Commentary on 2 Corinthians 1, Commentary · Commentary on verse 13
VERSE XIII.
For we write none other things unto you then what you read, or acknowledge, and I trust you shall acknowledge even to the end.
HEre S. Paul strengthens himself by another course: First, he retires to his own heart, and conscience; My rejoycing is this, the testimony of my conscience, &c. and he sets this as a Bulwark against all the slanders and detractions of his opposers whatsoever: he sets it as a flag of defiance, the testimony of his own conscience.
But to set himself the more upright in their hearts whom he was to deal withall, knowing what a great advantage it was to have the good opinion of them, and to wipe away all imputation, he passeth from his conscience to their conscience. For my own conscience my rejoycing is this, that you cannot accuse me that I have led my life by carnal false principles, but by reasons of Religion, and by the blessed motions of Gods Spirit. Nay, I can go further then so: for what I say of mine own conscience, I dare say you can say too: for I write no other things then what you read or acknowledge.
What you read] Some take it, What you know, or acknowledge, because these are distinct things. The word, Anaginoskein, signifies to know, or to read; but usually to read. We may well therefore take it so as most translate it here, I write no other thing, concerning my simplicity, but what you read, or acknowledge. I write of my simplicity, simply; I speak not of my sincerity insincerely, but what I write, you read or acknowledge: because S. Paul knew he had a place in their conscience, they could not but acknowledge what a man he was: for the Spirit was wondrous effectual by his Ministery in their hearts; and they were his Epistle, as he saith in another place: and therefore he appeales to their acknowledgment, to their conscience, We write no other thing, &c. And for the time to come, I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
So he doth appeal to their conscience for the present, and he doth take in trust the time to come, what their thoughts shall be of him, and what his estate shall be. You shall have Grace to think well of me to the end, because you shall have ground to think well of me from my constancy. I hope you shall acknowledge to the end; and you shall have wisdome, and experience of my goodnesse to acknowledge to the end.
I will give a touch on these things, because they be useful; and but a touch, because I stood somewhat on them before, and shall have fit occasion for them severally after.
We write no other things then what you read.Observ. A Christian uniform.
This seemeth strange; why, how could they read other things then what he wrote? Yes, if he had written falsly, if he had not expressed his thoughts in his writings, then they had read one thing, and he had been another. As a woman that is painted, there is Prosopon, and Prosopeia; there is the visage, and the true natural countenance: she is not the woman she appeares to be; her face is one, and her self is another: but I am as I expresse my self. His meaning is, I speak of my simplicity, and sincerity, simply, and sincerely. I speak not of my vertues to go beyond you, but I speak sincerely; what I speak, you read: for I think not that he means his former Epistle, but what he wrote concerning himself, and the leading of his life, that which I speak concerning my self, that you read; and what you read, that I speak. It yields me this Observation, (which though I had occasion to speak of when I handled Simplicity, yet I shall now touch it,) That
A Christian man is one man, he doth act one mans part.
He hath not a heart and a heart, he is not a man and a man; there is a harmony between his thoughts and resolutions, between his speeches and his actions, they all sweetly accord together: what he thinks and resolves on, that he speakes; what he speakes, that he writes; what he writes and speaks, that he doth: he is one man in all, he doth not deal doubly.
It is the easiest thing in the world to be politick, to be naught, to double: the nature of man teacheth a man to be false: mans heart is full of naughtinesse; it is a hard thing for a man to be one: and till a man be a gracious man, he shall be a double man.
Therefore you must take heed of a fault, which is called the abuse of Abuse of signes.signes, of such signes as serve to expresse what a man is inwardly. Let your inward disposition, and the signs that expresse it accord. The signs of expression that come from one man to another, are speech, writing, countenance, and the like.
A man should not be one thing within, and his speech another; he should not be one thing, and his writing another: he should not be one thing, and any other expression another.
This abuse of signes, and expressions when they are one way, and the heart another: besides the odiousnesse of it to God, (as being contrary both to his Nature, and to his Word: it is contrary to his nature; for he is simple and sincere, he is one in all, there is no shadow of change in him, there is no mixture. As it is contrary to his Nature, so it is contrary to his Word, that bids us not dissemble nor lie one to another,) It makes a man most like the Devil, who never appears in his own shape, but alwayes in another. He comes in our friends as an Angel of light, he never discovers himself in his own colours. Besides all these, and such like respects, it is the overthrow, it cuts the sinewes of humane society: for what is the band of humane society, but the entercourse by speech and writing, and the like? Now if there be abuse of these signes, that they are one thing, and we another, that we do not expresse what is the true thought, and impression of our hearts, all society is dissolved.
