get our work done before the evening of our daies when our account is to be made As the Merchant to which I told you the expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was an allusion who comes when the mart is ready to break up he will hasten his traffick and double his diligence so a traveller that oversleeps himself in the morning will be upon the spur all the day after that he may come to his journeys end in time so should those who have loitered and idled away much of their time formerly now with the more earnestness press towards the mark and run the race that is set before them IV. Those who are engaged in special service for God such are Magistrates and Ministers Of the first you know what the Poet Hom. II. ss saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Magistrate must not sleep a whole night but the other is more considerable we must be labourers not loiterers in Gods vineyard as they are described Heb. 13. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies Noctes insomnes agere as they that watch S. Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these watchings often 2 Cor. 6. 5. Diligence and labour is commendable in any but in none more then in a Minister of the Gospel The Priest under the law had the shoulder in the Sacrifice to intimate that burden and labour which lay upon him See what employment S. Paul puts upon his young Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 13 14. Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine c. And if you consider duely that exact Scripture-knowledge and in order to that the knowledge of tongues arts and sciences to qualifie a man for that employment together with the end of it the concernment of souls and adde the danger of negligence in this work God having pronounced him cursed Jerem. 48. 10. and that those souls shall be required at our hands who perish through our negligence Ezek. 3. 18. as Judah stood engaged for Benjamin so Ministers for souls God will require God Gen 43. 9. will require an account of them from them you will easily conclude it their interest more especially then others to redeem this time V. Those especially are engaged who live in these places and that not onely because we have greater opportunities of which before but chiefly because our improvements are the interest and concernment both of Church and State All mens eyes are fixt upon us and their expectations are from us and therefore we must redeem our time that we may be a credit to our places and a blessing unto the Church and be able by our serviceableness when God calls us out to give an account of the expence of our time here by contending for the faith against all novel encroachments of errour heresie and the like VI. And lastly Those especially who have bad experience of the grace of God who are truely enlightned and brought home unto Christ. And therefore you may observe that the Apostle urgeth this dutie upon the Ephesians from the consideration of their regenerate condition Ephes 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord therefore it follows walk as children of the light and having again said at ver 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give the light it follows in ver 15. walk circumspectly not as fools as formerly mispending and lavishing out your precious time but as wise and that hath reference to this Redeeming your time So the Apostle elsewhere frequently argues from the change of our state and condition to the change of our conversation so Rom. 13. 11. And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer and at verse 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armour of light c. However men Psal 104. 23. sleep in the night yet when the Sun ariseth man goeth forth unto his labour so however men idle in the night of their unregeneracte when the Sun of righteousness is risen upon them then they must up and be working Observe again how the Apostle urges this in 1 Thess 5. 5 6. Ye are all children of the light and of the day we are not of the night nor of the darkness Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch be sober And therefore Paul himself that had wickedly miss-spent his time in persecuting of the Church and blaspheming God when once he was brought home desires to improve it for God and therefore calls out Lord what wilt thou have me to do and this Acts. 9. 16. briefly upon these considerations which I do but touch and leave to your selves to be enlarged 1. They have more to improve then others They have not onely common gifts but a talent of special grace which they should trade with and endeavour to improve 2. They have the greatest mercie to engage them The Wiseman urges it upon some in consideration of the great work of creation Eccâ—es 12. 1. Remember thy Creatour in the days of thy youth how much more should an interest in the work of redemption wrought by Christ engage unto this he having redeemed us to this end that we might redeem our time for his service Luke 1. 74. 3. They have the greatest hopes in their eyes to encourage them Consider how laborious and diligent he will be who hath the obtaining of a kingdome in his eyes and should not Christians much more eyeing their inheritance incorruptible and that kingdome which fadeth not away For which cause saith the Apostle we faint not c. 2 Cor. 4. 16. but upon what ground because we know that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus verse 14. and we look not at the things which are seen which are but temporal but at the things which are not seen which are eternal verse 18. 4. They are best able to judge of the pretiousness of time and how much it is their concernment to improve it they having the glory of God and their own salvation in their eye they know what the mispence of time means it hath been the burden of their spirit and the sadness of their souls they know and see into the danger of lavishing out their time which others who discern none of these prodigally throw away 5. And lastly Their mis-improvement of time is the greatest scandal unto others Every one is apt to take offence at and encourage themselves in loosness by the remissness and idleness of those who own Christ and profess the Gospel When my foot slippeth Psal 38. 16. saith David they magnifie themselves against me So the Apostle tels us of the Jews Rom. 2. 24. that the name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles through them And how apt are men to take an
dangerous But because many things may be pretended for the neglect hereof I shall remove a scruple or two First Object Say some I am unlearned I cannot search into it Answ To this I answer I wish thou wert learned and able to read they self but then know thou oughtest so much the more carefully to attend and conscienciously wait upon the publick reading of the Scripture in these publick assemblies This hath been the constant practise of the Church in all ages as is evident partly in Luke 4 16 17. and partly in Acts 13. 15. where you see in both places it was the usual custome to have the Scriptures read in their publick assemblies and after reading followed preaching The ground whereof was surely as to preserve the purity of Scripture-doctrine in the Church that the people hearing the word so frequently read might not be imposed upon by errour or delusions of men so also for the profit advantage and edification of those who cannot read or search the Scriptures and that the preaching of the word might come with more light and power upon their hearts If you cannot read your selves get others to read unto you and be you so much the more in prayer and meditation Second Object I have so much employment in the world that I have no leisure to search the Scriptures If I should privately search Scripture and attend frequently upon the preaching of the word it would set me behinde hand in the world and hinder my thriving Answ I answer This is much what the Apologie that those made who pretended their farms and oxen as an excuse for not coming unto the wedding Matth. 22. But Christians break through your worldly employments prefer God before the world and your souls before your bodies an act of Religion before all worldly business and believe it you will be no losers by it God will succeed and bless your labours more Never was any man a loser by his Religion See what God promised to the lews Exod. 34. 24. that He would secure their land for them while they went up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. And what our Saviour said to the Disciples Luke 22. 35. When I sent you out without purse and scrip and shoes lacked ye anything Thou pretendest no leisure the truth is Non parùm temporis habemus sed multùm perdimus saies Seneca Yes we have time enough but we loose too much of it Thou hast no leisure for this but Art thou at leisure for thy pleasures and not for Religion for the world and not for God for shame cheat not your own souls with such vain pretences but as thou desirest the knowledge of Christ here and the enjoyment of Christ hereafter be consciencious in this duty of Searching the Scriptures Use Third It reproves those who believe not this truth that the Scripture is the word of God But you will say This concerns not us Go charge the Turks and Indians with this No my Brethren many of our selves here are guilty of this for though mens mouths profess it yet their hearts deny it as the Apostle speaks of some In words they profess God but in works they deny him Tit. 1. 16. Did men really believe the corruptions of their natures and their constant liableness unto wrath would there be so much pride so much confidence in sin Did men really believe that of every idle word they must give an account would there be so much idle frothy ungodly profane lascivious talking and discourse Did men believe the Apostle Gal. 5. 19 20 21. that all those vices there rehearsed were the works of the flesh would those sins so much abound Did men believe that they who did no wrong to their neighbour should enter into and dwell in the Tabernacle of God Psal 15. 1 5. would there be so much oppression and extortion Did men believe that God will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all them that know not God and obey not his Gospel as in 2 Thess 1. 8. would there be such a contented wilfull ignorance of God Truth where it is effectually entertained will have an influence upon the life How do most men hold Gospel-truth in unrighteousness as the Apostle saies the Gentiles did the light of nature Rom. 1. 18. so these with-hold Gospel-truths for certainly wickedness in the life speaks an ineffectual entertainment of the truth Use Fourth It condemns those who do not value and prize the Scripture How did the Heathens prize their Oracles yet the generalitie of Christians do not prize these Oracles of God as the Apostle calls them Rom. 3. 2. Three things there are that make this out unto us 1. Mens wilfull and contented ignorance of Scripture What things we prize we search into How does the Scholar pry and search into those notions he affects and values So would men do if they did value and prize the word aright but the contrarie to this rather is evident by their language Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Job 21. 14. II. Mens weariness in searching the Scripture What things we prize in the search of them we finde delight but how are men tyred at a Sermon or Sabbath in which the Scriptures are read Is not the language of those Israelites in Amos 8. 5. the language of too many among us When will the Sabbath be ended c. Men are sooner weary of this then any other III. Mens seldom discoursing of Scripture As they said to Peter in another case Matth. 26. 73. Thy speech bewrayeth thee so mens speeches bewray their want of affections to the Scriptures The Scholar upon every occasion is discoursing of those notions which he prizeth but men are far more wise to discourse of the world then of heaven and heavenly things Use Fifth Of exhortation That you would endeavour to get your faith well grounded in this fundamental truth that neither Satan tempt you nor men dispute you out of it for till then I. Your faith will be uncertain and weak as a building without a foundation as a ship without ballast or anchor soon tossed and ship-wrackt and this we may think is the cause of most mens Apostacie in these declining times II. Your lives will be but loose If you be not throughly convinced of your dutie of walking by Scripture-rule you will walk at uncertainties and so amiss III. Your comforts weak if not grounded on Scripture-promises This is one main reason why mens comforts ebb and flow so much they are not grounded on a sure belief of Scripture and if once your faith in this truth waver the foundation of your comfort must needs be shaken For the attaining whereof I can give you no better direction then that you Pray earnestly for the Spirit that he would please I. To open the eyes of your minde illightning and irradiating the understanding to see those arguments and evidences of this truth which lie in the Scriptures So S. John tells us I John 2. 26. These things have I written unto you that no man seduce you And without this all other arguments will be ineffectual to the begetting of a saving and through belief of this truth As Agar when her eyes were opened saw a well of water Gen. 21. 19. so there are arguments to evince this truth sufficient in the Scriptures but they will never be brought home to the soul with a full conviction till the Spirit open our eyes to see them for this is one end why the Spirit of God is given to us and received of us that we may know the things that are freely given unto us by the Spirit of God as in I Cor. 2. 12. 2. To remove that natural enmitie and prejudice that we have against an effectual assent to the Gospel and so sanctifie our hearts as to make it close with and heartily embrace it as the truth and word of God Truth resists our corruptions and they it What is the great Gospel truth but Christ his coming to undertake as our Jesus this we cannot savingly assent unto but by the Spirit as in I Cor 12. 3. No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Spirit Corruption fills the soul with prejudices against the truth The Philosopher observes that the Mathematicks though abstruse in themselves are sooner learnt by a young man dissolute and that hath not tamed his passions then morality because those being mere speculations bring no oppositions to his lusts which the precepts of morality curb and restrain So mens corruptions and unsubdued lusts prejudice the soul against the belief of Gospel-truth which the sanctifying work of the Spirit doth subdue and remove and so disposes the soul for the entertainment of the truth of the Gospel as we see in S. Paul who having his lusts subdued once came to preach that Gospel which before he had persecuted FINIS
