God did we see him to be an alsufficient unchangable faithful God it would help us to hold out to follow him fully 4. Again eye His Omnisciency His eyes are upon the wayes of man and He seeth all his goings Job 34.21 He telleth all our wanderings When Peter was turning his back on Christ his Lord and Master looked on him all the while As he beheld guile-less Nathaniel under the Fig-tree So he likewise beheld Peter halting in the High Priests Palace 5. His Omnipresence O that we had Moses eyes to see him that is invisible Doubtless he is not far from any of us No fleeing from his presence Psa 139.7 c. That we cannot sin but in the face of our Judge What are ye not afraid to turn aside from God his Truth his Commands while the Lord himself stands by and observes all our carriage 6. His Holiness Justice and Severity against sin If any draw back his soul can take no pleasure in that man Only such as are upright in the Way that are his delight Pro. 11.20 As God is displeased at mens halting before him so he is ready to manifest his displeasure And what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God even as to fall into a consuming fire Such of God's Attributes as these last mentioned would very much awe us make us fear to depart or turn aside in the least from him But so much of the eighth Direction 9. Look to Jesus as your best guide And strive to follow his steps Observe how Christ carried in this world He did no sin neither was guile found in His mouth His love to man without dissimulation His zeal for God free from the least mixture of self-seeking He had the wisdom of the Serpent and the Doves innocency most exactly contempered duly proportioned in him He knew how to converse with sinners without the least communicating in their sins He was one and the same in all places at all times Far from studying a compliance with a corrupt and sinful generation rather he made it his work to do all that might be to change and amend it to set a crooked generation streight He was ever more careful to discharge duty than to provide for his own safety here In doing the work his Father sent him about into the world he wav'd and set aside self-respect John 5.30 8.49 50. The Truth and Honour of God was dearer to him than his own life O Christians follow this your Guide If we are Christians we ought to walk as Christ also walked 1 John 2.6 We are unworthy of the name of Christians if it be not our care and indeavour to follow Christ Now wherein we are followers of Christ we may be confident we go right so far we halt not in our course Therefore observe and eye Christ more Consider how he carried upon earth And where you are at a stand think if you can how Christ would have carried what he would have done in the like case with yours 10. Reckon upon troubles in this world Expect to meet with crosses in your Christian course As Paul and Barnabas confirmed the souls of the Disciples and exhorted them to continue in the Faith and that through much tribulation we must enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 When we look to meet with the Cross in our way we shall not so soon stumble at it On the contrary the Disciples were offended at Christs passion and shrunk away from him being in a great measure surprized with it for as many fair warnings and express items as they had from our Saviour to prepare for his sufferings yet they would not let those sayings sink down into their hearts still their thoughts were upon Christs reigning here as an earthly King and on some great worldly advancement which they expected under Christ 11. Be going forward The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Though I do not determine this to be the sense of the place yet it is a truth if we take it thus The further we go on in the ways of God the more strength we shall find to hold out and continue in them The way of the Lord is strength to the upright The Righteous shall hold on his way and wax stronger and stronger Here they that run fastest are least weary Whereas if we sit still we shall soon grow lame and stark O take heed of standing still Be going forward Grow in Grace Let it be your care to grow in Grace as you fear to fall from your own steadfastness Weaklings are aptest to stumble and fall Therefore let us be going on from strength to strength It is a good thing indeed that the heart be established with Grace Heb. 13.9 Where note it is one property of Grace to establish the heart And the more Grace the more inward establishment Adde to Faith Vertue sayes the Apostle Peter Let these things be in you and abound And if ye do these things ye shall never fall 2 Pet. 1. Here I might instance in sundry particular Graces that you should be growing in especially You heard before what corruptions especially and most frequently are a cause of halting Now strengthen those Graces that are opposite thereunto Labour to increase and excel in Faith By Faith Enoch walked with God By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin In sincerity Being really what we seem to be The more truth in our inward parts the more Evenness and Uniformity in our outward Conversations In self-denial They that would follow God fully as Moses did must deny themselves as he did who refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter that he might be found the faithful Servant of God In an holy contempt of the world Labour to sit looser in your affections to the world if you would stick close to God Demas falling in love with this present world and affecting its embraces shook off holy Paul once and as some tell us turned Priest afterwards in an Idols temple Though others suppose he fell not so far but soon recovered again However the danger was very great see 1 Tim. 6.9 10. Many alas stick fast in the world stick fast here so that they know not how to take a step how to set a foot forward in the way to Heaven In love to God his Truth and Wayes This would cause you to cleave to him In Patience We have great need of Patience too that we be not wearied nor faint in our minds We must run with patience the race set before us Without patience we should soon be run out of breath 12. Lean ever upon Christ As you would not halt in your course lean hard upon Christ While we desire to grow in Grace yet we should fear to trust to Grace received It was the cause of Peters foul and shameful fall his self confidence conceiting that he was
strong enough now to stand alone A Christian is stronger in the Grace that is in Christ than in the greatest measure of grace inherent and derived from him Our Cisterns would soon fail were they not fed with an Everlasting Spring Rest not in what you have received ceived but be continualy going out to Christ for more It is not enough that his Grace and Spirit hath once entered into us to set us on our feet but he must also take us by the hand There is a promise Zech. 10.12 I will strengthen them in the Lord and they shall walk up and down in His Name saith the Lord. And as the little Child soon falls if it holds not by its Nurse or by its Father so we have met with many a knock many a fall many a slip and strain by letting go our hold of Jesus Christ A Believer never walks safely but in the hand of Christ or leaning on his arm 13. Get under the sense of God's love to walk in the Light of his Countenance as it is Psal 89.15 The joy of the Lord would be your strength This would make His Wayes Paths of pleasantness Did we but see all fair and clear over head how might it encourage us to go on in our Christian course though it should be a little foul under foot Yea if the Lord had once cast his mantle had cast a skirt of Love over us this would engage us to follow him we could not chuse then but follow hard after Him If enemies rise up against us though a multitude of dangers and outward evils should surround us yet we should not be dismaied but think our selves safe enough under the Banner of His Love We might more quietly repose our selves under the Banner of his Love than under the protection of an Army with Banners It is something to have a sense of the Truth of Religion but more to have experience of the Goodness thereof How hardly should any perswade or draw us contrary to our own experience should we not resolutely stick to continue and persevere in those wayes wherein we have met with God and have many times been delighted ravished with his presence 14. Be much in the duty of self-examination Be frequent in that noble spiritual act of self-reflection Often ask your hearts this question Whether they are in the way or no and how uprightly they carry in it One that hath a jealousie a suspition of his servant would not let him go long without calling him to a reckoning Our hearts are very wily and deceitful we had need every day take account of them as Achish of David Whither have ye made a rode to day Though we should fear being deluded by them as Achish was by him Without often reckoning with without a serious and strict examination of our hearts we shall never keep them true to God or our selves 15. Desire others of the Faithful to watch over you to admonish you and tell you of it when at any time they see you starting aside Let the Righteous smite me Entreat those your fellow-travellers to put forth their helping hand when they see you slipping and ready to fall 16. Lastly Let this be your earnest suit daily unto God that he would hold up your goings that your footsteps slip not As the Psalmist prayes Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path He must not only shew us our way but also lead us on in it So again Psal 143.8 10. Let us be earnest with God here As the Psalmist Psal 63.8 My soul followeth hard after thee and mark what follows thy right hand upholdeth me And here let us plead that Branch and Article of His Gracious Covenant where he promiseth I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Jer. 32.40 The Lord is faithful to establish you and keep you from evil Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen SERMON V. Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity I Shall look no further back to the precedent verses than may give light to the present Text. Ver. 21. The Apostle drawing to a conclusion of this Epistle giveth an honourable Testimony of Tychicus one dear to him and faithful in his Ministry shewing the causes moving him to send him to them 1. That by him they might know the state of his affairs how it went with him 2. That he might minister comfort to their hearts Ver. 23. contains his Valediction to his beloved Ephesians in which he desires all health and happiness for them Peace be to the Brethren In which words we may consider 1. What he desires Peace Faith and Love By Peace some understand according to the Hebrew phrase of the Old Testament Salutem faelicitatem all kind of good Others more sutable to the New Testament phrase understand Peace of Conscience acceptation of our persons and reconciliation to God in Christ Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ By Faith and Love he means the increase of those Graces Pacem â—c faelicitatem fratribus omnibus exopto una cum Charitatis Fidei incremento c. as one paraphraseth on the place 2. For whom he desireth these things to the Brethren that is the Faithful in Christ whether Ministers or others who are sometimes distinguished from private Christians Acts 15.23 The Apostles Elders and Brethren But here we may take them joyntly For at Ephesus were many Ministers Acts 20.17 Ministers and private Christians are all Brethren in Christ Gal. 3.28 Paul though not inferiour to the chief of the Apostles is not ashamed to own Christians of the lowest form for his Brethren Philem. 16. he calls Onesimus a servant a brother beloved Faith by which Believers are united to Christ is a like precious in the highest Apostle and the lowest Christian 2 Pet. 1.1 To them that have obtained like precious Faith with us Nay Christ himself disdains not to call his poorest members Brethren Heb. 2.11 3. From whom he desires these Graces from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ even from the Fountain of all Grace which is God the Father as the first cause and Jesus Christ as the second cause as he is Mediator between God and man by and through whom the Father is wont to dispense to us all things necessary to Salvation all things pertaining to life and godliness As all the plenty of Egypt passed through the hands of Joseph Gen. 41.55 Go to Joseph what he saith to you do said Pharoah to the People when they cryed to him for corn So if any man lack Wisdom Love Faith let him go to God the Father by Christ Heb. 13.15 By him c. The Text
will bear up you hearts under and fortifie them against all Sufferings and Persecutions you may meet with in the wayes and for the sake of Christ when you shall remember the warnings Christ hath given you John 16.1 2. and the grounds of comfort you have found in the Word of God Improve your remembrance of Truths for this end So much for the Motives to stir up to the practice of this duty in the Text. And these eight last particulars may serve also to direct you what use you should make of the remembrance of what and how you have received I shall proceed to add some few Directions to direct you how and after what manner you should remember what and how you have received 1. Direction Remember what and how you have received and heard Thankfully Oh be thankful Christians that you have enjoyed the Word and Ordinances of God so long and that with so much plainness power purity and plenty Though you should never enjoy them more yet you have cause to bless God that have enjoyed the Word Sacraments Ministers so long above not onely your desiâ—â—s but also your expectations Especially be you thankful that have received Christ and Grace through these that you have received Grace before you have lost any of the means of Grace that Christ and your souls have met before you and Ministers have parted 2. Direction Remember how you have received and heard Penitentially and sorrowfully 1. Penitentially and sorrowfudly That you prized and improved Truths and Ordinances no better got no more good by them grew no more in grace under them gained no more power against corruptions or ability to do and suffer by them while you did enjoy them 2. Remember how you have received sorrowfully if you have lost or should lose any of your opportunities When the Wayes of Sion mourn sure the Sons of Sion should mourn You should be sorrowful for the Solemn Assemblies the reproach of them should be a burden unto Christians You should remember your Gospel-enjoyments with tears as those Psal 137.1 2. even weep when you remember Sion As the Psalmist Psal 42.3 Chrstians in such a case should bewail the loss of Ordinances and of so many of God's Ministers 3. Christians should especially remember Gospel mercies Penitentially in the want of them when and that they by their sins have helped to sin them away by their unfruitful and unworthy walking Know Christians they are the sinnes of Ministers and People that stop the mouths of Ministers and deprive a People at any time of any of the tokens of God's presence You should in such a case and condition with sorrow of heart say we once enjoyed comfortable dayes of the Son of man but by our deadness spiritual wantoness and unfruitfulness we have now sinned them away 3. Direction Remember what and how you have received Affectionately and Practically It is not a meer notional but an affectionate and practical remembrance of Truths received and Ordinances enjoyed that I now press to Remember them with burning and inflamed hearts So remember Truths as to practise them to love Truth and to live in Truth and Ordinances so as to live up to them so as to have pure hearts answerable to pure Ordinances the power of Religion in your conversation sutable to powerful administrations Remember the Word of Truth to direct your practice even as a Compass to sail by in a troublesom Sea a dark night and as a copy to write after So remember what you have heard as to set on the practice of duties you have been exhorted to and directed in and to avoid the sins you have been warned against So remember as to improve your remembrance of Truths to those eight Uses before specified namely as an Antidote against error in Doctrine corruption in Worship to humble for keep from sin quicken to duty make you prize love pray for long after the Word for your comfort and support under Sufferings Having given you some Directions how you should remember what and how you have received and heard I shall now close this Doctrine by adding some Means and Helps to enable you to the performance of that duty I have been exhorting you to 1. A first Means or Help to enable to remember what you have received and heard is Labour after a sincere love to the Word Ordinances and Ministers of Christ Love Truth and you will the more easily remember it You will not suddenly or easily forget that you dearly love Affection is a very great help to Memory Receive Truth in your love and affection and then you will keep it in your minds and memories A man will remember what his mind and heart is set upon A special means to keep Truths in your heads is to labour that they may be engraven in your hearts Look upon the Word and Ordinances of God as your Treasure and you will be sure then at least practically to remember it Men scarcely forget where they have laid their Treasure or their Jewels though they may where they have laid things of lesser moment Love doth and will renew and revive the object loved in the mind and in the thoughts Affection to Divine Objects is the safest Lock and Key to secure Spiritual Treasures Psal 119.97 David loved the Law and then he could do no other but make it his meditation all the day long 2. A second help or means to enable you to remember what and how you have received and heard is Application to apply and appropriate Truths and Ordinances to your own souls Labour to insure your interest in Christ the Covenant of Grace and the great Truths of the Gospel and that will much further your remembring of them You will be careful to remember what you look on as your concernments Though men may forget others business they will hardly forget their own especially if they be matters of great concernment a matter wherein their whole estate is concerned or a matter of life and death And such are the things you have received and heard in the Gospel When you hear the Word say there God spoke to my soul Men forget truths because they are apt to put them off to others and not to look on themselves as as concerned in them Oh therefore look on thy soul as concerned in what thou hast heard and received and this will help thee to remember it 3. A third means to help you to remember what you have received and heard is Serious and frequent meditation and contemplation on what you have heard This is a great help to memory Divine meditation fixes Truths in the head and fastens them in the heart Luke 2.19 she kept those things because she pondered them Be therefore much in meditation 4. A fourth means to further your remembrance of what you have received and heard is Holy conference This Moses directs to as a means to keep the things of God in the heart Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. This
secular emploiments yet not to be spent in idelness they are the harvest-time for our souls And when will ye work and bestir your selves if not in harvest The Lords Day is to be spent in such works as more directly tend to the promoting of our Salvation And the more you should see this work going forward the more would Sabbaths be your delight You would not be for those vain recreations that sinfull liberty you may see others take on God's Holy-Day 10. Sit down and count the cost So you might be prepared to go thorow with your work If you reckon right you will see let Salvation cost what it can it can never cost too much Rom. 8.18 I reckon sayes the Apostle and we need not fear to take his account here that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to follow I would have said a word more to this but have prevented my self in speaking to the third caution Therefore here I conclude my Sermon and Exhortation desiring that the Spirit of Truth may bring these things to your remembrance Beloved could I have thought of any word more profitable and generally useful for you you should have been sure of it It may now be expected I should speak something touching my Deprivation O that the Lord would lead Ministers and People each into their own hearts to find out the cause of this sad dispensation as we read of the Fathers in another sense He causeth us this day to pass under a cloud I know some think and will not spare to say that we wilfully bring this Obscurity on our selves But the Lord the searcher of alâ— hearts knows and will manifest to the world one day whether it was a meet humour or whether indeed it was not Conscience that would not suffer us to comply with the things now imposed The Lord knows we dare not adventure on the checks reproaches smitings of our own hearts and consciences though it follow that our mouths be stopt Beloved I cannot forget the respects you have shewn to me how you