Three Sermons, Part 1

Three Sermons · Part 1

THREE SERMONS PREACHED AT SHERBORNE IN DORSETSHIRE.

By WILLIAM LYFORD B. D. Being his laſt SERMONS.

Upon theſe words;

2 Cor. 2.15, 16.

For, we are unto God a ſweet ſavour, &c.

ACADEMIA OXONIESIS

OXFORD. Printed by H. HALL Printer to the Univerſity, for EDVVARD FORREST. 1654.

p. 12. COR. 2.15, 16.

For we are unto God a ſweet ſavour, &c.

TWo parts of Chap. 1. Shewing the cauſes of his Indulgence towards that excommunicate perſon, giving order for his reception into Fellowſhip upon his repentance teſtified. 2. The ſucceſſe of his Miniſtry, v. 14. Now thanks be to God, &c. The praiſe and glory of the ſucceſſe of our Miniſtrie is to be aſcribed to God alone; he cauſeth us to triumph: q. d. notwithſtanding al the oppoſitiōs, we meet with all, yet God giveth us the conqueſt; where-ever we preach the Goſpel all Countries are brought into ſubjection to the obedience of the faith; he manifeſteth the ſavour q. d. the doctrine of the Goſpell is a ſweet perfume blowne about with the Breath of the Apoſtles preaching into all parts of the world, and doth ſweeten and ſeaſon them with ſaving knowledge. q. d. God never placeth the faithful miniſtry of the Goſpell in any place, but he uſeth to make it ſavorie and fruitfull unto ſome, in every place ſome were ſeaſoned with it. Ob. If ſo, why then doe ſo many in every place reject the Goſpell as an odious thing? You ſtinke in the noſtrills of ſome, and are counted as the filth of the world: Sol: True, unto ſome men we are ſo, but yet, unto God, in his eſteeme and account of us, we are a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt; the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt ſpread p. 2abroad by us is pleaſing to God, though not ſalvificall to all, q. d. we are a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, we are pleaſing, gratefull, and delightfull to God, becauſe, by us is ſent abroad the ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, the knowledge of his ſweet mercy and grace to the corrupt world, to ſave filthy ſinners, that lay rotting and ſtinking in their ſinnes. v. 16. This ſweet doctrine is indifferently preacht to all, but it worketh in a very different manner; for as much as being received by beleevers, it produceth in them life and ſalvation, but being rejected by unbeleevers, it ſealeth up their condemnation, it is a killing word to them. Wee preach Chriſt a Saviour; for to know him, it is eternall life, but to them that diſobey him, a Judge. To ſome Chriſt preached is the power of God, and the wiſdome of God. To others he is fooliſh neſſe, his Goſpell is unſavorie, a dead thing. To the one ſort he is a ſavour of life (i.) a vitall ſavour, of ſpirituall life to life eternall, of ſpirituall death unto death eternall to the other. In the words. 3. 1. the nature of the Goſpell, a ſweet ſavour. 2. The eſteem that God hath of his Miniſterie, they are unto him a ſweet ſavour for their works ſake. 3. The power of the Goſpell, it is unto life or unto death; the one is effectus per ſe, that which comes from it in its own nature; the other per accidens that which follows upon the neglect & contempt of 4. The difficultie of this calling, who is foreign ſufficient? he remoues from himſelfe the ſuſpicion of arrogancie; for, neither he nor they are ſufficient Foure doctrines. Firſt, a ſound Miniſterie is a ſavorie Miniſterie, it ſends forth a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt to perfume the world: or The Goſpell Purely preached brings with it a ſweet ſmell & ſavour to the ſoules of God's elect. Second doctrine. The faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt are well pleaſing, as a ſweet ſmelling ſavour unto God both in them that be ſaved & in them that periſh. God eſteemes ſo of them, however the ſucceſſe be. Third doctrine. The ſame Miniſtery and the ſame doctrine preacht indifferently to all, hath not the ſame effects in all. It is to ſome a doctrine of life and p. 3ſalvation, it hath â ſpirituall ſavour and relliſh, but to others it is a deadly ſavour, it does thē no good. Fourth doctrine. Men are to be reckned in a ſtate of life or death, of periſhing or being ſaved, according as they doe, or doe not receive the ſavour, and relliſh the doctrine of our miniſterie of the Goſpell; (for, ſo the perſons are here diſtributed) I made choyce of this Text becauſe from hence ariſeth the fountaine of your everlaſting weale or woe, from peoples reſpect or diſreſpect to this ordinance. I thinke you are glad to ſee me now. But your aymes upon me ſhould be ſpirituall, for ſpirituall good. What the iſſue will be God knowes; if he hath more work for me, he will reſtore me to his houſe, and make you more diligent hearers, that ſo both may rejoyce together: Firſt doctrine, A ſound Miniſtrie ſends forth a ſweet ſavour. The Breath of the Goſpell is a ſweet odour or ſmell; and God's