Eleven Choice Sermons, Part 1 · Sermon 1
2. CORINTH. 5. 20.
Now then we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you in Christs ſtead, be ye reconciled to God.
I Purpoſed to have entred into theſe words abruptly; but the firſt words which ſtand as it were in the porch, being particles of ſpeciall inference from the former, and therefore of neceſſary reference to them, tell me that I muſt borrow light at the next doore, that I may walke inoffenſively. To give a touch then of the coherence. You may take notice of it, either as they depend upon the next verſes immediately going before, or as they ſtand in the whole building, and are as it were woven into the whole frame of the Apoſtles diſcourſe. The connexion with the precedent verſes is very eaſie and perſpicuous: you may areed the meaning, if you will but read the words, And all things are of God, &c. theſe are the words out of which you may eaſily draw, and (with a little turning of the wheele of your underſtanding) as it were ſpin the words that I have read, thus: We have a commiſsion to preach the word of reconciliation, that is the good will of God, for reconciling man to himſelfe by the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt: We have ſuch a commiſsion from God: Ergo, we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt. But there is ſomething more difficulty to obſerve how theſe make to the generall end and ſcope of the Apoſtle: give me leave to go back a little, and take the advantage of a run, that I may the better open the meaning of theſe words. The faithfull Apoſtle (as it is the condition of all that will be faithfull) met with many rubs and much oppoſition at Corinth, eſpecially from the Colledge of proud Phariſees and learned Rabbins among them: among other things, his afflictions were laid in his diſh, and that ſcandall of the meaneneſſe of his perſon, was interpreted as a reall prejudice againſt the truth of his profeſſion. You will ſay, a brutiſh collection, and againſt a common rule of humanity; and yet, to ſay truth, it is the common opinion of carnall men; they judge of Religion by theſe outward impertinencies, rather than appurtenances, they cannot fancy the truth, becauſe of the ragged garment that ſhe weares. As on the contrary, the tyrant boaſted that the Gods approved of his ſacriledge, becauſe he ſailed home with a faire gale of wind: Foelix ſcelus virtus vocatur, Miſchief happy in the ſucceſſe is called vertue: and with the Papiſts, the oſtentation of the proſperity of their eſtate, is the beſt demonſtration of the ſincerity of their religion: belike they have clipt the wings of proſperity (as the Athenians did the wings of victory) that ſhe cannot flie away from their Church: ſo in this, Iobs friends reaſon thus, ſurely thou art an hypocrite, or elſe thou hadſt never come to this: And the Barbarians in the Acts conclude thus in their countrey barbarous Mood and Figure, when they ſaw a viper upon Pauls hand,Acts 28. 4. ſurely that man is a malefactor, juſtice purſues him, and that vermin, as an officer of juſtice, hath arreſted him. So do they of Corinth, according to their barbarous divinity, ſeeing Pauls miſery, as they conceived it, call his miniſtery into queſtion: But the Apostle wipes away both theſe imputations, the one caſt upon his perſon, the other on his calling, with one anſwer, and ſtops two gaps with one buſh, looke 4. Chap. 7. Verſ. But we have this treaſure in earthen veſſels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. As if he ſhould have ſaid, our profeſſion is honourable, though our perſon be contemptible; our Miniſtery is a treaſure, though we Miniſters be but earthen veſſels; and theſe very earthen veſſells, though they have but a baſe matter, yet they have a bleſſed end: for they proclaim to all the world, that the excellency of the power is of God, and not of us. Is it thus, might ſome man ſay, and is there nothing then that comes to your ſhare? have you nothing but your labour for your paines? is there nothing to be gotten by the Goſpell but blowes and perſecution? Why then you may take all the gaines, and put them in your eye (as we uſe to ſpeake) and ſee never a whit the worſe, and then weep them out againe. But I wonder what makes you ſo faithfull in ſuch a fruitleſſe thing? why are you ſo hot for that which yeelds ſuch cold recompence? The Apoſtle, beſides the excellency of his function, alledges three reaſons why afflictions did not daunt him, and daſh him out of countenance, but he held on his courſe and diligence in publiſhing the Goſpell: I will but point them out and paſſe them over.