Eccles p. 38. truth of all these miracles as he that was cured of his blindness argued with the Pharisees John 9. 30 31 32 33. Why herein is a marvellous thing that ye know not from whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes now we know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blinde if the man were not of God he could do nothing III. From that general expectation which the Jews themselves had of their Messiah to come into the world at that time when Christ lived which expectations were grounded upon the prophesies of the old Testament especially upon Daniel the ninth which occasioned a general conflux of the Jews from all parts to see the event That the Jews now expected their Messiah is evident from Luke 19. 11. So strong was this perswasion that the Messiah should appear about this time that as Grotius observes some took Groâ— p. 265. Hotâ—â—ng p. 12. Herod to be him whence the Herodians others one Judas whom they called Bar-Cochebah that is the Son of a star alluding to Numb 24. 17. There shall come a star out of Jacob c. some one some another to be the Messiahs by which the Jews themselves subscribe to the truth of the Messiah Though as Vives observes none before Vives p. 491. Christ durst profess himself the Messiah yet the expectation was so general that the Heathens themselves had report of the Jews expectation of their Messiah at that time as both Tacitus and Suetonius relate It was vetus constans fama saies Suetonius which Hornb p. 218. they could not have but from the Jews computation ex antiquis Sacerdotum libris saith Tacitus I might add further as confirmation of this Gospel-doctrine the spotless holiness of Christ the Teacher the exactness of that holiness it requires the repugnancie of it to interests and carnal designs which speaks it no politick plat-form the wonderfull propagation of it by weak instruments and against strong oppositions together with the glorie of that reward it promises to the obeyers of it all which speak it to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation But this onely as a preface to the future discourse Thirdly The importance of this phrase 3. Partic. This phrase doth not speak I. Any local motion of the Divine nature for that being infinite and so every where is not capable of any local mutation Venit per quod home erat nam per quod Deus erat semper bic erat August Tom. 10. pag. 195. de verb. Apost which is the property onely of finite natures Christ did not leave heaven when he came into the world it is true he is said John 3. 13. to come down from heaven and to come from above verse 31. Which is not to be understood as if he had brought his humane nature from heaven as the Valentinians and Marcionists of old abused these places for that was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost Luke 1. 35. The holy Ghost shall come upon thee the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee Nor yet must we understand it as by any change of place but either because his humane nature was produced not by any earthly generation but by a heavenly manner or because of Christs willing submission and humbling himself to take this nature upon him and to appear in the form of a servant as he is said to do Phil. 2. 7. II. Not a real parting with any of his glory for that being infinite and eternal as he was God was as incapable of any diminution as of any accession even then when he came into the world and took upon him the form of a servant he counted it not robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. 6. Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 7. he humbled himself as to his Divine nature not absolutely confidered in it self but in respect of that voluntary aeconomy and dispensation whereby he condescended to take upon him our nature and the form of a servant but even then when he was come into the flesh the Apostle tells you he was God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. Achilde born Isa 9. 6. yet the mighty God Mich. 5. 2. noting his being before born in those words whose going forth have been of old from everlasting But this phrase speaks five things I. The pre-existence of the Divine nature viz. that Christ was before he came into the world This is also hinted in other like expressions of Scripture as first that Christ was manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. which speaks that he had an existence before he came into the world see 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested and to name no more 1 John 4. 23. Hereby know ye the spirit of God every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God c. Hinc colligimus priùs fuisse apud patrem quò ostenditur coaeterna ejus Divinitas saith Calvin upon this place The Socinians use many shifts to evade this argument for Christ's Divinitie as that to come in the flesh is to appear in infirmitie misery and contempt but though flesh in Scripture signifies sometimes weakness yet to come in the flesh is never so used Besides the Apostle makes this an evidence of believers to confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh many unbelievers saw and acknowledged that he lived without pomp and worldly Majesty in poverty and infirmity See Isaiah 53. 2 3. A second like expression in Scripture is that God and man came to save sinners which is from God Mat. 16. 17. Object Yea but Antichrist is said to come 1 John 2. 18. and yet he doth not therefore exist before Answ A lamentable shift for Scripture must give light to Scripture as the Lamps in the Tabernacle were to be lighted by one another according to the Law Our faith must be built upon the Analogie of Scripture which in many parallel expressions speaks Analogy and Parallel this truth as Hebrews 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He took on him which must necessarily include the pre-existence of that nature which did assume flesh so S. John tells you That the word was made flesh joh 1. 14. and that that word was from the beginning and truely God verse 1. And nothing in this point is more clear then that saying of Christ's John 16. 28. I came forth from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father II. The asuming humane nature into unitie of person and subsistence with the divine and so appearing in the world This Scripture abundantly testifies though among the Socinian Doctors it be commentum hominum superstitiosorum as Heb. 2.
so nor follow it without sin neither so that the obligation which an erroneous conscience lays upon a man is not to act contrary to it but he ought to get that false light extinguished and his conscience better informed and a true light set up from the word of God Notwithstanding this therefore and all other pretended lights or rules contrary to or besides this I shall close this argument with that of the Apostle Gal. 6. 16. As many as walk according to this rule Peace be on them and the Israel of God The second argument or ground for Scripture-search is Scripture plaineness and perspicuity It is the desire and plot of the Church of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscurity upon the Scripture that hereby she may with the more plausible pretence exalt Peters pretended successour in the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage the people from reading them as perswading them that the treasure lies too deep for them to finde and therefore it is to no purpose for them to search but this is to bring a false report upon the Scripture as the spies did upon the land of Canaan All truths necessarie to salvation are plainly laid down in Scripture whence the Scripture is so oft compared to a light as in Psal 119. and Prov. 6. Indeed here we must distinguish between the mysteriousness and obscurity of the things revealed and the manner of the revelation Scripture-mysteries indeed are obscure and deep in which respect S. Peter observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to be understood in S. Pauls epistles 2 Pet. 3. 16. but the revelation of these mysteries are plain to those that use the means as devout prayer serious meditation frequent reading and the like This is that which David saith Psal 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull there is the mystery but in verse 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light there is the perspicuity Some things are less plain ob futuritionem because they foretell things to come as Prophesies and some ob majestatem for the loftiness of them as to instance The mysterie of the Trinity is incomprehensible yet most plainly revealed in 1 John 5. 7. what greater mystery then for God to take flesh for a childe to be born of a virgin yet these most clearly revealed in Scripture 1 John 1. 14. and the other Luke 2. 6 7. Thus that which is obscurely insiâ—â—ated in one place is clearly revealed in another at least in those things that be absolutely necessary to salvation for to this very end Nihil continetur fidei necessorii quod Scriptura per sensum literatem alicubi non manifestâ— tradit Aquin p. 1. q. 1. a. 10. it was written John 20. 31. Yet Scriptures are dark and obscure as to us 1. Because of our pride and though God be said to resist the proud yet he teaches the humble Psal 25. 9. 2. Because of mens unbelief 2 Cor. 4. 3. The Gospel is hid to them that are lost So that while men-are in a state of unregeneracy they are amidst all their acquired knowledge in the dark as to any true saving knowledge of Scripture-mysteries they have no relish of these things A carnal eye cannot see those things which eye hath hath not seen they being the things of the Spirit therefore Christ councels us to buy of him eye-salve Revel 3. 18. without which we can see but little The cloud was light to the Israelites but dark to the Egyptians so is the word of God light to the true Israelites that is believers but dark to unbelievers the dark side of the cloud is towards them who are conversant onely in the letter 3. Because of our weakness and infirmity The mysteries of the Gospel are profound our capacities but shallow we may say of them as the woman of Samaria said of Jacobs well John 4. It is deep and we have not to draw with 4. Because of our curiosity as not content to know onely what God hath revealed 5. Because of our idleness and carelessness in searching Difficultas non est ex re ipsa sed ex nostra oscitantia saies Paraeus He that rides post cannot take a map of the countrey he rides through so he that makes too much hast in reading the Scriptures cannot take an exact account of them To the best by reason of the remainders of their natural blindness it is not so plain as it is in it self therefore Scripture is more perspicuous to some then to others some are better scholars then others in this school according to the means of grace God hath bestowed upon them Ephes 4. 7. and according to the diversity of the Spirit working in opening their eyes but they who understand most have reason to say with the Apostle We know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and to pray with David Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes The use of this will be two-fold First Here we learn the unexcusableness of mens ignorance of Scripture Thou can'st not pretend that it doth not concern thee for Christ hath bidden thee search it nor yet make the obscurity of it a plea for all saving truths lies obvious and plain in it There is indeed strong meat for grown Christians but here is milk too for Babes in knowledge here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements but what may make thee wise to salvation is so plain that a man of the meanest capacitie may apprehend it therefore especially amidst so many means of knowing it as publick reading and preaching the ignorance of it in any is inexcusable Secondly Pray to God for the Spirit to be your teacher in these Gospel-mysteries that you may all be taught of God as it is in John 6. 45. Without this you will be in the dark and grope at noon-day The Sun is most perspicuous yet we cannot see it without its own light the things of the Spirit revealed in Scripture are clear and perspicuous in themselves but will not be so to us without the light of the Spirit There is indeed an external perspicuity of Scripture in the words this may be made out to the worst of men by the improvement of natural abilities and by accomplishment of Arts nay the devils may have a clear understanding of this but then there is an internal perspicuity of Scripture evidenced to the soul by the enlightning of the Spirit of God shining into the heart so irradiating the minde with a Divine light that it sees through the veil of the letter and discovers the mystery of the word This light conveys an experimental taste and a sweet relish of the truths of the word of God In a word the Scripture is plain though we want light to see it the Sun may shine though a blinde man cannot perceive it but now the Spirit brings a suitable light into the soul proportioned to these Scripture-truths which were indited and can onely be evidenced by
dispendium ex imputationis doctrina nisi eum obsurdescerent Haeretici ad ravim usque clamamus inhaerentem justitiam inseparabiliter cum imputata conjunctam studium bonorum operum fructum effectum asserimus fidei quâ haec justitia Christi applicatur meritum bonorum operum repudiamus usum necessitatem profitemur excludimus ex actu justificationis non ab homine justificato interim asserimus Justitiam Christi solùm valere eámque totam desiderari ad nostram justificationem concludimus Tota Christi justitia imputatur credentibus ad justificationem FINIS The qualification of a Gospel-Minister in a Sermon on ACTS 18. 24. And a certain Jew named Apollos born at Alexandria an eloquent man mighty in the Scriptures came to Ephesus NOthing more conduceth to the souls comfort and establishment of any Church then the constant presence of a learned and the pious example of a religious pastor as nothing betrayes people sooner to ignorance irreligion and apostacie then a want or absence of a judicious and religious minister Moses cannot Exod. 32. 1. stir from the Israelites to the mount though upon necessary occasion of converse with God but presently they fall into Idolatrie worshipping the calf and it is no great wonder if wolves should make a prey of the flock when they have no shepherd Let itinerarie non-residents think of this S. Paul was deeply sensible of it and therefore the care of all churches being upon him which he mentions as an additionall trouble to all his other when ever the 2 Cor. 11. 28 work of the Gospel called him from any church he was carefull to leave or send another to them as Titus to Crete and Timothy to Titus 1. 5. 1 Thes 3. 2. the Thessalonians to establish and confirm them in the faith and here when he was necessitated to leave Ephesus to go to Jerusalem at the Passeover conceiving that the fittest opportunitie to spread and propagate the Gospel there rather then any other time of the year he is carefull to substitute Apollos in which Calvin piously Calvin in locum admires the providence of God over his church not to suffer it without a setled minister who might recompence the loss of Paul and water that church which he had there planted Apollos I say one fully furnished for the work of the Gospel and most fit for Ephesus ministeriall gifts then proving most usefull when right placed the want of which hath rendred many great Pauls and men of eminent abilities unprofitable useless and unsuccessfull famous Cor. in locum then for Orators and Philosophers Ut artem arte eluderet that as Julian the Apostate cried out when convinced and non-pluss'd by the reasons of the Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Theodoret. lib. 3. cap. 8. they were catch't in their own net and beaten at their own weapons so Apollos here might by his heavenly and ravishing eloquence catch them in the net of the Gospel who so much boasted of their fleshly and carnall wisdome Two things are considerable in the words 1. The person Apollos the same if you believe Grotius with In locum Rom. 16. 