God in his absence as the divine Vicar of Christ therefore 1 Cor. 12. we find all operations and diversities of them attributed to the holy Ghost And Acts 25. the holy Ghost is said To make those overseers in the Church of Ephesus So that what Church-officers or what Church-ordinances or order we have and what Gifts and Abilities likewise there are to discharge them These are all of the holy Ghost and of the holy Ghost three wayes 1. In respect of their Institution and being For although it 's by man that such and such persons are elected and ordained to this or that Office yet the Office of it self is of the holy Ghost They are not the Institutions of men nor may men appoint some Church-officers which God hath not because their end is wholly supernatural As it 's said 2 Cor. 12.28 God hath set in his Church such Officers even as he hath set the Sunne and starres in the firmament so that all Officers lawfully called are of the holy Ghost either immediately as at the beginning or else mediately by the order and designation of the Church And as for their gifts it 's plain the extraordinary and miraculous gifts in the primitive times were from Gods Spirit The Scripture often attributeth them to it Only now it may be doubted Whether we can say that the gifts and the abilities that Ministers have now are from the holy Ghost because they are got by humane study and industry And is there any more required to understand the Scripture than any other humane Authour Plato or Aristotle Those cursed wretches Julian and Porphyrius who wrote against the Scripture they understood what they were so invective against yet it cannot be thought they were inabled by the holy Ghost Now to answer this even those natural abilities and humane indowments that men obtain by study are a gift of God they are a blessing which we see God giveth to some and not to other It 's Gods mercy thou art not a natural fool a mad man but when thou hast more understanding and better intellectual abilities than other thou hast a greater gift from God than others Hence in our very ordinary phrase we say such an one hath an excellent gift in his memory in his elocution c. And the Scripture is clear James 1.17 Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of lights which is to be understood universally both of naturals and supernaturals And what hast thou thou hast not received 1 Cor. 4. Hence in the Parable all abilities whether gracious or natural are called Talents and are given by one Master That is the first thing even those excellent abilities which the greatest Heretiques and enemies to the Christian Religion had were of God though the sinfull use of them came from the Devil and their own corrupt hearts They were talents of gold and they made Idols of them 2. As the gifts and abilities Church-officers have are from God so the right understanding of the Scripture and believing the sense contained therein is in a more particular manner a gift of Gods Spirit For although the Spirit of God doth not give us the sense and meaning of the Scripture in an extraordinary manner viz. without the knowledge of the tongues the comparing of places together c. yet in and by these means the Spirit of God doth help us to understand the Scripture I do not here speak of a saving knowledge of the sense of the Scripture but a meer literal knowledge of the meaning thereof This is plain by the Apostle No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit 1 Cor. 12 3 The very historical believing of Scripture truths is from the Spirit of God So that here is required a more peculiar and particular assistance of Gods Spirit in ministerial abilities for the opening of the Scripture then for any humane Authour because the matter
moved so swiftly because the Spirit was in them Oh then as she said If thou hadst been here my brother had not died So doe thou Oh Lord if thy Spirit had inlivened me and moved in me I had not â—ad such dead duties such a dead profession Oh where is thy Spirit When will it breathe heavenly life and vigour into me Thirdly The Spirit of God doth enable us to kill and mortifie sinne Rom 8. If ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh Through the Spirit There is no sinne so deare and beloved to thee so strong and imbred in thee that is as thy owne soule to thee but by the Spirit of God thou mayest mortifie it Never then be afraid of those great Anakims Oh thou cryest out I cannot believe I cannot be heavenly minded Indeed thou canst not but the Spirit of God doth lift up his people to these things Men by natural conscience may leave many outward sinnes but they doe not or cannot mortifie them this is done by Gods Spirit onely As onely by him they could cast out Devils from the possessed thus onely by him can they subdue such sinnes We see then why it is that so many resolve never to sinne again to be such beasts any more and and yet are overcome Alas they goe out in their owne strength against these Goliahs Oh therefore pray and againe pray for the Spirit of God! O Lord here is a lust or a sinne dwels in me as the Jebusite in Canaan I know not how to be freed from it gladly would I be heavenly I cannot I would be believing I cannot give that holy Spirit of thine unto me Pray thus for the Spirit of God more than for health life or any worldly advantage whatsoever Fourthly The Spirit of God doth bestow a filial and ingenuous spirit upon believers whereby they are carried out upon Evangelical and Gospel grounds in their obedience to God And this is a most precious worke to be desired more than all the world An heart with slavish feares is an hell where a man is a tormenting Devil to himself and the guilt of sinne is a gnawing worme that never dieth but Galat. 