Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1

I N this Verse, the Apostle labors to remove suspicion of levity, and inconstancy: there were jealousies in the minds of the Corinthians, which were also fomented by some vain-glorious Teachers amongst them, that labored to undermine S. Paul in the hearts of the Corinthians, as if he had not loved the Corinthians so well as they did; therefore he is so careful to clear himself in their thoughts, from suspicion of inconstancy, and want of love to them: because suspicion grounded upon the lightness in his carriage, might reflect upon his doctrine.

He knew well enough the malice of man's nature, and therefore he is very curious, and industrious, to make a clear passage for himself into the hearts of these Corinthians by all means possible, as we heard in part out of the 17. Verse.

Saint Paul is here purging himself still, to clear himself.

First, he labors to clear himself from the suspicion of inconstancy, and want of love to them in not coming.

Secondly, he sets down the true cause why he did not come, I came not, to spare you: You were much to blame in many things, and among the rest of the abominations among you, you cherished the incestuous person, and many of you doubted of the resurrection. I should have been very severe, if I had come, therefore I came net, to spare you, hoping that my letter would work upon your spirits, so that I need not be severe to you: therefore do not suspect that for any ill mind I came not: for it was to spare you, that I might not be forced to be severe.

Then the third thing is, the sealing of this speech with a serious oath, I call God for record upon my soul, that I came not, to spare you. So here is the w •… ping away of suspicion: And the setting down the true cause why he did not come: And the ratifying and confirming it by an oath; he makes his purgation here by an oath. These three things I will briefly touch.

First of all, you see here he avoids suspicion of lightness which the Corinthians had of him, partly by the false suggestion of proud Teachers among them, who fomented their suspicious dispositions: because they would weaken S. Paul's esteem among the Corinthians: they had a conceit he was an uncertain man, he promised to come, and did not: now here he declines that suspicion.

Where first, Observe these two things briefly.

First, that the nature of man is inclined to suspicion.

And secondly, that it is the duty of men to avoid it as much as may be, and to wipe it away, if it cannot be avoided.

Mans nature is prone to suspect ill of another, though never so good. Christ could not avoid it: because he conversed sociably with other men, he was thought to be a Wine-bibber, a companion of sinners. And God himself was suspected of Adam in innocence: the Devil is so cunning, that he calls God himself into question, as if he had not meant so well to him. What will that impudent spirit do, that will bring the creature in suspicion of him that is goodness itself? God knows, that when you eat, your eyes shall be open, and you shall be as God's, knowing good and evil. Do you think that he intends you any good, in forbidding you to eat, &c? He did not spare Christ, innocence itself, clothed with man's flesh; and will he spare to bring uncharitable suspicions upon others? surely he will not. And then man's nature of itself is prone to suspect and think ill of another; From many grounds:

Sometimes out of experience of the common infirmities thnt men meet with in the world; out of the experience of the falsehood of men they are many times prone to suspicion.

But most commonly it is out of guiltiness that men think ill of others, because others have cause to think ill of them: none are so prone to suspicion, as those that are worst themselves; because they judge others by their own hearts.

The better sort of people think of others, as they are, and as they deserve themselves: but others, because they are naught, they think others are so; because they deserve ill, they think others have deserved an ill opinion of them: so many times it comes of guilt, because we are not as we should be.

Then again, it ariseth from a guilty conscience in another respect: we think, because men have cause, though they have no wrong to themselves; yet because our own hearts tell us we are ill, we suspect them. So from an uncharitable disposition, and guiltiness of conscience it ofttimes comes.

Then again, sometimes from the concurrence of probabilities, the suiting of circumstances that makes things somewhat probable whereupon suspicion may be fastened. Sometimes when there is a concurrence of probabilities of the likelihood of things, there suspicion is prone to rise: for suspicion is not a determining of a thing, it is but a slight kind of conceit: it is more then a fear, and less then judgment of a thing. It is more then fear: for he that fears, suspects not: suspicion is a degree to judgment: it doth not fully judge, for then it were not suspicion: it is more then fear; suspects not, but fears; It conceives slightly that such a thing should be done, and yet he dares not say it is done.

Suspition is nothing else but an inclination of the soul to think and imagine ill of another: a looking curiously under a thing, or person. As we use to say, Envy pries into things; an envious person searcheth: so a suspicious person looks under to see if he can see matter of ill to fasten his ill soul upon. So it inclines the soul to think ill upon slight grounds. Now this ofttimes ariseth, and is fed with seeming probability. Christ conversed with wicked men, here was some color for them to conjecture him so.

We say, things have two hands, a right hand, and a left; now suspicion takes hold of the left hand always: if things will admit of a double construction, suspicion always takes hold of the worst, suspicion takes hold of the ill part. That is the nature of a diseased soul, to take things by the wrong hand. We see then it is a disposition that we are subject unto naturally; and it is cherished by Satan, and Satan's instruments, wicked men.

And why doth the Devil so cherish suspicion, and a jealous disposition?

Oh, it hath been wondrous instrumental to Satan: I dare say, there is no disposition or frame of soul that hath been the occasion of more blood-shed, of more unjustice in the Church and State from the beginning of the world, then a jealous disposition, especially in great ones. Therefore the Devil labors, as to breed jealousies of God, so of God's Church and Children from the beginning. Was it not ever the disposition of ill-minded men to put jealousies into the hearts, especially of those that were in authority concerning men far better then themselves? Was it not Haman's policy? when the Jews had angered him, Oh they are a people that care not for the Laws, &c. perhaps they were more obedient then himself: had it not been the occasion of their ruin, if God had not been more merciful?

Herod had a jealousy and suspicion, that Christ when he was born would turn him out of his Kingdom; and all Jerusalem was in an uproar. Alas, Christ came to give a heavenly Kingdom, and not to take away earthly: yet this jealousy cost the lives of the poor Infants.

So in the Primitive Church, there were wicked men put jealousies (concerning the Christians,) into the heads of the Emperors: when alas, they reverenced the Emperors, (next God) above all: yet always there were wicked instruments that sought to domineer, and have their own ends under the Emperors, they conveyed jealousies; and thence came so much blood-shed. In later times in Popish Countries, if a man read the stories, whence came that blood-shed? This was one chief cause, jealousies, and suspicions cast into the heads of Popish Princes by wicked men about them, set on work by Satan himself. O they are such as will turn you out of your state; a people that are rebellious, and unquiet.

This was the policy among us in former times; we may consider of later times: to see the disposition of a man, that was a great States-man in his time, and a man of great parts and learning, but of a very fierce and cruel disposition: I mean Stephen Gardener. The chief hurt that was done in that magnanimous Princes time, it was done by him. And how? By jealousies, as appears by his Letters, &c. Oh if these things prevail, this and that will come: he cast such jealousies that did affright thas great Prince. Oh, other Princes will fall out with you, if you maintain not these things, they will break with you. And so upon his death-bed; this doctrine of Justification if the people once know it, all is gone.

God shows, that all these jealousies are but follies; for all that he feared came to pass. In good Queen Elizabeth's time, Religion that he was so jealous of, was established: and she cared not for Princes correspondency, that were of other Religions, further then might stand with reasons of State; and did not she flourish, and her people in quiet all her time, notwithstanding all former jealousies, as if Religion established could not stand with peace? So that the event proved what kind of jealousies these were.

Do we think then that a great deal of hurt is not done among particular persons, when in States there is such a world of hurt done by Satan, and his instruments? Well, let us take notice therefore of our disposition, and of the inclination of men this way, that we may the better prevent it, and that will appear in the second thing, That

It should be the care of Ministers, and others, (it generally belongs to all Christians) to free themselves from any ill suspicion in the hearts of others as much as they can; as S. Paul did here the suspicion of inconstancy, and lightness, and want of love to them that he did not come among them.

Suspition is a Canker that eats into the soul where it is, and it will consume and waste all love. It is the very venom of Love, and friendship. A little thing will breed it, but will not work it out. Therefore we ought first of all to take great heed that we give no ground of suspicion at all; or if we do, that we be careful to get it out as soon as we can: for usually where it takes place, it boils till it break out into words, and then words when they are discovered, breed strangeness, and that breeds other inconveniences.

And the rather we should labor to avoid it, because, Quod suspectum, &c. that which is suspected, is made unprofitable: for a man when he unwarrantably suspects another thing, it is unprofitable to him. We take little good by those that we suspect are ill, or ill-affected: to us and then we do little good to them: for love is much daunted by the ill conceit we have taken against them. A man cannot do that good that he might, when he is suspected: there lies a bar in the way, ill suspicion in the other party, which is an obstruction between him, and the good he might do. Therefore even for the love of others we ought to avoid suspicion as much as may be, that they may receive good from us.

As we ought not uncharitably to suspect others, that we may do good to them; so we ought to avoid by all means suspicion from them, left it be a bar for that good we might do towards them. Let us labor to clear ourselves from all suspicion of want of love, and ill carriage what we may, that so there may be nothing between our spirits and theirs that may hinder the good that might come from us to them, but that all may pass clear. You see how curious holy men have been in all times, to avoid suspicion as much as they could.

Even God himself (we cannot have a more glorious pattern,) what course hath he taken from the beginning of the world with mankind? he hath condescended, and stooped to man's weakness, to clear himself of suspicion of unkindness to man, that man might not cherish suspicion that he doth not love him. For there is that poison in the cursed nature of man, that do God what he can, he will lay imputations upon God, to bear himself out in stubborn courses, as if God delighted not in him, nor regarded him. And as you have it in Ezek. 18. I am punished for other folks sins, God deals hardly with me, and brings the sins of my fathers upon me: and, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge. God knows the cankered disposition of man since the fall: Satan lies upon the disposition of man, and broods upon it, to make it like himself, malicious even against God himself. God (as it were) puts himself to his purgation, even with no less then an oath: As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner. You think I am severe to you; and men they will rather impute it to God's severity, then their own sin, that is the pride of man's nature.

A sinner is wondrous proud till he cometo destruction itself, and the book of conscience be opened. Sin will have something to shelter itself with; sin is a proud thing: God purgeth himself by an oath, As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner: If you die, you may thank your own sins; though you be so bad, if you will repent, I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he return, and live. Yet notwithstanding, man to countenance himself in sin, he-will fly perhaps to the decree of God, God perhaps doth not delight in me; whereas the rule of our life is, He hath shown thee, O man, what is good, to do good, and abstain from evil, and then that question will be out of question, whether thou be God's, or no. But man will force upon himself, that God doth not regard him, that he may sin with more freedom.

As the unfaithful servant, I knew thou wert a hard Master, that exactedst that that thou hadst not given; and therefore I hid my talent. The bad servant forceth upon himself hardness in his Master, when he was not so, that he might be idle: So men force upon themselves somewhat in God to be hard, God's dealings to be so and so, that they may take more liberty. For if God be so loving, and so gracious, as he hath discovered himself to be, their hearts would melt, they would never live in such courses, but rather put all to the venture, then to clamour upon God's Justice. Therefore God himself purgeth himself from a disposition of unkindness, and unmercifulness, As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner: fo his whole course is to show that he loves us.

And what is our Savior Christ's whole course, but to free men from suspicion of want of love? did he ever turn any back from him, but those that went away of themselves? did he not shed tears for those that shed his blood? so merciful, and gracious was he. If so be that holy men of all times have labored to clear themselves to others.

We ought not to rage against the ill dispositions of men. If we were as good as God, and as Christ, men would have false suspicions of us. It is no innocence in the world that will free a man from suspicion: the wicked, poisonful disposition that the Devil stirs up against him. Therefore rage not against it, but bear it with a spirit of moderation.

And let us decline as much as we can, and free the hearts of people from evil suspicion: and if we cannot avoid it, yet to bear it without discontent, considering it is the Lot of God's childen to be suspected, as we see here S. Paul was.

S. Paul besides his laboring to remove suspicion, he sets down here the true cause of his not coming to them, it was not lightness and inconstancy, it was to spare you. They had many abuses among them, and amended they must be, that was a conclusion. But the question is De modo, whether by gentle means, by writing an Epistle, and staying a while, or afterwards by coming, and telling them their sin to their face, and by being severe, and terrible among them? Now he concludes, I came not among you, for this very cause, that I might not be so severe, and terrible among you, as by office I should have been, if you had not amended before I came: as indeed they did, for they cast out the incestuous person, and reformed other abuses comfortably. They prevented S. Paul's severity with their reformation; they had not at the first cast out the incestuous person, and they had factions among them, they had Atheists among them that doubted of the resurrection, many abuses were crept in among them. S. Paul wrote a former Epistle upon a desire to reform those, and there was a blessed reformation wrought. S. Paul did not delight in austerity; therefore he deferred his coming, that he might have more joy, and contentment, then sorrow.

Before I come to the Points, take this for a ground,

It must be undone by repentance, or by eternal punishments in hell; it must be censured here, or hereafter.

For it is against God's nature, and God's Word, The soul that sinneth shall die. It must be repented of, of necessity, or eternally punished in hell. Censured it must be, one way or other; It is of such a contrary nature, so opposite to the holiness of God: that is a ground.

Now this being laid as a ground, the question is, What is the best way to take away sin, whether by gentle means, or severe? by gentle means, if it may be: if not, then by severe. S. Paul would not have spared them, if he had come, if they had not amended. So the Points are two.

First of all, That the best way for the redressing of sin, is by gentle means, if it may be.

Secondly, if that will not, then by severe, if men would not have men damned.

I came not to spare you, because I desired that gentler courses might prevail. So I say, the first Point is this, That

It should be the care both of Ministers, and of all those that deal with others, first of all to use mild, and winning, and gaining courses.

Now to prove this.

First, they are more suitable to the nature of man: for the nature of man is best wrought on, by rational courses suitable to his nature, suitable to his principle: man is a reasonable creature, therefore rational courses will prevail with a rational man, a course of persuasion and discovery. A man that is not beast-like, tell him but the danger of his sin, tell him the peril of it in gentle words, and he will amend, if so be he be not hardened by God to destruction: or if God do not reserve him to a more severe redress. Gentle courses ought first to be used, because they are agreeable to the nature of man.

Again, they suit most to God's disposition; for God is love, and his course to man is love: if he take any course contrary to love, it is not his own work; as he saith, to punish man it is not his own work, he is forced to that always: to show love and mercy, that is his work, that that comes from his own principle, from his mercy, he is love; he doth not say, he is justice, or rigor, but he is love. It agrees with the nature of God to deal mercifully, if he deal otherwise, it is forced from us.

It suits with the whole carrirge of our salvation these courses of love, and gentleness first of all: for we are saved by a manner of love: we are saved by God giving his Son, and by his Son giving himself. We are saved by a course of entreaty: the Ministers of God are Ambassadors to desire us to be reconciled to God. God having saved us by a manner of love, he will have us taught by a manner of love, in the Gospel especially: because God's aim is to gain our love, and which way can that be, but by a way of love?

For the nature of man is such, that it will never love, till it know it be loved first. Therefore God stoops to a way of love, because he would have our love; which he would never have by other courses, because they are contrary to our nature.