10. that Apelles S. Paul salutes and commends 2. The qualification that 's twofold 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An eloquent man 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mighty in the scriptures 1. The person Apollos of whom I intended to have spoken little or nothing but that I observe the Church-Levellers of our time who would remove the ancient land-marks pull up the hedges and lay the ministerial office open and in common to all whose confidence covetousness or ambition makes them pretend to Gifts or whom the less judicious multitude out of faction or separation or envy to the setled ministery or affectation of noveltie or weakness and rashness shall judge gifted though not called or ordained they make this instance of Apollos as one of their asylums to flee to whom they alleadge as a gifted brother no ordained preacher Give me leave therefore to suggest briefly some few hints to you which may lead us into a more full discovery of the person and may drive these pretenders from that refuge which they have betaken themselves to in this instance of Apollos 1. It is probable that Apollos being an Alexandrian was educated in the school of S. Mark who first planted the Christian faith here as Eusebius shews or as others conjecture among the Hâ—st Euseb lib. 2. cap. 16. Essens who had a famous school at Alexandria and if you believe Baronius were convert Jews turned Christians which he thinks probable both because those historians which speak of the Jews as Josephus Strabo and the rest are wholly silent concerning this sect and chiefly because all the sects of the Jews as Pharisees Sadduces Herodians the scripture speaks of as enemies to Christ but we read of no opposition Christ met with from the Essens nor doth Christ ever charge or denounce woes against them as against the rest though I know others impute this to the fewness of that sect in Jerusalem whilest our Saviour lived or else to the peaceable quietness and calm of their spirit not being given to contradiction as the Sadduces and Pharisees were men of more hot and fiery spirits it being part of their religion as it is of too many of our times to suffer every man in his certain it is and confessed of all that they were very diligent and industrious in searching the scriptures of the old Testament especially the Prophets and so might learn much of Christ and here it is likely Apollos might get his large scripture-knowledge which he so powerfully managed to the conviction of the Jews concerning Christ for verse 28. it is said that He mightily convinced the Jews and that publickly shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ 2. Observe the place where Apollos preached it was not a Christian constituted Church but a Jewish Synagogue verse 26. He began to speak boldly in the Synagogue It was a generall though corrupt custome amongst the Jews to indulge libertie to learned men though no priests to teach in their Synagogues as the Scribes and the Lawyers which the Gospel every where speaks of upon which custome it was that S. Paul though of the tribe of Benjamin was so oft permitted to preach in their Synagogues as we read throughout this book of the Acts hence the teaching of the Scribes is opposed to that authority wherewith Christ preached Mat. 7. 29. it is said Christ taught the people as one having authority and not as the Scribes who had none So we finde Apollos here preaching in the Synagogue non ut habens autoritatem sed scientiam saith the learned Estius as making use of and taking in locum Mat. 4. v. ult advantage of that indulgence of the Jews to preach and spread the doctrine of Christ 3. Observe the time when he preached it was when God for the more speedy
pompous then that at Jerusalem yet being not suitable to the word of God our Saviour rejects it John 4. 22. Ye worship ye know not what But salvation is of the Jews Why because they had the true worship according to the word of God which natural light cannot discover Nay nothing hath more prejudiced Spiritual Gospel-worship then measuring it by mans reason which hath alwaies begat pompous superstitious outsides in worship the easiness and splendour of which hath made them gratefull to corrupt nature Fourthly From the necessitie of divine supernatural revelation in order to saving discoveries of God the Apostle speaks expresly 1 Cor. 2. 14. that the natural man perceives not the things of God neither indeed can he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the souly man elevated by the highest improvements of reason and understanding if destitute of the Spirit cannot reach the things of God That this is the proper importance of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appears from the Apostle Jude verse 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Any man solis naturae facultatibus praeditus saith Calvin qui humanae tantùm rationis luce In locum In locum ducitur saith Grotius who hath no other guidance then the light of nature is he to whom S. Paul denies a possibilitie of any saving discoveries of the things of God The outward shinings of the Gospel can bring us to no saving knowledge unless the Spirit withall shine into the heart to give the knowledge of God in the face of 2 Cor. 4. 6. Jesus Christ much less can the dim light of nature if thousands remain blinde under the full beamings and sun-shine of the Gospel no wonder they should be in the dark who have onely the candle-light of reason These enlightnings of the Spirit will appear necessarie if we consider 1. Mans corrupted condition in which he wants not onely light but eyes and these the Spirit must communicate the outward discoveries of the Gospel are ineffectual to it without the Spirit though Christ himself the Sun of righteousness displayed many beams of glorious light in his miracles and doctrine speaking as never man spake still the Pharisees remained in the dark our Saviour gives you one account of it Matt. 13. 11. Unto you is given to know the mysteries of the kingdome but to them it is not given much less can the most vigorous ray of natural light effect this Could it discover the object it cannot renew and change the faculty nor open the blinde eyes which alone is the work of the Spirit which therefore S. Paul prays for on the behalf of his Ephesians Ephes 1. 17. that God would give them the spirit of revelation to the knowledge of himself that the eyes of their understanding being enlightned they might know what was the hope of his calling and so on No man hath John 1. 18. seen the Father at any time but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him 2 The manner of these discoveries which is spiritual which the Apostle gives as the reason why the natural man perceives them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every object is discovered by a suitable light therefore the light of reason can no more reach the mysteries of the Gospel then the light of sence can the objects of reason The Author of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my opinion strengthens this argument while he endeavours to elude it for he would have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the babe in Christ for certainly if he who hath some measure of spiritual discerning by divine illumination as the least Saint hath cannot reach such discoveries they who are wholly destitute of the illumination of the Spirit cannot attain to them Fifthly From the Scripture-description of those who had onely the guidance of natural light described to be without Christ without hope without God Ephes 2. 12. Alienated from the life of God through the ignorance and blindness of their minds Ephes 4. 18. Not to know God 1 Thes 4. 5. to be darkness in the abstract Ephes 5. 8. And but to grope after God Acts 17. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Egyptians under their thick darkness or the Sodomites when struck with blindness farther characterized as those who had a disrelish of the Gospel which was to them but foolishness Nay the most improved 1 Cor. 1. 23. of them were the greatest opposers of the Gospel you have here not onely the lesser voluptuous Epicurean but more strict refined Verse 18. elevated and severe Stoicks one of whose principles was to love virtue for virtues sake opposing S. Paul and esteeming him but a babler and a setter forth of strange gods while he preached Christ Chrysostome thinks their bringing him to Areopagus was to punish Verse 19. him as they had done Socrates to death by two hundred elghtie one suffrages for innovating in religion such an undream't of thing was a Jesus amongst the wisest Philosophers even at Athens who set up their Philosophical principles in opposition to the Gospel upon which account the Apostle warns his Colossians to beware lest they be spoiled by Philosophy Colos 2. 8. Not that the Apostle decries all use of Philosophy as some in our daies it is hard to say whether with more ignorance or impudence do but only so far as it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and surely all is not such unless it be in vain to be rational that is to say to be men for Philosophy is nothing but the genuine birth of right reason and res Dei ratio saith Tertullian the candle of the Lord saith Solomon who yet decries Philosophers as Haeresiarcharum Patriarchas so far as corrupted but the errours of Philosophy do no more argue the uselessness of Philosophy then the errours of Divines evacuate the studie of Divinitie These belong to Philosophy no otherwise then wens or boyls to the bodie which being cut off or cured the bodie remains useful and necessarie Philosophy is not opposite but assistant to Divinitie and while Hagar will wait upon Sarah no reason why she should be thrown out of doors though Philosophers have oft been the greatest enemies and opposers of it To summe up all if those who had onely the light of nature be thus in the dark if neither Christ nor the means of salvation nor the true worship of God were discoverable by it it 's sufficiencie to any saving discoveries may I hope from the premises be rationally concluded But the Remonstrants have one salve for all this which is that the facienti quod in se est improvements of the light of nature though they be not immediatly sufficient to salvation yet do dispose to the receptions of farther communications of grace and saving discoveries of God so the Dort-Remonstrants determine Truth Pag. 327. is they have so many subterfuges in making out a sufficiencie of means to those
to fight the good fight of faith when thy strength and activity fails thee Tunc vivere incipere cùm desinendum est indè velle vitam inchoare quò pauci produxerunt as the Heathen sayes Then to begin to live when you should die and to date your life from that time to which the life but of a few is lengthned God under the Law would have no blinde or lame for sacrifice as in Deut. 25. 21. The first-born were holy to God and he required not onely the first-fruits but the first of those first-fruits Exod. 23. 19. All which was to signifie unto us that young years offered to God are a sweet-smelling savour in his nostrils 2 Consider This is most for your comfort that you may in time of age affliction and death with peace and comfort reflect upon your youth the mispence whereof does oft cause sad reflections of spirit in riper years and fills the soul with horrour and amazement Job was made to possess the iniquities of his youth his youth had the pleasure of those sins which his age now felt the smart of When guilt shall flie in the face of an awakened conscience and God for them shall exercise the soul with inward terrours as Job describes the condition of a wicked man Job 20. 11. Poenis quas sibi sceleribus adolescentiae acquisivit sayes Beza with those punishments which are the issue of the sins of youth nay though God hath upon your repentance pardoned those sins yet he may in old age chasten thee for them then you may come sadly to speak that language Rom. 6. 21. What fruit have we in those sins whereof we are now ashamed These questionless cost David many a sad tear and mournful prayer as we see in Psalm 25. 7. Remember not the sins of my youth As it is in the body licentious youth contracts those distempers which are the burden and sorrow of old age filling them with pains and aches So it is in the soul those sins which by mispence of time youth rush into may prove the sorrow and vexation of age but well-improved youth makes age comfortable 3. Consider It will be an Antidote and prevention against those sins which youth is most liable and prone to Youth having less wisedome to discover and less strength to resist and withstand temptation to sin more open to solicitation by reason of unruly passions bad examples and councel of others is most liable to sin Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way saith David Psal 119. 9. these being most subject to defilements David answers the question By taking heed thereto according to thy word and one of the precepts of that word is To redeem our time Flee youthful lusts saies Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 2. 22. the flames of lust are most apt to enkindle by the heat of youth Cereus in vitium flecti monitoribus asper Horat. de Arte Poet. So Horace Youth is wax to every impression of vice and the Poet gives you the reason of it Quaritur Aegysthus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est desidiosus erat It was his idle mispence of time which blew up and fomented the sparkes of lust for Otia si tollas periêre Cupidinis arcus 4. Consider It is your gathering time and an age most capable of improvement as tender twigs most flexible as wax fit for good impressions Whereas if this time be mispent the heart grows hard through custome in sin the devil gets stronger possession the memory grows more unfaithful the understanding weaker God is provoked in a judicial way to take away your gifts and parts which you justly forfeit by a careless wrapping your talents in a napkin The Wiseman sends such sluggards to the Ant to learn wisedome 〈◊〉 provideth her meat in summer Prov. 6. 8. So soon as the sun ariseth the bee flies abroad to gather in her honey in youth our parts are active and vigorous therefore then redeem your time 5. Consider This will both sweeten and facilitate employment to you afterward The sins of youth oft make men unserviceable in riper years or if repented of and forsaken yet they are oft a reproach and discouragement to men in their employments Ephraim was ashamed because she bore the reproach of her youth Jer. 31. 19. S. Paul therefore writing to his young Timothy enformes him how to secure himself from contempt These things command and teach so Let no man despise thy youth 1 Tim. 4. 