their ministerial actions to plant and to water To begin the foundation of Christianity and afterwards to build a superstruction So that Pauls planting supposeth the Corinthians to be a barren untilled and confused people like the world at first a Tohu and a Bohu a meer horrid wildernesse till the Gospel being planted among them they become a pleasant Garden and a fruitfull Field From whence we may observe That it's Gods unspeakable goodnesse sometimes to send his Word and plant his Gospel among a people that never heard or knew any thing before If you consider all the Countreys and Kingdomes wheresoever the Gospel hath taken effect since Christs time you shall find that they were thrones of Satan places where Idolatry reigned They were like those desolate places the Prophet speaks of where the Satyr and screech-Owl even all black and Heathenish confusion did exalt it self So that where God doth out of stones raise up children to Abraham turn a Paganish Heathenish people into a Church there is wisdome power and goodnesse no lesse yea more wonderfull than when he did out of that deformed confusion and chaos make a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a beautifull adorned world Even this England this ancient Britain was once a place of horrible Idolatry Paganism no knowledge of Christ nor his Gospel But served dumb Idols and walked according to the course of this world having the Prince of darknesse ruling over us as in other places So that the Gospel that is like the glorious Sunne and every Kingdome or Nation is like a doâ—esome black dungeon yea like an hell where Legion of Devils are till the beams of this light do enlighten them To amplifie this Doctrine many things are observable First That when the Apostle saith That he planted the Gospel it doth suppose all people to be a wilde barbarous people till the Gospel both civilizeth and sanctisieth them To plant is properly of Orchards and Gardens and Vineyards and supposeth the great care and skill of him that plants Thus God is said to plant Eden Gen 2.8 And so a people are made the Church and people of God by plantation by Gods goodnesse and power of themselves they are like wilde beasts not knowing the way of happinesse It was the custome of the Grecians and Romans because they had the culture of Arts and good Civil Government to call other people Barbari Barbarians And thus the Apostle opposeth the Grecians and Barbarians together Col. 3.11 Barbarous comes from the Hebrew Bar gâ—minated that signifieth a field untilled a desart so they looked upon all other men in the world But indeed even the Grecians and Romans were barbarous wild people comparatively till the Gospel came among them They had no true knowledge or understanding till the Word the Rule of all wisdome was discovered to them Oh how should this make us of England magnifie the goodnesse of God to this Land who once had no Ministry of Christ who were like so many lumps of earth that worshipped the Devil and the Idols of the world They had their Dryades whâ—ch Julius Caesar speaks of that were like Witches serving for their Priests that lived up and down in woody places Why might not we have been born in those days while Britany was Paganish and Heathenish Antiquity in Religion is no good plea for here was Idolatry and the worship of the Devil before any knowledge of Christ It 's a great mercy to be born in such times in such an age and in such places where the name of Christ is published for this is wholly in Gods disposal he hath determined to all men the times of their life and habitations Secondly Consider That in the Old Testament God did limit his gracious presence to the Jews only In Judea only was salvation and the knowledg of God John 4 That was the Goshen where light was all the world else was darknesse Indeed some few particular persons that were forrainers and strangers became proselytes and gave up their names to God but there were no Countreys or Nations received the Word of God but Judea onely But when Christ came then that partition wall was broken down and after his death he gave a Commission to preach the Gospel to all the world And thus the Word like the Sunne in the Heavens went from one end of the world to another and none could hinder the course thereof Yea where Roman Emperours power and sword could not get dominion there the Apostles and their Successours conquered and prevailed And this and no other is the Universal Grace the Scripture speaketh of whereas formerly it was particular Then Christ the strong man came and bound the Devil who had possessed the earth and kept it in quiet slavery to him so that under the times of the Gospel Christ hath been made known where God hath sent his Word though it were into the utmost parts of the earth Thirdly Therefore that there might be spiritual plantations and holy Colonies the Lord Christ appointed extraordinary Officers furnished with extraordinary abilities to propagate the Gospel These were called Apostles It was for the Apostles and not ordinary Officers to plant Churches so that they had a Commission to go and preach to any people in the world They were not bound to keep residence at any one place but to go from Nation to Nation to disseminate the spiritual seed of the Gospel and that like mustard seed at first small and little presently grew up to a tall tree and spreaded its branches through the whole world And as the Apostles had this universal commission so they were endued with power to work wonderfull miracles for miracles were because of the Heathens and unbelievers By these they confirmed their Doctrine and calling to be of God immediately yet this was not so tied to the Apostolical Office but that in afâ—er ages many Countreys have received the Gospel by other means especially persecution and the patient sufferings of Christians did much help thereunto That as a captive Maid was a means to bring Naaman to the knowledge of God and his Worship so captive persons have been instrumental to make whole Kâ—ngdoms acquainted with the Gospel of Christ Thus God hath alwayes disappointed the hopes of wicked men and that very way whereby they have thought to destroy the Gospel it hath flourished more It 's the Vine that by pruning hath increased As the grain of corn except it die cannot bring forth any fruit so is it with the Gospel These precious herbs the more they are pressed and pounced the sweeter smell they make Fourthly Gods severity and mercy hath been observable about the first planting of the Gospel For when a people have lived rebelliously and sinfully under it a long time then he takes it away and gives it to another Nation Thus God began with the Jews told them That to them the Word must be fiâ—st preached but seeing they had rejected the counsel of God they were to go
them I rather think the latter because it 's used as a Name of honour If any man suffer as a Christian saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.3 Now this title Christian is of great importance Many are apt to say As they are a Christian when there is no reall Christianity in them For to be a Christian is as much as to be one anointed For as Christ was so called because annointed with all Graces in an unlimited manner so every Member of Christ is called a Christian because anointed with Graces Oh then thou that gloriest in that thou art no Heathen no Infidel no Jew but a Christian consider whether this be not a vain boast For is thy prophaneness thy wickedness thy impieties the anointing of Gods Spirit So that to have the reall power of Christianity is a difficult and straight work In after times the title Christian still continued And although they were sometimes called Cornelians from Cornelius Cyrillians from Cyrillus and Joannitae from John Chrysostome Eustathiani from Eustathius yet they did not own these Names And as Heresies began to rise up in many places some teaching one thing some another the Christian that kept to the true Faith that was constantly and universally believed in all the ages of the Church beginning from Christ and the Apostles times was called Catholique or universall in which sense he said Christianus mihi nomen Catholicus cognomen So that to be a Catholique was to believe that Faith which had been universally taught first by Christ and the Apostles afterwards by faithfull men in all ages And for the Papist to call himself a Catholique when the Roman Church hath so manifestly degenerated from the Apostolical and Scripture Doctrine and for them to make the Roman and the Catholique Church all one is as absurd as if a man should call London or England all the world The Papist therefore is no Catholique in a true sense because he cannot prove his Faith by the Apostolical Doctrine in the Scripture yea accuseth the Scripture as insufficient And some of their learned men have confessed that if they should try thir cause by the Scripture meerly it was gone I shall instance in one famous Name given to such who truly own Christ and his Truths and that is Protestants They were called thus not many years since in Luther's time whereas the Orthodox had got some indulgence for the profession of their true Religion and pure worship The Popish party did importune the Emperour of Germany to make an Edict at Worms and afterwards at Spires That no Religion should be publickly professed and owned but the Roman The Lutheran Party both Noblemen and others made a Solemn Protestation against that unjust Decree and ever since all that reformed from Popery have been called Protestants So that all those who have a compliance with Popery that admire their way in their heart or act by their principles cannot truly be called Protestants Thus you have heard the chief names by which Christians are called And still after no mans name And whereas Papists call us Lutherans Calvinists c. we indeed own Luther and Calvin and such men for worthy and famous instruments of Gods glory in their time but it is their calumny to call us after their Names It is true a man by way of difference or distinction he may say a Lutheran and Calvinist to denote some peculiar opinion but to own any man as an Author of our Faith or the foundation of Religion is not consistent with true Christianity There are pregnant Reasons for this First Because as our faith in regard of the efficient cause is the gift of God so the object and motive of it must be Gods authoriâ—y because he speaks and revealeth such things Humane faith is because a man saâ—â—h such a thing divine faith because God saith so Now see how carefull the Apostle was that the Churches faith should not be in humane wisdome but in the mighty power of God And so the Thessalonians received it not as the word of man but as the word of God 1 Thess 2.13 The Apostle saith They had not dominion of their faith 2 Cor. 1.24 They were not able to make any Articles of Faith necessary to be believed You see then none may be called after men we are not their Disciples their believers for that which resteth on men is but an humane faith and we ought to have a divine faith Men indeed may be instruments to propound the things to be believed but the motive is a divine testimony because God saith so Solomon by his wisdome declared to which woman the childe belonged to but he did not cause the affections of the mother to the child So faithfull Officers of the Church may declare the truth of God but they cannot work faith in thee Secondly Therefore we may not be called after men to build on them because we are not baptized into any mans name and we are onely to professe those in whose name we are baptized into 1 Cor. 1.13 Paul doth powerfully urge this Argument why they might not say they were of Paul because they were not baptized into the name of Paul So then his Disciple thou art and his badge thou onely art to wear in whose name thou wert baptized and that is not into the name of a man but the Name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Thirdly The Apostle presseth another Argument Was Paul crucified for you Did Paul die for you 1 Cor. 1.13 His meaning is In him onely we are to believe who is able to make our reconciliation with God who hath wrought our Redemption for us And therefore it 's a very high sinne to build your faith on a man It 's to make him a Saviour it 's to put him in Christs room Fourthly Our Apostle urgeth a further Argument in the same Chapter He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord And Christ is made unto us Wisdome So all boasting in men is to be excluded as well as boasting in works Oh but what is the cause of so many errors of so many divisions It 's from boasting in men such a man and such a man and by this meanes the glory due to God is taken away Fifthly The Scripture makes it a great sinne in matters of Religion and the worship of God to be servants of men 1 Cor. 7.23 Now what is it to be a servant of men when as bruit beasts we are wholly led at the command of others believe what they bid us believe worship with such worship as they command yet this hath been an universal sinne in all ages of the Church Men nuzzled in ignorance and pleasing themselves in their folly have without any judgement or information from Gods Word taken such a Religion and followed such a Worship as hath been imposed upon them Hence they have been sometimes of one Religion and sometimes of another because they have been servants to men and not Disciples of Christ
then that of Bread Amos 8.11 But when will swine prize a Pearl or carnal men the things that are spiritual But then Secondly The several Abilities and various Parts that Officers in the Church have while they discharge this Office This we commonly call such a mans gifts He hath a special gift in such or such a way The Apostle speaks of the Word of Doctrine some men hath viz. doctrinally to open the sense of the Scripture and solidly to confirm it And another man hath the Word of exhortation Rom. 12.8 His Ability is in applying throughly and powerfully the Doctrine confirmed to the Conscience of the Hearers And both these are admirably necessary This is to be a shining and burning light Shining by Doctrine and burning by Application Thus some have more Eloquent Gifts others more plain and solid Esay is full of Eloquence and Amos is more plain Austin said Qui dedit Petrum piscaâ—â—rem dedit Cyprianum Rhetorem God hath called plain men yet inabled by Gifts to preach his Word and he hath also called eloquent men The Hen though with an hoarse voice can cluck her Chickens together as well as the Nightingale her young ones with a sweet voice In the next place This latter sort of Gifts are of two sorts Either Extraordinary such as the Spirit of God gave immediately without any humane industry or labour And thus in the Primitive Times of the Church their Gifts were extraordinary For though the Apostles were at first Tradesmen and illiterate yet ere they had a publique Commission to preach to all the world they had the Spirit of God extraordinarily descending on them in cloven Tongues That as diversity of Tongues did once destroy Babel so this variety of Tongues would destroy the Devils Kingdom So that the gifts of Tongues the gift of Interpretation and many of those things we read of 1 Cor. 12. they were extraordinary According to the Prophesie of Joel Act. 2. That God would pour his Spirit on them and their old men and young men should see Visions and dream Dreames These were extraordinary But because such extraordinary gifts were in the nature of Miracles to confirm the Apostles Doctrine and their Mission from God they now cease Therefore in the second place there are Ordinary gifts and they are such which by labour and study and praying we obtain at Gods hand For even these ordinary abilities of learning Parts and gift of Doctrine of Exhortation they come by the blessing of God And therefore when God is angry he blasts men and takes away their gifts from them Now these ordinary gifts the Appostle supposeth would be in Churches constituted after his departure Therefore it 's required of every Elder he should be apt to teach 1 Tim. 3.2 Yea those that had extraordinary gifts did make use of study and labour and diligent paines Thus Paul exhorts Timothy to give himself to reading that his profiting may appear to all men 1 Tim. 4.13 15. Yea Paul himself made use of his Parchments So that those Lamps which were inlighted by God himself did yet need the continuall oyl of their labour and paines And if this was true of those extrordinary gifted persons how much more of ordinary The Nurse that feeds not cannot long give milk so neither the Miinster that studieth not Now in the next place Consider the Ends Why all have not the same Gifts but some one way some another And First Hereby God doth declare his Wisdome His honour is magnified by these varieties It argueth there is plenty and fulness of the Spirit with him When God made the world how many several Species and kinds of Creatures did he make which no man can reckon up And then every individual in that Species different by some individual Properties from one another Every man hath a different face from another Which variety of the creatures doth wonderfully extoll the treasure of his wisdome The Musician sheweth his skill by his variety of Notes When the Tabernacle was to be built there was Aholiab and Bezaliel endowed with excellent wisdome for that purpose So that in this diversity of Administrations we may behold the wisdome of God and praise him much more in the Church Assemblies then in beholding the creatures Secondly God gives several Gifts that so the meanest may not be despised nor the greatest puffed up Because they did not only all come from God but they are in their harmony necessary The foot is a necessary member as well as an eye but the eye is more noble So that where the meanest gifts are if gifts when faithfully and conscionably imployed for the publique good they are not to be contemned because Gods Gifts And in this sense He that reproacheth the poor reproacheth his Maker Even as the least creature in the world is not without its proper use and office And then the greatest gifts they are but gifts and therefore we must not arrogantly be puffed up with them We must not take this wedge of gold and make an Idol of it and worship it Great parts and gifts have many times been great temptations and brought great misery As Matthew Paris speaks of one that having spent his time in his Lectures to prove that Christ was God and being greatly applauded for it he cried out and said O Jesus thou art beholding to me for thy Divinity this day Or to that effect Whereupon immediately this great Doctor was stricken with such ignorance and forgetfulness that for ever after he could not so much as say the Lords Prayer but as a little Child said it to him Let those then that have Parts take heed they do not promote the Devils Kingdom thereby and so at last be cursed by God Ornari à te Diabolus quaerit said Austin to an Heathen a great Scholar whose Conversion he endeavoured But Thirdly Gods main end of giving diversity of Gifts is that so if possible men may be converted and healed To one God gives Doctrine to another the Word of Exhortation and all is that if one prevail not the other may Thus there are some who are Sonnes of Thunder others that are Sonnes of Consolation that so both the way of terrour and the way of mildness may prosper So that the diversity of Gifts is a great demonstration of Gods willingness that men should repent and be healed Our Saviour comparing John's Ministry and his together Mat. 11.16 17 18. which seemed to differ exceedingly makes this use of it John came unto you in a strict extraordinary way he kept in the wilderness he went in rough garments And all this ridged way was to bring to repentance The Sonne of man he came eating and drinking viz. in a more familiar and conversing way And therefore he saith it was like the Childrens play We have piped to you and you have not danced mourned to you and you have not wept We have several waies treated with you But behold the wickedness
Ministry he would gather a people to himself And First This is a fit and an accommodated way to our natures When God sends men of the same mould and subject to the same affections this may the more easily draw us When God delivered the Law himself it was with such terrour and majesty that they desired that God would not himself speak any more to them so that meer men would not be able to bear the immediate approaches of the Divine Majesty to them Hence in the Old Testament when any divine apparition was made they presently concluded they should die immediately Can any see God and live Thus then it 's Gods goodnesse and love to appoint men of the same mould to be his messengers to importune you in his stead This is more sutable to you As the Fowler catcheth many birds by one decoy a bird of the same feather or rather as the Apostle argueth concerning Christ It became us to have such an High-priest that could be sensible of our condition and compassionate with us Heb. 7. Thus it is here it becometh us to have such to bring us home unto God that are affected with our estates that have the same temptations in them as other men Hence the more experience Gods Ministers have of the work of grace the temptations of Satan the deceitfulnesse of sinne the more fit they are to comfort others or to deliver them out of snares As face answereth face so the heart of man answereth another Prov. 27.19 Secondly He may do it to oblige us and tie us to his instituted means It 's a great caveat in the Scripture and frequently urged No man must follow the imagination of his own heart And in the New Testament many Commands To obey them that watch over them in the Lord and to submit to them for their workes sake Heb. 13. Thus also in the Sacrament God though he be not bound to them he can work grace as he pleaseth yet he hath bound us Therefore that no man might neglect or despise the Ministry thinking What needeth this preaching I may have grace by immediate revelations God is not tied to these externals Now God would prevent such loose principles and bind us up to his instituted way he will bind us though he is not bound Thirdly Herâ—by God would exercise the humility meeknesse and obedience of men Oh it 's a great matter for men to submit to Gods institution These are Shâ—pherds they are Guides they are Watchmen they are to instruct to exhort to rebuke and that sharply as occasion may serve Now how many men do abhorre and disdain this thinking all such Church-subjection worse than Turkish slavery The Scripture indeed commends to the Ministers of God much patience much meeknesse and that they should not Lord it over Gods heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 But it 's hard to discharge all ministerial duties especially that of powerfull reproving of sinne and Church-censures and not to have this accounted pragmatical lordlinesse As they said to Lot He will needs be a Judge over us Gen. 19 9. because he opposed them in their wickednesse Hereby then God will try thy humility and exercise thee if thou canst submit to those wayes God hath instituted in his Church not scorning to be either instructed or rebuked by such Fourthly That men might be the more inexcusâ—ble For if thou art not now converted and turned from thy sinne who shall plead for thee We may take up that of the Apostle you need not say Who shall ascend up into Heaven or descend into the lowermost parts of the earth For the Word is near you and nigh unto you Yea the Scripture maketh it a mercy when we have men of our own tongue and not a strange one that delivereth the Word unto us Oh then how speechlesse wilt thou be at the great day when God shall arraign thee Why hast thou not left thy sinnes Why hast thou not forsaken thy evil wayes Did I not send Messengers of thy own flesh and bloud Did they not speak in a tongue thou knowest and understoodest Why then have ye been rebellious Oh think of this for there is no sinne that God will punish so severely as that his Messengers have come away doing no good to a people God will one day make you know what it is to have a labourer for him amongst you Then shall they know they had a Prophet among them Ezek. 33.33 Then when they shall be punished more than any other people in the world Then when in their own consciences they shall be convinced Oh we heard these things we were told of these things but rejected them Fifthly God will hereby declare his power so much the more For God to have labourers with him doth not derogate from his power but advanceth it the more for when you see him work those divine and admirable effects by such a contemptible way in the judgment of flesh and bloud hereby God is the more set up We have this treasure in earthly vessels that the power may be of God 2 Cor. 4.7 Hence Paul cals it The foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 that which is so mighty through God to confound the great things and wise things of the world he cals it The foolishnesse of preaching because in carnal reason it is so both in regard of the matter and the means or messengers thereof God could have immediately and suddenly destroyed Jericho with his command but he would have them compasse the City seven times and blow with Rams horns and then the wals must fall down Now Gods using such unlikely means made his power the more apparent which made the Apostle say Our weapons are not carnal but spiritual but because they are spiritual may they not be despised No they are mighty to the casting down of the strong holds of sinne and whatsoever doth lift up it self 2 Cor. 10.5 Now to this there needs one Caution to be added viz. That this connexion between the labour of the Minister and Gods working is not natural necessary and perpetual Paul may plant and Apollo may water yet God give no increase We may work and yet neither the presence or power of God be therein It 's not here as in the works of nature there God hath made a perpetual and unalterable Decree where such and such causes work he will also work but this is not so As for the Lutherans who will not acknowledge that the Ministry and Gods Spirit are ever divided neither in the Sacraments Baptism for example will allow a Baptismus externus and internus I know not how to understand them much lesse consent to them Now if you ask When may it fall out that though the Ministry laboureth yet God doth not work with it I have spoken to this already Reasons may be on Gods part the Ministrers and the peoples I shall onely speak to the hearers this two-fold duty if they would have God work with us if you would