Therefore we cannot too much hate Popish principles, of not keeping fidelity with Hereticks (as they call them): it is the custome of them to deal so. As you know in a War of theirs with the Turks; the story is well known: when the Cardinals had broken their promise after they had in a manner gotten the Victory, the Turks even cryed to Christ that he would revenge their treachery; and the Turks came again upon them, and overcame them, and gave them a mighty overthrow. Their grosse principle of equivocation, and the like, which stands in the abuse of expressions, and signes. Yea, their abuse of the blessed sign and seal, an oath, which is the sign of all truth between man and man. Their abuse of the Sacrament too: they have abused all Gods signs, and all to ill purposes, to swear with private reservations: whereas the old principle of Isidore is constantly and everlastingly true; Conceive the oath as you will, it must be understood, as he to whom it is sworn understands it, and not as he that swears. Therefore undoubtedly Popery must fall every day: and judicious men, though they be not gracious, they see it must fall. It should make us hate them deeply; because the courses they take are the overthrow of society: this abuse of expressions, of that excellent gift that God hath given, namely the tongue, whereby what is in my heart another man may understand: and also writing, whereby a man may convey his mind many hundred miles. Now these excellent gifts that God hath given for society, for men to turn them against God, and against Society, it must needs provoke the Majesty of God.
And as it is a sin against Society, so it is a sin that is punished by society. All men must needs hate them that do so: those that have no other argument against Popery, they have argument enough from their equivocation. Those that are not subtile-headed to see other things, when they look to the Gun-powder Treason, and to their equivocation, there is argument enough for any plain simple man to hate Popery.
Therefore let us be like our selves in all that we do to God, or to men. I had occasion to presse the Point when I spake of simplicity; therefore I will not dwell further on it.
I write no other thing then what you read or acknowledge.
He means, they acknowledged it in their heart and conscience. What I write of my conversation, that which you have heard, it is no other then that you read, and you acknowledge it too: for they had felt the power of his Ministery. Whence first of all observe, That
Where the Minister converseth by the Grace of God, and not by carnal wisdome, Observ. God is wise for those that walk by Grace.God is not onelyonly wise in him, but for him.
He is gracious and good for him, he gives him successe in the hearts of others. When a man is led by the Spirit of God, the same Spirit that guides him in speaking, guides his auditors in hearing, and gives a sweet, and a strong report in their hearts of what he saith, What I write of my self you acknowledge, that my Conversation hath been in sincerity; and not onelyonly my conversation, but my Doctrine; every way you have acknowledged me: the same Spirit that guided me to do so, wrought in you an acknowledgment of it in your conscience.
Therefore if you would have the speeches of the Ministers to take effect, you should desire God not only to guide them in what they are to say, but likewise with the same Spirit to work in the hearers; and when the same Spirit works in both, what a glorious successe is there? As we see here, S. Paul carried himself in his own person, and in his Ministery graciously: in simplicity, and sincerity; for it is meant of both: he taught simple doctrine without any glozing, without any far-fetched beauty, from wit, or eloquence, or the like: and he looked to God in his life and conversation; and as God guided him, so he stirred them up to pray for him: as the Word and Prayer they are alway joyned together: the Word had a report in their hearts, as it had in his own: What I speak, you acknowledge, &c.
It is not for us to deliver our minds, and there an end: but when we are to speak, we ought before-hand to look up to God, and desire his Spirit to be effectuall in us, that we may speak in the wisdome and grace of the Spirit; and likewise that it may be effectual to them, that they may acknowledge it, that they may feel in their soules and consciences the power of what we speak and feel in our selves. So you see the truth of what I said before, That God was not onelyonly wise in S. Paul, but he was gracious and good for him in those that he was to deal with.
And there is the glory of a good Minister, that is a humble man, and denies carnal wisdome, That God will delight to honour himself by using him as an instrument to do good to others. God usually will give report of what he saith to the hearts of others.
Proud men that speak what they speak by carnall projects, and carnall wisdome, and seek themselves, usually the hearts and consciences of other men give no report to them. For man naturally is proud, and when he sees that the most excellent man in the world hath by-aimes, he will not be gone beyond by him, say what he will: If a man set up sailes for himself, he doth not win upon others. But he that discovers himself, that he seeks the glory of God, and the good of the soules that he deales with, and denies himself in that which otherwise he could do, that useth not the strength of parts which he hath, because he would discover the simple Word, which is most Majestical in simplicity; God seeing this simple and sincere desire, he honours and crownes the Ministery of such a man with successe in the hearts of the people. Therefore saith S. Paul here, I write no other thing concerning my self, but God hath honoured me with the issue of it in your hearts likewise, that you acknowledge what I say.
You acknowledge.
