Sermons, Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON.
PHILIPPIANS, CHAP. I.
verse 18 What then? yet CHRIST is preached all maner of wayes, whether it bee vnderunder a pretence, or ſincerelie: and I therein joye, and will joye:
verse 19 For I knowe, that this ſhall turne to my ſaluation, through your prayers, and by the helpe of the Spirit of IESUS CHRIST.
verse 20 As I heartilie looke for, and hope, that in nothing I ſhall bee aſhamed, but that with all confidence, as alwayes, ſo nowe CHRIST ſhall bee magnified in my bodie, whether it bee by life or by death:
verse 21 For CHRIST is to mee both in life and in death aduantage.
22. And whether to liue in the fleſh were profitable for mee, and what to chooſe I know not:
verse 23 For I am greatlie in doubt on both ſides, deſiring to bee looſed, and to bee with CHRIST, which is best of all.
verse 24 Neuertheleſſe, to abide in the fleſh is more needefull for you.
verse 25 And this I am ſure of, that I ſhall abide, and with you all continue, for your furtherance, and joye of your faith:
verse 26 That yee may more aboundantlie rejoyce in JESUS CHRIST for me, by my comming to you againe.
PAVL lying in bandes at ROME, there riſeth vp two ſortes of Preachers: The firſt ſort of them that preached ſincerelie, that GOD and His glorie might be aduanced. The ſecond ſort of them that preached not ſincerelie, not for the aduancement of Chriſt nor His Goſpell, but to adde afflictions to Paule bands, moued with ambition and enuie towards him.
In the firſt verſe which wee hauehave read in your audience, Paule vttereth his minde concerning theſe two ſortes of Preachers, and this is his mind in effect, Let them (ſaieth hee) preach as they will preach, let them preach of ſinceritie for the glorie of Chriſt, let them preach for the faſhion: howeuer they preach, (preaching the trueth of God) CHRIST is preached, euen by them who preacheth not ſincerelie. And therfore, becauſe Chriſt is preached, I rejoyce notwithſtanding of all that injurie which I receiue by their preaching: I rejoyce and will rejoyce, and no man will bee able to take my joye from me. Shortlie then, there is Paules minde concerning theſe two ſortes.
My doctrine ſhall bee generall: And the firſt thing that I marke heere is this, (and anie of you may ſee it) The Lord is glorified, Chriſt is magnified, euen by a counterfeite doing of men, when they doe the thing that is good: yet not in ſinceritie, nor of purpoſe to glorifie GOD in their doing. But their purpoſe not beeing to glorifie God in their doing, (they not doing ſincerelie) howbeit Hee getteth His owne glorie by their doing, yet they ſhall get little thankes. It is not ſo much the turne it ſelfe, the action it ſelfe, preaching, or whatſoeuer it bee, that procureth to a man thanks and grace at the handes of God, as it is the purpoſe & intention in doing. I had rather doe the ſobereſt thing in the world, and if it were … eate my meate, and drinke my drinke, of purpoſe to glorifie God in my doing, than to do the greateſt and faireſt worke that can be ſeene to the eye of man, without purpoſe to glorifie God in that doing. Marke it: Whether yee eat, whether ye drinke, or whatſoeuer ye doe, little or much, do all to the glorie of God, ſaieth Paul, 1. Cor. 10. 31. And therefore, Brethren, there is nothing that a man ſhould ſo much looke to in his doinges and actions, as to his purpoſe, and to the intention of his heart. Looke thou as thou wilt, the Lord looketh chiefelie to euerie mans intention and purpoſe. He that preacheth, what is to bee reſpected with what meaſure of grace he preach, if in preaching his intention be to glorifie God & Chriſt: whatſoeuer anie man or woman doeth, let them looke aboue all things, that in doing their intention be to glorifie God, as euer they would looke for thanks at His hands. This is a leſſon. I ſee here another thing. The Goſpell is aduanced, IESVS CHRIST is glorified in Paules hurt, and who is a dearer man to Chriſt, than `Paul? The leſſon then is this. Wee ſee the Lord is glorified, when thoſe whom He loueth beſt, is damnified in this world, in their hurt and domage Hee getteth His glorie: that thing which is done againſt them in malice, the Lord therein is glorified.