4.6 He hath sent his Spirit in our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father There is earnestnesse and a Gospel holy boldnesse Hence it is called The Spirit of Adoption Now how admirable and desirable is this when we through feare were subject to bondage to have this Evangelical freedome of Spirit The people of God should pray and seek for this Spirit of Adoption as well as of Sanctification This would be oyle to the wheel this would be wings and legs to thee Fifthly The Spirit of God workes comfort and joy in the hearts of the godly Hence he is called The Comforter John 15.26 As the Devil delights to keepe us in darknesse and feares therefore he had almost swallowed up the incestuous person with immoderate grief 2 Corinth 2. So the Spirit of God delighteth to turne water into wine Joy is a fruit of the Spirit of God Galat. 5.22 Yea it 's called Vnspeakable joy in the Holy Ghost Doe not therefore thinke that the Kingdome of Grace and Godlinesse lieth in a dejected spirit in a troubled soule No it 's in joy as well as in righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 Those doubts and sad thoughts that do lie like a burden and load upon thee came not from the Spirit dwelling in thee Sixthly That we may have this boldnesse and joy the Spirit of God hath another effect which is To witnesse and seale unto our spirits that we are the children of God Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed Ephes 4.30 The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 Oh what a blessed life is this when all these works of Gods Spirit go along together teaching sanctifying and comforting This is the Mount of Transfiguration It 's good to be here Doe not think these things are too great and too good to be had in this life For if we be not wanting to our selves if we bring our cruises he is ready to pour in his oyl Seventhly The Spirit of God worketh wonderfull support and even glorious rejoycing in all afflictions and tribulations Then if ever it 's admirable to see what the Spirit of God doth in believers The Spirit of glory shall rest upon you 1 Peter 4.14 If you reade of the Martyrs burning at the stake if of the persecutions and torments they did with such invincible joy and patience endure it was from the Spirit of glory resting on them Alas we think if God should exercise us with such straits bring us into such troubles we could never bear them Oh consider there is Gods Spirit as well as thy spirit Lastly The Spirit of God doth worke the prayers of Gods people Rom. 8. It 's a Spirit of prayer and mourning he teacheth what to pray and how to pray for spiritual and heavenly things with zeal faith and importunity It helps our infirmities many sins and corruptions are apt to spoil our prayers he helpeth against them yea he worketh groans unutterable he moveth the very foundations of the soul and those prayers cannot but speed because the Spirit knoweth the mind of God All prayers are dead carkasses without the Spirit moving upon them Vse of Examination Try whether thou art one who hast the Spirit of God thus dwelling in thee Oh where is the man or woman that heareth us that knoweth the meaning of these things When Christ spake about eating his body the Capernaites had a grosse understanding therein but saith our Saviour The flesh profiteth little the Spirit giveth life John 6.63 If Christ said thus of his own body than how much rather may we say parts duties an outward Religion profiteth little The Spirit giveth life Rom. 8. Paul saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Thou speakest of Christ and thou hopest he died for thee see what the Scripture saith If thou hast not his Spirit thou art none of his Verse 17. If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy THe Apostle in this seventeenth verse aggravates that Argument which before he had propounded viz. The temple of God wherein the Spirit of God dwels ought to be kept pure and not defiled by any corruptions of Doctrine or lives 1So that the Apostle makes all false Doctrines and corruptions in Gods worship to be a sacriledge And therefore in this verse he doth further amplifie the hainousnesse of this sinne wherein you have 1. The malum culpae supposed If any man defile the temple of God 2. The malum poenae proposed Him will God destroy For the sinne supposed If any man defile the temple This is an allusive expression to the custom among the Jews If any man defiled their Temple the crime was capital what accusations were brought against Paul because he brought in Greeks uncircumcised
