Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4, Verse

Commentary on 2 Corinthians 4 · Verse

p. 60Vers. 7. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

WE entred upon this verse the last day. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels: Where he answereth an objection; (for the heart of man is full of objections, against Scripture truths.) God in manner of his disp…nsation, pleaseth not the naturall heart of man, especially when it …hinks it self most wise, but pleaseth it self in cavilling, and expostulating against the word, or the dispensation of it; and therefore the Apostle being desirous, that these blessed things may come to the hearts of the people he hath dealt withall, takes away all objections that may stand between them, and the truth.

The chief objection is the baseness of Pauls condition, he was scorned, and persecuted in the world.

It is true, we are earthen vessels, but we have a treasure in these vessels; And God is wise, and his end is good, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

And then the Treasurer, and the under Treasurer, Christ is the chief, we are the under treasurers; and then the vessels, which this treasure is contained in, earthen vessels, are baser than the treasure it self; and then the reason of this seeming disproportion, That so excellent a treasure is in earthen vessels. These be the pariculars that deserve to be unfolded. Some of them have been unfolded in part already.

I shewed that the Gospell was a treasure, soul-saving truth is a treasure. It was compared to light, the most divine quality of all, fittest to set out divine truths, which hath influence conveyed from heaven with it; and which discovers it self, and all excellencies in the world besides. And now it is set out by another borrowed speech, which we highly esteem in the world, that is a treasure; nothing more prized than light, and treasure; God speaketh in our own language to us, not that heavenly things are not better than any earthly things; but we cannot understand God, if he speaks in any other language; and therefore he conveyeth the excellency of spirituall things, p. 61under that which we most prize in the world, under light, and under treasure.

I came then to make a use of tryall, whether we have this treasure, or no. Ʋse. 3Contentation.

For further use, if so be Christ, and the good things by him discovered are such a treasure, then we ought to be content with him; though God cut us short in regard of outward things. For we have a treasure; and this is one benefit we have by it, If we have Christ, we shall have all other things, as much as God shall see needfull, they shall be cast into the bargain, and that is one comfort.

The little we have, we shall have with a blessing. And thenThe people o God, that little they have, it is with a blessing. though we be never so poor in the world, we are rich in promises. Rich faith we have to make use of these rich promises, precious faith, and precious promises, we have bills, and God is a good pay-master, and is content to be sued on his own bond, we cannot have a better debter than God himself. Now having the Spirit of God, to give us precious faith, to lay hold on the rich and precious promises we have in Jesus Christ, therefore we should not be much discontented with whatsoever befals us in this world, for we have a rich portion.

Let us labour to understand this, and consider not onelyonly thatA Chrstian rich in reversion. we are rich in bils, and pro…ises, but in reversion. The best riches are laid up in heaven for us, we have some earnest, and other tasts of them here, some grapes of Canaan, but the best is to come, the true treasures are laid up in heaven; what we have here, alas, is nothing to that we shall have hereafter. Therefore having a rich God, and a rich Saviour, God-man; God having inriched our natures, and willing to inrich our persons, so far as shall concern heaven, having rich faith, and rich promises, and rich reversions, for matters of this world let God deal as he pleaseth, God that gave so rich a treasure, as his own son, cannot deny any thing else, as the Apostle reasoneth strongly, If he hath not spared his own son, but given him to 8 Rom. 32.death for us all, how shall not he with him give us all things; he wonders that any man should call it to question, how can it be?

He stands not on petty commodities, which we stand in need of▪ that giveth treasures. It is your Fathers pleasure to give p. 62you a kingdome; Dabit regnum, & non dabit viaticum? He will give you a kingdome, and will not he give you safe conduct and provision to bring you to heaven?

Consider this, and often examine your faith, whether ye believe these things or no. If you believe them, why are you discontented with every petty losse and crosse in the world, as if there were no better things to depend upon?

1. Oh labour to bring our hearts to an holy contentment, and for a Spirit of wisdome to improve this treasure, What use is there of a treasure, if we do not imploy it, for a supply of our wants? and therefore make use of the riches we have in Jesus Christ: Are we sinfull? he is gracious; have we much guilt lyeth on our consciences? Christ hath a great deal of favour, he is the beloved Son of God, set that against conscience; have weWe must make good use of our treasure. many enemies in the world? we have an intercessor in heaven; doth sin abound? grace aboundeth much more. Is there any want either in grace, or in comfort in the things of this world? see a full, and rich supply, in Jesus Christ.

2. And then get wisdome to make use of it. There is a speciall art to make use of the good things we have in Christ every day. For a man to famish at a feast, to starve and perish with thirst at the fountain's head, it is ignorance, and want of wisdome. If we be in Christ, if we have a well-head, whence we may fetch whatsoever we stand in need of, if we have faith, and to this end begge of God a Spirit of wisdome and revelation, to know the excellent things we have in Christ.

3. And likewise labour for a vessell of faith, for to contain this treasure, and get inlargement of faith, the larger faith we bring, the larger measure we carry from Christ. As the poor woman, that had vessels of Oyl, had she had more vessels, she had had more Oyl; for the Oyl increased, as her vessels served.2 Rings 4. 6. If we had more faith, we might have larger Oyl of grace, and larger Oyl of comfort from Gods word in Christ, and Gods riches in Christ. And therefore beg with the holy Apostles, Lord increase our faith, That as we have rich promises, and a rich Christ, and rich comforts, so we have rich faith.

4. And because Christ is rich, not to them that are without him, but within him, as they have union with Christ, labour therefore to strengthen this union with Christ, that we may be p. 63neerer and neerer the fountain, neerer and neerer the Well head neerer and neerer the treasure of all. And therefore labour in use of the Word and Sacraments to increase union, and so to increase Communion with Jesus Christ.

5. And for this purpose increase the sense of emptinesse in in our s…lves, for as we grow empty in our conceipts, so are we fitted to be full with Gods goodnesse, He sends the rich empty Luke 1. 53.Luke 1:53away, that be rich with the windy conceipt of their own worthinesse. Let us search deeply into our own hearts, what we want, what sin lieth on us, that we may be pardoned; what is wanting we should know, that it might be supplied.

It should be our daily task to empty our selves, by our dayly consideration of our own wants, and sinfullnesse, and then to setch a fresh supply fom the throne of grace.

It is with a Christians heart, as a Vessell that is full of something it should not be: So when mens hearts are full of windiness, and what they should not have, The more we labour to see our selves, the more God infuseth supernaturall grace and knowledge into us. And therefore let these two go together▪Mans dutie. Know our riches in Christ, and know our selves, Know God in Christ, and Christ, and then our own basenesse, and that is the way to make use of the treasure we have.

6. And likewise meditate, and recollect our thoughts dayly of the vanity of all things here, that our hearts run after so much. Alass, what is here we should stand so much upon, as to neglect our treasure? what is here will indure the scanning of a wise man? what is worthy our Spirits, our Soules, our Labours.

Let us wisely consider, and see through these things, and see beyond all things here, see them, and then see as much as we can into these treasures, which we can never see through, for they be larger than the Soul. All other treasures are contained in a place, and the place larger than the treasure, but these riches be larger then the treasury. But see as far as we can into the demension and hight, and depth, and bredth of these things, and seeingA proud and carnall man relisheth no… the things of God. the vanity of all things below, the excell…ncy of these things, using our wits this way, it will teach us how to improve this treasure.

I know these things be uncoth, and strange to a carnall proud p. 64man. To advance things so much that they see not, to set such a price on things they understand not; but God is wiser than we, & if we take his word for truth, we must judge good, and conceive more than I relate to you. VVe m…st go to a skilfull Lapidary, if we will know the price of a stone, And if we will know the price of a treasure, go to him that is able to judge: consider not what vain foolish men think of Gods waies, but ask God, and Christ; foolish Creatures prize a bastardly Corall more than a precious stone. So much of that doctrine.

2. To proceed to the next point. We are the treasurers, we have this treasure in earthen vessels. We Apostles and Ministers. So that the riches of the Gospel, they are conveyed under disp…nsations ministeriall. And then the condicions of these, namely, They be eat then vessels. God is so good, that he not only coveyeth treasure to us, and giveth us rich promises, but he giveth us those that shall help us to come to the poss…ssion of, and interest in them; All the Riches that we can desire are in Christ, and from Christ, but then Christ must be acknowledged, and these treasures must be conveyed, and brought in, and therefore God hath ordained an ordinance to us, by way of intreaty, by way of perswasion, and by all the waies the SpiritMinistery of the Gospell how expressed in Scripture. Numb. 21. 9.Num 21:9 of God in Scripture useth. And hereupon the Ministery of the Word, from the excellent use of it, is set out many waies.

1. As it is with the lifting up of the brazen Serpent, If it had not been lift up, they could not have seen it to have healed them. The Ministery of the word sets up Christ, that all may behold for the healing of all their Spirituall Diseases.

2. It is the lifting up of a Banner, that all may come under it: The Gospell is this Banner, As in Cant. 2. verse 4.

3. If treasures be never so rich and lie hid in the earth, there is no use of them. Now therefore is a calling appointed to dig out treasures, to spread them before Gods people, to lay before them the unsearchable riches of the Gospel. The use of the ministeryEph. 3. 8.Eph 3:8 is to lay them open to the view of Gods people.

4. Christ hath a great love to his people, but he must have some body to woo for him. The Ministery is a woing for Christ, It discovers the excellency of Christ, and our want, and need p. 65to be inriched by Christ. Therefore they be called foreign, Friends of the Bride, to shew the riches of Christ, and theJohn 3. 29. foreignJohn 3:29 Churches beggery, and so to procure the happy marriage between Christ, and the Church. That is the use of the Ministery, to hand-fast Christ and the Church together, to make up the marriage, that so the Church may be presented a chast Virgin to2 Cor. 11. 2.2 Cor 11:2 Christ, so glorious a Husband. By them Gods sends his Jewels and treasures to the Church in this time of contract, (as this world is but a time of contract between Christ and his Church) As Abraham sent his servant to procure a marriage betweenGen. 24. 2….Gen 24:2 Isaac, and Rebeckah; The faithfull servant carrieth Jewels to inrich her, and make her more lovely, in Isaacs sight, when she was brought to him: So Ministers carry those treasures, open these Jewels to overcome the Church, that seeing the riches in Christ, she may be more in Love with Christ, so rich a Husband.

5. The Ministery is the Salt of the world; without salt thingsMatth. 5. 13.Matt 5:13 putrifie, so salt peeserveth them, and eats out the corruption, it hath a clensing, purifying power; what were the souls of Gods people without it? rotten and stinking in Gods nostrils, with pride and self-conceitednesse.

6. So we are called the light of the world; we are inMatth. 5.Matt 5 darknesse, and were not Gods lights held out, what were the world, but an Egypt? nothing but palpable darknesse. As in times of Popery, when there was no Ministery, but instead of it Masse, and other empty things.

7. And therefore in the Revelations and other places they are compared to stars. The Church is as a Firmament, and Heaven. And Antichrist in opposition is compared to earth. And the stars in Heaven, be those that be set to shine in the darknesse of the night of the world, to give aim to others, which way to walk.

But I might be large in this. I only speak of it for a generallGod not only giveth his Church rich treasures, but calleth his Ministers to unfold them. use to us all, that we may better conceive of Gods love, no… only to give to his Church rich treasures, but likewise a calling whereby these things may be unfoulded to us, that our love, and affection may be stirred up to them. And therefore Eph. 4. When Christ ascended to heaven in triumph, intending p. 66to leave the richest things in the world, (as Emperors and KingsSimile. Eph. 4. 8.Eph 4:8 in triumph scatter Gold and Silver) he gave gifts to men, what were these gifts, petty mean things? No, but some Evangelists, Eph. 4. 11.Eph 4:11some Prophets, Pastors and Teachers, And how long? To the end of the world; not only for the laying of the foundation of Religion,vers. 13. (as some will have the word only used, to lay the foundation, and then to leave them to I know not what) But to edifie and build them up more and more.

Therefore the greatest gift Christ in triumph will scatter to his Church, is gifts, and men furnished with gifts for the service of the Church, Jer. 3. v. 15. when God promiseth to blesse his people, he saith, I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart, as if that were a blessing of blessings; and therefore, they that live under the Ministery of the Gospel, let them know the good things of the Gospel are not only Treasures, but the Ordinances of God, wherein that Treasure is conveyed; it is a Treasure, we Ministers carry this Treasure in ea…then vessels.

The Church where means are, is as it were Gosh…n, a place of light, and all other places are places of darkness; how pittifulExod. 10. 22, 23.Exod 10:22Exod 10:23 is it to live in places where means of salvation are not, that have no light shining in their hearts at all? I would enforce this point if I were to speak in another place, and to another Auditory; but I cannot unfold my Text without opening it in some degrees, and therefore we will hasten.

We have these treasures in earthen vessels.

The condition of all Ministers, they be men, and carry these treasures in earthen vessels; in earthen vessels? in what sense?

First, it is true fundamentally; and for the matter whereof Ministers and all other men consist, it is but earth.

Secondly, it is true of their condition; earth is the basest of all elements, and they are counted of carnal foolish men, the basest Callings of all; they be poor and despised, and thereupon earthen vessels in the regard of the esteem of the world, & usage in the world; earth in matter, earth in conditiō, earth in esteem,Man an earthen vessel. earth in usage suitable to their esteem, earthen vessels every way.

1. For the matter whereof we consist, the foundation of all the rest; it is the common condition of all, the rest are more peculiar to the Ministers; we are all but earthen vessels. You p. 67know the Story of our Creation, God made us of the earth, but if we had not sinned, though we had been made of the earth, we should never have been turned to the earth again, but our states should have been changed.

Gods gracious power would have suspended that MortalitySin the cause of death. which our nature of it self was subject to; for man being made of earth, was subject to have turned to earth again, though he had not sinned, but by the door and gate of sin, death entred into the world.

The Angels were subject to fall at well as the Devils, for every created thing is changeable, and so the Angels, only God suspendeth that possibility of sin, and establisheth them in grace, but he withdrew his support from the Devils and suffered them to fall. So man, if he had not sinned, God would have continued him in grace, that though mortal by nature, yet his mortality should have been so suspended, that the subjection to mortality should never have come to act; but since sin, the curse is on us, of earth thou art, and to earth thou shalt return, dust Gen. 3. 1….Gen 3:1thou art, and to dust thou shalt return. We be all earthen vessels in our original, and in our end, earth to earth, dust to dust, as we say of Ice, water thou art, and to water thou shalt return, because it riseth of water, and is dissolved into water again; so a man that consisteth on earth, dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return, thou shalt be resolved into thy first principle whereof thou wast made; so that we are but earthen vessels, by reason of the curse inflicted on us since the Fall.

2. An earthen vessel is but a weak frame, a little dirt concocted with the fire; and we are a more exquisit frame knit togetherMan made after a wonderful manner. by a more singular art of God, being made in a wonderful manner, and yet God compares his frame of us to our frame of earthen vessels, since the Fall.

Beloved, it is matter of experience which needeth no proof, I would we could make good use of it, rather than stand to prove it; nothing is more apparent than the frailty of man, and yet nothing less made use of, The Lord remembers we are but dust, but we forget it. If we could remember we were dust, it were well, to make us lesse proud, and lesse presumptuous; the Lord knows we are but dust to pitty us, but we remember not that we are dust to humble us; and therefore as God knows we are p. 68dust and earthen vessels, we should often think of it too, to make us humble and sober, and to take off our high thoughts from any excellency here.

And take heed l…st by intemperance we break our selves soonerIntemperance. than we should do, many break themselves by intemperate courses, as candles that have theeves in them, as we say, that consume them before their ordinary time; so many by intemperate lusts and courses they break the thread of their lives.

Indeed let an earthen vessel be preserved never so, it will moulder to peeces, though it may be kept an hundred years, if preserved from knocks; so man will moulder of himself to an end, all the art and skill in the world cannot prevent it.

Yet notwithstanding there may be, and ought to be care thatNot to shorten our dayes by sinful courses. we shorten not our own dayes, as many intemperate persons do, and that in sinful courses, which is more to be lamented.

Therefore let us often think of our condition. Jer. 18. 2, 3, 4. v. God bids the Prophet go to the Potters house, and see his making of pots, and there he sees how he makes one to one use and another to another; and so we are but vessels of earth for several uses; and let us learn the use, the Prophet there was taught; To resign our selves to Gods dispensation, if he willResign our selves to God… dispensation. make us longer or shorter, of this use or that use, let God have his will, and not quarrel with God; as the vessels never quarrels with the Potter who makes what vessels he pleaseth, and for what end he pleaseth, as the Apostle makes use of it in the great point of predestination, Rom. 9. 10.

Ʋse 1. And since the best Ministers, Magistrates, and all are but earthen vessels, make what use we can of them while we have them. Let us not rely on them, they be but earthen vessels; but though we must not depend on them for our comfort, yet make use of them while we have them, for they may be knock't in pieces, we know not▪ how soon, and then all the use we might have had, is gone.