1. From the hope of a bleſſed reward in heaven, from the 13. Verſe of the 4. Chapter to the 10. of this 5.
2. From the feare of juſt puniſhment, and a curſe, if he ſhould have done the worke of the Lord negligently, in the 10. and 11. Verſe of this Chapter, For we muſt all appeare, &c. and though here were weight enough to ſet the moſt ruſty wheeles a going: yet becauſe theſe two may work in baſe minds, and are in themſelves but ſiniſter ends, which many that ſeem to goe ſtreight, may looke a ſquint upon: feare in the foreward, and reward and hope in the rereward marſhall all his forces, and love in the maine battell, or rather, tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte, animates every one to valour and victory; puniſhment is ſervile, and hope of reward mercenary. He addes a third motive, which is the peculiar character of a Chriſtian mind, and that is love, in the 14 verſ. of this Chap. For the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, this is that which winds up his affections to that intention of zeal and fervencie. And I pray mark the words. Reward hath an attractive, and puniſhment an impulſive, but love hath a compulſive facultie. Reward drawes him, puniſhment drives him, but love hales him forward, to the diſcharge of his duty: Hope like a tender Mother entices him with a reward, feare like a ſevere Maſter incites him with puniſhment, but love like a Soveraigne Lord commands him. Hope hales before him, and feare blowes behind him, and both on each ſide row him, but love within him like the very ſoule of obedience teaches him a naturall motion. Behold againe a ſtrange agreement, force and freedome, violent and voluntary, neceſſity and liberty met together, and married; and which is more, the moſt pure liberty with the moſt powerfull neceſſity, For the love of Chriſt conſtraineth us, the ſweeteſt natured affection. Love is growne a tyrant and will needs force and raviſh the virgin, freedome of will; which hitherto hath been inviolate. Love conſtrains not by forcible but by loving neceſsitie, as Plato ſpeakes.foreign. You ſee three goodly threads, which twiſted all together have ſtrength enough to draw the moſt ſleepy ſluggard out of his bed of ſloath, but you doe not ſee how they are faſtened to Paul, you ſee three mighty engines, which are able to moove him that were immovable, but you do not ſee in what point they touch our Apoſtle, and yet that is the principall point: for if theſe generalities were ſufficient, why doth not every Vzzah lay hands upon the Arke of God without any checke of juſtice? why doth not every man that is not a ſtocke or a Stoick, that hath any hope or feare or love, become a Preacher, a publiſher of the Goſpell? Yes I will tell you, Paul was an Apoſtle, he had a calling which authorized him, to doe what he did, and therefore all theſe wrought upon him, and encouraged him to doe it diligently. This is the handle on which they all lay hold; Now we being Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, hope invites us, and feare commands us, and love conſtraines us to ſtrive for our victory, to ſee for our ſafety, to condeſcend to your infirmity in the faithfull execution of our miniſtery, and therefore in all earneſt, obedient, and humble manner, we pray you be ye reconciled to God. I have made bold to crop theſe few tops of flowers out of this Divine Garden which lies before my text, where I muſt dwell ſomething longer, and I meane to ſcruze the juyce of them into my following diſcourſe. And therefore if you find that it ſhall taſte of this coherence, you ſee the ingreedients, you need not ſuſpect the operation. The ſumme of the words is the ſumme of the Word of God, they are a little Bible, an Enchiridion of the whole volume, all the letters are compendiouſly abbreviated in theſe few characters, all the particular words caſt up into this totall ſumme, all the ſilver ſayings reduced into this golden ſentence, that it may be more portable. We pray you be ye reconciled to God, for here is the knowledge of God; we pray you be ye reconciled to God, here is the knowledge of man; we pray you be ye reconciled to God, here is the knowledge of him that is both God and man; we pray you in Chriſts ſtead, be ye reconciled to God, here is the knowledge of them that are ſent from God to man, to bring man to God.