in the powerfull effects of it than to binde the Sunne in chaines that it might not runne its race Now though this is mighty and powerfull yet it 's very foolish and despicable in the worlds account And thus you have the first part For the second The Matter of a Christian hope that also is very foolish A man must be the worlds fool that doth part with all for this hope even the Resurrection of the dead to eternal glory This was the incredible paradox Why should it seem incredible to you said Paul when he preached this Resurrection For this he was accounted a mad man The Athenians so famous for knowledge when Paul preached this they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a babler a trifler or as others a sacrilegious fellow Indeed to prove this Article of Religion by natural reason or by examples in nature is impossible though learned men bring pleasant illustrations of it but to those that denied it our Saviour said They erred not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mat. 22.29 We see the Artificer can turn by his Art some kind of earth into curious resplendant glasse and cannot God mueh rather make this vile corruptible body glorious and incorruptible But Thirdly and that chiefly The Duties required by Christ and all that practical way of godlinesse which he enjoyneth carrieth with it a great shew of folly We shall instance in some things that so we may not be ashamed to be godly though accounted the worlds fools and mad men Many men have knowledge they are convinced that it 's their duty to live a more strict precise life but they are ashamed they cannot abide mocks and derisions which the power of godlinesse will expose us unto As First Christ requireth of all his Disciples to live contrary to the wicked wayes of the world Christs Disciples must live in a singular way to the world Pure religion is to keep a man unspotted from the world Jam 1.27 especially Rom. 12.2 Be not transformed to the fashion of the world See then whether these duties will not make a man the worlds fool He must not swear or curse as they do be unclean and runne in excesse of riot as they do be proud and earthly and unjust in their dealings as they are Now there is no man if he be thus carefull to avoid all the defilements of the world but he shall be like the Owl among other birds they are so strict so singular and this they deride when it 's no more than Christ hath commanded Who would put himself upon the scorns and contumelies of others were it not Christs command Take up this principle I must not live as most do most men are damned most men walk in the broad way to Hell there is therefore a narrow and strait way that I must strive to enter in at The world lieth in wickednesse hath many wicked bruitish superstitious eustoms it 's the place where the Devil reigneth And therefore whatsoever wicked men say do thou and thy family serve the Lord Let them make songs of thee raise lies and speak disdainfully do thou still persevere to be Christs fool Beza's name was Theodorus and Genebrard the Papist he by scorne calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fool of God it may be he spake as Caiaphas truly though he did not meane so for Beza desired rather to be a foole in the worlds account than be one of Romes wise men Secondly It is a folly in the world to be so fervent zealous and active in matters of Religion They like well enough a general profession of Christianity a lukewarm obedience unto all the duties thereof but this zeal is forwardnesse they cannot abide that is rashnesse indiscretion that 's madnesse and wilde fire Now it 's true there may be an ignorant and a rash zeal but men are apt to judge so of any more powerfull and forwarder practices of holinesse than they themselves use Whereas the Scripture is plain That no man can be saved that doth not make it his businesse his work his one thing necessary to do the work of God The kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11.12 Doest thou think then by thy formality coldnesse and luke-warm moderation ever to attain Heaven Is not Christianity compared to striving in a mastery to running in a race Do ye not read of Pauls striving forward and forgetting all things that are behinde Phil 3 Did not the holy Ghost descend in the form of fire with a mighty rushing wind to signifie how active it is in those that are godly Doest thou therefore cry out of this forwardnesse and this zeal What is this but to open thy mouth against Heaven On thy death-bed it may be nothing will trouble thee so much as thy slothfulnesse and barrennesse that thou wast not as active for God as for the world thou wouldst then wish thy soul might fare as theirs shall who made it their imployment to serve God Thirdly That part of Christianity seemeth a foolish thing which presseth the life of faith and not of sense Thus the world knoweth not what to make of it That as the Heathens thought the Christians worshipped the clouds because they had no Idols or sensible Images but looked up directly to Heaven So worldly men think the godly please themselves with fancies and imaginations because they talk of the promise and living by faith and not walking according to the sensible principles of the world yet the just shall live by faith Rom. 1.17 A godly man like the earth is fastned upon nothing visible When Habakkuk said Habak 3.17 Though the fig-tree did not blossome c. yet he would rejoyce in God his salvation Would not worldly men think this was his folly rather than faith So when Paul said He was poor yet making many rich and as having nothing yet possessing all things 2 Cor. 6.10 Doth not the world count this folly When Paul said to the believers That all things were theirs would they not say like Festus not much learning but much ignorance had made him mad Lastly To acknowledge Christ and his way though to our outward undoing This seemeth great folly our Saviour therefore doth so fortifie his Disciples That they should not be offended at troubles that they should be hated of all men that they should account it an happy thing to be persecuted for his sake And we see the Apostles and Martyrs chusing the greatest torments rather than to deny any of Christs Truths Now what a foolish thing doth the world account this not to be any thing to do any thing to say and unsay to believe and disbelieve to save a mans estate and his life As the persecutour told Basil the great in this thing indeed great Why would he lose his life for meer neceties and words it was but saying so and so a little matter and all should be well Thus the matter of