It is the practice of God, his custom is answerable: for first, he deals by gentle means always, and then after; if those will not prevail, he goes to severe means, and in severe means he takes degrees; first less and then more violent, and then violent indeed. God would never descend to sharper courses, if milder would serve the turn. You know he bade his own people before they set in hostile manner upon any, to give them fair warning, to offer them conditions of peace: so it is his course to offer conditions of peace: so he did to the old World; and so he doth to us: before he corrects, he offers conditions of peace You see how sparing Christ was, and how full of love, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, &c.

Again, they are courses that promise best success ordinarily: for the proud nature of man will raise itself up, and will harden itself against severe courses. Man naturally (as I said) will be led, and not forced; his nature will rise against forced violent courses, therefore for the event itself it is the best.

Again, they are courses that are more lasting: that that is gained by love, is constant; that that we prevail with men for by reason, it will hold: other courses are not so faithful, they will not hold. What we gain on men by fear, there is shame in it, that a man should be forced to anything; and nature will break out: But it will hold best, that is gained by way of love and reason.

Therefore let us imitate God in this, when we are to deal with any, not to take violent courses in the first place, but to deal with men as men, deal with them by love, and reason, and not stand upon our own stomach and greatness, and take delight (as it were) in the commanding of others, that we have a destructive power, a power that can quash, and crush men, and show it to the utmost, and pride ourselves in it. If God should deal so with such, where were those proud creatures? If God were not a forbearing, indulgent, sparing God?

Therefore you may see what disposition those are of, that are all for fire; for violent courses, rigorous courses. That is not the way that God useth, it is not the way that Christ used, it is not the way that ministers do use that have the Spirit of God.

You have some kind of people, that if a man be not always in matters of damnation, his Sermon is nothing. So you have some that in their courses are so violent, that they know nothing that is moderate, (and yet perhaps they are good too, but) they cherish too much a violent disposition. Now St. Paul, though he were a very zealous, holy man, yet notwithstanding he would not put himself upon violent courses, but when there was great necessity. He is rather a Butcher then a Physician that loves to torment his Patient. You see what course is first to be taken. I need not be long in so clear a Point; therefore I will spend no more time in it: but come to the second, that is more generally useful, because indeed men are so, that gentle means will hardly prevail with them: what must be done then? not spare them.

S. Paul came not, that he might spare them. Now if they had not amended, what would S. Paul have done, think you? would he have suffered them to have cherished the incestuous person among them? that wicked person that had committed that which was intolerable amongst the Heathen? would he have cherished proud factious men among them? that would disgrace S. Paul's Doctrine, to win authority to them selves? would not he have told them to their face the danger of their sin, and have made them ashamed? undoubtedly he woud: he would have spared. So I say, if gentle means will not prevail, men must not be spared; meither Minister nor Magistrate must spare; especially in dangerous courses that are prejudicial to the souls of others.

Why?

We must spare none, that God may spare all. We that are Ministers must spare no sin, that God may spare all. Lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, (saith God) and tell Israel of their sins. If gentle means will not reform them, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet. Cast out Jezebel with her painted face: though sin paint, and color itself, it must be cast out. Jonas must out of the ship, the ship will perish else: Achan must be stoned. We must tell men of their danger, not with hatred of their persons, but to prevent an eternal punishment.

You know well that preventing justice is better then executing justice. Is not discipline better then execution? Is it not better to hear of our faults roundly, when other means will not prevail, then to cherish that that will be for our eternal destruction? Is not searing, and cutting, better then killing? Is it not better that a limb be seared and cut, then that all be clear cut off, and the whole body perish? Is not the pain of Chirurgery, or Physic that makes a man sick for a while, better to be endured then the painse, and terrors of death itself? These preventing courses are the best courses: therefore we must spare none, but tell them of their danger faithfully.

Only, liberty of speech must not be a cover for boistrousnesse, or a cover for the venting of evil humors, as sometimes it is. For flesh will never prevail with flesh; flesh, and pride in the speaker, will never prevail with pride in the hearer: but it must be a spiritual kind of severity discovering the danger to them we speak to, with a spiritual holy affection, and a spirit of love, though with severity: (for there is a severity of love and gentleness) it will prevail when it comes from such a spirit. But if there be a discovery of flesh, not only in Ministers; but in those that deal with others, flesh will rise against flesh. A man may sometimes find fault with another with greater corruption then the thing he finds fault with in another; he may be more to blame for his dealing, then the other for his fault. I came not, to spare you.

Therefore when Ministers are plain in discovering the danger of the times, the danger of the persons, and places where they are to deal, people must hear them as they love their own souls. If they have any quarrel, let them quarrel with their master: for what we speak is from the Word of God: we come as his Ambassadors, and servants, and should be considered as Ambassadors, therefore considering whose message we bring, they must take it in good part to be told of their sins, in a good manner. As S. Austin saith very well: Christ (saith he) speaks to the Sea, and it was quiet: Christ said, Be still, the Sea heard, and the waves were still; but he speaks to us in the Ministry to stay our violent courses in sin, and we puff and swell when we are told of our faults; is this good, think you? No; if we do so, it is a sign that God intends to seal us to destruction. As we know, Eli's sons when they did not hearken to their Fathir, God had appointed them to destruction. Those that will not hearken to Ministerial reproof, it is a sign God hath sealed them over to destruction.

If we would not have either Ministers or others to be severe in telling us; let us be severe to our own sins first. Men are like to children; first they foul, and defile them selves, and they cry when they are washed: so men soil themselves with sin, and cry when they should be purged from them. If we cannot endure to be told of our faults, how shall we endure to be tormented for our faults in hell? Those that are so tender, that they will not endure a word contrary to their dispositions, how will they endure that sentence, Go ye cursed, when they shall be turned into hell? Consider what will come of it, if we live in sin.

I beseech you therefore, suffer the Word of exhortation at our hands. Our salvation lies upon it: if we discover not the danger of the sins of people to whom we speak, if we discern them, we shall perish for it, because we are unfaithful in our Ambassage. Therefore for your own souls; and likewise that we may discharge our duty as we should, patiently, and quietly fit under exhortation, and reproof, not only public, but private, if occasion be.

O Beloved, at the latter day it will be a matter of vexation that we were cherished too much in our courses. Do you not think that the damned spirits in hell wish, O that we had been told; O that we had been dealt with violently, that we had been pulled out of this flame! There is an excellent place in Jude's Epistle, Have mercy upon some. Use some gently that are of tractable dispositions: and pull some out of the fire with fear, with threatening eternal damnation; with terrible courses, that they may have cause to fear: first with admonitions, and if that will not prevail, with suspension, with further censure; and if that will not prevail, with excommunication cast them out of the Church (as this incestuous Corinthian,) that their souls may be saved in the day of the Lord.

There is a threefold correction, or finding fault, that are gradual one after another; and they should be of vigor in the Church in all times.

First, a friendly telling of a fault, between man, and man, if we see anything dangerously amiss.

Then when a man takes another man before company; when he takes him before those that he respects, when privately he will not amend: Then correction, if admonition of friends will not do, tell the Church, rather then suffer his soul to perish. These steps, and degrees were observed in the best times of the Church; and if they were observed now, many souls would be saved. This is that that S. Jude speaks of, Save some, pulling them out of the fire, that is, snatch them out by violent means, by excomunication, that their souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. Those that are in hell wish that they had been pulled out with fear, with violent courses: O that we had been told of our filthy courses, of our s •… vearing, of our i •… justice, that we had had violence offered us rather then to have come into this place of torment. O those will bless God another day for that gracious violence. And those that are let alone will curse all another day, Ministers, friends, and parents, they will curse all, that there were not more violent courses taken with them, to stop them in their way to hell: to deal plainly with them, it is the best mercy that can be shown, to be faithful in this kind.

Therefore while it is time, suffer the word of Exhortation, and reproof: the time will come else that you shall condemn yourselves that you were so impatient, and shall wish, O that we had had those that would have dealt more violently with us! It is cruel pity as can be in Ministers, to be flatterers, and to daub; or in parents and governors of others, to dissemble with them in their courses, and not to tell them of it: it is the most cruel pity of all; it is betraying of them to eternal torments. For sin (as I said,) it must be judged and censured here, or hereafter: if it be not here, there is more reserved for the time to come, when God will open the treasures of his wrath. We put into his treasury fast enough: and the time will come of opening all the treasuries of his vengeance, when he will pour out the vials of his wrath upon sinners that are not reformed. So much for that Point.

S. Paul, to purge himself from suspicion, seals all this with an oath. Herein he doth show his great love to them, and his care over them, that he would so seriously purge himself to gain their love, and good opinion of him. Is was an argument of the great esteem he had of them: he was willing they should think he was very desirous of their love, and of their good opinion, for whose sake he would swear, and clear himself by an oath. As God esteems man's love much, when he will condescend so far as to seal his love, and promise with an oath: God would have us to think that he values, and esteems our respect very much: so S Paul would have them think he esteemed them much, that he would make such a solemn oath for their sakes. Now to speak of an oath a little.

An oath (as we know) is, either in judgment before a Magistrate; or in particular cases between private persons. And it is either assertory of a thing past; or promissory of a thing to come. Now this oath of S. Paul's is an assertory oath of a thing that was past, to secure them that he did not come to them upon this ground, that he had a mind to spare them. it was no promise of anything to come, but an assertion of a thing that was past. An oath is either an assertion or a promise, with a calling of God to be a witness and a Judge: to be a witness of the truth, or a Judge if he say false. You have the description of an oath in this text. I say, it is either an assertion of a thing past, or a promise of a thing to come, a sealing of this by calling God to witness of the thing we say; and to avenge the falsehood if we say false. As S. Paul here, I call God to record, that what I say is true, and upon my soul, if I say false.

Many Conclusions concerning an oath might be raised out of the text.

First of all, concerning the person that makes an oath, he should indeed be a gracious, a holy, and a good man. As S. Paul saith, Rom▪ 1. 9. I call God to witness, whom I serve in my spirit. A man is scarce fit to swear (which is a part of God's worship) that is not good otherwise. Will he care for the Religion of an oath, that hath no Religion in him? He whose oath should be taken, should be such a man as S. Paul, in some degree, whose oath should be taken. The Turks are careful of this (to the shame of Christians,) they will not take an oath of an ordinary swearer. It must be a man that hath somewhat in him, that shall have his oath regarded.

Again, we see by whom an oath should be taken: by the Name of God: we ought not to swear by creatures, but by God himself. nor to swear by any Idol, as the Mass, and by Mary, and such like. It is a taking God to witness. An oath is a part of God's service, a part of divine worship, as it is, Deut. 6. and other places: now we ought to serve God only: therefore we ought not to use the name of any creature in an oath. He that we swear by must know the heart, whether we speak true or no: now who knows the heart but God? therefore we must swear only by the Name of God. These things are easy, therefore I do but name them.

We see here again, the two grand parts of an oath: besides assertion, or promise of the truth, there must be a calling God to witness, and imprecation. Though these be not always set down, they are implied. Sometimes the Scripture sets down the one part: but always the other is implied. There is imprecation in every oath. Sometimes imprecation implies both, as God do so and so; sometimes there is a calling God to witness without imprecation, yet it is always implied. For whosoever swears, calls God to witness of the truth, and if it be not true, that God would punish him.

These three go together in an oath. God that can discover it, he knows my heart whether I say true or no. And he is Judge; and thereupon a revenger. In an oath God is considered, not only as Index, but as Judex and Vindex: not only as a discoverer, but as a Judge and revengeri, f it be false. Therefore it is a part of divine worship: because it is with prayer; and imprecation is always implied if it be not expressed. So we see in this text, what an oath is; and by whom it is to be taken; and the parts of it.

Again, we see here in the text, that an oath ought to be taken in serious matters. The rule of an oath is excellently set down by Jeremy, Jerem. 4. I know no one place of Scripture more pregnant, and therefore I name it. Thou shalt swear, How? The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness.

We must swear in truth, that is, that not only the thing be true, that we swear, (we must look to that:) but we must think it so too: the thing must be true, and we must apprehend it so. We must swear in truth.

And then in Judgment, that is, with discretion, we must understand thoroughly the matter whereof we swear, and what an oath is. Therefore persons under years ought not to take an oath, because they cannot swear in Judgment, to know what the weight and validity of an oath is; and when it is a fit time to take it: it must be taken in serious business. As S. Paul here to clear himself to the souls of the Corinthians whom he labored to edify: when he saw their ill conceit of him hindered their edification, therefore he clears himself by an oath.

Thirdly, it must be in Justice, that is, we must not bind ourselves by an oath to anything that is ill; it is a rule a long time past. Herod bound himself by an oath in that kind. But an oath must never be a bond of injustice, but it must be taken in righteousness.

Therefore here is condemned the equivocation, and reservation of the Papists. They will swear before a Magistrate, but with equivocation: this is not in righteousness. For it is a rule, that an oath must be taken in that sense as he to whom we swear takes it, (that is a constant rule among all Divines) because it is to persuade him of the truth, that we swear: it is for his, and others sakes; and as he, and others take it, so it must be took. Therefore equivocation with absurd reservations are wicked, because they are absurd if they be expressed: he will swear that he is not a Priest, he means after the order of Melchizedek: it is a mocking, and profaning of an oath, it is not to swear in Justice, and righteousness. But it is so foul and abominable a course, that it is not fit to be spoken of almost: and they are ashamed of it themselves. S. Paul's oath was all this: he sware in truth, he was truly persuaded of the truth of his own affections toward them. And then in Judgment; it was done in discretion: for being not able otherwise to clear himself, having no witness in earth, he goes to heaven for a purger, he goes to God himself for a witness; he fetcheth strength from heaven. There was none on earth that knew S. Paul's affection but the Spirit of God, and his own spirit: and he thought his own spirit was not sufficient: my own spirit tells me that I came not, to spare you: but if you would know my mind better, 〈◊〉 all God to witness, and to be a revenger, if I speak false, that I came not, for this end that I might spare you, to prevent the rigor, and severity that I should have used toward your sin.

An oath should be true, and weighty. but that is not enough, it must be in matters indeterminable: for if a thing may be determined without an oath, we should never use it. The end of an oath is to end controversies: for if S. Paul could have persuaded them of his gracious, and loving heart that he stood affected as he did, he would not have used an oath: but having no other means to do it, he goes to heaven for a witness.

It were but misspending of time to show that an oath is lawful. Have we Anabaptists among us, that call this into question? No, we have many Atheists: it is dangerous Atheism in the Anabaptists to question whether they may take an oath? We have the example of S. Paul; we have the example of God himself; shall we think it unlawful when God himself swears, and the Angel swears, and Christ swears, and the Apostle swears?

Where it is forbidden that we should not swear, it is meant that we should not swear in our ordinary talk; where we need not seal every light speech with the solemnity of an oath. Men will not put on their best apparel every day: so men ought not to use solemn matters upon every occasion, but only upon holy and grand occasions.