Well then, I learne by the example of Paule, If ſo bee that my GOD is glorified in mine hurt, if He getteth aduantage by my damnage & skathe: then vnderſtanding that glorie redoundeth vntounto Him by my ſuffering, and it were by my death, I am bound to rejoyce I rejoyce, (ſaieth the Apoſtle) and ſhall rejoyce: I am bound to rejoyce, and thou art bound to rejoyce ſtill in glorifying God to the ende. So aboue all thinges, the glory of Chriſt ſhold be ſought. What am I to be reſpected, & my ſhame, hurt & death? what art thou to be reſpected thy ſhame, hurt and death? if it redound to ye glory of Him who made me and thee for His glorie?
Now, when he hath ſhewed his joye and mind concerning theſe two ſortes of men, in the next verſe he commeth to the cauſe of his joye in that the LORD was glorified in his hurt and domage. For (ſaieth hee) I knowe that this ſhall turne to my ſaluation, &c. That thing that is done to mine hurt, it ſhall bee ſo chaunged and turned about, that, againſt the expectation of men who woulde hurt mee, the LORD ſhall worke out my ſaluation. There is the leſſon. If I can rejoyce, & thou canſt rejoyce, that the LORD getteth glory by thine or mine hurt or skathe, wee may bee aſſured, that our trouble ſhall be wonderfullie altered & changed: that which was done to our hurt, ſhall turne to our ſaluation. The Apoſtle Paul ſaieth, (in the 8. chapter of the epiſtle to the Romanes, verſe 28.) To them who loueth God, all things commeth for the best: For if the glorie of GOD bee deare to thee, if thou preferre His glory aboue thy ſaluation, be aſſured thy life and ſaluation ſhall bee deare vntounto Him: yea, thy ſaluation ſhall bee dearer vntounto Him, than His glorie can bee vntounto thee: for thou canſt not louelove Him ſo well as He loueth thee. Moſes (Exod. 32. 32.) vttereth a wonderfull zeale to GODS glorie, and ſaieth, Ere Thou deſtroye this people, raze mee out of the booke of Life: that is, altogether deſtroye mee. But what anſwere gets hee? No Moſes, I had rather raze them out of my booke who hauehave ſinned againſt mee. Paul deſireth that he may be an Anathema, Rom. 9. 3. and that for the zeale hee had to the glorie of God. But Moſe, ſhall neuer bee ſcraped out of the booke of God, becauſe hee loueth Gods glorie: Paul ſhall neuer bee accurſed, becauſe hee loueth Gods glorie. And if thou wilt looke to His glorie, all that euill which thou canſt wiſh to thee for His glory, ſhall be turned to thine health and ſaluation. Then yee ſee there is nothing that we can loſe by ſeeking of Gods glorie. Our damnage ſhal be euer turned to our aduantage.
In the next part of the verſe, and the verſe following, is ſet downe the maner, and the ordinarie manes whereby the hurt and domage that the godlie ſuffer for the glorie of God, is turned ouer to their good: The Lord onelie is able to turne it to their good. Who is able to turne darkneſſe into light? death into life? ignominie into honour, but Hee? It paſſeth the cunning of all the creatures to make this wonderfull change: The Lord onlie is able to make this change. And certainlie, the ſhame, trouble, and affliction, that the godlie ſuffer in this life, woulde all bee the beginning of Hell, except that moſte skilfull crafts-man, the Lord, come in, and made this wonderfull alteration, and turned all theſe thinges to their aduantage, except Hee turned death to life, ignominie to honour, and trouble to joye, the eſtate of the godlie in their ſufferinges were moſte miſerable. Thinke not that theſe thinges are good in themſelues: No, death is not good of it ſelfe, it is a puniſhment for ſinne, Rom. 6. 23. The Lord onlie maketh the change, and maketh death to bee the entrie to life: but the Lord doeth all this by ordinarie meanes and middle: and yet all the meanes which Hee vſeth, derogateth nothing to His glorie, becauſe they all come of Him, and Hee hath the glorie of all. Seeing then, in making of this wonderfull chāge of darkneſſe into light, of death into life, of woe into joye &c. there muſt bee ordinarie meanes: woe be to thee that contemneſt the meanes, for if thou doe it, the trouble ſhall lie ſtill on thee till thou bee troubled in Hell: Sickneſſe ſhall bee ſickneſſe indeede to thee, death ſhall bee death indeede, and the beginning of Hell to thee.