the things of this world yet if foolish in heavenly things that earthly wisdome cannot help thee Say then to thy self Oh foolish and unwise sinner Why do I take this moment of pleasure for an eternity of torment Oh foolish and blind man Why do I let the day of grace and the precious time of salvation passe away Will not this be bitternesse in the later end Verse 19. For the wisdome of this world is foolishnesse with God c. THis Verse is brought in as a Cause or Reason why a man should renounce earthly and worldly wisdome because it 's foolishnesse with God See here the different thoughts of God and man the great admired worldly wisdome among men is but foolishnesse with God and that which God cals true and real wisdome men account foolishnesse but it 's quickly decided whose thoughts shall prevail Gods or mans The words of the Text being a Reason asserted in a Proposition we may consider 1. The Subject 2. The Predicate or Attribute The Subject is The wisdome of this world by that you heard was meant all the knowledge learning and prudence which is attained in this world by meer humane industry This is the choice and most excellent pearl that the world hath if their wisdome be thus folly what then is their folly 2. There is the Attribute It 's foolishnesse with God Though the wise men of this world have written several Books as the Encomium hujus moriae the praise of this folly yet God abhorreth and rejecteth it It is foolishnesse with God who is the only wise God who is only able to judge and discern what things are There are many wise learned men in the world whose naked propositions we do more regard than other mens demonstrations But how much more should we acquiesce in Gods assertions We may justly call all humane wisdome meer foolishnesse because God doth so Now when the wisdome of the world is said to be foolishnesse with God that is to be understood two wayes First Actively it is onely contriving plotting and accomplishing foolish things Secondly Passively God turneth it all to foolishnesse as David prayed God would turn Achitophels counsel into folly 2 Sam. 15.31 And as 1 Cor. 1. He hath chosen foolish things to confound the wise things of the world And this passive sense is a great part of the meaning as appeareth by the two-fold testimony taken out of the Old Testament which are to shew that God doth befool and as easily destroy all the wisdome and counsels of meer worldly men as we blow down the houses of clay that little children make in sport Observe That all the admired wisdome of a meer worldly man is nothing but contemptible folly before God The worlds wise man is Gods fool he whose words and counsels in worldly matters are as Achitophels in his dayes like the oracles of God they are by God turned into meer foolishnesse I shall first begin with that active foolishnesse demonstrating by several particulars That all worldly wisdome is meer folly And First This is abundantly seen in all that Idolatry and superstition which the wisest of men are prone unto and wherein they do greatly applaud themselves What more foolish ridiculous and absurd instances have we of folly then of the Idolatry and superstitious worship that the Oracles of their dayes have decreed The Apostle Rom. 1.21 speaketh excellently to this purpose Professing themselves wise they became fools for their foolish heart was darkned And wherein was this seen In turning the glory of the invisible God into an image of an Ox that eateth hay This doth especially relate to the Aegyptians who boasted of their great wisdome and indeed they were the seminary of learning it 's said to all the world yet who more foolish in their Idolatry than they worshipping an Ox yea Mice and Cats and Crocodiles This also might be demonstrated of the Grecians and Romans while applauded for the wise men of the world How absurd and foolish were they in their worship Insomuch that Socrates was called an Atheist meerly because he derided their many gods and Austin relateth a great deal of excellent discourse which Seneca hath against the Idolatry and Superstition than in use though that Tractate be not now among his Works But these are Heathens and so no wonder if we shall find even in the Church of God when men have followed their humane wisdome in prescribing the worship of God by that they become vain and ridiculous witnesse all that heap of foolish and superstitious Ceremonies which Popery brought into the Church by degrees That as the ridiculous deformity of an Ape lieth in imitating or being like a man and yet not a man So the absurd folly of all that superstitious worship did appear in the affectation of Religion and Devotion when indeed it was not so Now this great folly of Idolatry the Scripture