11 12. Sins of youth lay men open to reproach even then when afterwards they prove eminent serviceable in the work of God Besides mispence of youth must necessarily make our service and employment abroad more difficult for men to have their seed to seek when a harvest is expected from them whereas your laborious improvement of this time makes service easy and familiar when having laid up a treasure and stock of knowledge he is able as the Scribe instructed to the kingdome of Heaven to bring out of his treasure things new and old Matth. 13. 52. 6. Redeem this time in conformity to Christ and the best Saints Christ was at twelve years of age about his Fathers business Luk. 2. 44. Samuel in his childhood was dedicated to the Lord. 1. Sam. 1. 28. Timothy from a child redeemed his time to the study of the Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15. And it is recorded as a just commendation of that good Prince Josiah that while yet young he began to seek after the God of David his father and at twelve years old zealously appeared against Idolatry 2 Chron. 34. 3. Let us then tread in the footsteps of these Saints and be followers of them as they were of Christ who redeemed his whole time to the service and glory of his Father II. The second rank of those who are most especially concerned in this is such men as are of greater abilities and opportunities To whom God gives ten talents he expects an improvement from them answerable to that they are intrusted with the improvement of five will not serve for him who hoth received ten To whom much is given of him much shall be required Luc. 12. 48. Mens great gifts and parts are ready to puff them up with pride S. Paul was in danger of this 2 Cor. 12. 8. and this is the abuse of the gifts of God which if rightly used and improved should not leaven us with pride but engage quicken us to more serviceableness for God and not censuring the gifts of others by which practise we either charge God for giving them no more or sacrifice sacrilegiously to our selves that we have so much when as we have nothing but what is received endeavour to improve and use our own III. The third rank such who by idleness and looseness have mispent much time formerly The Apostle Peter urgeth this 1 Pet. 4. 2 3. The later any of us have come into the vineyard the harder must we labour to
profit it brings them in That this is the temper of many is evident from this that if the world solicites Demas he forsakes Paul the Scribe 2 Tim. 4. 10. Mat. 8. cares not for following Christ though he professe zealously when once he understood he had not where to lay his head and many such followers we have like those John 6. 26. who followed Christ not for love to his person or doctrine but for the gain of the loaves II. Not to admire or praise the preacher The Church is not a Theater but a Market and it is not a plaudite that 's expected from you to close the Sermon with a humme but that you should be trading here for spiritual merchandize that you may go from hence richer in faith and more encreased in all grace Ezekiels preaching was to the Jews as a very pleasant song yet they profited not by it for they did not practise but their hearts went after their covetousness Ezek. 33. 31 32. So oft as you approve the Preacher and his Doctrine and do not so profit as to practise it you are self-condemned and guiltie in the judgement of your own consciences III. Not onely to be enlightned by the Word I know spiritual illumination is the first work of the Spirit by the Word where it savingly profits S. Paul was sent to the Gentiles first to open their eyes but that which I here assert is that there may much common illumination be wrought by the Word of God where it doth not savingly profit It is most evident from Heb. 6. 6. where we read of some who were once enlightned yet in a possibilitie to Apostatize and fall away and that beyond the renewing to repentance so consequently of salvation And indeed this illumination is one requisite in the unpardonable sin it must be after the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26. A man may have his head full of the word of God and be never the better for it Simon Magus was wrought into an historical belief by the preaching of Philip yet not savingly profited by it but stil remained in the gall of bitterness Acts 8. 13 23. A man may be enlightned to know and to discourse of the Word of God and yet not savingly profited by it IV. Not barely to be affected and delighted with the Word of God This may arise not from the efficacy of the Word but from the sublimity of the truths contained in it For truth the more sublime it is the greater delight it bringeth with it but this is neither solid nor lastin those who receive the seed into stony places were such as heard and received the word with joy but they were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 13. 20 21. it lasted but for a while The night of persecution damps his joy and he turns Apostate Ezekiel's preaching was to the Jews as a well-tun'd instrument in the place fore-quoted Herod heard John Baptist gladly Mark 6. 20. Those we spake of before Heb. 6. 6. had tasted of the good word of God that is found some rellish and delight in it and of the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come all which from verse 9. appear not to be saving gifts For the Authour there tells those to whom he wrote that he hoped better things of them and such as accompany salvation whence it is obvious to collect that those whom he had mentioned in the fore-going verses were not sanctifying but common gifts of the Spirit of God amongst which is this light superficial taste and rellish of the Word of God which may arise either from our 〈◊〉 affection to the Preacher or from some common work of the Spirit of God As the hearers of John Joh. 5. 35. rejoyced for a season yet vers 38. had not the word abiding in them V. Not barely to be wrought upon by the Word to reform some gross sin or to comply with a partial outward obedience unto God for thus Herod when he heard John Baptist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 6. 20. he did many things Gross sins spoil credit cross interest rack conscience and upon these motives a man may forsake them and yet not savingly profit by the Word of God A man may hear and practise much of what he hears the Word powerfully awakening natural conscience and stirring up and closing with the dictates of it till it comes to some darling-bosome-lust and then the word proves ineffectual Herod hears John Baptist gladly till he came to his Herodias the yong-man brags of an universal obedience to the commands of Christ till he comes to his covetousness and prescribes him to sell all A man may in part be outwardly reformed by the Word of God and yet not inwardly renewed and so not savingly profited So much negatively I shall not lead you far for a positive resolution The word then profits when 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mixed word that speaks a three-fold reference First To seed Secondly To meat Thirdly To Physick Seed must be mixt with the soil and with the dew and rain from heaven or else it will not spring Meat must be mixed with the stomach or else it will not nourish Physick must mix with the humour or else it will not cure When in analogie to all these the word is mixed then it may be said savingly to profit And first as seed I. When the word of God is rooted in the heart This is the seed mixing with the soil it is not seed kept in your barn or granaries or cast superficially on the earth that will grow and increase it is not the word of God scattered upon the ear or laid up in your heads or in your paper-books but treasured up in your hearts which will savingly profit therefore God promiseth this to his people Jer. 31. 33. The reason why the seed thrived not upon the stony ground was because it had no root Matth. 13. 21. It is but sowing in the aire if the Word takes not root in the heart As it is said of Mary she kept all Christs sayings in her heart Luke 2. 51. The Wiseman requires Prov. 2. 1. that we should hide his commandments with us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clemens as seed in the earth which he calls Clemens pag. 270. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirituall ingrafting the grast must be mixed with the stock if it thrive the seed with the earth if it springs the word with the heart if it profits as it were incorporated II. When it fructifies in the life As the seed did in the good ground Matth. 13. And this is consequent upon the former if it takes root downward it will spring upward It is a dangerous deceit many are under who satisfie themselves with a bare hearing of the Word and never look to the fruit of it in their lives It may fructifie diversly as the good seed did in some an hundred in some sixty in some thirty but
profit If the Pharisees be offended with the person of Christ they profit not by but deride his doctrine 3. Because hereby he forfeits those gifts by which he should be able to profit by his preaching As he sinks into profaneness so also into shallowness of apprehension weakness of judgement slipperiness of memory unruliness of passion prejudice against the truth and the like Add to this Gods judicial with-drawments oftentimes of his gifts and the knowledge of his truth from those who abuse the one and hold the other in unrighteousness God as the Apostle tells us gives them over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to an irrational sottishness of minde Rom. 1. 28. John 7. 17. Holiness of conversation is the most effectual and compendious way to encrease our gifts for the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Psal 25. 14. whereas it is not probable he should know much of the minde of God who wilfully neglects to practise it As when it is said of Elie's sons 1 Sam. 2. 12. that they were sons of Belial there follows they knew not the Lord. Sin obscures the undeerstanding and corrupts principles and forfeits our gifts and then they are little like to profit 4. A bad example is more prevalent to corrupt and mislead men then good counsel is to profit and advantage them Suadet loquentis vita non oratio Life-oratory is the most powerfull Seneca gives the Scneca ep 6. reason Homines magis credunt oculis quà m auribus Men believe what they see more then what they hear And they who give their doctrine the lie in their lives are not like to perswade others to credit it When those whom the Apostle exhorts to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. 3. the examples of the slock lead the sheep of Christ astray by their lives Observe what God chargeth the Prophets of Jerusalem with Jer. 23. 15. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets Behold I will feed them with worm-wood and make them drink the water of gall for from the Prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land and Mal. 2. 8. Ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law When these stars are erratick no wonder if those who walk by their guidance wander If the salt want savour no wonder if the people be not seasoned with knowledge and grace A godly Minister is a daily preacher while his life is a standing reproof to sin and an argument of piety Sermo tuus in exemple tuo videbitur sic non solùm praeceptor veri Senec. ep 20. sed testis eris It is said of Christ that he was a Prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 24. 19. mighty in deed as well as in word S. Paul who so oft exhorts other to mortification brings his own body into subjection and himself runs as an example to provoke his Corinthians so to run that they might obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24 25 26 27. How beautifull are the feet of those that preach the Gospel of peace Rom. 10. 15. Their feet their walking not their tongues onely their speaking I shall end this with Pauls advice to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 16. Take heed to thy self and unto thy doctrine We must do both as ever we expect savingly to profit either our selves or them that hear us I shall end all with a double Application First To the Ministers that they should endeavour so to preach that they may profit not barely that they might please for delect are Lib. 4. c. 12. de doct Christ 1 Cor. 9. 16. suavitatis docere necessitatis saith Austine necessity is laid upon you yea woe too if you preach it not to profit by it Preach to profit I. In conformitie to the examples of Christ and his Apostles that ye may write after their copy Christ came not to seek his own glory John 8. 50. and I receive not honour from men saith he John 5. 41. Christ makes it the badge of a false prophet to seek himself and his own glory John 7. 18. Christ's message and work was to call sinners to repentance to seek to save what was lost to binde up Matth. 9. 13. Isa 6. 1. broken hearts to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening the prison to them that are bound And the Apostles trod in their Masters steps take the one example of S. Paul who laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles and all to the profit of the Churches I have kept back nothing which might be profitable to you saith he to the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. 20. he was affectionately desirous of his Thessalonians and he tells his Corinthians more then 1 Thess 2. 8. once of this that he was made all things to all men that he might 1 Cor. 9. 22. save some that he did not seek his own profit but the profit of many 1 Cor. 10. 33 that they may be saved and again I seek not yours but you The care 2 Cor. 12. 14 2 Cor. 11. 28 he had of the Churches he reckons as the greatest of his labours and to name no more how desirous was he of the good of the Philippians that he could rejoyce in being offered as a sacrifice upon the service of their faith Phil. 2. 27. II. To gain and uphold the repute of preaching and the ministers in the hearts of the people Nothing doth this more effectually then plain and profitable preaching The Apostle speakes to this fully 1 Cor. 14. 25. Learned preaching may beget such an admiratition in the people as they may cry you up for a Scholar and quaint preaching may get you the elogiums of an oratour but of the powerfull and convicting preaching of a Christian they will say God is in you 1 Cor. 14. 25 of a truth though such is the ingratitude of many in these days that they are ready to cast durt in the face of that ministery by which unless wilfully blinde they cannot but observe thousands and confess themselves if at all profited and converted III. Because this is the very designe of your office the end of your ministerial gifts and abilities The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. And the Apostle speaking of these gifts which Christ when he ascended gave to the Pastours of his Church Ephes 4. 8 11. tells you the use and end of them verse 12 it is for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ And S. Paul tells his Corinthians that his authority was given him for edification 2 Cor. 10. 8. Those titles whereby Scripture sets out the Ministers and their office speak this They are embassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. that engages them to negotiate the peoples reconciliation to God Angels Rev. 1. 20. and you know they are ministring spirits sent forth to Minister for