Ʋse 2. And to rise to an higher use which concerneth us all, since Ministers, Kings, Subjects, and all are but earthen vessels in regard of the matter, and seeing they may be golden vessels in regard of grace and glory, as the Apostle saith, in a great house are vessels of gold and silver, Let us labour to have2 Tim. 2. 20▪2 Tim 2:20 another manner of being than this, labour to be born again of p. 69the immortal seed of the world, and then in death we shall live, then these earthen vessels shall be made golden vessels for ever; for Gods second work is a great deal better than his first; Now we be in the first Creation earthen vessels, but when God reneweth us out of dust again, if we get into Christ we shall be golden vessels in Heaven for ever, born and begotten of the Seed of the Word, as the Apostle Peter saith, All flesh is grass, he compares us not only to earthen vessels, but to grass, of less substance than earthen vessels, but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Labour that we may be golden vessels under a golden head; if we be Christians we have a golden head, though earthen vessels, and having a golden head, he will make all conformable to him ere long, we shall have bodies conformable to him, as Phil. 3. ult. He will make our earthen bodies, vile bodies, base bodies, like his glorious body, by the power whereby he is able to subject all things to himself.

And this comes by hearing the Word of the Lord, that Word is the seed of the new birth. O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of Jer. 22. 29.Jer 22:29the Lord, and consider we be earth, earth, nothing but earth, for he repeats it thrice together, hear the Word of the Lord, that we of earthen vessels may be made vessels of everlasting continuance.

Ʋse 3. And then it is no prejudice to us, that we be earthen vessels, but rather a comfort, for death whereby we shall beDeath the end of grief, the beginning of happiness to the godly. knockt in peeces, will be only a consummation of our grief and trouble here, & a beginning of our happiness in another world. In the Grave dust lieth a while, but we shall be made of another fashion, and receive another kind of stamp in the world to come.

Ʋse 4. And I beseech you forget not that which is the proper use of it for humility, you may differ in outward Relations, but you be all of one stuff, you be all earth, Judices terrae terram Judicant, the Judges of the earth judge the earth; they judge other men that are earth, and they be earth themselves; and filii terrae, that is, base men; the sons of the earth, and men of the earth, that is, great men, that account all as grashoppers in regard of themselves, though they be men and giants, yet they be but earth; we should all therefore labour to have p. 70low conceipts of this life, and of all comforts of it, as Austine saith well, Respice terram, look to the dust; go to the grave and say, here is the dust of the Emperour, here is a Rich man, here is a Poor man, see if you can find them diff…r, alass, no difference at all. Therefore make use of Sobriety, in regard of the use of things of this life, for we be all earthen vessels. And so much shall serve for this poynt.

But the Apostle intendeth more than so, for he speaketh of their esteem, earthen vessels are not only broken, but contemptible. Look into the Element, and you shall see every Element and Creature, as the more light it is, more excellent, and asMinisters earthen vessels in regard of esteem. more earthy, it is more base, as the Apostle before saith. We see now the water, more lightsome than the earth, the Air than the water, the Fire more lightsome than it, & the Element more pure than it, till we come to God himself, who is pure light. So every thing as more light, is more excellent. What is the excellency of Pearl? they have a sparkling light in them, but every thing as it groweth near the earth, is more base, for Earth is the dregs of the world. Now Ministers are more so, than others, both in esteem, and in usage, which followeth esteem, And what is the reason of it? Surely,

1. Because that the world is foolish and Childish, and liveth Reason. by sense and fansie, and the matters of the Gospel, and divine truths we speak of, are spirituall things, matters of saith, far remote from sense and fansie, by which the world liveth.

When we preach spirituall things, what are these to Honours, and to Riches, and to dependance, and to the goodly things of this world? thus the Fooles of the world undervalue the things of God, specially when they be in their Gawdes. See a foolish man when he hath his Riches, and Cloathes, and Friends about him, his fansie is full of these things, tell him of spirituall things, what a loathing there is in the heart of a man? this is the proud carnall heart of a man, which the more carnall, the more it loatheth things of an higher nature, being besotted, and Drunken, with worldly excellencies, as mens natures are.

2. Again, Divine truth is a solid thing; men naturally are given to superstitious conceipts, in Religion, they will have one, but it shall be with this conceipt or that conceipt, as the Apes, p. 71so they hug the brats of their ow braines, they will have dev… ses of their own. Religion is solid, and tels them this is Gods way, and Gods course; but the foolish heart of man will not yeeld to it. And that is the reason they cry down the solid things of Gods word which have realities in them, and things to purpose. And then the world loveth their own courses,World in love with its own Courses. and are in love with their own way; Sin is a sweet morsell to them, H…rodias is sweet to Herod, John Baptist was a good man till then, but when he medled with that sweet morsell, then his head must off. And so when Christ opposed the worldly courses of the Scribes and Pharisees, he was counted a Demoniack, a Wine bibber, and an Enemy to Caesar, and whatMarke 6. 28.Mark 6:28 not, when he took on him the office ministeriall. When Paul calleth himself an earthen vessell, how did they use Paul? Tertullus a prating Orator counteth him a pestilent fellow; And his usage was base, They whipt him, put him into the Dungeon;Christ and the M…nisters of Christ accounted winebibbers and pestilent fellowes. The Corinths that were begotten by him, because he had not Eloq…ence and gifts of ostentation, and fitting the Stage, as their flanting Teachers had, they count him a mean person, the proud Teachers brought him out of conceipt with the Corinthians, and therefore he is fain to make Apology for himself; He writes great letters indeed, but his presence is mean and base, as in the tenth Chapter of this Epistle.

There may be many reasons given why this calling is subject to base usage in the world, and esteem, from the dispositions of men contrary to it: But indeed not much to follow the poynt; It is not so much at all times, nor in all places. God doth at some time give more liberty, and raise up a more excellent esteem of them, than at other times; but ordinarily it is thus, The more faithfull, the more despised of carnall people.

If you ask a reason what raised Popery to be so gawdy as it is, They saw the people of the world fooles, and knew that Children must have baubles, and fooles trifles, and empty menThe Romish Religion is a meer foolery. must have empty things; they saw what pleased them, and the cunning Clergy thought, We will have Religion fit for you. And because they would be some body in the world, they devise a Religion, that is only outward, and such an one as dishonours God, by thinking him like to themselves, to delight in Incense, and Ornaments, and Pictures, and the like, and hereupon p. 72came all the outside of Popery, whereby they labour to ingratiate themselves to the world. They fool the world with all toyes to please themselves, and they had suitable Clergies, like lips, like lettice, they had a Religion suitable to their life. And hence came all that trash in Poperry to please the foolish heart of man. And because they will not be basely esteemed of, they get into the Consciences of people, by raising authority by false meanes, and false conceipts, that man can make hisPopish profanesse and blasphemy. Maker, and turn bread into Christs body by five words; And the Pope cannot erre, and whatsoever comes from him thou must obey, though with denyed obedience to they lawfull Prince; For they had seated themselves in the Consciences of the people; and raised themselves by false meanes, to avoid that which they saw would follow, the Gospel. They knew the Cross would follow the Cross, the preaching of Christ crucified, and mortification, & self denyall; And therefore they thought to take another way, And hence is all that forced respect they have in popery.

But it is clean contrary, where any that are won by God to the meanes, they have high esteems of it presently. As the Jayler that had whipt and abused the Apostles, Act. 26. used them very respectively and made them a feast. And so first of Cor. 14. When the Simple man heareth the word open his sinfull estate, he presently falls down at the Apostles feet, and saith, certanly God is in you. No man is wone by the blessed truth of God, but hath high conceipts of the pure Ordinances of God, and the more pure and close, and home it is, the more he esteemeth of it. And therefore we may take an estimate of our selves by our esteem of it.

A sanctifyed ear sheweth a sanctified heart, and a sanctified esteem of Gods Ordinance, as Gods Ordinance; from the power and vertue we find in it, working upon our soules, It is an argument we be wrought upon by the Ministery; For though we be counted earthen vessels, by base earthly minded men, yet they that be wrought upon have other estimations of us.

Their calling is to bring mens soules to Heaven, to be Saviours of the people, to be Gods own name, to be Fathers. It is a Calling that the Angls may stoop under it: Who is sufficient for these things? and yet the base slight it; But I say, respect must p. 73not be won by forced meanes, as in Popery, but by opening the mysteries of God, and the Spirit accompanying the outward ministery, this will work so effectually in the heart, as will raise the heart to an high esteem of these things from the blessed experience they find of the Spirit of God working in them. But that will appear more in the next, where he saith, Gods end of conveying heavenly things by earthen vessels, is, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of man.

The first▪ part of the verse we have unfoulded, and have shewed,

1. That the Gospell is a treasure.

2. The Treasurers, they be the Apostles, and Ministers. And then 3. The vessels: We carry it in earthen vessels, Earthly vessels for the matter, atd for their esteem.

Of this I will only say, that which concerneth every man.

1. It is not a severed condition, it is the condition of all; to be earth of it self is no such base condition; that it is a word of disgrace, and frailty, it is from sin. For howsoever we be earthy, and of nothing, and so might fall to nothing, yet God would have suspended the inclination of the Creature, which is prone to turn to its originall, which is nothing, if Adam had not sinned. The heavens are made of nothing, and yet still continue their condition, because God preserveth them. And the Angels made of nothing, and are subject to fall to nothing, as the Angels that fell, they might have fallen; And they stand not by any strength of their own, but Gods grace suspendeth that possibility of falling to nothing, and confirmeth them in that blessed condition. And so the basenesse of the earthen vessels is from sin.

2. And add this by the way, see the marvellous power of God. At first all things were nothing at all, then they were a Chaos, a confused Masse, Out of a confused Masse comes a Heaven, and Earth, and all the Creatures. Man himself falleth, and becomes worse than nothing, having sinned; and to be delivered out of that miserable condition, he must be a new Creature; of an earthen vessell he makes him a vessel of glory, & never leaveth him till he be setled in a blessed everlasting condition. So that God brings man som nothing, and worse …han p. 74nothing, to a blessed and glorious condition.

Let us often think of it, That we be earthen vessels. It is a strange thing that God that hath joyned body, and soul, togetherA wonder of wonders. which are so wonderfull different, the soul being spirituall, the body earthly; But that he hath joyned this spirit with a sinfull polluted Soul, that is more wonderfull; but to joyn the God-head with earth, that the Virgin Mary being an earthen vessell, should have Christ made of her substance, that he should set his own stamp and Image in a piece of earth, and take a piece of earth into union of his person, that earth should be joyned with God, here is a wonder of wonders.

3. Therefore let it tend to our humiliation, that we be but earthen vessels, And keep us in tearmes of subjection, that we dash not against God, being but earthen vessels, for he hath Iron Scepters for proud earth, to dash them all to pieces.

4. Let us be thankfull for our protection, and preservation, being earthen vessels. In the last visitation, how many of these earthen vessels were dashed to pieces in one day? beyond the seas in the warres, how many dashed together in a moment?The last great Plague, Anno Dom. 1624. We be so frail, that if the like judgement fall on us, we turn to nothing. We are proud, Womanish, and lewd, and have high thoughts, as if not earthen vessels, and therefore it is a great mercy that we have been thus long preserved.

As Ministers are earthen vessels, so Magistrates, and great men, their souls be knit to their bodies, by no sounder bonds than the meanest mans, there is as little combination, and as weak▪ between the strongest and greatest men in the world, as between the poorest.

5. But as it concerneth Ministers especially, let me make one use further, to the people that are in any relation to the Ministery, or Magistracy, that we do not refuse the treasure for the weaknesse or infirmity of the vessel. Elias, had meat brought to him by a Raven, did he refuse it because so poor a creature1 Kings 17. 6.1 Kgs 17:6 brought him his meat? No, but took it as a speciall blessing of God, that he had meat at all sent from God to refresh him in in his wearinesse, and therefore stands not upon the vessell, but markes the treasure whence that came. Who would refuse a pardon, because he that bringeth it, may be meaner than himself? Look to the Princes hand and seal; Is it a sealed truth? doth p. 75conscience bear witnesse to it, being Gods prive seal? it is noThough the vessels be earthen yet the ordinances conveyed are to be magnified matter who bringeth it. Magnifie Gods ordinances, that not only giveth pardon, but giveth likewise a Messenger to bring it. Therefore blesse God rather for his ordinances, than stumble at the weaknesse of his Ministers.

It is no matter what the hand is, if it give a treasure; we be wise in the things of this life, and so should we be in heavenly things, considering God doth this in a wise and gracious dispensation, condescending to our weaknesse. We bear no proportion to Messengers of an higher nature. If we cannot indure the fight of an Angell, we cannot indure God himself, you know the History of Moses. And therefore seeing God hath thus stooped to us, yeeld thankfully to this weak dispensation that God conveyeth spirituall things to Man by Man.

Now what is the end of all this? that the excellency of the power Next generallmay be of God, and not of us.

Wherein are these things observable.

First, that there is a power in the Ministery, and dispensation of the Gospell, and an excellent power. The Apostle cannot in large himself enough here, when he enters upon the Argument of commending the Gospel.

Secondly this power, and excellency of power, is it of God, and not of man. Thirdly, And that this may appear to be so, he useth the Ministery of weak men, and earthen vessels, that by the disproportion between the excellency of the things & earthen vessels, they may know if any good be don, it comes from him who is the highest cause of all conversiō of the soul, to bring the soul out of Satans Kingdome to the liberty of Gods Children; to be heirs of heaven is so far above earthen vessels, that it must needs appear to be Gods work.

For the former, we will put them both together, that there is Doct. All things created by the the word.an excellent power in the ordinances of God, as it is dispensed under the Gospell. The word it self, what power hath it? are not all things by the word in Creation? Nay, is not the vigour and strength that every Creature hath, from the same word? Is not the being and efficacy of all things, and the continuance of of things, from the word? As Heb. 13. foreign, He upholds all things by his mighty power and word. Whence comes the support and continuance of the vigour p. 76of every Creature, but from God, Who doth cause the Sun to shine, and to give light to inferiour things, that they may bring forth fruit, for the use of every Creature?

And why is the Sea that vast and unruly Creature…, kept within its bounds, that it cannot go an inch farther, Is it notAn eternall Law upon every Creature by the word. Gods commanding words? at first God created it, and God made bounds that it cannot go beyond its due compasse. Is not an eternall law set upon every Creature by the word? this you are, this is your virtue, this is the extent of it, thusWord full of Power. far you shall go, and no farther. God sent forth his word, saith the Psalmist, and they were created. I speak it but by way of illustration of the poynt in hand. And so the excellency of the power in the great work of redemption and salvation of man is from the word, as it will appear in particulars.

1. What a large power is put forth in the conversion of a man? for is it not the bringing a man out of Satans Kingdome, Col. 1. 13.Col 1:13into the Kingdome of Christ? And will Satan let a man go willingly? is not conversion a world of miracles? How many miraclesConversion hath many miracles in it. hath that one work of conversion? It was a miracle when the blind man saw, and the deaf man had his hearing restored, when the dumb man began to speak, he that had his feet together so that he could not inlarge himself, to be able to run? But to give life to a dead man is a miracle indeed.

Now in the conversion of a sinner, by the ordinance of God, and the Spirit accompanying it, all these are in one; for what is conversion but the opening of the sight of the soul to see its misery by nature, and a better condition in Christ than ever? and the opening of the ear to hear, and to tast heavenly discourse in another manner than before? What is it but restoring feet to run Gods Commandements, to delight in the waies that were tedious before, and that the mouth, that was used to swear, and to curse in the language of hell before, now to set forth the praises of God; Is there not a world of wonders in one work? Therefore there is a power, and an …xcellent power put forth in conversion. Whatsoever Christ did in the Gospel to the body, that he doth to the soul in conversion, and there is greater power put forth in the one, than in the other.

To enter into the heart of man that fenceth it self against all goodnesse, to pull down strong holds, high imaginations, rebellious2 Cor. io. v. 4. p. 77oppositions against God, and goodnesse, do not you see daily such spirits under the Gospell? do but guesse therefore what is in the whole man-kind; what was it when Christ sent his Apostles into the world? he sent his word, accompanyed with his Spirit, and that word, should enter into the hearts of men, and cast all the proud, high, lofty, imaginations, and lay all flat before Christ. Men and Brethren, what shall we do? We have been vile wretches, and now we are convinced of it. Is not the word powerfull to turn a man out of himself, clean to dash him to pieces, and then to make him up new again, better than ever he was? this is power indeed.

There is an excellent power in the word. First in the Ministers themselves, and Secondly by them to the people.

1. There is an excellency of power to make them fit for the work, and then to go along with them in the working others conversion; a great power wrought on Paul and Peter, and the rest, and a great power wrought by them, on all the rest. But because I speak not to Ministers, but as it concerneth all, we will speak of the power in generall.