Our Savior Christ forbids swearing, first by the creature at all; and swearing in ordinary talk at all: Whatsoever is more then yea, and nay, in ordinary talk, is sin: Therefore considering that S. Paul doth it in a serious matter, we ought to learn, not to swear except it be in great matters; when we are called before a Magistrate, or when we are to purge ourselves from evil suspicion of our Christian friends: as we see here S. Paul doth to the Corinthians: he calls God to witness against his soul, if it were not true.

But you will say, Men will not believe me except I swear, and therefore I swear so oft.

Then live better for shame, that men may believe thee for thine honest life: if thy honest life be not better then thy oath, they will not believe thee for swearing: for he that swears oft, swears false; and in many words there cannot want iniquity, much more in many oaths there cannot want iniquity; and he that swears much, out of doubt he oft forswears.

Oh, it is my custom, and I cannot break a custom.

Use that apology to a Judge: though malefactors be none of the modestest creatures, will any of them say, It is my custom to rob, and steal? will not the Judge say, It is his custom to cut them off? Thou sayest it is thy custom; it is God's custom to damn such persons: therefore that is an aggravation of thy sin.

But here we that are Ministers may take up a complaint, that when we have to deal with the wretched disposition of men in things concerning their souls, and a better life, do what we can, we cannot prevail with them to leave that, that they have no profit, nor no good by; they are not put upon it by any fear: It is only out of superfluity of pride, and malice against God, out of the abundance of profaneness.

Can we think to prevail with men to deny themselves in greater matters, to forsake their unlawful gains, or to venture the suffering ill for a good cause, and to renounce pleasures that are lawful, do we think to gain upon men for these things, when we cannot for superfluities, that they are not forced to by any violence, that they have no gain nor credit by, except it be among a company of debauched men like themselves? yet it is our case, we deal in the world with a company of persons to leave that that they have no gain by, except it be the wrath of God, and yet we cannot prevail.

Oh, but you will say, I live with such company that I must swear.

What a shame is it for thee, that carnal company should prevail more with thee then the vengeance of God, and the authority of God in the Ministry? What a heart hast thou, that a base person like thyself should move thee to do that that God himself, and the authority of his Ordinance cannot move thee to forbear? It is an argument of a base nature. How darest thou look God and Christ in the face another day, when for his sake thou wilt not leave a superfluous profane oath? Thou regardest a wicked companion more, because thou wilt not be mocked of him, thou wilt swear for company; or because thou wilt please him, that he may think thee to be so and so, a companion fit for him: to please him, thou wilt displease God, and Christ, before whom thou shalt be judged ere long. If people were not mad, and sold to destruction, they would consider these things.

Indeed, these things are so clear, and so odious in themselves, that we need not press them. We should spend that little time we have, to preach of more sublime matters, then to come to dissuade men from swearing: alas, under the glorious Gospel that we have lived so long, have we gained so little, that we are forced to spend our time to dissuade men from swearing? We should look to the mysteries of Religion, and draw men to further perfection: but such times we are fallen into, and we must be content with it: and I would we could gain anything by discovering the danger of these things.

An ordinary course of swearing, it argues a very vile heart wheresoever it is: (bear it out as boisterously as they will.) It argues this venom in the heart: Well, I cannot offend against the second Table, but the Laws of the Kingdom will hamper me; I cannot steal, or murder, but somewhat I can do in despite of God himself, and the worst that can come, it is but a trifling matter. What venom is in the hearts of men, that where there is but the least damage, they will be restrained: and here, because there is not present execution upon a sinner in this kind, they profane and abuse the glorious Name of God?

When God's Name is abused by swearing, and blasphemy, usually the Original of it among other things, is Atheism. If we thought that God were so as the Scripture shows, we would not dally so much. They that lead others into bad courses, it is from the height and depth of Atheism. Make the best of it, it is a great degree of irreverence to the glorious Majesty of God. For when God shall say, He that takes my Name in vain, shall not carry it away guiltless; what will he do (think you) to him that swears idly, and profanely, when the vain taking of God's Name in vain without an oath, the vain trifling with the Name of God shall not escape? When men do not reverence and fear an oath, as it is, Eccles. 9. it argues much unreverence.

And indeed, it is worse in the principle, then in the thing itself: though the words be heinous, yet the principle whence it riseth is worse, that is, Infidelity, and Atheism, and always unreverence and want of fear of the glorious Majesty of God, this ground makes it more odious: therefore those that are subject to it, if they would amend it, let them remove the ground.

Sometimes again, it is cherishing too much passion: so because they cannot be sufficiently revenged upon their poor brethren, God must smart for it; they will tear his glorious Name that never did them wrong. What a mad passion is this? hath God done them any wrong? Therefore (I say) let us labor to remove the ground of it; and labor to plant the contrary in our hearts, the true fear of God, that we may fear an oath. Let us labor to subdue unruly passion.

Again, in some others affectation is the cause. Many of the frothy sort, they think it a thing commendable to fill up their discourse with these parentheses, with oaths: which perhaps doth them a service to knit their wounded discourse together. So this foolish and sinful affectation is one cause: men desire to be thought to be somebody, by swearing; they would have the world to think that they are valorous men, that can be so bold with God himself; therefore let other men take heed how they meddle with them, when God smarts for it. As if he that could swear most, had most courage. And in many it is out of a sinful shame, because they will hold correspondence with the company; and they are afraid to be thought to be strict: and that they may be thought to be free from suspicion of over much conscionableness in their ways, they will not let the world see that they shall not think that they are men that make any conscience of strictness, but they can be bold with the Name of God: so, because they would have others think, that they are men that do not stand upon terms of conscience, and strictness, they will swear, they are men for the world, they are serviceable for any purpose: Men that make conscience of anything, make conscience of all: but a man that makes conscience of an oath, or any such thing, he is a stiff man, he is not servisable, he is not for the turn: now because men would be thought of others not to be of that strain, to make any conscience, hereupon they break out to the profaning of the Name of God. How shall such persons (that out of sinful weakness labor, and apply themselves more to satisfy sinful men, then the great God, how dare they) look God in the face? Jesus Christ saith, He that is ashamed of me before men; he that is ashamed to own Religion, nay, to own Justice, to own even common good behavior, rather then he will offend others: he that is ashamed of me in such mean things as these, I will be ashamed of him before my heavenly Father.

If other reasons will not move us to leave this sin; let the love of the State and Kingdom we live in do it. Jeremy saith, for oaths the land shall mourn. Indeed, there is a mulct for this, but that men slight it. And God, I hope, will be merciful to the State, for the censure of the State upon profanation, it is a very worthy act: but if that be not executed, or men grow not to make more conscience, the Land will mourn for it: because where the Magistrates cease to do their office, God will do his office: where sin is punished, God will not punish; where the Magistrate spares, God will not spare; he will punish: therefore this sin where it is not censured and punished, the Land shall mourn for it.

If the care of the Kingdom will not move them, yet the care of their own houses and families should; in Zech. 5. the Prophet speaks of a flying book of Judgments that should come upon the house of the swearer, and consume the posts of his house. And the Wiseman saith in Ecclesiasticus (though it be Apocryphal) The plague shall not depart from the house of the swearer. God's vengeance accompanies even the very family, and house of the swearer.

And for avoiding of this I would there were more conscience made of those oaths that border upon gross oaths. I will not dispute the matter; take it for granted, they be no oaths, but asseverations; as to call their troth in question, and their confidence in matters of Religion: who will lay a thousand pound to pawn for a matter of six pence? who, if he be discreet, and considerate, will lay his faith and Religion to pawn, for every trifle, in common talk? Faith is the most precious thing in the world: for a man to lay a great matter for a two-penny, or six-penny debt, it is odious among men. Certainly, it is idle at the best among men, to lay asseverations of Religion without ground, upon every trifle. He that will avoid danger, must not come near it; he must avoid all that borders upon it. I would therefore more care were had even of these.

I will only add one thing more; whereas he calls God for a record upon his soul, that those that are over-much given to rash calling upon the Name of God, to rash swearing, let them know this, (as I said) that there is an imprecation implied in every oath: they do as it were curse themselves. If the thing be not true, their damnation is sealed under a curse: they call God to record upon their souls against themselves.

Let us so live, that our life may be a kind of oath: the life of a Christian should be so: An oath is a calling God to witness, a calling God to curse if it be not so. A Christian should live so, as he may call God to witness for every action he doth; to bring himself to an oath, under a curse ofttimes; as it is in Ezra, and oft in Scripture, If I do not so and so, &c. Because our nature is unstable, it starts from holy duties: we should bring ourselves to duties with an oath, under a curse.

It is an excellent thing when we can live as in God's presence; to do all we do in the presence of God. God is a witness whether we call him, or no. Therefore we should so carry ourselves, that we might call God to witness the sincerity of our aims, and whatsoever we do. He is a witness, and he will be our Judge: therefore whether we formally in the manner of an oath call him or no, that is not the matter: but let us know and think that he is, and will be so.

I beseech you consider the sweet comfort that will arise out of it, that he that will live, and think, and affect, and speak in the presence of God, that he may call God to record of the sincerity of his intentions, of all that he speaks, and thinks, and doth; how comfortably shall he live, and give his account to God, that hath lived as in the presence of God all his days? He that hath presented to his soul (as it were) the bar of Christ in his life-time, that hath lived as one that could give an account and reckoning, when he comes to the point, that he must give up his account, how joyfully, and comfortably will he do it? So much for that verse.

I come now to the last Verse of the Chapter.

S Aint Paul is yet in his clearing, he is yet in his apology, Not that we have dominion over your faith, &c. I do not tell you, I came not yet to spare you, as if I meant to domineer over your faith when I came: because those words, I came not yet, to spare you, might seem to carry some highness, some Lordlinesse with them, as if the Apostle would have taken much upon him; therefore he corrects those words in this Verse, Not that we have dominion over your faith, &c. So that in these words he removes a suspicion of spiritual tyranny over them: because he had said before, he came not, to spare them; they might think, What would he have done if he had come? would he have enforced us? Oh no; indeed your reformation hath spared me a labor, and you a chiding; but if I had reproved you sharply, it should have been for your good.

Then, he sets down the true cause, We are helpers of your joy. If I had come, and told you of your faults, if I had not spared you, it should have been to help your joy; and now I came not to you, it is to help your joy; my scope in all is to be a furtherer of your joy. So these words are a reason of the former why he did not come, to domineer over their faith, For by faith ye stand. You stand by faith, and you stand out by faith against all oppositions whatsoever, therefore your faith must not lean on me, I must not domineer over that you stand by, if your faith should rely on me, I am but a man; faith must rely on God, it must have a better pillar then myself, you must stand upon Divine strength: therefore you stand by faith: and if you stand by faith, we have no reason to have dominion over your faith.

These words are declined by many Interpreters, they know not what the dependence is: but this is the best dependence of the words, We domineer not, or rule not over your faith: because by faith you stand as upon a bottom; you stand against all adverse power by faith. Therefore you had need to have it well founded, you had need to plant your faith well, by which you stand against all opposite power, and against all human authority. For a man may be a liar, and do good in many things: a man hath a deceitful nature, as far as he hath a corrupt principle in him: he may deceive, and yet be a good man too; in particular cases he may show himself a changeable creature. But there must be no falsehood or uncertainty in faith: for it is a grace that must have truth, and certainty; it must have immovable, and unchangeable truth to build on: therefore we domineer not over your faith, God forbid we should do so: for faith is the grace whereby you stand; if you should build upon us as men, you could not stand always. The Point is clear, That

The faith of a man is only subject to the Spirit of God, to God, and to Christ. And by the way, S. Paul taxeth those false Apostles, and false Teachers, that labored to creep into the consciences of people, to have higher place in the hearts of people then they should have, that so they might rule the people as they list. Now that should not be the scope of the Minister to have dominion over the faith of others; for the Ministry is a Ministry, not a Magistracy. A Minister, so far as he is a Pastor, he is a Minister; that is, he is to deliver things from God that may stablish the soul, not to domineer over men's faith, as if he could prescribe what men should believe.

Now to unfold this Point, I will first show what it is to have no dominion over men's faith. And then what it is to have dominion and rule over other men's faith, and who are guilty of this.

Not to have dominion over another man's faith, it is not when a Church doth force prescribing to the Articles of Religion, that is not to have dominion over the faith of others, to draw people to conformity of the same Religion in the substantials of it; (as some that seek extravagant liberty, lay that imputation perhaps,) it is used in all Churches.

Again, it is not to domineer over faith, to suppress that that they call of late in neighbor-Countries a liberty of prophesy, to suppress a liberty of preaching when men list; that men should have an unbridled license. We see in Polonia, and those Countries, what abundance of Heretics there are, where there is more liberty to preach, and to publish what men list. Those Countries are like Africa, where (they say) there are always new Monsters. Or like to Egypt, when Nile overflows, it leaves a slime behind, and when the Sun works upon that slime, it breeds many imperfect strange creatures: So those Countries where there is liberty of Religions, there are always some strange novel opinions, some Monsters: experience of foreign Countries shows it too true: therefore to hinder that extravagant liberty, is not dominion over faith.

Nay, to force men to the means of faith, it is not to domineer over faith. S. Austin himself was once of this mind, that people were not to be forced: it is true; but they may be compelled to the means, though they cannot be compelled to believe. Men may be compelled to the means by mulcts, and other courses of State. And it is a happy necessity when people are forced to the means, under which means by God's blessing they may be reduced to abetter habit, and temper of soul.

Therefore it is cruelty to neglect this care, to leave people to their own liberty to attend upon the means, or not to attend on them. Therefore our State is, and may be justified well, for those violent courses to Recusants. And many of them after bless God they have done it, and they have cause. For there is a Majesty in the Ordinances of God: if people were brought under the means, God's Spirit would make the means effectual. And there is not a greater snare of the Devil, whereby he holds more in the Romish Church in perdition, then by persuading them that it is a dangerous thing to come to our prayers, and to attend upon the means of salvation: when as in our Liturgy there is nothing that may justly offend. Therefore to force to the means, it is not to domineer over faith; because it is only a drawing from outward enforcement to the use of means.

Again, it is not a ruling over faith, nor a base slavery, when men hear the Word of God opened directly, and clearly, when men shall persuade others according to their own judgment, that this is so, and when others shall yield. There is some faith that may be called in some degree implicit faith, and obedience, that is not sinful, but good, and discreet. As when men by their standing in the Church, and by their experience and holiness of life, are thought to be men that speak agreeable to the ground of Scripture, though they have not a direct rule, and place of Scripture for it; other men's conscience may follow what they say: I have been directed by such men at such times, that by reason of their calling have opportunity to advise.

But this frees it from base service, that it must be with reservation, till it appear otherwise by some place of Scripture, or till better counsel may be yielded: obedience to others with reservation, and counseling with others, this is no domineering, because it is with reserving ourselves to a further discovery, and a further light. That the Moralists use to call the opinion of an honest man: where the Law speaks not, it is much to be esteemed: especially an honest discreet Christian, when the Law of God speaks not directly; then he that speaks out of conscience, and some light, he may persuade another man with this reservation till further light be discovered: this is no domineering over faith.

I might take away many things that might breed a suspicion, as if we domineered over the faith of others, when we do not.