Acknowledge is a deep word, it is more then to know; it is more then a conviction of the judgment: it is when the heart and affections yield, when the inward Spirit upon experience yields, I feel and acknowledge this is true; it is more I say then knowledge. The next point then that I observe is this, That
God doth give his Children that love him in simplicity and sincerity, a place in the conscience of men.Observ. Gods Children have place in the conscience of others.
He gives them place in the consciences of those that have conscience: for there are some that have no science, and therefore they have no conscience: as Popish superstitious persons, &c. But those that deal faithfully, that live in the Church, and see the glory of God, God gives them a place in the conscience of those that they live amongst, and deal with. And they seek more to have place in their conscience, then in their fancy, then in their opinion, and Imagination, and humour. A carnal man, so he may have the humour, the fancy, and Imagination of his hearers delighted, he regards not what inwardly they may feel from him: he regards not how he warms their hearts, and conscience, and how they acknowledge him within: and therefore perhaps, if he have a good word for the present, Oh, a glorious man, &c. it is all he cares for; but he hath no place in their conscience, because they feel him not working there, and he hath no aime to be there. A good man seeks to edifie, and build up the conscience in sound principles, in good courses, in the faith of Christ, in holy obedience: things that will hold out in life, and death. If I were to speak to Ministers, I would inlarge the point further.
Let us all in our Conversations labour rather to approve our selves to the consciences of men, that they may acknowledge us to be honest, downright, Use. To approve our selves to mens consciences.faithful men, rather then to please their humours, and fancies: for as Solomon saith, he that tells a man the truth, shall have more favour at the last, then he that dissembleth: for his conscience will witnesse that he hath dealt rightly, and faithfully with him, that he is an honest man, and goes on in the same principles still.
Let us therefore first look to our own conscience, and then to the conscience of others: and if we cannot approve our selves to our own conscience, and to the conscience of others, alas, what will become of us? how shall we approve our selves to God, and to Jesus Christ at the day of Judgment? There is no man but a sound Christian that approves himself to the conscience of another man: For any other man, it is just with God in his Judgment to find him out first or last: he may wind himself into the conscience for a time, as the superstitious Papists do, but first or last he is found out to be a dissembler, and to bring false wares.
And so for Civil conversation, there is none that will have place in the conscience of other men, to think them and their courses good, but those that are sound Christians: For the most, those that are not led by the grace of Gods Spirit; all mens consciences condemn them, they are smitten, and censured there, and judged there. Besides, their own conscience which perhaps they will not give leave to tell them somewhat in their ear that they would be loath to hear, This you are, this you did, and this you spake amisse: they will not suffer conscience to speak, but drown it in sensuality, and stifle it; they take this course, they think they are well enough, and they would never be themselves. A carnal man will hardly give conscience leave to speak, till it will whether he will or no; at the hour of death, and the day of Judgment, when God lets it loose upon him: but let them take this course as long as they will, yet in the conscience of other men they have no place: for they live not as S. Paul saith here, in simplicity, and sincerity, not by carnal wisdome, but by the Grace of God.
This is the benefit that a good man hath in this life, that howsoever he have the ill words of carnall men sometimes, and their humour is against him: yet notwithstanding if they be in the Church, and have any illumination, any judgment, he hath their conscience for him. Nay, I say more, they cannot but think reverently of a man of God, of a good Christian (I speak not of Ministers onelyonly) they cannot but think reverently of them, and reverence them in their consciences do what they can: for it is not in mens power to frame what conceits they will, to frame what opinions they will of men: but as there is a necessity of reason, as the principles we say are so strong, rhat a man cannot say they are false, do what he can; because the light is visible to the understanding: as a man cannot say the Sun shines when it is night, when it is dark, because it is a sensible falshood: so a man cannot deny the principles of any Art, if they be principles: because there is such a light of truth that over-powers him, and as it were compells the inward man. So it is here, there is such a majestie in grace, and good courses of a Christian, that another man that lives a wicked life he cannot think of him what he would. He may force himself to speak what he list, and force odd opinions of him, but when he is him sober self, he must needs if he have any reliques of conscience in him, if he be not altogether a sot, he must needs think well in his conscience of such a mans courses. This is the majestie, and honour of good things, that however they may have the humour, and passion, and fancy of men against them, yet they have their conscience for them; yea, of wicked men when they are themselves.
Take the wickedest man at the hour of death, if he have himself at command, that his spirits be not disturbed, and ask him whether he justifie the courses of such and such men? he will answer, Oh yes, I would I had led them my self. What is that that besots them? Sensuality, and such courses: for men that are not led by the Grace of God, are led with outward things which besot the judgment for a time: but when that dulnesse is past, when a wicked man is stripped of all, and is best able to judge, then he likes such courses.