chose me at first under great bodily weakness and were willing to procure me assistance I have not wanted outward encouragement among you but above all I have oft thought when I have come to my publick work here unpreparedly enough God knoweth yet I have found the fruit help and benefit of your prayers for me That I must acknowledge those few years I have spent amongst you have been the best to me the most comfortable years I have spent in the Ministry That might I have liberty the Lord knows I would most gladly spend and be spent for you Nothing but death should part us And howsoever we are separated yet I pray we may live in one anothers hearts and that we may more earnestly than ever strive with God in prayer one for another More I would have said but strength and spirits fail and further I would spare you Now how glad should we be if those that shall follow us may do more good amongst you then ever we have or could have done The Lord carry on his own Work and though He quite lay us aside though He should never honour us so far as to make any further use of us yet we could rejoyce to see Gods Work prospering Religion and that not only in a form but in the life and power of it promoted and more and more set up in this place So I commend you to God and to the Word of His Grace who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are Sanctified SERMON IV. 1 King 18.21 And Elijah came unto all the People and said How long halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him IT is not a thing indifferent what Religion men are of whether they are for God or Baal That is a pernicious opinion that affirms You may be saved in any Religion Again it 's not enough that we are of the true Religion but we must be true to it And so much we may learn from faithful Elijah both his Doctrine and practice When Israel went a whoring from God he was jealous for the Lord 1 Kin. 19.10 He continued to stand for God His Truth and Worship even when he could not see one more of his mind to be his second So here he durst plead for God when there was none found to take his part Note by the way that in the worst of times in times of most prevailing corruptions yet the Lord is not wont to leave himself without witness It 's further observable Israel had never degenerated more than in Elijah's dayes Yet never had they been priviledged with greater means Many Prophets at this time raised up amongst them see ver 4. of this Chapt. and Elijah among the rest Note Extraordinary means sometimes serve only to heighten and fill up the measure of a Peoples sins See Mat. 23.34 35. And now comes a dreadful Famine The Prophets shut up and the Heavens shut up together Elijah had foretold the drought Chapt. 17.1 And after three years he is sent with good news that rain was coming Chap. 18.1 Ahab seeing Elijah v. 17. when he should have acknowledged his own sin and guilt he wrongfully accuseth God's Prophet Art thou he that troubleth Israel Note It is no new thing for God's Faithful Messengers to be accounted enemies to the State As Elijah said I am not better than my Fathers Are we better than Elijah and other of God's Prophets who have been thus censured Why then should we look for better here Note Again observe Wicked men are very prone to mistake the cause of troubles and calamities See Jer. 44.18 20 21 22. where there is most guilt commonly there is least ingenuity or grace to see and acknowledge it It 's natural unto sinners we have it by kind from our first parents to transfer all blame as much as we can from our selves to others But how deeply soever Ahab is pleased to charge him Elijah is ready to clear himself and the Truth He desires that himself and the prophets of Baal might come to a fair tryal So he doubts not but to prove himself by a miraculous sign to be the Servant and Prophet of the most high God and shew them to be a pack of most wretched Impostors Ahab yeelds to a discussion of this business either out of curiosity expecting some strange discovery or through fear being awed with the present Judgment they lay under not knowing but upon refusal the Prophet might have some other dreadful Message to deliver or in hope and expectance upon his yeelding herein to have the Judgment removed Some such way he is perswaded and enclined to call the prophets of Baal and the Heads of the people together unto Mount Carmel where being assembled Elijah sets upon the people in the words read unto you How long halt ye
towards the Shechemites Ye have troubled me to make me stink among the inhabitants of the Land who will gather themselves together against me As David complained of Joabs baseness in falling upon Abner I am this day weak though anointed King The Kingdom of Christ is weakened and obstructed very much by His followers haltings and miscarriages Others are hereby kept off from Religion who otherwise might have been coming on Yea they that decline the profession of Religion for fear of Persecution and sufferings are not so far from the Kingdom of God as those who are cast off this other way These have a loathing of Religion it stinks with them whereas the other may be convinced in their consciences that it is the best Way the Way of the Righteous only they are discouraged from closing with it because of those hard measures the Righteous ordinarily meet with in this world But this shews us the great evil of mens halting in Religion this hindereth the progress of Religion this obstructeth the Truth and Kingdome of Christ that the Gospel cannot have so free a course and passage as otherwise it might Hence many look upon Religion as a way of deceit as if it taught men to play the hypocrites to be one thing in Profession and the contrary in Practice Which is as true as that the Sun is the cause of darkness Indeed God hath given a streight and perfect Rule to draw all the lines of our conversations by but when our hand shakes when we turn aside in our course keep not close to our Rule many foolish by standers are ready to censure the Rule it self and say that is crooked 2. In respect of the Godly For any that have entered into Religion to halt in Religion 1. It is a matter of reproach to the Godly in general Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake sayes the Psalmist O why should the Faithfull be put to shame for our sakes Indeed they will not think much to bear reproach for the Lords sake but Why should they be reviled evil-spoken of why should they bear reproach for our sakes As Nehemiah sayes of Shemaiah that False-Prophet Nehem. 6.43 therefore was he hired that I should be afraid and sin and that they might have matter for an evil report This the wicked wait and long for and ever ly at catch here to get any matter for an evil report To say These are your Professors 2. It 's an occasion of sorrow to the best of Gods People It greives them at the heart to see the Name of God thus dishonoured Religion discredited poor souls endangered Certainly the Apostle Paul was not a little moved greived at Peters halting Gal. 2. when he withstood him to his face Now is it nothing to make the hearts of the Righteous sad whom God would not have made sad 3. It 's an occasion of sin to those that are weaker Peters judaizing was a compelling of the Gentiles to do likewise Gal. 2.14 Thus some of the Jewish Converts yea Barnabas himself was carried away with the dissimulation ver 13. This is a teaching the Lords People to transgress We should fear to use our own liberty where weak Christians would be stumbling at it Rom. 14.13 21. 1 Cor. 8.9 12. We may be an occasion of wounding the consciences of our weak Brethren sometimes by our preposterous unadvised use of things indifferent and lawful in themselves And if it be sinful to use our liberty where we may know it will offend and scandalize our weak Brethren how much more to halt outright and lay the stumbling-block of our iniquity before them 3. In respect of sinners How sad are the consequences of this halting in Religion Wo to the world because of offences Wo to sinners 1. Hereby their minds are further prejudiced against Religion and Godliness And what a sad thing is it that any who profess to serve God should carry so as to prejudice others against his service True it is sinners have naturally a very great prejudice against God and Godliness The carnal mind is enmity against the Law of God No need to do any thing to increase this prejudice and enmity found in them But what is said of the Priests Mal. 2.8 Ye are departed out of the way Ye have caused many to stumble at the Law is true of halting professors Whereas they should be Guides to the blind lights to them that are in darkness by halting in Religion and walking unsutably to their profession they are Blinds rather and Stumbling-blocks before others But see Levit. 19.14 Thou shalt not put a stumbling-block before the blind And Deut. 27.18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way 2. Hereupon their mouths are oft opened against Religion Many set their mouth against Heaven seeing such halting in Religion It ought to be our care by wel doing by our strict circumspect and upright walking to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men We should be so wary that they that even watch for our halting would fain take us tripping might have no evil to say of us Our conversations should be winning at least convincing But uneven walking all halting in Religion will open the mouths of unruly talkers How sad to give the wicked any occasion to blaspheme 3. Hereby their hearts are further hardened in their own sin and wickedness and their hands more strengthened As is said of those lying Prophetesses Ezek. 13.22 Ye have strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way This is a great encouragement to sinners to go on in their evil wayes to see others miscarry Noah's being once overtaken emboldens many to go on in a course of Drunkenness David's once falling into that foul sin of Uncleanness Adultery makes some altogether shameless in sinning so that they no more regard how they wallow in the mire Bishop Gardiner one of the Marian Apostates and Persecutors cryed out on his death-bed That he had denied his Master with Peter but never repented with Peter Thus halting in Religion is very mischievous to sinners an occasion of their overthrow an hastening of their destruction as it puts them further and faster on in a way of transgression Now what a sad thing is it thus to have a hand in the sins and consequently in the ruine of the souls of others Instead of leading and drawing men towards Heaven to lye in their way and to be â—n occasion of their stumbling and downfall into Hell 4. In respect of ones self 1. Thus Conscience is defiled guilt contracted Such shall be found faulty Hos 10.2 As Peter was to be blamed Gal. 2.11 He was an holy man an eminent Apostle yet his Holiness his high Calling would not hide his miscarriage here but on the contrary was greatly blemished by it Men soil themselves shamefully by halting and turning aside into any crooked wayes See 2 Pet. 2.20 2. There is a cause
