Tokens into the midst of Egypt upon Pharoah and upon all his Servants Why did he smite great Nations and slay mighty Kings Sion King of the Amorites and Og King of Bashan and all the Kings of Canaan Psal 135.8 9 10 11. Was it not because he had chosen Jacob unto himself and Israel for his peculiar treasure ver 4. And again I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Sheba for thee Since thou hast been precious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore I will give men for thee and people for thy life Isa 43.3 4. God in his Love thinks nothing too good nothing too great to be done for his Church and People He not only gives famous Kings and potent Nations up to ruine for his Peoples temporal deliverance but in the stupendiousness of his Love hath given his Son for their eternal Salvation John 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and in and by him hath made a full compleat and abundant provision all things needful for your Salvation He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Rom. 8.32 The faithful apprehension and application of this Love will steel you against all sufferings and make you Reproach-proof and Persecution-proof that you shall not be ashamed of a despised Gospel a reproached Religion and a persecuted Christ and Hope maketh not ashamed because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts Rom. 5.5 This Love will comfort you against all temptations concerning sin in doubtings concerning Gods presence perseverance in Faith and assurance of Salvation I am perswaded saith the Apostle that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jâ—sus our Lord Rom. 8.38 39. To these add the dearness strength constancy and inviolableness of God's Lewe unto his Children dearer than a mothers to her swâ—â—etest babe Isa 49.15 stronger than the mountains Isa 54.19 more constant than the courses of Heaven Jâ—r 31.35 36. 33.20 21. it is as sure as God him self is sure Psal 89.34 35. And for a People to be committed to such a Love is ground of security and comfort When Ministers are taken from you this will â—bide with you 2. To commit you to God is to commit you to the tenderest mercy Mercy is the best refuge to the miserable Whither shall the malefactor flee for pardon but to the mercy of his Prince whither shall the captive go for safety but to the mercy of his Conqueror The pity of an armed Conqueror is better safety than the flinty-heartednes of a naked captive Compassion unarms the Armed blunts sharpened swords enfeebles the strong and sinewy arms when an astorgy arms the unarmed sharpens the sword addes strength to weak arms and blocks up all wayes and means of securiâ—y and comfort A man's pity subdues him when the valour policy strength and weapons of his enemies cannot conquer him and makes him a security to his adversary This encouraged Benhadad to humble himself to Ahab whom and his Kingdom he had twice before attempted to destroy by two formidable Armies Behold we have heard that the Kings of Israel are merciful Kings let us we pray thee put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads and go out to the King of Israel peradventure he will save thy life and it was so 1 Kings 20.31 c. And shall the Kings of Israel have mercy to save their enemies and shall not the KING of the Kings of Israel have mercy on his Children Mercy makes the tender heart partaker of the misery of him that is distressed Misericordia quasi miseria cordi it translates the misery of another into the heart of the merciful and enclines them to relieve and succour them It is pity that makes you to bind up the wounds of the wounded to wash Lazarus his sores to cloath the naked to feed the hungry to refresh the thirsty Now the God to whom I leave you is the God of pity and Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 all the pity and compassion in the creatures is derived from him and were it all contracted into one yet it were but a drop to his Ocean and as the mercifulness of tender Parents causeth them to pitty their sick Children so God like a tender Father pitties them that fear him Psal 103.10 yea he sympathizeth with them in all their sufferings accounting their sufferings his Are they reproached so is he are they persecuted so is he are they imprisoned banished tormented put to cruel deaths he accounts it as done to himself and whatsoever Satan doth to you in tempting you to sin to dispair in buffeting you filling your hearts with heaviness your mouths with sighs and complaints your eyes with showers of tears he takes it as done to himself In all their afflictions he was afflicted Isa 63.9 And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we from our own suffering learn more to pitty others in the like distresse so Christ's experiences of the worlds hatred and persecution of Satans rage and temptation doth cause Christ to pitty his suffering Members more We have not an high Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted as we are yet without sin and in that himself suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 4.15 chap. 2.18 Here is a rise of Compassion according to the degree of suffering How do the screechings of a sick Child the deep sighs and groans of a sick tormented Child make the bowels of the Parents roul within them and melt their affections into tears The Harlot whose the living Child was could not endure to suffer and see her Babe to be cut asunder but denied and acquitted her interest in him because her bowels yearned towards him 1 Kings 3.26 God's Pitty to his People is the most intensive when their Afflictions are the most increased His soul was grieved for the Misery of his People Israel Judg. 10.16 It grieves God to see his lie laden with Iron-fetters to lye in long and loathsome Imprisonments under cruel Tortures and Tormenting Deaths When you are buffeted with Satan bewailing your sins and miseries God's Bowels of Compassion are moved towards you Jer. 31.18 19 20. Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised c. After I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Thus Ephraim bemoaned himself and God heard him and marked his expressions weighed the sorrow and burden of his spirit and pittieth him Is Ephraim my dear