But to come to show you this positive truth, what this tyranny over the faith of others is, and where it is practiced.

Those tyrannize over the faith of others, that do equalize men's Traditions, some Canons of their own with the Word of God, and press them with equal violence, perhaps more: because they are bra •… s of their own brain. Those that will devise a voluntary worship of God, and so entangle people, and tell them, This you must do, when there is no ground for it in the Word of God: it is will-worship. God loves willing worship, when we worship him willingly: but he loves not-will-worship, when it is the device of our own brain how we will serve him. As if a servant; or a slave must devise how his Lord will be served: what impudency is this, if we consider what God is? They tyrannize over people's consciences, that equalize their own dotages, (though they account them witty devices,) and their own inventions with the worship of God: that jumble all together, as if conscience were equally bound to any device of their own, as to God's Word.

Again, those do tyrannize over the faith of others, that think they can make Articles in Religion to bind conscience. Those that think to free themselves from the danger of error, as if what they said were unfallible, they tyrannize over others. Those that for trifles excommunicate whole Churches, because they hold not correspondency with them in their errors, they tyrannize over the faith of others. Those that withhold the means of knowledge, that so in a dark time all their fooleries may be more admired. As we see masks, and such like overly things, they must have the commendation of some light that is not so glorious as the Sun to win admiration of men: so those that would win admiration of their fooleries, they shut people (as much as they may) in darkness, that they may have their persons, and all other things in admiration; this is to tyrannize over faith, and to hinder them from that that is the means to reform them better

But who are guilty of all this?

We see what Church especially is guilty of this of domineering over the faith of others: that is, the Church of Rome. The Council of Trent equalizeth Traditions with the Word of God: they divide the Word of God into the written, and unwritten; and under a curse they pronounce that all must be received with the same reverence.

And then they have devised a will-worship of their own, and follow, and force their will-worship with greater violence, then the worship of God, and they set God's stamp upon all their fooleries to gain authority, under the name of Christ's Church, and the Word of God, they carry all.

Again, you know, they hold the Church to be infallible: they hold the judgment of the Pope, the man of sin, to be infalible, he cannot err; and hereupon whatsoever he saith, it must bind conscience, because he is in his Chair and cannot err: whatsoever he saith is the scope of God's Word, infallible. And this is a fundamental error, as we call it, a first lie, a leading lie. This is moving to error, this is the mover that moves all other errors under it.

For where upon is all the abominations of Popery justified? They are justified by this, though they seem ridiculous, gross, and blasphemous, they came from the Church, and the Church is virtually in the Pope. An absurd Position, that the whole Church should be virtually in one man: yet that is the Jesuitical opinion: and the Church cannot err: therefore it is good, because these tenets come from him whose judgment is infallible. That is the error that leadeth to, and establisheth all other errors under it; it is the first lie. And in lies, there is a leading, one goes under another, they never go alone; so this is the leading lie of all Popery, that the Pope cannot err: by this means they domineer over the faith of others; and make the people even beasts indeed.

But to see the indignity of this, that the Pope cannot err, it is the greatest error of all, and the prevention of all amendment on their side: do you think that they will ever amend their opinion, when they hold this that is a block in the way of all reformation, that the Pope can err? for deny that, and you call all the fabric of their Religion in question: and grant that, it stops all reformation on their side. What reformation may we hope for on their side that hold this Position, that they cannot err? Hence come all their treasons, and rebellions: they have some dispensation from the Pope, and he cannot err, though he prescribe rebellion, and treason.

Another opinion they have, that the Church is the Judge of all Controversies, in which the faith of men must be resolved at last; but it is the Pope that the Jesuits mean. Now this is indeed to domineer over the faith, to make a man of sin to be a Judge over all points of faith, and faith to be resolved at last into that, into the judgment of the Church.

The Church hath an inducing power, a leading power, persuading to the belief of the Scriptures, and to hear what God saith in his Word; but after, there is inward intrinsical grounds in the Word, that make us to know the Word without the Church. Now they would have the authority of the Word depend upon the Church, and so over-rule men's consciences in that case. Whereas all that the Church hath, is a leading, inducing, persuading to hear the Word, under which Word, and Ordinance we shall see such light and majesty in the Scriptures, that from inward grounds we shall be persuaded that the Word of God is the Word of God. Therefore the Church is the first inducer to believe the Word of God, not the last object to which all is resolved. For they themselves cross it in their tenets when they speak discreetly. Is this opinion so, and so? The Church holds it: but what authority hath the Church to maintain it? where is the authority of your Church? then they bring some place of Scripture: I will be with you to the end of the world. And, He that heareth you, heareth me, &c. I do but a little discover to you the danger of this error. They make the Word of God to be believed, because the Church saith so: they make truth to be believed, because their man of sin, whom they depend upon, saith so. Do we believe the Trinity, or that Christ is our Redeemer, because the Church saith so? should we not believe it except the Church say so? what if the Church teach the Doctrine of Devils, as they do? they cannot shake it off; we must believe, because the Church saith so; so upon equal grounds they shall teach the Doctrine of Devils, and the Doctrine of Christ, because the Church saith so.

As it was said anciently, he that believes two things, the one for the other, he believes not two, but one in effect; because he believes the one for the other: So in effect they believe nothing but the Church; that is, themselves believe the truth to be divine, because they say so: so they may believe any devilish error, because they say so: so any treason, or rebellion must go current, because they say so, because they cannot err. Yyou see how they domineer over the faith of others: shall not Christ be Christ, nor God be God, nor the Devil be the Devil, except the Church say so?

Again, in the very matters themselves, in the points that themselves do not urge, the Church of Rome domineers, and tyrannizeth over the souls of people. For example, they hold that the intention of a Minister in the Sacrament makes it effectual. What a fear doth this breed in the souls of men, that they know not whether they be baptized or no, because it must be in the intention of the Minister?

And then in confession, they must confess all: what a tyranny is this to the souls of people, when perhaps there is somewhat that they have not confessed, and so their confession is of no worth?

And in satisfaction: perhaps I have not made satisfaction enough by their injunction laid on me, and therefore I must satisfy in hell: what a rack is this to conscience?

So, what a rack to conscience is that opinion, that the Pope cannot err: when I cannot tell perhaps whether he be the right Pope or no; if he came in by Simony, or is not in Cathedra? and many conditions they have to salve that Point. If any of those conditions be not observed, he is not the man he should be: what tyranny do they force upon people over their faith? Therefore they are called in the Revelations, scorpions: indeed they are spiritual Scorpions, that sting the souls of God's people.

The Devil is the King of darkness; and is not he the Prince of darkness that maintains ignorance of the Word of God, that all his old tenets and opinions may have the better sway; that he may sit in the blind and dark consciences of people? It is said, 2. Thess. 2. that he sits in the Temple of God, that is, in the Church: nay, he labors to have another Temple, to sit in man's soul, which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost. It is not sufficient for him that is the man of sin to have any other place, he must sit in the very souls and consciences of men.

Satan hath a special malice to sit in the place of God; since he was turned out of heaven, and cannot come thither, he will come to that place (if he can) upon earth where God should be: and where will God be? God will especially be in the hearts of his people, in the souls, and consciences of his people. Conscience is God's throne: Satan being thrust out of heaven, labors to stablish his throne there. Now they that are Satan's vicars led with his spirit, they are of the same mind; let them be what kind of great ones they will, they desire to sit in God's throne, in the conscience: and if a man will not tie his conscience to them, he is nobody to them. This is the property of Antichrist in the highest degree: as far as any are addicted to this, that they will not be satisfied, but the consciences of men must be tied to them, they must deny all honesty, and justice, and law, and all to please them, and to gratify them with particular kindness; so far they are led with the spirit of Antichrist, and of the Devil himself, who labors to sit in God's throne, that is, in the hearts, and consciences of people. And therefore (as I said) they labor to keep people in darkness for this very purpose, that people may let them into their consciences, and rule them as they please.

As Sampson, when they had put out his eyes, they led him to base services: so do they with God's people, they put out their eyes, and then they lead them to grind in the mill, to all the base services they can. It is not to be spoken of the brutish slavery, and ignorance that is in Spain, and other Countries where that Devillish Inquisition reigns, which is a great help to Popish Tyranny.

What should I speak of the state of the Romish Church? indeed the main scope of it is to subdue all to them, to subdue all Kings, and Kingdoms to them; that is the grand scope of the greatest of them: others have their particular scope for their bellies, and base ends: but those among them that have brains, that are Governors, their scope is to bring all under their girdle: and how shall they do this? They cannot bring their persons, but they must bring their consciences: for where the conscience is, the person will follow presently; therefore they labor to lay a tie upon the conscience of Prince and people, upon all, that so they may domineer and rule over their consciences. And for that end, they labor to nourish them up in blindness: for by blindness they rule in the conscience; and ruling their conscience, they may rule their persons and Kingdoms. This is their main scope, this hath been their plot for many hundred years.

So that the Romish Religion indeed is nothing but a mere carnal devilish policy, to bring others to be subject to them: and to make not only Kings, and Princes, but to make God, and Christ, and the Scriptures, whatsoever is divine or human to make all to serve their aims. What do they with Christ, but under the Name of Christ serve themselves? What do they with the Church, but under the name of the Church, carry their own ends? What do they with the names of Saints and Angels, Peter, Mary, &c. but under a plausible pretence carry their own ends, and set up a visible greatness in this world, answerable to the Cesarian Monarchy? This is plain and evident to all that will see, that it is so; and one main way to attain their ends is to rule over the conscience.

And that they may help all the better forward, they have raised in the Church a kind of faith which they call an implicit, and infolded faith, that people must believe what the Church teacheth, though they know not in particular what the Church teacheth, and so they lead people hoodwinck'd whither they please themselves.

To make some Use of it briefly.

Let us labor to bless God that hath freed us from this spiritual tyranny. O beloved, it is a great tyranny when conscience is awaked, to be racked and tormented, and stung by Scorpions: to have conscience tormented with Popish errors; as in the point of satisfaction, the most of them (if their eyes be open) they die with terror. O, it is a blessed liberty that we are brought out of Antichristian darkness, that we know we believe, and upon what terms we believe; and are taught to submit our conscience only to the blessed truth of God: that the soul it is the bed (as it were) only for Christ, and his holy Spirit to dwell in, and to lodge in: and that no man may force the conscience with any opinion of his own, further then it is demonstrated out of the Word of God: what a sweet enlargement of Spirit do we live in now! and our unthankfulness perhaps may occasion God to bring us in some degree of Popish darkness again.

I beseech you, let us stand for the liberty of Christ, and the liberty of our consciences against the spiritual tyrant of souls. Let us maintain our liberty by all we can, by all laws and execution of laws; by all that may uphold our spiritual liberty: for there is no bondage to that of the soul. Do but a little consider the misery of the implicit faith that the Popish sort are under, that infolded, inwrapped faith, wherein they are bound to believe (without searching) what the Church determines. Hereupon they swallow in all doctrines that tend to superstition, that tend to rebellion, that tends to treason; they swallow up all under this implicit faith: as if God had set an Ordinance, and Ministry in the Church against himself: as if he had advanced any Ministry against his own Ordinance.

When you think of Popery, consider not so much particular dotages, as about Images, and Transubstantiation, and Relics, &c. but consider the very life, and soul of Popery in this opinion, the leading error of all others, the tyranny over souls of people, and holding them in blindness and darkness. It is not a device of mine; do but read the Council of Trent in some editions. There the late Pins Quartus that sat there daily, he made more Articles then the Apostles, distinct, not proved by Scripture; he made Articles of his own to be believed; people were tied upon the necessity of salvation to believe them, and to believe them with that faith that is due to Scripture.

And it is a common tenent among them, Every man is bound to be under the authority of the Church of Rome, under peril of damnation. There is the grand error, that 'tis a matter necessary to salvation to be under their tyranny.

Hereby they excommunicated all the Eastern Churches, and all former times wherein they were not undes the Roman tyranny: for that is but of late, six hundred years since; they condemned S. Cyprian's time, and other times. And they made Articles of Religion, and established them with this censure, that upon pain of damnation men must believe these things as well as the Articles of the Creed; As Transubstantiation, Invocation of Saints, Purgatory, and such things: they are so many Articles indeed, (as I say) they have more Articles then the twelve Articles of the Apostles.

We say, an error in the foundation, it is not mended after: and the first concoction if it be naught, all after are naught: if there be not good concoction in the stomach at the first, the blood is naught, and all is naught. So this is a fundamental error, and a ground of all errors, that they hold they cannot err; and hereupon they come to tyrannize over the consciences, and souls of people.

Therefore (I say) let us bless God that hath set our souls in spiritual liberty, that now we see God in the face of Christ: now we see the means of salvation; we see the bread of life broken to us; we see Christ unveiled; we see what to found our consciences upon: we cannot be sufficiently thankful for this. Thankful we may be for the peace of the Kingdom that we have so long a time enjoyed, and for the outward prosperity we have so long had: But above all, be thankful for the peace of Religion, for the peace of conscience, for the liberty of soul that we enjoy. And (as I said) if anything move God to strip us of all, it will be our unthankfulness, and our practice witnessing our unthankfulness, by valuing no more the blessed estate of the Gospel we enjoy.

This disposition, to domineer over the faith of others, from abominable grounds it ariseth:

Partly from pride, and tyranny, that they would set themselves in the Temple of Christ, where he should rule in the hearts of his people.

And partly, out of idleness: they raise the credit of their own Traditions, that they may not be forced to take the labor of instructing the people; therefore they fasten a greater virtue upon outward things then there can be, only to avoid the labor of instruction.

And then it riseth partly from guilt, they are so in their lives (especially if they be looked inwardly into) as that they cannot endure the knowledge of people. They are afraid that people should know much, lest they know them too well, and their courses, and errors. So partly from pride, and partly from idleness and sloth, and partly from guilt, they domineer over the faith of God's people.

The end of the Ministry is not to tyrannize over people's souls, to sting, and vex them, but to minister comfort, to be helpers of their joy; that is, to help their salvation, and happiness; which is here termed joy: because joy is a principal part of happiness in this world, and in the world to come. Now the end of the Ministry is to set the people's hearts into a gracious, and blessed liberty, to bring them into the Kingdom of grace here, and to fit them for the Kingdom of glory, to help forward their joy.

This is the end, both of the Word, and of the dispensation of the Word, in the Ordinances of salvation in the Sacraments, and all, that our joy may be full: as our blessed Savior saith, These things have I spoken, that your joy may be full. It is the end of all our communion with the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and with the Ministry, and one with another; as it is, 1 Joh. 1. These things have I written, that your joy may be full; you have communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and with us, that your joy may be full; all is for spiritual joy.

The meaning is, we are helpers of your faith, from whence joy comes more especially: for he doth not repeat the word again, We have not dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your faith: but instead of that, he names joy, as that that doth accompany true faith.

The Points considerable in this clause are these:

That joy is the state of Christians that either they are in, or should labor to be in: because the Apostle names it for all happiness here. All that have given their names to Christ, should labor to rejoice; either they do rejoice, or they should labor to come to it: that is supposed as a ground: I will be the shorter in it.