like manner David took his leave of Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 Mercy and Truth be with thee Such was Christ's valedictory Prayer for his Apostles John 17. for Grace to be kept from the evil of sin ver 15. for Sanctification ver 17. for Unity c. Prov. 3.13 15. and 4.7 Wisdom i.e. Wisdom to Salvation Grace is the principal thing Reasons of the Point 1. Grace promoteth the highest end of man which is 1. the Glory of God to which end we were born and for which cause we came into the world 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Grace helps to serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly c. Tit. 2.11 2. Reason teacheth to live as men Grace as Christians it enableth to every good work teacheth us to do our duty to God our neighbour to our selves It reacheth to pray acceptably to hear as the Word of God to keep Sabbath to shew mercy to forgive injuries to do all in obedience which maketh much to God's Glory 2. Reason Grace is the best thing for it promoteth the Salvation of the soul which is the best part Sin is the plague destruction of the soul 1 Kings 8.38 Grace healeth sanctifieth saveth the soul Sin infecteth every part faculty Grace sanctifieth all Sin blindeth the eye hardneth the heart poisoneth the affections corrupteth the life defileth deformeth the whole soul Grace enlightens the eyes softens the heart cleanseth beautifieth purifieth maketh lovely what Sin had made odious Eph. 2.5 By Grace ye are saved 3. Grace is the best thing for it makes a man better beneficial to others Riches honours prosperity render few better many worse Grace maketh bad Parents good and good ones better better Children better Husbands Wives better Ministers People Masters Servants better Neighbours Friends better in all Relations Without Grace a man is unprofitable hurtful Lions Bears are wicked men called in Scripture yea Dogs Swine for their brutish qualities Grace rectifies the crookedness of nature Emollit mores c. sweetens mens manners suffers them not to remain wild A heart taught by the Grace of God is full of pity and compassion sheweth mercy the hand helps relieveth the tongue speaks to comfort edification no corrupt communication is heard but gracious words from gracious hearts Col. 4.6 Paul wrought upon by Grace preacheth the Faith he once destroyed Gal. 1.23 Onesimus before Grace received was unprofitable but now by Grace converted is become profitable as his name imports Philem. 10. 4. The Excellency of Grace appears hence It renders a Christian acceptable to God as well as useful to man And that is the highest of a poor Christians ambition that he may find favour in the sight of his God that his services and sacrifices may come with acceptance before God Mal. 3.4 Parts gifts commend us to men only Grace giveth us favour approbation with God And this is the other branch of the Schools distinction Gratiae gratum facientes which they prefer to Gratiae gratis dâ—luâ—ta It is the prayer of the upright heart not of the voluâ—ble tongue that is God's delight Prov. 15.8 The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God Prov. 15.8 5. Grace is the best thing because it lasteth longest it endures for ever Riches are not for ever nor doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27.24 Pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Carnal mirth is soon at an end like the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 But Grace abideth 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 6. Grace is the best thing because it helpeth in time of most need Heb. 4. ult 1. Grace helpeth in time of affliction it comforteth quieteth the heart Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed Grace giveth interest in God who is a present help in trouble It interesteth in Gods Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Grace can look up to God see him smile when men frown see him at peace in mans hatred Stephen looked up saw Heaven open Christ ready to receive him Paul saw the Lord encouraging Acts 23.11 Be of good chear Paul 2. Grace helpeth in the hour of death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death When there is no comfort in Riches Offices Friends vain is the help of man Grace disarmeth the King of Terrors O Death where is thy sting Death is welcome to a gracious person as a messenger sent to conduct him to his Father's house to his own Country to his best Friends to Jesus Christ whom his soul loveth Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. 3. At the day of Judgement Grace will find favour will make the Judge our Friend our Advocate Grace will cloath the soul with Jesus Christ his Robes his Righteousness Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16.15 1. Use of Instruction 1. Take notice what a Blessing it is to enjoy the means of Grace to live in a valley of Vision to sit under a powerful Ministry to have the benefit of good Education religious Parents their Instruction and holy Example to have Bibles Catechisms Sabbath-dayes and Sacramental-dayes the Market-dayes for Grace by the blessing of God upon which the soul may be converted and â—e be made wise to Salvation Happy is that people that are in such a case yea thrice happy are they who improve the means to the Ends aforesaid happy we if we know in this our day the things that belong to our peace 2. Then the best pains labour cost that any of us can bestow is to lay out our selves in the getting of Grace that time is best spent which is spent for Grace With all thy getting get Understanding Prov. 4.7 saith Solomon And a greater than Solomon hath told us That Godliness is the best part Luke 20. ult Mary hath chosen the good part c. Whilest others are laying up riches that perish treasures that vanish away clothes that wax old gold and silver that rust Christians are storing their hearts with Grace Whilst others are making their Lands and temporal Estates sure Christians are making their Calling and Election sure Whilst others are laying hold on advantages for this present life Christians are laying hold on Eternal Life 3. The best portion Parents can lay up for their Children is not riches worldly greatness but Grace the favour of God interest in Christ and the Covenant of Grace The best Trade they can teach them is the fear of the Lord to keep holy the Lords Day to flie Vice to follow after Vertue to exercise them in Godliness The second Use is of Reproof To reprove the too slight esteem men have of the Grace of
Sons and Daughters when thou canst with David call God thy God then mayest thou also encourage thy self in Him 2. Keep thy Evidences of an interest in God clear the Testimony of the holy Ghost witnessing thy Saintship keep close to God forsake him not lest he cast thee off for ever fear to displease God lest he hide his face from thee keep up communion and acquaintance with him and so in all thy troubles and distresses thou maist encourage thy self in the Lord thy God SERMON VIII Phil. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which happened to me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel THis verse begins the body of the Epistle and seems to contain the Cause or Reason why the Apostle wrote this Epistle viz. to let them know his state and the state of the Gospel at Rome whereas the Philippians might be apt to think that the Gospel had lost ground and sustained damage by the imprisonment of the Apostle he writes purposely as it seems to certifie them the contrary I would ye should understand Brethren that the things which hapned to me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the Gospel The terms of the Text require a word or two to be spoken to them by way of Explication The things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were afflictions troubles which he underwent particularly Restraint Imprisonment Happened This is added by the Translators to perfect the sence but perhaps not so properly as an other word might have been yet it may pass well enough if we take care to exclude chance or fortune These things did not so happen to the. Apostle as though God had not directed ordered sent them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae secundum me or circa me the things that befel me Fallen out The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifies Came It seems to import that they came on purpose from the hand of God for this end they were sent on this errand directed to this issue The Furtherance is well translated not furthering actively but neuturally processus progressus the progress advantage improvement of the Gospel These things could not so properly be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in an active sence active furtherers or promoters as neutrally they were an occasion of its being furthered Of the Gospel I suppose is properly of the Doctrine of the Gospel which was spread by this occasion as the following words do expound There are four Heads in the words 1. That Troubles Afflictions hapned to Paul 2. It is implied that These things were in themselves most likely to hinder the Gospel 3. That yet they fell out to the contrary even to the furtherance of it 4. That the Apostle desires to let this Philippians to know thus much 1. That Troubles Afflictions particularly Imprisonment happened to the Apostle Paul That Paul was now in bonds at Rome that he lived two years a prisoner in his own hired house is beyond dispute But concerning the Causes of his being set at liberty what he did when he was at liberty whether he went into Spain after or how long he lived after or how he came to be imprisoned a second time where when and how he dyed I will not trouble you with the uncertain and indeed contrary reports and conjectures of Historians It is enough for my purpose that he was now in prison for the Gospel This hath been the common entertainment the ordinary usage of the Prophets and Messengers of God As I might shew you out of the History of the life of Michaiah Hanani Jeremiah John Baptist and the Apostles generally according as was prophesied to them Luk. 21.12 They shall lay their hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Synagogues and