I might be very large in shewing the power of the Ministery, from the successe of it. Look into the History of the Church, mark Christs time, the Apostles time, That strange Fisher men, and men of low conditions, being furnished with Commissions from Heaven, and carried these treasures in earthen vessels, See what wonders they wrought in the world, by spreading the sweet savour of the Gospel? the Fishermen cast their great nets into the great world, as Austine saith, and got in whole Nations. And therefore Saint Paul magnificently speaks for himself, and the rest of the Apostles, I am not ashamed of the Rom. 1.Rom 1Gospell of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation. As Isa. 53. To whom is the Lord revealed? and made bare, as the word signifieth. That is, to whom is the power of the word in the Ministery made bare? The Ministery is the Arm of God, whereby he pulleth man out of Satans Kingdome. Now God the Father draweth them to Christ, in spight of Corruption, in spight of Sin, and Satan, into his own Kingdome. The Crosse was then set above Princes Cowns, the greatest Emperours, that were, submitted themselves to the Scepter of Jesus Christ, and laid down their Crowns at p. 78his feet. In the 10. persecutions, was there not mighty power of the Gospell, that when it had catched the hearts of women, young men, old men, or Children, all conditions, All the the fire, all the torments that Tyrants could devise, could not get Christ out of their hearts, but they were willing to sacrifise rheir lives, and found more comfort in the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ, that all the discouragements in the world could not make them forsake him? such a fire was rooted in their hearts, by the fire of Gods word, that made them not care for all other fires whatsoever. Where this excellency of the power of the word appeares in any, it armeth them against all oppositions whatsoever.

3. We will shew the powerfull work of the word, in some branches of it.

1. That there is an excellency of power that inables a man against his own corruptions, against temptations from Satan, from the world, sometimes from God himself, in a way of tryall;The word preached inables a man to resist all temptations. But this Ordinance having Gods Spirit accompanying it, enables a man against cortuption, the most bosome corruptions, against all temptations whatsoever. It makes a man do, that w^ch is clean contrary to his nature; It will turn Jordan back, to make of Mary (a light Woman) a blessed Woman; to make of Paul a persecutor, Paul a Preacher, to be able to subdue corruptions when they rise, that great persons lie under, to subdue their carnall wills. We see great prrsons are led by their wils, and countenanced by him that rules their wils, the evill spirit, and so they run rushing on (the Devill joyning with them) to destruction. The Christian having the power of the word and Spirit crossing his will, he is able to deny himself; and what an excellent power is that? Is it not an excellent power? Now the word giveth us strength and comfort against temptations to sin, and for sin; And whether they come from Satan, or from God, shewing himself an enemy. The word teacheth how to oppose God himself, when he personates an Enemy, as sometimes he doth, A poor Christian then can say, Lord rememberGod opposed by the word personating himself an enemy. thy promise. Thou seemest to be mine Enemy, and writest bitter things against me; but I believe not thou art an Enemy, thou hast made rich promises, & remember them Lord, wherein thou hast caused me to trust. God is content to be bound by his p. 79word, and is not that powerfull that can bind God himself? when we can sue him by his bond? Thou seemest to be mine Enemy, but I will not away, I will ly at thy feet, till I hear comfortable news from Heaven.

For temptations on the right hand, allurements and promises; And on the left, as threats and afflictions, and the like, the word sets other matters before us than these, And the word inables us to all kind of duty. A man that is tongue-tied, it inables him to call on God. And a man that hath naturally nothing to speak that is good, it inables him to speak a word of comfort to others, it inableth him to every duty, that God calls him to, to trust him, and to love him above all, it inables him to live well, and to die wel; to perform all duties God requires. The word with the Spirit inables us to manage all in a spirituall manner.

2. And so for bearing afflictions, how doth the Psalmist speak in the Old Test? The word will direct and comfort for the carrying on of our soules in troubles of all sorts; As David, Psalme 119.Ps 119I had perished in mine affliction, if it had not been for thy word; no affliction can befall us, but we have grand comforts to support us in it, when God hath promised his gracious asistance, that he will not fail us, nor forsake us, when the sting is taken out by him, that hath sanctified all afflictions in his own person, that as our crosses increase, so our comforts, and consolation shall increase. And the afflictions of this world are not worthy the excellency that shall be revealed.

Then no wonder there is that strength in the word that it inables us to duties of our calling publick and private, it inables us to bear afflictions; And therefore the Apostle may well say, That the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

3. And so to injoy all things that God giveth in a right manner. The word with the Spirit teacheth how to use the world as if not, to enjoy it as helps in our pilgrimage and way to Heaven, that they be not snares to us as they be to carnall men, who perish in these things, as Wasps on Gally pots.

They are drowned in Riches, and drowned in pleasures, but the Word and the Spirit directs the Children of God to p. 80use these things in an holy and sanctified manner; and to tast them as they ought, which no man can do, but they that have the word ingrafted by the Spirit in their hearts.

And there is a great reason, for what doth this word oppose? doth it not oppose greater things than the world hath? What is all preserment here to Heaven? And what is all discouragemen of Tyrants to hell? If any one saw the joyes of Heaven, would not he forsake 10000. worlds rather than lose it? If a man saw with his eyes hell opened to swallow him up, if he did not alter his courses; would not he leave his courses? Now the Lord saith it is true, that these things shall be, let a power go with the word, and is it a wonder that he will leave his sinfull courses, rather than have a Curse; It is no wonder that Moses should leave the pleasures of a Court, that saw him that was invisible; And that Paul that was lift upHeb. 11. 2 Cor. 12.Heb 112 Cor 12 to the third Heaven, and saw things that could not be uttered, regarded not the threats of all Tyrants, for he saw the right difference of things, he saw things in their right colours. So if the Lord lets us see spirituall things, and earthly things in their colours, one will appear to be realties indeed, & other to be nothing but vanity. It is for want of faith and power accompanying the Ordinance of God, to perswade our selves, that these things be as they are, and as we shall undoubtedly find them another day. And therefore it is no wonder the Gospel findeth such power, where it is received and obeyed, because of the vast difference of conditions.

I Beseech you let us consider these things, and not be led? away with a Spirit of vanity, and folly, and errour, so that there is a power, and an excellency of power in the Ministery, and you that have open understandings in the History of the Church, know how it hath powerfully wrought in all times.

Quest. How do you know the word, to be the word?

Answ. It carrieth proof and evidence in it self, It is an evidence, that the fire is hot to him that feeleth it, and that the Sun shineth to him that looks on it, how much more doth the word that carrieth its own Character, and Stamp, with it, to them that be Gods people; For it not only giveth light, but giveth that which is more than the Sun can do? And that p. 81giveth light, but no eyes. The word giveth understanding to the simple, opens their eyes; And a Christian can say, God hath not only shined upon me by the word, but hath wrought in my heart, by it: So that in it I will live, and in it I will dye; so that they need not seek arguments, for the word it self is stronger than all framed arguments, it hath a Character of divine truth stamped upon it, in the heart of every believer, that mingleth it with faith that it is the word, though all the world preach the contrary, and the Ministers that teach it apopostatize from it. I am sure I felt it, it warmed my heart, and converted me. And that is the best tryall of the word, to be the word, becuase of the efficacy felt in the heart.

That Spirit that makes the word effectuall, doth by that efficacyThe Spiritconvinceth that the word is the word. convince the soul that the word is the word; For the soul reasons thus, I have found this word casting me down, I have found this word lifting me up, I have found this word warming my heart, when it was cold and dead; I found it, inlarging my heart in loving God and praising God; I have found the Spirit of God in the word casting down strong holds, and Satan out of me, and setting up his Kingdome in me, and ruling me by his Spirit, that I cannot but do what was irkesome to me before▪ and can abstain from that which was sweet to me before, And all because I am convinced of another course than before. The soul that can say thus, If objections come he defieth the motion; my soul hath felt the strength of the word taking root downwards, bringing forth fruit upwards, and shall I doubt it to be the word? But to leave this.

I beseech you, If there be such efficacy in the word, make aApplication. use of instruction of it, that we regard it more than we have done.

And first of all that we may make way for instruction, do Ʋse 1 but examine our selves, whether it be as a word of power to us, or any that have lived so long under the Gospel? The tryall is very easie.

1. If it be a word of power to us, certainly it will inable us to defend it, and maintain it in the worst times. Saint P…l How to know whether the word be powerfull to us or no.saith, 1 Thes. 1. 5. You received the word in much affliction. I… we should live in places where holy things are disclaimed, and abandoned, with Ishmaels persecutions, that is, the persecutions p. 82of these times, scoffings and scornings, yet hearing divine things unfoulded, we receive them, and entertain them, and that with joy and comfort, with an opposition to the poyson of the times, It is a good sign that the power of the word hath caught every one of our hearts; But if every taunt of Ishmael, and poysonfull spirits be regarded, when in times of poverty a little thing will discourage us, and make us flinch, where is the power? Alass, whatsoever profession we make, we deny the power of it, for if it did work upon us, we should receive it, in the midst of opposition, with joy and comfort.

2. The Apostle saith in another place, receive the word, as the word of God. Now if a man receive divine truths as divine1 Thes. 2. 13.1 Thess 2:13 truths, he will acknowledge that it is a word of power, and excellent power. What is it then, to receive the word as the word? to receive divine truths with a great deal of reverence, as blessed truths, that come from the bosome of God, and likewise with a great deal of subjection, submitting the soul to them. It is Gods truth delivered by Jesus Christ in the Ministers, and therefore I do receive it as Gods truth, and submit my Conscience to it; though there be discovery of some rebellion, yet if I allow of no risings against the power of the word, it is a sign we have felt the power of the word, when we regard it, as the word.

You see then some particular evidence, how we may know if the word hath wrought upon us.

Adde the particulars named before, by way of tryall.

3. What power have you to help you against temptations? What power have you against temptations from the word and divine truth? What power have you to bear crosses, and afflictions, to comfort you in sicknesse, losses, and crosses in the world? can you fetch comfort from truths heard and read out of this book of Gods word? it is a sign then that the Spirit of God, with the word, hath wrought a blessed change in your hearts; can you use the world moderatly? can you perform duties in a spirituall manner? undoubtedly, you may comfort your selves, though with much conflicts, and oppositions, both without and within.

If on tryall we find these things not so, I beseech you own not your selves, one minute of an hour, for that minute may p. 83be the minute of our destruction, and may cut of the thread ofProud hearts blesse themselves aga…nst God in scorn. our lives. Rest not one minute, for howsoever we may bless our selves as all proud hearts do against God, and the ordinances of God, and godly waies, in a scorn, as if they had an heart distinct from God, and the word, and needed not to be beholding to God for direction; They can go home, and there they have meanes and friends, and they can do well enough; Gods sets himself to laugh at the destruction of such; and that word, that they cast behind them, and would have nothing to do withall, Now that word will stick by them to the hour of death, and they shall carry it with them in their own Consciences to Hell, and their Consciences shall say, God told these truths to thee, and I told them to thee, I heard this from Gods word, and thou regard'st me not. And therefore when your Consciences be awaked with divine truths, know, that Conscience shall be one day revived, and you shall hear it. What you now slight, you shall regard, you regard now no command, no duty, but you shall think of them, when it is too late. Therefore seeing this is the time, labour to find the power of God in the heart, rest not.

But how shall we carry our selves, so that the word may be effectuall to us?

1. Labour to have humble teachable soules, attending on Ʋse Gods divine dispensation in his ordinances meekly. You know what David saith, Psalm 25. The humble he will teach. Come with teachable hearts, and God will reveal mysteries to us, he will teach secrets, so that we shall say, I never thought there had been such light, such sweetnesse in the word. Come with humble souls, and you shall find him opening the secrets of Heaven, especially if you desire the Lord to give the Spirit of Revelation, and to take off this veil of darknesse, and corruption, that he would back his Spirit with his own Ordinance, and make it effectuall, that as things are in themselves, holy, and heavenly, and excellent, and as they are to Gods Children, so they may be to us; Gods word is a word of power to all elect Children. Oh that I might find it a word of power to me; that I might get my self to be Gods electedGods word … word of power to the Elect. Child.

2. Joyn with the meanes, a Spirit of prayer, as God shall p. 84inable you, and to him that hath shall be given. Labour to wait for this, if God speak not a… first, the good hour is not yet come; wait till the waters b… stirred, as it was in the Pool of Be…hesda; wait till he give the Spirit of Revelation, and at length we shall find such a …hange as Isaiah speaks of, The Lion and the Lamb shall dwell together, and the Leopard and the Kid, for the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord; the knowledg of the Lord maketh Lions Lambs, and Leopards Kids, makes them fit to live together, though their dispositions be never so cross; if we have grace to wait Gods leasure, we shall find a transforming changing power in the Word to alter us perfectly, and to mould us to an holy frame of Spirit.

The Apostle (as we heard heretofore) laboureth in the former Chapter, as likewise in this, to set out the dignity of the Ministry of the Gospel above the Ministry of the Law, and answereth (as we have heard) all Objections; and lest he should seem to savour of too high a Spirit, as Saint Paul to attribute so much to his Ministry, in the sixth verse he giveth all to God; God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts; so that whatsoever light is conveyed by the Ministry, is conveyed by God, and by an Almighty power in God, even by the same that was used in the Creation, and in some sort above it. Now the end of the knowledge kindled in the hearts especially of the Ministers, is, that the light of the knowledge of the glory of God may be seen in the face of Jesus Christ; God shineth on the Ministers, not only upon their understandings, but upon their hearts; and to what end? not to shine in our selves only, but to reflect the light, (whereby God shineth upon us) to others; then he shews the end of the Ministry is especially to set out God in Christ, and the glorious mercy, and goodness, and bounty of God in Christ Jesus.

And what is the end of this? that God will have such an excellent Treasure, as is the dispencing of the Mysteries of Christ, out of earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.

Wherein is considerable, first of all, That there is a power, and an excellency of the power in the sweet truths of God, discovered in the Gospel, especially in the dispensation of it by weak vessels; so powerful, so excellently powerful it is, that it p. 85may be known that it is of God. It is of God, but that it may appear to be of God; for things are said to be when they appearThings are said to be, when they appear to be. in regard of men; Now that it may appear to all, that the power and efficacy of the Ministry of the Gospel is of God, and not of man, God would have such a disproportion between the vessels and the treasure; the treasure shall be rich and heavenly, the vessels shall be earthly, that whatsoever is good, it may appear it commeth not from the vessels, but from the treasure it self.

That there is a power, and excellent power in the truths of God, especially dispenced by the Ministry, we have in part shewed heretofore, but we will follow the point; God hath furnished every thing in the world with power, every Creature hath power, together with being; the heavens have a power of influence, the dull earth hath a power to put forth what it receiveth from the influence of heaven, into this & that Creature, being the common Mother of many excellent things, but all theAll power from God. power is from God; God hath put a power into the Creatures which we call an eternal Law; besides, the Law made to man, there is a Statute given to the Creature. Heaven shall move, andStatute-Law for the Creatures. by moving limit time, and Heaven shall bestow influence upon inferior bodies; there is a Law for the Sea that it shall ebb and flow, and not passe the bounds God hath set it, and by the Law of God there is a Center immoveable, on which the earth shall stand; these keep the Statutes and the Laws that God hath given them eternally. God to sh…w a miracle can make the Sun stand still, or the earth move, or the Sea to over flow; But the power we are to speak of, is another manner of power, a spiritual power and excellency of power.

There is a power then in the Ordinance of God, and a spiritual power; there is in every Ordinance of God something that hath an heavenly relish; there is in the Word, in the Sacraments, that that maketh an heavenly relish; and God by the Word and the Ministry doth create spiritual sense, suitable to the relish that is in spiritual things; had we not by the Word created in us spiritual sense to relish those heavenly things in the Ordinances, they were to no purpose; God should lose his glory, and man should lose his benefit thereof; God createth spiritual eyes to see, & spiritual tast connatural and homogeneal p. 86to spiritual things; as there is a sweet taste in the Word, so God altereth the taste of the soul, that the Word should be found better than the appointed food, sweeter than the Hony-comb; nothing so sweet as divine promises to a sanctified soul, because God that hath put a sweet taste into the Ordinances, altereth the relish of the soul, the taste, and sight, and spiritual feeling of all divine truths; the spiritual heart feeleth the comforts of the Sacrament, in strengthening faith, and tasteth the goodness of God in Christ in giving his body & shedding his blood; so that there is a relish and vertue in the things themselves, and by them the soul is fitted to take the benefit that is hidden in the things.

There is in divine Ordinances not only a light to convince, but likewise a power together with the light to open the eyes, there is light and power to open the eyes of the soul together; what if all were light? if there were not the eye to see, the light would be of no use at all; there is power in the Ordinances, not only to offer light, but it hath a spirit accompanying it to open the eyes of the soul, to see that light; so that there is extraordinary power in Gods Ordinances; what light can give sight, and what meat can give relish to him that wanteth it? there is therefore an excellent power in the Ordinances.