The second is, That the Ministers are helpers of this blessed condition.

The third is, They are but helpers; they are helpers, and but helpers; they are not authors of joy, but helpers: We are but helpers of your joy, saith the Apostle. These three things I will speak of briefly out of these words. First,

For this Doctrine is fetched from the principle of nature. We do all with joy; all in our callings is done with joy. What do men in their Trades, but that they may have that that they may joy in when they have it? It is an old Observation of S. Chrysostom, We do all, that we may joy. Ask any man why he doth take so much pains, and be a drudge in his place? it is that he may get somewhat to rejoice in in his old days. So out of the principle of nature this ought to be the scope of all, to joy.

Now those that are Christians, God requires it at their hand as a duty, Rejoice always, again I say, rejoice. And he doth prepare and give them matter enough of joy, to those that are Christians.

For whether we consider the ills they are freed from, the greatest ills of all: they are freed from sin, and the wrath of God, they are freed from eternal damnation; they are freed from the sting of death, from the greatest and most terrible ills.

Or whether we regard the state that God brings them in by believing; being in the favor of God, they enjoy the fruits of that favor, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. And then for the life to come, they are under the hope of glory. The state of a Christian is a state of joy every way, whether (I say) we regard the ill he is freed from, or the good he is in for the present, or the hope of eternal good for the time to come. A Christian which way soever he look, hath matter of joy. God the Father is his, Christ is his, the Holy Ghost is his Comforter; the Angels are his, all are his, life, or death, things present, or things to come, all are his. Therefore there is no question of this, that everyone that hath given his name to Christ is in a state of joy, (if he answer his calling,) or he should labor to be in it, he wrongs his codition else.

Why should they labor to be in that state?

Among many Reasons, one is, That God that gives them such matter of joy, may have glory from them. For what should the life of a Christian be that is freed from the greatest ill, and advanced to the greatest good? his life should be a perpetual thanksgiving to God; and how can a man be thankful, that is not joyful? Joy is as it were the oil, the anointing it makes a man cheerful, it makes the countenance of his soul to be cheerful, it makes him active in good when he is anointed with the oil of gladness. Now every man should have a desire to be good, to be diligent and expedite in all that is good. Therefore we should labor for this spiritual anointing, that we may be ready for every good work; Vessels of mercy prepared for every good work.

And then for suffering, we have many things to go through in this world; how shall a man suffer those things that are between him and Heaven, with joy, unless he labor to bring himself to this temper of joy?

And then for others, every man should labor to encourage others. We are all fellow-passengers in the way to Heaven, therefore even to bring on others more cheerfully, we ought to labor to be in a state of joy. Those that do not rejoice, they bring an ill report upon the way of God, as if it were a desolate, disconsolate way. As the Spies brought an ill report upon the Land of Canaan, whereupon the people were disheartened from entering into it. So those that labor not to bring their hearts to spiritual joy, they bring an ill report on the ways of God, and dishearten others from entering into those ways; which way soever we look, we have reasons to encourage us to joy: That God may have more glory; and that we may do him more service; that we may endure afflictions better, and encourage others: and take away the reproach of Religion from those that think it a melancholy course of life; which indeed do not understand what belongs to the state of a Christian: for the state of a Christian is a state of joy.

And if a Christian do not joy, it is not because he is a Christian, but because he is not a Christian enough, because he favors the worse principle in him, he favors himself in some work of the flesh.

God in the Covenant of grace is all love and mercy; he would have us in our pilgrimage to heaven, to finish our course with joy: and he knows we can do nothing except we have some joy. It is the oil of the soul (as I said) to make it nimble and fit for all actions, and for all sufferings. It gives a luster and grace to whatsoever we do: Not only God loves a cheerful performer of duties, but it wins acceptance of all others; and makes the worker himself wondrous ready to any action. This I mention only as a ground. A Christian that hath given his name to Christ, is either in a state of joy, or else should labor for it.

The second (which is the main) is, That

We are helpers of your joy, we Ministers, S. Paul spake of himself as a Minister. The Word of God is a helper of joy, especially as it is unfolded, considered as it is dispensed in the Ministry. You know the Word of God, it is called The Word of reconciliation, because it doth unfold the Covenant between God and us: It is called The Word of the Kingdom, The Word of life, &c. which all are causes of joy; therefore the Word breeds joy, Psal. 19. 8. One commendation of the Statures of God is, that They comfort the heart, and refresh the heart. He follows the commendations of the Word at large, The Statutes of God are perfect, converting the soul; The Testimonies of God are sure, making wise the simple. And among the rest of the commendations, as a commendation issuing from the rest, The Statutes of God are right, rejoicing the heart. The Word of God is a Cordial, especially to refresh, and solace the heart.

Saint Paul, Rom. 15. 4. makes it the scope of the Word, Whatsoever was written afore-time, was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. So likewise, 1 Cor. 14. He that Prophesieth speaketh to men to edification, to exhortation, and to comfort. He that prophesieth, that unfoldeth the Word, he speaketh to men to edification, to exhortation, and to comfort. So the end of the Word, and the end of prophesying, the Ministry of the Word, is to help our joy, our comfort, to support us against all ills eithert felt or feared, by greater arguments then the ill is. For that is to comfort and rejoice, to make any to joy, it is to support the soul against all grievance either spiritual, or outward, either felt or feared, and that from stronger arguments then the grievances are. If they be equally poized, it is no comfort; if the comfort be inferior, it is no comfort.

As the Heathen man complained of those comforts he had, I know not how it is, but the Physic I have to cure the grievance of my mind, it yields to the malice of the disease, the disease is above the cure: So it is true of all Philosophical comforts, that are fetched out of the shop of nature, the Physic yields to the disease: the malady or disease exceeds the remedy, therefore there is no comfort. Comfort is, when the inward support is greater and stronger then the grievance is, whatsoever it be.

Now such comfort must only be fetched out of the Word. The Scripture is a common treasury of all good, and comfortable doctrines: but especially as it is dispensed in the Ministry, as it is divided by the Ministers of God; thereafter as they see the necessity of God's people, and the exigence they are brought to, accordingly they should draw comfort out of this common treasury. Thereupon that that Christ saith of himself, Isaiah 50. Thou hast given me the tongue of the learned to speak a word in season to the weary soul: it is true of all the true Ministers of Christ, that have that spiritual anointing, that have the same Spirit that Christ had: God hath anointed them that they might speak a word in season to poor distressed souls. God hath given them the tongue of the learned for this very end and purpose. God hath given them a healing tongue for a wounded soul. Indeed, they carry Physic in their tongues; and the very leaves, the very words, have a medicinal force.

When those that are true Ministers speak a word in season to a wounded, distressed soul, the Spirit goes with the Word, and it hath wondrous efficacy for the comfort, and raising up of the soul. Experience shows this.

Now to give a few instances how it is done, how the Ministers do it, how they are helpers of our joy. They do it first of all, by acquainting people with the ill estate they are in: for all sound comfort comes from the knowledge of our grief, and freedom from it. They acquaint people with their estate by nature, that they are in the state of damnation, that they are under the curse of God, under the wrath of God, that they are in a spiritual bondage: they labor that they together with the Spirit of bondage, may make people to see their state of bondage. For they must plow before they sow, and the Law must go before the Gospel. The Law shows the wound, but the Gospel heals the wound. Now they must know the wound; the commanding part, all the threatening part of the Word. They must know what they are, before they can know their comfort. Therefore John the Baptist he came before Christ, he made way for the sweet doctrine of Christ that came with blessing in his mouth, Blessed are the poor in spirit; Blessed are they that hunger and thirst: Blessed are those that suffer persecution, &c. Even as to Elias there was a strong wind came before the still voice; so there must be somewhat to rend, and to open the heart, before this oil of comfort can be poured in. Now that is the first thing, the Ministers help people to comfort, by helping them to understand themselves, what they are in the state of nature. They labor to search the wound first, to cure the soul as much as they can of all guile of spirit, that the soul may not be guileful to misunderstand itself.

And when they have done this, then they breed joy, by propounding; and showing the remedy which is in Jesus Christ: then they open the riches of God's love in Christ, then open the sweet box of ointment in Christ, they show to man his righteousness. As you have an excellent place in Job, Chap. 33. 14. of the whole force of the Ministry, it is followed at large what the Minister doth to bring a man to joy: he begins, verse 14. God speaks once and twice, but man perceives it not; In visions and dreams by night, when deep sleep falls upon them: then he opens the ears of man, and seals instruction, &c. He chastiseth him with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain; so that his life abhors bread. He speaks of a man, that is brought down by the sight of sin; His flesh is consumed away, it cannot be seen, his bones stick out, &c. A strange description of a man in a disconsolate estate; his soul draws near to the grave, and his life to the destroyers. What of all this? what is the way to bring him out of this? If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one of a thousand, one that hath the tongue of the learned, to show a man his righteousness, then God is gracious to him, and delivers him from going to the pit. I have found a ransom, &c. The messenger, one of a thousand, the man of God, that hath the tongue of the learned, he hath shown him where his ransom is to be had, he hath shown him his righteousness.

Thus did S. Peter, after he had brought them to Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved? then he points them out to Jesus Christ. Therefore the Ministry is called the Ministry of reconciliation, and the Ministry of peace; they are called Messengers of peace. You know joy comes from reconciliation with God in Christ, joy comes from peace. Now the Ministers they are Messengers of reconciliation, and Messengers of peace, and therefore Messengers of joy; They bring glad tidings of joy. You see how Ministers are helpers of joy, by showing to man his ill, and then by showing to man his good, and comfort in Jesus Christ; they show, that where sin hath abounded, grace abounds much more. They dig the Mine, to let people see what riches, what treasure they have in the Word of God, and what comfort they have there.

And then in the continual course of life, they are helpers of joy: For what do Ministers if they be faithful in their places, but advise in cases of conscience what people should do? so their Office is to remove all scruples, and hindrances, and obstacles of spiritual joy, by advising them what to avoid, and what to do.

We know that light is a state of joy: The Ministry of the Gospel is light, it sets up the light of God's truth; it shows them the way they should go in all the course of their life: and thereupon it rejoiceth them. The Word of God is a Lanthorn, especially in the Ministry.

Spiritual liberty, and freedom, that doth make people joyful: but the end of the Ministry is to set people more and more at liberty; both from the former estate that I named, and likewise daily by office, to set them at liberty from corruptions, and temptations, and snares; to bring them to an enlarged estate.

Victory, and Triumph is a state of joy: Now the Ministers of God teach God's people, how to fight God's battles, how to handle their weapons, how to answer temptations, how to conquer all, and at length how to triumph: therefore in that regard they are helpers of their joy: they encourage them against discouragements, against infirmities and afflictions, against Satan's temptations, showing them grounds of joy out of the Scriptures.

Then they are helpers of their joy, by forcing it as a duty upon them, Rejoice evermore, and again I say, rejoice, saith S. Paul. They are as guides among the rest of the Travelers, that encourage them in the way to heaven, Come on, let us go cheerfully. As the Apostles in all their Epistles, they stir up to joy and cheerfulness: so should those do that are guides to God's people. Travelers they need refreshments of wine, &c. Now thus the Ministers of God help the people of God in their spiritual travel to heaven: if the people of God faint at any time, then as it is, Cant. 2. they refresh them with apples and wine, with the comforts of the Holy Ghost: they are ready to support and comfort them in all their spiritual falls, when they are ready to sink.

We see by experience in all places where the Ministry of the Word is established, how comfortably people live, and die, and end their days above other people that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: so we see this is true, That the Ministers help joy, because they help that that breeds joy, not only at the first, but continually help the joy of the people of God, even to death.

And then in death itself, the end of the Ministry is to help joy, to help them to heaven, to help them to a joyful departure hence, to give them a good and comfortable loose out of this world, drawing comfort out of the Word for this purpose: for whatsoever the Minister doth, it is by drawing comfort out of the Word, showing them that the sting of death is taken away, that now death is reconciled, and become a friend to us in Christ; that it is but a passage to heaven, that now it is the end of all misery, and the beginning of all happiness, Blessed are those that die in the Lord; so they assist, and help them in those last agonies.

There is special use of the dispensation of the Word in all conditions while we live, and at the hour of death. You see it is clear, (I need not further enlarge the Point) that the Ministers by reason of the Word (which indeed is the main thing that comforts,) they are helpers of the joy of God's people.

But you will say, They help God's people to sorrow, and they vex and trouble them ofttimes.

Indeed carnal men think so, as the two Witnesses in the Revelations, it is said, They vexed the men upon the earth: so indeed the faithful witnesses of God, they vex the earthly-minded, base men; as Ahab said of Elias, Thou art he that troubleth Israel; he accounted him as one that troubled Israel, when it was himself that troubled Israel: these Ministers, they are accounted those that mar all the mirth in the world; that a man that is given to pleasures and delights, he trembles at the sight of them, as men opposite to his delights, and carnal course, he cannot brook the very sight of them: so it is with a carnal man.

But we may make an Use hence to judge of what spirit they are that judge and think so, they are not true believers: for there is no man that hath given his name to Christ, and makes it good by his life that he is a good Christian, but he accounts the Ministers helpers of his joy. Those that do not so, are in an ill course; and which is worse, they resolve to be in an ill course.

Therefore let us make much of the Ordinances of God, as that which is the joy of our souls; not only make much of the Word of God, but of the Word of God in the ministerial dispensation of it: for ofttimes we find that comfort by the opening of the Word of God, that our own reading and private endeavors could never help us to, experience shows that. We see when the Enuch was to be converted, it was he that read, but Philip was sent to open the Word to him, and then he went away rejoicing. And so the poor Jailor when the Word was opened, and applied to him, then he rejoiced: therefore as we intend our own comfort, let us regard the Ministry.

Many object that that Naaman the Assyrian did, I can have as much comfort by reading.

I would they were so well occupied: but God gives a curse to private means, when they are used with neglect of the public. And joy comes from God's Spirit: God will not attend our pleasure to giveus joy and delight in what we single out, but in his own course and way. And if Naaman the Assyrian, that thought the rivers of Damascus were as good as Jordan, and therefore he thought it a fond thing to wash there; if he had not yielded to the counsel of his servants, he had gone a leper home as he came; but he was wiser: So those that cavil at the Ordinance of God, they may live and die Lepers for ought I know, except with meekness of spirit they attend upon the Ordinance.

But you will say, Those that are true Christians, and good men, they are ofttimes cast down by the Ministry, and brought to pangs of conscience: therefore what joy can there be? how are they helpers of their joy?

If they do so, yet it is that they might joy: S. Paul did bring the Corinthians here to sorrow, but he brought them to sorrow that they might joy; as you have it excellently set down, 2. Cor. 7. 8. For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent; I was sorry that I was forced to be so bitter against you: for I perceive that the same Epistle made you sorry, though but for a season; now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry: here is a sweet insinuation: but that you were sorry to repentance, for you were made sorry after a godly manner, that you might receive damage by us in nothing. So the sorrow that is wrought by the Ministry in the hearts of people, it is a sorrow to repentance, a sorrow tending to joy.