into Prisons 2. It is implied here that this imprisonment this restraint of the Apostle was in its own nature most likely to hinder the Gospel So thought the Rulers of the Jews Act. 4.17 That it spread no further let us restrain them tie their tongues straightly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this Name And indeed if the Churches rest and the liberty of her Ministers do conduce to its edification and multiplication Acts 9.31 then her Persecutions and the Restraint of her Ministers must in its own nature tend to the straitning and hindring of the Gospel this needs no proof To oppress the Preachers of the Gospel is to suppress the Gospel that they preach This the Apostle plainly supposes here this â—e knew and therefore would have them to know that through God's infinite goodness and wisdom it had fallen out otherwise in his case This was the reason that he so much desired to let them understand how things had fallen out 3. That those things fell out not only to the not hindering but even to the furthering of the Gospel Now that I may have the more liberty to prosecute the matter couched under this Observation I shall put it into more general terms and lay down this Point or Proposition That The restraining of the Ministers of the Gospel doth sometimes fall out to the furthering of the Gospel I retain the word fall out to inâ—imate that it is besides the nature of Restraint to further the Gospel And thus the three first Observations are contracted into one This Proposition I shall come down to by three steps or degrees I shall premise three things that have an affinity to the Proposition that I have laid down 1. That the oppressing and afflicting of the Church of God doth frequently fall out to the encrease enlargement and multiplication of it True indeed when the Church had rest it multiplied Acts 9.31 But even under the greatest distress and trouble it multiplies too The babes of Israel were not lessened although they were killed nor made the fewer by the drowning of many A miracle yet again made good in the spiritual Off-spring of the Church whose Children spring up even from the Ashes of the dead According to that Sanguis Martyrum Semen Ecclesiae The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church The Church of God so oft compared to a Woman makes good the Observation of Physicians she never brings forth either more children or with more ease than when she undergoes the most hardship The greater the labour the easier the travel The Church of the Jews multiplied more in Pharoah's Brick-kills than they would have done in his Court they were fatter with gathering stubble than the Egyptians were by reaping the Corn. The Church of Christians grew up to a miracle under the ten Roman Persecutions And even in our own Church of England in the dayes of Queen Maryes Reign it is observed that there grew up more good Members than afterwards when it had a better Head As if the Church like the Poet 's Hydra had been strengthned by her falls This
long called them to the exercise of them Who can speak with more weight and power concerning the things of Heaven and the World to come than they that by long sufferings are become crucified to this present world Who shall better or more effectually perswade to the hatred of sin than they that have felt the smart of it or to prize the blood of Christ and the promises of God than they who have largely tasted the sweetness of them How excellently will all that laziness coldness worldliness that is apt to overgrow us in a time of prosperity be scoured off by afflictions if God sanctifie them And then behold what zealous industrious heavenly serious Ministers shall be seen coming out of the Fornace Here I might descend to particulars and shew you how by the goodness of God and his wise ordering the particular afflictions that happen to the faithful Ministers of the Gospel do fall out many times to the furtherance of the Gospel Darius used to say his poor Souldiers were his best Souldiers Whether Christ Jesus will say so or no I know not but sure I am he hath said that his Souldiers should not entangle themselves with the affairs of this life 2 Tim. 2.4 And experience teacheth us that it is a hard thing to have high and rich concernments in the world and not to be entangled by them As for Reproaches they have ordinarily this effect upon a good heart to make more hardy valiant watchful For though our enemies do not alwayes tell us truly what we are or what we have done when they reproach us yet they tell us what we may be or may do if we take not heed Banishment is either from a particular Congregation or from a more general place as suppose a Kingdom or Nation These both sometimes fall out to the furtherance of the Gospel There are some that will bear witness with all thankfulness that God hath blessed the Banishment or forceable removal of some Ministers from their own Congregations and that not long since to be a means of carrying the Gospel to dark corners of the Kingdom to Congregations whom no one cared for to Sheep that had no Shepherd Many a poor soul I doubt not hath cause to bless God for the spoils of other Churches Concerning the latter kind of Banishment I need not tell you how it hath become a means to transport the treasure of the Gospel into other Lands the Persecution and Dispersion of the Apostles and Evangelists from Jerusalem doth so abundantly testifie it It was well for the world that our Saviour gave that Commission to his Apostles Matt. 10.23 That when they were Persecuted in one City they might flee to another for so it hath come to passe that as the Sun so the Light of the Gospel setting in one part of the world hath risen to give light to others And this brings me down to the Proposition it self directly contained in the Text that The restraint of the Ministers of the Gospel doth sometimes fall out to the furtherance of the Gospel Now the restraint of the Ministers of the Gospel is twofold either Personal that we call Confinement or Imprisonment or Ministerial that is Suspension or Silencing The furtherance of the Gospel is twofold also either the furtherance of the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Interest of the Gospel Now both these kinds of restraints God can make to fall out to both these kinds of furthering of the Gospel 1. The Confinement of the Ministers of the Gospel doth sometimes fall out to the furtherance of the Gospel And that 1. Of the Doctrine of the Gospel and that by these wayes 1. It stirrs up the world to make enquiry into the cause why Ministers lye in Bonds And so the knowlâ—dge of that way is encreased and the Doctrine of the Gospel spread Men as men are led by common compassion to desire to understand the grounds of mens sufferings And besides that if there were no ingredient at all of compassion yet the nature of man is curious and inquisitive And indeed the nature of Justice and Government is such that it cannot long suffer the Crime of a person under bonds to be concealed By this means the sufferings especially the Imprisonment of the Apostles carried the Doctrine of the Gospel to many places where the Apostles themselves never came nor perhaps could come for although they were commanded to go from City to City yet fame would go faster and further too than they could go It is a very effectual way to propagate the knowledge of any way even that the most eminent propugnators of it should lie in bonds for the defence of it It fell out thus in the Apostle Pauls case here as he himself explains himself in the verse next following my Text So that my Bonds in Christ are manifest in all the Palace and in all other places My Bonds in Christ are manifest that is the cause of my Bonds the reason of my Imprisonment is come abroad and so the Gospel is spread It were no hard thing to give instances amongst our selves and that not long since how the person and way or cause of Ministers have become famous and notorious by this means which otherwise would have been more obscure But 2. This Restraint falls out to the furtherance of the Doctrine of the Gospel in that it stirs up others seeing the necessiâ—ies of the Church and having compassion on it to put their Sickle into the Lords Harvest and to draw forth their breasts to the fainting Flocks of God And so perhaps the Chruch gets two for one or an eminent guide in the room of a meaner It is expresly said once and again that after that John was put in prison Jesus came into Galilee preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.12 Mar. 1.14 Our blessed Saviour took that occasion to enter solemnly upon his Ministry And it seems by the Apostle Pauls Imprisonment Preachers were multiplyed Though some indeed preach'd Christ out of envy and strife yet others out of good will ver 15. 3. It quickens others who are imploy'd in the same work to discharge it with more diligence and boldness This is strange indeed to the eye of reason that the sufferings of some should make others not fear to suffer yet so God hath brought it to pass So it fell out in the Apostles case here ver 14. Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the Word without fear Waxing confident by my bonds that is by the courage constancy and patience which I shew in my Bonds The Apostles Bonds were an occasion of manifesting his Courage and his Courage encouraged many many of the Brethren are much more confident to speak And indeed one would almost envy the incomes of God and his Spirit upon the Prisoners of the Gospel and purchase those spiritual Enlargements with corporal Restraints 4. When God shall have