Then let vsus take vp the meanes, as they lie here in order. Yee hauehave heard of one alreadie, to wit, Rejoycing that God is glorified in trouble. If (as I hauehave ſaide) thou canſt hauehave that heart and care of His glorie, that thou canſt rejoyce in thy trouble, that thy trouble glorifieth Him, bee aſſured a wonderfull alteration ſhall bee made of thy trouble: Trouble ſhall be no trouble, affliction ſhall be no affliction, death ſhall bee no death: Onelie get thou this deſire of His glorie.
Nowe followeth the next meane: The Apoſtle ſaith, I am aſſured, that this thing ſhall turne to my ſaluation, through your prayers. As the care to the glorie of God is a meane to make this alteration; and to turne our troubles to our ſaluation: ſo the care and ſolicity of the body of the Church, the interceſſion and prayer that the godlie maketh for vsus, who lye in trouble, is another meane: for the prayers of the godlie for anie member of the bodie of the Church hath a wonderfull effect. They will turne miſerie into joye, darkneſſe into light, yea death into life. Yet howbeit others hauehave care of thee, lying in diſtreſſe, if thou thy ſelfe contemneſt and deſpiſeſt their care, if thou regardeſt not whether they pray for thee or not, & no body make interceſſion at GODS handes for thee, there ſhall bee nothing but trouble to thee: trouble ſhall alwayes continue trouble: affliction ſhall alwayes remaine affliction. And as thou contemneſt and deſpiſeſt the prayers of the Sainctes and the godlie for thee, ſo thou ſhalt lye ſtill in miſerie and drowne in miſerie at laſt. It is a follie to a man to thinke, that his owne care onelie for himſelfe will ſerue the turne, contemning and deſpiſing the care of all others for him: I cannot thinke that ſuch a one hath one ſpunke of godlineſſe in him, who will cōtemne the care of others: For it is certaine, the ſufficiencie of grace is not giuen to one man, or to one woman onelie, but to the whole members of the bodie. And therefore, there muſt bee a concurrance of the whole, all muſt concurre for thy good and ſaluation: for if the hand will ſtand vp and ſaye to the eye, to the mouth, to the foote, or to the reſt of the members, Care for your ſelues: foote, care for thy ſelfe: wombe, care for thy ſelfe, &c. I will care for my ſelfe: were not this a fooliſh hand? woulde not this hand periſh and wither? yea, it woulde periſh if the mouth fedde it not, if the foote caried it not, if the wombe receiued not ſuſtenance to nouriſh it: Euen ſo if thou ſayeſt to the reſt of the members of the Church, Care for your ſelues, I will care for my ſelfe, thou ſhalt die like a drie member, and be cut off: no ſaluation but in the vnion of that bleſſed bodie of CHRIST, which is the Church. And none yet euer came to Heauen, but by a certaine concurrance of the reſt of the members of the Bodie, by praying by preaching, by admoniſhing exhorting, and rebuking If thou refuſe this concurrance in teaching, admoniſhing, and comforting thee, thou ſhalt neuer get Heauen. Paul (in the 8. chap. to the Romanes, verſ. 28.) ſaith, Wee knowe that all thinges worke together for the best, to them that louelove GOD. Marke the force of the wordes. If there bee not a working-together for thy ſaluation, thou ſhalt not come to Heauen. There are two of the meanes whereby trouble and damnage is turned to ſaluation. Yet there are more of them, for hee ſaieth, And by the helpe of the Spirite of IESUS CHRIST. There is another meane. As it is a fault to one member to refuſe the helpe of the reſt of the members of the body of the Church, their prayers & interceſſion: ſo it is as great a fault, to leane ſo vponupon the care of anie of the members of the body, of the Church, or of the Miniſterie, in preaching, praying exhorting, and comforting, that in the meane time thou hauehave no care of thy ſelfe, to get the ſpirite and life within thee, for Chriſts Spirit is thy life: thou wilt not praye for thy ſelfe, but wilt bid the Church & Miniſtery pray for thee, as if that were enough. No, except that Spirite bee within thee, (which is the Spirit of Adoption) to make interceſſion with ſighes vnſpeakeable at the hands of God: downe ſhalt thou goe, albeit that the