The Worlds Resurrection, Section 33
The riches of the world, the riches of the Gentiles.
Doctr.Here by riches is meant the sauing knowledge of the Gospell, the grace of Gods spirit, remission of sinnes, and the assured promise and expectation of eternall life, whence I gather and propound this doctrine. That the grace and knowledge of God, is the onelyonly true and lasting riches, and that alone that maketh the owners and possessors blessed. Hence the godly poore, are sayde to be rich in faith, Iam. 2.5.to be riche in GOD, Luke. 12.21.
This is the true riches, and properly the…r o…ne, for they shall neuer bee taken away from them, Luk. 16.11, 12and they that are possessed of them shall neuer hunger nor thirst. Io. 4.
This is the treasure hidde in the field of the Church, which when a man hath found, bee hideth, preserueth it, Math. 13.44.and for ioy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field.
This is that pretious pearle which a marchant finding selleth all that he h…th and buyeth.V. 46.
And as a man, (albeit otherwise, as poore and miserable as Lazarus,) being possessed with no worldly goods and hereditaments,A similitude. yet if hee hauehave of his owne a goodly pretious and costly Iewell he cannot bee but rich: euen so he that is enriched, with the pretious Iewell of the grace and knowledge of God, albeit hee otherwise hauehave nothing, yet before God hee is verie rich. That Gods Sonnes are rich (albeit they are in the account and estimate of the world and in worldly respects they are many times poore and bare,) the Scriptures in other places afford plentifull Testimonies. 1. Cor. 3.21. Ephesi. 2.17. 1. Tim. 6.19.
1 Vse. Wherefore let vsus not dote vponupon earthly and perishable things, which can neuer make the possessors happy and blessed before God: but let the word of God dwell richly and plentifully in vsus, let vsus seeke to compasse the knowledge of it with all care and indeauour; for of all other things it is most pretious, and it alone being tempered and receiued by faith, doth solace and satisfie the heart, and yeeldes true and perfect contentment vntounto it.
2 Vse. We must so labour and so order the matter that Christ be our treasure and our rich pearle and where our treasure is, Math. 6.21.there must our heart bee also: otherwise if wee make neuer so goodly and great purchases in the world, and bee neuer so stored and furnished with worldly wealth, and want this spirituall treasure, this spirituall gould, siluer, Iewels &c. we are in the eyes of God, and so shalbe one day declared before the eyes of all men, to bee most beggarly and banckrupt, naked and ignoble. Luk. 12.21. Apoc. 3.17.
V. 13 For in that I speake to you Gentiles, in as much as I am an Apostle of the Gentiles I magnifie (or adorne) mine office.
V. 14. (To trie) if by any m…anes, I might prouoke them that are of my flesh to follow them, and might saue some of them.
Paraphrase.I speake to you Gentiles, viz. which are called from among the Gentiles: in as much as I am an Apostle of the Gentiles. i. I hauehave beene called of Christ, principally that I should bee the Doctor of the Gentiles, that I might carrie his name before them. Act. 9.15. Gal. 2. ver. 7. and 8. I magnifie mine office. i. I ommit nothing that may appertaine to set it forth and make it famous and illustrious, for this is glorious to my ministery. 1 Cor. 15.10. 1. Thess. 2. vers.
If by any meanes I might prouoke. i. by preaching and my example stirre vp, them that are of my flesh▪ i. those that are sprung of the same Ancestors and so entirely beloued, to follow them. i. to beleeue in Christ and embrace the gospell, and might saue some of them. i. bring to the obedience of faith and, by consequence, to saluation.
Q. It is proper to God alone to conuert men to God, how then can the ministers be said to conuert & saue? he alone giueth faith. Eph. 2.20 he alone giueth repentance. 2. Tim. 2.25. and hee alone softneth and mollifieth the heart. Ezek. 32?
An. God conuerteth and saueth as the proper effitient cause and author of it, working inwardly and making the ministers doctrine effectuall, but the ministers and preachers do it as outward meanes and instruments, propounding, offring and applying Gods promises vntounto their hearts, whose ministery is onelyonly so farre-forth sauing and conuerting, as it pleaseth God to prosper & blesse it. Act. 8. v. 31.37.38. Act. 10.43. 2. Cor. 5▪ v. 18. Act. 16. v. 14.
V. I magnifie my Ministery▪ that I might prouoke them, and might saue some of them.
Wee, here from Pauls practice and paines in the adornation of this ministery, learne, wherein the dignitie, ornament and true honor of the ministery doth consist, not so much in titles, pompe, prebends, multiplication of benefices, glorious apparrell, eminencie and superiority of place; (albeit there is and needes must bee an inequality and difference of order and degrees, in the ministers for composing of controuersies and auoyding of confusion) as in diligence of teaching, in aduancing true religion, doctrine and life, and in winning many to Christ. 2. King. 2.12. Act. 20. ver. 28.
The reasons hereof are these. First God hath ordained them and their calling to this end Act. 26. and if they execute it not their sinne is greeuous and their iudgment most fearefull. Secondly hereby Gods name is magnified amongst men; and the sweet oyntment and smell▪ of his gospell is dispersed farre and wide. Thirdly they confirme their ministery and comfort their soules here, and gaine addition of glory in the life to come. 2. Cor. 2.16. Apoc. 11. Dan. 12.3.
Vse. The vse hereof is first to taxe and condemne the couetous, idle, worldly, vitious, vnteaching, dumbe, absent, and negligent ministers, who because either they do not Gods worke at all (especially in preaching, or els▪ execute their functions very negligently, are subiect and lie open to Gods curse, and are to answere for the damnation of so many soules as perish through their default, Hier. 48.10. Ezek. 33. vers. 6. and 8. Acts 20▪26.27.
2 Vse. Secondly ministers neglecting all other by-matters that nothing concerne them, and the hunting and hauking after worldly goods and glory must striue with all diligence to performe their duties, and to make this their onelyonly scope and marke to spread Christ his gospell farre and neere, and so to conuert and saue soules. 2. Tim. 4. ver. 2. and 3. Act. 26. ver. 18.
V. Which are my flesh, and chap. 9. ver. 3. my brethren, my kinsmen.
Doctr.Out of these words the instruction naturally ariseth, viz. the spirit of Christ doth not make men stockes and blockes, or bereaue them of naturall affection, (for these are of God, they are in themselues good, and without the helpe and ministery whereof, we can neither truly serue God; nor performe the duties of righteousnesse and louelove to men) but it rather causeth and confirmeth them.
This sympathy and indulgent affection appeared most notably in Christ Iesus in weeping ouer the Cittie Ierusalem, and bewayling the aproching ruine of it, it manifestly also discouered it selfe towards Mary his Mother, whom hee so much respected and had such a prouident care of,Act. 9. v. 21.22.23. and here it (as in other places) appeared most eminently in Paul, who with the often hazard of his owne life, labored the Iewes conuersion.
Vse. Let vsus hauehave a due regard to procure good, spiritual and corporall to our country and kinsfolkes, for this both nature and religion requireth and commendeth; If nature bind vsus to prouide for and doe good to our parents, children and kinsfolke, much more must grace and religion bind and vrge vsus to care for their spiritual good and comfort.