enlarged them the consideration of their Restraint will quicken them to greater pains care and faithfulness Oh how will they then labour to fullfil their Ministry which formerly perhaps they had been more remiss in this evil befalling them will make them the more industrious to do the more good God can also enlarge the hearts of their People to receive them the more gladly and their Doctrine the more readily How welcome do ye think a Minister rising from the dead would be to a people formerly it may be ungrateful to him Why some degree at least of such welcome may a Minister returning out of Prison find Absence doth usually endear things unto us And why may not God make their Imprisonment to endear them and their Ministry too to their People This some of the Prisoners of the Gospel have found 2. The Confinement of the Ministers of the Gospel doth sometimes fall out to the furtherance of the interest of the Gospel I mean the cause of Religion the Work of Grace the power of Godliness And that by these wayes amongst others 1. It is an occasion of exercising the Charity of God's People We need not go far to prove that in times of prosperity and universal rest even Professors themselves are apt to settle themselves upon their worldly concernments to grow earthly minded and to fully themselves too much with the dirty commodities of the world And the Ministers of Christ do find the Prophecy of their Lord made good by their own experience that the love of many shall waxcold And indeed in times of prosperity and liberty there seems not to be such need of the Manifestations of Charity and the Expressions of Affections as in times of Confinement By this therefore doth God try the dispositions of Professors towards their Ministers that have spent and been spent amongst them and draw forth the bowels of compassion towards them Our Apostle's present condition at Rome was an occasion of exercising the Philippians Charity towards him even then their care of him flourished Phil. 4.10 This the Apostle rejoyces in not so much because it was a supply of his wants as because it was an exercise of their Grace and would abound to their account knowing that God would supply their needs in as much as they had supplied his ver 17.18 19. 2. It is a singular occasion of quickning the People of God to prayer And in prayer the exercisings of Repentance Faith Hope and Heavenly-mindedness are emeninently seen It was sometimes prophesied concerning Christ the great Shepherd I will smite the Shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered Zech. 13.7 And so it was indeed but it many times falls out otherwise in the smiting of the Ministers of the Gospel those inferiour Shepherds for thereby the Sheep are gathered I mean gathered to Prayer gathered to seek God Thus you know they were gathered together for Peter when he was in prison Acts 12.5 and ver 12. Many were gathered together at the house of Mary praying This the Apostle Paul calls for from his Philippians ver 19. of this chapter and from the Jews Heb. 13.19 Pray for us the rather that I may be restored unto you the sooner for the Apostle was even then a Prisoner at Rome as the most judicious Commentators do conceive It may be the prayers which were wanting for the preservation will be abundantly poured out for the restauration of the Ministers of the Gospel and this I do account is highly for the advantage of the interest of the Gospel There is certainly no great evil towards us so long as the prayers of God's People are well maintained and indeed I see not how any good thing can be long kept out where Prayer fervent faithful Prayer is kept up 3. It confirms the courage of the People of God that are so indeed when they see their Ministers lye for the defence of the Gospel it conduces much to their settlement in the Truth and encouragement in their Profession 4. It serves to the uniting of the People of God and the keeping up of union and communion amongst them Now if ever will they that fear the Lord speak often one to another even when he is removed that should speak to them all See how close the Disciples kept together when their great Shepherd was removed Acts 1.14 and 2.1 The like in some measure may follow amongst the People of God upon the removal of their Teachers into corners and this will undoubtedly be to the furtherance of the interest of the Gospel viâ—â— unita fortior their combined powers will be impregnable So much for the personal Restraint or Confinement of the Ministers of the Gospel and its falling out to the furtherance both of the Doctrine and Interest of the Gospel 2. Ministerial Restraint that is Suspension or Silencing the Ministers of the Gospel This doth also sometimes fall out and God can make it fall out to the furtherance of the Gospel And that 1. Of the Doctrine of the Gospel And that 1. By puting Christians upon a more strict enquiry into those Points Doctrines or matters of Religion that the Ministers of the Gospel are restrained for and so knowledge comes to be encreased and the truth to be found out Some have observed God's good ends in suffering errors to be broached in the Church by that means the Truth hath been more narrowly look into and more abundantly cleared The erroneous Tenents and corrupt usages of the Corinthians about the Lord's Supper fell out exceedingly to the furtherance of the Truth in that matter the Apostle Paul taking occasion from thence to write that eleventh Chapter of his first Epistle by which we are more instructed in the Doctrine of that Sacrament than in all the Scriptures besides Something like may be observed to have fallen out in this case that I am speaking of It is something that they are suspended for And what is it is it a sufficient ground of suspension are the next enquiries Instances for the confirmation of this are not wanting in our own and other Churches For you must not expect under this head of Suspension that I should bring any Scripture-instances of its falling out to the furtherance of the Gospel For I do not read of any such restraint laid upon the Ministers of the Gospel in the Scripture It might have been expected that Moses should have restrained those that prophesied in the Camp I mean Eldad and Medad Joshua indeed said My Lord Moses forbid them But Moses thought there could not be too many Prophets in Israel so that the Lord would but put his Spirit upon them And as for Joshua it was nothing but zeal for his Masters credit that put him upon it as appears Numb 11.29 Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lord's People were Prophets c. It might have been expected that Paul here at Rome should have shewed his Apostolical Authority at least and have forbidden them
the first Adam if he and the World had conquered the Second our Salvation had miscarried Heb. 2.14 15. If he had been basted we had been lost but if he had failed in this enterprize there had been no hope of our Conquest therefore we have ground to rejoyce that Christ hath overcome the World 3. There is ground of Comfort that Christ hath overcome the World in that he hath left us a bafled and beaten enemy to conflict with What an Encouragement is this Christ hath broken the Serpents head and though this Enemy did rally and charge again and again yet at last Christ did fully overcome So that this may encourage us to enter the Lists with this Adversary and may give us great hopes of Victory 4. He hath left us the way and method how he overcame the World viz. by constant resisting and opposing by the Word of God and patient enduring of all assaults Mat. 4.2 to 10. and if we will but study this Rule and follow it we shall overcome He tryed his full strength on Christ and was thus conquered We have the same Enemy but weaker because overcome and may rejoyce that we know how to conquer him Use 2. If this be so then it is great sin and shame for Christians to be overcome of the World in any of its assaults for to be overcome by a bafled beaten enemy that Christ did overcome With what face can such as Demas or those in Luke 8.13 look Christ in the face the Captain of Salvation who being Conqueror hateth conwardly yeelding especially he having acquainted us with the Assaults of this Adversary and how to overcome them Use 3. Let us study his way of conquering and follow it exactly and we shall do so too This the Apostle did 2 Cor. 6.4 to 11. they did exactly follow their Captain So did the Primitive Martyrs who had all the same Assaults from the World as Christ had but by resisting by the Word and enduring they overcame And so shall Christians that will closely follow this Discipline in this War Use 4. If this be so then in the sharpest Conflicts thou shall meet with call to thy conquering Captain for help He hath won the day and can assist thee Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour c. What ever the Assaults is he is able to give thee sufficient help As in that 2 Cor. 12.9 Let us take this course for it will be a great shame to us to be overcome Doct. 3. That though Christians have Tribulation in the world yet they are to be of good Comfort because Christ hath overcome the World Explication 1. What is meant by be of good chear The Word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The theme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It signifies I confide or trust Mat. 9.2 Be of good chear c. i. e. trust confide be of good heart as to the issue and Mark 6.50 And so the Syriack word Etlabbw it is used for to be of good heart chear up let not your spirits faint fail or be dejected And so it is used in Acts 27.25 And so in 1 Thes 5.14 Comfort the feeble-minded c. put courage into drooping spirits that are apt to be dismayed So here In the World you shall have Tribulation but be of good heart 2. But be of good chear you are likely to have Tribulation in the World and that I know is likely to be daunting and dismaying news to you For in that Heb. 12.11 No chastening for the present seems to be joyous but grievous But this is an adversative particle though it be so that nature doth encline men to be dismayed and cast down but be not you so but act contrarily be of good chear pluck up your hearts and spirits like men be not dismayed 3. For This is a causal particle and doth intimate the reason why Christians should be of good chear I have had the same conflict with the World you shall have and I have got the Victory this is spoken by Christ in relation to his full overcoming of the World and sitting at the Right hand of God Therefore be of good comfort I have beaten this enemy and have got a glorious triumph you have this beaten enemy to fight and may expect the like issue Rev. 3.21 Secondly The Reasons Why have Christians ground of comfort in Tribulation 1. Because they suffer Tribulation for Righteousness sake and so are blessed as in Mat. 5.11 And so 1 Pet. 4.14 3.14 If ye suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye Now when there is evidence from the Word of God and Conscience that the cause of our suffering is our being Righteous the Scripture accounts us blessed 2. Because it is an evident token to such persons of their Sincerity and having Truth of Grace 1 Pet. 4.14 And this is a sign of a through-work when men endure Luke 8.13 As it is a high Gift Phil. 1.29 so a sign of a great measure of Grace to be able to believe and suffer 3. Because that by suffering Tribulation God is glorified 1 Pet. 4.14 When a Souldier can â—â—y I suffer these losses for it I judged it a cause worth suffering for as Mat. 19.27 Now this is for the credit of Christ Cause As in the Primitive times against Pagans In the time of the Vandal Arrians against false doctrine And in the time of Popery against false doctrine and worship God was glorified 4. Because such as do thus suffer theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5.10 And so the reason is given because that the Prophets that are now in Heaven underwent the like Persecutions Mat. 5.12 and therefore ground of Comfort This the Apostle gives Rom 8.17 18. 2 Cor. 4.17 And the examples that are gone before And 5. Because that though Christians have Tribulation in the world yet in Christ they have peace What need a Christian matter though the Devil and wicked men be at war with him when he hath peace with God Christ and his Conscience as the Text so Rom. 5.1 Joh. 14.27 And by suffering Tribulation this is preserved therefore rejoyce and be of good chear this is the best peace 6. Because of the Profit and Commodity that Christians shall reap by Tribulation in this Life As Heb. 12.11 and upon this account the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.3 4 5. And so though the outward man decay that is though estate health liberty and whatever appertains to the outward man decay yet as 2 Cor. 4.16 we are of good chear sensibly perceiving spiritual profit by our great Affliction and Tribulation 7. Because by suffering Tribulation we are made conformable to the Image of Jesus Christ Rom. 8.29 And though the holy Ghost speaks this of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15.4 Phil. 3.21 yet the Apostle Phil. 3.10 and so 2 Tim. 2.12 it is with Christ and a fellowship and conformity to his Image Therefore great ground for us to