faithfull Miniſters are they that carry it, & blow it abroad to perfume & ſeaſon the ſoules of ſinners, that ly ſtinking in their ſins and in a ſtate of condemnation Miniſters are (in regard of their neceſſitie and utilitie, or benefit to the world) compared to light, to ſhine to them that fit in darkneſſe; to ſalt, to ſeaſon and preſerve from putrifying; and in this place to a ſweet perfume, to make the men of earth to ſavour of Chriſt, of Religion, of Heaven. And that for two Reaſons. Firſt Reaſon. Becauſe they open the myſtery and riches of God's grace in Chriſt to loſt and undone mankinde: Mary Magdalen brought a Box of ointment of Spiknard, very pretious; And ſhe brake the Box, and poured it on Chriſt's head, and the houſe was filled, Mark 14.3. Joh 12.3. Chriſt himſelfe is like that Box; the Miniſters open it, the Treaſures of wiſdome and mercy, that be in Chriſt, and poure it on your heads; & the whole houſe where they preach is filled with the odour thereof; you carry the ſent of it upon you all the weeke after, yea as long as you live. Thus Cant. 1.3. Chriſt is compared to rich oyntments: (becauſe of the ſavour of thy good ointments.) p. 4Chriſt was filled with all Graces, anointed with the holy Ghoſt and Power, & the ſavour of theſe ointments is ſmelt, when the Goſpell preached is perceived by ſenſe, or judgement, (for, by ſmell or ſavours is meant knowledge by ſenſe and feeling). It followes. Thy name is as ointment powred forth; Chriſt's name is by interpretation, Anointed. By his name is meant the doctrine of his grace, the law of faith, and the preaching of that grace is called the Bearing of Chriſt's name before the Gentiles. Acts 9.15. That's the pouring forth of that ointment, Therefore doe the Virgins love thee, (that is) They that bee choſen of God and faithfull, who ſerve God with chaſt and pure mindes, and are not tainted with the common pollutions of the world. Theſe love Chriſt, they follow him, they are taken with the odour of his pretious ointments, which they perceive ſenſible to revive and refreſh their ſoules. The ſecond reaſon is: Becauſe the breath of their doctrine doth blow upon dead ſoules, and doth breath into them the ſpirit of life. In Ezek. 37.9. the Propher was willed to propheſie unto the winde, & ſay, come O winde, and blowe upon theſe ſlaine, that they may live: ſo, I prophecied, and the breath came into them, and they lived. The ſavour of Chriſt's doctrine is like this breath, Cant. 4.16. Awake ô North winde, and blow upon my garden, that the ſpice thereof may flow out: By this blowing is ſignified the miniſtration of his word and ſpirit beſtowed on his people for their ſpirituall reviving and refreſhing. As on the contrary; The reſtraint of God's graces by wholſome doctrine, is ſignified by foure Angells holding the foure windes of the earth, that the winde ſhould not blowe on the earth nor on the ſea, Rev. 7.1. The ſavour of the knowledge of Chriſt is a breath of life; it is that by which corruption is purged away, which when it enters into the ſoule, it doth become a ſavour of life unto life; God maketh our words ſavorie and fruitfull to the Elect: Againe, in this Metaphor of ſweet ſavour, is an alluſion to the ointment, and the ſweet incenſe, which the p. 5Prieſts offered with their ſacrifices. So by the Goſpell we ſeaſon the ſoules of men, and bring them as a ſweet ſacrifice unto God. See Rom. 15.15.16. He ſpeaks of his miniſtration. That I ſhould be the Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt to the Gentiles, &c. and the effect of it was, By it he had prepared a ſacrifice for God, the offering up of the Gentiles. They were unto God an offering of a ſweet ſavour, acceptable to God, being ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt. A Sacrifice of the Goſpell muſt not be a dead thing, it muſt not be an uncleane or corrupt thing. But being breathed upon with this ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, We offer our ſelves to God a living ſacrifice, holy and acceptable by Jeſus Chriſt, Rom: 12.1. By preaching of faith we receive the ſpirit, Gal. 3.2. The third Reaſon. It ſends forth a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt to them that are already planted in Chriſt's garden, to comfort and refreſh their ſpirits. When our ſpirits be ſpent and weake, ſweet things burnt doe refreſh them. So Cant. 4.16. Blow upon my garden, that the ſpices thereof may flow out. The miniſtration of the Goſpell cauſeth the ſweet-ſmelling fruits of repentance, faith, love, prayer, thankſgiving to flow out, that theſe fruits doe ripen, all graces are ſtrengthned and increaſed. Thus under God we are a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt, (that is) we cauſe the ſweet ſavour to be ſent abroad, becauſe we open Chriſt's riches to the world, becauſe by it, the dead ſoules are ſeaſoned, and they that live are comforted and refreſhed.