If the worst men shall in their conscience acknowledge the best persons, and the best things one day, nay, they do now, if they will suffer themselves to be themselves; then let us take such courses as our own consciences may justifie, as S. Paul saith here, This is my glorying, the testimony of my conscience, and likewise the conscience of those I live with, I write no other thing, but what you acknowledge in your consciences your selves.
And I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
This word, Trust, doth not imply as usually it doth in common speech, Trust what;an uncertainty of a thing, a moral conjecture, I trust, or hope it may be so: it may be otherwise, but I hope well: it is not an uncertain conceit with the fear of the contrary: but the word implies a gracious dependant disposition upon God, I trust in God, as it is so exprest in some other places. Now you acknowledge me, and I trust in God you shall acknowledge me to the end. So here Saint Paul sets down what he resolved to be by the Grace of God, and what in the issue he should be: because holy resolutions are seconded with gracious assistance.
And likewise he sets down what they should judge of him to the end: I trust, as you acknowledge me now, so to the end you shall have grace so to do, and I shall have grace so to be; I shall be as I am, and have been: I have led my life in simplicity, and sincerity: and as you have acknowledged me to be such a one, so you shall have grace still to acknowledge me: I hope, or trust. I will not enter into any common place, onelyonly I will speak that which the Text puts to me.
I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
Here he begins with his hope of their judging of him, to continue so to the end.
Saint Paul here takes a good conceit, a good opinion of his children S. Paul's good conceit of the Corinthians.whom he had begotten to the faith in Corinth; I hope as you are, and as you do judge of me, so you will judge of me to the end.
Why hath S. Paul such a trust of them as of himself?
Among many reasons this is one: He knew that where God had begun Reason 1.a good work, he would finish it: he saw that he had begun a good work in them, and therefore he knew that he would go on with it.
And then again, God planted in him a good hope and trust of them; Reason 2.because hope and trust stirre up indeavour to the thing hoped for. Desperation doth quell all courage, and cool all endeavour: Now God, because he would have us constant in our carriage, and in the expressions of our love to other men, he stirres up in us a trust that all shall be well with them.
Likewise S. Paul sets down his hope that God had put into his heart of Reas. 3.them for his own comfort: for it is a great comfort to a Minister, or to a Christian, when he is to deal with such as he trusts are good, and will be good: it is a heaven upon earth, and therefore God doth plant good conceits of other men in us for this end: partly, to stirre up our endeavour to do all good to them; and partly, to comfort us. For if the finall estate of any man were discovered to us, that God had no delight in them concerning their salvation, who would do any service of love for them? or who would have comfort in conversing with them? But when God stirs up in our hearts a good opinion of them, partly it is good for them to stirre up our endeavour to do all good for them; and it is good for us, it is a great comfort.
And again, it was an encouragement to them when they heard of Saint Paul's trust of them to the end, that they should continue as they were: For to have a good conceit and opinion of another man, especially, the good conceit of a Pastor, it is a great encouragement. And the best Christians in the world have need of it oft-times. Besides the judgement of themselves, which is sometimes shaken by Satan, that they give a false witnesse of their own estate: Oh it is comfortable that a man have the judgment of a man that looks without passion, and temptation on him: you have been thus, and my trust and confidence is in God, and the promise of God, looking to your former course, that you will be so to the end: he gives not a false witnesse.
Saint Paul speaks thus to stirre up his own endeavour to do good to them: and to comfort them, that so great an Apostle should have so good an opinion of them.
Therefore let us labour (I say) to entertain as good a conceit of them To entertain good conceits of others.among whom we live, as their carriage will bear. Two things usually are the object of our hope and trust; while men are here, before their estate be determined of in hell, God may have mercy on them, and deliver them out of the snares of Satan: that hope should stirre up some endeavour to pray for them, seeing their estates are not desperate, they are not yet sunk into Hell. Or else if we see them in the state of grace, we should expresse our love in the services, and offices of love, because God hath already set his stamp on them.
There is no man living but we may trust, and hope of him one way or other. Those that we see no grace in, as the Apostle saith, 2 Tim. 2. we may have patience towards them, seeing if at any time God will have mercy on them to deliver them out of the snare of the Devil.
It is not good to cast off all conceit, and all hope of any man living: the worst sign is, when we see men malicious, and oppose known truths, because it comes near the sin against the Holy Ghost: but because we may erre in that, it is good to take the safest way. But where we see evidences of grace, though in never so little a measure, let us entertain and cherish a good hope; because it will cherish that which we are all bound to, to love one another. We are bound to love one another, and to shew all the offices of love: now that which stirres up love and all the offices of love, is Hope. Faith works by Hope, as well as by Love. Faith works by Love in all duties: and it works by Hope in this duty; if we hope that God will have mercy on them, that will stirre up our endeavour: but we are not much in this errour, we are rather ready to conceit over-well, then too ill of men.