be of good chear 8. A Christian is to be of good chear because Christ our Captain bids us be so and if he did not see ground and cause thus to encourage us he would never have done it He bad the Disciples in Mark 6.50 Be of good chear It is God and Christ that have the over-ruling hand in these Tribulations as 1 Cor. 10.13 therefore ground of being of good chear Christ hath bidden us so to be 2. Why because Christ hath overcome the World Did not Job overcome the World by Patience Job 1.22 And so Moses who did chuse Afflictions And so Jam. 5.10 11. So Mat. 5.11 To this I answer 1. That indeed they are Examples of Courage and Patience but they suffered as private persons or more on a private account Therefore so eminently we are not bid be of good comfort though something is hinted in Mat. 5.11 2. Jesus Christ overcoming the World is of publick concernment he did it in our stead and behalf The Devil and World did design to hinder our Salvation by tempting Christ to sin if they had prevailed our Salvation had been hindered but his overcoming the world removed all obstructions as to the meritorious cause of our Salvation Hence is that Rom. 4.25 Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our Justification 3. Christ's overcoming the World is of greater concernment to us for our Comfort in Afflictions than Saints overcoming the world for theirs was for their own Salvation the Scriptures making Promises to him that overcometh Mat. 24.13 Gal. 6.9 But now Christ did it on our account the Glory personally was his John 17.5 before the World was and that was large as in Phil. 2.6 to 9. 4. Christ's bidding us be of good Comfort on this account because his Victory hath broken the Serpents head he hath left us but the distressed body to conflict with And though when we reade of the Martyrs Sufferings we may think them almost comparable to Christ's yet never any did nor shall for Righteousness sake suffer the like as it appeareth John 14.27 These expressed in their death nothing like his Agony especially Mat. 27.46 5. There is strength also given by vertue of Christ's Victory to overcome the World and so ground of comfort as the Apostle concludeth Phil. 4.11 12 13. this is spoken in respect of suffering Tribulation And so Phil. 1.29 To you it is given in the behalf of Christ c. and that by Christs Victory And so in Heb. 2.18 And thus there is cause to be of good chear As it was said of Constantine Sub Cruce Vinces So Christians 6. And lastly His Conquest was of more publick Example It s true others are Examples but Christ mainly 1 Pet. 2.21 And so Heb. 2.10 11. He by his Sufferings was perfected and so left us some in the way to Heaven Col. 1.24 And that is only so much as is necessary for our tryal and further fitting for Heaven Vse 1. If this be so then it is the duty of Christians in all Tribulations they meet with in the world to be chearful Christ commandeth his Disciples to be so in the Text. And the Apostle pressed this Doctrine 1 Thess 5.16 Phil. 4.4 This alway and evermore must take in the time of Tribulation seeing Christ did tells us and we find by experience we must have it in the world and then when we have it we should be of good chear 1. We have examples of such as have practised this The Apostle saith Rom. 5.3 We glory in Tribulation And so in 1 Pet. 1.6 wherein ye greatly rejoyce c. speaking of the spirits of Saints at that time So in that commendation Heb. 10.34 And so Paul and Silas sung in Prison Also the comforts that primitive and latter Martyrs have expressed confirm this No other sort of men have been like them for this 2. It is a duty that we sin much against God if we do not practise because we have encouragement from our Captain that undertook and got this Victory for our sakes and hath left but some stragling afflictions behind Col. 1.24 We should be very cowardly if we do not with good courage follow him when it is but Resist and he will flee Jam. 4.7 and but believe as 1 John 5.4 Obj. But some may object If it was in some tribulation I could be more chearful if from enemies as Psal 55.12 13 14. Ans 1. To this I answer That Christ hath told us that in tribulation which we meet with in the world of what nature sort soever we are to be of good chear not in this or that particular tribulation only 2. Christ hath overcome the world in this point when his Discipleâ— fled and Peter denied him And so Paul 2 Tim. 4.16 17. No man stood with me but all forsook me Yet he had God to stand with him Use 2. If this be so Then a Christian though he suffer yet Christ hath as it were sweetned it in bidding us rejoyce He hath sweetly mixed this bitter cup though it cannot pass from us but we must drink of it What a voice is this in affliction it is suitable and comfortable as Mark 6.50 3dly It is a great sin not to be of good chear in Tribulation He knoweth what the sharpest of afflictions mean and underwent them and so knoweth there is ground for what he hath engaged us to and if we be not of good chear but cowardly yeeld as 2 Tim. 2.12 Him that is ashamed and cannot patiently and chearfully bear tribulation Christ will not own 4thly Let us think of such things in Tribulation as may make us chearful For in Tribulation it self no man can rejoyce it must be some adjunct that must make us chearful in it As 1. Sincerity 2 Cor. 1.12 and so Hezekiah did Isa 38.3 2. Interest in God as our God as in Phil. 4.4 So Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion therefore will I hope in him This is the highest ground of comfort 3. The glorious Issue as Moses did Heb. 11.25 26. and Christ Heb. 12.2 and the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.17 4. Look on it as an Honour 2 Thess 1.4 5. and so in Acts 5.4 the Apostles looked upon it as a badge of Honour So Gal. 6.17 5. It is an excellent means to yeeld comfort in tribulation to consider the End God made with suffering Saints as to this life Jam. 5.11 Ye have heard of the patience of Job and have seen the End of the Lord c. So Joseph and David 6. And lastly Christ's Victory over the world His Issue and Support we are like to have Hob. 2.18 This Christ layeth down as ground of comfort and this we may take comfort mainly from SERMON XIII Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the word of his Grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified EVery Society shall have a Separation and every
Godliness as you ought to know If you know any thing of your selves you know that you are insufficient of your selves to every good word and work and that all your your sufficency is of God Every true Believer hath experience of nothing more than of this that without the Grace of Christ communicated to him he is a meer empty nothing But in Christ is all fulness of Grace Grace without measure not for himselfe only but also for all those that beleive in him Go therefore to God through Christ for the communications of Grace and Wisdom as may suffice to enable thee to walk by Line and Rule even the Word of God Which is able to make the man of God perfect and wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 3. You must often compare your selves with the Rule An exact Carpenter will hardly fit the least piece of Timber into hi◠building without the use of his Rule and Square and yet his building is but for a few years at furthest and shall not we much more especially if we desire to be exact make use of our Rules who are building for Eternity A Rule is not to look upon but to use and God hath not given us his Word to reade only but to apply also Now this a Christian doth cheifly by meditation and self-examination Be much therefore in the exercise of these great Christian Duties Worldings and Hypocrites mind them not practise them not It shall be an argument of your sincerity and the reality of your desires to walk exactly if you practise these duties frequently and faithfully You have a Rule for your thoughts shewing you that they must not be vain Jer. 4.14 nor unclean Job 31.1 nor blasphemous Mat. 9.4 nor idolatrous Acts 17.29 nor proud Rom. 12.3 nor unmerciful and coveteous Deut. 15.9 these and all other evil thoughts are to be forsaken Isa 55.7 and your thoughts must be sober and humble Rom. 12.3 and exercised about those things that are true honest just pure lovely and of good report Phil. 4.8 in a word every thought must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ This you see is the Rule for your thoughts You have a Rule likewise for your words Eph. 4.15 1 Pet. 2.1 Jam. 2.12 Jam. 4.11 Mat. 5.37 Col. 3.8 Col. 4.6 the sum whereof is this That putting aside all filthy false vain and evil communication your speech be alway with Grace seasoned with Salt You have a Rule too for all your actions whether Natural Civil or Religious comprized in that one verse 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do do all to the Glory of God Consider now either in the very act while you are thinking speaking or doing any thing or at least in your after reflections upon them whether they have been according