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
stoutest trees to tremble The sayings of any men in the world though never so eminent are not brought in religious matters for confirmation but illustration And it 's a great proficiency in hearers when they affect and delight in such preaching Austin while a Marcionite and a great Humanist had much ado to delight in the Scripture because he did not find such humane eloquence but when he came to find the words thereof like fiery darts and arrows in his soul then he was ravished with the excelleâ—cy of it Sâ—condly It 's to preach them with Scripture gravity and solidity As the Oracles of God 1 Pet. 4.11 he doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the words but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the oracles implying the power and efficacy of Gods Spirit upon us aâ— having more of divine inspirations than humane acquisitions The more of mens wits fancies and conceits the lesse of God and so carrieth the lesse reverence and awe And this the Apostle doth greatly aim at Those false teachers came with cunning and enticing words and so deceived whereas the Apostle speaketh to the contrary That the Gospel came unto them not in humane eloquence but in demonstration of the Spirit and of the power of God Indeed humane parts and humane arts they are to be used but as servants not as mistresses It 's Austins allusion concerning Cyprian The Israelites took gold and jewels and earings from the Egyptians and turned them to their own use and so we may take humane abilities and excellencies and make them contribute to the Gospel only they must not be affected nor made the principal As the flowers that may be in a Corn field all the plowing and sowing was not for them but for corn Christs truths you see are precious stones and they need no painting Thirdly They are to be preached with Scripture simplicity in respect of aims and ends For though a man should build gold and silver yet if it be for humane glory and earthly greatnesse he builds hay and stubble though this be known to God only But this fire will discover the secrets of mens hearts And therefore we are not only to look to what we build but why we build Is it the glory of God the salvation of mens souls This will be comfortable at the day of revelation of all things Vse of Instruction With what delight and holy covetousnesse you should receive the truths of Christ they are no lesse worth than gold than precious stones The Tabernacle was covered all oveâ— with gold and they brought precious stones to it and thus is the Church of God still to be built Revel 21.19 And as in Solomons dayes God made gold as common as the stones in streets So in these later dayes those golden truths which before were rare and precious now are common but the common familiarity of them hath brought contempt and neglect of them else thou wouldst take up every truth of Christ as a precious pearl These are the best Jewels in the ear Oh but who can bewail the swinish lusts of men who had rather have their drosse than those pearls No wonder God hath brought so many terrible judgements upon us for we have been wanton under the choisest and most precious mercies even the holy truths of God Every Sermon hath been throwing pearl to some swine to bruitish wicked men that in stead of loving of them have turned again and rent them as much as lieth in their power If any man build hay wood and stubble The Apostle in this Text describes two Buildert the wise one and he builds gold and precious stones viz. the excellenâ— truthâ— of God And the foolish one he builds wood hay and stubble You heard by these later are meant all errours and false doctrines although they be not destructive of the foundation For the Apostle alludes to some kind of building which a man may imagine in his mind whose foundation and chief parts is of gold and silver but all the superstructure wood hay and stubble This would be a most deformed and incongruous sight as the Poets Mulier formosa supernè but aesinit in piscem Now do but observe what contemptible unprofitable and vain matter all false doctrines though never so gloriously dressed are by these similitudes even like Nazianzens Ape in mans cloaths It 's but Michals Image of straw that she put in Davids room for David Observe That all errors and falshoods in Religion though not fundamental are no better than hay and stubble Thus the Apostle Be not carried away with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 Errours are a sudden gust of winde Philosophers say It 's a dry exhalation from the earth and violently beaten back again from Heaven So is any false Doctrine it comes from earthly and carnal lusts and desires and it is beaten back by God from Heaven he doth not own it Quid vento levius and so these winds of Doctrine are uncertain sometimes they blow in the North sometimes in the South even as necessity and carnal advantages drive them and which is more not only the Doctrine is thus light and empty but the builders are such as their Doctrine the Doctrine is stubble and they are stubble therefore he saith Be not carried away with them as if the persons were nothing but straw Even as the Psalmist saith They that made Idols were wholly like them Thus it is here Let men therefore that broach falshoods and people that receive them never so much dote and be inamoured with their own false opinions as if they were gold and precious stones yet the Scripture cals them no lesse than hay and stubble such as God will raise a fire to consume and devour Thus the Prophet Jeremiah What is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23.28 The Doctrine of the false Prophets that is the chaff and of the true that is the wheat To amplifie this truth Consider First Though all errours in opinion and religion have no better a name and no better a nature yet those that build them do not think so They judge what they build gold and silver they think their monsters beautifull and comely The false Prophets in the Old Testament they would presumptuously call their dreams and imaginations the word of the Lord and Zedekiah the false prophet struck Micaiah the true saying Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee 2 Chron. 18.23 Now the Apostle Peter tels us That as there were false Prophets in the Old Testament so there shall be in the New who shall bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 Not that they judge them so for happily they might speak as Paul saith he thought he was bound to do what he did against Christ and his way And our Saviour speaking of the bitterest enemies the Christians should meet with he saith They think they shall do God good service by their persecuting of them John 16.2 Every
erroneous person therefore is not presently convinced in his own conscience of his false way he may as the Antichristian party is be delivered up to believe a lie To call light darknesse and darknesse light Even as the distempered palate may call sweet things bitter So then though errours in Doctrine be stubble and trash yet they are not thought so by the Authors of them The Manichees called Manes Manicheus because he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they commonly commend their falshoods as the precious rare and unheard of truths of Christ Secondly When the Apostle cals these errours hay and stubble he doth not speak of fundamental errours neither but such as are consistent with and built on the true foundation They do not damne the Authour of them but they make his salvation difficult He shall be saved but by fire For as for those Doctrines that race up the foundations Peter cals them damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 Paul reckons them with Idolatries Witchcrafts and all the grosse sinnes that palpably exclude from the Kingdome of Heaven Gal. 5.21 Yea if an Angel from Heaven should bring such a Doctrine we were to hold him accursed Gal. 1.8 9. And all the faithfull are commanded Not to bid such an one God speed John 2. Epist As John the Apostle would not wash himself in that Bath where Cerinthus the Heretique had been So that these expressions of hay and stubble are onely for lesser errours But those that are in Folio as it were they are poison They are the venome of the red Dragon They are like the Plague that strikes dead into Hell quickly without a speedy recovery So that as all sinnes are not alike so neither are all errours And we are to make a difference between those that are fundamental Circa-fundamental and Super-fundamental as a man may so say As in sicknesses some are mortal and deprive of life immediately others are not so In the second place Let us consider why the Apostle cals errours by such names wood hay and stubble First Because of the vilenesse and contemptiblenesse of them Men if they did understand the Scripture and walk by that Rule would no more regard them than the straw under their feet as we say For as the true Doctrines of Christ were compared to gold because of their precious and excellent nature so errours are called stubble because of their base and vile nature In the Old Testament the names of Idols were names of contempt and scorn Baal-Phegor and Baal-zebub and thus here the sinfull opinions that men deliver are straw and stubble Secondly The Apostle describeth the Idolatry of the Heathens under this aggravation Rom. 1. That they turned the Image of God into an Oxe that eateth hay and truly all that love and delight in errours doe so They who should be after the Image of God delighting in precious and heavenly truths make themselves like the beast that eats hay Vitiated and corrupted stomacks will eat trash and so distempered minds and corrupted will receive falshoods Secondly It 's compared to hay and stubble for the levity and uncertainty of it What solidity hath a straw that is blown up and down with every winde Now the lightnesse and uncertainty appeareth in three things 1. It cannot abide the touchstone it cannot endure to be tried Straw cannot endure the fire The thief or he that doth evil hateth the light saith our Saviour John 3.20 Counterfeit and base coin cannot abide the touchstone whereas the Apostles when they preached they were willing to have their Doctrines tried by the Scripture and the Bereans are commended for making such an enquiry Acts 17.11 The Owls and the Bats cannot endure the day As soon as errour is detected it is confuted whereas the precious truths of God they grow more excellent and glorious by the trial of them The wheat loseth nothing by winnowing the iron by filing By all the errours and heresies that ever have been truth hath gotten the advantage As the ark was the more lifted up to Heaven by the waters 2. It 's uncertainty is seen in the divers shapes and moulds it hath denying and affirming As Tertullian of the Peacock Multicolor versicolor nunquam idem tamen semper idem Thus erroneous Doctrines are alwayes in new dresses in a new garb as they are necessitated by truth How often was Pelagianism interpoluted Therefore the Apostle cals the dealing of such persons who use to sow these tares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 4.14 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a slight jugling yea and bewitching Gal. 3.1 making such things to appear to the sense that have no subsistence Thus among the Arians both the Eusebiusses were in crafty and divers dresses sometimes for the Orthodox sometimes against them And Pelagius did four times change his opinion about Grace or rather his expressions At first he denied grace then he made nature grace then the outward preaching of the Word grace then granted the grace of remission of sinne Thus he did gratiae voâ—abulo uti ad frangeâ—dum invidiam So that herein the levity and uncertainty of falshoods doth appear that they are divers and strange Doctrines strange to the Word and divers and disagreeing among themselves 3. It 's uncertainty is seen that it doth never stay till God in mercy to his Church put a period to it Therefore false Doctrines are compared to a Gâ—ngrene 2 Tim. 2.17 you know that spreads and spreads till it hath even consumed the body And thus it is with errour it spreads from one to another and not only so but this young Serpent will grow up to a Dragon in time Arius una scintilla fuit was but one spark and yet he-set the whole world on fire Wicked men shall grow worse and worse one errour draweth on another When a man begins to tumble down the hill it 's hard staying ere he come to the bottom And therefore when thou once beginnest to wander from the truth fear thy self thou wilt presently be in a wildernesse yea thou wilt be like an Hazael in time Those opinions and blasphemies thou wouldst once have trembled and quaked at thou wilt excuse and defend Experience hath â—â—en too true but very sad of this in all ages of the Church Thirdly Errours are compared to hay and stubble For the uselesnesse and unprofitablenesse of them They are but fig leaves to cover our nakednesse and that will appear in these particulars 1. They do not truly inform and enlighten the mind Truth is light and doth inform and instruct the mind but all errours do bring more darknesse so that while they think they know more then they did they know lesse Hence they are said to be men of corrupt minds 1 Tim. 6 5. and deluded or deceived Oh what a dreadfull thing may this be for thee to think thou hast more light than ever when it may be thou art in more darknesse than ever To thinke thou art in a nearer way to
salt is the fire of afflection By these places you see then that fire signifieth in the general Gods severe judgment discovering and trying mens waies which are partly by his Word and partly by afflictions So that the Apostle continueth in his excellent Allegory of building Those parts of the house that are wood and straw are presently consumed by fire but gold and silver will abide This I conceive the genuine meaning only further take notice that the Apostle speaks in the Present-tense it is revealed but we translate it in the future because it 's usual in the Scripture to speak of a thing that shall be continued in the Present-tense as also to shew the certainty of it It 's also doubted to what this doth relate The day shall be declared by fire Some say the Lord shall be revealed in fire as 1 Thes 1.7 Others more probably the work of every man Doct. That God useth to bring people out of errours and false waies by his Word and Afflictions The Word to inform and Afflictions to prepare the heart Even as men out of their senses are kept in Prysons with hard usage so God to humble and tame such a people sadly afflicts them that they may hearken to his Word God made Aegypt an Iron-furnace to the people of Israel they lay under great oppressions that so Canaan might be the more welcome to them To understand this consider That though the word and afflictions both help to bring a man out of false waies yet farre differently For First The word of God is of it self sufficient in a way of light to inform and instruct and hath threatnings also to be like a goad in the side but afflictions of themselves do not inform do not teach Gods Word is able to reduce without afflictions but afflictions cannot do any thing without Gods Word Hence all that fire which is poured upon Idolaters and Heathens is like the fire of hell calidus but not luciâ—us because they have not the Word to guide them Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest and teachest thy word Psal 94.12 Should a man go through fire and water give his body to be burnt for any errour or superstitious doctrine all the imprisonments and burnings in the world could do them no good unlesse the Word go before Heretici sunt lapidandi argumentis è Seripturâ petitis Arguments fetcht out of the Scripture may strike down the greatest Goliah Secondly There is a difference between the Word and Afflictions because though afflictions have a voice as well as the Word and the rod speaks as well as Gods Word yet the word of God doth it distinctly and plainly afflictions in a general manner They tell us God is angry they tell us they come for sinne but why and wherein or what are the sinnes that Gods Word doth only inform us So that Gods Word hath the prerogative above afflictions Thirdly Though the Word of God be thus only able to instruct and convince being a perfect Rule yet that doth not exclude other helps especially the Ministry for Ministers are called the lights and guides So that the word of God is the light but it must be put on a Candlestick The Word of God will convince heretiques but in the hands of wâ—â— and faithfull Teachers Otherwise men through ignorance and corruption fetch their errours from the Word of God misapplied Which made Ambrose compare ignorant heretical persons using Scripture to little David in Sauls Armour it was more then he could weild and so instead of defending it did wound him These things being premised 1. Let us see How God by the word reduceth the wandering sheep 2. How by afflictions And First The word of God is instrumental to open the eyes to enlighten the dark understanding David doth wonderfully commend the Scripture for this use that it was a lanthorn to his feet and a lamp to his paths whereby he became wise and understood even more then his Teachers Psal 119. This is the EYE-SALVE For want of searching into the Scriptures it was they erred so grossely about the resurrection When Christ is promised to be as a refining fire Mal. 3. to the Sons of Levi how did he this but by the clearing of the Word from Pharisaical interpretations And Estius though a Papist thinks this place alludes to that of Malachi and indeed there is a great resemblance Secondly The word of God is fire to try mens works because it containeth all matter necessary to salvation So that when we believe hoc credimus quod nihil ultra credere debemus the Scriptures are said to be able to make us wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3 15. If nature doth not fail in natural necessities much lesse will the Scripture in supernatural These things are written that believing you might have eternal life Joh. 20.31 As God at first put all the light into the Sunne so he hath all necessary things into the Scripture The Word of God then will manifest and reveal both objectively in discovering that matter which is true and subjectively in preparing the eye to see which is more then the Sun can do Though that enlighten the medium yet it cannot give a seeing eye to the blind Thirdly The word of God will be a fire to try because it doth direct to all those means whereby we may come out of all errours As 1. It presseth humility not to lean to our understanding God will teach the humble his way Psal 25. Though such may a long while wander yet they will come back and then they are not ashamed to recant before the whole world Peter commends Paul for the wisdom given him of God 2 Pet. 3.15 and yet we know how Paul reproved Peter to the face as is related Gal. 1. This was great humility in Peter to love and commend the excellencies in Paul for all this Austin wrote his Retractations at the latter end of his age which argued great humility 2 The Scripture bids us love that truth we do know and so farre as we have obtained to obey and to walk according to that Rule Phil. 3.16 You heard last day That errours are not only mens sins but their punishments likewise Because men receive not the truth in the love of it they are delivered up to believe a lye Now then the godly are careâ—ull to prevent the cause thereof He that doth my will shall know whether the doctrine be of God Joh. 7 17. Foggy mists draw a cloud over the Sunne and so noisome affections they becloud the judgement 3. The Scripture directs to earnest Prayer That is the Key to open Heavens Treasury Ask and ye shall have If any man want wisdome let him ask it of God James 1.5 David though a great Proficient prayeth that God would open his eyes to understand the wonderfull things of his word Psal 119.18 Prayer must begin and Prayer must end all reading and hearing and all meditations To study
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