Now there is a power foreign, there is a power of a thing in nature, and there is a power by institution; now the power of the Ordinances and the Ministry is drawn from Gods institution who hath appointed it, & sanctified it to have such power, where he will accompany them with his Holy Spirit.

Now this power that is in the Ordinances of God, it is setPower of the word by what represented in Scripture. out and illustrated by many speeches and comparisons that are very clear and excellent for that purpose.

1. As the Word and Ministry is called the Salt, now the power of Salt is to season, to make sweet, to relish, to consume the superfluous humours, to preserve, and keep long; so the Word hath the power of Salt to …at out the corruptions, and to preserve the soul to make it relish God. The souls of men without divine truths accompanying them, they are (to speak with reverence) but carrion souls and dead souls, ever stinking in the nostrils of God; howsoever they bear it out in the world p. 87to be godly persons, yet if they have not souls sanctified by divine truths, they have but rotten hearts, and are good for nothing.

2. The dispencing of it is compared to the arm of God, Isaiah 53. To whom is the arm of the Lord reveiled? Now a mans power is in his arm; the Ordinance is not only the finger of God, but the arm of God to pull men out of Satans kingdom and theirforeign Nigletah from Galah manifestatus fuit, de revelatione absconditorum propriè dicîtur. Amos 3. 7.Amos 3:7 wicked courses, by shewing them the vengeance of God, and better things than the world can, or Satan can. The Word, the power of the Spirit accompanying it, is the arm of God made bare, as the word signifieth in the Original, God revealeth and maketh bare his arm in the Ministry when he puleth men out of Satans kingdom, and there wicked courses.

3. And so likewise the truth of God in the dispensation of it, is the Sword of the Spirit, and cuts on both sides; it is noEphes. 6. 17.Eph 6:17 leaden Dagger, as the Papists blasphemously term it, it hath a force in it to cut as it goeth, and they shall feel it one day that will not feel it now; and therefore it is compared, together with the Spirit, to wind, which hath a mighty power to carry and transport things.

4. And the Ministers of Gods holy truths in regard of the efficacy of the Ministery have excellent terms, They are,

1. Starres, because they give light.Revel. 1. 16. Luke 9. 2.Rev 1:16Luke 9:2

2. They are Ambassadors, as they have Commission from God.

3. They are in regard of the excellency of the truth, Angels.Revel. 2. 1.Rev 2:1

4. They are in respect of the necessity of Gods people, Saviours.So were Moses and Josuah.

God saveth by the Ministry ordinarily, those whom he doth save, so that there is a power and efficacy of power in the Ministry, as appears by the terms by which it is set out.

5. Again, God is able to give efficacy to whatsoever he will; as he giveth power to every creature according to its own natural working, so he giveth power to those things that have institution from him, he is able to do it, to make them effectual for the end for which he hath appointed them, for he is the supreme power himself, all power is refident in him as the head, and therefore he furnisheth and clotheth this Ordinance of his with a power.

p. 886. The Word is compared to Seed, now in seed there is a power to put forth it self, to grow and breed seed like it self, and it will break through clods till it comes to its ripeness and maturity; so there is a power in the Word, when it is so in the beleevers heart, it will bring forth a disposition like it self, asThe Word bringeth forth like it self. seed doth; as it is a holy Word and a pure Word, it will make the heart that receiveth it suitable; therefore Paul calleth it the ingrafted Word, comparing divine truths to a syance ingrafted into a plant, that turns the juice of the plant into its own nature. So when the Word is ingrafted, it altereth the heart, that the inward man doth relish of divine things, thinketh in power of what he heareth, and speaks in power of what he heareth, and understandeth, and worketh, and doth in power of what he knoweth, so that divine truth is like a syance ingrafted into the heart. Therefore there is a power, and an excellency of power in it, not onelyonly in truth it self, but in the dispensation of it. God setteth not up an Ordinance, but he giveth a blessing upon it, there is an excellency of power, as a power. Is there not a power, and excellency of power to level Mountains, and to fill up Vallies? it filleth the Vallies, poor dijected souls are filled with comfort; Is there not power and excellency of power to make a Camel to go through a needles eye? that is, to strip a man of self conceitedness of his own worth, so far that being a Camel, a swelling person before, he shall now be humble and low in his own sight; it is difficult as for a Camel, so for a Cable too, there needeth much extenuation to make a Cable to go through a needles eye, and much to humble a Christian; and is not this an excellent power? sure it is, therefore there is a power, and an excellency of power.

I will shew you in this particular,

1. The power of the Ordinance of God is first seen in thatHow mans condition by nature is discovered to him. it discovers to men their natural conditions, sheweth what they are by nature, for which end it useth the Law, to shew that we be dead men, carnal men, under a fearful bondage; and the Spirit going along with it, convinceth the soul that we are dead, and thereupon the soul is amazed and cast down with fear and terrour.

2. And then the Word hath a power likewise to shew andThe Word discovers. p. 89discover the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, to pull us out of Satans Kingdom, to drive the strong man out of our hearts, by higher reasons, by higher comforts.

3. And then the Word, together with the Ministry of theThe Word converteth. Spirit, hath a converting power, a changing power, to alter the very frame of the soul; all the words in the world, all Philosophy, all education all the best helps that can be given cannot stamp the Image of God upon the soul, or frame holiness in the soul, but only the blessed truth of God, especially in the dispensation of it; so that the Image of Christ in the second Adam is stamped upon the soul, by the Spirit accompaning the Ordinance.

And when the Spirit of God in the Ordinance hath set a stamp of holiness in the soul, and made it like to Christ, it worketh in the soul, and by the soul; when the soul is alteredThe soul changed, is fitted for any service of God. and changed, it is a fit instrument of the Spirit, together with the Ordinance, to pray, to do any service, to trust in God, to love God.

4. And to shew more particularly wherein the power of Gods Word is seen after Conversion, I will shew it in four or five particulars.

1. First of all when it hath altered and changed mans frame, and pulled them out of Satans Kingdom, it is seen in enabling them to perform duty in a right manner, which a natural man cannot reach unto; as the soul alter'd by the power of theThe word puts the soul upon love and s…lfdenyal. Word and Spirit, can love God, can deny it self, can hate that it formerly loved, can pray, which no carnal man can do, can have communion with God, can perform spiritual duties and actions above the rank of nature. This the Spirit of God, together with the Ordinance, raiseth the soul to do. A man may do many things that a Christian man doth, a common Christian may do many things that a syncere Christian doth, but self-respect enters into all he doth, he doth it either of slavish fear and terrour, or to be thought well of, or to redeem some inward quiet to his tormented conscience; but he hath not the Spirit of God altering the relish of his soul, to love divine truths & out of love and obedience to do what he doth. An holy man, if there were no inforcement out of Gods word he loveth p. 90the truth, b…cause it is truth, and hath a suitableness to his sense, if there were no hell, no torment at all, yet there is that excellency in divine truths (his soul being altered and changed suitable to divine truths) that he obeyeth heavenly truths out of love to heavenly truths, and obeyeth God out of love to God, because it is best in his judgement to do so, and not only out of fear, though that is a useful way to.

2. Again, as there is a power enabling a man to do, so thereThe Word enableth to resist temptations. is a power in the Word enabling a man to resist temptation; for the Word breedeth faith, and faith knitteth the soul to Christ, and draweth vertue from him to resist Satan. By faith we overcome the world, temptations of honours, pleasures, temptations from within, and from without; the Spirit of God working faith to lay hold on better things, enableth us to resist all temptations on the right, and on the left hand; This is your victory, even your faith; faith commeth by hearing; faith presenteth1 John. 5. 4. Rom. 10. 11.1 John 5:4Rom 10:11 to the soul such excellent good things, such terrible evil things, that it over-powreth the soul to embrace better good, and to avoid greater evil, notwithstanding all temptations from the world. The good the world affordeth is nothing so good, and for the evil there is nothing so evil, now faith apprehending this by divine light, it over-cometh the world.

3. And as the power is seen in enabling to do duties above another man, and enabling to resist temptations, so likewise itTo do duties above other men. is seen in shewing our corruptions that we be naturally prone to. A man by the power of grace is so altered that he falleth out with his most beloved sins, and laboureth to get strength against that above all other sins; the Word maketh division between his Spirit and Sin; Jordan is driven back with him, that stream of nature that was carried a… in one way, now is carried another way; though he hath corruptions which sometimes foil him, yet faith getteth spiritual strength whereby he at last not only subdueth them, but at last expelleth them; and therefore the Scripture calls it self-denial, he hath a self that denyeth it self, he hath a self wrought by the Spirit and Word, by which he denyeth himself, that is, his carnal self▪ when his corruptious would have such a thing, his other self saith no, it shal not be; when it stirreth him up to revenge, no, it shall not be, I ow no service to my fl…sh; and he hath a principle in him, p. 91whereby he subdueth what before was wonderfully powerful in him, which setteth him above himself.

4. There is a power and excellency of power in the Word, to comfort us, to raise the soul in all dejections, in all discomforts;The Word comforteth. therfore it is called the Word of faith, an instrument to beget faith in the promises; faith relyeth upon better things, and sets the soul above all inferior things. And so for comfort, it setteth the soul upon a rock, higher than all trouble, it setteth the soul upon Gods infinite goodness, and power, and truth, and promises, it setteth the soul upon the things promised, heaven and happiness to come; what are these things to the g…ory to come? So faith carrieth the soul to Heaven, to God, to Christ, to the promises; it pitcheth the soul upon such a foundation, as no discomforts here below can shake the soul, it is above the reach of any trouble. A soul that pitcheth it self on the Word and Spirit of God, and so upon God himself, (for God and his Word are one) it is above the reach of all discomforts whatsoever, so farre as it beleeveth, and therefore it comforteth a man. The comforts of Gods Word having the Spirit of God with them, are called the consolations of the Almighty; despisest thou the consolations of the Almighty? we will instance a little in aJob 15. 11.Job 15:11 few promises; let the soul be in want, it pitcheth it self on the promises in the Word▪ God hath promised he will not leave leave thee nor forsake thee; let a man be in some weakness and disability, he cannot perform his duty, God hath promised hisHeb. 13. 5.Heb 13:5 Holy Spirit to them that beg it; we are in many miseries and crosses, all things shall work together for the best to them that love Luke 11. 13. Rom. 8. 28.Luke 11:13Rom 8:28God. God is working my good by this cross, and shall I be angry with God for working my good? no, let me by faith see the issue of things, in this promise God will turn all to the best, and how will this stay the soul? God sheweth himself as a Father, and it is for my good, and I shall receive the quiet fruit of righteousness; and so you may see how the soul is stayed in allHeb. 12. 1….Heb 12:1 afflictions whatsoever; I had perished, saith the Psalmist, in mine afflictions, but that thy Statutes were my comforts, they were myPsal. 119. 92.Ps 119:92 supports. Thus you see in some particu…ar things how there is a power in the Word, and an excellent power many wayes, enabling us to duty, sustaining us in all crosses whatsoever.

p. 925. Again, there is a power, an excellency of power in the Ordinances, whereby we are above all good things that theThe power of the ordinances world affords to us; by the word, we know we have lawfull use of the blessings, prosperity, peace, and plenty, God giveth us. We may use them as Gods Creatures, being in Covenant with God. And by the word we come to manage them, and not to be slaves to them, as to make them our Masters, that are our Servants. By the word, and by the Spirit accompanying of it, we have a sanctified use of all; all Conditions are sanctified to us, & we sanctified to all Conditions; not only to afflictions, but to prosperity, and every thing; By the Spirit of God we are raised above prosperity, which subdueth more than adversity doth. There is an excellent place Phil. 4▪ saith Saint Paul, I have learned in Christs School, not at the feet of Gamaliel, to want, and to abound, I can do all things in Christ that strengthens Phil. 4. 12. 13.Phil 4:12Phil 4:13me. But a Carnal man that hath not let the word into his heart, by the Spirit of God, he can neither want without murmuring nor abound without Pride and Licenciousness; every thing turneth to his bane, because he giveth not way to the Spirit, but where the Spirit getteth place in the heart, it advanceth the heart above all conditions. Thus you see in particular, wherein the excellency of the power in the Ordinance of God appeareth.

Now all this is from God, not from us, and therefore saith the Apostle excellently, 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to beat down strong holds of Corruptions, and to beat back temptations. So the weapons of the Ministery of the word, they are mighty, but through God, being strong in the Lord, and by the power of his might. I have learned saith Paul to want and to abound, but it is through Christ. The Gospel is a dead letter, the word is dead letters, without the Spirit which is the infusion. Take water without infusion, it is dead, But a drop of Aqua Vitae, which hath such Spirits, is more than a pinte without Spirits, that is flat and dead. So take the Spirit from Gods Ordinances, they are the massy substance, but they want infusion. There is the bread, but theWord hath its power but from the Spirit. staffe of bread is gone; the staffe of all the▪ infusion is from God and not from us. You may see this in the Acts, when the Spirit of God did fall down upon the Apostles, what extraordinary p. 93men were they? it carried them thtough all oppositions, through all abasements, Whips, Scourges, Imprisonments, it wrought mightily, nay, by help of the Spirit it did greater things than Christ, we may speak it with reverence, for Christ saith, You shall d… greater things than these; speakingJohn 14. 12.John 14:12 of the mighty power of the Spirit, that should fall on them after his Ascension. He never converted so many at once as Peter, who converted 3000. & yet might have preached 3000. sermons and not have converted one man, if it had not the Spirit to accompany it, he cast the net, and caught 3000. soules, and all because the Spirit was mighty in the Ordinance. What maketh the Age of the Church bad or good? but because there is more and l…sse of the Spirit, why were the 800 900. and thousand years so dead? because Christ was not known as he should be, or so the Spirit was not given in that measure, and therefore they were dead and dull times. So that it is the Spirit of Christ accomp…nying the Ordinance, that maketh it effectuall, I, even I, am thy Comforter, saith the Prophet. Men mustIsa. 57▪ 19.Isa 57:19 speak Comfort, but God must comfort the heart. I create the fruit of the lips, …eace, peace, the fruit of the lips it cometh by the Ordinance, but I will create it, and make it to be so. What is the fruit of the lips, if God create it not? Paul may plant, Appollo may water, and if men had the tongue of men and Angel, if the Spirit did not accompany them, all were nothing? Nay, miracles are nothing without Christ. Israel saw the wonders of God in Egypt, yet because God gave them not an heart, they were not eff…ctuall; Nay, the miracles of Christ did no good, Nay, the Doctrines of Christ did no good, without the Spirit; the Jewes were not converted, because the Holy Ghost was not so abundantly given, as afterwards. Afflictions and Crosses will not work without the Spirit, As it is said of Ahaz, This is Ahaz. The more God humbled him, the worse he was, And Pharoah after 10. Plagues, was ten tim…s worse thanNone are humbled but by the▪ power▪ of the Spirit. before. Nothing will humble, neither word nor work, but by the power of the Spirit. Therefote as there is power and excellency of God in Gods Ordinance, so it is all f…om God▪ for all operation is from the Holy Ghost, God the Father and the Son work by the Spirit. Power is originally in the Father, and it is conveyed to Christ God▪ Man Mediator for to be the p. 94Treasure and Fountain of all power, and riches, and goodness; but the Holy Spirit doth take it from the Father and the Son, as the third person, being neer to us, and working in us. And so by the Spirit is meant the Holy Ghost, which cometh from the Father, and the Son.