be commanded 2. It is to love him more than all other things to love him with a transcendant love John 21.15 Lovest thou me more than these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than these Nets Gain Profits Pleasures Credit or Life it self or more than these persons thy fellow Disciples Luke 14.26 If any man come after me and hate not his father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple So Mat. 4.20 22. The Disciples left their Father Nets Ships they forsook all to follow Christ Abraham forsook his Country and his Father's house in obedience to God's Call Acts 19.19 Those Converts forsook their Gain and their gainful Trades for Christ and the Gospel 3. It is to love whole Christ Christ in all his Offices to love him as our Prophet to submit to his instruction Acts 3.23 every soul that will not hear that Prophot shall be destroyed from amongst the People It is to love him as our King to submit to his Goverment to be ruled by his Laws to live according to his Gospel to suffer no other Lord besides him to have Dominion over us Luke 19.27 Those mine enemies which would not that I should Reign over them c. It is to love him as our Sanctification to be as willing to save 〈◊〉 from our sins as from Hell 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of God to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. 4. To love him for himself and not only for his benefits This is love of complacency love of delight when we love Christ as the Apostles and the good Women who loved him in disgrace in his poverty that ministred to him of their substance Luke 8.3 who followed him naked stripped condemned hanging on the Cross Luke 22.33 Lord I am ready to go with thee into prison to death That is Amor concupiscentiae Love of our selves when we love him only foâ— gaine for what he brings along with him as the People John 6.26 who followed him for the loaves who would needs have made him King when he fed so many thousands with a few loavs they thought him a fit man to victual a camp to maintain an Army with light charge to deliver them from their subjection to the Romane Empire This is not sincere love such love is not lasting when the hope of gain and advantage is gone this love will be gone Now follow the Reasons of the Point 1. It is the character of a right Christian to love Jesus Christ in sincerity Because he is altogether lovely In him concurre what ever is requisit to the object of love As 1. Goodness is lovely Non amatur certe nisi bonum c. What ever we love we look upon it as good It either is so indeed or it appears so to us Jonâ—â—han upon this account loved David for his Vertue his Valour Prov. 24.26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer Wisdome Learning Ingenuity and such like graces procure Love Mark 10.21 Jesus beholding him loved him for his ingenuity Therefore Saints love the Lord Jesus Christ for he is good goodness it self Psal 45.2 Grace is poured into thy lips Cant. 1.3 Therefore do the Virgins love thee There is none good but God and Jesus Christ he is eminently good infinitely good he received not the Spirit of Grace by measure but in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily He is the Fountain of all goodness the good in the creature is derived from his goodness a drop of his Ocean a beam from the Sun of Righteousness of his fulness we all receive 2. Beauty is amiable therefore Jacob loved Rachel Ahasuerus loved Esther Upon this account Jesus Christ is most lovely who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 Though carnal eyes see not his beauty Isa 53.2 3. He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him But the Faithful who looked on him with spiritual eyes beheld his Glory The Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth John 1.14 3. Similitude likeness of nature and manners procureth love except it be by accident as a proud person hateth one that is as proud as himself and so doth one of the same calling envy another of the same profession Non in quantum est similis sed in quantum est proprii boni impeditivus as Aquinas gives the reason Now in this respect Jesus Christ hath highly merited a Christians love because he took on him humane nature and became like to us in all things save sin Heb 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Noah by falling into sin fell into shame and lay uncovered in his tent to the derision of his ungracious son Ham Sem and Japhet his better-natured sons took a garment and for grief went backward not enduring to look upon their Fathers nakedness Our First Parents by disobedience exposed themselves to shame and derision and all their Posterity to ruine remediless had not the Lord Jesus gone backward that is from Heaven to earth and so covered poor man with his skirt lest the shame of our nakedness should appear There is a Law Lev. 25.25 If thy brother be poor c. Our Father Adam was seized on a fair Possession but he sold it for no valuable consideration he was never able to redeem it nor any of his kin for it cost more to redeem a soul The good Angels though as friends they might commiserate lost man yet were they not able to recover for him his forfeited inheritance Gods Favour and Eternal Happiness and if they had been able yet by Law they might not do it being not in a capacity because they were no kin to man The Son of God therefore being able to do this unspeakable kindness for fallen man as being God blessâ—â— for ever mighty to save took on him our flesh that he might be of kin to us and so by right in Law redeem that possession which our Father sold O therefore love the Lord all ye his Saints For 4. He hath loved us Magnes amoriâ— amor Love bâ—getteth love We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.10 Lord he is worthy Luke 7.5 much more is Christ worthy For he loveth our Nation Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me The tongue of men and Angels is not able to set forth the height and length depth and breadth of the Love of God in Christ God so loved the World c. Rev. 1.5 To Him that loved us and washed away our sins in his own Blood be Glory and Love Service c. I purposely spare to add more Reasons of the point it being of it self so agreeable to reason and a thing confessed by all Christians Use 1. Of Instruction If