We say of April, that the showers of that Moneth dispose the earth to flowers in the next; so tears and grief wrought in the heart by the Ministry, they breed delight in the soul: they frame the soul to a delightful, joyful temper after. And that is part of the scope of this very text, we are helpers of your joy, and therefore if I had not spared you, but had come in severity, all had been for joy: so whether the Minister open comfort, or direction it is for their joy. If they see them not in a state fit, then to discover to them their sin, and danger, and to tell them, that they must be purged by repentance, before they can receive the Cordial of joy: but all is for joy in the end.

A Physician comes, and he gives sharp and bitter purges: saith the Patient, I had thought you had come to make me better, and I am sicker now then I was before: but he bids him be content, all this is for your health, and strength, and for your joyfulness of spirit after; you will be the better for it: so in confidence of that he drinks down many a bitter potion: So it is with those that sit under the Ministry of God, thought it be sharp, and severe, and cross their corruptions, yet it is medicinal physic for their souls, and all will end in the health of the soul, in joy afterwards.

It will be objected again, The Word of God, and the dispensation of it, it is for Doctrine, to teach, and to instruct, and not especially to joy, that should not be the main end: for we see in Rom. 14. Whatsoever was written, was written for our learning: so in 1 Cor. 14. he that speaks, speaks to edification, and exhortation, as well as to comfort.

It is true; but all teaching, and all exhortation, and all reproof, they tend to comfort; even Doctrine itself tends to comfort. For as it is with divers kinds of food, they have both a cherishing virtue in them to strengthen, and a healing virtue to cure: So it is with the Word of God, the doctrinal part of it hath a comforting force. And indeed, doctrine is for comfort: for what is comfort, but a strengthening of the affections, from some sound grounds of doctrine imprinted upon the understanding, whereof it is convinced before? The understanding is convinced thoroughly, before the soul can be comforted thoroughly. Therefore the Scripture tending to doctrine, (that being one end of it,) tends likewise to comfort, because that is the issue of doctrine: for what is comfort, but doctrine applied to a particular comfortable use?

As in Plants and Trees, what is the fruit of the tree? nothing but the juice of the tree applied, and digested into fruit: so indeed, doctrine is that that runs through the whole life of a Christian, and the strength of Doctrine is in comfort. Comfort is nothing but doctrine sweetly digested and applied to the affections. He will never be a good comforter, that doth not first stablish the judgment in some grounds of doctrine; to show whence the comfort flows. So that howsoever there be many things in Scripture that are doctrinal, yet in the use of them those doctrinal Points tend to joy, and comfort. As (I said) in meat there is the same thing sometime that both nourisheth, and likewise refresheth, as a Cordial: So the Word of God both nourisheth the understanding, and is as a Cordial to refresh and comfort; and it is a kind of joy to the soul, to have it stablished in sound doctrine; that is the ground of comfort. So that notwithstanding anything that can be objected, the end of the Word of God, especially in the dispensation of it, is to joy, and comfort.

Which should teach people to regard the Ministry in this respect, that it is a helper of their comfort, that they do not grieve those that help their comfort: for what is the end of a Minister, as a Minister, but to make others joy? that both God in heaven, and the Angels, and Ministers, and all may rejoice together in the conversion of a Christian. Now for people to vex those that by virtue of their calling labor to help forward their joy, is very unkind usage: yet it was the entertainment that our blessed Lord and Master himself found in the world. And S. Paul himself saith, The more I love you, the less I am loved of you.

And then it should move people to lay open the case of their souls to their spiritual Physicians upon all good occasions. People do so for the Physicians of their bodies; they do so in doubtful cases for their estates: is all so well in our souls that we need no help nor comfort? no removing of objections that the soul makes, no unloosing of the knots of conscience? is all so clear? or are men in a kind of numbnesse, and deadness, and Atheism that they think it is no matter, that they put all to a venture, and think all is well? It were better for the souls of many if they had better acquaintance with their spiritual Pastors then they have: for their calling is to help the joy of the people: and how can they help it except they lay open their estates to them upon good occasion? what do they herein but rob themselves of joy? they are their own enemies.

I pass to the third,

They do but utter and propound matter of joy, grounds of joy from the Word of God; but it is the Spirit of God that doth rejoice the heart, The fruit of the lips is peace, it is true, but it is when the Spirit of God speaks peace to the soul together with the lips; God creates the fruit of the lips to be peace, saith Isaiah. The fruit of the lips is peace, b •… God creates it to be so: so the Ministers are comforters, but God saith, I, even I am thy comforter. We speak matters of comfort and grounds of comfort, but God seals them to the heart by his holy Spirit. God is the comforter himself, He is the Father of comfort, and the God of all consolation. And the Spirit is called the comforter; to show unto us that however in the Ordinances the materials of comfort be set abroach to God's people, yet notwithstanding that that that speaks peace to the heart, and sets on those comforts to the soul and conscience, it is the Spirit of God, God himself. So there is the outward preaching, and the spiritual preaching; He hath his chair in heaven that teacheth the heart, as S. Austin saith. S. Paul speaks, but God opens the heart of Lydia: he hath the Key to open the heart.

Therefore you have all attributed to the Spirit of God. In Joh. 16. I go hence, but I will send you the comforter, the Holy Ghost; and what shall the Comforter do? he shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment. Do not pretend therefore your own inability, that you are unable to comfort, or to cast down, or to seal unto people their righteousness: do you that that is your duty, propound grounds of direction, and casting down, and of righteousness, and of judgment, of holy life after; and then the Holy Ghost shall go with you; the Comforter shall do this to the hearts of people; the Holy Ghost shall convince. What is Paul? or what is Apollo, but Ministers? Paul may plant, and Apollo may water; but if God give not the increase, what is all?

Therefore Christ promiseth his disciples, that the Holy Ghost should accompany their teaching. They might have objected, Alas, we shall teach the world, that they are Gentiles, that they are obstinate persons, hardened in superstition. Do not fear, (saith he) I will send the Holy Ghost, he shall fall upon you, and furnish you. Now when the Holy Ghost was in them, and the Holy Ghost in their auditors too, together with the Word inspired by the Holy Ghost; when the Spirit meets in these three, there are wonders wrought. When the Spirit of God is in the teacher, and the Spirit of God in the hearers, and the Spirit of God in the Word; I say, when there is one Spirit in the teacher, and in the hearers, and in the Word, there are wonders wrought of conversion, and comfort.

It is the Spirit that must do all, we are nothing but Ministers: Let a man conceive of us as Ministers, and dispensers of the Gospel. Ministers of comfort we are, and but Ministers; just so we are helpers of your joy, but we are but helpers. Those that account us not helpers of joy, know not our calling: and those that account us more, that we are able to comfort people by the Word, they turn the preaching of the Word to magic, to a charm. We can speak the Word: but God must speak to the heart at the same time.

As it is with Physical water; there is the water, and there are many strong things in it: What? doth the water cure, or purge? it is a dead thing, it hath no efficacious quality, but to cool, &c. Whence comes the efficacy? There are some cool herbs, some strong things in it, and then it doth wonders: So what is the infusion of the Word but water, but aqua vitae, water of life, the dew of heaven, Rosa solis? whence is it so? as water? no, but there is a Divine influence and vigor in it, that refresheth, and quickeneth the soul. It doth not do it of itself, but it hath a Divine influence of the Spirit.

So we see, though Minist •… s be helpers of joy, they are but helpers; they are but the conduits that convey that that comes from the Spirit of God, they are instruments of the Spirit.

You see it clear then, that God only speaks comfort: because the Spirit of God only knows our spirits thoroughly. The spirit of God can only comfort, because he knows all the discomforts of our hearts, he knows all our griefs, all the corners of our hearts; that the Minister cannot do. The Minister may speak general comforts: but the Spirit of God knows all the windings, and turnings of the heart, and all the disconsolate pangs of the heart and soul; every little pang, and grief the Spirit of God knows it. Therefore the Spirit of God is the Comforter: he strikes the nail, and seals the comfort to the soul we are but helpers.

Then again, the Spirit of God must do it, because the soul must be set down with that that is stronger then itself: it must be so convinced and set down, that it must have more to say against the grief or temptation, then can be alleged by the Devil himself. The soul before it be comforted, it must be quieted and stilled. Now who is above the soul, and Satan that tempts the soul? Let Satan be let loose to tempt the soul, and the soul hath a hell in itself, if God let it alone, who is above those unspeakable torments of coascience, if they be not allayed by the Spirit of God.

Who is above the soul but the Spirit of God? will the soul allay itself? no, it will never. Therefore the Spirit of God that is stronger, and wiser then the soul, and is the Spirit of light and strength, it must set down, and quiet, and calm the soul, that it hath nothing to say against the comfort it brings, but quiets itself, and saith, I must rest, I must see this is from heaven, I am quiet. This the Spirit doth.

Therefore make this Use of it, that in all our endeavors to procure peace to our consciences, and spiritual balm to the wounds of our souls, let us go to this heavenly Physician: not depend over-much upon the Ministry, or reading, or any outward task: but in the use of all things lift up our hearts to God, that he would comfort us by his Spirit, that he would send the Comforter into our souls.

Though the disciples had comfort upon comfort by Christ; yet till the Comforter, came whose office it was to do it, to seal his Word to their souls, alas, they were dead-hearted people: but after the resurrection, when the Comforter came, and refreshed their memories, and convinced their understandigs, then they could remember all the sweet comforts that our blessed Savior had taught them before. So it is with us, we hear many sweet comforts day after day, out of God's book, comforts against sin, comforts against trouble, outward, and inward, and all: but till the Comforter come, till God send his holy Spirit, we shall not make use of them. Therefore let us labor to have more communion with God before we come to hear the Word; and after we have heard it, let us have communion with God again, that he would seal whatsoever is spoken to our souls, and make it effectual to us.

Therefore we must learn to give the just due to the Ordinance of God, and not to idolize it: to make it the means of comfort, not to make it the chief Comforter, but the Spirit of God by it. What is Paul, or Apollo? what are we but Ministers of faith? and by consequent Ministers, and helpers of comfort, but not the authors of comfort.

Oh, if I had such and such here, I should do well, I should be so and so.

Alas, all is to no purpose, unless thou hast the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God; that can help by weak means. Therefore we must not tie comfort, and joy to this or that means: but in all means look to the ground of comfort, and the spring of all, the Holy Ghost.

The reason why men do nor profit more, that they are not more cheered, and lift up with the Ministry of the Word, (which is a Word of reconciliation, and of joy, and comfort) it is because they are more careful in the use of means then in going to God for his Spirit to bless the means. Now these must go together; a care of using the means, and a care to pray to him that he would give us wisdom, and strength, and blessed success in the use of all means. Then if we would join religiously, and conscionably these two together, the use of all means conscionably, and in the use of all to lift up our hearts to God, to bless them; we should find a wondrous success upon the Ministry, and all other good means likewise. So much for that. I go on to the last clause of the Chapter.

Why doth the Apostle vary the word, we have not dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy, whereas the consequence it seems might run thus, we do not domineer over your faith, but are helpers of your faith: he puts joy instead of faith; and afterward he brings in faith again, for by faith ye stand?

This is one main reason; because joy riseth from faith, therefore he names it instead of faith: for the Holy Ghost is not curious of words, but when the same Spirit wroks both, he names that which he thinks will fittest suit the purpose.

How is that?

Because faith first of all doth show to us the freedom from that that is the cause of all discomfort whatsoever: it takes away all that may discourage. For it takes away the fear of damnation for our sins; it shows our reconciliation in Jesus Christ. Faith shows liberty, and deliverance; and so discovering deliverance by a Mediator, it works joy.

Is not a prisoner joyful when he is set at liberty?

Then likewise faith discovers to us the face of God shining to us in Jesus Christ: it shows not only deliverance, but favor. It shows us the ground of all; the righteousness, and obedience of our Savior, whereby we are delivered, and brought into favor.

Now from this comes peace: from the knowledge of our deliverance, and acceptance with God, founded upon the obedience of God-man, a Savior, there comes in peace, and peace breeds joy: because faith discovers all these, the ground of reconciliation with God in Jesus Christ, and thereupon peace: therefore it causeth joy.

For this is the pedigree, and descent of joy; as the Apostle hath it, Rom. 14. The Kingdom of God is in righteousness, and peace, and joy. There must be righteousness first of a Mediatur, to satisfy the wrath of God and procure his favor: From righteousness comes peace, peace with God, peace of conscience: From peace comes joy: there is no joy without peace; no peace without righteousness.

And this whole pedigree of joy (as it were) is excellently set down, Rom. 5. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord; and have access to the throne of grace, by which grace we stand; and not only so, but rejoice. So there is justification by the righteousness of Christ: and thereupon peace with God; and from peace boldness, and access to God; and thereupon joy. So we see how faith brings in joy: because it shows the spring of joy whence it comes, it shows peace; and peace riseth from reconciliation; and reconciliation from righteousness of Christ Mediator: whereupon we are delivered from all that we may fear, and set in a state of true joy, God being our friend. When God is reconciled, all is reconciled, all is ours, have we not cause of joy then? Therefore the Apostle saith, Rom. 15. The God of peace fill you full of joy in believing: showing, that faith is the cause of all spiritual joy. And the same you have in 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom ye rejoiced after ye believed, with joy unspeakable and glorious. In whom after ye believed, that is, in Christ, you rejoiced with joy unspeakable and glorious. And therefore you see the Apostle might well substitute joy instead of faith, because it springs, and riseth from faith in Jesus Christ the Mediator.

Hereupon we may come to make this Use of trial, how we may know whether our joy be good, or no. Among many other evidences, this is one, that spiritual joy is good, if it spring from the Word of faith. If it spring from the Ordinance of God unfolded in the Word, showing us the ground of believing. For he that truly joys, can show the ground of his joy.

Herein joy differs from presumption, from presumptuous swelling conceits: true joy that is not the joy of an hypocrite, it doth show from whence it comes, it riseth from grounds out of divine truth.

Then again, this joy doth more immediately spring from faith in the Word, from assurance that God is ours, and that Christ is ours; that God is at peace with us, and that we are at peace with him; it ariseth from peace, that is wrought by faith.

Then again, this joy, if it be sound, it is such a joy as S. Peter saith is an unspeakable and glorious joy; joy arising from the Word of God, and from faith; and peace, it is above discouragement: because we have in the Word of God matter of joy, above all discouragements, and all allurements whatsoever. It is a joy above the joy of riches, or pleasures, or profits; why? because the Word shows matter of joy above all these. The Prophet David rejoiced in the Word of God above Gold, and Silver, as one that had gotten great spoils; you see how oft he repeats it, Psal. 119. It was sweeter to him then the honey, and the honey-comb, Psal. 19. It put his soul out of taste with all other things. This joy of the Spirit it puts such a relish in the soul, that it makes it undervalue all other things whatsoever: the price of other things falls down, when a man joys in the Holy Ghost: because it ariseth from the grounds of faith, from peace, and righteousness.