to these Rules or not and this is comparing your selves with the Rule wherein you shall find a wonderful advantage in order to circumspect and exact walking 4. Converse with those that order their conversations with the afore-mentioned exactness It was Solomons observation Pro. 13.10 that He that walketh with wise men shall be wise And indeed it is very wonderful to observe the strange effects that are produced by converse and society for the assimilating mens minds and manners to each other either in good or evil Hereupon the Apostle compares converse to Leaven a little whereof only by a kind of society will leaven the whole lump 1 Cor. 5.6 For this cause it was that God cōmanded the Israelites to destroy all the old Idolatrous Inhabitants out of the Land of Canaan and strictly forbad all intermarriages with them lest the Israelites by converse and society with them should learn any of their Heathenish and Idolatrous manners Is it not for the same cause also that the Apostle forbids the yoaking of Beleivers with unbelievers 2 Cor. 6.14 Certainly our own every-dayes experience and observation will tell us that for the most part men are such as they with whom they most frequently and familiarly converse and therefore we see that what Art soever any man desires to be skilled in he will endeavour as much as may be to acquaint himself and converse with such as have the best insight into that Art Now let us make a spiritual improvement of this observation and we shall make no little advantage of it God who in his unmeasurable Wisdom knows best how to advance his own Ends is not satisfied with the single services of any or all the single Persons in the world and hath therefore ordained that his Worshippers shall worship him in Societies and Congregations And why Not because it is greater profit to him Psal 16.2 Job 22.2 3. Single persons can adde nothing no perfection to God no nor the greatest Societies in the world no more than single persons but mark God hath inseparably twisted his own Glory and the Holiness and Salvation of his Creatures together So that he hath ordained and appointed to his Creatures the use of no means for advancing of his Glory but such as tend no less to advancing of their holiness and salvation So that it is apparent from hence that the end of God's ordaining his Servants Worshippers to associate themselves together is that by their converse and mutual example those Sparks of Grace which he hath by his Spirit kindled in their hearts might be blown up into a Flame and that dead hearts might be kindled by their company So we see that a little fire in many small sticks laid singly by themselves is apt to go out but if laid together the fire increaseth and inflames also those which had no fire upon them I know you that are Christians indeed have abundant experience of what I say Many a time anothers ardency in prayer affectionateness in discourse fervency in preaching c. hath put life and spirit into you when you have been as dull as stocks and as sensless as stones of your selves and might so have continued had it not been for that help Anothers holy Example his heavenly Discourse his sober Carriage his Watchfulness over his tongue the Uprightness of his dealing c. hath won you to an holy Imitation and Emulation Oh! therefore if you have any desire to order your conversations with that Exactness which the Apostle here calls for neglect not the assembling and associating of your selves together with such as exercise themselves in the practise of this Duty It is a choice means and so upon proof and tryal you will find it to be Use 3. Let us now in the third place improve what hath been spoken by way of caution that you may take heed of being prejudiced against circumspect walking or exactness of life and conversation 1. Have a care of your affections in the first place that they be not drawn away with the enticements of the flesh nor over-swayed with the opinion or reproaches of the world Looseness and Prophaneness commonly creep
in at this door the Flesh desires its liberty and thou art ashamed to cross the course of the generality and to out-run thy neighbours and then to be reproached for a Puritan a Precisian or the new-name of a Fanatick and when thy affections are thus hampered and intangled then thy judgment must needs strike in to maintain them 2. Have a care therefore in the next place of thy judgment that it be not leavened with any vulgar Error as if all Holiness were but Hypocrisie and the worst livers might repent when they are dying and God would have mercy on one as well as another c. By which uncouch notions many poor creatures gull themselves into everlasting Misery Have a care especially that you suffer not your judgments to be overmuch swayed by the observations of some mens practice Perhaps you may ere long see many Professors now pretending to Exactness then to put off their vizards and to discover the falseness of their hearts by the looseness of their lives And I wish you may know no Teachers that shall preach up Holiness and Exactness in the Pulpit and pull it down by the evil example of their own prophane conversations or oppose and persecute it in those that seriously study and endeavour to put it in practise By observation of these things many who will not take the pains to weigh them in the Ballance of the Sanctuary are gulled into a belief 2 Pet. 2.1 2. that either Religion is but a cheat or at least that it is not expected whether by God or man that they should put in practise those things which are taught them out of the Scriptures Take heed of this as a soul-destroying Prejudice Branch 2. The second Branch of this Use will afford matter of caution against Discouragements If you have begun to walk circumspectly take heed of drawing back your foot from walking in that way Having begun in the Spirit never think you can be made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3.3 What though the way be rugged and you meet wiâ—h Poverty Disgrace Prisons and Deaths therein Christ knew before-hand as well as you what it would cost you to be exact Christians and yet hath so strictly required it that if you set your hands to the plow and look back he will deem you unfit for the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 9.62 I must not enlarge upon every particular I shall conclude this point with one word of Consolation to such as are Conformists to this Rule of the Apostle That if they suffer for being circumspect and exact in their Conversations they really suffer as Christians and then as the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 4.16 so say I If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God on this behalf Yea let them rejoyce and be exceeding glad yea let them count it all joy Indeed you cannot suffer in a better cause If a man suffer for evil doing there is matter of shame and sorrow if he suffer meerly for an opinion there is many times cause of doubting which may damp his comfort but if a man suffer for Righteousness sake he hath such an undoubted witness of the Truth and goodness of his Cause that neither Men nor Devils can overthrow the Evidence thereof and thereby cause his Comforts to wither and fail him I have now finished the first point The second is this Doct. 2. That a loose Life is a fools Life This the Apostle doth clearly imply when he saith Walk circumspectly not as Fools By a Loose Life we mean such a life as is not tyed up and limited by the bonds bounds of Gods Word and so may be bowed and bended to suit and comply with all companies times occasions and principleâ— whereby it stands in direct opposition to that Circumspection Exactness or Preciseness which the Apostle in the Text calls for That such a Loose Life is a Fools Life will appear if we consider how irrational and brutish a life it is neither answering nor attaining the end of life whereby it becomes void of all true Comfort and will certainly end most miserably But for brevities sake I must forbear to enlarge upon these things and that the rather because the Folly of such a Loose Life will be sufficiently demonstrated by the evidence of the next Proposition which is this Doct. 3. That he is the wisest man who walks most circumspectly and lives most exactly Passing by at present many other Scripture-Proofs I shall here record only three sayings to this purpose of the wisest of meer men Prov. 10.8 The wise in heart will receive Commandments i. e. He that doth not only pretend to Wisdom but hath it rooted in his heart will make it to appear by this that he will so receive God's Commands as to obey them and live by them Prov. 23.19 Hear thou my Son and be wise and guide thine heart in the way This is a Precept for the attainment and exercise of true Wisdom which is by guiding his heart and consequently his life in the way of God's Commandments Prov. 28.7 Who so keepeth the Law is a wise Son I know that there are many pretenders to Wisdom Among the men of the world he ever accounts himself the wisest man who is most ingenious to accomplish such designs as tend most to the satisfaction of those particular lusts whereto he is addicted So among the Covetous he is accounted wisest who can heap up most wealth Prov. 28.11 Among the Ambitious he that â—â—n clime to the highest pitch of honour Among the Voluptuous he that can find out the choicest wayes of pleasing the sences But these are but meer pretenders for in truth this their way is their folly and upon all their wisdom we may write Solomons Motto Vanity of vanities all is but vanity and vexation of spiritt God hath made foolish the wisdom of this world yea he will destroy the wisdom of the wise bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent 1 Cor. 1.19 20. Where then is wisdom to be found and where is the place of understanding Job 28.12 28. Behold the Fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil is understanding Prov. 15.21 He is the only man of understanding that walketh uprightly and knows how to order his Conversation with Circumspection and Exactness This in the general but for further demonstration of this Truth in the particulars Reason 1. He that walks most exactly is the wisest man because therein he doth best for himself The wise Man saith Prov. 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self Truly whatsoever wisdom any man may seem to have yet if he be not wise for his own good he is but as we say Penny wise and Pound foolish and that no man can be wise for his own good who gives himself over to a loose irregular and sinful life is evident from this and several other Texts of Scripture Prov. 8.36