Religion and godlinesse is counted such a nicety or nothing to a mans wealth and outward accommodations that he will as was said of one Bishop sing Canticum novum and yet never be out of tune because alwayes serving the times Vse of Admonition If thou wilt be Christs Disciple indeed know the glory and reputation of the world and his commands practised are not consistent together Thou canst not be judged a wise man a discreet man and yet a violent man for the kingdome of Heaven if you goe faster or beyond the common formality of most men you have lost your repute presently As was said of Naaman He was a great man a mighty man but he was a Leper Thus doe thou expect a rich man a good natured man an honest man but too forward too much for purity and precisenesse Oh that ever this should be among Christians The Jew loveth the most zealous Jew The Papist the most devout Papist but we reformed Protestants love not those whose tongues and lives doe most protest both against Idolatry and all wickednesse Well doe not thou give over for all that for though they judge it folly yet thou awest their conscience secretly Let him become a fool that he may be wise The Preceptive part or Duty injoyned hath been considered Let him become a fool It 's pity to lose the least oar of this gold and therefore I shall at this time insist on the last particular which is the Effect or Benefit of this Duty That he may be wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two Greek words among others which the Scripture useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seemeth to be larger for that comprehends not only the acts of the understanding but of the will and the affections and this is called the wisdome after the flesh Rom. 8. because the whole power of the soul is concerned therein but this in my Text doth chiefly relate to the mind and understanding of a man though Sapientia be à sapere a metaphor from the taste as the palate discerneth of meats so doth a wise man of the nature of things Now much dispute there hath been among Heathens What wisdome is and Who is the wisest man The wisest of the Heathens would not arrogate to themselves to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lovers of wisdome But we see Paul in this Text tels us where indeed wisdome is to be had and that is only from God through the Scriptures all the humane wisdome of the world being indeed folly Hence are Luthers propositions Qui sine periculo velit in Aristotele philosophars necesse est ut ante bene stultificetur in Christo And againe Nemo bene philosophatur nisi stultus id est Christianus Observe That onely in the Church of God or in Christianity is true wisdome As there is no salvation so there is no wisdome out of the Church That which hath the appearance of so much folly and absurdity is indeed the onely true wisdome and that will appear in several particulars wherein I shall not take wisdome in so strict a sense as Aristotle sometimes doth for the knowledge only of most excellent and admirable things Nor as others making wisdome to be only of divine things science of natural things and prudence of humane things But I shall take it as largely as the Scripture which under wisdom comprehends the whole way of faith and godlinesse That therefore only true wisdom is in the Church of God appeareth several wayes First Here we have the only Rule of wisdome which is the Scriptures so that all people without this sit in darknesse and want the starre to bring them to Christ or happinesse David doth in many places acknowledge this excellent property of Gods Word That it giveth wisdome to the simple Jer. 8 9. They have refused the word of God and what wisdome can be in them Thus you see that only Christians have the true Rule of wisdome viz. Gods Word But oh the ingratitude and rebellion of many who love their folly and their darknesse when yet they may be thus spiritually wise Who is there that readeth this Book to believe accordingly to inflame his affections and order his life accordingly Who looketh into this Glasse to dresse himself and compose himself according to those commands No folly no cause of repentance would be in us could we keep exactly to this Rule O me nunquam sapientem cryed Tully when deprived of all his hopes But O me semper sapientem may the godly say while keeping close to Gods Word Though thou art no Scholar no learned man though poor and contemptible yet from the Scripture thou mayest learne great and admirable wisdome Secondly Only in the Church is true wisdome because this cometh from God above and is by divine infusion into us Men may be moral wise men and have great political prudence as Cato was called the Wise but we Christians are to expect a wisdome from above or an heavenly wisdome as the Scripture cals it Jam. 3 17. Alas every man naturally though of never so much raised intellectual abilities in humane things is a very fool and mad man in heavenly and spiritual things Therefore this wisdome is a gift of God and is the eye or chief part of our godlinesse If any man want wisdom let him ask it of God Jam. 1. God indeed gave Solomon political prudence and civil wisdom but that which is necessary for all is wisdom for their souls and to walk in such wayes that bring to happinesse This wisdom a poor despised Christian may have when a great learned Scholar may be without it Thirdly In Christianity there is only true wisdome because there is only true godlinesse Now in the Scripture phrase To fear God to live holily to mortifie sinne this is wisdome The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom Pro. 1.7 and to depart from evil is a good understanding Hence all along in Solomons Proverbs we see godlinesse called wisdome and the godly man a wise man As on the other side a wicked man is the fool and he that sinneth is said to do foolishly There is no Jewish piety no Heathenish piety only Christian piety There cannot be any godlinesse but where the Spirit of God sanctifieth and regenerateth So then if thou wouldst attain to true wisdome know that consisteth in the fear of God and departing from all sinne Thou art never more foolish and unwise than when thou givest way to any lust such things will cost thee a dear and bitter repentance Do not say this wisdom is too high for thee for by praying and seeking to God thou mayest enjoy it Fourthly Christianity teacheth the true wisdom because that only enstructeth about the true and proper end of all our actions which is happinesse How did the wise men of the world stagger up and down like giddy men in
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
Law not the imbracements or love of the Gospel belonging The second thing observable is the Subject or Matter of the Apostles complaint Not as spiritual but as carnal This is not to be understood of all but of many amongst them for he doth acknowledg some wise and perfect to whom he was a debtor Now you must know this word or attribute carnal hath several significations in Scripture sometimes it signifieth no more than to partake of the same stock with us Thus the Apostle cals them carnal Masters or Masters after the flesh Ephes 6.5 And the Apostle makes a distinction between being in the flesh and walking after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.3 2. He is said to be carnal that although he hath a great measure of grace and with much spiritual fortitude doth conquer sinne yet it many times haled him away captive to those reliques and remainders of corruption in him And this as I remember is but in one place where Paul saith But I am carnal and sold under sin Rom. 7.14 3. The most frequent application of this word is to those who wholly give up themselves to the lusts of the flesh and make provision for them Even as customary sins are called the works of the flesh Ephes 2.3 This is the most general use of the word as we use it also in English 4. Carnal is used comparatively for those who are indeed godly but very weak and infirm retaining many corruptions and savouring much of the flesh though they for the main are godly And in this sense it is used in the Text. As unto carnal He useth the word As for mitigation sake and then explains his meaning calling them babes in Christ Observe That even among those who are truly and indeed of the visible Church of God there is a vast difference some are spiritual some are carnal some are men some are babes Though God created Adam and Eve in their full perfection yet he doth not regenerate us into a full stature in Christ Though it be the opinion of some Divines That at the Resurrection all the godly shall rise in their compleat perfection children in that stature they might have grown up unto yet it is not so here we are spiritually begotten babes in Christ and so have several degrees into which we are to grow yea one Christian may so far exceed another both in parts and graces that one would wonder that the same Heaven should ever receive them at last Yea one Christian in time may exceedingly differ from himself As the Apostles how rude and evil at first but how admirable and wonderfull when they had received the Spirit from above in a fuller measure Thus as one starre differeth from another in glory There is a vast difference between the Sunne and any of the lesse starres so it is many times in the visible Church To open this Point Consider First That it is a great Dispute Who are truly members of the visible Church The Papists they make all publick and grosse sinners to be truly of the Church even as a wicked or ungodly man may be truly and indeed a Citizen of such a City and have the Liberties thereof But the Reformed Divines they say Grosse and prophane men are not truly and indeed of the visible Church which is a company of sheep and not goats It is that through neglect of Discipline and want of godly order prophane obstinate men may abide in the Church who yet are to be cast out of it And this is not a ground for any to separate uncharitably and sinfully from the Church so polluted yet such wicked men continuing amongst believers are not internally but externally and in appearance only of the Church Even as a wicked branch or a dead hand is a part of the body equivocally it receiveth no life or influence so neither do these though they pray hear come to Church yet they receive no more spiritual benefit from Christ then the glasse eye doth vital operation from the soul And Bellarmine himself doth at last acknowledge That publick and open sinners though they be De corpore Ecclesiae yet they are not De Anima Happily therefore the Papists do not so much contradict the Doctrine of the Protestants as themselves For Amesius doth reject that Proposition which Bellarmine doth impose on us as if we held internal grace necessarily constituent of a member of a visible Church external profession of faith and of obedience to Christ is enough to this though Regeneration be wanting John said Some were not of them though they were amongst them 1 Joh. 2.19 Secondly In the primitive times they had a two-fold distinction of those that were in the visible Society There were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as did take care onely about the body and things pleasing to the sense which is the generality of people minding the necessities of the body and the pleasures thereof These are even like bruit beasts 2. There were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Animal or natural men and those indeed had the natural perfections of the soul learning parts morality and whatsoever in an humane way would elevate the reason of a man Lastly There were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spiritual ones who being sanctified by the Spirit of God did all things upon spiritual grounds and to spiritual ends Though this distinction may be allowed in an orthodox sense yet the Valentinians they made such a division and by their spiritual men meant such who could not sinne at all But the second and more common division of their hearers were into the Catechumeni such who were to be instructed and taught the principles of Religion For they admitted no grown person into Church-communion that were not competently taught the foundations of Religion Oh how many are amongst us though aged and married persons that need to be placed in this forme 2. Poenitentes the Penitents of whom there were several degrees and such were those who being Christians in profession did yet fall into grosse and scandalous sinnes such were kept from the Sacrament They had a distinct place in the Church as not worthy the communion of the rest Oh Beloved in the Apostles times in the primitive times when there was spiritual zeal for the glory of God a prophane impenitent man was no more owned for one of theirs than we would own a toad in our dishes or a swine in our garden No not with such an one not to eat Withdraw from such a man Cast him out saith the Apostle and thus for many hundred years after Christ But alas we are like so many Hospitals full of diseased persons The other were those that were initiated and received into their Society and made partakers of the Sacrament But 3. The Apostle in the Text he speaks of two degrees onely amongst the godly the Spiritual and the Carnal the men and the babes even as we speak of the Incipients and Proficients Now the
your selves you who live in the constant practice of grosse sins who sow to the flesh What would Paul and the holy Apostles if they were alive say to you What do you in Christs vineyard who are bushes and thorns What do ye in his sheepfold who are goats and swine you are a trouble to God and to his Embassadors no godly man can cast his eye on you but with much grief and hearty sighing If babes be offensive what are monsters and beasts Such as these are spots and blots in our Assemblies a reproach to Christianity a very burden to the inanimate creatures and yet no burden to themselves Verse 2. I have fed you with milk and not with meat THis second verse is a further amplification of Paul's complaint They were babes and not strong men Wherein did this appear by the meat he did provide for them He compareth himself to a Nurse who does not provide strong meat but milk for babes for that were to kill them rather then to nourish them So that in these words you have Paul's action and the matter and Object of it expressed metaphorically The action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have fed you or rather I have given you to drink For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth properly signify Mat. 25.25 I was thirsty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you gave me drink So Rom. 12.20 Rev. 14 8. Afterwards it is used for watering Yet because in a general sense milk is called Childrens meat so also may they be said to be fed by it Now this action of Pauls does denote the great skill and prudence which the Apostle used considering what was fit for his Hearers and condescending thereunto He that was rapt up into the third Heavens what sublime Misteries might he have preached upon But he preaches not to shew his parts and learning but to do good to them Secondly You have the object of this action milk Although sometimes the whole Word of God with the truth contained therein be compared to milk As when Peter saith As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 There the strongest Christians are exhorted to be like new born babes because of the greediness delight and sweetness they should find in the Word of God Therefore the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swallow it down But here it 's spoken by way of opposition and doth signify as compared with Heb. 5. the plain and easie Principles of Religion The Alphabet the Foundation whithout which there cannot be any superstruction So that two profitable Doctrines may be observed hence 1. It must be the Prudence and Wisdom of the Minister to preach such matter and in such a way as the Hearers may receive good 2. It 's necessary to acquaint people with the Principles of Religion before they go higher in Christianity Of the first There is a great deal of prudence and wisdom required in the Ministers of God so to preach as that it may be profitable to the Hearers The Nurse is carefully to observe what meat and how prepared the Child may eat The Shepherd what are the fit Pastours for to lead his Sheep into The Husbandman what is the proper seed for such ground The Physician what is the proper Physick for such constitutions Seeing it's a sure Rule That the actions of Agents are received according to the disposition of the Patients As the Apostle argues against publique duties in an unknown tongue so it holds as well against unknown matter To open this Doctrine Consider That a Ministers duty of feeding his Flock lies in two things His teaching of them and His governing of them And both these require great prudence The Scripture cals it a Key whereupon Divines have a distinction of the Key of knowledge and the Key of jurisdiction in all which they are to be Lights and Guides to be so many Arguses full of eyes If Solomon above all things prayed for Wisdome to govern the people in civil things how much more have we cause to pray for Wisdome in the Administration of spiritual things How easily may we give you poyson for Bread without Wisdome A Serpent for a Fish without Wisdome How easily without Prudence may even the good and wholsome things we preach prove also dangerous to you First therefore for our Doctrine As the Key of knowledge that is branched out into several Particulars wherein an Art of Arts is required As a wise Master-builder saith the Apostle at the 10th vers First for Information There is required judgment and a sound mind to separate Truth from falsehood To know which is gold and precious stone and which is hay and stubble To winnow the chaff from the wheat Hence a Minister is required to be able to divide the Word of God aright 2 Tim. 2.15 as they did the Sacrifice giving that to God which did belong to him and that to man which did belong to him The consequent of which Wisdome is not to be ashamed as if shame would sometimes or other confound those that had not this skill It 's impossible but you should be fed with chaff instead of wheat with dung instead of meat if the Minister cannot separate the precious from the vile The Scripture speaks of some that were ignorant that did wrest the Scriptures 2 Pet. 3.16 to their own damnation but the ignorant Minister he may wrest it to the damnation of many others How many in the world swallow down damnable Heresies feed on the draffe of corrupt Doctrines because God hath sent false Prophets and false Teachers amongst them Secondly As wisdome is required to choose out true and sound matter so to proportion it to the Capacity of the Hearers He is to be the wise Scribe that brings out of his Treasure new and old Mat. 13 25. That is such which may affect every Hearer It 's an allusion to Cantic 7.13 They are indeed as Paul saith Act. 20.27 to acquaint them with the whole counsell of God yet in a methodical way the most easie and most plain First To preach the Nature of God and his Attributes of Original sinne of Conversion of Justification as also about Christ and his Offices These are the New things and the Old And as God made the most necessary things first and the ornaments in the world afterwards so are we Paul in his Epistle to the Romanes begins with the knowledge of God by the creatures then Original sinne afterwards Justification and Sanctification and then proceeds to Election It 's an excellent Rule of Nazianzen We are not to preach of every thing to every man at every time in every place but in prudence to dispence as Auditours are able to bear it So did our Saviour A second part of this Doctrinal Key is To preach comfort and dispense the grace of God in the Gospel But here is much wisdome required that be doth it not to unbroken and impenitent sinners To preach a
Saviour to those that do not find themselves lost to commend a Physician to those that find themselves whole to pour oyl where there are no wounds is to pervert all order Ho every one that thirsteth saith our Saviour Joh 7.37 And Come unto me all ye that are heavy laden Mat. 11.28 The Spirit of God convinces the world of sin and then of righteousness Oh but how much unwise and unfaithfull preaching is there in this respect How many are there that strengthen wicked mens hearts and make them not sad whom God would have made sad That daube with untemppered morter that say to every prophane man if he do but cry Lord have mercy upon me Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee It 's this daubing and soothing up people in their wickedness striking out all fear of hell and damnation that makes them wallow like swine in their filth To such to preach no comfort but the Law and Threatnings but to those that are broken in heart a tongue of the learned is required to speak a word in season How carefull was Paul that the incestuous person should not be overwhelmed with grief 2 Cor. 2 And here is the more wisdome because Satans temptations are subtile and insinuating We are not ignorant of his devices of his schismes what false circumventions and appearances he will have Now How many are there that are not acquainted themselves with the depths of Satan that are no better Comforters then Jobs Friends were Christ himself was affected with all our temptations that he might know how the more feelingly to pity others Thus a Minister that hath himself been in the deep matters of God that hath himself been exercised with all kind of temptations he can only tell how to speak to the heart of another So that you see much wisdome is required in the giving of comfort Alas every sick man every dying man looks we should give comfort and they would have a word of comfort Oh but what hath thy life been What truth of grace is there in thee Have not some wicked men cryed out of their sinnes in fear of death and publique judgments as Pharaoh did Therefore we must take heed what we do we must not comfort whom God would not have comforted Here is great wisdome required A third part of his Doctrinal Key is To rebuke and reprove for sinne Now how great a skill is it wisely to reprove to have zeal and knowledge together Some must be reproved sharply Tâ—t 1.13 cuttingly We must not spare Thus John called some a generation of vipers Mat. 3.7 and our Saviour Wo to ye Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites many times repeating that upbraiding of them These were obstinate impenitent Hypocrites Mat. 23.13 14 15. and little blows will not move them Others again are tender tractable meekness will do more than austerity So that there is scarce any thing requireth more wisdome than publique and private reproofs Men can so hardly bear them Genus quoddam Maritirii est reprehensionem patienter ferre It is a kind of martyrdome to bear a reproof patiently And Ministers are either apt to be too awfull and pleasing of men or else too boisterous or passionate So that the Shepherd of irrational Sheep have a farre more easie task then spiritual Shepherds of men especially in superstitious Customes in false waies of worship Here an Angels wisdome will scarce suffice What a trouble was that to the Church in her infancy about the retaining or leaving the Jewish Ceremonies The Questions and differences grew so hot that it had almost torn the Church in pieces The Council of Jerusalem was called about this many still Judaizing thought that if you took the observation of times and outward Ceremonies away you took away all Religion Paul in his Epistle to the Galatians and Rom. 14. is very diligent to inform them about this endeavouring to make them spiritual and to draw up their hearts from those beggerly elements Paul was circumspect how to walk in this slippery Controversie To the Jew I became a Jew 1 Cor. 9.20 Not that he was a dissembler or an Hypocrite or humoured them in their superstitious weakness but he took upon him all sweet affections he was as a Jew to a Jew as weak to weak he would consider them as if he were in their case Yea to walk in these Controversies was so hard that Peter gave great occasion of offence yea Barnabas was also laid aside for he did not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which made Paul resist him to the face with this dissimulation Gal 1. Now if the Apostle was so industrious to root out the practice of those Rites and Ceremonies which yet God himself had once commanded how much rather should we those things which were brought into the Church without any command of God or warrant of Scripture but meerly by the will of man As for the other kind of Keyes Church-Government the wise managing of that is far more difficult then Political But I shall wave that as not so proper to this Text. Let us consider the Reason Why this Doctrinal feeding requireth such skill and Prudence And First Because divine truths are not to be managed by humane wordly wisdome but by spiritual wisdome As it 's God that teacheth people to profit Isa 48.17 so it 's God that teacheth the Minister to preach profitably Hence the word of wisdome is reckoned among the gifts of Gods Spirit 1 Cor. 14. and the Apostle saith We are not able of our selves to think a good thought 2 Cor. 2.5 as some expound it in the way of our Ministery we cannot think that which is good and profitable to mens soules without God Hence as of Christ the cheif sheepherd it is said the Spirit of wisdome counsell and understanding shall rest on him Isa 11.2 so it would be happy if the same Spirit proportionably did rest on inferiour shepherds I have caught you with an holy guile 2 Cor. 12.16 There are divine stratagems to win mens soules and if Aholiab and Bezaliel are said to have the Spirit of wisdome given them to build the material Tabernacle how much more do others need it to edifie this spiritual one Exod. 36.1 Seeing then the managing of holy truths is not had by humane prudence but by wisdome from above we must be Scribes instructed to the kingdome of heaven we are not born but made Preachers of the Gospel by God no marvel if this be so great a work Secondly Therefore is wisdome necessary in our preaching of divine things because the miscarriage of these precious truths is a farre greater loss then any earthly loss It 's pity for want of skill in any calling to miscarry in a mans wordly affairs but much more in heavenly there needs not only faithfulness but wisdome A wise and faithfull steward it is that makes five multiply to ten If the Prophet speaking of the Husbandmans skill about his several graines tithes and