We pray you in Christs ſtead be ye reconciled to God. I ſhall not be curious in laying out the parts, a popular argument will be content with a popular diſtribution, I will but let the words fall into your eares and they will breake themſelves into two parts. Now therefore we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeech you by us, we pray you be ye reconciled to God. You ſee the words of their owne accord fall into two parts. 1. Yee have the Ambaſſadors, 2. The Embaſſage: The Ambaſſadors in the firſt words, We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, The Embaſſage in the reſt; and then the laſt words of the firſt part [for Christ] are as it were the corner ſtone, in which the two buildings are coupled; the middle ring, in which the two extreames are joyned; the communis terminus, in which the two parts are continued; the joynts upon which they turne themſelves, and claſp one with another: and perhaps I may expreſſe the ſame thing in better termes, if I call the firſt the charge, the ſecond the diſcharge; the firſt, the inſtitution of an Office; the ſecond, the execution of it: In the firſt, we have one Propoſition conſiſting of a ſimple antecedent, and a triple conſequent; the antecedent We, we are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt: the primary conſequent is Ambaſſadors; We are Ambaſſadors, which is attended with a double illuſtration, and ſo altogether make a treble attribution, as I told you: Firſt from the Object about which they are employed, for Chriſt; We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt: The ſecond from the Author, by whom they are imployed, from God; We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt from God: indeed this is implyed in the text, but muſt be ſupplyed out of the context, as you may ſee eaſily, and ſhall ſee ſhortly. This is the firſt part, and the ſecond is like unto it, as our Saviour ſaid of the Commandements: for there we have one propoſition likewiſe, which hath a ſenſible proportion with the former, but yet accompanied with ſome remarkable alterations: for, 1. It conſiſts of a triple antecedent, and a ſimple conſequent cleane contrary to it. 2. That which was the conſequent before hath ſhifted his place, and is now become the antecedent, the whole being enriched with a new conſequent, which was not in the former. 3. The three parts of the conſequent have had a remove, that which was laſt, is commended and preferred to be firſt; and which was firſt, is degraded and rejected to be laſt; only the middle, as the center, is unmooved. And now thus it is; We are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt from God, ther's the antecedent, peeced out with the three parts of the former conſequent: pray you be ye reconciled to God, ther's the conſequent, but the order of the parts are inverted: for they ſhould run as I propounded them, but they are propounded ſo, that they run cleane backward in a*foreign. retrograde motion, as the Artiſts ſpeake: We as Ambaſſadors for Chriſt from God, comming from God, as though God did beſeech you by us, comming for Chriſt, in Chriſts ſtead, or in Chriſts name: comming as Ambaſſadors or Orators, do play the Orators, we pray you be ye reconciled to God. The laſt point of the firſt, is the firſt of the laſt; and the laſt of the laſt, is the firſt of the firſt, and ſo they cloſe together much like the figure which the Rhetoricians called*foreign. a circular figure, and more like the yeare, of which the Poet, At que in ſe ſua per veſtigia vertitur annus.
So that ye have in theſe words two propoſitions, like two Semicircles, and we is the Center upon which they both move; like two Hemiſphears, and we is the Horizon, which divides the ſuperiour from the inferiour; both which together make one ſolid Globe, and we is the Diameter, that cuts it into equall portions, a Semicircle of being, and a Semicircle of operation; an Hemiſphear of office, and an Hemiſphear of action: The firſt, We are Ambaſſadors for God, The ſecond, We as Ambaſsadors pray you to be reconciled to God. The contriving of theſe rooms was ſo perplexed, that I am afraid my ſpeech hath not given window enough to let in light enough to cleare the paſſages: I am ſure I am glad that I have wound my ſelfe out of this intricate Labyrinth, though I were to breake the clue that guided me, and the thread of my diſcourſe preſently.
But now we have cut out the ſtuffe, we muſt goe about to make up the garment. To begin with the firſt. As the Stars in the Firmament have a double vertue, of illumination and influence, whereby they communicate themſelves to the inferiour bodies: So hath every text in holy writ, an illumination of truth upon the underſtanding, and an influence of grace and goodneſſe upon the will; and therefore I will endeavour to ſhew your apprehenſions the light of truth in the explication of the words, ſo that they may ſhed their influence of grace upon your affections in their application. The firſt word that offers it ſelfe to our confideration, is the ſubject we: which though it be ſo concrete with that which followes in the originall that it hath loſt it ſelfe, for there all that ſentence is wrapped up in one word foreign; as the leſſer Starres when they have approached in too near a degree of propinquity to the Sunne, as it were conſcious of their own preſumption, they dare not be ſeene, or elſe they forfeit their light to the Sunne their ſoveraigne, and are eclipſed. Yet a good Logician, with his Prometheus fire, would ſever theſe heterogeneals, and reſolve them into their pure and primitive natures, and then would appeare a paire of arguments, beſides the yoke that holds them together, as our tranſlation renders it, We are Ambaſsadors. Well then, that firſt word (that we may take the juſt meaſure of the meaning of it) muſt be conſidered in three degrees of latitude. 1. It reſpects himſelfe. 