Ʋse 1. Is there such a power, and excellent power in the Ordinance of God, when the Spirit of God accompayneth it? Then make this use of it, for to depend on the Ordinance of God with meeknesse and humility, and take heed of Naamans pride. Naaman was self-conceited, He being put in mind of washing him self in Jordan, what saith he? what reason2 Kings 5.2 Kgs 5 is there in this, is there not as good rivers in our Country as the river Jordan? But if Naaman had not harkned to his Servants Counsell, he had gone home as leprous as he came; saith he, the Prophet, he biddeth thee do thus, & therefore do it, or else return a Leper as thou camst, & then he harkned to him. SoThe excellency of the publick ordinance. many of Naamans conceiptedness, Cannot I read a good book in my Chamber? Cannot I have good lessons out of Philosophy & Morality? It is true, this is Naamans mind; are not otherrivers as good as Jordan? But God hath sanctified his word and the dispensation of his word too; his word is holy, and the Ordinance is holy, which holinesse is in consideration distinct from the word. The very unfoulding of the word hath a Spirit with it. God will not set up an ordinance in his Church to no end, therefore if we will not stoop to it, as we be Lepers by nature, so we may die, as we are born, for any thing I know; Therefore humbly depend on Gods ordinances, and be thankfull, that God vouchsafteh to teach men by men. It is the most suitable teaching. We cannot indure the presence of an Angell, nor an Angel the presence of God; Therefore this is proportionable teaching, when God will teach man by man. If an Angel were to administer▪ it, the word would not be entertained for its own sake, but for the Messengers sake: but now God would have it regarded not for the vessels sake, but for the treasure sake, whatsoever the vessel be, therefore God will teach man by man, therefore depend upon it. But if God hath not wrought this power & efficacy in our hearts, yet wait at the posts of wisdome, wait at the pool of Bethesda till the good hour come, perhaps, the good hour is not yet come, for the Ordinance is the grand Conduit p. 95that conveyeth all Spirit, and all grace, and all comfort in life and death. And therefore unlesse we will quarrell with our own Comforts, and Salvation, and the Kingdome of Heaven, and life, do not despise the word of Life, the word of the Kingdome, John 5. Acts 15.John 5Acts 15the word of Salvation, the word of Faith, the word of Reconciliation, despise that, and despise all these, because God is pleased to convey these things no otherwise ordinarily, where he hath established a Church, ordinarily I say, extraordinary things we leave. And therefore God stileth his word with these titles, The Gospell of Reconciliation, and Peace, and the word of the Kingdome; to shew there is no way to come to Grace, Peace and Life, but by the word of Grace, the word of Peace, the word of Reconciliation, and therefore be stirred up to attend upon it, to make the best use of it, even as we desire the good that is conveyed by it.

Ʋse. 2. Again, if the ordinance of God in unfoulding theVVhy the word is inefficaciou… truths of God hath such a savour, and power, and relish in it, then examin our selves, whether we have found such power and efficacy or no, if not, then search what is the cause, what standeth b…tween our soules and divine truth, and finding out the cause, be not more in love with our Corruptions, than with our Soules. This word is able to save our Soules, and therefore let us see whether there be stubborness in our wills resisting the truth of God, withstanding it, rebelling against it. As the chiefest hinderance of divine truths is not so much the veil of Ignorance in the glorious times of the Gospel, as a kind of wilfull stubbornesse, and Pride; Men will not stoop to Gods Ordinances, and when truths be reveiled, men shake them off; as Stephen tellethActs 7. 51. John 5. 40.Acts 7:51John 5:40 them, You resisted the Holy Ghost, and as Christ telleth them, You would not come to me, that you might have life, and as he saith, I would have gathered you, as the Henn gathereth her Chickens Matth. 23. 3….Matt 23:3under her wings, but yee would not. Wee are in love with our Corruptions, more than with our Soules, and therefore the word hath not that power, that efficacy, that excellency of power, that otherwise we should have experience of. And it is a pittifull thing indeed it hath not. We may justly take up lamentations over the times. What power hath the word, when it hath not power to make men leave fruitlesse sins? What fruit is in swearing? declaring onelyonly frothy p. 98hearts and rebellious dispositions▪ that we get nothing, no other good by it, but only publishing our shame? God saith,Zach. 5. 3, 4. Jer. 23. 10.Zech 5:3Zech 5:4Jer 23:10 the plague shall not depart from the house of Swearers, and for oathes the Land mourneth; there is no good in the world by it. Every sin hath its anctoramentum, but this hath no end at all in it the; word hath not power to make men leave superfluity, to leave an ugly Fashion, that becommeth them not, but disgraceth them, serving only to discover that they desire to fashion themselves to the worst deboist persons.

Ʋse 3. If this power hath not vertue one way, it will have vertue another, If it drawes not, and quickens, it will haveThe word hath a threatning power against obstinate Sinners. Zach. 1. v. 6.Zech 1:6 vertue to confound. The threatnings of God against sinnes, that they are willing to live in, was made good, as Zachary saith, Where be your Fathers, and th… Proph…ts? they are dead and gon, but their words catch hold of your Fathers, they be gon, they threatned for these and these sinnes, and their threats remain. Moses is dead, but the threats extend to the people of the Jewes and stick upon them. The Prophets and Apostles are dead, but the threatnings of the sinnes of the times light upon the people, and they feel them now in hell, as Revel. 6. It is said, That Christ who rideth on the white Horse of the Gospel, and goeth to conquer, and to Conquering he goeth with his bow, and woundeth as he goes, …ither to conversion, to alter their wicked Course of life, or to confusion; There is an Arrow shot in every man that heareth, and that either maketh him better or worse.

Obj. But you will say, what efficacy is there in the word, when men leave not off their swearing, & deboist courses of life?

Answ. I a…swer, There is an efficacy on these very persons even before they come to hell, which doth as is were gape for them unlesse they alter their waies. There is an efficacy in hardening their hearts for the present, for every Sermon maketh them worse and worse, and is it not a terrible judgement to beIsa. 6. 10.Isa 6:10 hard-hearted? Son of Man harden this mans heart, what? with preaching? that is the way to soften them, but if they stoop not to it, it shall harden them. Every S…rmon they hear striketh them more and more with hardnesse, till they have filled up the measure of their sinnes, and then God payeth them home with Confusion in hell for ever. Is it not a judgment of God p. 99to sink deeper and deeper in sin? If you aske who is the most wretched man of all that liveeh in the Church? surely those that will hear many things, and yet will goe against them; that will set their wils against Gods will, and set their authority against God▪ …uthority, that will live as they list, and live as they please, for …very sin they commit is a step deeper to H…ll, and the mor… they have their wills, the more they shall be tormented against their wills. No man so deeply tormented, as they that will have their lusts most freely, for God will have his will first or last. And the deeper they fall into sin here, the deeper they sh…ll be in Hell hereafter. What is the punishment in Hell? to suffer what they would not, Now your wilfull persons of what rank soever, that despise the Law of God and Reason, though never so free, and never so great, a wilfull person is in the most dangerous Condition, because he sinketh deeper and deeper in rebellious courses, and therefore his account will be heavier, and when Conscience is awakened, it will charge sin on them with more terrour than on other men; because he would have his will, God will pay him home with suffering that, that shall be clean contrary to his will. And therefore learn to stoop to God, submit to the ordinances of God, and labour that it may be effectuall, and that we may find it eff…ctuall, since all is of God.

Ʋse 4. The power, and the efficaey, and the excellency of it, I joyn prayer together with the Ordinance. Lift up the heart to God, that God would accompany what we hear, with his own Spirit, and accompany the receiveing of the Sacrament, and every Ordinance with his own Spirit, to make it effectuall, for they be dead Ordinances without it, as fo…d to a dead man, or Cordials powred into a dead mans mouth, they have no efficacy, and therefore desire God to afford his Spirit, to q…icken us by the Ordinance; and if we have Spirituall Li…e, that he would more and more increase it by his Ordinance, and make our studies Oratoria, places of prayer, as w…ll as studi…s; because the vertue of all is of God. And think not to bre…k through things with your own wit, which is it that hath ma…e … the Heretiq…es in the world, they will break through things with their own wit, and not s…bmit to Gods truth, and th…s makes profane men, they will no… s…bmit th…ir profane wi… to p. 100Gods rule. Therefore know that thou canst not do it with out the Spirit of God joyning prayer with the Ordinance, for the Spirit.

I beseech you take these things to heart, I cannot inlarge them, that, that hath been spoken may be sufficient to stir us up to a Care of the Ordinances. Let me say this and no more at this time, it will bring an ill report upon all Gods ordinances,Unprofitablenesse brings a reproach on Gods word if we are not carefull to get good by them, we bring reproach upon them, How? God saith his word is mighty to Salvation, and it is his strong word to Salv…tion, and his Arm, but we by hearing, and growing no better, shew there is no such thing. Our lives deny it, and therefore the word will conclude it. Look upon many a Christian, he heareth the word, and converseth about it, but what power hath it in him? Surely, if there were any such power, it would appear in them that attend upon it. If there be such power in the Ministery, why is there lives no better? And so the word is reproached to be a dead word, and the Sacrament a dead Ordinance. And therefore in honour of God, and the blessed things of God, I beseech you labour to go to God by prayer, and attend on the meanes, and to find more vertue and power, and never give over till we find something in our selves above the nature and course of other men. And then we shall honour the Ordinances of God, and shall witnesse that they be powerfull, that we have felt their power casting us down in our selves, and lifting us up in God, resisting of Temptations, subduing our Corruptions, Inabling us to go through Adversity and all Conditions. And then we credit, and adorn our profession, and grace Religion, when we find the Spirit of God making these things effectuall to us; otherwise we bring reproach upon them, and bring discredit to them in the hearts of carnall men.

The holy Apostle as we have heard, after he had out of the fulness of his apprehension of the divine mysteries of the Gospel set it out gloriously, cometh to avoid imputation of arrogancy, lest he should seem to advance his calling too far. The Gospel is indeed a treasure, and the preaching of it is a treasure, the dispensation of it, being Gods Ordinance, is a treasure, because it hath a speciall vertue distinct. But we are but earthen p. 102vessels though. The end why God would convey such excellent things as are in the Gospell, by such poor meanes, is, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We have spoken at large of the first part of the verse, wherein we shewed first of all, That the Gospel is a treasure in the dispensation of it, so largely, that I will not now stand to repeat any thing then delivered. The Ministers are vessels and earthen vessels.

Now the end is, That the excellency of power may be of God, and not of us, wherein we propounded to speak of these particulars.

1. That there is a power, and an excellency of power in the Gospell, and in the dispensation of it. In divine truths dispens…d, there is a power, and excellency of power. This power takes place even of God, it is not of the instrument that conveyeth truths to us, exclusively set down, and not of us. He strikes off us, because proud men will be ready to touch upon Gods prerogative, if he had not an exclusive with it. And therefore he saith, it is of God, and not of us. Now the end of all is, that it may appear to be of God, and not of us. It is so, but it appears not to be so, unlesse there were such a disproportion between the vessels and the treasure. And therefore God would have the vessels that carry it, to be earthly, the Treasure to be excellent, That as there is great difference in the reallity of the things themselves, so it may appear to be so In regard of man,. Non esse, & non apparere, it is all one, for if it appear not to be so, man will not beleeve it is so. And yet because God will have it appear to be so, therefore is that disproportion between the vessell and the treasure.

Because the poynt is not perfected: we must adde a little.

Now the power is wrought by degrees, as in the 14. Rev. 2. Where Saint John heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, where heaven is taken for the Church, because the Church is from Heaven, and begotten to Heaven, Now he heard a voice from Heaven, as the voice of many waters, as the voice of great thunder; And I heard a voice of Harpers, harping with cheir harpes

1. The word in the dispensation of it, is like the voice ofAt first the word worketh bu… …edly. many wate…s, that is, it is confused, and raiseth a kind of wonder and astonishment, but the people know not why. Take … man that cometh to hear, and read the word, and divine things, he is astonished at it, and filled with a kind of wonderment, So that it is as the noyse of many waters, to him, Matth. 22. 22. You have the description of such persons, when they heard th…se words they marvelled, and left him, and went their wayes. Some will hear the word, and if there be any extraordinary parts, or extraordinary actions of a Preacher perhaps they will come and hear, and marvell, and leave him, and go their way▪ Many come to Sermons, and hear, and marvell, and so away.

But the second effect that the word hath, It is as the voice of Then it prevaileth a little more.great thunder, that is, where the word prevaileth a little more, it is as the voice of thunder, now thunder astonisheth and breedeth fear and terrour, So they that wonder confusedly at first hearing, a while they hear, as they heard it Thunder;Why thunder is called the voice of the Lord. and therefore the Thunder is called, the Lords voice, because it breedeth fear and terrour. So before the great work of Conversion, the word as Thunder terrifieth, and affrighteth, and casteth down, but the word leaveth not the Soul ther. Therefore saith he, I heard the voice of harpers, harping with their harps; that is, the sweet tune of the Gospell, as the sound of the Harp is delightfull to the ear, so the sweet tune of the Gospel breede…hThen it b…nget… … and p…ace to the Soul. joy and peace to the Soul. After Thunder cometh the voice of Hapers, harping with their Harpes: So the power of divine truths, is first, a kind of marvell, confused wonderment, but then it hath the power of Thunder, and Astonishment when it end…th in the sweet voice o… Harping, in peace and joy, and C…m…orr. The E…istle to the Hebrewes 4. Chapter maketh an excellent description of the power of the word in the 12. v. The word is quick and powerfull, sharper than a two edged sword, The word …eacheth to discern between things that ….peirceing and dividing asunder the Soul, and the Spirit, the joynts and the marrow, a discer…er of the thoughts of the heart: when t…e word is let into the Soul, it is a discerner; It hath power to discern what is fl…sh in the word, and what is Spirit. And likewise o… all actions that proceed from contrary principles, it hath power to tell when we do well, when ill, what will h…ld p. 103water, what not, what we may stand too, what not. And not only in actions, but in Afflictions also, and therefore is the discerner of the thoughts, and intents of the heart, and thereupon rippeth up, and Anatomizeth the whole inward man, when the Spirit of God accompanyeth it.

Obj. Now we will answer some cases, and objections that may be made, and so proceed, why is it not so powerfull in some, say many, as in others? The Apostle Paul telleth them, Heb. 4.

Answ. 1. They do not mingle the word with faith, you know Physick must have nature to work with it; Physick will do no good to a dead man; no, they do not mingle the word with faith, and therefore they feel not the vertue of it. They lift up their own conceipts against the word, and hear it, and know it, but yeeld not their hearts to believe, and assent certainly to it, and therefore it worketh not. And,

2. Then they let it not into the heart and affections, they give it room in the mouth, to talk of it, but the word is never powerfull, till it hath its own seat, and Throne, till it getteth into the heart and affections, and alters the frame of the inward man. When it is not ingrafted into the heart, it yeeldeth not forth its vertue, and power.

3. Again there is a great deal of opposition, what is the hinderance of the power of the word, a foolish conceiptednesse and presumption. Men think they have enough already, and think they have a divinity poynt, when they can talk of it. But Beloved, We know no more of Religion, th…n we love, and we love no more than we do, He that doth not, knoweth nothing as he ought to know. He may part…, and talk, for ostentation sake, and to satisfie Conscience, but this conc…ipt▪ that people have Divinity, when they can talk of it, it is a very destructive conceipt, that hindered all the working of the word. ReligigionFaith no matter of fansie. standeth not upon words, but it is a matter of power, Religion is not matter of fansie and imagination, s…ith is another thing.

You have many, especially great Scholars, They think they have all they know, but they h…e nothing, but what they love and obey, and subject their he…, wha… they have more, it tendeth to damnation. Out of thine own mouth will I judge p. 104thee, thou faithlesse servant, thou knowest this, and thy CoursesLuke 19. 22.Luke 19:22 are contrary. Therefore take heed of this conceipednesse, I beseech you, for it overthroweth all.

But I would not have such absent from the word, for the word is able to remove all the obstacles & hinderances betweenAttendance. upon the word the heart and it. Physick will not do a dead man good, but this Physick will give life to dead men, for the power of the word is such, that it hath a quick…ing power, and a raising power, and a directing power; and therefore though there be never such mountaines of oppositions between the heart and divine truths; As indeed, they that be given to a profane course of life, there is much opposition between their hearts and divine truths. They that be practisers of any profession, called to great imployments, they should be so far from absenting themselves from the meanes of Salvation, that they should offer themselves the more carefully, and diligently, that whatsoever is between their hearts and divine truths, may do them good, when all other things will fail, this may be removed. And therefore the main thing hindering from doing them good. The word is able to make way for it self, by removing the hinderances upon the word by a carefull and continuall attendance upon it. There is an excellent place in this Epistle, Chap. 10. v. 4. The weapons of our warfare are not weak but mighty through God for the pulling down of strong holds, and every thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God, to bring into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. It is an excellent portion of Scripture. There be three things in a man, wihch much hinder, and indispose a man from taking good.

1. There be foreign, reasonings of flesh, as, Is not reading, as good as preaching, which men that have much wisedome in them think, Then there be foreign that is exaltations of the heart. What, shall I stoop? shall I be so base minded as to regard what Common persons do? I ever judged it more for my credit and reputation, not to stoop than to yeeld up my self, to be obedient to what they say. And when divine truths are propounded, seeming to be contrary to reason, though no truth be contrary to reason, but above it, as the great matters of predestination, and election, and free will, the pride of p. 501mans heart seeing no great reason for this, being above reason, it riseth, and will not yeeld, but the divine truths beat down these, foreign, There is a word that is foreign, actions of the flesh against divine truths. As when a man is exhorted to be liberall, it suggesteth, I shall want my self, and it isReasoning of flesh & blo…d to be laid aside good to look to a mans self; and for suffering, it is good to sleep in a whole skin, whatsoever the disputes, or reasonings of flesh and blood there be, let a man attend upon the word, it will subject and subdue all in time, if a man belong to God; therefore it is powerfully said to make way for it self. For God will let himself, and his Spirit into the heart in spight of Corruption, and in spight of Satan; never despair of a man that hath care of Gods ordinances.