sincere Love to Christ be a distinguishing character of a right Christian then surely there be but few right Christians for there be few that love Jesus Christ in sincerity 1. There be many complemental lovers of Christ that say They love him withal their heart as the Papists who wear his Picture and bow to a Crucifix yet crucifie him afresh in his Saints the superstitious persons who cringe and make low courtesie at the rehearsing of the syllables of the Name Jesus yet do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by their unchristian practices Do they not take his Name in vain whilst they seem to shew reverence to his Name Did the Jews honour Abraham really to whose memory they pretended much respect We have Abraham to our Father say they we be Abrahams Seed Joh. 8.33 To whom our Saviour answers ver 39. If ye were Aâ—â—ahams Children ye would do the Works of Abraham If these men loved Christ with all the heart they would not hate whom he loves darely nor persecute his faithful Members nor take his Name in vain How canst thou say I love thee when thy heart is not with me said Dalilâ—h to Sampson Psal 78.36 They did flatter with their mouths and lyed unto him with their tongues 2. There are that love Christ but not with a transcendent Love they love Him a little but the world much more 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God Joh. 12.43 They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Can that man be said to love his wife with a conjugal Love that loveth another woman above her Can those be said to love Christ sincerely that love themselves or their lusts and prefer them before Christs Commands that make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts contrary to Rom. 13. ult Do they love Christ or filthy lucre who laugh in their sleeves and applaud themselves in their covetous practices whilst the Minister is preaching against his covetousness Luke 16.14 The Pharisees who were covetous heard these things and they derided him Do they love Christ or money better who are so void of charity that though they see a Brother or Sister naked or destitute of daily food yet will neither fill them nor warm them nor give those things which are needful to the body but hide themselves from their own flesh Christ will one day confute their fond pretences of love to himself to be meet self-delusion when they shall hear from the mouth of Him the Judge Depart c. for I was hungry and ye fed me not c. 3. There are Christians that love Christ as a Saviour but not as a Prophet as a Priest but not as a King Do these love him in sincerity 〈◊〉 Christ divided Did the Harlot love the Child with the love of a Mother who would have had it divided Solomon was wise enough to discern she was not the true Mother that had not the bowels of a mother And the Lord Christ who is greater than Solomon whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1.18 Who tryeth the reins and heart will easily perceive that man is no lover of Christ in deed and truth whatever he may affirm in word and tongue who divideth between Salvation and Sanctification who opposeth one of Christ's Offices to another who refuseth to take Christ's Yoak upon him will not stoop to the Scepter of his Rule and Government though 't is a Golden Scepter of Grace and his Yoak is easie and his Commandments are not grievous Christ came to set us an example That we should walk in his steps he came not only to suffer and dye for our sins but to rule over us to take upon him the Government of his Church Isa 9.6 He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever Luke 1.33 The Gospel is his Royal Law Jam. 2.8 which he establisheth in his Kingdom and to which he expecteth a conformity in all his Subjects The Turks own Mahomet's Law for their Rule and live up to it The Jews receive Moses Doctrine and live exactly according to the letter of it and the sence they have of it And how can those Christians be said to love Jesus Christ sincerely who profess to receive his Doctrine as a Rule but walk contrary to it 4. There are Christians who love Christ not for himself but for something else Some follow him in hope of gain as Judas Demas like those mungrel people that went along with Israel out of Egypt Exod. 12.38 which were the first that fainted and set them on murmuring and lusting Numb 11.4 Some followed Christ for the Miracles they saw him work and professed to believe John 2.24 but he did not commit himself to them because he knew their hearts were not right with him Some followed him Joh. 6.66 but took offence at his Doctrine and so went away Who ever follow Christ for by-ends love him not in sincerity not for himself but as boyes and idle persons love many holidayes not for Holiness sake or Saints sake but for playes sake So these love Christ for commodity sake or credit sake which respects when they faile there is an end of such love Use 2. The principal Use of this Doctrine had need be for tryal Let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ prove the sincerity of his Love Give me leave to perswade you my Beloved as to try your Faith in so your Love to Jesus Christ Gal. 6.4 Let every one prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself c. 1. Christ will not take good words a fair profâ—ssion of friendship for sincere Love He tryeth reins and heart Rev. 2.23 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the Children of men Metaph a palpebris pressis From them that press down their eye-lids that they may look wishly narrowly He will weigh our Love in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and quickly espie if it be too light He can distinguish between flattery and sincere love 2. Many pretenders there are in the world but few unfeigned lovers of Christ Mat. 25.44 Lord when saw we thee an hungry c. Lord we have been in thy Name Baptized we have worn thy Livery we have heard many a Sermon we have been oft feasted at thy Table as Luke 13.27 yet the answer is sad I tell you I know not whence you are depart from me c. Had these loved the Lord with an unfeigned Love they had not received so harsh a doom which they might easily have understood had they in time taken a tryal of their Love 3. Our hearts are also false and deceitful in this very point of love to Christ Peter was as confident of his sincere love to Christ as we can be though all men should deny yet he would dye first yet ye know what proof he made Insomuch that afterwards John 21.15 when our Saviour put to him this question Lovest thou me more then these he being taught more