which consequently must rust and decay An unprofitable hearer oft makes a cold careless dull preacher and besides God for your unprofitableness may withdraw his assistance and gifts and drie up the breast for your neglect of the sincere milk of the Word 3. As that which sweetens all his enjoyments A large revenue a great living a fair repute a fulness of outward accomodations satisfie not a faithfull Minister while the people remain unprofitable that he sees not the fruit of his labours 4. It is your own concernment and interest For it is sad if the Word preached profits you not for if not this probably nothing else will as Abraham told Dives soliciting for one to be sent from Luke 16. 51. the dead to his brethren If the Word profits you not the case is desperate You had better never have heard of the Word a Turk and an Indian will come off better then you at the last day Mat. 10. 14 15. It will be sad for Capernaum exalted up to heaven in the enjoyment of the word and ordinances at that day for not profiting by them to be thrown down to hell so for those unbelieving Jews here to whom the Gospel was preached as well as to us but the word did not profit them HEBR. 4. 2. The word preached did not profit them THe second ground of not profiting by the word preached is in respect of hearers II. Sermon First A careless negligent non-attendance to the word preached when mens thoughts are not gathered up but roving their eyes gazing about their ears not fixed upon the word of God when they bring their bodies hither as so many carcasses but their souls are elswhere The covetous mans soul is locked up in his chest at home and there idolizing in his thoughts his Mammon of unrighteousness while he should be serving God in the Temple the voluptuous Gallant comes there for fashion in the mean time his thoughts are taken up with the newest fashion or perhaps with his hawks and hounds the ambitious man while taking a nap at Church dreams of honours and preferments so that we may say as Seneca did of the Philosophers schools Magnam hanc anditorum Scnec â—p 108. partem videbis cui Philosophi scholae diversorium otii fit Many make the Church a meeting-place of idleness indeed God complains of this himself Ezek. 33. 31. They come unto thee as the people cometh and they sit before thee as my people and they hear thy words but they will not do them forwith their mouth they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness their thoughts are wandring in the world while their bodies are confined to the Church And this non-attendance is much to be lamented that many whom you shall observe with a constant unweariedness attentive to a ballad idle tale or at a stage-play at an hours Sermon and preaching of the word of God are tired dull heavy drowsie and unattentive so that we may lay it to the charge of our Auditours that Demosthenes reproves the Athenians for that when he made an Oration de Asini umbra they were all very attentive to hear him but making another 〈◊〉 Câ—s Con. de salute Graeciae they all deserted him Many can lend an eare to a tale a fable or Romance who are negligent and non-attendant upon the word of God and this must needs prove unprofitable upon a double account I. It is so in the acquiring of all other knowledge if he that learns regards not what is read unto him as suppose a scholar his Tutours lectures or an apprentice his masters directions he is not like to profit by them so it is in getting wisdome by the word of God if we would profit by it we must be such as the Auditours were in Luke 19. 47 48. of whom it is said they were very attentive to hear him II. When God comes by his Spirit to make the word effectual to any soul he raiseth it to an holy and careful attention to the word preached This is most evident in that pregnant place Act. 16. 14. concerning Lydia whose heart the Lord opened that she attended to the things spoken by Paul and how oft does our Saviour provoke the attention of his Auditours by this expression He that hath an ear to hear let him hear You must bring an holy attention of body and intention of minde if ever you intend savingly to profit by the word of God as it is said of those in Acts 8. 6. They gave heed unto those things which Philip spake Secondly The proposall of wrong ends in hearing the generality of hearers do not propound to themselves those ends for which God hath appointed the preaching of the word such are the inlightning strengthning comforting quickning convincing of souls and upon search it will be found but a few come for those ends Some come into the Church as if a man should go into an Apothecaries shop not for a medicine to cure them that were well but for a Recipe to sleep I call to witness the drowsiness and laziness of many Others are Athenian Auditours come onely to hear something that is new Others out of custome because others do Acts 17. 21. and themselves have been accustomed to it Others out of fashion more then devotion Others come to contradict and oppose as the Jews did Paul Acts 13. 45. Others not as they should do willing to be judged by the word of God but to judge it and the preacher for it which make the pulpit not a tribunal before which they should be judged but a bar before which the preacher must be cited censured and judged these come to pick a hole in the preachers coat not out of a conscience of their dutie in hearing and obeying the word of God Others come out of affectation of eloquence as a man goes to an Oration or Comedy and then it is no wonder that whiles he catches at the shadow of Rhetorick as the dog in the fable he looses his spiritual food the bread of life These are like the proud Greeks which seek after wisdome to whom the preaching of the Gospel seems but foolishness Others come perhaps 1 Cor. 1. 13. to promote their interest in the world like those hearers of our Saviour John 6. that followed him for the loaves Others come onely to hear not to learn or practise Sicut in theatrum voluptatis Seneca ep 108. causâ ad delectandas aures as Seneca speaks of some who came to hear Lectures of Philosophy Non id agunt ut aliqua vitia deponant ut aliquam legem vitae accipiant mores suos exigant sed ut oblectamento aurium perfruantur Aliqui cum pugillaribus veniunt non ut res accipiant sed verba c. Others come with their table-books which though good is not sufficient Others to see and to be seen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens expresses it as Clem. pag.
the Pharisees hypocrisie they are enraged against him and plot his death Herod must not endure to hear of his Herodias see Prov. 1. 25. where it is said Ye set at nought all my counsel and would none of my reproof these were proud scorners at the 22. verse and you may easily judge how little like these are to profit He is not like to have his wound healed that cannot endure to have it searched 3. Because God will have nothing to do with such in his Ordinances He gives more grace to the humble but resists the proud James 4. 6. God is his enemy God as I may say every Sabbath keeps open houses every one may come but believe it a proud heart is like to go away without his alms He fills the hungry with good things but sends the rich emptie away Luke 1. 53. and we finde at Isaiah 66. 5. that God speaks comfort to such as tremble at his word not that scoff at it and sleight it as a proud heart doth God pours the oyl of grace and knowledge into emptie vessels and therefore as you desire to profit by the word preached so labour for an humble frame of spirit It is said by the Wiseman Prov. 11. 2. with the lowly is wisdome and to this end I shall suggest onely three notes I. This is the proper qualification of scholars in any science Nothing hinders knowledge more then pride this was intimated in the posture which scholars amongst the Jews were wont to use viz. to sit at their Master's feet so we finde it Acts 22. 3. as an expression of humilitie It is Philo's observation that when the Essens came into the Synagogue each scholar according to their standing was wont to sit at their Masters feet this expression speaks aptness to learn and also a modest humility Quòd si haec reverentia terrenis praeceptoribus debetur quantò magis nos ad Christi pedes jacere convenit ut ex coelesti solio loquenti dociles nos prestemus saies Calvin Calv. in locum We read of Mary Luke 10. 39. that she sate at Jesus feet and heard his word upon which saies S. Augustine Quantò humilior ad pedes Domini sedebat Maria tantò ampliùs capiebat We must cast our selves at the feet of Christ in his Ordinances if we will be his scholars It is said that the people stood at the feet of the mount when the Law was given Exod. 19. 17. so must we sit at the feet of Christ when the Gospel is preached II. This humilitie will make us teachable by the word of God An humble heart is like melted wax which is fit to receive the impression of the word of God and willing to be moulded and fashioned according to it An humble heart trembles at the threatnings and so is like to profit God will dwell with such Isaiah 66. 2. It closes with the commands of it as Cornelius said to Peter Acts 10. 33. We are all here present to hear all that is commanded of God and David tells us that he will hear what God speaks Psal 85. 8. It submits to the reproofes of the word of God it accounts of them as precious oyl whereas a proud heart holds up against the threatnings Psal 141. 5. slights the commands and rages against the reproofs of the word of God That place of the Prophet Jeremiah Jerem. 13. 15. is full and worth our observation Hear ye and give ear be not proud for the Lord hath spoken as if he had said If you continue in your pride you will never give an ear to the word of God But III. To make all sure an humble heart shall have the Spirit of God for its teacher and then such shall be effectually and profitably taught the humble he will teach Psal 25. 8 9. it shall have the Spirit to lead into all truth John 16. 13. The more humble the more of the teachings of God It is said that the Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove the dove is a meek creature to teach us that the discoveries of the Spirit are made to humble hearts Sixthly The sixth ground is carnal reasonings and prejudices in the hearts of men which pre-possessing the soul make the word ineffectual which prejudices while they remain obstruct the soul against the word of God these are as so many bolts upon the doors of our hearts that the word can get no entrance these are naturally in every one of our hearts and they are of two sorts I. Against the word it self II. Against the preacher of it I shall discover and remove some of them I. Against the word it self which although it be admirable in it self and appointed for most excellent ends by God yet are many prejudices against it in mens hearts as 1. The meanness of this Ordinance and seeming outward inconsiderableness of some hours speaking which makes many to disesteem it whence the Apostle calls it the foolishness of preaching 1 Cor. 1. 21. because most men are apt to judge it so The ground of this prejudice is mens non-attendance to the authoritie of God's institution as if a man should consider the matter not the stamp of the coyn which may make baser mettals currant we should attend to Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon it which makes it valuable as the diamond in a ring makes the ring much more precious and as the seal upon a scedule which makes it effectual to the purposes contained in it so is it the institution of God that makes this Ordinance so worthy and considerable and if we would profit by the word we must remove this prejudice against the word for the means of it in it self and come to it as Gods institution and in obedience to his command and then are you like to thrive and profit by it The Apostle gives you this as an account of the Thessalonians thriving under the Gospel that they received the word not as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. and this made it to work effectually in their hearts 2. The pre-possession of some politick opinion it may be in compliance of some great ones and the strain of the times hence the word of God finds no entrance much truth is stifled upon this account because it will not comply with mens politick concernments and the opinions they have taken up in compliance with their outward advantages when truth comes to cross these then it is rejected This is no new thing it was so in our Saviours time amongst the chief Rulers John 12. 42. and with the chief Priests and Pharisees John 11. 48. and upon this account both Christ and his doctrine was rejected and hence it is said that the great ones received it not John 7. 48. Thus many make truth to stoop and vail to politick designs and this makes the word of God ineffectual Ahab would not make restitution of Naboth's