doth often aggravate They have eyes and see not c. And they that make them are like unto them They are even such stupid Idols as their Idols are And what holy derision doth the Prophet Eliah put upon Baals Priests launcing and cutting themselves crying O Baal hear us 1 King 18.26 Especially the Prophet Isaiah describeth this bruitish folly when he telleth us of the workmen that with one peece of wood he makes a fire and with another a god Isa 44.19 If you ask then Wherein the great wisdome of the world is foolishnesse I answer in their Worship in their Religion All the golden Images all the curious ornaments and vestments in worship are but beggarly things if compared with the pure spiritual worship of God Thus when the Galatians apostatized from the pure Gospel-worship of Christ and turned to antiquated Ceremonies he cals them Foolish Galatians Chap. 3.1 We doe not breake Christs command when we call such fooles because it 's not from a causlesse anger but a judicious zeal Secondly Worldly wisdome is meer foolishnesse because such men contrive and plot and think to accomplish all their counsels by their own strength and way Now this is a very foolish and absurd thing for the thoughts of a man are in some respect from man but the ordering and disposing of all things is from God Jer. 10.23 I know Lord it is not in man to order his own way Thus you see Achitophel was a meer fool in the issue And thus the Prophet Isaiah cryeth out The princes of Zoan are fools Isa 19.11 even they that boasted in their wisdome We reade of some Romane Emperours and others that did most foolishly affect a Deity especially Caius Caesar for which some thought him the Antichrist Yea some of the Christian Emperours did affect the attribute of God as Constantius the Arian that denied Eternity to the Sonne of God yet would have men salute him with Aeternitas vestra What blasphemous folly was this for a man who was to be worms meat presently Now in some respects all the great wise
death 2 Cor. 7. the godly therefore take heed of it as that which murders the body So inordinate and worldly cares we see how such do even devour men they have so many thorns in their flesh and what life do such live Impatience is a sudden Devil possessing a mans soul In patience possesse your souls Luke 21.19 A man doth not possesse himself he is not master over his own spirit that is passionate and furious So that men in such sins they live but as those that have been thrown to wilde beasts or serpents to be devoured by them Lastly The godly man only liveth Because even in the last breathings of this life his hopes and comforts do most remain The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 And this hope is called A lively hope yea the godly die not at all because all live to God their very dead bodies if you regard the Covenant of Grace and Gods power are alive Luke 20 38. At that moment when all a wicked mans hope perisheth his life faileth him his comforts his friends all forsake him then are the godly to lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh Though they were dead they shall live Dives had the good things of this life but doth he not lose all with his soul at his death Lazarus may say Soul take thy ease when dying which Dives could not But In the second place How can it be said that the wicked do not live when they are said to have their portion chiefly in this life And David by many Psalmes informeth us they do not onely vivere but valere not onely live but flourish Their eyes stick out with fatnesse yet they doe not live because 1. They are dead in their sins And hereby their faith their Religion their Christianity is all dead as you heard 2. They do not live Because they are in a condemned estate they are appointed to wrath As Adam is said to die in the day he did eat of the forbidden fruit and as the Scripture cals some the sonnes of death or dead men because appointed thereunto Oh this should enter deep into thy heart As long as thou livest in thy sinnes thou art a dead man a damned man as the malefactor condemned to die is a dead man though he live a day or two before execution 3. They doe not live Because all their time is lost so all the time of a mans unregâ—neracy is no life All those dayes were lost those duties lost all that time lost 4. They make every thing an instrument of death Their health their wealth their honours are all deadly herbs in the pot their tongue speaks the words of death their hands work the works of death Vse of Instruction to the Godly so live that your life may appear to be yours not the Devils not sinnes that thou doest not live to the world Let thy mouth be a Well of life Be thou a tree of life Prov. 11.20 as Solomon speaks of the righteous Do not thou only live but cause others to live Let thy life put life in others as one candle lightens another one candle kindleth another Vse 2. Of Terrour to wicked men You live not you rejoyce not you have no true mirth or gladnesse False joy is real misery A man that hath an estate of brasse for gold is not rich thou art a dead man as yet even condemned to Hell every day the sentence may be executed on thee and it 's plain thou art dead because thou feelest not thou complainest not under this heavy burden Or Death all things are yours We are upon the third part of the Apostles Enumeration and that is the different conditions which are in the world expressed