Firſt Uſe. Are we a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt? Then ſee what a filthie thing ſin is, and what noyſome offenſive creatures men are, that have not beene perfumed with this heavenly knowledge. Second Uſe. Therefore never thinke thou haſt been a good hearer, or haſt profited by the Goſpell, till thy whole ſoule be filled and ſeaſoned with the ſavour of Jeſus Chriſt; where the Goſpell is purely preached & received, ibi reperitur vis odoris Chriſti, there the efficacy of Chriſt's ſavour is found: your rich perfumes of Leather or Cloath, they are laſting; the p. 6things perfumed will carry the ſent for a long time, yea it will never quite out: ſo if you be perfumed with the knowledge of Chriſt, It will make your affections, your delights, your comforts, your praiſes, your diſpraiſes, they will all ſavour of Chriſt; ſo will your tongue, ſo will your dealings, ſo will your outward man. They muſt all ſavour of Chriſt, elſe doe not thinke 'tis all well, elſe 'tis but like the perfuming of a dead carkaſſe, I obſerve you caſt your Roſemarie branches into the graves of your friends, the ſmell refreſheth you, but not the dead, becauſe he is dead. And it is a ſigne, your ſoules are dead under a ſavorie miniſtrie, when they ſtill relliſh and ſavour of the earth, of rottenneſſe, of folly & vanity: How few among us can ſay, the miniſtrie hath been the ſavour of Chriſt to me? Conſider your own thoughts & waies, your wit, and diſcourſes, what doe they ſavour of? Of Chriſt? Of heavenly things? Nay rather of a Playbooke, of an Alehouſe, of Atheiſme, of Epicuriſme, of Worldly delights. Come to the Stateſmen and Polititians of this world, and what doe their counſells ſavour of. Of Chriſt? is the ſmell of Chriſt upon them? Nay rather of Machiavell, of Turciſme, Come to the Gallants of our time, if Chriſt ſhould take them by their powdred hair, by their naked backs, by their painted and pictured faces. What doe they ſmell off? Of Chriſt? Of Grace? of Modeſty? Nay rather of Pride, wantonneſſe, diſcontent at God's workmanſhip, that has made them thus, not faire enough, not white enough? Conſider the waies of Chriſtians, their delights, their labours, their oppreſſions, their covenant breaking. How little relliſh of Chriſt is to be found? Men may juſtly think, that ſuch have not lived under a Miniſterie, that ſavours of Chriſt. Surely all is not well with ſuch; Thou art not as yet one planted in the Garden of ſpices; the ointment of Chriſt, which is the graces of the holy Ghoſt, have not yet deſcended upon thee; Chriſt ſpeakes thus to his Church; Cant 4.10. How much better is thy love then wine, and the ſmell of thy garments, p. 7then all ſpices. In Cant. 1.23. The Church admireth Chriſt's graces, and preferreth Chriſt's love before wine; here Chriſt doth the like of her love towards him: here Chriſt ſhewes how much hee is taken with the graces of his Church. Chap. 1. The Church extolleth the ſavour of Chriſt's oyntments; here Chriſt doth hers. Which did ſend forth a ſweet ſavour, like ſweet-ſmelling ſpices. A Chriſtian is one anoynted with Chriſt's oyntment, and we muſt cary the ſent thereof upon all our actions: See Za. 14.20.21. It tells you how holineſſe ſhould abound in times of the Goſpell, In that day there ſhall be upon the Bells of the horſes, Holineſſe to the Lord, and the pots in the Lord's houſe ſhall be like the bowles before the Altar: uppon the plate, of gold, which the High Prieſt did weare on his forehead was engraven Holines to the Lord, Now that title muſt bee upon all things belonging to a Chriſtian, (for we are made Prieſts unto our God) as upon the Bridles of of our Horſes (that is) upon the inſtruments of war, of our labour, and of our Recreations. Holineſſe muſt bee upon our garments, upon our pots, (that is) upon the Inſtruments of our eating and drinking. Upon the Attire of many, may be written not Holineſſe to the Lord, but Pride, Lightneſſe, Vanitie, prodigalitie; upon their horſes & furniture, Rapine, Plunder, and violence; upon the Brims of their diſhes, Extortion, and oppreſſion; upon their Cups exceſſes, &c. Whereas every thing belonging to a Chriſtian ſhould ſavour of Chriſtianitie. All the things and utenſills and appurtenances of the Temple were counted and called holy in their kind, and in ſeverall degrees Jeruſalem was an holy city, and every pot in Jeruſalem ſhall be holy to the Lord. The houſe of the Lord was more then the city, and the pots thereof more holy. The Altar was more holy then the other parts of the, temple. Now the Holineſſe under the Goſpell ſhould thus riſe, the pots in Jeruſalem holy to the Lord: like the pots in the Lord's houſe: and the pots in the Lord's houſe like the Bowles before the Altar. The meaning ſeems to be p. 8this; that the meaneſt things of common and ordinary uſe, whether in war or peace, ſhould now become holy & be holily uſed, in the whole carriage & converſation of a Chriſtian: whatſoever Chriſtians goe about to doe ſhould be as an acceptable ſacrifice to the Lord. 1 Pe. 2 5.