I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
Saint Paul here, besides his good conceit of them to the end, doth imply Saint Paul's resolution to hold to the end.his own resolution and purpose to hold on in good courses to the end. My trust in Gods grace is, that you shall acknowledge to the end what I have written to you of mine own courses. As if he had said, I am Paul now, and you shall find me Paul hereafter: you shall find me alwaies an honest man like my self; for as he whom I have trusted is yesterday, to day, to morrow, and the same for ever: so likewise by Gods grace I hope to be the same that I have been, I hope I shall be like my self.
The grounds of S. Paul's trust that he should be so, is partly the act it self, together with the endeavour, I trust I shall be so to the end: because I trust in God to the end, and God is good to them that trust in him: how often is it repeated in the Psalmes? He is the God of them that trust in him: he is a Sun and a shield: he is all that is good, and he keeps away all evil. All the promises are entailed to trusting in God. Now because I have confidence in it that God will do so, I stirre up my endeavour to shew, that it is not a presumptuous trust. I trust in him that will perform the conditions of the Covenant which is made to them that honour him by trusting in him.
Saint Paul knew what God had done; he knew that he that had bestowed the first fruits, he would make up the harvest: he knew that he that had laid the first stone, he would set up the roof: he knew that God had begun a good work in him by experience, and that he would finish his own work, that he knew by former experience.
And then he knew the promises of God, the promises of the Covenant. Many such grounds Saint Paul had to bear him up that he should continue to the end in a course of simplicity, and sincerity, and in the grace of God,
But withall Saint Paul did adde a holy and heavenly course to come S. Paul's sourse to persevere.to this end, together with his trust. What course did Saint Paul take.
Saint Paul that he might hold out constantly in holy resolutions to the end,
First, he did judiciously consider what might hinder him, between that and the end of his race and course: he balanced all things that he possibly could fuffer; and he laid in the other balance the things that he had in hope and promise: and he resolves, all that I can suffer that should shake me off from my course, it is not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed: saith he, if you balance both, you will conclude this.
There are many things that may shake us in our Christian course, St. Paul thought of all Satans snares, I am not ignorant of his enterprizes, saith he. And then for the world that might cast trumperie in his way, saith he, I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified to me. And for any thing that might happen to him, he knew that the issue of all things should work for the best to them that love God; he includes himself, Rom. 8. saith he, We know it before-hand, we believe before troubles or evills come: come what will the issue of all things is in the regiment and power of God, and as he pleaseth all shall work for the best to those that love God, and therefore as I am, so I will be. What should hinder? if all things help me, nothing can hinder me.
And then Saint Paul took this course, he looked forward still, Philip 3. I presse forward to the price of the high calling; he forgat that which was behind, and he resolved to go forward, he had a mind to grow better and better alway, and this comforted him that he should hold out to the end. For it is the reward of a growing Christian, to have a sweet sense of his present state of Grace, in Gods favour, and to hold out to the end. Such a man is like the Sun that growes up still till he come to high noon-day, as Solomon saith. Saint Paul took this course, he strove for perfection, he had a crown in his eye, a crown of righteousnesse and glory, and that will not suffer a man to be idle and cold that hath such a thing in his eye. Saint Paul to whet his endeavour not onelyonly looked forward, but to glory; for as Christ looked to the glorie, and despised the shame: so Saint Paul looked to the crown, and despised all his sufferings.
Then besides, Saint Paul was conscious of his own sincerity; for grace carries its own witnesse with it self, as he saith here, I know my conversation; This is the testimony of my conscience, that in simplicity and sincerity I have walked before you. He knew that sincerity is accompanied with constancie and perseverance. It is a rule, that alway constancie and perseverance are companions with simplicity and sincerity: I have begun in sincerity hitherto, now I am sincere, and have expressed to you the truth of my heart, and of my courses: and as I am, so I meane to be: therefore having begun in sincerity, I know I shall end in perseverance and constancy.
Truth of grace is accompanied with constancy; all other things are but How the Corinthians were S. Paul's rejoycing.grasse, they are but shewes, they will vanish; but sincerity, the truth of grace, is a Divine thing: The Word of the Lord; that is, grace wrought by the Word of the Lord, that endures for ever. Where there is truth of grace, though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed, there is perseverance to the end. S. Paul knew this well, and therefore he builds his trust on these things, on these courses that he took.