Obj. 2. But you will say, how, or by what meanes doth God make this word effectuall.

Answ. I answer, This excellency of power in the word and his truth, worketh in the heart by the Spirit.

1. By way of Revelation, it revealeth to us excellent things1. The Spirit revealeth divine truths. above nature, and better things than corrupt nature can apprehend in the world. Christ, and all the good we have by him, and that is the first thing. A Revelation of divine truths.

2. Then again, by the Spirit, as all this is offered to a soul, 2. It offereth them.that will receive it. There is not only a discovery, but an offer.

3. There is not only these discoveries and offers, but divine3. It worketh faith to apprehend them. truth is the instrument that worketh Faith, to apprehend and lay hold upon this. And therefore it is called the word of faith, And when Faith is wrought by the Spirit, after revelation, and after offer of divine truths, then that faith draweth out of Christ. Faith hath a drawing and sucking power out of the word, and Christ revealed in the word, of whatsoever is necessaryHow Christ and we are united. for grace and comfort, that may be needfull to bring to Heaven, for the Spirit of God worketh faith, and by faith bringeth all other graces in, and maketh them eff…ctuall in the Soul. Faith is the grace of union that knitteth us to the principle of life, Christ. And therefore God upon revelation, and offer of divine truths, first worketh faith, and by faith knitteth us to the Fountain of life Christ, and it is a wise grace, teaching the Soul to fetch soveraign advantages from Christ, as in nature, p. 109there is an instinct in every Creature to fetch nourishment from the damme. So when God hath wrought faith in the Soul, God putteth this supernaturall divine instinct into the Soul, to fetch whatsoever is needfull, all comfortable graces out of Christ. And thus it becomes an effectuall word, an excellency in a beleeving Soul, Rom 16. It is the power of God to salvation to all them that beleeve. When we believe, God sheweth his p…wer in the Soul. God by his almighty power, first worketh faith, and then faith layeth hold on that mighty power again. When God hath by the word wrought faith, we do apprehend the Almighty power of God in Christ, and to make use of it on all occasions. And therefore it is called, Col. 2. v. 12. The faith of the opperation of God.

Obj. 3. And by resolving of this question, we may answer another,

Quest. That is, What degree of power is here meant, whenHow the word is powerfull whether by way of morall perswasion only. he saith the excellent power that is of God? Whether is it only a reveiling of divine truths, or likewise in working upon the Soul effectually? For you know that distinctly there is a morall kind of working which is by perswasion, and intreaty, and efficcaious working, which is more than intreaty, which worketh, as the Sun worketh upon inferiour things, which is called a vertuall working, and maketh an impression therein. Now whether doth the word by the Spirit only reveil, and off…r divine truths, or have a work sometimes in the Soul, it is no nice question as it is made? And I will give you the truth of it.

Answ. The excellency of the power is not onelyonly in reveiling but in working, the word and the Spirit not onelyonly reveil,The word not only reveileth but worketh. but work something in the soul, and in every part of the soul.

1. In the understanding there is not onelyonly a reveiling of truth, but a light, in the understanding he giveth not onelyonly life but s…nse.

2. So the will not onelyonly apprehendeth what is good, and exc…llently good, but Gods power goeth together with the reveiling of things to the will, and putteth a relish into the will to relish that good, else naturall corruption will will above what is good, without power wrought in the will to cleer it p. 107self, and bend it self, and weigh it self towards the best things.

3. And so for the affections, good things are not onelyonly revealed to love and joy, but the affections themselves are altered, and changed. The corrupt naturall affections have no proportion to supernaturall objects, without an inward work, wrought in the heart, in the will and affections. So the power and efficacy of the word, and Spirit, is not onelyonly in presentation, and offer, but in powerfull working upon the soul, because there is no Connaturalness, no proportion between a soul unturned, unchanged, and objects of an higher nature; can an eye see things invisible? can a naturall soul apprehend, and love things supernaturall, above nature, before it be altered? it cannot. There is a vitious humour over-spreadeth the soul, and therefore alters the tast of it, that we cannot naturally like, nor approve the best things. And therefore the taste must first be altered. Take a sick man, if he have never so much skill, the palat is vitiated, and he cannot relish the wholsom'st thing in the world, but answerable to the corruption of his palat. So let a man have never so much knowledge, if the power of the soul be not altered, he relisheth divine truths onelyonly according to his corrupt fancy. And therefore there must be wise and powerfull workings upon the soul, that as divine truths are savoury in themselves, so they may be savoury to us. Therefore they speak very shallowly of the work of grace, that take it only to be matter of intreaty, and leave the soul to its own liberty. Nolo hanc gratiam. I will not this grace, (saith one of the Ancients) that leaveth the will to be flexible, and at liberty. It is Note.a dangerous thing, when a man hath no more grace, but what is left to himself. One mischief will necessarily follow, that God hath not so much power, as the devill hath, if he propounds any motion, we have a corrupt heart, that yieldeth to the temptation, and betrayeth the heart, but if Gods perswasions be onelyonly Morall, and alter not the frame of the heart, he findeth nothing of his own goodness in us, onelyonly he findeth in us what is contrary to Gods Spirit. And therefore the devill hath the advantage of God, if God should not work in us powerfully. For supernaturall things have no friends at all in us, but opposition, and enmity. Propound the sweet truths of the Gospell p. 108to a proud naturall man, he hath no more relish in them, thanProud naturall man relisheth not the things of God. in the white of an Egge, till his heart be humbled and subdued, for we have no friends within us to hold Correspondency with such truths. B…t let the Devil offer a temptation to any naturall man, He is Iron to God, and Wax to the Devill. And therefore of necessity, there must be more than a morall work, by effectuall perswasion. I speak it to advance the power of the word, that we may know what degree of grace to begg▪ what is suitable to the apprehension of these things prayer will be for. If we conceive grace to be only a motion, & perswasion, and no powerfull work upon the heart, we will begg no more. No man was ever brought to heaven with such a grace, but it is an altering, changing, converting grace that bringeth us to Heaven.

I will name one reason out of the text. It is more than revealing, offering, and perswading by reason, because that is not the excellent manner of work. God in the Gospell, worksGrace wrought by the most excellent manner of working in the most excellent manner, but working by perswasion is not the most excellent manner of working; But working powerfully and really and effectually. Now the excellentest manner of working belongeth to the most excellent worker, who worketh powerfully in the heart, which is the most excellent manner of working.

Now how prove you that?

Answ. Is not he that is able to do, stronger than he that perswadeth to do?

Therefore the most excellent manner of work is to work inwardly, and effectually, not only by intreaty, and perswasion, which is a weak and shallow kind of work, in regard of an efficacious working in the Soul. Now God the most excellent worker, worketh in the most excellent manner, and therefore works not only by perswasion, but worketh powerfully in the inward man. God made the Soul, and fram'd the Soul, & knoweth how to work upon the soul, and how to work upon it with preserving the liberty, and power of it untouched. And therefore as they say very well, He worketh Suaaiter, & Fortiter, Suaviter, by intreaty, agreeable to the nature of man, and Fortiter, powerfully.

There are two things that are the principles of action, in men p. 109working by reason, working by strength, when there is power to do a thing, and reason why to do it, they work like men; if a man had never so much reason and not strength, he worketh not, if he hath strength and not reason and grace to guideReason and power required in working. the action, the action is common, and there is no Religion. But when a man worketh by power from reason, it is like a man; so there be excellent and strong reasons in the Word to disswade from sin, make us in love with Heaven and happiness, if we were Beleevers; and without a power accompanieth the reason secretly and sweetly, and altereth the soul powerfully, all will do the soul no good, and therefore together with reason goeth a divine power to the soul; so God at one time worketh powerfully, and sweetly, by entreaty, he works suitably to the nature of man, and powerfully to overcome that nature.

Object. 4. I come now to answer this; How shall we know whether this vertue, and excellency of vertue, hath wrought on the soul by God, and the Spirit of Faith?

To give you some evidences, and first, you may know easily that it hath wrought, but we cannot tell the manner in working, because we will answer a secret Objection.

Que. I feel not how God works upon my spirit, by his Spirit.

Answ. It is true, for the present you do not; for instance, Grace is wrought in the heart, as the Sun works on inferiour bodies,Manner of the Spirit working, how indiscernable. influence commeth from Heaven to it, but who can tell you how influence entred into his body? who can in Spring-time see the manner how he is cheered, he seeth he is cheered, but to say exactly the time, and measure, that is unknown. It is a sweet and strong influence, we see there is a sweet influence in the working of things, but the very working is unperceivable; so the power of Gods Ordinances in the working is concealed, but presently after there is an alteration, as we know the Spring is come when we see nature altered, …nd things flourishing and green, and a new face of things over there wasThat the Spirit hath wrought upon us we may know, but in what manner we know not▪ in Winter. So we know the Sun of Righteousness hath shined on our souls in the Ordinances and means of Salvation, when there is a flourishingness and fruitfulness in our conversations, when our speeches and actions savour of the Word and Spirit, we may know that the Sun of Righteousness hath shined p. 110upon our souls, Psal. 110. The Church is compared to dew that falleth in the morning, the birth of thy womb is as the dew of the morning, so the best Translators have it; In the day of thy power, that is, in the powerful work of thy Ordinances, the Word, and Sacraments, the Birth of Christ, which is the Church begotten by the Spirit, as the womb of the morning, that is, the dew of the morning which falleth from Heaven, but insensibly and unperceivably; It hath an high cause to draw it up, and let it fall, and to put vertue into it, to make things fruitful, but none perceiveth the falling of it: So grace is wrought in the heart, as dew falls from Heaven, that is, we feel the power and vertue of it, but the manner how grace is wrought, and the Church is begotten of God and Christ, is unperceivable; and therefore go to the fruits, where there is a power, and excellency of power wrought, and a change is seen in life and conversation; for being a Lion before, tho… art a Lamb, there is a triumphing and prevailing power over corruptions that they were enthralled to before, themselves are not themselves, and therefore judge by obedience.

Then there is a power and excellency of power in the soul, when we have turned by a natural power, the nourishment into our Constitutions, then we be strong as Elias, that by strength… Kings 19. 8. of the nourishment sent from Heaven, walked fourty dayes; so when we have received the Sacraments, and heard as we should, we shall find more ability for duty, for fitness to dye, more intercourse with God, more strength of faith against all temptations; and therefore if thou wouldst know what power and excellency of power is wrought in thy soul, examin it by thy strength derived thereby. If you find not str…ngth to overcome temptations and resist corruptions, then you have not yet been good hearers, nor good readers, nor good receivers of the Sacraments, as you should be; we know Sheep and such Creatures are judged of, not by that they chew, but by their flesh and fleece, and so should a Christian by his life, his strength, what he is able to do.

And here we may take up just complaint, that many that have great knowledge of the Gospel, and have be…n long Professors of the Truth, yet they fall before their spiritual enemies; as when Israel falling before their enemies, complained, Lord, p. 111what is it? what is the reason that we fall before the enemy? so a man may complain, what is the reason a Christian should fall …efore his spiritual enemies? that every temptation should overturn him, every corruption and passion enslave him, why is he so enthralled to temptation? Certainly there hath not been that power, and excellency of power in the soul that should be.

By these and the like circumstances, we may know whether we have felt this power, and excellency of power, or no.

There is as we said before, a power in Religion, if it bePower of Religion mingled with believing. mingled with a beleeving heart, and till we find that power all will do us no good; Profession of Religion and Knowledge will be in the brain, therefore labour not to know but to feel divine truths; and when be they felt? when the vertue is felt. It is not enough scire, sed sentire, it is not enough to know, but to feel; and when do we feel? when we find the vertue of the Word in comforting, in raising, and directing, in changing, in transforming.

We think we beleeve all things necessary when we can say them, and speak of them, but there is never an Article of ourDoctrine of Christ what influence it hath on Practice. Creed, but being apprehended by faith, worketh mightily upon the soul in an excellent manner. As for ex…mple, I believe in God the Father Almighty, how shall I know I beleeve? If the Spirit of God witness to my spirit, that God is my Father, and teacheth me to go to him as a Father in all my necessities; I know he is Almighty, when I am under strength of temptation and oppositions whatsoever, he is able to raise my soul, and after death to give it a better being than in this World; and I beleeve in him as the Father Almighty, when I will not distrust him, he is my Father and will do me good, he is Almighty, and can do all for my good; so I believe in Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, this a man beleeveth not till Christ be born in the heart, and the Image be stamped upon his soul, and a disposition suitable to Christ; and so for the death o… Christ, the Cross of Christ, it is a crucifying knowledge. I know Christ dyed for my sins, the faith of this crucifieth this corruption for which Christ was crucified: when I look upon my corrupt nature, with that odium and detestation that Christ p. 112had when he suffered for them, so that I feel not things with power and efficacy, till something be wrought by them; so I beleve not Christ is risen again, unlesse I find that power that raised him, quicken my heart, and raise me to heavenly mindedness, to ascend with Christ, and fit in Heaven with Christ. A man beleeveth not that Christ is in Heaven unless he hath glorious thoughts, he doth but talk of them, he that beleeveth Christ his head, is in Heaven, Christ and he being all one, can he be much cast down with any trouble here, or be abased here when he beleeveth this? No, and therefore saith the Apostle, If you be risen with Christ, as you be, if you belong to Christ, and have the same Spirit that raised his body, raising you, then seek the things above, and not the things beneath, and savour the thingsCol. 3. 1.Col 3:1 that be spiritual and suitable to your condition; so a man cannot beleeve his sins be forgiven, but he must love, he must have joy and peace, being justified by faith we have peace with God. He that findeth not peace in his conscience, how knoweth heRom. 5. 1.Rom 5:1 that his sins are forgiven? Be of good comfort, thy sins are forgiven; a man that knows his sins are forgiven, he is comforted, for his debt is paid and all discharged; and so the resurrection of the body and life everlasting, what is the power of it? it maketh him as willing to dye, as when he goeth to sleep, for when he goeth to bed he knoweth he shall rise again, and rise better and more refreshed; so a man that is to dye he resolveth, I lay down my body and shall rise again, as sure as I shall rise out of my bed, and more sure, for many dye in their sleep; so if we beleeve the comming of Christ to judgement, the vertue of it will shew it self in walking fruitfully and carefully, Christ mustThoughts of Christs comming to judgment, makes us fruitful and careful. come again and I must make account of all, and so life everlasting, if a man beleeveth that, what courage will it infuse? there is never an Article but if it be beleeved hath a spiritual infusion in it; let a man beleeve life everlasting, he will not care to venture his life for Religion and his Country, what will he care to adventure a life is nothing but vanity? I do but touch these things to shew that out of the grounds of Religion there is a power in them, if they be apprehended and beleeved; and if they have not this power we beleeve them not, we talk of them, but are not moulded to them, as the Apostles phrase is, we are not fashioned to them, so that we may try whether the p. 113Word hath wrought mightily on us, by the power we find in u… …ing our natures.

…. 5. Well, what course shall we take that we may find th… power of the Ordinances and Word, and an excellent pow…r?

Answ. 1. Remember all is of God, from Gods Spirit, theWord & Spirit how they work together third Person in the Trinity is next to us, and next in working, God the Father and Son work by the Spirit; for as it is in the body, there be the veins and arteries put together, the veins carry the blood, the arteries carry the spirits, the blood inSimile. the veins nourish the spirits in the arteries, the spirits in the arteries quicken and enliven the blood; the Word is as blood in the veins, for as blood spreads it self over all the body by the veins, and feedeth the several parts, so the Word spreadeth it self over the whole man, over all the powers of man, over his understanding, will, and affection; it spreadeth it self over all the actions of man, for all must be done in vertue of some word; it spreadeth it self as blood spreadeth over the body, but together with the blood there must be spirits to quicken the blood, so there must be the Spirit with the Word. The Word is vehiculum spiritus, the Charet which carrieth the Spirit, and therefore consider the concurrence of these two, when ye come to God, they be coupled together as the veins, and arteries, and when we have to do with divine truths, remember to beg for the Spirit, and therefore, Psal. 119. Open mine eyes, Lord, open mine eyes, his eyes were opened, and yet Lord reveal the wonders of thy Law more; so we must pray for a fresh new Revelation of truths to us; and are we quicker and better sighted than he or Paul, that prayed so often for the Spirit of Revelation, & that God would take off the veil of ignorance and unbeleef from the heart? There is a natural veil opon divine things that we cannot see them in their truths and excellency, therefore pray to God by the Spirit to take away this veil.