under those two titles Life and death Not only life is yours but death also And in this later lieth the greater wonder For how Death which was inflicted at first as a curse and punishment for sinne and is the period of all outward comforts in this life should be for our advantage is hard to imagine and then that two contraries should meet in the same issue both life and death produce the like effects makes it still the greater paradox But the more unlikely and impossible it is to humane reason the easiâ—r it is to a divine faith In the Scripture Death admits of several senses 1 Sometimes it 's taken for the spiritual death of the soul in sinne Thus men are often said to be dead and well may this want of grace be called Death because such a man is like Lazarus buried and even putrified in the grave of sinne There is no sense no motion there is nothing but loathsomnesse they are putrifying carkasses and not living men though never so externally glorious in the world 2. There is an eternal Death often mentioned in the Scripture as the reward of every sinne who though they live yet it is a dying life 3. There is the natural Death viz. the dissolution of those two dear friends the soul and the body Lastly Death is put for any great extremity and misery in which sense God is said to raise the dead 2 Cor. 1. And the Israelites captivity is expressed under the similitude pf dead men dead bones and their restauration is a resurrection or living again Ezek 37.1 In these two later considerations we may take it as death comprehends all outward afflictions and miseries as also the separation of soul from body Observe That even Death which in it self is so terrible yet is for a godly mans advantage It 's his mercy it 's his gain as well as life is He may call it his death in a comfortable sense as well as he may call any mercy his To open this consider First That God created man at first after his own Image in righteousnesse and true holinesse and thereby he was immortal Not as God who is absolutely immortal and therefore said Only to have immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 Now as the Angels who are immortal from their intrinsecal constitution having no corruptible principles only God can annihilate them but he was made immortal conditionally had he continued in that state of integrity he had not been capable of death as appeareth by the commination In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die Gen. 2.16 And the Apostle Rom. 5. concludeth That by sinne death reigned over the world where by death is not only meant actual death but potential also or a state of mortality Now the original of death or how it came into the world was not known by the Heathens They called it a tribute that all must pay to nature but why men should die and how it came about at first that they were ignorant of Secondly Vpon Adam 's fall In quo uno omnes peccarunt whose sinne was the sinne of all mankind as Rom 5. Death was inflicted as a punishment upon all So that if we consider death in the abstracted nature of it it is
that to repine or to be discouraged is to say in effect Why is not God wiser Why doth he not order things with more perfect knowledge Oh but as long as faith worketh as long as that puts forth it self so long it beholds matter of wisdome and admiration in all Gods proceedings Secondly It represents the tender love and bowels of God as a Father so that all those strokes they come from love It 's his very pity for a while to break and bruise them that they may be healed more effectually Is the Artificer angry with his plate when he breakes it and throweth it into the fire No it 's for to make it more compleat If so be that we were wholly without corruption if we could walk without sinne then God would no more afflict us here on earth then he doth the glorified Saints and Angels in heaven but our corruption is such that God did not love us or regard us if he did not chastise us Thirdly Faith represents the soveraignty and supream dominion which God hath over the hearts of his children therefore he is called the Father of Spirits Now neither man himself nor all the Angels of heaven are able to give such a composed frame As God only knoweth the hearts of men so he only fashioneth and frameth them If you ask How is it possible that David should be thus immoveable What could keep in his corruption and flesh from repining and disturbing I answer it 's God with whom all things are possible It is this that faith suggests though thy heart be impatient though thou canst not command the waves thereof to be still yet God in heaven can Oh it 's easily confessed that it is not flesh and blood that can make such quiet calmness of soul No it must be an omnipotent work of the great God Did not God put terrour into Cain's heart that though he had built Cities though he did all he could to allay his spirit yet still he trembleth and cannot but tremble Thus on thâ— contrary God he puts joy into the heart of a believer he bids it lye down and be content and although never so many Hornets come buzzing to sting him yet faith keepeth them off â—o that that very frame of heart which even a godly man thinketh it impossible for himself ever to have that he finds sometimes and wonders how it should be so it's God that either layes load on or takes burdens off from the spirit So that the very same sinnes and temptations which