We should all take the like course, look to S. Paul's grounds, and take To imitate S. Paul in this.his courses; those be they that will hold out to the end. Judicious consideration of all the difficulties, to put into the balance what impediments we shall have from the world, and what will be great to us when it is ballanced with the glory to come. And withall, to aime forward still, as S. Paul did. And take another course that he took likewise, to depend upon grace continually: he knew there was a Throne of grace open to him alway for the time to come, as well as for the time past, and present. He knew that Christ in heaven was alway full of grace: he knew he should not want in any exigent when he should go to him: he knew that God would not destitute or forsake any of his Children, them that he hath called to see the necessity of wisdome, and of courage and comfort. Let us do therefore as S. Paul was answered from heaven, say, His Grace is sufficient for us; if not to keep us from all sin, yet to keep us in comfortable courses, to keep us in sincerity, and simplicity: the Grace of God is sufficient to bring us to heaven.
Let us perswade our selves, that if we go on in Christian courses, in that confidence God will give us grace to bring us to heaven. This was S. Paul's confidence, therefore he saith, I trust you shall acknowledge to the end, because I know that I shall continue in simplicity and sincerity to the end: God will keep me, I shall have grace to beg, and he will give me grace: for his gifts in this kind can never be repented of.
Let us take from S. Paul this course, and this comfort. This course to trust in God for the time to come; to have constant resolutions for the time to come, to cleave to God, and to good courses.
Let us every day renew our Covenants in this kind, and our resolutions to do nothing against conscience, to go on in Christian courses; let it be our constant course: For as Gods Children know they shall continue to Resolution.the end, so it is wrought from resolution so to do: and this resolution stirres them up to depend upon God by prayer, that he would knit their hearts to him, that they may fear his Name; that he would give them Grace sufficient, &c. that he would establish their hearts, as David prayes.
This resolution it drives them to prayer, and to all good courses, that God would stablish them in every good work, in every good thought and desire, and that he would knit their hearts nearer to him. Resolve therefore every day in dependance upon God, to take good courses, that so whensoever any Judgment of God shall come, or when the hour of death shall light on us, it may not come as a snare, that it may take us in good resolutions; it is no matter how we dye in outward respects, if we dye in good resolutions.
As we resolve, so we are: for our resolutions are full of will: wishes and resolutions they carry the whole man with them; and God esteems a man by his will. For if there be impediments that are not impossible to man, resolution will break through all: God judgeth men by their resolutions: Teach me, O Lord, thy Statutes, and I will keep them even to the end. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments: every day take we these promises to our selves, and bind our selves with them to God.
In vowes be chary, I do not speak of them now, I speak of purposes and resolutions, alway take in God with them; I trust in God, depend upon God in good courses, (that God do not punish us, and give us into desertion for our presumption,) and then we may know that our state is good: Look to S. Paul, and see the property of a good conscience, it looks back, it looks to the present, and to the time to come. Our rejoycing is this, that we have had our conversation hitherto well: Is that enough for a good conscience? No; you have acknowledged me to be as I have written, to have a good conscience in my Ministerial course, and in my conversation; and you shall acknowledge me still.
This is the glory of a good life, that whether a man look above him, The glory of a good life.he hath God to witnesse for him; or whether he look to the world, to right judging persons, he hath them to judge for him, he dares appeal to their conscience; or whether he look within him, he hath a good witnesse from his own conscience: which way soever he looks he hath comfort. You have acknowledged me, and you shall acknowledge: I know God will not leave me for the time to come. So that which makes up a compleat good conscience, is the looking to the time to come, as well as to the time past, and present. A good conscience that is purged by the blood of Christ from the guilt of former sins, shall alway have grace to stablish the heart in good resolutions. For where there is a cleansing from the guilt, where there is pardon of sin, there is alway given a power against sin for the time to come.
We usually say in Divinitie, That the grace of God, and a purpose to live in any sin cannot dwell in one heart; and it is true, if there be not a purpose to obey God in all things, to leave every wicked way, if there be an inclination to any iniquity, the heart and conscience is not good. A good conscience gives testimony of the time past, present, and to come.
And alwaies (as I said) remember to take God in all your resolutions, or else you are liable to S. James his exception in a higher degree: Go to To take God in our resolutions.n…w ye that say, We will do this, to day and tomorrow, and that in strength and confidence of your own, not remembring the uncertainty of humane events, how many things may fall out that God may crosse it. If it be a presumptuous speech in matters of this life, how much more in matters of grace for the time to come, which God onelyonly hath in his keeping, and gives the will and the deed according to his good pleasure? Therefore we should make an end of our salvation with fear and trembling.
Let us do as S. Paul did, trust in God; my trust and dependance on God is this, that I shall do so: because I have a constant resolution to be so to my lives end.
