Sermon

2 Corinthians 7. Chapter part of the 1. verse. Having therefore these promises, dearly Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves.

It is the Title I intend by the help of God to insist upon, this sweet Parenthesis in the Text (my dearly Beloved) wherein you have the Apostle breathing out his affections to his people; he speaks now as a Pastor, and to them as his spiritual Children, my dearly beloved. First, here is the Title, my Beloved; secondly, the Exhortation to holiness, let us cleanse ourselves; thirdly, the means how we should be cleansed and sanctified, having these promises; It is the first I intend: the Title the Apostle gives to the Corinthians, his people, his Children, his dear beloved.

Doctrine. That the affections of a right Gospel Minister to his people, are very strong and ardent.

There are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised; his Head, and his Heart; his Head with labor, and his heart with love.

1. His head with labor, the work of a Minister if done aright, is a work fitter for Angels than for Men. It is our work to open the Oracles of God, even these sacred and profound things, that the Angels search into. If God did not help us, we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden.

2. As a Minister's Head is exercised with labor, so his Heart with love, and It is hard to say which of these two exceed, so it is in the Text, dearly Beloved.

In these words we have Saint Paul laying siege to these Corinthians, and laboring to make a happy Victory, to conquer them with kindness.

Saint Paul's heart was a spring of love, his lips were the pipes, the Corinthians were the Cistern in the which this spring did run. This holy Apostle was a mirror or pattern of love; to the sinning Corinthians, Paul's Tears did drop; to the praying Corinthians, his love did burn; holy Paul he was a Seraphim, his heart did burn in flaming affections to his people. How many appellations do we find scattered in his Epistles, that are witness of his love; he tells his people to whom he sometimes wrote, sometimes preached, 2 Corinthians 12. 14. I seek not yours, but you; he looked more after their souls, than after their silver; as a tender Nurse cherisheth her Child with her breast, so did Paul cherish his people with the breast Milk of the word, 1 Thessalonians 2. 7. we were willing to impart to you our own souls, because you were dear to us, this man of God did not only Preach his Sermons to his people, but would part with his own soul to them; such was Paul's affection to his people, that without a compliment he loved them more than his life, Philippians 2. 17. If I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all, as if he had said, if it be so that my blood be poured out as a sacrifice, and my death any way serviceable to you, if it may help forward the strength and comfort of your faith, I am willing to die; I rejoice to do it. So full of affection and bowels was this Apostle, that he could not choose but love his people, although the more he loved them, the less he should be beloved, 2 Corinthians 12. 15. O how did Paul sweeten all his Sermons with love; If he reproved sin he was angry in love, he dipped the Pill in Sugar, Galatians 4. 9, 10. how turn you again to the weak and beggarly Elements—You observe Days and Months and times, I am afraid of you; and see here how he chides their sins, and at the same time courts their souls; no sooner does he lance the wound, but presently he pours in Wine and Oil into the wound, so well did Paul love his people, that he would not justly give any offence to the weakest believer, 1 Corinthians 8. 13. If meat make my Brother to offend, I will never eat meat while the World standeth, Saint Paul was like some tender Mother, who forbears to eat those meats she might, for fear of hurting the Child she gives suck to; thus you see he was a spiritual Father made up of love.

And surely Beloved, this affection in some degree is in every true Minister of Christ (they are full of sympathy and bowels, over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them overseers).

There are reasons (which I will but glance at) first, why it will be thus, and secondly, why it should be thus. First, It will be thus for two reasons.

First, From that principle within, which teaches love, grace does not fire the heart with passion, but with compassion; grace in the heart of a Minister files off that ruggedness that is upon his spirit, and makes him lovely and courteous: Paul he once breathed out persecution, but when grace came, this Bramble was turned into a spiritual Vine, twisting himself about the souls of his people with loving embraces.

Secondly, From that spiritual relation that is between him and his people, he is a spiritual Father, and shall we think him to be without bowels, 1 Corinthians 10. 15. Though you have ten thousand instructors, yet have you not many Fathers, for I have begotten you through the Gospel; some he begat to Christ, others he built up in Christ; doth not a Father provide carefully for his child, can a Father see the bread taken from his child, and will not his heart be affected? Is it not a grief to a parent to see his child put to suck to a dry Nurse?

Secondly, There should be this ardent love in every Minister for this reason; Because this is the likeliest way to do most good, knotty and stubborn hearts will soonest be written on by kindness; fire does melt the hardest metal, and the fire of love by God's blessing, is able to melt the obdurate sinner; a Barnabas or son of consolation, who comes in a spirit of meekness is fittest to do a piece of Gospel Surgery, to restore and put such a one in joint again, that is overtaken with a fault, Galatians 6. 1. so much for the Doctrinal part.

FINIS.