And likewise, if it look forward, from the hope of life everlasting, and the favor of God, the ground of all: It riseth from things that are above all other contentments, The loving kindness of the Lord (that faith apprehends, that is the ground of joy,) it is above life itself. Now life is the sweetest thing upon earth: but the loving kindness of God is better then that.

Therefore those that lose their souls in base contentments, and joy in the dirty things of this life, (that are not fit for the soul to fasten on, to place contentment in: but are only to be used, as those that take a journey to refresh them; but) those that are swallowed up in these things, they know not what spiritual joy is, that ariseth from the Word of God, from divine truth, that ariseth from faith: for if they did, this joy would raise them higher, above all earthly contentments whatsoever.

Then again, where this joy is, this spiritual enlargement of soul which is called joy, it is from true grounds, it is with humility: For the same Word that discovers matter of joy, discovers matter of humility, and grief in ourselves, by reason of the remainders of sin, and of our own deservings. So true joy it is a tempered and qualified joy; it is not joined with pride, and swelling: because it riseth from those grounds that teach us what we are in ourselves: alas, such that we need not be proud in ourselves, but if we will glory, we must glory in God. Well, it is not that that I mean principally to stand on, but only I speak of it, because it is placed here for faith, as it springs from faith: we are helpers of your joy. To hasten then to that that follows.

This principally depends upon the first words, We have not dominion over your faith, because faith is such a grace as you stand by in all conditions: Now what you stand by, must be firm, it must be on a good bottom: and what is firm, must not be human, but divine; therefore we have no dominion over your faith, for by faith ye stand.

Standing is a military word: by faith ye stand, that is, first of all faith gives a standing, a certain standing, before any conflict; it gives a standing in Christianity; it sets the soul in a frame, in a standing.

Nay, faith helps us, we stand by faith: not only in a frame of Christianity, and furnished with spiritual strength; but then we are fit to encounter opposition, by faith we stand to it, and stand against all opposition: we stand, and stand to it by faith.

And standing likewise implies continuance in managing Christianity, and opposing all enemies whatsoever: by faith we stand, and continue standing; we hold out in all opposition.

Standing likewise in the next place implies a kind of safety, together with victory at length. By faith ye stand: you stand so, as you are not wounded to death; you stand so as you are kept safe, especially from mortal wounds; and altogether safe, so far as you use faith as a shield, till you have got perfect victory, and faith end in triumph. So faith is that grace whereby we stand, whereby we are in a frame of Religion fit to stand; and whereby we so standiug, encouter oppositions, and continue so encountering, and preserve ourselves safe, till victory be obtained: this is the full expression, and comprehension of the word, By faith ye stand.

Now why is it by faith that we have this standing?

Because faith it is that grace (in the new Covenant) that makes the soul go out of itself; it empties the soul of all things in itself, and goes out to somewhat else, whereupon it stands. For in the new Covenant since Adams fall, all our strength is in the second Adam, our head; we fetch it there. And faith is the hand of the soul.

Now because faith in the new Covenant is an emptying grace, and likewise because as it is a grace that empties the soul, so it fastens upon another thing, whereupon it relies: for faith is an uniting grace as well as an emptying grace: now faith emptying, and uniting, so it makes us stand.

And likewise faith as it draws, it hath a drawing virtue, an attractive force: it is a radical grace: it is like a root, when it knits to Christ, it sucks out, and draws virtue from him: every touch of faith draws spiritual strength, and virtue, so it causeth us to stand by the attractive virtue it hath.

And then it is the force of faith likewise to make things present. For therein it differs from hope, hope looks upon things as absent; now the things that hope looks on as things remote and distant in time, and place, faith makes them present: therefore it is said to be the evidence of things not seen. Now that that makes the soul to be strong, and able to stand, it must be somewhat present: however the full possession of things be reserved, not for faith, but for vision, for comprehenders in heaven, where faith ends and determines: yet notwithstanding, faith draws so much for the present: it sets things to come so far present with such evidence, and force as it upholds the soul, and makes it stand. It is the evidence of things not seen. And thereupon it hath a kind of omnipotent power to make things that are not, to be. Heaven, and glory, and happiness they are not for the pesent: but faith looking on them in the authority of God, and the divine promises, faith makes them present by a kind of almighty power that it hath, laying hold on an almighty power: and hereupon it upholds the soul, it is the prop, and stay of the soul as in Heb. 11. it signifies to stay up, to hold up as a pillar; even from this virtue it hath to make things to come present.

You see then what it is to stand, and how faith is fitted for this purpose: because, as I said, it is the grace of the new Covenant, emptying us, and drawing us to Christ from whom we draw all virtue: and because it makes things to come as present.

By faith wr are set in a right frame, and condition again, as by want of faith we fell. The same grace must set us right, for want of which we fell.

How came we to fall at the first? You know Adam hearkened to his wife Eve, and she hearkened to the Serpent: they trusted not in God; they began to stagger at the promises, to stagger at the Word of God: Satan robbed them of the Word. He observes, and continues the same Art still, to take the Word from us, and to cause us to stagger and doubt whether it be true or no. He comes between us, and our rock the Word of God: So Adam fell. Now we must be restored by the contrary to that we fell: we fell by unbelief, and distrust, by calling God's truth in question, we must learn to stand again by the contrary grace, by faith: Thus you see the terms something unfolded. By faith ye stand. To clear it a little further. There be four degrees of a slent that the soul hath to anything.

The first is a slight assent that we call opinion, that is with some fear that it may be otherwise; that is a weak, a pendulous assent. It is a wavering assent, it yields not a certain assent. Opinion is a weak thing: it may be so: I, but it may not be so: it is with a fear of the contrary.

The second degree of assent is that that hath a better ground, that is the assent to grounds of reason: a man hath reason to yield, and assent to, and those reasons satisfy the soul, and rest the soul something, thereafter as the strength of them is. And that assent we call knowledge, science; this is founded upon grounds of reason.

There is a third kind of assent, and yielding that the soul hath, that we call believing, which is merely upon the credit of him that speaks, though we know no reason why the thing should be so: but only the person it may be is a person of credit, and wisdom, and knowledge; and thereafter as we conceive well of him, thereafter we fasten our faith and assent to his authority: so that assent to the authority of the speaker, we call belief.

The fourth degree of assent is, when we do not only assent to the thing because we have reason so to do, and arguments, or because we have some man to confirm it by authority; but because we feel it to be so by experience, and by taste. As a man assents that fire is hot, and that sweet things are so, not from reason altogether, or from the speech or rehearsing of another man, but because he feels it so indeed, he assents to it from experience.

Now you will say, How come we then to stand by faith?

As faith especially relies upon the authority of God, upon God's Word, so we stand by faith, because it assents to an authority. But God's Word gives reasons too: therefore faith assents to the authority of God's Word first; and then we see divine reason enough too, when we once believe God.

And then experience in Divine things too; after we, believe there is an incredible sweetness in divine things: there is a knowledge with a particular taste. There is never a Divine truth but it hath an evidence in it, when a man believes it once, that a man may say, I know whom I have believed, from experience; let the speakers of the things be what they will, let them apostatize from that that they have spoken: after a man believes, he will see the things themselves have Divine reason in them, as well as Divine authority stablishing of them.

Some Divine truths are altogether upon Divine authority; we see no other reason, but that God hath said it: but some truths are both credible, and intelligible. Credible, because God hath said it, and there is reason to prove it: as a man may prove by Divine reason, that all shall work for the best; why? The Apostle faith, We love God, and God hath called us according to his purpose: therefore all things shall work for them that God hath called, to them that answer his Divine call. There is both reason and comfort: so it is credible as it hath divine truth, and intelligible as it hath comfort. There are homogeneal reasons with divine authority. God doth not only press us with authority, but he gives us reasons.

Besides this, there is experience: for the doctrine of divine providence, and of the corruption of nature, and the doctrine of comfort in the Mediator Christ altogether. The doctrine of faith, the doctrine of the issue of all troubles for good, we find these by experience; however the teacher that teach •… h them perhaps may have no sense of them himself, let him apostatize, and do what he will: our faith stands upon them, partly because God saith so, that is the chief; and because there is reason for them; and because we find it so by experience: in many divine things, these three, both reason, authority, and experience concur in faith. But to come a L •… de further.

What doth faith itself stand most on by which we stand? that which we stand o •… , must stand itself. Let us examine a little what faith itself stands on by which we stand.

I shown you before partly, by Divine authority and experience, which gives some light to it; but we will follow it a little further: That faith by which we stand, must stand itself: therefore it cannot be opinion, it must be faith. It must not be bare science neither, it must be science that hath faith; faith must come in. Now faith looks to Divine revelation especially, it looks to truth revealed from God: now faith looking to the Word of God, it builds, and pitcheth, and bottoms itself upon Divine truth, Divine authority, Divine revelation, which we call the first truth, the first verity.

And not only so, but faith that it may stand the better, hath together with the Word of God, the seals: for God hath added Sacraments as Seals to the Word, that helps the Word: (to us at least) God's Word is true enough of itself in regard of him: but he condescends to us, and therefore that faith may stand the better, that we may build upon his Word, there are his Sacraments: there are seals together with his Word, and his oath too.

Again, that his Word may be the better foundation for faith, it is conceived under the manner of a Covenant, the Evangelical part of it: the Covenant of Grace, wherein God in Christ promiseth to forgive our sins, to accept us to life everlasting, if we believe in Christ: It is a gracious Covenant. God condescends to make a Covenant that faith may stand; shall not I believe him that hath made a Covenant, and bound himself by Covenant that he will do so? Nay, in the Covenant of grace, faith lays hold upon this, that he will fulfill, and perform both conditions himself, both his part, and our part. For the same truths that are a Covenant, are a Testament too in the Gospel. A Testament bequeaths things without a covenant, and therein it differs from a covenant. A Testament is, I bequeath, and give this: Now whatsoever Christ in the Covenant requires, because that in the Gospel he makes good the Covenant as a Testament; If we believe, and repent: Now he hath promised to give repentance, and belief in the Covenant of grace to all that attend upon the means, and expect the performance of the Covenant from him.

For we can no more perform the conditions of the Covenant of grace of ourselves, then the Covenant of the Law. Nature cannot do it, because it must be done by the Spirit altogether. Now here is a foundation for faith to stand on: God so far condescends, as he gives his Word, and his Seal, and his Oath with his Word, to convey that Word by way of a Covenant, and to make that Covenant a Testament and Will to us, that he will do this, and to seal that Will with his own blood: for a Testament is of no force, till the Testator be dead, his own blood hath sealed the Testament: you see here what ground there is for faith to stand upon.

Then again, the sweet relation that God hath taken upon him in Christ, he is our Father, faith builds not on naked God, divested of his sweet relations; (for then he is a consuming fire) but upon God a Father in Christ: what a sweet thing is it to consider God a Father? In Christ the nature of God is Fatherly to us, and our nature is sweet to him: We are sons in Christ, his nature is sweet to us, and ours to him; he will surely perform his relations: For in Christ he is a Father, not in creation only, but in the Covenant of grace. Faith relies upon the Word of God, upon the Covenant, and Testament, and upon God himself, altered and changed in the Covenant of Grace to be a sweet Father.

But what is a further ground of this? The nature of God himself who is a Father: for if God himself were not clothed with properties that might satisfy faith, and satisfy the soul fully, though he were a Father, it were not a sufficient ground for faith. But now who hath taken the relation of a father upon him? God, who is infinitely good, infinitely merciful above all our sins: it must be infinite mercy, faith would not have footing else. For the soul will so upbraid in the sense of sin, that if God were not a Father, and a Father infinite in mercy, nothing but infinite mercy will satisfy the soul when conscience is awaked, and infinite power to subdue all enemies, and infinite wisdom to go beyond the reach and subtlety of all the Devils in hell. God is such a Father, as in his Nature is of infinite mercy, and wisdom, and power: here is a foundation for faith to lay hold upon indeed; to have a Father, and such a Father that is Jehovah: there we must rest in his essence, he is Jehovah, I am, he is eternal and immutable, an eternal being of himself, and he gives being to all; and all things have their dependence upon him. The Devils in hell, and wicked men, he can quell them all, and subtract their being, and turn them to their first nothing from whence they came.

You see if we resolve all to Jehovah, I am, to the eternity of God; and then to his nature, clothed with power, and wisdom, and mercy: and then to his relation of a Father, and then how he condescends to convey himself sweetly by way of Covenant, and Testament. I beseech you, is not here a foundation for faith to build upon in the Word of God, when God hath thus opened himself to us? You see what this standing is. And how by faith we stand, and what faith stands on, and may well stand on. To come to some Observations then.

First of all, Observe hence, That

That bottom that a man must lay his soul upon, must be out of himself, it must be Divine, it must be God. For the soul rests not till it come to God; and if the Word were not God's Word, it would not rest on that. God must open himself by his Word. It must be Divine revelation that the soul must stand upon, and at last resolve to pitch, and build, and rest there. It must not be human authority therefore, not the authority of any creature that the soul must stand on: because that that the soul stands on, must stand itself. Now nothing hath a firm consistence, but that which is Divine: Which I prove thus, There is no creature, but though it be true and good, yet it is changeably true, and may be otherwise then it is, and yet be a creature still, and a good creature. There is no man but he is changeable, and is changeable as a creature, and as a creature severed from the consideration of sin he is changeable. The very Angels are changeable as they are creatures: all things created are mutable; it is the Observation of Damascene.

Now that that is the foundation of faith must not only be true, but infallibly, and unchangeably true: there must be no danger of error in that that faith lays itself upon. It is an old rule, Falsehood cannot be under faith, because faith must lie upon truth, infallible and immutable truth; and who is so but God? and what revealed truth is so, but Divine truth? Therefore faith only relieth upon the first good, and the first truth, upon God and his truth.

Therefore we may see what to judge of that controversy between us and our adversaries that would have our faith to be resolved into the authority of the Church, and not of the Scriptures, and by consequent not to the authority of God himself.

The question is, Who hath the best standing, the Papists, or we? We say we stand by faith, therefore we stand better then they. They say they stand by faith too, but how? Their faith is resolved into the authority of the Church at length, and there they rest. But I say, even by the confession of themselves, or of any reasonable man, the Word of God is more Divine then the authority of the Church can be. For the authority of the Church is therefore infallible and true, because the Word of God saith so, That he will be with the Church, &c. and save his Church. The ground is determined upon the Word.

Now the Word to which they have recourse, to prove that they cannot err, that must be trusted before them; if they have credit from the Word, the Word must be believed before them, before men: for there is no man if God speak by him, but he speaks by him so far as he understands the Scripture, and builds upon the Scriptures first. Therefore we must first found ourselves upon the Scriptures, and upon men as far as they agree to the Scriptures.

If the Scriptures were not the Word of God indeed, they could not be the foundation of faith, we could not stand upon them; but they are the Word of God indeed, for men wrote as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost. Now that that comes from men it is not infallibly the Word of God; but if they speak anything that is good, it is so far as it is agreeable to the first truth, the Word of God.