Church and whole members thereof would pleaſe to holde thee vp. What if the hand had no motion, life, nor ſtrēgth in it ſelfe, would the foote and the eye bee able to holde it vp? No, if the foote and the eye ſtriue to holde it vp, they ſhould rotte with the hand, and behoued to bee cut of: For whereto ſerueth a rotten member? It will infect the whole bodie, if it be not cut off. So if thou bee without ſpirite and life within thy ſelfe, how beit all the reſt of the members of the body of the Church would holde their hands about thee to holde thee vp, thou ſhalt fall downe and die. So as ye would hauehave others caring for you, care for your ſelfe, and ſee that yee hauehave the Spirit of God caring for you. If Moſes, Abraham, and all other faithfull men woulde praye for you, it is nothing. What good did Samuels prayers for Saul? The Lord ſtopped his mouth, and forbad him to praye for him. Thus yee hauehave heard of three meanes whereby this wonderfull change is made: The firſt is the care of God and His glorie: The ſecond is the interceſſion of the reſt of the members of the body: the third is the Spirite of Chriſt interceading for vsus, and the care which we hauehave of our ſelues. We hauehave need of theſe meanes. And certainlie the day is approaching, that experience will tell the trueth of theſe thinges. Paul, a man euer afflicted, in trouble and vnderunder danger, telleth of his owne experience what hee founde. But are there yet anie more meanes? Looke the verſe that followeth, As I (ſaith hee) heartilie looke for, and hope, &c. The worde importeth ſuch an hope, as when a man hath his head raiſed vp, his eyes open and bent, awayting for anie thing attentiuely. Wee ſee when a man looketh earneſtlie for any other, his head will bee lifted vp, his eyes will be bent, looking to that place where from he ſhould come: and if he louelove him well, he wil looke attentiuely, hauing both heart and eyes bended vp, with hope of his comming. The like worde in the 8. chap. to the Rom. verſ. 19. is aſcribed to the creatures: They awaite with feruent deſire, when the ſonne of God ſhall be reuealed.
I ſhall make the words more plaine: I hope, according to mine attentiue exſpectation, that in nothing I ſhall bee aſhamed: that is, that I ſhall neuer thinke ſhame of my Maiſter Ieſus Chriſt: becauſe, that if I thinke ſhame for any thing which I ſuffer for His cauſe, I thinke ſhame of Himſelfe. Hee ſaith, that in nothing I ſhall bee aſhamed: There is the negatiue: I will be aſhamed of nothing. But what more? With all boldneſſe of ſpirite I ſhall magnifie Him in my bodie, not in my ſoule onelie, but in my bodie alſo: and that, Whether it bee in my life, or in my death. Hee caſteth in the argument of this aſſurance, as in all times by-gone, euer to this houre, I hauehave magnified Him in my bodie. So this by-gone experience (would he ſay) maketh me to be aſſured by hope, neuer to be aſhamed of Him, but to glorifie Him in life and death. Then take vp the leſſon. Amongeſt the reſt of the mean s whereby this change is made, of miſerie to felicitie, of death to life, and all thinges are made to ſerue to our ſaluation. Hope is one, and it is the fourth in number. Wherein ſtandeth this Hope? That in no affliction which I ſuffer for Chriſtes ſake I will bee aſhamed, and ſo ſhame the Lord. (For in ſuffering if thou bl…ſheſt, and thinkeſt ſhame, thou ſhameſt Him) But by the contrarie, in all thinges that I ſhall doe or ſuffer in this bodie, I ſhall doe with courage, confidence, and libertie: I ſhall ſuffer with courage, confidence, and libertie. And ſo, in doing, in ſuffering in the bodie▪ I ſhall magnifie my LORD. So this is the point: If I glorifie Him before men with courage and boldneſſe in mine afflictions, I may bee aſſured, Hee ſhall glorifie me before His Father in Heauen, Mat. 10. 32. They that ſuffer with Him, ſhall reigne with Him, 2. Timoth. 2. 12. But by the contrary, if thou with bluſhing think ſhame of Him and of His Goſpel, and of the afflictions of the Goſpel, if thou ſhame Him before the world, He ſhall ſhame thee before His Father, Mark. 8. 