2. All his fellow Apoſtles. 3. All his Fellow-labourers in the Lords harveſt. The body of it moves within himſelfe, as in his proper and particular Spheare, the beames are caſt abroad upon all the Apoſtles in a direct and perpendicular line, the beautie and luſtre diffuſeth it ſelfe yet further in an unpartiall liberality to every Miniſter of the Word; I, and they, and all, we are Ambaſſadors for Christ. 1. Himſelfe, I, who was an abortive birth, a ſtranger, a wolfe, a perſecutor, a traitor, an enemy to the grace of God, in my beſt principles of nature; I am become, by the rich mercy of God, a darling ſonne, a Subject, a Shepheard, a Preacher, a Favourite, an Ambaſſador of the grace of God in Ieſus Chriſt: I am an Ambaſſador. Thus the Apoſtle chewes as it were upon his office, as the wounded Hart upon the famous Dictamum, and all the poiſoned Arrowes of reproach and obloquy, drop off. Thus he ſhakes the Viper off his hand, which thoſe barbarous enemies thought to have beene deadly▪ but the reaſon why he ſpeakes in the plurall number, is becauſe of humility partly, and partly of wiſedome. It is the language of humility, when a man is urged to a neceſſary*foreign. ſelfe-praiſe, and forced by the importunity of others, to vindicate himſelf, yet to qualifie his ſpeech as much as may be. So doth the Apoſtle here excellently, it ſeemes good to him to diſtribute this honour to many, that he may not ſeeme to attribute too much to himſelfe, and this plurall number is a phraſe of ſingular humility, and thus the ſtile of Princes runnes (we will and our pleaſure) joyning their Counſell or the whole State with themſelves: For I rather take that frequent anomalie for an intimation of modeſty, then of majeſtie, though I am not ignorant how others apprehend it. Again here is a myſtery of wiſdome in this word. For as a Deere that is eagerly purſued will immerſe it ſelfe into the whole heard, that ſo ſhe may ſuſpend the violence of the chaſe, by the ambiguity of the choiſe in ſuch variety of game: So Paul being ſingled out by calumny, doth mingle himſelfe with the whole fellowſhip of Apoſtles. Or as one in danger of arreſting will take ſanctuary in ſome priviledged place: So Paul takes ſanctuary at the Colledge of Apoſtles. 2. This word beſides the particular appropriation which it hath to Paul himſelfe, muſt needs be interpreted, according to the true propriety of the number, and meaning; and ſo it extends it ſelfe. 1. To all the Apoſtles. 2. To all Miniſters of the Word, both of them are Ambaſſadors, for they agree in the ſubſtance of their commiſſion, though there be ſome difference in the circumſtance of the execution: the Apoſtolike office, indeed, carried a more lively reſemblance of an Ambaſſage, then the ordinary Miniſtery, in two regards. 1. They were authorized by Chriſt himſelfe, and ſo received their inſtructions immediately from his mouth, who is the King of the Church; and accordingly were furniſhed with all ſufficiencies, by the inſpiration of his Spirit; they beſtowed not much time and travaile to ſpeake forreine languages, (a thing neceſſary for Ambaſſadors) but as Eſaie's tongue was touched by a Seraphim with a cole from the Altar, ſo they had cloven and fiery tongues, beſtowed on them by the Spirit: beſide that, they had the gift of miracles, as it were the broad ſeale of Heaven, annexed to their letters of credit. But with our Miniſters it is not ſo, but they are brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and trained up in the Schooles of the Prophets, and purchaſe their abilities (as he in the Acts did his freedome) with a great ſumme of labour, and time, and coſt: and then the Church the Spouſe of Chriſt, ſince her Lords departure, as a Matron, weares the keyes of authority at her girdle, opens to them a doore of utterance and admits them to the ſervice of the Altar. As they had a more authenticall miſſion, ſo they had a motion more obſervable, which addes as it were life and ſpirit to the image, and picture of Ambaſſadors. They were diſpatched into all coaſts and corners of the world; but ours are faſtned to ſome one place, like pillars of reſidence; but notwithſtanding theſe petty differences, ſeeing they have the ſame ſphear of activity, in which they moove, to reconcile men to God, and the ſame Sun of authority, by which they moove, the power of the Church, being the power of Chriſt derived to her, (as we call them the Kings officers, who are created not immediately by his Majeſtie, but in vertue of his power and in ſubordination to his Royall prerogative) And laſtly, ſeeing the ſimilitude may be preſerved entire in both, though this variety be confeſſed: there being a difference in the type Ambaſſadors, much like that in the antitype of Miniſters; ſo that either may anſwer the patterne: And our ordinary Miniſters ſute with agents or leiger Ambaſſadors, as the Apoſtles came neerer to extraordinary. In all theſe reſpects they alſo being included, the whole extent of this word We hath three degrees: 1. Himſelfe, 2. All his fellow Apoſtles, 3. All his fellow-labourers in the Lords harveſt. I have made ſome haſte, but the time I feare hath over runne me much, and therefore for that which is behind of the explication, I will lay downe but the rude lineaments, and proportion, and leave the perfect colours and complexion to another time. The ſecond word (Ambaſſadors) is a ſpeech borrowed from Princes Courts, and applyed to Chriſt his Church, by a decent analogy. Ambaſſadors are meſſengers from one Prince or State to another, about ſuch affaires as concerne both. You may obſerve three moments of being, in this rude deſcription; and accordingly draw out three paralell lines, in which, the termes of compariſon do runne along one by another in a ſweet proportion. 1. They are both Meſſengers. 2. They are both from Princes. 3. They are both about matters of mutuall behoofe.