vineyard because it would not stand with his interest thus doctrines do oft ebbe and flow upon politick considerations and and the truth is lost in the world 3. All is done by the Spirit the Word is but a dead letter may we not therefore better expect the whispers of it then to be tyed to a constant attendance upon the word preached As if the impotent people John 5. should have argued we cannot be healed unless we be put in therefore we will not lie at the pool nay they knew but one of them could be healed at a time and yet all lay expecting Is it in vain to sow your seed because you can have no crop without the influence of heaven so no sowing the seed of the word because no thriving without the Spirit It is said James 1. 18. Of his own will begat he us of the word of truth The word is Gods yet we are begotten by the word So S. Paul tells his Corinthians In Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 1 Cor. 4. 15. Because the hand writes is the pen therefore needless The Corinthians were S. Pauls epistle written by the finger of the Spirit and Saint Pauls preaching too 2 Corinth 3. 3. The Sun enlightens but by a medium the Spirit begets and regenerates but by the word as in 1 Pet. 1. 23 24. 4. I have alreadie profited by the word and therefore I have no further need of it The Apostle commands indeed that we should attend upon the preaching of the word but no longer then till the day star arise in our hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. and I finde that alreadie in those appearances of Christ to my soul and these spiritual illuminations I have communicated unto me therefore I am disobliged from any further attendance upon the word In the removing of this scruple I desire these particulars may be considered I. Thy former experience of the efficiencie and power of the word will if they have been true sweeten the word more to thee raise up thy esteem of it revive thy delight in it and engage thee in a further and more chearfull attendance upon it I beseech you consider that pregnant place of the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious A true taste will sharpen our appetites as a childe that hath tasted the breast is still longing and crying after it and can hardly be weaned from it so it will be with every true childe of God who hath rellished this sincere milk of the word he gets a stomach by eating Indeed a man may have a light superficial taste of the word and apostatize as in Heb. 6. 6. and that is sad but a real experience of the power and sweetness of it most effectually quickens desires after it So it did in David Psal 63. 1 2. He had seen and therefore desires to see As it fared with Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. 27. Mine eyes have been enlightned because I tasted a little of this honey so it is with Christians who have tasted the sweetness of the word they are enlightned to see the excellencie and desirableness of it which quickens their desires after it as in Psal 34. 8. taste that you may see It is the want of taste and experience which hinders men from the sight of the excellencie and desirableness of it I should suspect that man never to have profited by the word who himself pretends so to have profited by the word as to be justly exempted from any further attendance upon it II. We will charitably suppose it to be true that thou hast been converted by the word preached but art thou so perfect all on a suddain that thou needest no furtherances and additions of further degrees What because thou art born again is therefore the sincere milk needless by which thou shouldest grow Thou professest the truth well but doest thou not need to be confirmed by the word preached It was the Apostles work to confirm the souls of the disciples Acts 14. 22. and surely most needfull in these unsteadie unsettled wavering and apostatizing times when many who have professed highly have apostatized fouly Be your knowledge true it is but imperfect for we know but in part and therefore you still need the word to be a light and a lamp to you your affections sanctified but perhaps are dull and heavie they need the word to quicken and enflame them as Christ did his disciples Luke 24. 32. Thou art at the highest pitch of thy attainments why Christ hath given Pastours for the perfecting of the Saints Ephes 4. 12. or if thy graces thrive and grow still thy comforts may be but weak and languishing therefore thou still needest the word quicken and strengthen them for God creates the fruit of the lips peace They are not sensible of their imperfection sure who feel not the want of a constant supply of the word of God The meat of one day will not serve you for a week and surely you do not pray onely for bodily but spiritual food when you say Lord give us this day our daily bread The Israelites gathered their Manna in the wilderness daily and not once for all if laid up it putrified while we are in our pilgrimage we must daily gather the Manna of the word of God to nourish us till we come to our heavenly Canaan and then we shall not need it Naaman washed seven times in Jordan before his leprosie was cleansed some of the old leprosie of sin cleaves to the best and we must be continually washing in the waters of the sanctuarie and Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my gates c. Prov. 8. 34. III. As to the Scripture pleaded in Peter it is necessary to observe 2 Pet. 1. 19. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill doth not denote the term of time but as Beza notes on Matth. 1. 25. tempus interjectum simpliciter denotat it asserts the present but denies not the future time as Scripture affords us many instances as Matth. 28. 20. I am with you unto the end of the world What no longer Yes it will be their happiness to enjoy him to eternity So Matth. 22. 44. Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool But shall Christ sit there no longer Yes surely So here untill notes the end of the word not the term of time for our attendance We must attend so long but it doth not say then no longer use of it The Enthusiasts use this place to favour their neglect of the word for by the day-star they would understand extraordinary immediate revelations so by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is evident the Apostle meant the same with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 20. as opposed to those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 16. such are these
1. qu. 23. art 5. p. 94. c. 3. merita sua illis applicasse qui praedestinati electi fuerunt consonant to this is Ioh. 17. 24. I will that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me c. they determinately not others 4. In respect of peculiar communications from Christ which proceed from that special relation which they have unto and peculiar union with Christ as members to the head for though there be a laying out of grace for some in divine purposes yet there is no effectual partaking of it till actual believing for communion is founded in union the bond of which is faith Eph. 3. 17. by means of this union a Christian partakes of grace of sense motion growth life from Christ as the head onely communicates to the united members Christ is the Saviour onely of his body Eph. 5. 23. III. This peculiarity appears in the peculiar workings of the spirit and here is a four-fold peculiarity 1. In respect of peculiar illumination The Apostle speaking of the shortness of natural light as to saving discoveries 1 Cor. 2. 9 14. yet addes ver 10. but God hath revealed them to us by his spirit c. so in that most excellent Scripture 2 Cor. 4. having said ver 3 4. that the Gospel is hid to those that are lost he addes ver 6. an intimation of a special illumination indulged to Saints For however he dealt with others God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ David makes this an argument in begging illumination of God I am thy servant saith he Psal 119. 125. give me understanding A wicked man may have much common illumination but such as vastly differs from the illumination of the Saints those puff them up with pride these humble them though I confess this leaven is apt to infect the best as Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. Notwithstanding those the soul stands at a distance and enmitie from Christ nay oft apostatizeth from the profession of him but Heb. 6. 4. these bring the soul effectually to close with Christ Every man saith Christ Ioh. 6. 45. that hath learned of the Father cometh unto me That 's a head-floating illumination this an heart-affecting illumination that like the light of a glow-worm which hath no heat in it this like the light of the sun warmeth and quickneth where it comes it is called the light of life Joh. 8. 12. it provokes Saints to love God and to trust in God Psal 9. 10. they which know thy name will put their trust in thee Common illumination in a wicked man is like the sun shining upon a dung-hill calls out its stench and corruption whereas this illumination is a heart-changing and a life-reforming knowledge See Ephes 4. 20 21 22. 2. In respect of a peculiar sanctification so in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might purifie unto himself a peculiar people so Tit. 3. 5. He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Sometimes Gods peculiar lie wallowing in the mire Ezek. 36. 25. of sin a long time with the rest of the world in the grossest pollutions till God by his grace and spirit sanctifies them to himself as a peculiar Therefore God promiseth in the Prophet his spirit as clean water to sanctifie the people I am sure so it was with the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6. 10 11. And such were some of you but how come they to be otherwise why ye are washed ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God Christ is made Sanctification as well as Righteousness 1 Co◠1. 30. to his people Righteousness by imputation Sanctification by powerfull and gracious energie and operation 3. In respect of peculiar sealing Seals note propriety we seal what is our own God sets the seal of his spirit upon believers to note that proprietie he hath in them it is peculiar to such Eph. 1. 13. in whom also after you believed you were sealed with that holy spirit of promise So 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts It notes that esteem God hath of his people we do not use to seal up trifles but jewels which we most value and his special love to his chosen ones Christ set his spouse as a seal Cant. 8. 6. upon his heart the seat of love thus you finde out of every tribe a peculiar number sealed to God Rev. 7. 5. God seals none with his spirit but whom he hath sealed with the privie seal of election of which the Apostle speaks 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 4. In respect of special and peculiar communions with God Eph. 2. 18. For through him we both have an access by one spirit to the father through Christ as Mediatour meriting our access to God by the spirit directing and assisting us in our addresses to him 1 John 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and the Son a thing which wicked men are wholly strangers to men in a natural condition are described to be without Christ and God that is can have no communion Eph. 2. 12. with him for as the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 6. 15 16. What concord hath Christ with Belial what communion hath light with darkness fellowship with sin and communion with Christ are inconsistent all communion with God is grounded in a covenant-interest by the fall man lost all communion with God and cannot be restored to it but through a Mediatour in whom we have interest upon the account onely of the covenant of grace but wicked men are strangers to the covenant Ephes 2. 12. communion flowes from union now the spirit being the bond of union must also be the means of Communion and this is the Saints Peculiar whose communion with God here is mediate in Ordinances in which a wicked man enjoys nothing of Gods which is the Saints priviledge here as immediate Communion is their happiness and glory hereafter sed quorsum haec may some say This I shall endeavour now to shew you by some short and plain Application First It serves to silence those who rob God of his peculiar or at Applicati ∣ on least of his glory in having a peculiar people as those do who assert the death of Christ to have been equally intended for all those who lay all the success of Christs undertakings and of grace offered upon the arbitrary uncertain determination and compliance of mans fallible nay corrupted will By which means it may come to pass nay were it so it would come to pass certainly that God should have no peculiar people for the corrupt will cannot encline to close with grace till grace subdue the perversness of it or to speak the best should God have a peculiar upon
5. 9. The Doctrine of universalitie of grace destroys all thankfulness unless to our selves makes all the sacrifices of praises needless sacrificing to our own nets applauding the power and freedome of our own wills It is discriminating grace will raise the soul to thankfull admirations of God in that language of Judas not Iscariot Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world John 14. 22. II. To love both to God who thus peculiariz'd you and to love one another However your heads may differ let your hearts unite you are Temples of the same Spirit spouse of the same husband members of the same bodie 1 Cor. 12 25 27. and what greater argument of love you are purchased by the same bloud sanctified by the same Spirit objects of the same special love and I am sure the Apostle from hence argues strongly for brotherly love Beloved if God so loved us saith he 1 John 4. 10 11. we ought also to love one another You are eodem sanguine glutinati as Augustine expresseth it and is Christ divided It is the check the Apostle gives to the uncharitable dissentions of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 1. 13. And lastly you are designed for the same glorie III. To special service for and obedience to God Discriminating mercies are in all reason to be improved as arguments to peculiar services 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 47. What do ye more then others as if he had said more is expected from my disciples then from the Publicans as your priviledges are peculiar so should your services be too For 1. This is the proper intendment of distinguishing mercie the end of God's peculiar dispensations to a person or nation Observe what God saith of Israel Deut. 26. 18. The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people but to what end that thou shouldest keep his commandments Hath God distinguished thee by Electing love the end of it is thy Holiness He hath chosen us that we may be holy and without blame before him Ephes 1. 4. Hath he peculiariz'd thee by Effectual grace and Vocation It is that thou mayst be holy 1 Thessal 4. 7. For God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto holiness Art thou Christ's by a peculiar purchase the end of it is thy Holiness 1 Cor. 6. 20. For you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits Hath God exercised any peculiar providences towards thee the end of them is thy obedience The Psalmist having spoken of all the Providences God exercised over Israel infers this as the just issue of them That they might observe his statutes and keep his laws Psal 105. 45. So God's peculiar Covenant engageth to Holiness for it is mutual The end of God's peculiar Chastisements is his peoples Holiness Hebr. 12. 10. God chasteneth saith he for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness And then the hopes of that peculiar Glorie we are designed to should engage to Holiness 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope purifieth himself The special Sealing of the Spirit tends to this that we be careful that by sin we do not grieve him Ephes 4. 30. so the end of Communion with God is Holiness what else makes the Angels and Saints in heaven more holy but this Thus you see you frustrate the end of Mercy if it doth not make you more holy 2. It is the most ingenuous return of gratitude which we can make to God for his distinguishing love Sins under mercies as they have the highest guilt so are arguments of the greatest disingenuitie What Do you thus requite the Lord Deut. 32. 6. Obedience is the best thankfulness without which our verbal returns for mercy are but a complement The thankfulness of the life redounds to the honour and praise of God in the world and this God expects from his peculiar people if you consult that pregnant Scripture 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you c. Otherwise God is thus reproached by your sinfulness Yonder 's a people who boast of being God's peculiar do not you observe they live as other men do they can cheat in their shops dissemble in their dealings be frothy and vain in their discourses live in neglect of Familie-duties as deeply immersed in the love of the world as compliant with every foolish fashion as ambitious of honour as false in their promises as others whom they censure as of the world and cast-awaies But now saith Christ Herein is my Father glorified if ye bear much fruit c. John 15. 8. But how shall I know whether I be one of God's peculiar people Question or not The Text is hemmed in with a double evidence so that which Answer way soever you cast your eyes you may discover if you examine impartially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 purifie goes before and zealous of good works comes after so that inward Purity and outward Conformitie a pure Heart and a holy Life are the two special Evidences of God's peculiar for they are both the issue and fruits of that faith whereby we have a peculiar interest in Christ Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith there is the former and for the latter Gal. 5. 6. Faith works by love I. Then art thou inwardly purified from spiritual pollutions else thou art none of God's peculiar as yet Thou becamest mine saies God Ezek. 16. 8. What then Why then washed I thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy bloud verse 9. Else thou art no branch engrafted into Christ for every branch he purgeth John 15. 2. II. Art thou holy in thy outward conversation God's peculiar are an holy people Deut. 14. 1 2. For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people To pretend to a peculiarity of interest in God while men willingly continue wallowing in the mire of iniquitie is a desperate soul-damning presumption If you would lay any claim to God's privie-Seal of Election you must bring and be able to shew the broad-Seal of Holiness Mark how the Apostle joyns these together 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his And Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity yea and follow Holiness too The Apostle speaks fully 2 Corinth 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text Zealous not cold or luke-warm but chearfull and industrious in the practise of Pietie and thus you may evidence your selves to be of that peculiar people whom Christ gave himself to redeem so saith the Text Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from