38. So this Hope is no ſmall matter, for if thou hauehave an aſſured Hope during thy whole life▪ thou ſhalt magnifie Chriſt, whatſoeuer falleth out in life or death, aſſure thy ſelfe all ſhall bee turned to the glory of God, and thy ſaluation. All the troubles that ſhall bee laide vponupon thee in this worlde, ſhall bee ſo turned ouer, that they ſhall ſerue to thy good and conſolation. But if this hope be away, if thou lie ſluggiſhly, not hauing thine head raiſed vp, with cloſed eyes, not looking and hoping that thou ſhalt glorifie thy Lord, not caring for His glorie, either in thy life, or in thy death, all thy miſerie that lighteth vponupon thee, ſhall remaine miſerie, and ſhall preſſe thee down to euerlaſting damnation. Looke then how precious this hope is? Learne another thing here. There ſtandeth much in theſe two, in shame and blushing, in confidence, libertie, and courage: I ſay to thee, there ſtandeth more in the conſequēts of ſuffering and doing, than ſtandeth in the ſuffering and doing it ſelfe. I ſuppoſe thou ſuffer the death for Chriſtes ſake, if thou bee ashamed in ſuffering, and haſt not libertie and courage, thou ſuffereſt not ſo much for CHRIST, as for thy ſelfe: and thy death is nothing elſe, but a death to thee, and thy ſuffering is nothing, but a ſuffering to thy ſelfe. Euen ſo, do what thou wilt doe to glorifie Him, if it be not done with libertie, freedome, and courage, thou loſeſt thy trauell. Seeing then, that ſo much ſtandeth in the diſpoſition of the heart, let eueryevery man looke that hee prepare himſelfe with courage and confidence againſt the daye of triall, that with confidence in ſuffering he may magnifie God: Paul ſaith to Timothie, in his 2. epiſt. chap. 1. verſ. 8. Bee not aſhamed of Chriſt, nor of me, that am His captiue. Thinke ſhame of none that ſuffer for Chriſt, but rather bee thou partaker of that affliction, to ſuffer with courage and confidence thoſe things with them.
Yet marke another thing here: he ſaith, that he might magnifie Chriſt in his bodie: Hee ſpeaketh not of the ſoule. And ſo I obſeru; that of the very bodie. (let bee of the ſoule) euen of the very bodily maſſe which thou beareſt about with thee, a great duety is required for the glorifying of God and His Chriſt. When thou art liuing in thine actions, when thou art dying in thy death, it muſt be an inſtrument glorifying God, when thou art going vponupon thy feete, it muſt bee an inſtrument of His glorie: when thou art lying in thy bedde, yea, the Lord muſt bee glorified in it, when it is diſſolued into aſhes in the graue. I marke this againſt that vaine conceite of men, who will ſaye, What care I, ſo I keepe a good minde to God, let mee proſtitute my body to harlotrie, gluttony, and all vices, yet I will keepe my ſoule to God. No, either God will hauehave all, or the Deuill will hauehave all. Awaye thou idolater, who wilt keepe thy ſoule to GOD, and wilt bowe thy knee to Baal, the Deuill will get both ſoule and bodie. Paul ſaieth not, that the Lord hath only bought thy ſoule with a price, but that Hee hath bought both ſoule and body, that they ſhould glorifie God, 1. Corin. 6. 20, …ee are bought with a price, yee are not your owne. Fye, filthie bodie, that wilt ſay, May I not doe with my bodie as I pleaſe? Haſt thou power to reaue it out of the handes of the Lord? The Lord hath the power of thy body, and in that laſt day thou ſhalt bee challenged with theft and ſacriledge. And when hee hath ſaid, ye are bought with a price, hee ſubjoyneth, Glorifie God not in your ſpirite onelyonly, but alſo in your bodies: Either Hee will hauehave both, or elſe none: Thinkeſt thou to ſend thy ſoule to God, and thy body to the Deuill? No, either the Lord ſhall get both, or both ſhall goe to Hell. Take heed how ye keepe theſe bodies, ye ſhall render accompt of them: Thy body ſhould be the Temple of the holie Spirit, if thou defile the ſeate of that holy One, ſhame ſhall light vponupon thee. I marke heere: To aſſure himſelfe of continuance, that hee ſhall continue in glorifying God in life and death, he taketh an argument from his former experience, Euer hitherto I hauehave glorified God in my body, & I hauehave a ſtedfaſt hope, that I ſhall continue & that all the actions of my body ſhall glorifie Him: and when I am dead, He ſhall be glorified in my body.
