MAT. 7. 22.
OUr Saviour in this verse, and that going before, removeth two foundations that believers are apt to build their hopes upon,
The First is a bare name, and profession of Christianity, without the real power of it, whose insufficiencie we have already discovered. Nomen sine actu & officio, nihil est, said Salvian, speaking to this purpose, Christianity in a prophane life, is ornamentum in luto, a jewes in a dunghil.
The Second weak and rotten foundation is in my Text, and that is, Gifts, and eminent abilities bestowed upon Christians: and these seem to be a very strong Pillar, and Prop. But our Saviours assertion about the unsoundness of it, is very terrible, and yet very necessary to these times: wherein men are like trees that spread out into many branches, but have little or no root.
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In the words you have the description of their confidence, in that phrase, Lord, Lord: which argueth not onely vehemency, but boldness, and as if accustomed familiarly to call on God as their God.
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There is the ground of their confidence, Have not we Prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out Divels, and in thy name done many wonderful works? Those Expositors that think they lyed in saying thus, as if no wicked men were made partakers of such wonderful gifts of the Holy Ghost as here are specified, attend not to other places of Scripture: neither is that dispute necessary, whether they were true miracles that they wrought? or did indeed cast out Divels? For seeing these Gifts were given for the good of the Church, and not of those that enjoyed them, there is no ground to deny the truth of their miracles. Only observe how they lay much upon this, That all they did was in Gods name, which they thrice repeat: That is, at the command of God, having authority from him, and by his power administred unto them.
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This is aggravated by the number of those who shall be in this frustrated condition: Many, not One or Two, but Many shall say. Lastly, Here is the time when the weakness of these foundations will be discovered, In that day, viz. at the great day of judgement, when all hidden things shall be discovered: Implying, that they lived and died with great confidence that God was theirs, but never were convinced of their deceit therein till it was too late. In the next place you have Gods answer to them beyond all their expectation, illustrated by the free and open declaration of it.
- First, Then will I pro[…]ess unto them: The word hath several significations: here it denoteth a publick and solemn declaration.
- Secondly, The matter declared, I never knew you. That is, approved of you, and loved you: no, not all that while I gave you those abilities, and spirituall Gifts.
- Thirdly, There is the effect of this declaration: Depart from me, with the cause, Ye workers of iniquity: because they wrought iniquity in the Divels name, as well as miracles in Christs name; therefore they must depart.
Doct. Although Christians are very apt to rest upon Parts, Gifts, and great abilities in Religion, as a sign of their interest in Heaven, yet without a godly life they1 will prove broken reeds.
At the day of judgement when the fiery trial shall be, all this painting will melt away. For the opening of this point, let some things be considered by way of Explication.
First, There are parts and abilities of two sorts: The one Humane and Natural,2 the other Divine and Spiritual. Natural parts, are all those excellent abilities acquired by industrie, and through the discipline of others, though even those Natural gifts come from God also. In this kind the Heathens have wonderfully excelled, and many of the Fathers converted to Christianity, were before their conversion, admirable in humane learning. Qui dedit Petrum Piscatorem, dedit & Cyprianum Rhetorem. He that called Peter an illiterate Fisherman, called Cyprian also a great Rhetorician. Thus Tertullian, Origen, Austin, Hierom, and others, came into Canaan, the Church of God, loaded with Egyptian gold, I mean filled with humane learning: so that, that foolish assertion by some in these daies, that God never sanctifieth humane learning, expungeth at once all those glorious Lights out of the heavenly Firmament. It is true indeed, take these natural endowments in the heart, while carnal, they work a sinful pride, and tumour, against the simplicity of Gods waies. Hence Austin spake of himself, Dedignabar esse PARVULUS, I scorned to become like a little Child, and to admire the Scriptures. Thus also Bradwardine, called the profound Doctor, usque ad stuporem, even to amazement, professeth of himself, That when he heard Pauls Epistles read, he was much disspleased, because Paul had not Metaphysicum ingenium, a Metaphisical wit. And certainly when Natural parts come like Hagar, to quarrel with Sarah, Gods Truth, then throw her out of dores; otherwise if subordinated, they are great helps. But secondly, there are spiritual Gifts, such as the Spirit of God doth more immediately work in his Church, of which the Apostle speaketh largely, 1 Cor. 12. Now the Spirit of God is the Author of two kind of gifts; the one Sanctificantia, Sanctifying and saving, such as Faith, Hope, Love, Repentance: The other Ministrantia, or Gifts of Ministration, because they are wholly for the service of the Church: The former are called […], the latter […], though the Scripture doth not alwaies fully distinguish these two words: the Schoolmen by Division call the former Graces, Gratos nos facientes, making us acceptable to God; and the other Graces, Gratis datae, freely given. But this distinction is first absurd, because coincident; for those graces which (they say) make us acceptable to God, are also freely given: And secondly its false; for true Grace is called Grace, not because it maketh us gracious and acceptable to God, but because it floweth from the grace of God. Now these gifts of servcie in the Apostles time, were more immediately vouchsafed by the Spirit, and more universally, insomuch that its made a promise, Mark 16. 16. 17. Even to every believer, that great signs and wonders should follow him: Thus the Church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 14. by reason of her eminent and various Gifts, seemeth to be like the Queens daughter, all in gold and curious needle-work. In these latter daies God also doth bestow upon men, not immediately, but mediately in the way of study and use of means, many spiritual Gifts, such as the gift of Prayer, the gift of Preaching, great assistance in the exercise of these, with inlargement of affections therein: and these are much admired as arguments of their holiness and piety: but the Apostle told the Corinthians, he had a more excellent way to shew them then that of Gifts, which was the way of Grace.