wheat having several instruments for them saith his God teacheth him Isa 28.26 otherwise planting and sowing and all cost would be in vain so it 's here if God teach us not direct us not all our preaching is in vain and our Sabbath dayes are lost Our Saviour would not have any peece of material bread lost but asketh them how many baskets full took they up why then should any thing be lost of the bread of life Thirdly Therefore is wisdome necessary because of the untowardness and unteachableness of people which have sundry humors sundry appetites sundry affections and desires Nazianzen was much affected with the difficulty of his Ministery in this respect so many opinions so many different affections and desires that which draweth on some will drive others away now who is able to administer fit and convenient food but he that is endued with heavenly prudence Vse To shew peoples duty how much they are to pray unto God for their teachers that they may be directed into all good thoughts for their soules good Thou gettest no more profit thou canst not understand thou art not affected Oh see if this be not a just reward for thy want of prayers for thy guide How often doth Paul desire the prayers of the people he writes to how happy is it when the Ministery is profitable to thee and thou art profiting to it As God must be with the Preacher so he must be with the hearer a coal of fire on his tongue to purify it and a coal of fire on your eares to cleanse them Oh then how ungodly are they who instead of praying curse grudge and nourish malice for the Ministers work sake meerly when that should make him honourable Consider why is the Ministery good to others and not to thee why is it the word of power and wisdome to others but of weakness and folly to thee See if all this cometh not by thy prophane neglect and contempt of earnest prayer for to make it so to thee it's honey to others but gall to thee it 's a savour of life to others but death to thee Some sinne or spiritual judgement is upon thee and therefore be afraid The second Doctrine remaineth to be amplified which is That it 's very necessary to have a people instructed with the principles of Religion before they make further progress in Religion Thus the Apostle I have fed you with milk Children as they speak like children think like children and do like children as the Apostle in another case 1 Cor. 13. so they have meat fit for children And this point is of great consequence For how universal and damnable is the ignorance of most who have not yet learned the Alphabet of Religion scarce have heard whether there be an Holy Ghost or no Who though they have Christ often in their mouths yet know not what Christ was and thereupon may justly have that doom upon them which our Saviour passeth upon the woman of Samaria Ye worship ye know not what Joh. 4.22 To open this Doctrine Consider first And bewail the miserable atheisme ignorance and blindness that every man naturally is born in about Religion and divine truths Hence Eph 5.8 they are called darkness it self in the abstract and the natural man cannot receive the spiritual things of God 1 Cor. 2. Zophar compareth every man by his birth to the wild Asses colt Job 11.12 What is more brutish then that Now there are thousands of people and those living in the Church of God who are not yet come out of this brutish ignorance men that never felt this Sunne or day-starre of the Gospel arising in their hearts Thus as God promised knowledge should cover the face of the earth as waters do the seas Isa 11.9 Darkness covers our Congregations as it did the chaos at first Secondly As people are thus naturally ignorant of divine truths so also their wilful slothfulness about them is much more damnable He that doth not know his masters will shall be beaten with many stripes but he that shuts his eyes that he may not know he that bids the knowledge of the most High depart from him he shall be beaten with more stripes Oh then why is it that thou art such a blind Bat or Owle in the day of the Gospel thou canst not say it 's impossible for us to get knowledge No how great are the helps and meanes that God hath vouchsafed in these dayes Theodoret tells us That in his dayes the common sort of people maides old women handycrafts men labourers these could all tell the ground of their faith but there are few among us who can rise up to that duty to give an account of our hope yet the Scripture requireth this of all 1 Pet. 3.15 Why then dost thou say I must know how to work how to plow to sow to maintain my natural life and not also be as diligent about thy supernatural Thirdly Because naturally we are thus like a wilderness full of bryars therefore God hath strictly commanded this duty of instructing and informing those that are rude and ignorant in the wayes of God And this duty is not only upon the Ministers but the Scripture commands it indispensably upon Parents and Governours Thus in Deut. 6.7 they are commanded to whâ—t the law upon their family and to write it upon the posts and to be speaking of them daily Thus Joshua and Abraham they made their family to serve the Lord which cannot be without the knowledge of him In the new Testament Paul commands parents To bring up their children in the knowledge of the Lord Eph. 6.5 And Solomons Proverbs are full of these exhortations For certainly if the Scripture say Jer. 9 23. Let not the rich man boast in his riches nor the great man in his honours but in that he knows God then the endeavour of parents to provide wealth riches lands or a great portion is nothing so acceptable as to teach them the fear of God Oh therefore that at last our families might be made Christs Schools wherin the principles and commands of Christ may be frequently urged Oh who can make lamentations bitter enough for the neglect of this In many Families there is the Devils School people may learn to curse to swear to become bruit beasts But to have the Knowledge of God taught would be the greatest burden in the world Well consider that of Jeremy 10.25 Pour down thy wrath upon the Families that call not on thy Name Which by consequence at least reacheth private Families and Housholds And how can they call if they do not believe and how can they believe if they do not know As Aristotle observeth That Families are the beginnings of Common wealths and so they are good or bad as particular Families are So it is with the Church that consists of particular Families But if they be like a Cage of unclean birds like the Wilderness wherein dreadfull Birds are what good
not according to Knowledge Therefore those crafty Principles in Popery to keep men in Ignorance to make it the Mother of Devotion that thereby they may reign and do what they list is to lead men blind-fold into Hell Secondly The Principles are Foundations and are the Root Now he would be an unwise Artificer that should intend to rear up a House and lay no Foundation So that as long as we preach to a people ignorant of these we have no bottom to stand upon Principles are like Seed Every poor man will make hard shift to get Seed to sow with Thirdly Without this good Foundation laid no Preaching or Duties can have any spiritual effect For Why are not the bruit Beasts Why not fools and mad men capable of any benefit by the Word preached But because the one have not rational souls and the other though they have them yet the actual use and exercise of Reason is bound up It is thus with all people destitute of Fundamental Principles All is done in an unknown tongue They are Barbarians to us and we to them Fourthly Conversion cannot be wrought without some Knowledge of the Principles We cannot believe in him we do not know We cannot love him we do not know The Heathens they indeed built an Altar To the unknown God But it is unsufferable for a Christian if a Christian should perform his duties to an unknown God or unknown Christ They must understand and so be converted Isa 6.10 God makes light shine out of darkness 5. The Knowledge of these Principles is necessary to salvation You that are ignorant totally of them cannot upon any just grounds hope for salvation This is eternal life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.2 They are a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not save them Isa 27.11 God would have all men to be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim 3.7 Oh then how should you who sit in this palpable darkness be afraid People use to fear in the dark and certainly thou should bewail thy self I am an old man an old woman I have lived thus long where the word hath been preached and yet how little do I know Sixthly None can pretend excuses for their ignorance herein To have much Knowledg in Religion there is required much time and study many abilities better education But for these Foundations none can excuse themselves because God hath revealed them in a plain easie manner He that runneth may read them So that it is our slowthfulness if we do not know Seventhly Want of sound Knowledge in these makes many Errors and Heresies Many affect to speak and hold opinions in Religion before ever they were well instructed Those that did not hold Christ the Head they presently fell to the worship of Angels The empty straw is carried about with every wind He that hath no bottom moveth up and down Vse Of sharp Reproof to such who continue in this damnable Ignorance and that though they live where the Word is preached If the Corinthians were to be blamed because they could not bear strong food what then belongs to them who are not capable of milk The very Principles of Religion are too hard for them They know not what you mean when you speak of these things Thus they are as bruit beasts made to be destroyed You may find as much knowledg of God amongst Pagans and Heathens as among some that live in the bosom of the Church Some have not the Knowledg of God I speak to your shame Many have not the Knowledg of God It may be spoken to the confusion of our faces How doth this darkness cover mens faces by Aitheism prophanenes and great negligence They make it not their business to enquire after Knowledg They greatly nâ—glect the means of Knowledg Prayer Hearing Reading Instructing of others Say a man be greatly Ignorant and you say he hath enough to damn him to all eternity He will commit any sin He will embrace any Idolatry even as the man in the dark stumbles and knows not where he goeth Especially this is a sure barre against receiving of the Sacrament for that requires discerning of the Lords body of examining themselves which can never be done without a competent measure of Knowledg in Religion For hitherto ye were not able to bear it neither now are ye able These words contain the reason of Pauls prudence in dispensing spiritual meat to the Corinthians milk and not solid food We may not preach all things to all people There are gyants and dwarfs there are carnal and spiritual The words have no difficulty only our Translators supply a word for in the Greek it is thus only For hitherto ye were not able neither are ye now able they supply to bear or to concoct and digest for he pursueth that metaphor of making Truth the food of the soul Veritas est cibus animi Such a defective expression we have of the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potero Isa 1.13 speaking of their solemn feasts I cannot bear them And Psal 101.5 Him that hath an high look I will not bear So that the words denote the weaknesse and infancy of these Corinthians and that though they had given themselves up to the faith of Chrâ—st and had daily waterings by the Apostle after their first plantation Observe That it is a great sinne and just reproach to a people that have lived long under the means of grace if they have not got the due profit by it The Word preached is commended in Scripture for several and divine operations Now if thou hast many years been under these droppings and yet art a dry wildernesse how unsufferable is it In other things of the world you think it not to be endured You send your children to be taught and if in many years they should not yet be able to spell the Alphabet you would think all cost in vain If year after year you plow and prepare a field for Corn and yet there come up nothing but weeds and thistles this is a vanity of vanities and vexation of spirit What the Heathens speak of their Tantalus to be up to the chin in water and yet ready to perish for thirst is true in thee For opening this let us consider What are those choise and noble effects of the Ministry for the defect whereof a people may be severely blamed And they are of two sorts Intellectual upon the understanding or Practâ—cal upon the heart affections and outward conversation For the Word of God is both a shining and a burning light And for the first That people will be found without all excuse and under a great condemnation who have not found those intellectual effects First Illumination and enlightning of the understanding to believe the first principles and foundations of Religion Every Science and so that of Divinity hath its first principles
thee to sinne I do not foster thee in thy infirmities only make righteous judgement in this case Thou cryest out How can I be godly and have no better an heart How can Christ dwell in me and I feel no more of his power Oh distinguish between weak grace and no grace between the presence of sinne and the dominion of it Consider God hath left these for admirable ends and none of these is to discourage and overwhelm thee especially do thou cry out of those deeps to the grace of the Gospel be as much enlarged yea more than Paul was in this matter if thou canst Vse 2. Of Information to wicked men Do not conclude there is no grace in the world and that all men are hypocrites and liars because even the godly are subject to sinful weaknesses This is to be the spider to suck poison from a sweet truth Do not expect more from them than is to be expected Vse 3. If the reliques of corruption be thus to be bewailed as an heavy burden how then should they howl and roar out that are under the whole power of sinne That are not comparatively but absolutely carnal That have not weak grace but no grace Sinne is not only present with them but they with willingness and delight subject themselves thereunto If he speaks of strifes and factions when you do these things Are ye not carnall How much rather of Revelling Wantonness beastly lusts cursed oathes Are ye not carnall Oh remember all this is in a mortal body here to day to morrow it may be in Hell For whereas there is among you Envying Strife and Divisions are ye not Carnal The Apostle generally declared the ground of their Indisposition and Incapacity of heavenly sublime Truths Now he enumerats the Particulars whereof Envy stands in the front Some make a Gradation Envy breeds strife and strife breeds Divisions or Factions If we regard the generall state of the Church in all Ages especially in our daies there is no Subject more necessary to treat upon then these Distempers Especially to shew the Sinfulness and Cures of them The being divided into so many crums and atomes that unless Democritus his Opinion should prove true All things are composed of atomes Or rather unless God shew his power to make drie bones that lie here one and there another as in Ezekiel's Vision to come every one to his proper place and have flesh and life bestowed on them I know not how we can escape totall destruction It being such a known Maxim of state which Christ himself hath confirmed A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand And so Churches against Churches godly man against godly man they cannot stand Although I say this be necessary to the publique yet because I know not how necessary for this particular Auditory though I shall not pass by these Particulars yet I shall not handle them to the exactness of the Subject and latitude thereof And let us consider the first Subject Envying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word is used sometimes in a good sense and sometimes in a bad sense In a good sense it 's attributed to God and signifies that Jealousy he hath about his Church especially his worship When attributed to good men it signifies either that honest and lawdable endeavour in them whereby they are inflamed to imitate or go beyond the Virtue of others without any sinfull grief or hatred This is commonly called emulation 1 Cor. 12.14 Gal. 4. Or Secondly It 's taken oft for that grief of mind produced by an holy indignation in us at those things which we conceive are unworthily done against those whom we love And that either God or others God 2 Cor. 7. Or others Col. 4. Or else which is not so oft in humane Greek Authours if at all it is taken for Envy as Act. 13.17 Gal. 5. Where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are rekoned among the lusts of the flesh And somtimes the Epithete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is added to it bitter Envy Although the more known word in the Scripture for Envy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This for the word Observe That Envying wheresoever it is is a fruit of the Flesh and such a sinne that a godly man should especially watch against Are ye not carnall because of this Envying To open this Doctrine Consider First That the Original and Fountain of this Envy is the same with the other great impieties that are committed in the world viz. The flesh or Corrupt part in a man So Gal. 5. and James 4. Envying strifes are said to come from the wisdome of the flesh and diabolical wisdome opposite to the wisdome from above which is chast peaceable and long-suffering So then seeing this is a lesser stream from that bitter Fountain This is part of the gall and wormwood every one is in by nature No man can conclude he is wholly godly that hath not power to mortifie this sinne in some degree And therefore in that Gal. 5. the Apostle reckons it amongst all those gross sinnes Murders Vncleanness Idolatries Wichcrafts And concludeth They that do such things shall never inherit the Kingdom of Heaven Yet though the Scripture brand this sinne as the seed of the Devil and the spawn of the flesh how prevalent is this sinne every where amongst bad yea amongst good How many sad Envyings and evil eyes are there towards one anothers good For so the Scripture cals it an evil eye because they look with discontent and grudging upon others Envy is a squint-ey'd sinne and so the more deformed sinne Vixque tenet lachrymas quia nil lachrymabile cernit Secondly This sinne of Envy may either be in the full Predominancy of it or only in Motions and Combates or if breaking out into act bewailed and repented of In the former manner it is in wicked men In the latter sort it may be even in the godly For this Envy is such an imbred sinne that the Spirit of Regeneration finds it one of the last enemies to be destroyed Wicked men are as full of it as Toades of poyson Thus Act. 13. The Jews are said to be filled with Envy against the Apostles Filled they were with this sinne as the godly on the contrary are filled with the holy Ghost And hereupon this Envy within carryes them violently to all outward wickedness especially Murder For that is the natural fruit of Envy Whom men envy they presently resolve the death of if there be no restraint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are very near in sound and efficacy Thus Pilate knew that for Envy the Pharisees desired to crucify Christ And the Apostle puts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal 5 21. Envyings and Murthers together As the words are alike so one presently follows the other In the godly this sinne is too vigorously also These Corinthians and the Hebrews James writeth to
but this is the way to health It 's good to be troublesome to the sins of men and better be a man of strifes in this sense then preach peace to sinners Vse of Admonition To lay aside all those malicious revengefull actions one towards another These times of warre have especially wrought such bitter enmity against one another that this generation will not quiet it unlesse grace overcome Take the Apostles Rule Let nothing be done through contention and pride and covetousnesse or impatience and then what calmnesse and quietnesse will there be As he said of Physicians Quot funera tot opprobria so many funerals so many reproaches to them And certainly so many branglings so many Law suits so many reproaches to the Gospel of peace to Christ the Prince of peace to the Officers in the Church the Ministers of peace I speak not of necessary defensive Law-suits to which men are unwillingly haled having used all other means before but that pronenesse and impatiency that is in men Oh be not thus Tygers and Savages one to another Thou that dealest in anger how doest thou expect Gods love Thou that wilt not be pacified but breathest revenge how shall God spare thee Whereas there is divisions amongst you We are now upon the third and last sinne enumerated as an argument of their carnal estate The worst wine or rather vinegar is left to the last Divisions Some render it factions it addeth to the wickednesse of the former that by this envying and strife men are divided into several parties They imbody themselves in several factions to the destruction of the whole The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word Gal. 5. is translated Seditions There are three Greek words in the Scripture which expresse Factions or Divisions That in the Text when men divide themselves into parties in a sinfull and inordinate way otherwise to divide from wickednesse and from the general impieties and errours of the world is no faction though the world be apt to call godly men factious so that not the meer division but the cause and the ground is to be considered For as all punishment and constant sufferings for a point in Religion doth not make a Martyr so neither division or opposing in a lawfull way of a multitude when erring is a faction The Christians were charged by the Heathens for making factions To this Tertullian answered Apolog. Quandò boni coeunt non est factio sed curia dicenda The other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 1 Cor. 11. a metaphor from cloath or the body when one part is rent from the other As Austin thought it a very difficult thing to define what heresie was so it is also what Schism is This is certain it 's a breach of that love and union which ought to be among Christians 3. There is Heresie or a Sect which is more than a Schism especially as Ecclesiastical use hath made it And although it was at first used for a meer opinion or way without any evil sense as when Tully said Cato in ea fuit haeresi and some say it is so used in the Acts of the Apostles but in the Epistles it is alwayes used in a bad sense I shall not trouble you with what learned men say in the Explication of these words This is enough That the Scripture condemneth them as great sinnes They come from a bitter root Christ nor his Church do not own such things Observe That Divisions and Factions do quickly creep into the best and purest Churches This Church of Corinth was a Garden planted by Paul and notwithstanding all his care his constant inspection yet these weeds grow up in it In the Parable when the good seed was sown the Devil came and sowed his tares while men slept Matth. 13. But here while the Officers were awake and diligent yet these tares grow up To open this point I shall but give you drops out of the Ocean of this matter It 's a subject to be handled with tears onely the Scripture gives cordials that the godly should not sink under it First Let us divide for Logical divisions are good to teach and instruct though Church divisions are not and then shew wherein the Nature of a division or faction lieth Then the Reasons why such things will be Divisions or Factions may be either 1. Civil or Ecclesiastical Civil are all those rents and ruptures that are made by the lusts of men in a Commonwealth Thus Jeroboam made a division he rent ten Tribes from the other two and made a distinct Kingdom and which would make one wonder but that God had foretold it those ten Tribes never re-united again that breach was never made up These Civil seditions are sad Prognosticks of the destruction of those places where they are as the renting of the Temple was a Prognostick of the abolition of all the Jewish worship Aristotle giving several differences between Monarchy and Tyranny reckons this for one That tyranny makes and foments factions nourisheth divisions that so while people haue a mutual hatred against and diffidence one in another that reigneth the more securely according to that Rule Divide impera But this is wicked policy Our Saviour cals those blessed that are peace-makers and they who indeavour to make all the godly as one man do instrumentally accomplish Christs prayer for this thing It was horrible wickednesse in Ahitophel to perswade Absolom to go into his fathers Concubines thinking thereby to make a perpetual irreconcilablenesse These are not the Scripture-rules of State government The other Divisions are in the Church and they are o◠two sorts either when different Doctrines and Opinions are maintained and these are called Heresies Or when there is a soundnesse of Doctrine yet men break the bonds of love and live in malice frowardnesse and uncharitablenesse and this is called Schism Now all these kinds of divisions are very sad and dangerous things And when God speaks of the destruction of a people Zech. 10.11 13. it's excellently described of breaking two staffs the one called beauty the other bonds that is as some expound it their unity and their order 2. Factions or Divisions are either Personal between godly men particularly or more publick between Societies and Societies Churches and Churches Between Persons Thus Paul and Barnabas they were in a bitter dissention one with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 15.39 and that about the companion they should take So Paul and Peter Paul reproved Peter and withstood him to the face Gal. 1. Or more publick Thus many Jews that believed raised great dissentions about Circumcision and the retaining of the customs of the Law What sad divisions did that dispute make In Antiquity the like might be shewed Epiphanius and Chrysostom were at extream variance one with another and both orthodox Several dayes before the famous Council of Nice was gathered those many hundred Bishops that were assembled