It is good then, to begin well, and to hauehave experience, that thou haſt ſerued GOD well in thy calling: for experience bringeth hope, and hope maketh thee no wayes ashamed, Rom. 5. 4. 5. And if thou hauehave experience that thou haſt ſerued GOD, and Hee hath beene with thee, and kept thy bodie in puritie, thou mayeſt bee aſſured to continue to the ende: Not that our continuance ſtandeth in our ſelf, (no our continuance ſtandeth not in our ſelues, for the beſt man that liueth is not able of himſelfe to ſtand one moment) but out ſtanding is in God, for if Hee would take His grace from vsus, in one moment, we would fall. It is the louelove that He beareth to vsus that holds vsus vp: be once aſſured of that louelove of GOD towardes thee, and then thou mayeſt bee aſſured, that thou shalt glorifie God both in life and death.
Now in the next verſe he ſaith. For Christ is to me both in life and death aduantage: Hee giueth a reaſon wherefore hee ſaide hee would magnifie God in his bodie, both in life and death: The reaſon is, becauſe of the aduantage hee hath of Him, CHRIST IESVS is aduantage to him. And when? Not when I liue onelie, (ſaieth hee) but in my death alſo. Is it not good reaſon that I should glorifie Him both in life and death, in whome I hauehave aduantage both in life and death? All men doe for aduantage. When a man hath done and ſuffered, hee woulde hauehave aduantage. When wee honour the Prince, or anie man, all is for aduantage. If gaine mooueth to honour men, to ſerue them, where was there euer ſuch a gaine and aduantage as may bee looked for at the handes of CHRIST? If gaine will mooue thee, where wilt thou get it, if not in CHRIST? Would thou hauehave gaine & aduantage for thy doing in thy lifetime? He will giuegive thee it. Thou shalt not do one deed, but thou shalt hauehave thine hire in thine hande. Wouldeſt thou hauehave gain in thy death? if thou die for Him, thou shal get as fair an aduātage as euer man got. Indeede, a man will giuegive thee gaine for honouring him in thy life-time, but when thou art lying in thy deathbedde, canſt thou get aduantage out of the hand of a man? Suppoſe a Monarch would giuegive thee a kingdome, what aduantage is it to thee, if thou liueſt not to brooke it? But I tell you plainelie, The LORD is greater aduantage to vsus in death, than in life: and all this aduantage which wee hauehave of Him in this life, is nothing in reſpect of that aduantage which we shall get in the life to come. Paul (in the third chapter of the Epiſtle to the Philippians) when hee hath counted al his aduantages, and numbered out all the prerogatiues which hee had in this worlde, That hee was a Iew, a Phariſee, his father a Phariſee, of the Tribe of Ben-jamin, none ſo zealous of the Lawe as hee, &c. manie aduantages and great prerogatiues: but after that hee once commeth to CHRIST, and getteth Him, hee ſayeth, All is but dung, in reſpect of that excellent knowledge, of that aduantage of IESVS CHRIST. As I counted much (would he ſay) of theſe earthlie aduantages before I knew Chriſt, euen ſo, after that … once had gotten a ſight of Him, I counted them nothing but dirt and dung. And therefore, hee telleth out the aduantages and gaines that hee founde in Chriſt. That (ſaith he) I may be found in Him: that is, not hauing mine owne righteouſneſſe, which is of the Lawe, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, euen the righteouſneſſe which is of God through faith. There is the firſt aduantage, Thou art juſtified before the Tribunall of GOD. What king can giuegive thee that aduantage, to