But, becauſe you know a ſimilitude is a tender thing, and muſt be gently handled, you muſt not ſqueize it too much, and ſtretch it too farre, leſt you breake the harmony and analogy, the Muſicke and Logicke of the parts; I ſhall pray you to carry along with you three maine diſcords in which they jarre, leaſt promiſing your ſelves an harmony, foreign, in every note and point; you be offended too much with every harſhneſſe and inequality. 1. Ambaſſadors are therefore ſent from Princes, becauſe them ſelves cannot be preſent every where: but the Lord of theſe Ambaſſadors, as he is in no predicament of time, becauſe he inhabiteth eternity; ſo he is in no vbi, but ubiquity. 2. Ambaſſadors are directed to Princes only, or free Eſtates, and that from ſome Peere, who can neither claime ſubjection of them, nor ſuperioritie over them to whom he ſends. But theſe are ſent to ſubjects, to vaſſalls, to rebels; from him, to whom all owe an oath of allegiance; to whoſe ſupremacy, the higheſt muſt ſubſcribe; to whoſe ſoveraigntie, all the ſonnes of the mighty are obnoxious in a politicall, naturall, eſſentiall order of dependance. 3. Ambaſſadors are ſet forth with ſome beſeeming port and pompe, that they may ſuſtaine the perſon of majeſtie, and ſupport the majeſtie of the perſon, whom they repreſent. But with theſe it is nothing ſo, the Chariots of their glory, are the ſhame of their Lords houſe, who, to ſpeak with reverence, is like ſome rich Gentleman in the Countrey, who in a bravery, ſcornes to bee brave. The third word of the Text remaines, [for Chriſt] which may beare a threefold conſtruction: wherein Christ may be conceived, either, as the author, or the end, the Alpha and Omega of this Ambaſſage, or thirdly, the object of theſe Ambaſſadors, the center, and circumference of their imployment. But I promiſed but a delineation of theſe things: only give me leave to cloſe up all, with one obſervation out of the words: I noted before that this ſentence [We are Ambaſſadors] is cloſer truſſed up in the Originall, into one word foreign, a word of a precious emphaſis, which is much abated, and very dilute, almoſt loſt in the tranſlation; for that word of action, ſignifying the office, may tell us ſo much in our eares, that thoſe officers muſt be men of action, they muſt be of a nimble and active conſtitution. The men of the earth may be of a more dull and ſad temper, they may fold their armes, they may ſtretch themſelves upon their beds of Ivory, and turne themſelves upon them, as the doore turnes upon the hinges: But theſe Meſſengers of Heaven, muſt be like Heaven in perpetuall motion: They may well fall to a motus trepidationis, if they but once forget their daily progreſſe. They that preach Chriſt the Sonne of righteouſneſſe, muſt be like the Sunne, who commeth forth of his chamber, like a bridegroome, and rejoyceth to runne his race, as a mighty man; and yet when they have done all, there will be many ſonnes of darkneſſe, that will live in a night of ſecurity, and ſleepe and ſnort in ſinne: there will be many cold profeſſors, that are frozen to their luſts, and will not be thawed by that Divine Lamp, and melted into the teares of true repentance. And therefore this tranſlation, We are Ambaſſadors, nimis lentum eſt: We ergo Ambaſſadors, hoc quoque eſt nimis lentum. Theſe Miniſters muſt fly, like the Cherubims that give attendance in the preſence of God, they muſt have ſixe winges for expedition, in the execution of his will: they have wings upon their feet, a ſtrange thing, wings upon their feet; no they cannot foot it faſt enough, but they muſt ſpeed their race with flight, remis velíſque, the booke they carry, is ſuch as the Prophet ſaw, a flying booke; and Christ himſelfe in their miniſtery, ſitteth betweene the Cherubims, and rideth upon the wings of the winde, and ſo communicates himſelfe to all Nations.