Therefore joyn them both together, every day renew our dependance on God, and his Promises: The life of a Christian is a life dependant. Salvation is wrought out of us by Christ, procured by him; and our carriage to salvation is wrought out of us by Grace coming from Christ. He keeps the Fountain, and he lets out the streams more or lesse as we humbly depend on him: so that both salvation is out of us, and the carriage to salvation is of Grace, all is out of us. How should this make us carry ourselves humbly, in a dependance on Christ for salvation, and the carriage of it? And therefore resolve not to offend God in any thing, but to trust in God, and to look to his Word; to trust in God and his Word, is all one, Psal. 130. Thus we should take S. Paul's course, to trust in God, and renew our purposes every day.
And then take S. Paul's comfort to your selves, perswade your selves, Saint Paul's comfort.that neither things present, nor things to come, as S. Paul saith, Rom. 8. nothing shall intercept your crown. For what he said here before-hand, that he experimentally saith of himself, 2 Tim. 4. a little before he dyed, (which was the last Epistle that ever he wrote) he saith here, they should acknowledge him to the end; and there when his end was come, what saith he of himself? I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith, I have run my race; now henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse, &c. Before this time I depended upon God that he would carry me to my end, as he hath done; and now I am to close up my daies, and my Sun is to set: this all I have done, God that was with me from the beginning is with me to the end: I have done all this, and what remaines now, but a crown of righteousnesse?
Therefore I beseech you, take in trust the time to come as well as any time past: resolve well, and trust with your resolution; live by faith and obedience, joyn them both together, the one to be the evidence of the truth of the other: then take in trust for the time to come all the good that you can promise your selves from God, you cannot honour him more.
I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
Saint Paul saith of himself, That the grace of God should lead him to his Things of the world uncertain.end, and that they should acknowledge it: you shall not acknowledge me to the end to be rich, or to be in favour, &c. but this you shall acknowledge, that I shall be the like man. It is uncertain for any thing in the world, we cannot promise our selves, nor others cannot promise for us: but you shall acknowledge this, that I will be, as I have been, to the end. You have acknowledged, and you shall acknowledge, &c.
Seeing acknowledging is repeated twice as an evidence of a good Christian, to approve of the Image of God in another, and to acknowledge it, Therefore often examine your hearts, what you acknowledge: do you acknowledge, To examine what we acknowledge.that the abstaining from evil courses, from fraud, and cunning in your callings; that the abstaining from sensual living, from carnal policy, is good? why then take that course, resolve upon it. Are the courses of Gods Children good, why will you oppose them? Saint Paul gives an excellent rule, Rom. 14. 22. we should not condemn our selves in that which we allow. Do you allow in your judgment, and in your conscience the best courses? (as indeed you will do one day,) then do not condemn your selves in the present for them, Happy is that man that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth, saith the Apostle.
Examine oft-times seriously, how your judgment stands in the waies of God, how it is built, whether upon humane fancy to please any man, or upon Divine directions, the Word of God; If it be so, take heed that you do not condemn your selves in those courses, and those persons that you allow. Do you in your soul justifie such persons? why do you not joyn with them? why do you not walk their waies? are such courses good? why do you not take them? Your justifying them in the end will be little to your comfort, if you condemne them all your life against your conscience: for afterwards it is not so much a work of Grace for you to justifie good courses, and to acknowledge good things: in most men it is not so much a work of Grace as it is the evidence of the thing: and when the cloud of sensuallity, and the fume that riseth out of worldly pomp is taken away, then the naturall conscience comes to see clearly better things, not from the love of them, not that it is changed, and transformed with the love of them; but God so discovers it to them, to make them justifie his sentence of Damnation the more: he discovered to them better courses then they tooke: it shall justifie their damnation.
We are deceived oft-times in mens ends; they acknowledge good waies, Men deceived in the death of others.and good courses: and on the other side some of Gods good Children they pronounce the contrary: but let none trust to that, good courses are so evident, and clear, that if men be not Atheists they must acknowledge them, especially when the impediment that hindred them before is taken away. You must acknowledge, therefore acknowledge now; not in your hearts onelyonly, but acknowledge them in laying aside your opposition, in casting away your weapons, and by joyning with them in good courses: set not your hands against good courses, and good persons; set your tongues to speak for their good. Take Gods part, stand on Gods side, it is the best side; if you allow it onelyonly hereafter it will be a barren allowance, it will be no comfort to you, it often falls out to be so.
O beloved, whatsoever courses else you take they will sink, and fall; they will sink first in your own soules, and none will be readier to condemn you then your own conscience: when God shall make you wiser, you will censure your selves, What folly was it? how was I deluded with Danger of ill company.this ill company, and with that? as wicked company is wondrous powerfull to infuse ill conceits: as the Spies they infused discouragement by the Oration they made of the Giants in the Land, &c. they altered the mind of the whole people. It is a dangerous thing to converse with naughty persons; the Devil slides together into the soul with their carnal reasoning, and alters the judgement for the time, that they are not so wise as conscience would make them, and as they might be, if they did not hearken to the hissing of the Serpent.