Matt. 13.12 It is not in spiritual as in corporal things the more you use them the more you wear and waste them but as it is with a fountain the more you draw the more it springs labitur et labetur 6. Beware of whatever may blast and hinder the growth of Grace as 1. Take heed of growing strange neglect not communion with God Gracious walking is walking with God in-disinenter cum Deo ambulavit is said of Enoch 2. Beware of all sin especially pride that blasteth Grace as humility preserveth it God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble 3. Formality barrenness in duty 4. Worldliness as shining of the Sun puts out fire so hot pursuit of the world causeth cooling and decaying in Grace 5. Ill company society of graceless persons is a great quench-coal to Grace the body is not so apt to catch the plague from persons infected as evil communications and ill conversation of lewd companions is prone to corrupt the mind and manners Who walketh in the Sun shall be tanned though he walk not for that end who is much in the Mill may discern it in his clothes who sits in the Apothecaries shop much will smell of his Ointments So he that converseth with the froward graceless sinner will learn of his wayes and be like him For the worst precepts counsels examples prevail most SERMON VII 1 Sam. 30.6 But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God THe difference betwixt the friendship of God and the friendship of men appears best in a day of adversity for then the latter proves fickle and deceitful but the former durable and lasting A notable instance whereof is represented in this portion of Scripture wherein we have David's friends and followers turning his enemies but God continuing his fast friend in whom he may encourage himself In the words we have these three Generals 1. The person concerned and that is David a Prophet of the Lord and Ruler of his People by the appointment of God David encouraged himself 2. His behaviour he encouraged himself in God comforted and strengthened himself in Jehovah his God 3. The occasion of this behaviour and that was the great distress he was in which is hinted in the beginning of the verse David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him He was an Exile already driven from his Country and from his habitation by the rage and jealousie of Saul His City Ziglag was sack'd and burnt by the Amalakites his Wives and Children carried captive and which was worst of all his Friends and Followers spake of stoning him looking on him as the cause of all the misery that had befallen them this was a sore distress he had nothing left now wherein he might comfort himself God only excepted David was greatly distressed but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Hence we may take notice by the way That God many times suffers his own dear and precious Ones to be greatly distressed David was a man after God's own heart yet David was greatly distressed This might be abundantly strengthened by the condition of the Church and People of God in all Ages And this God doth for these ends amongst many other 1. To take his People off from an arm of flesh from leaning upon humane props that they should not trust in themselves or any other but in God alone 2 Chr. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. Cor. 1.9 We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead 2. To prove their Graces to try their Faith and Hope God will see whether we can hold out in a storm whether we can trust him without a pledge in our hands he will see whether we can encourage our selves in Him when we have no outward mercies to lead us to him 3. To magnifie his own Name by their deliverance 'T is the strongest argument we can urge to God in our troubles What wilt thou do for thy great Name The greatness of the distress greatneth the deliverance out of it and this advanceth the glory of the Deliverer But come we to the words which we have pitched upon which hold forth the behaviour of David in his distress he encouraged himself in the Lord his God Whence we may gather these two Doctrines 1. That Believers have an interest in God the Lord his God 2. There 's enough in God to encourage a Believer when greatly distressed David was in great distress sorely beset with troubles his enemies destroying on one hand his followers gathering stones to stone him on the other hand but for all this he encouraged himself in the Lord his God I shall begin with the first of these 1. Believers have an interest in God We have the Saints every-where using this phrase which holds forth their propriety in God Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is One Lord. Josh 14.8 I wholly followed the Lord my God John 20.28 Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God This interest and propriety in God holds forth these three things 1. A nearness to God 'T is the misery of graceless persons that they are far off from God But now Believers are nigh to God The Psalmist calls this one of Israels priviledges Psal 148.14 He exalteth the horn of his People the praise of all his Saints even of the children of Israel a People near unto him O 't is a priviledge indeed to be a People near to God Ephes 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Believers are brought night to God they are even set under his wing of Providence and special Protection 2. A Relation to him Our God implies some very near relation to God he is the Believers Father by Grace 't is the misery of the Wicked that God is not their Father but they are of their father the Devil as our Saviour tells them John 8.44 But every Believer is related to God as a child to his father 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be to you a Father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty We are not only made night to God but nigh in relation He that can say My God may say also My Father This relation is held out in this interest and propriety 3. A Right to God Whole God is a Believers God and all he hath all he is all he can do This is a vast priviledge My God there 's my right and title to him He is the Believers portion his inheritance his estate made sure to him he may call God his and the Power of God his the Wisdom of God his the Goodness and Mercy of God he may call it all his he hath a right to it Thus you see what is held forth in this Interest Come we now to shew how Believers do obtain this their Interest and Propriety
in vers 7. of his directions in the 5th and 6th verses would have been inconsequential And we find the Edification of the Church by Word and Sacraments is a duty imposed upon Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the Flock of God among you And Paul in his Valediction injoyns the same Work Care and Diligence to the Presbyters of Ephesus ver 28. And we reade that the Power of Ordination did belong to them and was conferred by the Imposition of their hands and not by the hands of a Bishop only Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 And we reade also in the Scriptures that they are called Rulers And we beseech you Brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you 1 Thes 5.12 And again Obey them that have the rule over you for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account Heb. 13.17 and therefore seeing they have the same names ordained to the same work to feed God's Flock to ordain Pastors and Elders to rule and govern the Church of God there cannot be a Superiority of Power and Jurisdiction in one Minister above another but I pass by these things and leave them to your reading of the Scriptures and