The third uſe, how to Judge of a ſound Miniſtry of Chriſt; does it ſavour of Chriſt? of his doctrine? ſpirit? Counſells? of his righteouſneſſe? Graces? of ſalvation? does it tend to ſeaſon bad hearts? ſweeten corrupt tongues and lives? To make you relliſh of Chriſt? Tis one thing to ſavour of poets, of learning, of moralitie, another to ſavour of Chriſt, of regeneration. Chriſts perfume muſt be opened, that our faith may ſtand in his wiſdome, and in the power of God. It is a ſad thing to ſit under a dead, ſapleſſe, unſavorie Miniſtrie: But a ſavorie Miniſtrie is a choice mercy, a pretious bleſſing, and ſo to be reckoned of. One that ſavours of Chriſt himſelfe, and can ſpread that ſavour unto others: when ye can ſmell and taſte Chriſt in his doctrine, in his words, in his life, this is a choice merciemercy, becauſe it tends to the ſalvation of ſoules, and they ought to be unto us as a pretious perfume. Second doctrine. The faithfull Miniſters of Chriſt are pretious, as a ſweet ſmelling ſavour unto God; however the ſucceſſe of our Labours be, (unto God) we are a ſweet ſavour in them that are ſaved, and in them that periſh. Paul doth dignifie in this ſpeech this ordinance of God, the better to worke in people an high eſteeme of it. However the world eſteemes of our office and perſons, yet unto God we are a ſweet ſavour. To teſtifie this Eſteeme of them, God is not aſhamed to call us his Embaſſadours 2 Cor. 5. Labourers together with God. 1 Cor. 3.9. Choſen veſſells to beare his name before the Gentiles: yea even where God is not pleaſed to worke with our Miniſtry, ſo far as to make it effectuall to the Converſion of men, yet even there our Miniſtry is acceptable unto God. He joyeth and taketh pleaſure in it, p. 9God teſtifieth his eſteeme of them, becauſe the injuries done to them, God takes as done to himſelfe. As by the law of nations injuries doneto an Embaſſadour are taken as done to the Prince that ſends him, he that receaveth a Prophet in my name, receaveth me; And he that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me, and him that ſent me. And he giveth a ſpeciall charge concerning them, touch not mine anointed (next unto Kings) and doe my Prophets no harme. God will revenge the injuries done to them. 2 Chron. 36.16. Rev 11.5. He that hurteth my witneſſes ſhall in like manner be killed. It is the laſt ſin that goeth before a generall judgment. But they mocked the meſſengers of God, till there was no remedy. It's a forerunner of judgments upon an unthankfull people. Firſt uſe is to ſupport us againſt all diſcouragements, the greateſt of which is want of ſucceſſe: what? though the world hate us, it hated Chriſt firſt: Paul firſt was made the offſcouring of the world, even by his owne children, whom he had converted to the faith, 1 Cor. 4.14.15. he might expect better eſteeme from ſuch, yet he was hated by them. What? though manie periſh, and be the worſe for our preaching, yet our labour is acceptable, our doctrine ſound. God likes us when we preach damnation to the impenitent; It's a ſavorie doctrine, the breathing out of threatnings is the Advancing of Chriſt; The breathing out of threatnings is a ſavorie doctrine to them that believe it, it mortifies luſts, it kills nothing but ſin, it ſaves the ſoule; it's unſavorie to a man ſetled on his lees, but ſavory to believers. Second uſe if it be a ſweet ſavour to God, it ought alſo to be to us, if yee be ſonnes of God; O what a mercy the Goſpell is? It's a ſigne God hath a people there. The whole courſe of ſaving mercy is comprehended in that one mercy. When Paul would ſumme up the advantages of the Jew above the Gentile, he doth it in this one word, (Chiefly) Becauſe unto them were committed the Oracles of God, Rom. 3.2. whereas the Gentiles were ſtrangers to the covenants p. 10of promiſes, and therefore without hope, and without: God in the world. How commeth it then about that they which are ſweet to God, are a ſtink in the no. ſtrills of the world It is a ſigne our ſenſes are much diſtempered: when thoſe words, how beautifull are the feet of them which preach glad tidings, ſhall be turned, into, how ugly are the faces of them that bring this ſweet ſavour? That ſenſe alſo is much diſtempered. A deceitfull heart hath cauſed them to erre. Let me ſpeake unto England: as Paul ſpake of the Jewes, your (Chiefly) your intereſt, your Crowne, your glory, lies in this, that thou enjoyeſt the breath of life. What advantage hath England above other Nations? Much every way: You that are Merchants and Travellers knowe it full well; we have enjoyed long peace, above foureſcore yeares (that was the longeſt reſt that Iſrael's land ever enjoyed, (Judges 3.30.) Under Kings and Queenes, which clothed us with skarlet, made ſilver as ſtones, and gold as the Sycomores, that filled our houſes with good things. The Riches of other nations were brought into us, yea their delights (as Solomons Apes & Peacocks), that which other nations enjoyed ſingle, we enjoyed them altogether. Our honour and renowne was ſpread, no feare to him that went out, or to him that came in, every one ſate under his own vine, &c. Theſe advantages hadſt thou ô England above other people. Yet thy (Chiefly) lay in this; Thou didſt enjoy the oracles of God, diſpenſed by a ſound, boly, faithfull miniſtrie. By meanes whereof thy land was as the garden of ſpices, many thouſands of thy people are gone to heaven, and many thouſands yet alive have by their miniſtrie received and taſted ſo much of Chriſt's ſweet ſavour, for which they ſhall bleſſe God to all eternitie. What ayleth thee ô Land, that thy Miniſters are become hatred in the houſe of thy God, their names a ſcorne & deriſion? What evill have they brought unto thee, that thou art weary of them? Nay, may not the Lord expoſtulate the caſe with thee, and ſay wherein have I wearied p. 11thee, ô Land, teſtifie againſt me, I have not wearied thee with coſtly ſacrifice and incenſe? Why is that ſlender maintenance become a burden unto thee now at laſt? Is not my Goſpell worth thy Tenths? Thou oweſt to thy Miniſter even thy ſelfe alſo, Philem. v. 19. and doſt thou begrudge them of thy Temporalls. O England, art thou become a land of Gadarens, that to ſave thy Tithes wilt ſend away thy Preachers? Is thy ſoule worth no more then the price of theſe periſhing things, Conſider what the change will be: haſt thou forgot thy bleſſed Sabaths, and the fruitfull ſolemnities of them, thy comfortable Communion with God in the Sacraments, in prayer and praiſe? Would it not be a ſad time to ſee a famine, not of Bread, but of hearing the word of the Lord? To ſee the ſongs and ſolemnities of the Temple turned into howlings? To ſee thoſe holy and beautifull houſes, where our Fathers praiſed God, to be burnt with fire, and all our pleaſant things to be laid waſte? Eſa 64.11. (It was the Churche's complaint there) what is it an honour to thee, that thy Miniſters be of the baſeſt of thy people? To ſtarve them that feed thee; yea that ſpend themſelves to feed thee? Will it not be griefe of heart to ſee the Candleſticke without a light? The Table without Bread? That there be neither Light nor Food in the houſe of God? God be mercifull to an unthankfull people.

O our God, however it ſhall pleaſe thee to afflict us, doe not take thy Goſpell from us. Though thou doſt feed us with Bread and Water of Affliction: yet let not our Paſtors bee hid in a corner, but let our eyes ſee our Teachers, and our hearts heare the ſecret voice of the Spirit, accompanying it, This is the good way walk in it. And according to thy good promiſe be with thy holy ones, to the end of the world. Let the bleſſing of Levi reſt upon their heads, Deut. 33.8, 10, 11.

FINIS.