together were spent in libelling and in accusations of one another till Constantine took all the papers and burnt them We might tell you of the other great Council of Constantinople against Nestorius with what factions carnal policies and sinfull animosities Nestorius and his party did strive against the Orthodox But of this enough We see how prone these worms are to breed in the sweetest roses Satan is busie in this way God put enmity between the Serpent and the womans seed and he labours to put enmity between the womans seed among themselves Now let all these divisions be what they will publique or personal Civil or Religious they come from sin and tend to confusion Now God he is the God of order and of peace not of confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 In the next place What makes division or faction And 1. That is when men promote any false or wicked way against truth and godlinâ—sse We see all parties brand one another with divisions and factions The Papist cals the Protestant a Sectary and that though a Metropolitane and saith The leaving of their Church that had so much Antiquity and Vniversality was a schisme The Metropolitane he maketh all those guilty of schisme whether Bishops or Presbyters that recede from obedience to him as appeareth in a late Book Hammond of Schisme But it 's not the calling or the branding of any with the name of schisme that makes the thing so but you must consider the cause and the matter If Elijah and some few with him will not bow their knees to Baal nor will not go with the multitude of Idolaters this is no sinfull division or faction When Arianisme like a deluge did overflow the Church the Orthodox who were called Eustathiani from Eustathius the President in the Council of Nice and a valiant Champion for the Truth had their private and secret meetings not daring to communicate in the publick worship with the Arians yet no sound man in judgement will brand these with schisme If the people of God come out from Babylon and separate from their uncleannesses this is no schisme or faction but a duty God commanded them So that before we charge any with this crime we must alwayes consider the Cause and the Matter who hath the truth who hath Gods Cause otherwise men are hereticks and schismaticks to one another and so they judge by partiality not by the Rule Neither is it enough for men to say they have Scripture or to alledg Scripture for that may be wrested to their destruction but the true sense and meaning of it which is attained by those that walk humbly in Gods way and use those means God hath appointed in his Church If therefore a man plead against the Idolatries the impieties and falshoods of other men This is no faction if so Paul himself who condemneth these had been the most factious man in the world For who more zealous than he in Christs way against the superstitious Pharisees and those who pleaded the Law for Justification Secondly Faction and division is seen when though the matter be true or good they strive for yet they do it not in a godly orderly way He that striveth is not crowned unlesse he strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2.5 A good intention even in a good matter without good order is not warrantable The Disciples that would have fire come down from Heaven knew not what spirit they were of Vzzahs sudden punishment for the touching of the Ark should make us look not only to a duty but to the order of a duty The Apostle layeth down this injunction We must not do evil that good may come on it Rom. 3.8 And he saith of those teachers that would make such constructions from his Doctrine That their damnation was just The Apostle by the similitude of members in the body doth shew how every member should keep to his own office A third thing in Division is When men do not keep to their proper places to their Offices If the foot will be the eye if the hand will be the head here is a monster not a comely body The Apostle Paul is very large in this and oh that this age would observe it To teach every member in the body to keep to its own Office and to its own Calling not to take one anothers operations but to convey their mutual nourishment one to another in their proper way In what a blessed Unity and comely Order would the Church of God be if every member would do its proper work The Apostle calling so much for humility and modesty and not to think of our selves above what we ought to do fore-saw how hard a matter it would be for Christians to keep up Unity and Concord among themselves Fourthly Thus it 's division and faction when the affections and passions of men are scured and imbittered with any carnal distâ—mpers so that this sinne doth affect the heart and spirit of a man and then it breaks out into actions Though men should be in a good way and are for the truth and glory of God yet if they do this in anger and passion and frowardnesse of heart here is a sinfull division upon them though for the matter and way it self they be right Gods righteousnesse and truth needeth not our passions So that all these or any of these is enough to make the divisions in the Text here forbidden In the next place What are the Causes that make these the efficient causeâ— First The ignorance of men as long as men know but in part have not perfection in the understanding and this breedeth difference of opinions and difference of opinions difference of affections The Apostle chargeth the wresting of the Scripture to mens destruction upon their ignorance In which Epistle are many things hard to be understood which the ignorant or unlearned wrest 2 Pet. 3.16 Thus our Saviour told them They erred about the resurrection because they knew not the Scripture Mat. 2.29 So that those who have but a slighty flatry-knowledge in matters of Religion they presently runne into wayes of division These are children easily seduced Secondly Self-confidence and arrogancy When men think those abilities or that worth is in them which indeed is not This makes them bold and distracting of the Church Thus Corah Dathan and Abiram they said Num. 16.3 All the Congregation is holy They thought there was as much in every person as in the Priests whom God had set apart for that office Oh what an excellent patern is that to all which David giveth O Lord I have not lifted up my self too high or to things above me Psal 131.1 It was an excellent speech of Ambrose Heretiques with Scripture are like David in Sauls armour they are too heavy too weighty for them in stead of defending themselves they are wounded with it Hence the Apostle commands us not to mind high things Rom. 12.16 viz. which are above our power or capacity We are all
we urge commandements of men if we come in our own name and not in Gods if the Word of God command not that which we command then it may be neglected but when we bring you clear Scripture and say Thus saith the Lord then how great is your disobedience Consider that Heb. 12.25 The Apostle aggravates the sinne of those that refuse Christ now speaking from heaven above those that refused Moses You may say who refuse Christ speaking from heaven Even such as obey not the Word delivered by the Ministers of God unto them How often hast thou heard Go away and sinne no more curse no more swear no more but yet thou hast not submitted to this 4. All this hearing love and obedience must be to them for the works sake This the Apostle urgeth and there is a greater matter in that Have them in all respect for their work sake 1 Thes 5 13. For many may carry it fair and respect the Ministers of God for other ends but it 's nothing if it be not for their workes sake now their work doth mainly consist in instruction and reproof and this is very distastfull and thankless to prophane and wicked men there is nothing men desire so much as to be pleased in their sinnes that we should heal their wounds slightly saying peace when there is no peace Now if we dare not do these things but discharge our work faithfully we are had in no respect and that for our very works sake so that the work of the Ministery informing reproving and powerfully terrifying for sinne and wickedness that ought to be esteemed by you 5. You ought to shew your spiritual respect and entertainment to the Ministery in avoiding all those evil and wicked wayes which may grieve and make sad the hearts of godly Ministers When Jeremiah saw his people walk so disobediently he said His soul should mourn in secret for them Jer. 13.17 Did not Christ weep over Jerusalem because she refused the Prophets that were sent to her And Paul pressing beleivers to unity and godliness he useth this Argument Fullfill ye my joy Phil. 2.2 and again We live if ye stand fast 1 Thes 3.8 So that all the impieties and errours that any of you shall runne into are like thornes in the eyes of a godly Minister this will make them give their account with greif as the Apostle saith Heb. 13 17. Oh that these wicked actions which greive the Spirit of God which greive the hearts of godly men and godly Ministers should not also greive thee Now let us consider when this respect may degenerate into sinful admiration And First When we set up the gifts and persons of men so as to neglect Christ working in and by them If it be so great a sinne in temporal and outward things to take of the glory due to God and attribute it to instruments how much more is this in spiritual things Therefore observe the Apostle he to cure this desease amongst them takes them off from instruments and bids them look up to God What is Paul and what is Apollo saith he but instruments by which ye beleive and God he only giveth the encrease though others may plant and water and that is the reason say some why in the first Chapter of this first Epistle he doth so often name Jesus Christ to take them off from instruments and to look more to him not that the instruments are to be excluded but God the principal agent is to be owned and honoured Rest not then upon excellent parts and powerfull preaching for it's God that worketh by these Secondly Then men sinfully admire when they set up the gifts and abilities of one to the contempt of others No doubt but God giveth variety of gifts and some are more eminent then other yet none are so to preferre the excellent as to contemne and discourage the weaker What the Apostle speaketh about the several members of the Church some are more excellent and honourable then others yet the meanest is not to be dispised is also to be done about the several gifts and parts of Ministers Thirdly Then men sinfully admire when their failings and errours they will follow and defend If these Corinthians that were for Peter should have been led aside as he did many to Circumcision this was their infirmity In primitive times Origen a famous and eminent man proved a great temptation to the Church for men had rather erre with him then think the truth with others Thus among the Sadducees and the Pharisees whatsoever the grandees of their sect taught them though it were that the left hand was the right yet they thought themselves bound to beleive it But of this more hereafter Let us make Vses First of exhortation to receive the Ministery of God with that spiritual respect as you ought to do The best praise and love you can have to the Ministers of God in their work is to turn all that is preached into practice there is no sinne for which God will sooner be avenged then this contempt of the Ministry What is a greater contempt then to be often invited often exhorted to forsake thy sinnes yet to retain them still You do not despise or reject men but God himself God did for many yeares bear with Jerusalem and was unwilling to give her up to total destruction till his Prophets were slighted and abused then they that would not have Ged rule over them had the greatest tyrants and proudest enemies to trample over them Now there are divers Motives to give this spiritual entertainment to the Ministery For 1. They are the Embassadours of God they come from God and declare his will Do not thou then harden thy self presumptuously against this way of God 2. The Ministery will judge thee at that great day You must give an account of all the pains and labour that hath been taken to reform thee 3. If you receive the Word you receive not that alone but all blessings with it When Obed-Edom hath the Ark then Gods blessings do manifestly accompany it Vse 2. Of Instruction Why the Devil in all ages hath still set himself against the faithfull Ministery It is because that is the great engine to destroy his kingdome As also this may informe us who are his instruments in this matter Even such as feel not the benefit of these Ordinances there is nothing that maketh a man to love the Ministery upon good grounds but the spiritual good they receive by it When these Corinthians slighted Paul and doubted about his call he proveth it by experimental works on them Conclude it therefore that all those men who cavil and oppose the Ministery they are such who know not what it was to get any spiritual good by that office For while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not Carnal These words you have heard prohibit a sinfull admiration of any mans person or gifts though he be an
good sense against the general sense of many others and this doth exceedingly please ignorant people What opposition did Paul find by such that taught tast not touch not that brought in worshipping of Angels and left Christ the Head and all this was done under a colour of wisdome and humility Col. 2.23 Even as in Popery still they urge we must have the Saints and Angels Mediators to God for us for is it fit say they an inferiour person should go into the presence of a great King without the favourite Thus the Heathens argued of old and thus the Papists now these things carry a shew of humility and so those thousands of superstitious ceremonies and wayes of worship that have been brought into the Church they come under the name of zeal and devotion but observe the Scripture you shall see Baptisme the Lords Supper when purely administred although in a grave and holy way yet in such simplicity and plainness that there is not the least mention of the least ceremony or traditional worship that afterwards was introduced and this the Apostle meant when he said He was afraid lest the Serpent should beguile them from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 11.3 Oh that is a worthy place there is a simplicity in the Doctrine Worship and life of the Gospel and your minds are easily corrupted from this Thirdly If the Devil cannot yet scatter this little flock of Christ then he raiseth up all the power civil and ecclesiastical against it that he can Thus they were the builders Church-officers that refused Christ Mat. 21.42 Observe and you shall see the greatest persecutors of Christ and the Apostles were the Priests a Councel of them was called they were alwayes combining to put them to death so that a corrupt superstitious Ministery hath alwayes been the greatest enemies to Reformation and godâ—iness Heu Domine qui sunt in Ecclesiâ primi sunt impersecutione primi And therefore at our first Reformation the Protestants dâ—d truly affirm there could never be any Reformation unless they first began with the Court of Rome and the corrupt Clergy Sigysmund the Emperour said to one counselling to begin the Reformation à Minoritis yea saith he à Majoritis The Sunne in an Eclipse makes great corruptive alterations in sublunary things was the tradition and so a corrupted Ministery cannot but oppose and set against all those that discover and reprove their abominations and thereby are destructive to the souls of their followers Now with these venomed arrowes hath the Devil for the most part shot into the bowels of the Church But if he cannot do thus yet there will be a godly faithfull Ministery maugre all his malice Fourthly Then he steereth the clean contrary He will see how he can destroy mens soules by causing men to give them too much honour Even as Nehemiah's enemies that did oppose and do all they could to hinder the building of the Temple when they could no longer prevail by open violence then they proffered to build with them You have a notable History Act. 19.13 14. of vagabond Jewes that were conjurers who took upon them to adjure by the name of Jesus Thus you see the Devil when he could no longer work in his own name he works in Christs name And therefore Paul saith He transformeth himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11.14 Now he cannot do that better then by abusing the repute of those that are eminent godly Teachers Let us consider How many wayes even by godly eminent men he may hurt the Church And First When he doth tempt and draw them away into any errour or falshood than their example draweth many after them The godlinesse and learning they have makes a way for an universal reviving of their falshoods We see this in Peter when he out of fear complied too much with the Jews confirming them in their superstition it 's said He compelled others to live as Jews Gal. 2.14 How did he compell them He did not threaten and use violence as Paul compelled Christians to blaspheme but his example meerly was so potent none dared do otherwise than Peter a Pillar of the Church yea Insomuch that Barnabas also was led aside by this dissimulation So that the Devil if he can no longer by the Chief-priest indanger the Church he will by the errours of one of the chief Apostles We might clear this in after ages by several instances especially Origen a man so famous for godlinesse learning and suffering for the faith of Christ that men thought it safer to erre with Origen than be in the truth with others What a great temptation did he prove to the Church as Lyrinensis doth excellently amplifie it He could do more hurt by one Origen than by many Marcionites or Manichees Secondly If he cannot corrupt their minds then he tempts eminent instruments in the Church to some failing in their lives to some unjustifiable practices that so their whole Doctrine may be condemned How circumspectly and warily did Paul walk that the enemies of the Gospel might not have wherewith to blaspheme Therefore our Saviour said The Devil had desired to winnow the Apostles Luke 22.31 In winnowing there is the purging of the wheat and the driving away of the chaff Now the Devil hoped for the later to find them but chaff as he thought by his temptations to make it appear Job was but an hypocrite and served God only for carnal ends And thus the Devil he labours to stirre up flesh and bloud in them as it was wofull in Peter to deny his Master whereby prophane persons might say who would care what Peter saith he in danger will lie and forswear his own Master Especially Judas was a fit instrument for him he used him to bring about the death of Christ so that Judas did as much hurt as all the Priests for he was one of Christs followers knew his way and for him to become Satans instrument this made much for the kingdome of Satan Not that Judas was once truly godly as some plead alate thereby proving the Apostasie of the Saints but in esteem and appearance he was for a while at least reputed of as a Saint Thirdly If he can neither corrupt their judgements or practices then he sets them up too high he maketh men in Christs room And this the Apostle doth so much argue against They have nothing but what they receive they are but instruments so as Paul spake in another case viz. of miracles asking the people Why do ye look upon us as if we by our own power had done this wonder The same may be applied to all ministerial successe It 's not Paul or Apollo doth enlighten the mind doth convert the heart See how much hurt the Devil doth the Church by the name of these instanced in One saith I am of Cephas that is of Peter Now the name and repute of Peter is that upon which all Popery is
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
it 's not seeking Gods face in vain 1 Cor. 15.58 Alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know your labour is not in vain Oh it 's comfortable to be found alwayes doing Gods work for we are sure that will have a good end there will come eternal profit by it To clear this Consider First That there are no persons be they never so mean so poor so contemptible but they are in their way and calling to do Gods work Do not think that onely Ministers and men in publique place Onely rich men and great men they have the Lords work to do Thou deceivest thy self herein For the service of God is required of a poor man of a coâ—tager as well as those in great places Matth. 20. and Matth. 25. you have two excellent Parables to this purpose to shew That God gives to every one more or lesse Talents none are to stand idle but to labour in Gods vineyard God at the day of Judgement will call these labourers together and see how they have improved all things and the idle servant or unprofitable hath a dreadfull sentence upon him To be cut in pieces and to have his portion with hypocrites All idlenesse is a kind of hypocrisie because it deceiveth the expectation as it were of God who looked for fruitfulnesse and behold barrennesse Know then whosoever thou art thou art called to labour in Gods vineyard thou hast thy peculiar service whether married or single bond or free rich or poor and thou must abound in this work Secondly There is a two fold doing of Gods work either the work of his providence as passive instruments or the work of his commands as active instruments This is a necessary distinction God hath raised up many men as instruments to bring about the works of his providence but because they did not know God or propound godly ends in doing so therfore though they did the work of the Lord yet they shall meet with no reward in Heaven You have a notable instance for this Isa 10.5 6 7. where the King of Assyria is called a rod or a staff in Gods hand God did use him as an instrument to scourge the Israelite howbeit he meaneth not so he thinketh it not in his heart here he was a passive instrument he did Gods work without any heart or love to God and therefore vers 12. When I have performed my whole work saith God against Jerusalem I will punish him Here you see a man may do Gods work and yet be punished for it So Jehu he was immediately raised up by God to destroy Ahab and his whole family and God tels him He had done all that was in his heart a great expression yet Hos 1.4 God saith he will be avâ—nged upon the house of Jehu for all that blood he had shed For though he did the work of Gods providence yet because he did it upon ambitious and sinfull grounds not keeping close to Gods way therefore was he punished Thus you see there is a great difference between doing the work of Gods providence and the work of his command out of faith and obedience to him For this later is when we do not only the matter God commands but out of love and obedience to him with that godly frame of heart that is acceptable unto him In the next place therefore let us consider What is the acceptable doing of Gods work which will be rewarded And First That onely is Gods work which is commanded and willed by him We are often commanded to understand the good and acceptable will of God Many think they are doing Gods work when it 's the Devils because they look not for warrant of it in Scripture By the knowledge of Scripture a man is made perfect or prepared for every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 So then that is Gods work which is appointed by him approved and commanded by him of which a man can bring Scripture and say Thus saith the Lord. All that superstitious worship which the Pharisees so multiplied and for which they thought to be more accepted with God than others It was none of Gods work It was not acceptable coin it had none of Gods superscription upon it And our Saviour speaks of cruel persecutors that they would think they did God service in killing his own sheep John 16.2 This is an heavy and a dreadfull delusion for men to take the works of the flesh and the works of the Devil for Gods work If therefore thou wouldst not be deprived of a reward be sure out of the Scripture that it be Gods work for the matter of it Secondly It 's acceptable labouring when it is done in such a manner For God doth not accept of any labour for him meerly from the painfulnesse of it For if a man give his body to be burnt and have not love to God it 's nothing worth Not I say from the painfulnesse or length of time but from other quaâ—iâ—â—cations and they are these 1. It 's profitable working when the persons are first made the Lords when they are justified and sanctified Make the tree good and then the fruit will be good The person must be first sanctified ere any work can be acceptable He is an unclean person till then and all things are unclean To the defiled all things become defiled Tit. 1.15 Oh that people would attend to this They only look to the good matter of the work they pray they give alms they live soberly but they have no knowledge about the root thereof Are their persons justified their natures sanctified without which no work of God can be done acceptably 2. A Reward is due to that work only which is done for Gods sake out of love to him The Pharisees praying and other acts of Religion have a terrible verdict by Christ upon them Verily I say unto you they have their reward Mat. 6.2 O words of terrour and horrour They did all those acts to be seen of men to be applauded by men and they have their reward this is all they shall have our Saviour useth that affirmation Verily I say unto you when he speaks earnestly and would have men diligently mind what he saith Verily they have their reward Oh what will the praise and glory of men avail thee when thou and thy duties shall be cast away Know then this worm will devour thy gourd vain glory carâ—al ends and designs upon Gods works will make all to be thrown away When the Devil cannot keep thee in the works of darknesse and of wickednesse that thou wilt do them then he indeavours to marre thy good works by throwing some dead flie in this box of ointment vain-glory and self-advantage 3. That work will onely have a reward which is done with that measure and degree of love and fervency that it ought to be Every Sacrifice was to be offered up with fire and every duty is to be performed with much zeal and