observations of them I now come to the Doctrine intended the Guardian and Protection Paul committed his Ephesians unto God and the Word of his Grace c. Whence note Doct. That God and the Word of his Grace are the best Security and Comfort a departing Minister can commit his People unto When the Father of a Family dies he commits his Wife and Children to his most faithful trusty and assured Friends And when a Minister departeth from and leaveth his People it lyeth him upon in respect of his Office Prudence Desire and Affection of their Eternal Welfare to commit them to the best Protection and Provision he can and which is the best we see in the instance and case of Paul who if there had been a better would have made use of it Such were the Dangers by persecution and infection they were to meet with such was the love he bore to them that he thought the best Security and Comfort could not be too good for them he commended them to God and the Word of his Grace than which there could not be a better found The Doctrine contains two parts 1. A Dereliction 2. A Protection that a loss this a Provision to make up that loss that a ground and occasion of Sorrow this a ground and occasion of Comfort that exposeth to Danger this defends from Danger secures in Danger and delivers out of Danger I shall a little open the Sore much I need not time and experience will declare it and then I will shew you the Plaister and apply it The Sore we see in Pauls departure and experience it in our selves He takes his leave of the Ministers of Ephesus and I of you I shall take the Doctrine in two parts First observe Obs That Ministers must not expect a quiet and setled condition in this world their residence amongst their People is not immoveable and inalterable but they and their People must part asunder as providence brought them together at the first and continues them for a while together so sometimes it suffers them to be parted asunder The Seeds-man you know stands not still in one place but goes from one part of the field unto another according to the will and appointment of his Master Ministers are God's Seeds-men and the World is his field wherein the Seed of his Word is sown and he calls them from one place and country to another and they must obey they are his spiritual Clouds to carry the Rain and Dew of their Ministry to water the Seed sown and as natural clouds are broken by the stormy winds and carried hither and thither to water refresh and enrich the Earth so these spiritual Clouds God's Garden-pots are squandred and carried up and down by the storms of Persecution to water refresh and make fruitful the Garden the Church of God Upon the Persecution that was at Jerusalem the Disciples were scattered up and down Preaching the Gospel and the Kingdom of God Acts 8. When they persecute you saith our Saviour in one city flee ye to another I need no demonstrations and instances to evidence the Truth of the Doctrine the Experience of the Priests Prophets under the Law of the Apostles after the times of our Saviour and the Ministers of the Primitive times of the Gospel are abundant Manifestations of the truth of this Doctrine and our own experience this day can set the seal to it not only I but hundreds yea it may be thousands more are this day singing their funeral Dirges and with Paul taking their leave of their beloved People What a strange Mortality is now in England did ever England nay did ever the Christian World hear of such a Mortality at the same instance of time how dismal is the day of St. Bartholomew On this day was Jerusalem once the Glory and Beauty of the world sacked by Titus and Vespasian On the Eve of this day began that bloody Massacre in Paris On this day is a great part of Englands Ministry slain slain not in their persons but in their Offices The dismal transactions that have befallen the Church of God this day deserve to be engraved in deep and in indeleble Characters on Pillars of the blackest Marble that the Ages and Generations to come may reade and weep showers of tears to quench Jerusalems Flames to wash and bathe the Wounds of the poor massacred Christians and bewail Englands loss But I forbear any more enlargements I come to the grounds and reasons of it 1. The first reason Is barrenness under the means of Grace When God bestows upon a People and Nation means of Grace he expects they should thrive up and grow in Grace and bring forth Fruits to his Glory but if they remain barren he removes the means from them When a man hath taken in a piece of ground to make a Garden or Vineyard of and hath taken pains and laid out cost upon it to fence it to manure it to plant it with the choicest Fruit and finest Flowers he expects a proportionable fruitfulness for the satisfaction and recompence for his cost and pains and if after all is done and many years expectations and waitings it remains unfruitful and disappoints his expectations he withholds his cost care and pains he will fence it no more dig it no more he will not do any thing more unto it Even thus the unfruitfulness of a People under means provoketh God to remove means God chose the People of the Jews before all other Nations of the world to be his pleasant Vineyard Isa 5.11 he did every thing requisite for ornament and security for fruitfulness
People This I shewed you before and applied it Now in the last place and my last opportunity I come to the Grand Cure and Sovereign Remedy for the above named Maladies God and the Word of his Grace The Doctrine is this That God and the Word of his Grace are the best Security and Comfort a departing Minister can commend his People unto The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath divers significations in the New Testament but in this place and some others it properly signifies Fidei alicutus depositum servandam trado committo we commit something to the care and fidelity of another for security and preservation Thus our blessed Saviour when he dyed on the Cross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 And the Apostle Peter exhorting the Christians not to be dispondeâ— and dejected under the Sufferings they met with for Christ's sake but in the midst of their sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls unto him as to a Faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 Thus the Apostle commits these Ephesian Ministers and all the Christians in Ephesus their souls their bodies and all the affairs and concernments of that Church both under Persecution and in the midst of contagious Heresies and Doctrines to the defence and protection of God and to the direction light and preservation of his holy Word So that if you please