14. Magistrates should punish sin without fear or favour by an impartial execution of the Laws as for Sabbath breaking a reigning sin swearing drunkenness c. Nor be Gallioes when these sins are brought before you You care for none of these things Acts 18. 17. Magistrates should be zealous in punishing First-Table-sins for the Second-Table-sins such as Thefts Murders and the like are the issue and birth of Atheisme Swearing Sabbath-breaking c. as I suppose you have heard men when brought to suffer then we may judge them most serious crying out of their Sabbath-breaking as that which brought them to it Thus a Magistrate may promote the service of God by punishing Irreligion and Profaneness c. III. By countenancing and encouraging the godly viz. those who desire to walk strictly with and attend the publick service and Ordinances of God Thus did David Psal 101. 6. Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull of the land that they may dwell with me he that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me IV. By upholding the publick worship of God and bringing the people to the publick Ordinances Thus did Joshua if we credit Brentius who gives this as the reason why wickedness prevailed so much after Joshua's death Quia post Joshuam ministerium collapsum erat Then the Ordinances and Ministry were neglected upon which followed Atheisme and contempt of God and that let in an inundation of Profaneness I know Religion is an act of the minde and soul and so not liable to any outward restraint but is onely subject to him who hath an absolute command and Soveraigntie over the conscience but conformitie to an outward worship may be commanded by a Superiour without any Tyrannie over conscience or infringement of Christian libertie I know the Spirit of God can onely put them in but I believe it is the Magistrates dutie and charge to see them brought to the pool V. By protecting and countenancing the Ministry of the word of God and the publick preaching of the Gospel Magistrates are compared to Gates in Scripture Ruth 3. 11. intimating their dutie to let in and give a passage to the Gospel Then the Church and State is like to flourish sin discountenanced Religion propagated when Read Theodoret l. 1. c. 2. Moses and Aaron go hand in hand together the Magistrate to correct sin the Minister to reprove when the Magistrate makes use of the Ministers direction and the Minister enjoys the Magistrates protection It is said of good king Jehosaphat that he sent princes to teach in the cities of Judah 2 Chron. 17. 7. not that they did publickly dispense the word for they had Levites with them verse 8. and they taught verse 6. But they were sent to provide for and countenance the Levites in that office and this is certainly the Christian Magistrates duty to protect the Ministers of the Gospel 1. In their repute and credit lest the Gospel come to be scorned as we have found by lamentable experience that since the Embassadours of the Gospel have been disrespected and opprobries of ignorant men cast upon them to cloud their credit the Gospel hath been undervalued errours multiplied the Scriptures questioned and vilified and I fear the Magistrates will scarce wash their hands from much guilt of all this 2. In their maintenance and just rights Famem ministrorum sequitur Fames verbi as Luther long since foretold That famishing the Ministers would usher in a Famine of the word And if ever the maintenance of the Ministry comes to be arbitrary we should have none but Micha's Levites who serve for ten shekels by the year and a suit of apparel and his victuals This is Scripture Judg. 17. 10. And if you mark the circumstance of the story it was when there was noking in Israel c. vers 6. And that will befall the Ministers which God threatned as a curse upon Elie's house 1 Sam. 2. 36. And it shall come to pass that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread and shall say Put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread Would you account him a friend to the childe that should starve the nurse that she can give no milk to it no better friends are they pretend what they will who would starve the Ministers and so rob the people of the sincere milk of the word by which they should grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. This Scripture speaks of as the badge of bad Magistrates A persecuting Ahab that counted Elijah the troubler of Israel 1 Kings 18. the language of too many now adays and those ungodly Princes who cast Jeremy into the dungeon Jer. 37. 15. Good Hezekiah was of another spirit and temper See his remarkable zeal 2 Chron. 31. 2. that the people might not want the service of God and vers 4. he orders the Priests and Levites maintenance that they might neither want subsistence nor encouragement A good pattern for good Magistrates who desire to promote the worship and service of God VI. By building or repairing the places of Gods worship and service Thus we finde David both by his example and entreaty prepare for the building of the Temple 1 Chron. 29. 2 3. Solomon building it It was Davids trouble and that which he looked upon as an absurdity that he should live in an House of Cedars and the Ark of God remain within curtains 2 Sam. 7. 2. Thus Joas 2 King 12. 5 6 7 8. Josiah 2 King 22. 3 4 5. took care for repairing it And it spoke the pious care of Constantine that after the Church was come out of those ten furious persecutions he caused the Idol Temples to be shut up and the Christian Churches demolished by Dioclesian to be reedified And this piece of promoting the service of God you are not ignorant how your Magistrate now in being hath imitated in reedifying that place of worship formerly famous for Perkins and others which as you cannot without ingratitude but acknowledge as a testimony of his affection to your town thus they argued of their centurion to Christ Luke 7. 5. For he loveth our nation and he hath built us a Synagogue so we cannot without uncharitableness but apprehend it as a good presage of his future zeal in his Government for promoting and upholding the true worship and service of God VII And lastly The influence of a good Magistrate will appear if we consider the sad effects of the want of Magistracy For which I shall lead you no further then this Church of the Jews read at your leisure the five last Chapters of this book of Judges where you may see the sinfull and miserable estate of the Jews when there was no King in Israel not onely outrages and filthy abominations abounding as the abusing of the Levites Concubine unto death Chap. 19. But also Irreligion and Idolatry in the
Scripture was to supply the defect of reason This consideration will yet be more valid if you consider whom God was pleased to make use of as instruments to convey these mysteries to us not an eloquent Tully profound Plato but Amos an Heardsman David a Shepheard Paul a Tent-maker and many of the Apostles poor fishermen men no waies enabled by acquired parts Moses indeed was learned in all the wisdome of the Egyptians Acts 7. 22. but there he could not learn the Law and Truths of God where Idolatry was so much overspread So Paul was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but there he did not learn the mysteries of the Gospel but during that time he thought himself bound to blaspheme the truth and to persecute the Professours of the Gospel which himself afterwards preached Matthew a Publican made a Pen-man of the Scripture All which speak as the admirable wisdome and omnipotent power of Gods grace in conquering their hearts to a closing with the Gospel so Gods revealing these things unto them and in an extraordinary manner furnishing them and acting them by his Spirit to write the Scriptures 2. The exactness of Scripture-holiness such as you shall meet with in no humane writings faith purifying the heart working by love What exact patterns and examples does Scripture hold forth of Purity and Holiness Enoch walking with God Abraham the friend of God and David a man after Gods own heart What strict laws does it prescribe whereas Humane laws tolerate some sins this discovers the wages of the least sin to be death Rom. 6. 23. whereas other Religions are fitted with Fleshly liberties to gratifie mens corruptions witness Mahomet's Alcoran indulging a libertie to the flesh this commands those pieces of holiness which are most contrarie and repugnant to our natural corruptions such as self-denial taking up the cross c. It discovers Original sin and man by the guilt thereof liable to the challenge of God the censure of the law in the first moment of his being and that the least sin every idle word must be accounted for Matth. 12. 36. Had it been an Humane invention you shall have found the flesh gratified as all Religions in the world have some way or other to do it Non habent saith S. Augustin of Plato istae Paginae vultum pietatis hujus lachrymas confessionis sacrificium tuum spiritum contribulatum cor contritum nemo ibi cantat Nonne Deo subdita erit anima mea that is All the Heathen Philosophie hath not so much as a shew of this piety the tears of a broken heart and a contrite spirit which is thy sacrifice no man here crys out with David Let all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103. 1. The principles of moralitie might deck and granish the outward man but Scripture holiness onely repairs and renews the soul commands the very thoughts and curbs the very first irregular motions of the heart In a word this onely transforms the soul into the image of God from glorie to glorie by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 18. 3. The excellency of Gospel-promises such as Philosophers never hinted such as the apprehensions of man cannot comprehend now they are revealed much less could they imagine or invent It would be infinite to enlarge I shall therefore instance but in two Ease to troubled wearied souls Nemo ibi audit Venite ad me qui laboratis saith S. Augustine speaking of the writings of Philosophers He could not among all the Platonick Philosophers finde such an expression so comfortable a promise as this Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden No sanctuary for troubled souls but the bloud of Christ which this Scripture onely discovers Isai 40. 1 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem c. And another Promise in Isai 43. 2. I will be with thee when thou passest through the fire and through the water not such a Promise in all the writings of men a Promise of Gods gracious presence here and then the Promise of eternal rest in another world The Heathens might dream of an Elysium Mahomet promise a confluence of sensual carnal delights in green meadows to his followers but an happiness made up of an eternal enjoying God by vision and love is a thing their reason could never reach but must certainly be a Divine Revelation as being that which Eye hath not seen ear hath not heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive of 4. The nature and event of Scripture prophesies which are such as the eye of omniscience onely can reach as being beyond the foresight of the most perfect creature Moses foretold the seed of the woman should break the serpents head much above three thousand years er'e it was accomplished So Jacobs prophesie of the coming of Shiloh upon the departure of the Scepter from Judah Gen. 49. fell out accordingly a little before Christs birth when the Jews were subjected to the power of the Romans Thus all the Prophets foretelling the calling of the Gentiles a thing so strange that when accomplished many did not understand it and more were offended at it Isaiah prophesied the captivitie and destruction of Jerusalem even then when the kingdome was in a flourishing condition both which afterward fell out Thus Josiah's name and actions were foretold three hundred years before his birth 1 Kings 13. 2. and Cyrus's an hundred years before his birth Isai 45. 1 2. c. And what doth all this speak but a Divine revelation Man may see some things future as they are in their causes but to foretel such future events as are merely dependant upon the Divine will such as these are is onely proper to God Testimonium divinitatis veritas divinationis saies Tertullian The certainty of foretelling is a sure Testimony of Divinity And so we finde that in Isai 41. 22 23. the foretelling such futurities is made a distinction of the true God from all false ones 5. Consider how these Scriptures have gained authority and acceptance from the world by quite contrary means to other writings not by sinfull compliances with the humours and lusts of men which hath much promoted the Alcoran of Mahomet for these it impartially and severely taxes and condemns not insinuated into mens mindes by the pomp and pleasantness of Rhetorick no adornings with the flowers of Rhetorick to make them seem gratefull to the world but by a plain stile and homely expression It gains acceptance by the mysteriousness of the things more then eloquence of the stile so the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 2. 4. My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power It is the custome of men to slatter Great ones by a complemental dedication and thereby to gain honour and repute to their writings but observe the dedications of the Scriptures they are to the poor condemned scattered Saints at Corinth and elsewhere so 1 Pet. 1. 1.