inflamed affections to God Fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boyling over that argueth the fire of zeal is under every duty I have something against thee saith Christ because thou hast left thy first love Revel 2 5. she had not lost all her love she was not bereaved of all but yet because she had not such degrees such fervency as she had God reproveth her Have not many of Gods own people lost their first praying first hearing their first zeal and affections to good things Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently Jer 48.10 Here is no reward but a curse to such who in Gods work are negligent and carelesse and it 's a great dishonour to God that thou shouldst be fervent and active in the pleasures of sinne in the service of Satan and not in Gods work 4. The work to be rewarded is that which is constantly done with perseverance holding out to the end Mat. 24.13 He that endureth to the end shall be saved If a righteous man leave his righteousnesse and commit iniquity c. all his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be remembred Ezek. 33.13 There are those who begin in Gods work and end in the Devils There are those who by the knowledge of God escape the pollution of the world and then return again to their vomit The later end of such is worse than their beginning 2 Pet. 2. Take Judas for a dreadfull instance he leaveth all and followeth Christ he preacheth the Gospel he worketh miracles he casts out Devils from others but he proveth an Apostate himself the Devil enters into him at last and so all those seeming good works perish Oh that those who have an aguish goodnesse some good fits in time of danger of diseases Then they will call upon God then they will speak of God and do what is good Oh that such had an heart alwayes to do so Blessed is he whom his master when he cometh shall find so doing Matth. 24.46 5. The work to be rewarded is that which is done fully and plenarily There is a full measure of grace to be heaped over The Scripture speaking of Caleb as one that followed the Lord heartily saith in the Hebrew He fulfilled to go after the Lord Deut. 1.36 that denoteth his whole heart was in it Now there must be a three-fold fulnesse in the work of the Lord 1. A fulnesse of the Subject The united strength of the heart must be joyned together not to serve God with distractions an heart for him and an heart for the creature 2. A fulnesse of the Object every work of the Lord. They are to be prepared for every good work You read of many that did many good things Joash Amasiah Herod but because they were not fully for every good work they lost this reward Now of all works those that do more immediately relate to God to the Gospel his truth any work looking this way will be rewarded Hence a Cup of cold water given to a Prophet in the name of a Prophet Mat. 10.41 in reference to this work shall have a Prophets reward And lastly Fulnesse of degree They are to abound in the work of the Lord to adde one grace to another to be rich in faith and other graces Vse Will a good work thus circumstantiated be sure to be rewarded Then take heed of two contraries to this work of the Lord 1. Of idlenesse unprofitablenesse and unfruitfulnesse The way to Heaven is a way of labour the work of faith the labour of love and the patience of hope saith the Apostle 1 Thes 1.3 Every grace is laborious and therefore we are commanded to strive to enter in at the straight gate Luke 13.24 Oh set it down for a principle such a jolly loose and secure life that I live can never be happy Christianity is compared to running in a race 1 Cor. 9.26 27. to fighting and wrestling the subduing of sinne to mortifying and crucifying of the flesh What then will become of thy carelesnesse thy negligence Oh fear lest God curse thee as the barren fig-tree lest he say Cast that unprofitable servant into everlasting flames 2. Take heed of the other contrary upon which the greater wrath of God will fall and that is To do the Devils work Our Saviour told the Pharisees They are of the Devil and his works they did John 8.44 What were those works To oppose Christ in the Ministry to rebell against that glorious light of the world Men are possessed with the Devil in their souls as well as in their bodies Thus the Devil is said to enter into Judas heart and to fill Ananias heart and when they are thus then they only serve him and fulfill his lusts Lying that is the Devils work Malicious opposing of godliness and good men that is the Devils work Yea all sinne is in some sense the work of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 Therefore Christ is said to come into the world to dissolve the works of the Devil Take heed then lest while thou share with him in his works that thou do also in his punishments Lâ—st it be said Depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels as also his fellow workers Having considered what the work is now let us consider and admire at the Reward And before we come to shew what Reward it is take notice of a distinction or two First There is an Essential Reward and that is The enjoyment of God in full Assurance and Delight This all that work for God are sure to have All that are made happy have the same God and the same Christ They all agree in this The dwarf and the gyant are both equall in this as the Apple of the eye in a Child as well as in a grown man is able to see the same great Mountain Secondly There is an Accidental Reward and that is Some Degrees of Glory Because of greater labour and sufferings for Christ one may partake of more Glory then another For though all the glorified Saints are compared to Stars yet as one Star differeth from another in Glory so it 's here In Justification all the godly are equall though some men have more sinnes pardoned then others yet the acceptation of them through Christ is equall So that intensively though not extensively all are alike justified But in salvation there are Thrones prepared for some above others Neither in that ambitious Petition of the Mother of Zebedees Children did our Saviour deny there were chiefer places then other in his Kingdom but he rebuked their carnal apprehensions about such things Mat. 20.33 Thus you have a Prophets Reward spoken of as a greater Reward then others because of their choice work for God and the manifold contradictions they endure from sinners because of their labour Secondly It 's lawfull to encourage a mans self in working for God by this that there is a Reward There is a lawfull
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
of private persons though they also are to take heed they put no false or erroneous sense upon the Scripture but he speaks of publick Teachers who by their calling and Offices are to build Now the Object of this Exhortation is To take heed what they build To build after the foundation is laid is the same with watering after planting And it implieth a further continuation and illustration explication and application as also a clearer confirmation of that matter which is already laid down by the Apostles So that observe The Ministers of God are greatly to take heed that they preach no other thing than what is already contained in the Scripture Or It 's a dangerous thing to put that sense and meaning on the word of God which is not the true genuine sense of it They are with much care fear and trembling to consider how they build upon the Scriptures And if Ministers are thus to take heed then likewise all others who reade and search the Scriptures are to take heed of presumptuous boldnesse and irreverent ignorance in the perverting of it The Scriptures are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Testament or Will of Christ Now as it 's a dangerous thing even by the Laws of a Land to corrupt forge or falsifie a mans will No lesse capital is it to the soul of a man any wayes to pervert the Doctrine of the Word of God 2 Pet. 3.16 They that are unlearned wrest the Scriptures unto their own destruction See here a man may damn his soul by wresting and tormenting the Scripture as it were upon a rack to a contrary sense then what it intended Oecumenius on the place saith It 's as great a sinne to pervert the writings of the Apostles as it was to cut and mangle or murder their bodies To amplifie this consider There may be a two-fold building or ADDITION to the Word of God either Destructive and Corruptive such as wholly overthroweth the true meaning and sense of the holy Ghost And this is a very dangerous sinne Or else Perfective and Explicative Thus the New Testament was added to the Old as a perfective addition not corruptive though it could not have been added as Scripture but that the Authors thereof had a divine infallibility And now what the Ministers of God in their Ministerial labours do it must be an addition explicative of the foundation though it be not with divine infallibility We see here God thought it not enough to plant a people but he will have in all ages men to water not enough to lay a foundation but he will alwayes have builders who are to build on this For indeed we must not strain the Metaphor too farre Paul did not only lay the foundation but did also build up all the necessary parts of the house also onely by this similitude he would shew That there must be alwayes in the Church publick persons who by their Office are to build up people in faith and godlinesse but they are not left to their own imaginations to their own thoughts They must dresse every Sermon at the glasse of the Word they must preach as they reade in Scripture Secondly The word of God which containeth the foundation that the Apostles have laid may be either considered in respect of the words only or in respect of the sense cloathed with the words Now indeed it 's not the holy Scripture but when both the sense and the words go together if a man take the words only contrary to the sense he abuseth it and so promoteth the Hereticks and the Devils interest not Gods glory For the sense that is the internal for me and life of all the words So that it is not enough to alledge the words of the Scripture It 's not enough to be able to say The Scripture saith such words but the true sense and meaning that is the soul the words are the body only yet the words must be diligently attended unto as that by which we come to find out the sense The Devil brought Scripture but he perverted it applying it to an ill sense and so all Heretiques have alledged words but not the true sense breathing in them In the next place Let us consider Why we ought so to take heed and that is to be manifest in many respects First From God himself his glory and honour is greatly concerned herein For when we come in his Name and pretend his Word and indeed it is our own What is this but an high offence to God God doth severely threaten those Prophets that broached their own thoughts and preached the lies of their own imaginations yet said Thus saith the Lord. It 's no dallying matter it 's a matter wherein much prayer much humility and many graces are to be exercised lest we should highly dishonour God Oh if this were written in mens hearts they would be more tender and fearfull in delivering their opinions in saying This is the sense or that is the sense For when thou sayest This is the meaning of the holy Ghost This is the truth of God it behoveth thee again and again to consider lest thou put thy lie thy falshood thy sinfull imagination on God Secondly On Gods part we are to take heed Because he hath so severely threatned all those that adde or detract to his Word Any that shall alter these foundations or change these bounds If it be so hainous a matter among men to remove a land-mark and to confound such bounds how much more here That command not to adde or take away is set home with a terrible threatning Revel 22.18 If any shall adde God shall adde unto him the plagues that are in this book Oh see then what thou deliverest out of Scripture as Gods word for the judgments of God are threatned to such as offend herein And Prov. 30.6 Adde not unto his words lest he reprove thee Thou challengest any adversary to confute thee see here God will confute thee he will reprove thee and thou be found a liar Thou thinkest happily such and such an adversary will reprove thee take heed God doth not become thy enemy for such an opinion Oh then while we are preaching and delivering our heavenly message to you we are under a dreadfull account we are to pray and fear and consider lest God find us liars and reprove us at last Secondly On the peoples part Therefore we ought greatly to take heed For 1. The word of God in the true sense of it is the onely food and nourishment of the soul That onely doth nourish and cause to grow So that all those who build up any thing but Scripture-truths they give poison to a people to live upon How great a crime is it to poison any fountain where all people fetch their water And thus all they do and if it be not poison yet it 's but chaff What is chaff to the wheat said the Prophet Jer. 23.28 All
gold and silver is there we must dig thence we must replenish our selves Teirdly There is implied the durablenesse and constancy of it Gold will not melt away in the fire or be consumed as hay and stubble will And thus the Apostle alludeth to afterwards He shall be saved so as by fire and the fire shall try every mans work He speaks of a probatory and not a purgatory fire that is afflictions or the light of Gods word shall burn all this stubble So that the truths of God they are so constant and abiding that when a man comes to be afflicted to be persecuted to be undone for the truth of God this will abide What is the chaff to the wheat Jer. 23.28 When a wind comes the chaff is blown away And therefore this should make all very carefull herein both Pastor and people God will have his fire there will be winds and tempests whether it be gold or stubble wheat or chaff then it will be discovered whereas divers and strange erroneous Doctrines they have not been willing to come to the fire Every Heresie in the Church went up and down like Cain trembling left every place of Scripture that met it should kill it Fourthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and silver Because of the solidity and ponderosity of them they are weighty and heavy Whereas errors are compared to hay and stubble what is lighter than these And therefore such as give way to falshood they are said to be carried away with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4.14 as if they were so many feathers or straws Whatsoever opinion then is accompanied with vanity levity and emptinesse it 's not solid grave and substantial refuse that It is said Solomons ships they went for gold of Ophir and they brought home pearls Thus do many men they make us if they sought out the admirable and solid truths of God and they bring Peacocks empty gaudy flourishings of wit or curious opinions This is not the weighty and solid truth of God Fifthly They are compared to gold Because of the purity and sincerity in them The truths of God they have an holy simplicity and sincerity and therefore false Teachers are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. to corrupt the pure word of God as hucksters do their wine David compareth Gods word to pure gold even seven times refined Psal 19 And hereby it becomes a very dangerous sinne for any to counterfeit it or corrupt it If among men their Laws make it a capital crime to counterfeit or clip their coin certainly God will account it no lesse hainous a sinne to do so with his truths As it's gold for sincerity so it 's compared to the water of life for its purity And as Isaac complained of the Philistims as the greatest injury that could be to stop up his wels with earth and it 's a matter of death to poison a fountain or spring where men use to drink so destructive and hainous a sinne it must be to infect the pure streams of the Sanctuary that people should thereby suck down their own poison Sixthly It 's compared to gold for the efficacy and choice vertue thereof Gold is not only of price and esteem but it hath it's powerfull operations in medicinal wayes against bodily diseases And thus certainly the truths of God are when received by faith they are mighty to the casting down of all the strong holds of sinne they are powerfull to overthrow the greatest oppositions Sanctifie them by thy truth thy word is truth John 17. Thus it 's said Psal 19. To convert the soul as the learned there interpret it is revive the soul to bring life again when a man by discouragements and dejections is even swooning away Oh then these golden truths of Christ they have a special influence upon the heart of a man to revive against faintings to dispel all distempers and to preserve against all languishings Seventhly They are compared to gold and silver For the usefulnesse and profitablenesse to all things Money answereth all things saith the Wiseman Eccles 10.19 Many outward comforts in this world may be had for gold and silver you may have friends food raiment Hence the Heathens made Pluto wealth a god because it wrought all things among men Clausum aur â custodit Jovem Horace spake of the covetous man He keeps his god in his chest And covetousnesse is called Idolatry Col. 3.5 Thus gold and silver prevail in the world And therefore Balaam to expresse his resolvednesse not to curse Israel said Though Balaak would give him an house full of gold yet he would not curse them But alas what are these to the truths of Christ They are profiâ—able for such things which material gold and silver cannot do Judas when tormented in in his conscience foa sinne What could his thirty pieces of silver comfort him Could that ease his conscience Give gold and silver to the damned men in hell will that comfort them There are many mercies that all the gold and silver in the world cannot help us unto but now there is no condition no doubt no affliction no want but the truths of Christ are very profitable unto The truth of Justification by faith in Christ Is not that more worth than the gold of Ophir What precious and powerfull operations hath it upon the hearts of the godly Eighthly The truths of Christ are compared to gold and precious stones Because they are able to enrich a man with all graces There is spiritual and heavenly wealth as well as earthly and temporal and the truths of God are of the first sort Thus the poor of this world are said to be rich in faith Jam. 2 5. And Christ became poor to make us rich 2 Cor. 8.9 not in outward respects or external greatnesse but in internal and spiritual riches Mark that counsel Revel 3.18 to the Church who thought her self rich and needing nothing I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayest be rich Oh that people were spiritual You see here is gold offered to all and he is indeed foolish that refuseth this There is many a man with gold and silver and much wealth in this world and yet is very poor towards God When our Saviour had declared that Parable of Dives and the eternal torment he had after his great pleasures he concludeth So is every man that is rich in the treasures of this world and is not rich towards God Luke 12.21 In the second place To build gold and precious stones on this foundation is not onely to preach sound and pure matter but this matter in a pure and exact way Now this golden way of preaching to be Chrysostoms and Chrysologues indeed consiâ—eth First In preaching of them after Scripture Authority when they are conveyed unto you as having the stamp and Authority of God The Prophets came with Thus saith the Lord and this like thunder may make the
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