formerly they could not apprehend without even faintings and swoundings of the soul now they can remember and bless God with joy for the pardoning of them Vse 1. of Instruction to distinguish between carnal security and godly confidence You have many a prophane man will say the words in my Text I will lye down and sleep it may be at the very Sermon time howsoever under the apprehension of their pleasures and profits they will with Dives bid their soul take its ease But can they say for the Lord taketh care of thee No but it may be this night the Devils will fetch thy soul It may be this night thou must be arraigned at Gods Tribunal Oh how many are sick of this spiritual lethargy How many men lye down securely to sleep that may awake in hell But the godly mans confidence ariseth from spiritual Motives insomuch that though death and the day of Judgement appear yet he may and ought to be thus affected The Difference between Carnal and Gratious Confidence We have heard that it is the property of faith depending on God in a vigorous manner to compose and quiet the heart in the midst of all calamities as if there were none aâ— all Now because even in wicked men there is a carnal senseless spirit that though the anger of God be upon them though their sinnes have found them out yet they can take their ease and pleasures and lay nothing to heart and this is an Epidemical disease It is good therefore to search into the bottome and difference of a gracious confidence from a carnal Now there are two sorts of these carnally confident and secure men under their troubles First There is the Stoical man of whom Senecae and others of that sect do much boast They speak great and swelling words about that man who shall fully have received their principles and confirme himself therein They commend in such a man an indolency and an impassibility that let him be dashed upon by never so many decumane waves yet for all that he stands immoveable like a rock and is not troubled Hence is that speech of theires so famous that their wise man if he were burning in Phalaris his Bull he would cry out Dulce est ad me nihil pertinet Thus the Stoical Philosophy would serve to set forth as admirable and composed a spirit under tribulations as the Christian Religion But Let us discover the sinfulness of such a Stoical stupid spirit And First Although the Stoicks did thus Thrasonically boast in their Books and Seneca speakes high and transcendent speeches in this matter yet when they came to practise they were feeble and effeminate So that they were nothing but words and empty expressions witness that Stoick who in his health had maintained that pain was nothing it was but a fancy when he was grievously tormented with the Gout cryed out of his errour acknowledging when he said so he did not know what pain meant But now if we look upon the godly in the midst of their exercises we shall find they did really put forth such calm and joyfull spirits under the heaviest pressures David you heard said he had done thus as well as he would do so and the Apostles went out rejoycing from the Councel where they had been persecuted because they were accounted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ Act. 5.41 And thus the many thousands of Martyrs they did though not in Phalaris his Bull yet in as great torments cry out Oh how sweet and comfortable is this So that no sect in Philosophy the Stoicks nor none else are able to bring such a multitude of Martyrs as the Christian Religion hath Therefore it 's only Gods Word and the Spirit of God that can enable us to rejoyce and take our rest under sad afflictions Secondly The Stoical discipline did teach a brutish stupidity and senslesness under miseries They would destroy the very passions of grief and fear from a man Thus they make a man to be no better then a stock or a stone that is sinking under the hammer and axe that comes upon it but Christian Religion doth not take away affections but it moderateth and ordereth them David you see though thus calme in his spirit yet he is affected with his calamity he goeth bare foot covereth his head and weepeth as he goeth and Christ himself wept at Lazarus his death It 's the Scriptures rule neither to despise
when in the Battell was taken by his enemies and they ready to kill him yet he cryed unto the Lord and God moved their heart to depart from him 2 Chron. 18.31 So in the thievings and robberies in the world it 's God that diverts men from designing and doing mischief to such Families While the people of Israel wenâ— up to keep their Feast at Jerusalem he ordered mens hearts so That none should desire their Land Exo 34.24 Vse of Thankfulnesse to God in all these common Preservations Every day every morning and evening thou hast cause to wonder at his Power and Goodnesse under all thy temptations What befalls another God tells thee what might come to thee Oh therefore do not take thy life and health God giveth thee and spend it upon the Devils service Remember Thou livest upon Gods mercy if he withdraw for a moment any suddain evil may fall upon thee â‚ FINIS An ALPHABETICAL TABLE A Admiration OF Admiration of Ministers Persons when sinfull p. 48 Afflictions How Afflictions effect good in a man p. 179 181 Agreement The Motive of Agreement is Godlinesse p. 33 Agreement among the wicked easily broken doth not alwaies denote a true Church p. 41 Protestants Agree in