2. And if we would feel the power and the excellency of the power of the Word, enter into our own hearts, and see our own necessity every day, and see our own wants of God, who doth shew his power in weakness; labour to see a necessity of divine power and divine truths, a necessity to do any thing p. 104well, and that our callings are not sanctified unless we sanctifieOur Callings must be sanctified by prayer. them in a morning by prayer, and direct them to ends above nature and above the world, and make them serviceable for the soul; see a necessity of grace, and of the efficacy and power of the Word, and necessity will enforce us out of our selves to him, in whom is the fountain of all strength, that we may be strong in the power of his might. Beloved, times are comming to every one of us that will enforce us to seek for strength and for power; can we undergo afflictions when they come without spiritual strength? we may carry them as civil men, but great crosses may come above all morality and civility. Achitophel had brains enough, but having no grace, he sunck. Judas had muc knowledg, but sunck under it; so though we have strong brains and great parts, we shall sinck under them if we have not grace. A Christian must be more than a man, as grace raiseth a man above a man, makes him spiritual; by vertue of this power we must be more than men, else we shall meet with things which are above a man, fiery temptations and Satans darts, and if we are not more than a man wo be to us; therefore labour to feel and see our own wants, present and propound before hand all possibilities, what if our lives should be questioned? sickness will come, death will come, what strength have I, what faith have I? what have I lived upon before, and what do I know, do I beleeve all I know? As Joseph providedGen. 41. 48Gen 41:48 against hard times; times of spending will come, therefore lay up knowledge, and often examin if things be to us as to themselves; divine truth is holy, full of majesty and power in it self, what is that to me if it be not so to me, it will do we no good but help to damn me; do I find that power and efficacy that is said to be in them? if not, never give over waiting on the means that God hath appointed for that purpose.

Beloved, it concerneth us nearly and very much, for if we do find the power of divine truths in our hearts, O happy men,A little divine truth prevaileth against strongest temptation. if we find it hath wrought a change and alteration, it will make the weakest Christian stronger than all the gates of Hell. Take a weak Christian that hath digested the Word, and mingled it with faith, a few divine truths digested and mingled with faith will stand out against the devil and all temptations, even at the hour of death, because they be divine truths, and God goeth p. 115with them; the truths being divine of themselves, and likewise divine power going with them, having the strength of God for every word; as a man is, the word of a man is, it is as powerful as himself, and the word of a noble man, the word of an honest man, is as the man is. Now consider what word it is, and what power is annexed to it, labour to feel the power of these divine truths, and all hell let loose cannot overcome the weakest Christian, not a Fool, not a Novice, not a Child in Religion, much lesse a strong Christian. But the tongue of men and Angels if men will be drowzie, and lazie, and dead, will not make them affected with these things, but those that belong to God understand what these things mean.

We are speaking of the end of this dispensation of God, that he would have this blessed treasure of divine truths carried in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. Now in the end three things are considerable.

1. First, that there is a power in the Ordinances of God, and an excellency of power.

2. That this excellent power of the Ordinances of God, is of God, it is not of the earthen vessel, no, it is not in the treasure it self, it is not in the Gospel distinct and abstracted from divine power accompanying it, but it is of God, exclusively set down, and not of us.

3. The intention why God would have this power, and excellent power, to be in earthen vessels, and not of us; see how he demonstrateth it, that it may appear that the power is of God, and not of us. There is excellent power, and it is of God, how doth it appear? Compare the meaness of the vessel, with the excellency of the treasure, and it shall appear that all the good done by the Ordinance, is not by the Vessel, but from the Treasure, or rather from God himself, whose treasure it is.

That there is a power, and an excellent power, of Gods Ordinance, we have shewed at large.

We have shewed wherein this power consisteth, and how it is of God; all the power is of God, else the Ordinance is dead, and indeed unlesse Gods vertue go along with it, what can do the p. 116soul good? Afflictions make men worse, the Law hath only a power to harden us, the Law by the power of God killeth, but it quickeneth not; let not the power of God go with the Ministry of Christ, it doth no good.

How many Sermons did Christ preach which did no good? he piped and they would not dance, they would not mourn when be preached matter of humiliation, when he preached matter of comfort, they would not dance, but like froward children, they were untractable, and nothing would work upon them; and therefore without God and the work of the Spirit, not mans not an Angel, not Christ himself can work upon an obstinate stubborn soul.

I shewed that the excellency of this power must be of God, and not of u…; I propounded divers Cases and Questions, and answered some, I will briefly answer some now, as,

Quest. First, not to speak of what I then delivered, If there be no power in the Ordinances, why do we exhort people and stirre them up to beleeve and to repent, if all power be conveyedExhortations necessary, though the power be of God. from God as we proved the last day at large, and that they have no power at all in themselves?

Answ. I answer, Gods Word in the Ordinance is an operating word, a working word, as in the Creation, Let there be light, and there was light; so in miracles, Lazarus come forth, Gen. 1.Gen 1there went an Almighty power with the Word of Christ, and Lazarus comes out. Believe and repent, there goeth out an AlmightyJohn 11.John 11 power with the Ministerial word, and giveth power to Beleevers; Dum jubet juvat, where God commandeth he helpeth, his Word is cloathed with an Almighty power; and therefore though we exhort men to do so, and so, we say not, they can do it themselves, but together with the speech there goeth a commanding power; the Spirit of God cloatheth the Word; Loquitur Deus ad modum nostrum, agit ad modum suum, God speaketh according to our measure, worketh according to his own; we are men, & are to do things by reason and understanding; God speaks to us by way of open reason, and shewing grounds of reason, because loquitur ad modum nostrum; But when he comes to give strength and power to reason, all moral power or reason will do no good without inward strength, and therefore agit ad modum suum, mightily, powerfully, and by p. 117way of perswasion and reason, and all to condescend to our manner, yet still all the while as a God.

And therefore it is a childish thing for them to inferre that there is power in man, because God perswadeth and exhorts; God with these infuseth his power, he conveyeth power into the will and affection this way; then he works powerfully when he seemeth to condescend thus farre, and this exhortation isWhen God condescends most, he worketh most powerfully. but to drive us out of our selves, to the rock of our strength, & to the spring of all comfort, it is but to drive us to Christ, & therefore wheresoever you have a Commandement in one place, ye have a Promise in another; if you are cōmanded to turn to God, to mortifie lusts, we have a promise of assistance that we shall do these things: the Commandements may make us go out of our selves with humility, the promise makes us go to God with confidence in him; and therefore it is ignorance of Gods divine dispensations to enforce any power and strength in us from those sweet exhortations that are commended to us in Scripture.

Quest. 2. Secondly, if there be such power and efficacy in Gods Ordinances accompanied with the Spirit, as indeed there is, whence then commeth the resisting in men? it sheweth there is more in mans malice, than in Gods Ordinance. I answer thus,

Answ. That God intendeth to convert and put forth his strength that way, for those whom God intendeth to put forth his strength for, it tendeth to conversion, he joyneth such a strength with the Ordinances, as overcommeth all rebellion and resistance in them that he doth convert, as Augustine saith well, Volentem hominem salvum facere, when God will save a man, no stubbornnesse of his will shall withstand, else the will of man were stronger than Gods; and it is a high point of comfort, that the goodness of God is above the malice of man, that there is a greater power in the Ordinances, and Efficacy, than there can be indisposition in man, whatsoever it is in the party, for all things in the world, in the soul of man which isAll things obey the first Worker. the most rebellious refractory and stubborn thing, all things in the world are in obedience to the first Worker; there is an aptness which is of purpose for this matter which we speak of, there is an active power in the Creature, whereby it is ready to p. 118work, and this active power to do good, we have none at all. There is a passive power, as in wax to receive impression, this we have not, we cannot so much as receive goodnesse, the reason is, because good things, so long as we be corrupted, be presented to us as folly. A wise man will never take that he apprehendeth folly: To a carnall wise man, the most excellent things in the world, are presented as folly, and he will not subject to the impression of divine truths, when they be presented, and therefore there is neither active, nor meer passive power. But there is, potentia obedientialis, a power obedientiall. That is in plain terms, there is such a subj…ction of the Soul of man to God the first Cause, that it yeelds to him; when he worketh, he knoweth all the windings and turnings of it, he can deal as he pleaseth, preserving the liberty of it, without prejudice of its liberty. For both things, and the mannerThings and the manner of working them are of God. of working things, are of God, and preserved by God. God he carrieth things so, as he preserveth, Modum agendi, the manner of working, peculiar to things, so that all things are obedient to Gods manner of working, for they cannot resist him, there is no question of that.

Obj. But we say, that as the Scripture speaks, there is resistance in things, resistance is in them that belong not to God, or in them that belong to God, till he putteth forth an invincible strength to convert them. But if they resist, they may resist the work of Gods Spirit, then there is some excuse for them.

Answ. I answer, no, They may pretend the word is not powerfull enough, the Ordinance is not able enough, but let them leave secret things to God. There is no man converted, but his heart will tell him, that God was before hand with him. God inforceth goodnesse on men, they willingly resist it. God is then before hand with them, and there is no man that withstandeth Gods workings, but his hart will tell him that the fault is altogether in himself, for God is willing to yeeld more power to him, than he is willing to receive, and that maketh him afraid of the meanes of Salvation. If I go to such, and converse with such, they will advise me to alter my course. They will put conceipts in me, disquiet my mind, vex me, and torment me, I shall hear what crosseth my old waies, and I p. 119am resolved still to walk in my old Courses, and so their hearts tell them, they willingly betray their own Soules. So that they cannot pretend the weaknesse of the understanding, but strength of Corruption, which declineth the Ordinance.

The two witnesses, Rev. 11. tormented the world, and so the Ordinances, the truths of God torment some kind of men, but to let such go, I speak to them that belong to God. Here is our Comfort, that the Ordinances of God are powerfull, and mighty, but through God, to beat down all strong holds, and therefore come, and attend upon the meanes of Salvation, Come, though you be Lions, you may go out Lambs, Come, thoughThe word changeth Lions into Lambs. you be Wolves, you may go out Sheep; for the knowledge of God accompanyed with the Spirit of God, as Isa. 11. may alter, and change your natures, transforming you to be like to Christ, whose word it is. It is a transforming, converting, word.

Where it doth not convert the heart, & Conscience of men, or tel them, that God was willinger to cōvert them, then they were willing to be converted, the fault is in themselves, but I will alwaies hope well of thē, that carefully & diligently come within Gods reach. The Ministery of the Gospel is said to be the power of God, & Is. 53. The arm of God. To whom is the arm of God revea…ed? tha… is, the power of God in the ordinance. Those that will come within the power and reach of God, never despair of them, they that will meekly subject to Gods dispensation, & not proudly despise the powerfull working of God, that attend at the posts of wisedome, if not at one time, yet at another, there is a blessed hour to come, for the Angell to stir their waters; for the Holy Ghost to stir the waters, to heal their Soules. Therefore I speak to all them that love their own Soules; never be weary of Gods Ordinances. Though the meanes be weak, yet the glory of God, & power of his Spirit, will be more eminently apparent in the weaknesse of the meanes, As the Apostle saith here, The excellency of the power is of God, and not of man.

Now to make some further use of this, is all the power of God?

1. Therefore observe another thing, we must not depend on the power of the Ministery, and the excellency of the M…nisters hi… parts, and gifts, why? the power and excellency is of p. 120God; And we may say by experience, that men that think themselves converted by some excellent parts of a rare man, it is usually but a shallow repentance; And they that be hanged by the eares upon men of good parts, they seldome hold out: But where the Soul is wrought upon by grounds from the word, and evidence from the Spirit in the Teacher; but CoversionGod tyes not himself to Ordinances. wrought only by admiration of the parts of the Teacher, it is with them, as with them in the Gospell, They marvelled at him, and stood astonished, but they left him, and went their waies. And therefore take heed of depending on men for the efficacy of the Sacraments,. Some are too blame that way, unlesse they have such a Preacher, they will not receive it, as if the doing and efficacy of the Sacrament depended on that. If they be placed in the Office of the Ministery, and have a Calling. Now look to the power of God, and the excellency of that power, in his own Ordinance by whomsoever. We will receive Gold out of any hand, we will receive a pearl from a mean person, do we regard the pardon it self, or the person that bringeth the pardon? no, we look to the pardon, if that be right, it is no matter who bringeth the pardon, who offers this treasure of life. Look to the excellency of the things themselves, and God (though in the Course of meanes we must adde that) God doth ordinarily convert by the best men, that can speak from the heart to the heart, he can kindle others best, that is kindled in his own heart, begetting being from a love in the Teacher. They that are truly sanctifiedly affected, they can beget others, sooner than others; And therefore in the Course and way of meanes, God for the most part useth blessed, and holy meanes for working of the great work of Conversion for the most part.

Yet God tyeth not himself to the excellency of meanes. Oftentimes the greatest men of all God humbleth them, to do others good. As we see Isaiah that great Kingly Prophet, saith he, we have laboured in vain. I have laboured to subdue the people to God, but to no purpose. Son of Man, Goe, harden the peoples hearts. So excellent a power instead of converting, maketh them worse, and so it is, that the most excellent Preacher both for parts, and likewise for graces, oftentimes doth harden, and make them worse. God will have it so, it shall be p. 121the savour of death to some presumptuous proud Persons, and not a savour of life. And therefore we must not look altogether on the excellency of the persons that preach, nor to their meannesse, but to the Ordinance of God.

2. Give me leave farther to adde this thing, God shewethGod works powerfully by his own Ordinance. …s power and his excellent power by his own Ordinance, & therfore other courses are not sanctified for conversion, nor for spirituall good to the Soul. This observe, There is a conceipted superstitious generation of men, ill-breed for the most part, not for want of parts, but for superstitious breeding, they have great admiration of a bastardly meanes of good, what do I call th…m? meanes they set up themselves, which God never sanctified. Oh, they will have Crucifixes, and such and such helps; who ever sanctified this? Every workman will work with his own tooles, and Instruments. Did God ever sanctifie Crucifixes, and the like to stir up devotion? What kind of devotion is like to come of that, that God never blessed to that end? a bastardly devotion from a bastardly meanes. And usually people give to those kind of things, higher measure of admiration, than to good and sanctified meanes.

I never knew, nor ever shall know a superstitious person to like of things sanctified of God, but in that proportion he grew bitter against that which is indeed sound; see what Religion Popery is, their study being to weaken that powerfull instrument that God hath sanctified to convey all saving power by. How do they weaken it? By all the meanes they can: They labour to take a way the strength of it; They lock it up in an unknown tongue in Latine, and not only so, but in a corrupt vicious translation, and lest it should do much good, they adde Apochryphall writings with it. Many of which indeed are holy books, but yet they equall their Authority with the Scriptures. Nay, that they may weaken the strength and efficacy of the blessed word by which is wrought whatsoever is savingly good, they make traditions of equall authority with the word. They make the present determination of the present Pope, of equall power with the word, nay, above it, for the life, and Soul of words, is the sense and meaning of them. The meaning is the form, and being and life of speech, the words are but husks, The kernell and life of words, is the p. 122meaning of them. Now they take upon them to give the sense and meaning of the Scriptures. But they go about to judge that, which will one day judge them, to keep under the word, that will keep them under, and blast them, and consume them, As 2 Thess. 2. Antichrist must be consumed with the breath of his mouth, that is, with the Ordinance of God. It is such a wind as he cannot indure, it will consume him. There is no meanes sanctified of God to consume Antichrist, but the Ordinance,Antichrist an Enemie to the word, and the word an Enemie to him. There be other Civill, and apparent wayes to weaken him, but that that shall consume him indeed, as he is Antichrist, is the powerfull Ordinance of God. And therefore blame them not for being such enemies to that which is such an enemie to them, that is, the powerfull preaching of the word. But we must not dwell upon these things, only I thought it necessary to put you in mind of it, that our hearts may be brought to think highly of that which God so esteemeth, even as we love our own Soules.

Other truths may civilize, and other helps may be profitable, other books, besides Gods book, may do us a great deal of good, and many holy treatises there are, in which the word is unfoulded, and made familiar to us. The water in the Spring, and water brought in a pipe is the same water. So that the word in Scripture, and the word brought in preaching, and holy treatises is the same. But I speak of other truths we read of in humane Writers. God giveth a power to every truth, and there be inferiour works of the Spirit, But this work of Conversion, of setting the Image of God upon us, is reserved especially for the ordinances of God. All the learning in the world will not set the Image of God upon the Soul, willLearning except the Spirit accompanyeth it, can do nothing to convert the soul. not bring the Soul out of darkness into the kingdome of Christ, but the powerfull Ordinance of God, and the powerfull work of the Spirit accompanying it. It is not every work of the Spirit, but an Almighty work. By imbalming, a dead body may be preserved from putrifaction, and anoyance a long time, but all the Spices and Imbalments in the world, will not put life into a dead body: So the inferiour works of the Spirit, by inferiour meanes, may imbalm the Soul, that is, may make it Civill, and it is very good conversing with Civill men. You shall have them fair▪ Conditioned-men, and excellent things p. 123will break from them, but this is but imbalming; the quickening of a dead Soul, the putting of life into that, is reserved for the ordinance of God, and the power of the Spirit accompanying it, This is that the Apostle speak… of, The excell… of the power of God.