ſet thee vp as a free-man before the Tribunall of God? And albeit thou hadſt gotten all the aduantages that kings can giuegive thee, if thou getteſt not this aduantage to ſtand before that Tribunall, cloathed with Chriſt, thou ſhalt goe to damnation. Then hee addeth to another aduantage, That I may knowe Him, and the vertue of His reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of His afflictions, and bee made conformable vntounto His death, if by any meanes I might attaine to the reſurrection of the dead. There is the ſecond aduantage: thou art made like vntounto Him in holineſſe, and both in ſuffering and in glory, thou art comformed vntounto Him. Well is ye man that can get this aduantage, to be glorified. What are all aduātages to be coūted of that can come to thee in this life, in reſpect of this aduantage? that when thou art lying (a vilde bodie) in the graue, Chriſt ſhall take thee vp, and ſet thee in that glory which is prepared for the ſonnes of GOD. Alas! if men coulde ſee the aduantages which are in CHRIST: For all faileth for fault of ſight: If men got but one blink of CHRIST, they woulde not giuegive that ſight for all the kingdomes in the earth: Wee want ſpirituall eyes and ſenſes. Theſe ſpirituall aduantages in CHRIST, are ſeene onelie with a ſpirituall eye: and for fault of that ſpirituall ſight, wee ſee not the aduantages which are in Him. There is nothing which wee ſhoulde more deſire, than theſe ſpirituall ſenſes, wherewith wee maye get a ſight and fore-taſte of theſe thinges which are in IESVS CHRIST.
Nowe, in the next verſe, taking occaſion of the wordes, that CHRIST was aduantage to him both in life and death, hee beginneth to doubt, whether it were better for him to liue or die And whether (ſaieth hee) to liue in the fleſh were profitable for mee, or what to chooſe, I knowe not: I thinke I woulde bee dead, to ſee mine aduantage which I will get in death: for my gaine, which I get liuing, is nothing to that aduantage which I will get in death: But I am ſtraited, whether to liue in the fleſh, or to goe out of the bodie. Then he bringeth in the reaſon, It is better for mee to bee looſed, and to bee with CHRIST: I will bee at Him, (yet hee ſaieth, I am in doubt, and not reſolued.) Neuertheleſſe, to remaine in the fleſh, is more needefull for you: For albeit it bee better for me to be dead, yet when I looke to you, it is worſe for you. After this doubting and reaſoning, hee concludeth, I will liue then, and the LORD will keepe mee for your weale.
Then, Brethren, I will marke heere one or two thinges, and ſo I ſhall ende. Yee ſee a doubting in PAVL, whether hee ſhoulde liue or die, which diſtracteth his minde. This doubting is common to manie: For ſometimes wee woulde liue, and other whiles wee woulde bee dead. But looke to the cauſe that diſtracted PAVLES minde, and made him to doubt, whether hee ſhoulde deſire to liue or die. Some men woulde die, becauſe there is nothing in this worlde but miſerie: Some men woulde die for other cauſes, becauſe of ſickneſſe, ſome becauſe of ſhame following ſome offenſe, for the life is tedious to a miſerable bodie, the life which ſhoulde bee comfortable, is tedious in diſtreſſe.
But howe manie commeth to this point, To deſire to bee diſſolued for the glorie that is with IESVS, and ſaieth. If I were away, I woulde get this aduantage of glorie? Who woulde be awaye for the glorie of Heauen, and aduantage that is laide vp there? It is a rare grace to get this deſire. No queſtion (thinke as yee will) infinite joy, glorie, and paſſing aduantage is in Heauen.