First, if you take any conrse but good, your own conscience is by, and will be the first that will find you out: For sin is a base thing, a work of darknesse, it must be discovered, it is a madnesse, it must be manifest to all men. Popery and all their slights must be discovered, and the Whore must lie naked, and stink; nothing shall be so abominable as Popery, and Popish persons ere long.
Truth will get the victory in the consciences of people; and good courses will get approbation. Therefore if you approve them not, first you shall be unhappy in this life, and everlastingly hereafter: this shall be the Aggravation of Hell-torments.principal torment in hell, that you saw better courses then you lived in, and you would not give your judgments leave to lead you. There was something better, Conscience told you, but you gave way to your lusts, and to the insinuations of wicked men, instruments of the Devill, rather then to the motions of conscience, and of Gods Spirit that awakened conscience.
This I say will more ease your torment in hell that you might have done otherwise if you had had Grace: but you willingly betrayed your selves, you silenced conscience, you willingly condemned your selves in the things that you acknowledged were naught, you did that which you condemned, and you did not practise that which your judgment did allow.
God will have little to do at the day of Judgment, with most men in the Church to condemn them: for alas, their own consciences will condemn them, the consciences of all will condemn them that their courses were naught.
And that makes wicked men so cruel, especially, if they get into place Ground of ill mens cruelty.of authority, they know they are not allowed, they are not acknowledged in the consciences of those that are judicious, thèy know they are condemned there, and they fret and fume, and think to force another opinion of themselves upon others, but it will not be; and that makes them that they cannot endure the sight of them that are of a contrary judgment: they think themselves condemned in the hearts of such men, and that makes them cruel: Especially those that have some illumination, they cannot abide their own conscience to take its course, they cannot abide to see themselves. They think themselves condemned in the judgment of others: and those that think they have the prejudice of others that their courses are naught, they carry an implacable hatred, it is a desperate case.
Hast thou knowledge that they think thy courses naught, and on good ground, and doest thou hate them▪ and hate to be reformed thy self? will this alway hold out? No, as I said before, truth is eternal, that which thou acknowledgest must continue, it will be acknowledge, it will get the victory at the day of Judgment by Men and Angels: truth will have the victory, it is eternal. Take that course for the present, that thou mayest be good for the present, and hold out to the end, as we see the Corinthians here, You do acknowledge me, and you shall acknowledge me to the end, and testifie to the world that you acknowledge the best things; and the best persons, that you may be one with them by love here, and in heaven for ever hereafter.
I trust you shall acknowledge to the end.
To shut up this point; Let me seal it up with this, Make this Quaere To be constant in good courses.to your selves, what estate you are in, when you come to the Communion, whether it be well with you, or no? if not, why will you live any whit at all (in the uncertainty of our lives, and the shortnesse of them, and the danger of the wrath of God, when there is so little between you and eternal Damnation,) in a doubtful, in a dangerous estate? Are you resolved to be naught then? No, if you be not Atheists you will not say so. Do you intend to be good, and come and make your Covenant with God? Yes: why then resolve to be so.
A good conscience looks not onelyonly back to sins past, to repent of them: but for the time to come it resolves to please God in all things, and to hold out to the end.
Some make a mockery of the holy things of God: one part of the year they will be holy; a rotten foolish affection of people that are Popish. In Lent they will use a little austerity, O they will please God wondrously; but before and after they are devils incarnate: so they make that part of the year as a good parenthesis, in an unlearned, and unwitty speech. A good parenthesis is unseemly in a wicked speech, and a good piece is unseemly in a ragged garment: so their lives that make a good shew then, (and there are few that do so, they are scarce among us, men are such Atheists, that there is not outward reformation; but if there be,) if they give themselves leave to be Civill, and to respect holy things a little time, afterward they return to their loosenesse again. Doth this patching out of a holy life please God? No, no; I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Statutes, saith David. And S. Paul, I have resolved to be so to the end; I will be my self still. So where grace is, there is a resolution against all sin for the time to come. If you entertain not this resolution, to walk in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of your life, acknowledge no benefit by Christs redemption, and come not near the holy things of God.
This is the honest heart that the Scripture speaks of, that receives the seed deep into it; that hates sin above all miseries, and ills, and that loves grace above all other good things: therefore if any infirmity come, he can say it is against his resolution: I purposed not this, I plotted it not, I do not allow my self in it, here is an honest heart: the Word is fixed deeply in such a heart; it comes with an honest resolution. If you come to the Sacrament, and purpose to live in sin, you prophane the holy things of God, the Word of God will do you no good, it will never take deep root to save you. So much for S. Paul's resolution for the time to come, I trust … shall acknowledge to the end.