to give a name to my Text let it be this The departing Pastor's Security and Comfort for his left People c. When the Father of a family lies upon his death-bed and ready to take his ultimum vale of the world commends his Wife and Children to the care counsel and direction to the defence and protection of his most trusly faithful and assured Friends saying I am now going the way of all flesh and my deare Wife will become a discousolate Widow and my tender Children will be fatherless and I shall no more return to perform the duties of an Husband and Father to them no more to counsel and direct them no more to manage and order their affairs for them No more to provide for and maintain them no more to succour and comfort them No more to defend them from injuries and oppressions No more to right them in their wrongs And therefore I leave and commend them to you to be as a Husband to my Widow and a Father to my Fatherless I leave them to your love to pity them I commend them to your wisdome and prudence to counsel and direct them To your care and faithfulness to manage their affairs for them I commend them to your justice to right them in wrongs and defend them from injuries Even thus this blessed Apostle going to Jerusalem these Ephesians should see his face no more No more he should fight with beasts after the manner of men at Ephesus He should confute the Erroneous and Hereticks no more No more should he be with them to appease their dissentions reconcile their divisions he should maintain the Doctrine of Free-Grace the purity and simplicity of Gospel-Worship no more No more to vindicate the Resurrection of the dead No more to perform amongst them the duties of a vigilent Watch-man and faithful Minister to rebuke the Obstinate and such as walk disorderly to comfort the Mourners to strengthen the Weak to reduce the Wanderer to raise and recover them that are fallen And therefore seeing I shall be no more with you to do any of these things for you I leave and commend you to God and the Word of his Grace the best security from and comfort under both Persecution and infectious and seducing Doctrine He is a Watchman and Shepherd instead of all Shepherds and Watchmen He is a Teacher instead of all Teachers And for a people to be left with such Guardians when their Minister must depart from them is good security and comfort for them And this I shall shew first in respect of God 2dly in regard of his Word First To commit you to God is to commit you to him who is furnished with every thing necessary for Security and Comfort 1. It is to commit you to the greatest Love And Love is a strong Security To be committed to the defence of an enemy that hates us with deadly hatred there can be no comfort no security but a fearful and trembling expectation that our defence should prove our destruction But Love addeth strength and security to mud-walls when hatred makes stone-walls full of danger Hatred seeks the destruction of the object hated when Love seeks the welfare and protection of the object beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Birds build their nests on high in close obscure places and spare their own crâ—ws to secure and fill their young ones The most timerous creatures grow most resolute and expose themselves to danger and death in combating to preserve their young ones and all from that storgie and affection Nature hath implanted in them What will not Parents do and venture to preserve their tender babes in danger they 'l venture upon pikes and swords upon wild beasts they 'l venture through fire and water to save them And if there be such love in the creature surely there is much more in the Creator their greatest plenitude is but a drop to his immeasurable Ocean Love in the creature is a concrete finite and imperfect but in God it is an abstract infinite and Perfection it self God saith John is Love 1 Joh. 4.8 and this Love of God to his People is an all-conquering Love this stirrs up God to stand as a skreen between his People and danger and primum mobile of their protection What is the reason that all the policies and power of infernal spirits all the stratagems of the Devil's Agents all the black cursings and bloody execrations of ungodly men all the Popish Fulminations and thundrings of Anathema's against God's People take no more effect what is the reason that there is no Inchantment against Jacob nor Divination against Israel It is God's Love that shields off all Balaam you know following the wages of unrighteousness attempted to have cursed Israel but this Love of God opposed it and turned the Curse into a Blessing Deut. 23.5 The Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam but the Lord thy God turned the Curse into a Blessing because he loved thee Hence it is God opposeth the opposers of his People and destroyeth their destroyers saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm The most glorious Potentates prosperous Kingdoms have become contemptible and heaps of ruine for their opposing oppressing and persecuting God's Church God's Love puts an higher estimate upon the poorest Saint than upon all the Sinful though sceptred crowned adorned and adored Monarchs of the world Why did he smite the first-born in Egypt both of man and beast why did he send his
that are his 2 Tim. 2.19 Though you be in Prisons in Dungeons in Banishments though the wool be scratcht off and the skin tore by Persecutions yet he knows you even you who are given him of the Father in his eternal Election John 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me Such of you as have his Image upon your souls and his Fathers Name wrote upon your foreheads Rev. 14.1 such of you as have the sprinkling of his Blood and are washed white in the Lambs Blood Rev. 7.14 Shepherds use to preserve their Flock David hazarded his Life to preserve the Flock from the roaring Lyon and revenous Bear 1 Sam. 17.34 Shepherds watch night day to preserve their Flocks as Jacob Gen. 31.40 and the Shepherds to whom Christ's Birth was preached Luke 2.8 Jesus Christ is that careful Shepherd who defends his from them that would destroy them the Devil was never yet able to get the least Lamb of his Flock Those that thou hast given me I have kept and none is lost but the Son of Perdition John 17.12 and never shall the Devil be able to get any of Christ's Sheep John 10.29 my Father is greater than all and none shall be able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand This Shepherd will heal you of all your spiritual Maladies and Diseases He is the great Physician of Souls in the dayes of his flesh he healed all that came or were brought to him He made the Blind to see the Deaf