Fundamentals p. 41 B Babes BAbes in Christ p. 5 Babes directed p. 8 Backbyting Of Backbyting p. 35 Building Gods people are his Building p. 118 The Scripture is the foundation of this Building p. 141 Of a two-fold Building upon the foundation p. ibid. How a Minister must take heed how he builds on the foundation p. 142 Of their Building Gold Silver Precious Stones p. 157 Boasting Of Boasting in men p. 265 See Glorying C Carnall CArnall its several significations p. 5 In what sense a godly man may be said to be Carnall p. 21 Ceremonies Of Ceremonies p. 11 Causes Causes of Grace Principal and Subordinate p. 59 Principal the Ministry p. 68 Efficient the Spirit of God ibid. Church The Churches Duties p. 20 Of Church-Government p. 84 Of the Holinesse of Churches p. 118 The matter of a Church ibid. The Church of God is his Temple p. 193 The Churches Priviledges Relations and Titles should be a spur to duty ibid. The Churches Riches enumerated p. 270 Christ Christ justly exalted p. 30 As the Foundation p. 21 145 Christ may be sinfully set up and how p. 58 What it is to preach Christ p. 145 153 The Godly and all they can do are Christs p. 294 Christians Christians should â—â—ve as those that are more then meer men p. 42 Contention Contentions argue men to be so farre carnal p. 33 Contentions are two-fold Good â—vil p. 34 36 37 The cause of sinfull strife p. 34 The Effects of it in Civil Religious Matters p. 35 36 The Aggravations of this sinne p. 36 D Damnation OF Damnation p. 222 Death Death the godly mans advantage p. 282 Deacon Deacon the word used diversly p. 66 Defile Defilers of Gods Temple with corrupt Doctrine p. 216 Difference Difference between Christian and Christian in respect of their Knowledge and Graces p 5.22 Discipline Discipline how severe in the Primitive times p. 7 Divisions The sad Effects of Divisions p. 99 Direction for Times of Division ibid. Difficulty The difficulty of the salvation of those that are most godly p. 192 Divinity Divinity contains a two-fold Matter 1. Fundamentals and 2. Conclusions from them E Encrease THe Encrease and successe of preaching from God p. 86 Ends. Of corrupt Ends in a Minister and good Ends p. 63 64 Envy Envy the word used in a good sense and in a bad sense p. 25 It 's a fruit of the flesh p 25 Its Degrees p 26 Its Object p. 27 It s Subject p. 28 Its Aggravations p. 29 Its Remedies p. 32 How differenced from zeal p. 32 Errour Errour Considerations about it p. 142 c. Errours are Hay and Stubble though not Fundamentall p. 161 Men may be erroneous and not know it 161 Errours Greater Lesser p. 121 161 Why called Hay and Stubble Its secret waies shall be made manifest p. 169 May indanger salvation p. 189 Its Causes p. 169 Defile Gods Church p. 217 Erroneous times sad times p. 174 How God will punish the erroneous p. 186 219 How farre a godly man may erre and how a godly man erring differeth from a wicked man p. 220 The Difference between Errour and Heresie p. 190 See Doctrines Eternal Of Eternal Damnation F Family OF Family-Duties p. 3 See Relations Wickdnesse p. 3 4 13 Such as they are such is the Common-wealth p. 14 Faith Faith Its eminency p. 70 Nature and Acts p. 71 Its Foundation viz. the Scripture p. 126 Effects p. 72 Knoweth its ground why though it comprehend not the matter believed p. 71 Is the Instrument of Sanctification as well as of Justification p. 72 Fundamental Of Fundamentals p. 2 The ignorance of them lamentable p. 2 Reduced to several Heads p 14 Are easie p. 15 Knowledge of them necessary ibid. Foundations Foundations in Religion carefully to be laid p. 125 Four unquestionable Scripture Foundations I. The Matters to be believed viz. The Scripture is the only Foundation of our Faith p. 125 126. How carefull Ministers should be to build truth upon that Foundation p. 141 Four rotten Foundations The Authority of the Church Magistrate Enthusiasme Meer humane Reason p. 127 II. The Worship and necessary Service of God p. 129 How necessary it is ibid. It must have a Divine Command p. 131 Three rotten Foundations in Worship ibid. III. The things to be done by us p. 125 This Foundation of Practice consists in 1. It 's Directory Gods Word 2. The Justification of our Persons 3. A receiving power from Christ 4. A renewed and sanctified Nature p. 133 The necessity of this Foundation p. 134 Four rotten Foundations that men build upon in reference to practice p. 135 How Christ is the Foundation p. 145 c. How the Apostles the Foundation p. 145 c. Fool. Wise men after the flesh are fools p. 229 G Glory THe Degrees of Glory p. 101 105 Of Glorying in men The sinfulnesse of this sinne p. 261 And how many waies that is done ibid. See Boasting Godly Their Characteristical Priviledges p. 155 265 Of Godlinesse in the power of it p. 42 105 Grace Free Grace to be exalted and praised and how p. 121 Why the godly are so sensible of free Grace p. 123 Impediments of this duty p. 124 Gospel Gospel how great a mercy to a people p. 79 Government Of Government in the Church p. 120 Growth in Grace Growth in Grace and Knowledg pressed p. 1â— 91 Intensive Extensive ibid. Grounds of Religion See Principles and Fundamentals H Hay OF building Hay and Stubble p. 161 Hell Of Hell p. 222 Heresie Heretiques How God will punish Heretiques p. 220 Hide How vain and sinfull to Hide our sinnes p. 166 c. Holy Ghost The Holy Ghost is God and a Person p. 201 c. Why called a Spirit ibid. Heaven Heavens