3. One thing give me leave to adde more, That as God doth powerfully work by his Ordinance in us, and in the Church, so he doth powerfully work by his Ordinance on others, by the Church on others. To make it plain, thus, There is an excellency of power in the Word, in Faith, in Prayer, in Fasting, in the sentence of the Church, there is an excellent power in all these, not only on the Soul, upon whom they work, but likewise on others, there is a power in the Church, and in the Minister for to threaten, and God to make good those threates to others, worketh on others; And there is a power in Prayer, not only of grace to make us fit to pray, but a power by Prayer for God thereby to confound the Enemies of the Church. Therefore the phrase in the Psalmes, is,Psal. 20. 2. Psal. 68. 35. Gods ordinances how powerfull against enemies.Ps 20:2Ps 68:35 God send thee help out of Sion, that is, out of the Church, by Church meanes; And God is terrible in his holy place, What is the meaning of that? the meaning is, in the Church, where God is truly worshiped, where the Ordinances are in purity, and power, there God is terrible out of his holy place. If there come forth Prayers against the enemies of the Church, God saith Amen to them: Woe be to the Enemies of the Church, when the Church falleth a praying and fasting; Woe be to Hamman, when Esther, Mordicai, and the rest fall to this duty, And woe to Popery, if all Christians would joyn in Prayer, and Fasting, Antichrist had been brought upon his Knees, and to nothing ere this time. There is a power in Gods Ordinances, let them be used as they should be, with faith and perswasion, that God will say Amen to them all, they will work. What? Let a man pray with Confidence, that God will blesse it, though not in the particular that he desireth, yet you shall see what wonders God will work by it.

No question, but the humiliation of Gods people, brought Antichrist so much upon his knees, as he hath in Germany, Gods people humbled themselves, and believed the threatnings against Antichrist, and believed the promises of the Church, p. 124and laboured to have faith suitable to Gods promises, suitable to Gods threatnings, and in that faith, as an exercise of it, pray to God, we shall see God make good all his Ordinances. God will be terrible out of his holy place, and he will send help out of Sion; Pray therefore for the Church, and against the Enemies, and we shall quickly see an end of them. And therefore you have, 2 Cor. 10. That speaking of the power of the Ordinances of God, he saith in the 6. verse, God is in readinesse to revenge all disobedience, there is a power in the Ordinrnces of God to kill men, to send men to Hell. You think the words of the Ordinances are wind, but they are not, For as it is in Zachary. 1. The Prophets be gone, and are dead, but their words are made good. Whome we binde, God bindeth from Heaven, whome we loose, God looseth from Heaven. If we threaten the judgements of God, and punishment upon Swearers, or Profane Persons, or despisers of the Ordinances, do you think it doth them no harm? Beloved, they are struck, they be men under the sentence of Damnation, they are not yet in Hell, but the word hath damned them, the Ordinance hath damned them, they be struck men. There is a power in Gods Ordinances, to be revenged on the disobedience of men, when men will live in sinnes, threatened, and condemned by the Ministers, they go up and down like glorious men, but they be condemned and under sentence, there is but a step between them and hell, And they shall know one day God will make good every one of his threats in his Ministery against their profane Courses, though they make slight of it. No, it shall not be made light off, when God commeth to execute it; when God shall come immediately from Heaven, to execute the wordWhat the Minister of God threatneth, God will speedily execute. he hath spoken mediately by the Minister, as one day he will. What we speak mediately, he will immediately from Heaven come to execute it. How will they shake off that, Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire? You that have lived in sinnes against Conscience, can you shake▪ off that? God is now patient to them, if his patience can winne them, but can they shake off Gods immediate peremptory sentence from Heaven? Oh no. And therefore I beseech you labour to bring your soules to obedience of the Ordinances of God, for it is mighty to take vengeance of all obstinate sinners, therefore take heed of living in sin, p. 125condemned by the Ordinance; for God will make good every word that he hath spoken.

Gen. 3. The last thing I propounded in the words to shew us is, that God doth shew his power and excellent power by weak meanes, That it may appear by the disproportion that it is of God.

Doct. The poynt from hence is this, That God is wonderfull curions, as we may with reverence speak, he is wonderfull exact in God is very carefull of his glory.this, that his glory may be advanced in all. And therefore he would have this carriage of things, that Heavenly treasures should be carried in earthen vessels; not Gold, not Silver, but Earth, that the good done, may not be attributed to the vessels (being so base) but to him. Gods aimes, and our aimes, must concur▪ God aimeth at his own glory, and it is no pride in him, because there is none above him, whose glory he should seek. And therefore it is naturall for God to do all for his own glory, as it is naturall for him to be holy, because he is the first Cause, and the last end of all things. It is fit the first Cause, and last end of all things, should have all the glory. Of him, and through him, are all things, therefore to him be all the glory. It is Gods prerogative, The grace is ours, he giveth grace to us, but the glory is his own, and his glory he will not part with all.

To make this cleer, God takes all the course he doth in the government of the world, in the Ministery, and Church, that it may appear that the glory is his in all things. Look to his providence in governing the world, doth not he do great things sometimes without meanes, and sometimes with poor weak meanes? what be the blowing of Rams hornes, to the fall of Josh. 6. 20.Josh 6:20the walls of Jericho? was it not, that it might appear, that the falling of the walls, was from God? What was Gideons pitchers Judg. 7. 19.Judg 7:19with lamps for the confounding of the Midianites? what was a Victory to an earthen Pitcher? So what is the light of the Gospel, to an earthen vessell? Doth the vertue come from these? no, God appointeth to us these meanes, that the glory and excellency of power may appear to be of him. The Ministers are but Gideons Pitchers, with the light of the Gospel in them; what was Shamgars ox goad, to the slaying of so many?Judg. 3. 31. Judg. 15. 15.Judg 3:31Judg 15:15 Sampsons jaw bone of an Asse, to the flaying of so many p. 126Phillistims? It was to shew that the glory was Gods. What is the converting of so many soules, by so mean Fisher men? When Ignorance overcame Knowledge, Folly overcame Wisedome, Weaknesse overcame Strength. Fishermen and their Consorts, made the Crown of the Romane Empire stoop to them, the poor Preachers of the Gospel brought it to passe at length, that the great Empire of Rome should subject to the Gospell; and why is all this? But that the power may appear to be of God.

I might with this truth go through all ages from the beginning of the world to the end, and shew how God hath done great things, sometimes by no meanes, sometimes by weak meanes, sometimes when meanes have been armed against him in opposition of meanes, when others are opposite, then hath he got greatest glory. But it is so plain a truth, that I will not spend time to no purpose to declare the poynt, and therefore I will come more close, and bring the truth home to our selves.

Now because we are naturally forgetfull of this, and so robbe God of his glory. I will shew you diverse courses that God taketh with his Children to train them up to learn this hard lesson, to give all the glory to God, which naturally theyHow God teaches his Saints to give all the glory to him. love to finger themselves, for man is naturally a proud Creature, and would have all things to himself. Therefore observe in five or six particulars, what course God taketh to teach men this lesson, that the excellency of power may be of God and not of us.

Reason. 1. First of all, what is the reason why God deserts men, his dearest Children oftentimes, leaveth them to terrible plunges, maketh them apprehend he is their Enemie, and that they be none of Gods, leaving them in a state of darknesse, that they see no light? this is the state of Gods dear Children. The end of this is, that they may know, they must needs go out of themselves, if they will have any comfort. They are in darknesse, and have no light, therefore let them trust in the name of God. Isa. 30. …0.Isa 30If it were not for these desertions, to see nothing but darknesse in themselves, they would not fly to the rock of strength, they would not retire to their rock of defence, they would not trust God. Why do men suffer the sentence of death, and are brought to deaths door? no help, no Physick will do them good? Saint p. 127Paul giveth the reason, That they may learn to trust in the living 2 Cor. 1. 9.2 Cor 1:9God, What? Paul to learn this lesson, yea, Paul had need to learn this lesson, to go out of himself, and give all the glory of all things to God. And therefore Saint Paul received sentenceof death, that he might trust in the living God, and perfectly go out of himself.

Reason 2. 2. Again, What is the reason that sometimes the Child of God is foyled very foul in little tempta…ions, and standeth in great ones? because indeed in these temptations he goeth on in his own strength? and in greater temptations, he goethWhy man falleth in a lesse temptation, and holds out in a greater. out of himself, and flyeth to God. And therefore a good Christian sometimes is basely foyled in a little temptation, and standeth out like a man in a great one, because in the one he is confident of his own strength, in the other, he is inforced to repair to God for assistance, That is the reason of it, To learn this doctrine, to give God the glory in all things.

Reason 3. 3. Again, What is the reason that men are better after a foyl, after some base fall, than ever they were before. As oftentimes God suffers them to fall into soul faults, what is the reason of this strange dispensation of God? To shew, that they stood too much on their own bottomes; and why are they better after them? because, seeing their own weaknesse and willfullness…, they are driven out of themselves, the sink of Corruption was opened to them, they saw they had reb…llious hearts, there was depth of Corruption which they discerned not before, and now after a fall, that they see the depth of Corruption more than before, they grow more humble, more wary in time to come, having more experience of Gods infinite mercy in pardoning, of his infinite power in raising, and so in some meas…re they learn that lesson, to give all the glory to God. God sometimes sanctifieth a grosse fall to make them strong, Peter learned to stand by his fall, and Christians once falling by presuming too much upon their own strength, are made to stand stronger for time to come.

Reason 4. 4. Again, What is the reason that sometimes the Church is foyled by weak enemies, and sometimes when the Church is very weak it self, it overcometh strong enemies, as you have instances of both? It is that men may learn to know, that God must be sought too in all things. When there p. 128be strong meanes, they place too much confidence in that strength, and when they offend God, though the meanes be never so strong, God curseth, and blasteth all helps, as the Prophet tells them, You shall fight against the Chaldeans, but God will curse you. You that think you be strong men, you shallJer. 37. 9.Jer 37:9 fight against them, but they shall prevail, you have not made your peace with God, and if so, let all the best meanes be gathered together, God will blast them all. To teach us, that whatsoever meanes we have, we must seek to God. There is an excellent place for this, Jer. 37. The Jewes though they were stout men, but they had offended God, therefore in the ninth verse, saith God to them, Thus saith the Lord, Deceive not your selves, saying, the Chaldeans shall depart from us, we shall do well enough, saith he, Though you had smitten the whole number of the Chaldeans, that fight against you, and there remain but wounded men amongst them, yet should they robbe every man in his Tent, and burn this City with fire, Though you had smitten them so, yet God is your enemy. It is no matter what weak men they are, what strong meanes you have, you have broken peace with God, God hath decreed, and determined your ruine, and therefore your City must be burnt with fire. Never therefore trust to any meanes if you have offended God, for God can do great things with small meanes, if we please him. Gideons 300. can overcome the Midianites, though they cover the earth as Grashoppers. And if God be offended, the enemies be allJudg. 7. 6.Judg 7:6 wounded men, yet they shall rise and burn the City. And therefore if God be our enemie, trust not to our walls, nor to the Sea, nor to our strength and Courage of men, all is nothing if we have not God our Friend. And therefore it is true that is usually spoken, That where God will defend a City and Country, a Cobweb may be the walls thereof; but where God will not defend a City or Country, a wall is but a Cobweb. Why isAll power of God that we may make our Peace with him. all this? but that all power may be known to be of God; That we may resign our selves to him, make our peace with him. If he be our friend it matters not who …s our enemy, If he be our enemy it matters not who is our friend, If God be for us, who is against us? It is sin within the City, and sin within the Land, doth more hurt than all enemies without it, because it estrangeth, and animates God against the place and Country.

p. 129Reason 5. 5. And what is the reason likewise, to adde one more Instance, That he helpeth most in extremity, that he deferreth help till that time, that in the Mount he is seen, and not till he be in the mount, as the Proverb is? The reason is, thatGen. 22. 14.Gen 22:14 by this meanes, he may mortifie and subdue all Confidence in the meanes, that there may be no spirituall Adultery with the meanes. Then faith is stirred up, then prayer is set upon, then is more Communion with God, the fountain of strength, and the more Communion with God, the fountain of strength, the more strength, and the more Communion with God, the fountain of power, the more power. In extremity we have more Communion with Gods strength and power. Therefore God withdraweth help oftentimes, to wean us from the Creature, and to train us up to trust in him.

Ʋ…e 1. Now to make use of what I have spoken. Doth God take this course, to do great matters by weak meanes, that we should acknowledge the vertue of all to be from him? I beseech you then to learn this lesson, mark the Scriptures he cutiously Carefull holy men have been not to finger any thing of Gods, They feared Sacrilege, spirituall Theft, and Lies, that is, to attribute that to them, which belongeth not to them. And therefore Saint P…ul, 1 Cor. 15. I have laboured more than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God within me. Not the grace of God, and I together, as two horses draw a Coach, but grace with me, did all. I was subordinate, not co-ordinate, with grace, but I, under grace. We do but act, as we are acted, move, as we are moved, and therefore you see how carefull he is, and you see the phrases of Scripture, of holy men, I am not worthy to John 1. 26.John 1:26loose his shoe-latchet, saith John the Baptist, I am not worthy to Matth. 8. 8.Matt 8:8be called an Apostle, saith Saint Paul, I am not worthy thou shouldest enter into my house. Papists stand upon merit of congruity, but the phrase of Scripture saith, I am unworthy, not unto us, not unto us, be the praise, but unto thy name. AndHe relateth to the warrs of the Swedes in Germany. therefore give God all the glory of any thing that is done; If any good thing be wrought, if any good news be heard from beyond the Seas, be sure to advance the instrument so, that we robbe not God of his glory. And when God worketh in us, any thing, that is gracious and beneficiall, let God have all the glory, all commeth from him, therefore let all go to him p. 130again. You see in the Lords prayer the connexion of these two together, Thine is the power, therefore thine is the glory. The excellency of power is of God, both in governing the world, and in governing the Church, in subduing Corruptions. If power be his, then let glory be his too, let them not be severed.

Ʋse 2. Again, let this teach us to resign up our selves to God in the use of all good meanes, give our selves to him, for he doth all. Trust not in the meanes, rest not in confidence of wit and parts, but depend upon him. It is a lesson easily understood, but not so easily practised. Therefore look to God, all things belong to God. Art thou of God? Ministesteriall teaching is not enough. There be two teachers concurr to save soules, Ministers, and God; there are two to be preached to, the outward man, and the inward, we speak to the outward man, God to the inward, Paul speaketh to Lydia's ear, but God openeth the heart. And we baptize with water,Acts 16. 14.Acts 16:14 but Christ baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And therefore in allLuke 3. 16.Luke 3:16 the ordinances of God, see them administred by the outward man, but there is vertue from Christ, and from God. He must baptize with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, he must open the heart, unlock that, and teach that, if this were experimentally known and practised, we should have greater exercise of grace than there is in peoples hearts, but it is known as a notion, but not for matter of obedience and practise.

Ʋse 3. The last thing we will speak of from the words, is, that seeing all power and excellency is from God, then take heed we keep God our friend. Take heed we offend not this God, in whom is all power, our life, our strength, in him we live, move, and have our being. Take heed we do not offend him, you know what the Apostle saith, Phil 2. Make an end of your salvation in fear and trembling, why? it is God that giveth the will and the deed, and according to his good pleasure; that is, God worketh all in matters of Salvation. He giveth not power, if you will; but he giveth the will, he saveth us, and converteth us, and maketh our will answerable to his will, he giveth the vertue foreign, and according to his good pleasure, as long as we submit to him, he will work powerfully in us, and therefore make an end of your salvation with fear and trembling. If we leave his Spirit, we b… as ayr without light, presently dark, p. 131and as the earth without the Sun, all things will decay, and become dead, if the light, and influence of Heaven be withdrawn. Let God substract the influence of grace, and we shall grow barren and dead, and cold, and therefore fear him. No man is wise more, than God maketh him wise upon every occasion, nor no man is stronger, than on every occasion God strengthens him.

And therefore if at any time you have a distrusting heart to look to the Creature, he with-draweth his strength, and then we are at a loss, and fall, and dye; because we work not our own Salvation, we are given to self sufficiency, and self dependency, and therefore God oftentimes blasts our indeavours. Blessed is the man that feareth allwaies, not with a fear of distrust, Prov. 28. 14Prov 28:14but a fear of jelousie. Oh this fear of jelousie; we have false hearts, ready to trust in the Creature, in wits, in friends. But all that be Gods Children, must have this fear of jelousie, to make an end of salvation with fear and trembling, for God worketh both the will and the deed, He giveth a power according to his good pleasure, and can suspend it when he list. So much shall serve for the unfoulding of this Verse, which I did specially intend, the other Verses are but an application of this. We are troubled on every side, but not distressed.