contempt and disorder but the imposition of traditional observances in so needless a number as may seem to reduce us under the Jewish yoke which neither we nor our fathers were able to bear Acts 15. 10. or as equally obligatorie to conscience as divine commands or as the immediate worship of God or as duties essentially necessarie in order to salvation we justly abhor as the Tyrannie of Rome as the infringement of Christian libertie as a violation and voiding the commandment of God as our Saviour told the Pharisees that they made the commandment of God of none effect that is sleighted Mat. 15. 6. disregarded by their traditions All our holiness all our worship must be regulated by Gods will not our own Non ex arbitrio Deo serviendum sed ex imperio not according to our own fancie but Gods command and prescription It may seem somewhat a strange expression at first Israel hath forgotten his maker and builded Temples Hosea 8. 14. one would rather think this was a reverencing of God this is the account of it God had appointed one Temple and they multiply and build many contrarie to Gods direction and institution I say of all humane invented will-worship of God as Tertullian of the Heathen-worship Ex religione superstitio compingitur eo irreligiosior quantò Ethnicus paratior Men in this are no better then laboriously superstitious taking pains to be irreligious And the judicious Hooker determines that in Gods service to do that which we are not is a greater fault then not to do that which we are commanded Amongst other reasons he gives this to our purpose in that we seem to charge the law of God with hardness onely in that with foolishness and insufficiencie which God gave us as a perfect rule of his worship and service I shall conclude this point with that of S. Paul As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be Gal. 6. 16. on them and mercie and upon the Israel of God 2. The perspicuitie and plainness of this revelation It is the design and plot of Rome to fasten an imputation of obscuritie upon the written Word that hereby she may with more plausible shew exalt Peters pretended successour into the infallible chair as an unerring interpreter and also discourage and dishearten the people from reading them As the spies reported the land of Canaan to be impregnable and so disheartned the Israelites Hence the Papists crie out of Scripture that it is unintelligible and obscure to vulgar and common capacities and thus they defame and raise a false report of the written Word and make the difficultie of it a pretence for their neglect and cloak for their ignorance The Scripture was made to be a Christians guide and rule of life as I said before a blinde guide a dark and obscure rule is a contradiction Thy word is a light to my feet and a lanthorn to my Ps 119. 105. paths saith David and the Apostle Peter bids us look to the Scripture as a light which shineth in a dark place the same Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 19. indeed observed in S. Pauls Epistles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some things hard to 2 Pet. 3. 16. be understood this relates to the sublimitie and mysteriousness of things revealed not to the obscuritie of the revelation There is a depth of mysterie in Scripture cloathed with a plain and familiar expression Thy testimonies are wonderfull saith David There is the mysterie of Scripture yet follows The entrance Psal 119. 129. Ibid. v. â—30 of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Here are mysteries to exercise the acutest wits depths for the profoundest judgements to fathom and yet so plain and obvious that the meanest and plainest using the means as prayer diligent search and the rest may profit by Here is meat for strong and grown Christians and here is milk for babes too In a word God hath so intermingled and interwoven Scripture-Revelations with some difficulties some facilities that plainness breeds not contempt nor difficultie neglect and disheartnings that by the plainness of them he might teach us knowledge and by the difficulties learn us humilitie 3. The certaintie and infallibilitie of Scripture-Revelation as being written by the guidance and dictate of an infallible Spirit All Scripture is given by divine inspiration no Scripture is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. of private interpretation so our translation or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of any private spirit which reading I finde pleaseth Beza best as agreeing with what is said in the next verse that the pen-men of Scripture were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the prophecie came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake Ibid. vers 21. as they were moved by the holy Ghost and therefore Scripture is a certain and infallible rule of faith and holiness This was one end of Scripture That we might have an infallible rule of life and judge of saving truth which had it been brought unto us onely by the acry conveyance of Tradition uncertain revelation might soon have been either forgotten or corrupted If we leave the Scripture once we are left at miserable uncertainties and lie open to all deceits and delusions If we rest upon Enthusiasticall revelations Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light and delude us our faith and obedience will 2 Cor. 11. 13 be alwaies at uncertainties The revelations of those who pretend to them be alwaies various sometimes contrarie and commonly pretended to to serve new interests and designs The Spirit is every mans pretence and therefore we must have some way to examine and judge of the truth or falseness and error of every mans spirit and this can be no other way but by the infallible Canon of the Scripture We never finde S. Paul alleadging any of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those revelations which he had when he was caught up into the third heaven but he hath recourse to the Scripture for 2 Cor. 12. 4. the vindication of the Doctrine he delivered as you may see in his Apologie before Agrippa I continue saith he to this day saying Acts 26. 22. no other things then what Moses and the Prophets did say should come And the Apostle Peter speaking of the voice from heaven though 2 Pet. 1. 18 19. that was a ture one yet adds we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a surer word of prophesie to wit the Scriptures the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 20. whereunto ye do well that ye take heed A voice from heaven may sooner deceive us then the written Word of God if we rest upon Traditions these are oft erronious as Rome can witness at best fallible and uncertain A man can scarce ever know when he hath believed and practised rightly or enough Traditions being variable and
oft in divers successions one contrarie to another in the guidances and direction of our Pastors and Teachers Nor can we certainly or safely resolve our belief into them for we are bid to trie these Spirits whether they be of God They may either out of ignorance 1 John 4. 1. or malice mislead you Scripture Canon is the onely infallible guide and God may as soon deceive you as Scripture can 3. The excellent ends fruits of this revelation and the knowledge of it that is not onely for discourse though I could heartily wish it were made more use of this way not onely to exercise a subtile wit though there be Scripture-mysteries will do this too not onely to ripen a lascivient fancie which are the greatest ends of all other knowledge but the ends of Scripture-knowledge are more heavenly and spiritual The Apostle hath enumerated them to our hands it is profitable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 2 Tim. 3. 16. doctrine if thou beest ignorant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for reproof if thou beest erring and misled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for correction if thou beest sinning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for instruction in righteousness to lead the to and direct thee in thy dutie Consider the excellencie of it in these respects above all other knowledge 1. It is a confirming knowledge the foundation and principle of constancie and settledness in Religion The chief cause of the light Scepticisme and wavering unsettledness of our times is the want of a sound Scripture-knowledge of the Truth with which if mens spirits were well ballassed they would not so soon be tossed about and carried away with every wind of doctrine The Apostle speaking of such gives this account of it that they were children Ephes 4. 14. in understanding Observe who they are the Apostle speaks of who are led captive by those seducers who creep into houses they are sillie women And why they the reason is given because they verse 7. are ever learning and can never come to the knowledge of the truth No man can simply desire to be deceived Error as error hath no sutableness or adequation to mans understanding but many are deluded by error under the vizard of truth Jacob was deceived with blear-eyed Leah instead of fair Rachel While men are in the dark not enlightned by a clear Scripture-knowledge they oft court error for truth This never more easie then in these daies when that which will most secure us from Apostatizing from acknowledged and received truth is a sound Scripture-knowledge which therefore the Apostle prays God for the Colossians and others that they might have the full assurance Coloss 2. 2. of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mysterie of Christ and he gives the reason This speak I lest any man should beguile you with Verse 4. eâ—tising words 2. It is a comforting supporting knowledge So David found it Psal 19. 8. The statutes of the Lord are pure rejoycing the heart and verse 10 sweeter they are then the honey and the honey-comb The Wise-man and he spake it experimentally as having more wisdome then all that were before him in Jerusalem found the upshot of all his knowledge to be nothing but vexation of spirit Eccles 1. 16. passing this deliberate judgement and sentence upon it verse 18. that in much wisdome is much grief and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow But the comfort of Christians was one end of Scripture which was written That we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might have hope Here an observant Rom. 15. 4. Reader may discover many glorious promises which are rich treasures of comfort full breasts of consolation from which the pious Christian may suck much supporting and chearing sweetness Here we may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation as the Prophet expresseth it Isaiah 66. 11. The promise is as full of comfort as a dugge is full of milk as crying children are quietted with the dugge so perplexed consciences are quieted and eased by the promises this all other knowledge in the world cannot help you too What refuges hath Seneca the wisest of Stoicks found for doubting and troubled mindes and yet all ended in mere disquietness Not Athens must teach this lesson but Jerusalem not Reason but Revelation not Nature but Scripture I have read of a woman who was much disquieted in conscience even to despair and endeavouring to prove her own executioner was comforted by that promise Isaiah 57. 15. Thus saith the high and the loftie one which inhabiteth eternitie whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit to revive the hearts of the contrite ones and of another who being readie to die Lord saith he I challenge thy promise by which thou art engaged to give rest to those who are weary and heavy laden and so was comforted 3. It is a Transforming knowledge which no other knowledge is We read Rom. 1. 21. of the Heathen who when they knew God glorified him not as God and the Psalmist having spoken of the knowledge of God in his creatures subjoyns this as the perfection of the word of God Psal 19. 7. that it converteth the soul The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul In a word natural knowledge is onely sufficient to make men without excuse but Scripture-knowledge to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Secondly The usefulness and necessitie of it as to an Apollos is still in Scripture justly accounted the cognizance and commendation of of an able Minister It was Ezras commendation that he was a readie Scribe in the Law of Moses and Timothies that 2 Tim. 3. 15. from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which Paul notes as the badge of a good Minister Thou saith he to Timothy shalt be a good Minister nourished up in the words of faith and of good 1 Tim. 4. 6. doctrine This knowledge is necessarie 1. That he may truely and savingly make known and discover Jesus Christ This is the great dutie of Ministers which was the end for which S. Paul desired the door of utterance Colos 4. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak the mysterie of Christ and therefore he desired to know nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2. and him crucified Christ he is the summe of Law and Gospel the substance and as it were Epitome of the written Word Every thing in Scripture relates some way or other to Christ the Types shadowed him the Prophets foretold him the Sacraments signifie him and seal him The Law is a School-master to lead us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. the Gospel offers him and conveys him our faith receives him our love imbraces him our hope expects him our obedience imitates and honours him the promises are grounded upon him by the Gospel-priviledges purchased by him Thus Christ is the