to hear the Lame to walk the Dumb to speak He cleansed Lepers raised the Dead and cast out the Devils Mat. 11.4 5. And He is the same for the soul no disease to great for him to cure He heals us of the Guilt of Sin by Pardon and Justification Thus He healed Noah of his Drunkenness Lot of his Incest David of his Adultery and Murder Solomon of his Idolatry Peter of his Denial Mary Magdalen of her Whoredoms Paul of his Persecution He heals us of the filth and dominion of Sin by Sanctification The God of Peace sanctifie you throughout in spirit body and soul He enlivens and raiseth them that are dead enlightens them that are blind softens them that are heard cleanseth the unclean making a dunghil of sin 〈◊〉 Temple of his Spirit and the souls that are 〈◊〉 stituâ—ed Adulteresses to Sin and Satan a Spouse to himself He is anointed to bind up the broken in heart to proclaim Liberty to the captives to open the Prison-doors to them that are bound He gives Beauty for Ashes and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness Isa 61.1 2. This Shepherd will gather his Sheep together his Gentile Sheep scattered and Jewish Sheep dispersed both these he will gather The Gentiles John 10.16 the Jews also One end of the Ministry is to gather in all the Elect into a state of Grace out of the state of Nature and one end of the Ministry and Discipline is to gather in all that have strayed or been scattered since their conversion He will gather all that have been scattered by Storms and Dogs all that have been devoured all that have dyed in Prisons Dungeons Banishments in loathsome and unknown places the Sea shall give up her dead and the Grave give up her dead and shall separate them from the Goats and lead and conduct them safely into the Folds of Heaven and Glory 4. This is to commit you to the Father of the Church who hath begotten his People unto himself by the Immortal Seed of his Word Joh. 1.11 12 Jam. 1.18 who loves delights in pitties provides for and defends his People even as a Father loves delights in pitties and provides for and defends his Children 5. This is to commit you to God the Husband of his Church and People who hath chosen them out of the mass of mankind and espoused them unto himself Hos 2.19 20. and made one with them according to the antient Law of Marriage And they two shall be one â—â—esh Ephes 5.30 31. and dwells with his People in every place and condition Heb. 13. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee He partakes of our humane nature and makes his People partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 As your Husband he sympathiseth with you in all your sufferings accounting your afflictions his Isa 63.9 As your Husband he derives upon him all your sins Isa 53.5 2 Cor. 5. ult The wife is not suiable at Law but the husband Jesus Christ is the Husband of you that are Believers he answers and non-suits all Bills of Indictments put up against you There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8.1 And as he takes your sins upon himself so he communicates to you the Riches and Priviledges Purchases of his Grace and Sufferings here The Glory that thou hast given me I have given them Joh. 17.22 The Kings Dunghter is all glorious within Psal 45. And he will communicate to you the Greatness of his Glory and Blessedness hereafter Joh. 17.22 Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may behold the Glory thou hast given me Here Christ doth win and contract his People by his Ambassadours but at the great Day of his glorious Royalty when he shall be attended upon with a glorious Retinue of blessed Angels he will publickly solemnize the Marriage betwixt himself and his People Here they are in a Pilgrimage then they shall be brought into the Brides Chamber here you have a Crown of Grace then he will put upon you a Crown of Glory Now if you faithfully consider that God to whom I commit you is the Fulness Sweetness of all these Relations to you that are his People the most potent politick victorious Captain the most powerful wife and rich King the most diligent and skilful Shepherd the tenderest Father and most loving Husband to his Church and People it must needs be ground of Security and Comfort in this your left and desolate condition Eighthly This is to commit you to that God who works wonderous things for the deliverance of his Church and People Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the gods Who is like unto thee glorious in Holiness fearfull in Praises doing Wonders 1. He is wonderful in disappointing the great plots and desperate counsels of his Churches enemies He bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought he maketh the devices of the People of none effect Psal 33.10 Syria and Ephraim had combined and plotted together to take Jerusalem and set up a King for themselves but God said It shall not stand neither shall it come to pass Isa 7.4 5 6 7. How wonderful was he in disappointing Hamans bloody design when the Order for the destruction of the Jews was procured signed and sent by Posts in the Provinces of the King and the day appointed for slaughter drew nigh and the Jews a weak unarmed captivated People had no Power
to save themselves and few Friends in the Court then the High-Court of Heaven appears their Friend and the Lord of Hosts their refuge and saves them But how Not by an Army nor by an Angel but by breaking the Kings sleep and that the time might not be tedious the Books of their Chronicles must be read and God so ordered that they read how Mordicai the Jew had saved the King from the Treason of Bigthana and Teresh two Chamberlains which was the beginning of their delivery Esth 6. How wonderfull was the discovery of and delivery from the Powder-plot how near was it to have effected the great design how unlikely to have been discovered and prevented if God had not disappointed it He is wonderful in changing the very order and nature of the Creatures that Fire shall not burn you nor hungry Lions devour nor Waters drown you 2. He is wonderful in working deliverance by small means and the greater the things done by small means the greater is the Wonder How did he overthrow Zerah the Ethiopian leading an Army of a thousand thousand by an handful of men 2 Chr. 14.11 The formidable Army of the Amalakites by Gideons three hundred Judg. 7. By Deborah and Barak and Cyrus weak instruments he delivered his People from great thraldom He can arm the smallest creatures Frogs Lice the dust of the Earth the ashes of a Furnace with strength to plague his Churches enemies He can make Israel a worm and poor weak contemptible People to beat Mountains into dust that is destroy Nations and Kingdoms and Oppressors that seem great immovable and impregnable Mountains Isa 41. Infinite Wisdom and Power knows no difference betwixt the smallest and strongest instruments 3. Wonderful in delivering his People without means What he doth by means he can do without means he can create means when there is none When Hezekiah complained The Children are come to the birth but there is no power to bring forth God sent an Angel and in one night slew an hundred fourscore and four thousand of the Syrian Army 2 Kings 19.35 He smote Herod that he was devoured with worms Acts 12.23 and Julian the Apostate with an Arrow from Heaven He can smite his Churches enemies with divisions and make them destroy each other as the Ammonites Moabites and inhabitants of Mount-Seir when they came against Jerusalem in the dayes of Jehosaphet 2 Chron. 