this is a very deep and secret work but God will manifest it Policy is no policy if the design be not laid deep and secret Therefore Isaiah reproving carnal Politicians saith Woe to them that take deep counsel Isa 29.15 And in other places That cover with a covering but not of my Spirit God hath his time that he will discover the thoughts of the worldly wise to be vain he will make known all the secrets and crafty consultations against his truth and people and he will be avenged for all the Atheism and prophane boldnesse and hardnesse of heart such carnal policy hath been accompanied with For he said well That a Politician was a man that stood upon his head with his heels upwards shaking them against Heaven Well then it 's good for such to remember that â—very work shall be made manifest and when the storm ariseth those cob-webs will be driven away Sixthly Dissimulations and inconstancies in matter of Religion This is a secret work God will manifest Divines call it to be a Nicodemite He came to Jesus by night John 3.2 and durst not openly professe Christ for fear of the Jews There were some who have held That they might do any external acts of Idololatrical worship be at Masse say they believe any thing so that they keep their consciences and minds pure The Priscillianists are noted for wicked dissimulations herein In Ezekiel we reade the Prophet is commanded To dig through the wall to see the women and men committing their religious abominations in private Ezek. 8.8 Now God will bring this hypocrisie to light External profession is nectssary to salvation when the command requireth it as well as inward faith With the heart man believeth and with the mouth confession is made to salvation Rom. 10.10 So that in case of confession it is damnable not to acknowledge the truths of God God gives a great commendation of seven thousand in Ahabs time that had not bowed their knee to Baal 1 King 18.19 They would not dissemble that outward worship commonly there are never more subtil and secret shiftings then in matters of Religion But of that more in time In the next place Consider the aggravation of those sinnes that are secret and hidden For although to be an open bold sinner is in some respects a greater sinner than a close private sinner because hereby there is more dishonour to God more scandal to others and more impudency in the sinner which happily might be the cause of that speech attributed to Athanasius Vtinam omnes essent hypocritae Hence some are reproved for having an whores fore head that they were not ashamed when they had sinned that they bâ—asted of it yet in many respects these secret sins have terrâ—ble aggravations 1. It argueth a mâ—n hath more consciousnesse to himself that he doth not welâ— therefore he wouâ—d not have the world know Now when any man sins with a consciousnesse to himself that he doth sinne this is a bloody aggravation Tremble at this you who live in secret wickednesse Why doest thou keep it so close Why art thou so fearfull Why doest thou as Rachel make aâ— excuse to cover thy Idols All this argueth the more consciousnesse the more guâ—â—t in thee Thy conscience is awakened thou hast â—â—ruglings and convâ—ctions within thee this is to rebel against light this is to stop the mouth oâ—â—hy monitour thy conscience within which the very Heathen could say was a god to every man I tell thee sinning thus against conscience more have despaired than upon any other ground Oh they did thus and they lived thus but all this while they had a consciousnesse to themselves they should do otherwise This hath made them so deepâ—y possessed though happily upon false grounds that they have sinned against the holy Ghost 2. This secret sinning puts farre more respect and fear upon men than God Thou wilt be unjust in secret thou wilt be unclean in secret Why thou art afraid such men know it Oh thou wicked wretch Art thou afraid of the eye of a man and not of a great God Carest thou not though God see thee whereas thou wouldst hide thy self if man come near thee Thus thou art a coward to man but thou bravest it to God Thou doest in effect say Though God behold though God know though God be acquainted with it I matter it not Oh foolish and unwise Can man damn thee Can man fill thy conscience with terrours Can man bid thee depart into everlasting howlings Why then art thou afraid of man and not God 3. The more secret any wickednesse is it argueth the heart is more studious and industrious â—bout it how to contrive it how to bring it about Of all Davids sins that in the matter of Vriah the Scripture giveth the greatest bâ—and on it because it was done with such secrecie David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord save in the matter of Vriah 1 King 15.5 and premediation Mark Josh 7.11 how Joshua in Achans sinne observed the secresie and the dissimulation and craft used in it Oh that men and women would consider this thing God takes notice with how much craft and subtilty you commit your sins and none never know it Vse of Admonition Take heed of secret hidden sins God will one day manifest what thou hast been Oh it may be the world thought of all the men that lived thou wouldst never do such and such things but God knoweth thy down-sitting and uprising Whither can you flie from his presence Oh let every one then bewail the plague sore of his own heart When Christ convinced the woman of Samaria of the secret sinne she lived in she crieth out Come and hear one that hath told me all that ever I did John 4. Prevent confusion hereafter at the day of judgment by humble confession of all thy secret sins unto God and he will not then upbraid thee Every mans work shall be made manifest This Proposition hath been handled as a general truth and so is a thunder-bolt against all secret sins what they do in secret God will reward openly The more secresie the more guilt Now I shall consider this Proposition in its limited and restrained sense as it relates to false Doctrines to those that build haâ— and stubble where the very expression That it shall be made manifest denoteth That errour for a long time may go undiscerned it may have a counterfeit passe even hay and stubble may be thought gold The false Prophet may get Elijah's mantle and hide himself in it but it shall be made manifest first to the builder and then to the whole world To the builder it may be a manifestation for Direction and Illumination he shall see he was in errour he shall confesse he was seduced and built unprofitable stubble or a maniâ—estation of confusion He shall be confounded with shame when his nakednesse shall appear and like Adam shall hide himself because of
was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Martyrdome Christ died a Martyr as well as a Mediatour because by his blood he witnessed Gods truth You see then how deare his truths are to him And the Psalmist among other arguments useth this It 's time for thee Lord to work for men have made void thy Law Psal 119.126 And though it be but the least Commandment yet if any man shall teach men to breake it he shall be called the least in the Kingdome of Heaven that is he shall be none at all in the Church here as some expound and of Heaven hereafter Matth. 5.19 Know then that not only prophane lives but corrupt Doctrines do provoke God Secondly It 's necessary there should be a time because of the people who belong to Gods grace that they may see their errours and bewail them That they may redeem the time by pulling down their hay and stubble and building gold and silver Thus Luther and all the first Reformers alas they had a long time built hay and stubble till God opened their eyes and then they were as much for truth as once against it How could the people of God come out of Babylon if this day were not And if there be so much joy for reducing one straying Sheep how much more of wandering Shepherds Lastly In respect of men hardened in their errours that their obstinacy may appear the more That when they will not see though the day appear who then can justifie them Thus the Pharisees the proper builders of hay and stubble yet Christ tels them He came into the world that they might not see Their blindnesse was the more increased by his light Vse of Admonition To embrace those daies of light and Revelation which God brings into the world Do not dote upon thy own Opinions thy old corrupt Doctrines and Worship It 's no longer night the day appeareth It 's true such a day is very terrible to men who are wholly corrupted with their errours As Mal. 3. The Prophet speaking of his coming to purify the sons of Levi cryeth out Who may abide the day of his coming It 's as terrible you heard as the Day of Judgment to them Certainly to superstitious and idololatrical persons the day of Reformation is a terrible day They cannot abide the purity and holinesse of it Do not dispute but wisely observe when God causeth such daies to arise upon thee thy blindnesse will be the more inexcuseable Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is We now proceed to the manner or Instrument by which the Day of God shall declare it and that is by fire This is the place that hath raised much fire of contention while Expositours differ about the interpretation of fire Austin as you have heard thought it one of Paul's hard places to be understood and is so modest that he professeth he had rather learn from others then dictate any thing himself This Text the Papists make the chief place for Purgatory therefore Bellermine lib. 1. de Purga cap. 5. is very large in the explication of this place calling it as difficillimum for tilissimum c. one of the most difficult places of the whole Scripture and yet most profitable because the Catholiques build their Ecclesiastical Doctrines on this place viz That there are venial sins and that there is Purgatory Indeed he doth in part Orthodoxly expound the fire in this verse saying Herein we do not dissent from Calvin and Martyr but he would establish it on verse 15. Of which in its time But it 's well that if there be such a fire it 's only of hay and stubble and will not last long By Purgatory fire they mean a severe punishment though not altogether so terrible as Hell in which place they go that are good for the main but yet have many sinnes cleaving to them from which they were not purged in this life If you ask for a text of Scripture some say It cannot be proved by Scripture but only it 's a Church tradition Others as Bellarmine labour to prove it by Scripture but by very obscure texts such as these are Now necessary things to Faith or Salvation are some where or other laid down plainly in Scripture But that this is only a probatory fire and not a a purgatory as they hold appeareth by this clear Argument They hold that only wicked actions shall come into the purgatory fire but the Apostle makes all actions good or bad to come under this fire The fire shall try every mans work If it be gold or precious stones it must be tried by fire as well as hay or stubble whereas purgatory fire is only for hay and stubble And this sufficiently clears the place from any such corrupt glosse which would build hay and stubble even from that very text that threatens fire to such Doctrine But it 's not enough to confute a false interpretation unlesse we give a true What then is meant by fire And First We will take it for granted though some think otherwise that fire is used in the same sense by the Apostle in these verses It 's revealed by fire The fire shall try Yet â—o as by fire Three times the Apostle nameth fire and it 's not likely that in so short a space he should use it in different senses Taking it therefore for one and the same fire let us consider how the Scripture useth the word fire and I shall not reckon up all the significations but what respects to this in my Text And 1. Fire signifieth the wrath and anger of God Why is thy anger kindled like fire And God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 2. For the Effect of Gods anger tribulations and punishment When thou walkest through the fire Isa 43 2. 3. It 's used for any thing that will try and examine That as the fire tryeth the gold but consumeth the drosse so whatsoever way God takes to examine that is fire Thus Psal 66.10 Thou hast tryed us as silver is tryed And Gods Word is said to be like gold seven times tryed in the furnace Psal 12 6. Especially Zechar. 13.9 4 More particularly it 's used for Gods Word because that doth try and discover all false waies Jer. 5.14 I will make my â—ords in thy mouth fire saith God to Jeremiah For fire hath light and heat in it both these try First Light Every thing that is manifested is manifested by the light Ephes 5.13 Secondly Heat Calor separat heterogenea Heat separateth the drosse from gold Now the Word of God is light and heat 5. Fire is used for temptations afflections The precious tryal of your faith by fire 1 Pet. 1.7 Count not the firey tryal a strange thing 1 Pet. 4.12 Mark 9.29 Every Sacrifice shall be sâ—ltâ—â—â—ith fire That is as some expound it Every man that would be acceptable to God he must have salt to season him and this
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
Manners are a pollution of this spiritual Temple So that in the words you have a strong Argument against all Church pollutions whether doctrinal or practical from a similitude or comparison the Apostle useth Those that are the Temple of God must be dedicated to him and not polluted with any unclean thing but the Church of Corinth is the Temple of God And that this Argument might pierce the more he puts the sting of a sharp Interrogation upon his words Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God Know ye not as if he would have said This is a confessed Principle a truth acknowledged by all none can or ought to be ignorant of it Now for the explication of the word Temple and the Reason to prove they were the Temple as followeth in the words I referre it till we come at it For truly this Text is a Mine of gold every word hath precious matter in it Only consider at this time the interrogative Introduction Know ye not One great cause why they admitted such prophanensse and corruption in the Church was the ignorance of or the not attending to those Priviledges and Relations they were called unto If they had duely considered they were Gods Temple they would not have suffered strange Doctrines or strange manners to come in amongst them as no strange uncircumcised might enter into the Temple Observe 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 Pollutions In the 1 Cor. 6.19 the Apostle argueth against all libidinous and unclean waies because their bodies were the Temple of the Holy Ghost now here the Apostle doth not so much speak of every man as their Assembly united together as they were a spiritual Society joyned together As is more largely to be shewed The Apostle argueth chiefly though not excluding sinnes of practice against corruptions in Doctrine and the Ordinances instituted in the Church by which we may see the Scripture puts corruptions in Doctrine through errours and in our lives through ungodlinesse in the same guilt both are unclean and so may not be admitted into the Temple even as the Apostle in the first Chapter verse 5 6. and Gal. 59 useth a Proverbial speech A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump against corruptions in life and in Doctrine but of this more afterwards That which at this time I insist on is To shew what a goade and spurre to all purity and holinesse in Doctrine and Manners the consideration of Church-Priviledges Church-Titles and Relations aâ—e Thus Rom. 6.3 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Ignorance of the extent of their baptism what it did signifie and oblige to made them live in sinne I know nothing more to be complained of then that people generally rest in this They are the Church of God They are Christians They are baptized but they do not understand what these things mean nor what they oblige them unto It would make us all tremble to consider the vast disproportion between our Names our Relations and our lives This hath occasioned many to runne into an extremity to say We have no true Churches no true members of a Church amongst us because the ignorance corruption and prophaneness is so great amongst us though therein they go beyond bounds For this Church of Corinth was not unchurched by the disorders and corruptions amongst it To enforce this Doctrine upon us consider some of the chief and notable Titles or Relations the people of God have and see if rightly considered they would not work like fire to consume all our drosse As First The very word Ecclesia Church This is given to all the spiritual Societies and Assemblies that we read of in the Scripture converted to the true Faith Thus the Church of Corinth the Churches in Asia Now how great a matter is this very word Church For a people to be a Church the word signifieth as much as a company of people called out of the ignorance idolatry and prophanenesse of the world to worship and serve God in his way and to obey his Laws So that when men come to be of this body they are to renounce all their former prophanenesse and wickednesse and live a life conformable to the Word which is the Churches Charter and by which it walketh Thus all our Congregations should be men called out of the ignorance and prophanenesse of the world to live according to Gods Rule But where are the persons or the Societies that do this Are not many of our Assemblies in the world and of the world still in respect of conversation There will be scandals and offences in the Churches of God too often but woe be to such who by their prophanenesse idolatry and wickednesse give so many scandals as to make us accounted a Babylon a Sodome or as the world Indeed they who do thus charge us go beyond their line for we have a true Church and a true Ministry and true Ordinances only the lives of men are generally so corrupt and wicked so ignorant and beastly that they are spots in our Assemblies and a grievous reproach to that holy Profession which we have taken upon us So then if we would have our Congregations and persons freed from all these defilements remember what the word Church is a company called out of the world And as for ignorant and prophane men the orders of Christ are to endeavour their reformation but if they continue obstinate then they are to be cast out As the Clouds that are exhaled from the earth which though terrestrial in nature yet follow the motions of the Heavens so though in our original we be of the world and are dust and ashes yet by this heavenly call we are wholly to live a heavenly conversation Is it for Starres to be like the dung of the earth Is it for a Church to be a prophane ignorant and worldly people Oh this very title should raise up your hearts Are we not a Church persons called out of wickednesse Why then are we such Apostates as to degenerate from our Titles and Names If Christ complained of those that had made the material Temple a den of thieves Mat. 21.13 will he not also of such who shall make his Church a stew a dunghill a place of wickednesse and ungodlinesse I beseech you know these things and consider them better If you would have the Name of a Church have the nature Life and operations of a Church Secondly The consideration that we are the people of God in a more peculiar manner then all the Nations of the world that do not know God This also should affect us This is that Covenant of Grace God enters into I will be their God and they shall be my people Jer. 7.23 2 Cor. 6.16 Yea a peculiar people Gods Jewels Gods Treasure Deut. 26.18 Psal 135.4
the world to come and for eternity So that as a mans sense comes farre short of reason because sense reacheth onely to the present objects but reason can compare past and future things together So the best worldly reason cometh short of Scripture-wisdome for that is limited only to the pleasures and profits of this world Vse of Reproof To all those who glory in their worldly wisdome speculative or practical Thou art wiser in thy generation than the children of light Thou art wise to do evil but to do good thou hast no understanding Who more crafty and politique than thou art in matters of profit and worldly respects But who more ignorant and foolish in heavenly things Oh that thou hadst the Scripture-wisdome for all thy craft and parts thou wilt die and be damned as a fool Boast not of thy self for the Day of Judgement will discover who is wise and who not If any man seeme to be wise let him become a foole that he may be wise We have considered the two diminishing expressions used by the Apostle concerning earthly and meer humane wisdome Now let us consider the preceptive part of this Text arising from the affective Seeing earthly wisdome doth deceive a man is but a seeming wisdome and a wisdome of this world only Therefore the Apostle cometh with this command Let him become a fool that he may be wise To become a fool is only in appearance and in the judgment of the world he speaketh by concession the world will judge all true Scripture and heavenly wisdom to be foolishnesse So that as the worlds wisdom is a real folly but a seeming wisdome So the Scripture-wisdome is a real wisdome but a seeming folly Let him be a fool that is as David said I will be more vile still 2 Sam. 6.22 It was a râ—al honour and glory to David to dance before the Ark but a prophane scoffing Michel she calleth it vilenesse and basenesse Thus it is indeed the only true and sound wisdome to believe and live according to Christs Rule but with the world this is onely folly they mock and deride it Observe That true Christian wisdome is nothing but folly in the worlds account To believe Christs Doctrines to keep his Commandments makes a man very ridiculous and absurd in the worlds account You see what Paul said of the Apostles who were the eminent starres in this Christian Heaven They were the off-scouring of the world and a spectacle to men and Angels 1 Cor. 4.9 They were as contemptible as the dirt under the feet But as the starres in Heaven are of a glorious excellent nature though they have those ugly names of a Dog and a Bear So the Apostles and all true Christians are the seed of God and shine as lights in a dark night howsoever the dogs of the world do bark at them To prosecute this I shall remind you of Austin's division of the whole matter of Christian Religion or Wisdome viz. the Credenda Speranda and Agenda Things to be believed hoped for and practised and instance how all these particulars are a meer folly and reproach in the world And First For the things to be believed there are these seeming follies First The very way of Christianity that it is not a knowledge but believing This be the great wits of the world hath been accused as a foolish thing Indeed one Hebrew word for a fool comes from believing because it 's a simple childish thing to be too credulous a fool believeth every thing and in political wisdome that is a famous Apophegme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in matters of Religion There cannot be any greater wisdome than to believe God speaking concerning himself For who can know any thing of God but by God himself As we cannot see the Sunne but by the light of the Sunne Howsoever therefore the great Heathen Philosopher called Christians Credentes by scorn yet indeed this is the most sure and infallible way Julian that wretched Apostate but a great admirer of humane learning Nazianzen saith of him he would brag and say The Heathens had all the learning but you Christians Vestrûm est infantia barbaries nec quicquam aliud quam crede vestra est sapientia See what a fit instance this is they said Christianity was infancy childishness barbarisme and they had no other wisdome but only believe Nazianzen first tels him That the Pythagoreans would abhorre that argument for they said of their Master Ipse dixit ulterius non est quaerendâ—m but our belief is not in men but in the word of God which truth was confirmed by signs and wonders So then take heed of this sinfull distemper curiosity and pride in knowledge to be wise above what is written It was Adams sinne at first to affect a knowledge not vouchsafed him Secondly The Matter believed that hath appeared a great folly to the wisdome of the world is That God should be made man that he should die be crucified and by this means work salvation for the poor sinner This whole Systeme of Gods dispensation seemed but an heap of foolish imaginations Lucian that prophane dog who they say was torne in pieces by dogs by derision called Christ The crucified God Therefore Paul hath that expression I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ Rom. 1.15 He was not ashamed of it though the Heathens the wise men of the world despised it and herein consider the unreasonablenesse of the Heathens that could and did believe such monstrous things about their gods even as those that committed all wickednesse Hence Austin well speaking of Seneca's advice to set some wise grave man as Cato before us that we may not sin said He must propound a man not any of their gods for every one of them was noted for some filthinesse or other Hence he in Terence encouraged himself to lusts because their gods did so The Heathens I say that could believe such monstrous and filthy things about their gods and worship them yet would deride at Christ crucified though risen with power working many miracles and teaching nothing but admirable holy duties But now in all this dispensation about Christ God shewed his manifold wisdome even farre above that which was in making the world Thirdly The Manner of propagating and spreading this faith through the whole world was very contemptible and foolish in the worlds account though mighty powerfull and confounding the wise things of the world At first Christ doth not raise an army of men or legions of Angels but only twelve men and those of a mean contemptible way and these served to leaven the whole world These were the light and the salt of the earth Here the mustard-seed lesse than other seeds grew bigger than any other What Caesars sword or the Philosophers knowledge could not do that this plain preaching did effect All the power of men and the gates of hell have been no more able to stop this preaching