Againe, ſome men woulde liue, wherefore? becauſe they are freſh, greene, and able men: they would paſſe their time yet: Some men would liue▪ becauſe they hauehave wife and children, and woulde care for them, (I condemne not lawfull care) but all this deſire is vaine. Where wilt thou get that man, that would liue to help the poore Church of CHRIST with his labour? How manie will come on with this, to liue onelie for the weale of the Church of CHRIST? I deſire ſuch a Paſtor who is minded to liue for the care yt he hath to leade manie by the hand to Heauen, ere he goe away, that he may winne manie ſoules to CHRIST, that hee may bee the welcomer when hee commeth there himſelfe: He is happie. It is the ſight of that Heauenlie glorie, that maketh men to hauehave this foreſaide deſire. Howe manie ſeeth that Heauenlie glorie? Fie on vsus, ſeeing ſuch a glorie laide vp in Heauen for vsus, that yet will not make a meane to get it: wee periſh for fault of ſenſe: There is …o lacke of aduantage in CHRIST, but the lacke is in me, & in thee, I hauehave no deſire of that glorie, thou haſt no deſire of that glorie, and ſo wee periſhe. Therefore, get this ſenſe of glorie in time, or elſe thy ſoule ſhall bee drawne out of thy bodie. Doe accordinglie. Wouldeſt thou hauehave it ſweetlie looſed? Then get in time a ſenſe of this glorie. Wouldeſt thou hauehave it pulled out by force? Thē neglect the ſenſe and ſight of this glorie.
Obſerue another thing of the care of Paul. He counted nothing of all theſe afflictions, in reſpect of the care which he had of the Church of God. I wonder at this care of his, conſidering now our careleſneſſe: For if euer care was dead out of the hearts of men, it is now dead. Farewell the care of the Church of God in Scotland, for fault of ye zeale of Gods glory, & the care of the Church of God. I ſee this Land, and the Church of GOD therein, decaying. Learne another thing of PAVLES reſolution. Yet he reſolueth to liue & that for the weale of the Church of Chriſt. Marke it. There is none of vsus, but wee ſhould deſire to hauehave the fruition of the glory and joye that is in the face of Ieſus: yet we, who may profite in the Church of God in this life, are bounde to deſire to liue for a while, that the Church may be holpen. The Lord accounteth more highly of this deſire, than of a deſire that a man hath to die, and to bee with Ieſus. The Lord accounted more of PAVLES liuing, to helpe the Church, than of his glorifying Him in his death. Thinke yee that PAVL woulde hauehave liued ſo long, except the Lord had ſeene him profitable to His Church? And no queſtion, ye Lord Ieſus (knowing the miſery of this earth) would hauehave taken vp His Apoſtles at His aſcention with Him, if He had not loued the weale of His Church. There is no good body, but the Lord woulde hauehave them with Him: yet Hee letteth them remaine heere in paine, that they may help the Church, otherwiſe there would not be a good body left liuing in SCOTLAND, Hee would take them all away, and glorifie them. But ſo long as Hee hath a Church in SCOTLAND, Hee will let good men continue, but when Hee taketh them away, wo be to them that tary behind! It is wonderfull to ſee how the Lord will keepe a man by whoſe trauels Hee will helpe His Church. All the worlde will not get leaue to hurt an haire of his head. HEROD taketh PETER, and putteth him into priſon, laying him betwixt two ſouldiers, thinking to execute him ye next morning, Act. 12. But the Lord by His Angell wakeneth him, and bringeth him ſafe out, and yet hee wiſt not what hee was doing. PAVL and PETER were wonderfully deliuered, ſo long as the Lord had to doe with them: but when He had done His turne, and they fell into the hands of NERO, there is no more dinne of them, they were ſlaine. So long as the Lord hath adoe with any man He will ſhake Heauen and earth ere hee periſh. Well, the care of the Church of God is decaying in SCOTLAND. Le…vsus crie, LORD, put the care of this Church, and the care of the members of the body of Chriſt, into the hearts of men, that eueryevery man may care for the ſaluation of another, and that God maye bee glorified in them through His Sonne Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour: To whome, with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt, bee all Prayſe, Honour, and Glory both now and for euermore,
AMEN.