Indeed, the resolution of their faith is very rotten, and unsound, and bewrays what their Church is: for they come at length in the grand Point of all, to mere traditions. What is the present Church? The Pope is the Church virtually. How do they know that he cannot err? he is Peters Successor. How do they know he is so, the Scripture saith not so? it is Tradition: so that the foundation of their Religion is mere tradition, a thing from hand to hand; that is questionable and uncertain, that is the foundation of all their Religion; what a resolution of faith is this?

We stand upon this against the gates of hell, and against all temptations and trials whatsoever: we believe, and fasten our souls upon this truth, why? It is the Word of God. How do we know it is the Word of God? Indeed the Church first of all hath an inducing, leading power, persuading to read, & to hear the Word of God, and to unfold the Word by the Ministry; and that is all that the Church doth: but when we hear this, there is a Divine intrinsical majesty in the Word itself, by which I know the Word to be the Word. How do I know light to be light? from itself, it gives evidence from itself: so Divine light in the Scriptures gives light of itself to all those for whom the Scripture was penned. For whom was the Scripture penned? For God's people. To all that have gracious hearts, the Word carries its own evidence with it: as light carries its own evidence, it discovers itself and all things else; so doth the Scriptures, You have a sure Word of the Prophets.

Our Savior Christ himself founds what he teacheth upon the Word. Shall not we therefore ground our faith upon the Word, when he that was the Head of the Church brings all to the Word in his teaching? Therefore we have a better resolution for our faith then they have.

For indeed to say the truth, as we may say of their kind of prayers, when they may to Saints, &c. They worship they know not what. So we may say of their faith, they believe they know not what, they believe in a 〈◊〉 man: for the present Pope is all their Church, which is an ignorant man (many times) in the Scriptures, perhaps he never read them: and he must determine controversies, and get into the Chair, and judge that that shall judge him ere long; he must judge the Scripture that must be his Judge, and the Judge of all mankind. I list not to be large in this point, a 〈◊〉 discovery is enough.

I hasten to something more practical. We see then that faith hath an establishing power, to stand by faith. Then hence we may see these truths which I will but touch.

First, that faith is certain, it is a certain thing, and makes the soul certain; it is not a weak apprehension.

Again, in that it is said here, By faith ye stand, we see here the perseverance of faith.

But you will say, That faith whereby we stand is changeable, and therefore we may fall. No, S. Peter makes a Comment upon this place: We are kept by faith to salvation: and receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. We are kept through faith to salvation. So God by his power keeps that faith that keeps us. There is a divine power that keeps faith, that faith may keep us: so we stand by faith; and that faith stands to salvation, because it hath a firm bottom to stand on, and because it is kept by God himself, We are kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. Mark how it runs along to salvation. Salvation is not only certain in itself, but that faith that lays hold on salvation, is sure. By faith we stand: not only for the present, but we continue by faith, and stand even to the death.

Again; in the third place, which follows from the other: faith is a certain thing in itself, and we are assured of our continuance; we are assured that we shall be saved: he that believeth may be assured that he shall be saved. First faith is a certain thing in itself, laying hold upon a strong foundation, the Word of God. And it is sure to continue, it builds upon the rock. Therefore a man may believe, and he may know that he shall be saved: he may know that he shall continue in a sure faith. There is a latitude, a breadth in faith; and sometimes there is doubting, and sometimes faith, but yet there is always faith, more or less. There is a little and a great faith, but there is always faith: By faith we stand. These things need not further enlargement. I only show how they spring from this Text.

In a word, hence we learn, That it is by faith that we stand, and withstand all opposition whatsoever; for faith is our victory: This is your victory, even your faith, 1 Joh. 5. 4. By faith we overcome the world, by it we stand, and stand against all opposition whatsoever.

To make it a little clear.

The reason is, partly because faith doth present to the soul greater good then the world can, therefore nothing on the right hand can shake the soul of a believing Christian. Shall pleasures, and profits, and the honors of the world draw a Christian from his faith, when faith presents better honors, better pleasures at the right hand of God, pleasures for evermore? No, they cannot: for there is nothing in the world, but there is better in Religion, incomparably better. There is no comparison of the pleasures of Religion, and of the world; between the honor of being a child of God, and the honors that the world can give. Therefore there is nothing on the right hand in the world that can overcome the faith of a Christian, but he can stand against all, though it be a Kingdom: Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; why? Faith presented him greater honors in the Church of God: he accounted the very reproach, the worst thing in the Church, better then the best thing in the world, the reproach of Christ better then the treasures of Egypt.

Let discouragements be offered to Faith by Satan, and the world; let them come with all the terrors and threatenings they can, faith is victorious, and triumphant against them all, it stands against them all: because it sets before the soul greater good, then the ill that the world can inflict; and sets before the soul greater ills if it apostatize, then the world can inflict. Saith the world, If you do not thus and thus, you shall be cast into prison, or perhaps you shall lose your life. O but saith the soul, If I yield to the temptations of Satan, and my own vile corruptions I shall be cast into hell, is not that worse? There can nothing be presented to the soul that is terrible, but faith will present to it things more terrible: therefore if there be faith in the soul, it will stand against all those terrors whatsoever. Fear not them that can kill the body, when they have done their worst; if you will needs fear, I will tell you whom you shall f •… ar, Fear him that can cast both body and soul into hell.

So, if we be forced to suffer the loss of anything that is good in the world, or be cast into any ill condition, what saith S. Paul? The troubles and afflictions of the world, are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed. Let us set that glory before us, and that will prevail against that all the world can threaten, or take from us; what is all to it? nothing. Therefore by faith we stand, we keep our own standing, and withstand all oppositions whatsoever.

Oh, but what if there come more subtle temptations; end the Lord himself seems to be our enemy, that we have sin, and God is angry, and we see he follows us with afflictions that are evidences of his anger; how shall we stand now, and keep ourselves from despair?

This is a fiery dart of Satan, when a man hath sinned, and conscience is awakened, to make him sink in despair. O but faith will make the soul to stand in these great temptations against those fiery darts: faith puts a shield into the hand of the soul, to beat back all those fiery darts. For faith will present Christ to God. Indeed I have been a sinner, but thou hast ordained a Savior, and he is of thine own appointing, of thine own a •… ting, a Savior of thine own giving, and thou hast made a promise, that Whosoever believeth in him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life; I cast myself upon thy mercy in him: hereupon faith comes to withstand all such fiery temptations whatsoever, nay, against God himself, Lord, thou canst not deny thine own Savior, thou •… mest to be an enemy, and though I be a sinner, and have deserved to be cast into hell, yet I come to thee in the Name of thy Son, that is at thy right hand, and pleads for me by virtue of his blood shed for me; I came in his Name, thou canst not refuse thy own Son. For all temptations when a man hath faith in him, it will send Satan to Christ to answer for him. Go to Christ, he is my husband, he hath paid my debts, he hath satisfied for my sins. So that whatsoever the temptation be, make it as subtle as you will, there is a skill in faith to stand against it, and to beat back all the fiery darts of Satan.

Therefore, to end all, we see here what an excellent estate a Christian is in above all others, that he hath a better standing then others have; not only a better standing in Religion then the Papists have, but in the profession of Religion, he hath a better standing then common professors; why? he stands by faith, by sound faith. He stands not upon opinion, or because he hath been bred so: he stands not upon his wit, because he sees reason for it; he stands upon faith, and faith stands upon divine authority, he stands partly upon his own experience that seconds faith.

Those then that care not for Religion, what standing have they? those that stand only in pleasures and profits, and in the favor of great men, what standing have they? They stand, as the Psalmist saith, in slippery places. There is no man, but if he nave not faith he stands slippery, though he be never so great; if he be a Monarch, alas, what is it to stand a while? all these things are but uncertain, though they yield present content, they are but uncertain contentments; the Wiseman saith, they are but vanity: they are like the reed of Egypt, that will not uphold; they will not sustain the soul in the time of trouble: there is nothing that a man can stand upon, and fasten his soul upon, if he be not Religious, that will hold scarce the fit of an ague, that will hold in the pangs of death, even in the entrance of it, that will hold in terrors of conscience.

How little a trouble will blow away all those that stand on so weak a foundation as an earthly thing is? For they have but an Imaginary good to speak of, and that Imagination is driven out by the sense of the contrary. Let contrary troubles come, and all their fools Paradise, and their happiness they had before, is at an end; it goes no deeper then Imagination.

All the things in this world stablish not the heart: Those that do not stand by faith in the favor of God in Christ, let their standing be what it will, it will soon be over turned by any temptation; they can stand out against nothing.

Therefore let us labor above all things in the world, to have that faith strengthened by which we stand: and let us often be encouraged to strengthen our faith by all means, that we may stand the better upon it; and try our faith before we trust it: it is that that we must trust to, and stand to in life and death.

Therefore let us often think, Is my faith good? is it well built? Let us oft put this query to our souls, I believe the Religion I profess, but upon what grounds? I believe the truths in the Word of God, but upon what grounds? have I a clear understanding of them, because they are divine? doth the Spirit of God open them, and show a light in the Scripture that is divine? doth the Spirit of God give me a relish of the Scriptures above all the pleasures in the world? Do I find God speaking to my heart in the Word? do I find the Spirit of God with his Ordinance? then my knowledge and my faith will hold out, I can stand by that faith in the Word that is wrought by the Spirit, and fastened upon the Word with the Spirit. But if I believe the Religion I profess, only because the State doth so: and if the King and State should do otherwise, I would change my Religion: or if it be because my parents were so, or my friends, and Patron is of that religion, whom I depend upon: or because I see greater seeming reason for this then for the other. I can hold argument for this, and not for the other; Alas, this will not hold. But labor to know the truth of the Word of God by experience as much as we can; and by the Spirit of God giving evidence to our souls from the inward grounds of Scripture, that it is the Word: I know whom I have trusted, I know the promises are good, I have felt them in my soul: the Spirit hath reported them to my soul; they are sweeter then all the things in the world. It is a sure Word, I bottom upon it, I have found the comfort of it before, therefore I will build upon it.

We can never stand, unless we can make our knowledge spiritnal; it is but acquisite knowledge else.

We fall in three things vilely, we labor that our knowledge of Religion be spiritual, and fetched divinely out of the Word of God together with the Spirit.

We fall into sin from this very ground: for why do men fall into sin? because at that time they stand not upon the Word of God, revealed by conscience to be the Word of God. Ask them why they sweat? if they did believe the truth, the Word saith, I will not hold them guil •… less that take my Name in vain. But I am not convinced by the Spirit assuring my soul that it is the Word of God; if men did believe it, would men bring a curse upon themselves?

And so whoremongers; the Word of God saith, Whoremongers, and adulterers God will judge; would men if they did believe this truth, live in these sins? But they have only an opinion of these things, I hear that these things are divine, perhaps they are not so, and the knowledge that we have is not divine; faith is not mingled with the Spirit.

Then again, from sin, we fall into despair for sin at last, why? because our knowledge of divine truths is not spiritual, nor from inward grounds of Scripture felt by experience, the Spirit sealing the Scripture to my heart by some spiritual experience; and thereupon men fall into despair for sin at length. For Satan plies them with temptations from their own guilty conscience; the grounds of their fears are present, and the grounds of their terrors are present to their souls: for they are there, as it were, sealed, and branded in their very souls; but their comforts are overly, the promises are overly, the Word is not rooted in their hearts by faith, it is not sealed there by the Spirit of God, the sanctifying Spirit never brought the Word, and their souls together. Hereupon they fall into desperation, when their terrors are present, and their comforts are overly.

If a man have never so sound a foundation, if he stand not, but float upon it, he may fall, and sink: if a man be never so weak, if he lie on a rock, the strength of the rock is his: so in our temptations if we have a strong foundation, if we do not rest on it, the foundation will not uphold us. Now how can those rest on it that stagger in it? that were never convinced by the Spirit that these things are so? and that have had no spiritual experience? Satan draws thousands of souls to perdition, because their terrors are present, and their comforts are overly; they are not built upon divine truth by the Spirit of God.

Again, for Apostasy, in the times of the alteration of Religion: why do men alter as the State alters? they are ready to have every Moneth a new faith, if the times, and Goverment alter, why? because they were never convinced by the Spirit of God of divine truths. They had it from foreign arguments: The former State of things countenanced this way, now another State countenanceth another opinion, therefore I will be of the safest. This is because the soul was never convinced of the truth.

Therefore I beseech you, labor to have arguments from the experience of the power of the Word in your souls, and arguments from the Spirit of God to your spirits that it is the Word of God. I will stand to divine truth, I find such a majesty, such a humbling, pacifying, satisfying power in it to all my perplexities and doubts, that it cannot but be the Word of God, it stays my soul in all oppositions, in all temptations, and corruptions: it gives a stay and foundation to my soul, that no truth in the world else can do. When the soul is brought to such a frame; such a soul will not fall into gross sins while it is in such a frame; much less will it despair for sin: and if there be altering of Religion a thousand times, it stands as a rock unmovable; because it knows from inward grounds, from the Word of God itself sealed by the Spirit to my spirit, that it is the Word of God: such a soul will hold out, and only such a soul.

We should labor therefore by all means to have our faith strengthened; and amongst other means, by the use of the Sacrament whereby God sweetly conveys himself to us, by way of a banquet strengthening our faith in Christ; he presents Christ to us as the food of our souls to refresh us, even as the bread and wine doth. Our blessed Savior is wiser then we, he knows what we stand in need of, that we have need to strengthen our faith. For we have need to strengthen that that must be our strength, which is faith. And what is the Ordinance of God to strengthen faith, is it not the Sacrament? The proper use of the Sacrament is to strengthen faith: which the Sacrament doth, being a visible Sermon to us: for here we see in the outward things Christ's body broken, and his blood shed, it is a lively representation, a visible crucifying of Christ, a breaking of his body, and pouring out of his blood. And withal here is an offer of Christ to us in the elements, sealing of what it represents to our souls, if we come prepared.

God feeds us not with empty signs, but together with the outward things themselves, he gives the spiritual to the soul that is a worthy Receiver.

Therefore come with a humble stooping to God's wisdom in appointing these Ordinances to this end, to strengthen faith. And come with a desire to have faith strengthened, that will uphold us against all temptations to sin, or to despair for sin.

Oh beloved, if we knew what good our faith must do us ere long, we would labor to have it strengthened by all means. What will become of us in the hour of death, and in great temptations? we shall be as chaff driven with the wind, if we have no consistence, and stability in divine truth, if our souls be not built on that, if we have not faith whereby our souls may be rooted in Christ, we shall be but a prey for Satan. Therefore considering that faith is of such wondrous consequence, it is the root of all other graces whatsoever; as the Apostle saith here, By faith ye stand. He doth not say, By patience, or by hope, or the like, they are drawn from faith. Strengthen that, and strengthen all other that are infused from it.

As a tree, we cast not water on the branches, but on the root; all the branches are cherished by the root: so strengthen faith, we strengthen love, and hope, and all, if we strengthen faith, and assurance of God's love in Christ. Thus I have at length gone over this fruitful portion of Scripture.