the only wise God he sees their thoughts to be vain He seeth that Ahitophels that Tullies that Pharaohs thoughts even when they intend to deale wisely are vaine Let men applaud them yet God derideth them 2. The Lord knoweth the thoughts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their reasonings their choisest acts of the understanding their best and most accurate Discourses all their Logick as it were to be a meer fallacy And then Lastly To be vain to be fruitlesse to be empty they make empty webs all the day long Domitian the Emperour is derided for spending time in catching of flies and yet as vain and foolish are all the thoughts and projects of every natural wise man So that what Motto the wise man would write upon every creature Vanity of vanity all is vanity So the same may be upon all the best thoughts meditations and counsels of the wisest men and if a mans mind be vain every thing else in him must needs be vanity for this is the salt that seasons a man and if that hath lost its seasoning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 become a fool all is likewise foolish Observe That the choisest and best thoughts of the wisest men are vaine We may consider man in a three-fold capacity 1. Politicè as a political creature endued with civil wisdome and so is part of a society and thus his thoughts are vain 2. Ethicè as he is to walk according to the Rules of reason which sound and rectified nature doth guide a man in and thus he is vain 3. Theologicè as he is to look up to Heaven to obey God and to aim at supernatural happinesse And in this sense especially he is a most vain empty man and to this the Apostle relateth To open the Doctrine let us consider In what sense the Scripture useth the word vain and you shall see them fitly applicable to the wisest mens thoughts that what is said of mans body may also be true of his soul Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 And First That is said to be vain which is empty and void of that worth and excellency which ought to be within Thus a fool is called often a vain person because he is empty of that solid judgement and reason which ought to be in a man Hence foolish persons are compared to empty straws that are blown up and down with every wind because they have no weight in them Nabals name and his nature agreed he was a fool The word comes of a root that signifieth to wither As the withered branch hath lost all its sap and juice so a fool hath And thus the thoughts of all men naturally are empty void and destitute of true wisdome They knew not wherein true happinesse doth consist or what is the way that looketh to it they do not provide for eternity they consider not that upon this moment depends eternity they look not out to the best and choisest things in the first place all that inward juyce and sap of spiritual wisdom is taken from them Secondly That is said to be vanity which seemeth to have great happinesse and content in it but indeed it 's the clean contrary A vain thing is that which hath a goodly appearance but inwardly hath no profit As those apples of Sodome so much spoken of Thus Eve called her son Abel vanity because she thought that before she had brought forth the man the feed that should break the Serpents head but finding him to be without the Image of God and devoid of all holinesse subject to mortality she called him Abel as deceived in her expectations And thus it is with all the thoughts of the wisest in the world they think at first they have possessed a man brought forth that which will accomplish all their desires but upon experience they see it is an Abel it 's vanity So that as Solomon tels us of a vanity in all earthly comforts in riches and pleasures because though they have a goodly appearance yet there is indeed no substance no solidity like the thorns which have white flowers but thorns Thus it is with the best and choisest thoughts and projects of the wisest men they have a goodly lustre you would think such wise men could not but be happy their expectations are raised but the issue doth deceive them Call us not Naomi but Marah may they say Thirdly Vanity in the Scripture is often applied to a lie Every man speaks vanity to his neighbour that is a lie Psal 12.2 And thus the thoughts of the most wise are a lie Let God be true and every man a liar Rom. 3.4 All thy thoughts are so many lies Now a man is a liar two wayes 1. To himself And then 2. To others To himself all his thoughts are a meer lie They promise such happinesse glory and felicity to themselves and in the mean while they are very lies they prove as the Land-flood as a reed a man leaneth on The rich man that said Thou hast many goods laid up his thoughts were so many lies Those proud thoughts of Tyre and Sidon that set her heart as God and said No evil should come near them were nothing but lies And if this were only in temporal and fading things the deceit would not be so dangerous but it 's in spiritual things also All mens thoughts naturally are concerning the goodnesse of their heart the purity of their wayes the happinesse of their condition but in all things they lie most damnably What a dangerous lie was that of Laodicea who said She was rich and cloathed and wanted nothing when indeed she was naked miserable and wanted all things Revel 3.17 All the Pharisees thoughts whereby they trusted in their own righteousnesse and justified themselves were nothing but lies And thus John Baptist reproved the Jews for their vain thoughts Thinke not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our father Mat. 3.9 The thoughts of men are never more dangerously vaine than when they please themselves about their good condition as to spirituals that all is well with them that God loveth them these are lying vain thoughts Again The thoughts of all men naturally are lies actively in respect of others They are full of falshood and dissimulation there is no truth or sincerity in men as David complaineth Psal 12. And the Prophet Isaiah complaineth Every one is an hypocrite the best is a liar Isa 9.17 That as the sheep runneth to the briars to shelter her self in a storm but they prove a lie because they tare her in stead of defending her Thus it is with all men therefore he is said to be cursed that puts his trust in men Jer. 17. For unlesse men have godlinesse and so are made sincere and unfeigned there cannot be any trust in them Hence are those Rules of wise men Nemini fidas in teipso spes tuas pone Fourthly Vanity is often in Scripture used for that which is
them meeting in this they bring good to the godly man And 1. There are happy and prosperous events Or 2. Adverse and afflicting ones And For the first What ever mercies or good things come about they are the godly-mans in these respects First They are for his necessary use and supply They come as so many gifts immediately given by God for thy necessities And when I say use I mean a sanctified use All the food raiment and wealth he hath are sanctified in their use to him and this the Scripture speaks of as a property to the godly only Wicked men may abound in wealth honours greatnesse but they are a curse to them they have them not from God as intending good to them thereby But as the Rule is Corpora impura quantò plus nutrias impuriora reddis The more you nourish unwholsome bodies the better food they have the more doth their disease increase So these worldly mercies draw out the lusts of wicked men the more Take notice of these two Texts Tit. 1.15 and 1 Tim. 4.5 There we may see a curse is upon every creature It 's unclean to a wicked man though he hath a civil right to his estate and comforts yet he can make no sanctified use of them for their own persons are not pure and sanctified and so nothing belonging to them is pure Seeing therefore there is a curse by Adams fall upon every creature Thy food thy raiment thy goods thy estate they neeâ—â—anctification by the Word and prayer Therefore the godly only have the sanctified use of them because they are humble in prayer for the cleansing of them But how atheistical are the men of the world They labour to have this state and that state still more and more not at all enquiring whether this come sanctified to them or not Doth not health wealth and all outward mercies come with the curse upon them they had at first The Devils Have not they a life Are not they preserved in their being Yet this is no mercy to them And thus it is with all wicked men We see what Paul saith Rom. 11.9 Let their table be made a snare and a trap and a stumbling block It 's a terrible place A mans table his dainties his greatest pleasure may be made a snare to thee Wouldst thou receive the richest goods that are brought into thy house if the plague or infection were on them Couldst thou endure to have one at thy table to lay a snare to catch thee in thy words to bring thee in temporal danger And art not thou afraid thy house thy estate thy wealth may be made by God a snare to thee But how happy are the godly that how great soever the outward mercies are yet they are pure and sanctified to them The danger is taken off by Christs death Secondly These prosperous things are not only in a sanctified way to the godly but God alâ—o requireth that with joy and gladnesse we should make use of them for his glory It 's lawfull for them to eat and drink and enjoy the good mercies they hâ—ve with a cheerfull joyfull spirit I speak not of carnal and sinfull joy which quickly ends in terrour and trembling and is like the crackling of thorns that make a blaze but immediately go out No but of a well-ordered gladnesse and joy in the good things God bestoweth on them For God doth not call his people to a worldly dejected sorrow which worketh death but to a godly sorrow which causeth great joy and serenity of spirit Insomuch that Scripture speaks of it as a provoking sinne if we do not serve the Lord with joy and and gladnesse of spirit when he bestoweth these outward mercies upon us Deut. 28 47. Many terrible curses are there threatned to Israel Because they did not serve God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart for the abundance of all things If therefore God giveth thee plenty of outward things and thou doest not serve him with joyfulnesse and thankfulnesse of heart it is a provoking sinne God doth not only love a cheerfull giver but a cheerfull receiver also of his mercies So then when prosperous things befall thee thou mayest with great joy of heart make use of them Thirdly These prosperous things are not only sanctified to them but they are also made sanctifying of them God giveth them those good things of the body to make their souls better Abraham had many outward mercies but these also were helpfull to his graces he was rich in faith as well as in cattel and great substance Thus Godlinesse hath the promise of this life and the life to come 1 Tim. 4.8 To have the good things of the world and not the gracious things of the Gospel and the glorious things of Heaven is to have a cistern but to be without the fountain to have a starre but to want the Sunne Art thou drawn near to God more improved in holinesse by all the mercifull things thou hast Then art thou beloved of God God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith Jam. 5. And The poor receive the Gospel Be afraid lest wealth and greatnesse make thee reject the Gospel When thy outward mercies are sanctified then art thou happy Fourthly These prosperous present things are theirs Because they know how to make the present use of them for Gods glory As life was theirs and death theirs because they only could live well and die well so present riches present death present comforts are theirs because they know how to make the present improvement of them The Scripture still presseth While we have opportunity to do good to lay hold on it and while it is called to day 2 Heb. 3.15 Do good with thy present wealth improve thy present strength thy present health for who knoweth how long thou mayest enjoy it especially of all present things the present time is a godly mans Redeem the time Ephes 5.16 And now is the acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 This is a great part of wisdome to make the present time ours even now to turn to God now to reform and amend One Heathen complained that his friends were fures temporis the thieves of his time they stole that precious jewel away from him by their visits Oh take heed that no lusts no pleasures no enticements and worldly delights steal away thy present time it is all thou hast and it 's but a moment yet on this moment depends eternity Well therefore is it for the godly who knoweth how to make the best improvement of all prices put into his hand A Christian is not called to ease but labour to a spiritual merchandize to make profit of every thing And thus it should be with every godly man there is nothing befals thee no good comes to thee but thou shouldst bethink thy self how can this be improved for God How may I make heavenly advantages of these things Thus be like the Bee sucking honey out of every herb
perseverance in the state of grace that they shall never totally and finally fall off from the favour of God For this is the greatest thing that might be feared not the losse of riches honours or our estates but the losse of grace is to be feared Oh if left to my self I may prove a Prodigal become destitute of all holinesse There is nothing should more make the godly afraid than this Hence they are commanded to have a godly trembling about it He that standeth let him take heed that he doe not fall 1 Corinth 10.12 Works out your salvation with fear and trembling Philip. 2.12 Blessed is he that feareth alwayes Prov. 28.14 Now though there be such a godly fear required yet the godly at the same time are to be perswaded that what grace God hath begunne he will perfect and therefore this fear is promised as a means to preserve them Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So that we have many glorious promises for our continuance and stedfastnesse in the way of God that neither the subtil devices of false prophets shall be able to deceive them nor open and violent persecutions shall take them out of Christs arms for they must be stronger than Christ that can do this Lastly Death which is surely to come upon every one even about that the godly need not be troubled You heard it was their gain it was the time of their redemption it was Jacobs Chariot Now although it be so yet the most godly have trembling thoughts about it Christ himself as he was a man had a natural fear of death and many of Gods children are tempted about it lest they should have no comfort be filled with despair or not able with readinesse and willingnesse to resigne themselves into Gods hands But the Scripture doth excellently fortifie against this The righteous hath hope in his death Prov. 14.32 And 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting And Psal 4.15 see what an expression there is The Lord will strengthen him on the bed of languishing and the Lord will make all his bed in his sicknesse All his bed Do not then fear to be left comfortlesse at that hour This must come and it will come blessed unto thee And as for the things to come in the world to come they are so theirs that they are prepared onely for them Here riches and honours the good have them and the bad have them but there onely the godly do possesse the good things of that life Now what tongue of men or Angels is able to speak of them The Scripture cals it Life eternal life Glory and immortality The Kingdome of Heaven A Crown that never withereth nay whatsoever may be said of it comes short because it may be said Then we rightly esteem of it when we account it inestimable Now this everlasting glory is so sure though to come that they are said to have it already He hath already passed from death to life 1 John 3.14 He is already set down with Christ in heavenly places Ephes 2.6 And Heb. 1. They have faith which is the substance and evidence of things not seen So that were the godly for the present to lie under all imaginable misery yet that which is to come would make amends for all Thus Paul We account these light afflictions not comparable to that eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 It 's no matter what is for the present so that what is to come be so glorious Now let us passe from the Mount of Blessing to that of Cursing Let us see how it is with the wicked man in respect of what is to come And First How rich and pleasant and full their condition is for the present yet they may expect fulnesse of wrath to come upon them every day Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich men howl and weep for the miseries that are to come upon you God storeth up vengeance he hath a treasure of it and the ungodly may tremble every hour lest it fall upon them Therefore thou that art now jolly and confident fear what is to come what the next day may bring upon thee Sodome had a fair morning but fire and brimstone quickly fell upon them In Deut. 28. we have the curses of a wicked man described That in the morning he should wish for evening and he should be in continual fear of what may come upon them Even as Cain went up and down fearing every one would kill him So that all the curses in the Word all the wrath of God may justly be feared by thee every day thou arisest or walkest abroad Secondly Although they have the good things of this life yet they are rather to tremble then to be confident thereby For the Parable of Dives and Lazarus instructeth us of Gods proceedings herein Luke 16. Abraham told Dives He had received the good things of this life and therefore was to have the evil things of the life to come As Ishmael had part of the earthly possessions of this world but nothing of Canaan or the promise Thy misery and confusion hereafter will be the greater by how much the rather thou hast been accustomed to ease and pleasures and the longer God keeps off his wrath the more heavy and weighty will it be when it shall come Vse 1. Of Instruction He only is happy who shall be so in the world to come Judge not of a mans blessednesse by this moment our lives are shadows that passe away what shalt thou be to all eternity Say that to thy soul Oh prophane Atheist that crieth Give me the present and let others take the future Thou doest not believe the great things coming therefore thou thinkest and speakest so Oh what a vast difference will there be between thy laughing here and thy roaring in hell thy pleasures here and thy torments there Oh that this eternity coming that this world to come should not be more in your minds and hearts Vse 2. Of Consolation to the godly who may say Soul take thy spiritual ease If they may not who may lay themselves down and sleep if not such for whatsoever fals out it shall be well with them They have a promise for the future and therefore it 's their weaknesse and unbelief if they torment themselves saying what if this be and that be How shall I do if such things come upon me What shall not such promises as I have named quiet thee Mayest thou not trust God upon his Word Vse 3. Of Terrour to the wicked Do not with Agag rise up comfortably and walk delicately saying The worst is past No God reserveth his bitter gall to come All the grief pain and misery thou hast had in this life is nothing to those dregs thou must drink up hereafter Break off thy sins quickly by repentance think what will those cost me hereafter How do the damned in hell think of those wicked wayes
bitterness at the latter end If these pleasures would not turn into torment then it were something but as these have abounded so will thy torments and troubles also abound Thou canst not say with Agag the bitterness of death and hell are past What is the sad end of all Dives his joy Yea sometimes they are destroyed in the very midst of all their pleasures as the Philistimes and as Nabal were Fifthly The joy and gladness of a godly man is stable and perpetual because the ground and cause of it is unchangeable God never ceaseth to be his Father he shall never be cast out of the state of Justification he shall never lose his interest in Heaven now this rock alwayes abiding their joy must also be immoveable It 's true though the godly have cause alwayes to rejoyce yet they do not so actually for the present they may mourn and be in bitterness but that many times is caused by their own sinne and weakness or else God to give them more comfort afterwards doth suspend present comfort as the Sunne is most welcome after a tempestuous black storme but though this be yet the foundation of their joy remaineth sure there is the same cause why they should rejoyce alwayes Oh but thus it is not with the unregenerate man all his joy is but a blaze and all the cause or ground of it is very uncertain Every creature and condition they rejoyce in is it not mutable To day laughing to morrow crying To day cheerfull because thou hast it to morrow mourning because thou hast lost it Thus in Job Chap. 20.5 Zophar saith The triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of an hypocrite for a moment The oil to this lamp will quickly fail thy honours thy life thy wealth these things will not last alwayes Oh then should it not be thy wisdome to lay up for such joy that will abide continually that will never leave thee Is it not evident folly to take thy delight in that which may be lost the next hour As Jonah took great content in his Gourd and within a day a worme breedeth therein and consumeth all Therefore say of thy worldly joy as thou mayest of thy life it self It is but a buble a vapour here to day and gone to morrow if thou couldest preserve all this delight continually and death it self could not rob thee of it then go on and make much of it But to thy terrour thou wilt find the instability of it as with the Sodomites The morning was fair and pleasant but fire and brimstone was upon them before night For ought thou knowest thou mayest go from laughing here to eternal roarings in hell the next moment Sixthly Spiritual joyes transcend earthly because the soul can better perceive them they are of a more spiritual and penetrating nature and efficacy The soul can receive them as the spunge doth water or the iron doth fire the soul may be filled with it but all bodily delights and joy they are more gross and thick This reason give the Schoolmen why all soul delights are above the body and much more if they be spiritual and heavenly As those sinnes which are immediately seated in the soul they are more deep and inward then bodily sinnes so that joy and delight which enters immediately into a mans soul is farre more soaking and pressing then that which is upon the body primarily For bodily joyes are like the Sunne-beames which come in at a cranny or little hole but foul delight is as when the Sunne comes in at a window or at a great door there is capacity enough to receive it Seventhly All earthly joy is to be moderated we may sinne in it we may go too farre we may over-joy Therefore the Psalmist exhorts Psal 2. to rejoyce with trembling While we take any joy in these earthly things we are to do it with trembling for then is a temptation to sinne then are we in greatest danger in the midst of heat we are subject to take cold Hence the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7. Those that rejoyce must be as if they did not rejoyce So great a care are we to have that our joy be moderated we do not say it 's unlawfull to take delight and joy in the creatures the Scripture commands to eat and drink with joy of heart only we must not joy excessively we may quickly let this joy overflow the bankes and certainly the carnal and immoderate joy that men take even in lawfull things is no little part of their iniquity For why is it that thy heart can rejoyce in outward mercies thou canst take delight in these creatures but hast none at all in heavenly things A Fair a Market is thy delight when thou canst not call the Sabbath a delight Is not all this because thy heart over-joyeth in these things Vse of Exhortation not to be disheartned at godliness as if it were a sad melancholy mopish life Oh know thou never comest to have true joy til thou live the godly exact and precise life The closer thou walkest with God the more fearfull to commit any sinne the more unspeakable and solid is thy joy Oh call not that laughter and mirth of the wicked man joy Solomon saith it 's not joy it 's madness Do not ye see mad men they will laugh and hoot and leap with jollity when they are bereft of reason and lye in chains bound up in a dark Dungeon Such is all the worlds laughter They die laughing They go to hell laughing and is not this madness Yet who can perswade men to leave their carnal jollity and to tast how good and pleasant the wayes of God are Well go on and take thy delights thou wilt have laughing enough one day for Prov. 1. God will laugh at thy destruction and mock when thy fear cometh Of the Godly Mans Holy Security and Admirable quietnesse of Spirit as another Effect of the Light of Gods Countenance PSAL. 4.8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety WE have heard of one glorious Effect of the light of Gods countenance upon David viz. A gladnesse surpassing all the joy that can be in the world now in this verse we have a second and no lesse noble Effect of the same cause For as the Sunne hath many severall and notable effects upon the earth it doth not only enlighten or comfort but makes fruitfull and aboundeth also in many other effects Thus the favour of God where that is perceived it is not one or two but many glorious consequents flow from thence And this in the text is an holy security and admirable quietnesse of spirit free from all sinfull distempers let his danger be never so great So that this heavenly tranquillity is a fruit of that Faith which he had in God at this time though so greatly tempted Therefore in the words you have David's godly security a fruit of his Faith