20.22 23. And how wonderful will God be when he shall raise up his slain Witnesses as men out of the grave And make new Heavens and a new Earth giving his Persecuted Church great Peace and Tranquility 4. He is wonderful in turning the devices of the Churches enemies upon themselves that catcheth them in the same Snare they have laid and maketh them fall into the Ditch they digged for others He returns their mischief upon their own heads and their violent dealings upon their own pates Psal 7.15 16. He hanged Haman on the same Gallows he reared for Mordecai And cast Daniels accusers into the Lions Den all whose bones were broken in peices before they came to the bottom of the Den when he brought Daniel forth having no hurt upon him Dan. 6. I have done with the Doctrinal part of the first Branch for your Security and Comfort to wit God A word or two for Application and then to the second Branch If God be the best Security and Comfort a departing Minister can commit his People unto Be perswaded 1. To get an interest in this God It is of small or no advantage to hear that God is such Security and Comfort to his People in their lowest conditions and sharpest afflictions unless you have interest in him in his Love to delight in you in his Mercy to pitty you in all your miseries in his Diligence and Faithfulness to keep you in his Power to save and defend you in dangers in the fulness of his Grace to supply your wants in him as the fulness and sweetness of all relations to you your Captain your King your Shepherd your Father your Husband It is no relief nor comfort to a naked hungry and thirsty man to hear there are fine Cloaths dainty Food sweet and rich Wine in such and such places if he hath no propriety in them he may perish in his want for all these So though God is such Sovereign Security and Comfort to his People yet you may perish that have no interest in him Propriety in God is ground of your comfort and security If you would have him to be your Captain you must be his Soldiers to fight his Battels against Sin and Satan If you would have him to be your King you must become his loyal Subjects to obey his Laws If you would have him to be your Shepherd your Father your Husband you must be his Sheep not Goats his Children not Bastards his Spouse not Adulteress God must have a propriety by Grace in you before you can have a propriety of Security and Comfort in him 2. Labour to improve your interest in God An interest in God known and improved is the best way and means to support and comfort the soul under sufferings Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul therefore will I hope in him There is light in the Sun to direct us vertue in Meat and Drink to nourish us in Cloaths to warm us in Physick to heal us in Cordials to strengthen us but if we shut our eyes against the Sun it is to us as if there were no Sun at all Meat and Drink nourish not unless we feed on them Cloaths do not warm us unless we put them on Physick doth not cure us unless we drink it So though there is enough in God for your security and comfort yet unless you improve your interest in God you will have small comfort from him Therefore exercise your Faith much upon his Promises his Attributes upon his Dealings with his Church of old upon your own Experiences and draw strength and supplies of Grace from them Be frequent in fervent Prayer to God for your selves for the slain Ministry your Minister in particular and for these Nations Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love her See a suitableness and alsufficency in God for every condition you are in and improve it and you cannot want comfort in that condition Time will not permit me to enlarge upon these I hope the indispensable necssiety of the former duty and the incomparable benefit and advantage of this latter duty are sufficent motives to stir you up to perform them Now my Brethren we usually see when the Father of a Family dyes he leaves and commits the protection of his Widow and Fatherless the management of their affairs and concernments to the prudence and justice to the love of his most faithful and trusty friends And we see when Paul was no more to be at Ephesus he commends them to God and we read that Jesus Christ a
them and defend them from other sufferings and restore them again to their particular Congregations And pray one for another and for the Peace of Jerusalem Live and depend by Faith upon an invisible God in the midst of visible difficulties and dangers deriving supplies of comfort and strength of Grace from him Be frequent in reading the Word and understand it it is your Way your Light your Weapon and your Food When you go from Church do not as too many do lay up their Bibles on shelves in coffers and never look on them more until the next Lord's day It is the VVord of God written in your hearts and dwelling richly in you in all wisdom not the word on your shelves in your coffers that must guide you defend you and feed you You are careful to lay up your temporal food safely and cleanly O cast not this precious food of your souls at your heels as you do the crusts you give your dogs but begin and end the day with reading understanding treasuring up some part of the VVord and live according to it sanctifie God's Sabbaths according to it govern your Families according to it and manage all your negotiations with men according to it And forget not those things I have lately at large pressed you to from that place Col. 2.6 Remember them when you see me not that as you have received Christ so walk in him For hereby you will abundantly adorn your Profession bring credit to the Gospel and honour to Jesus Christ hereby you shall silence and ashame false Accusers rejoyce the hearts of God's People promote your own Peace and Salvation justifie the Doctrine preached to you from all aspersions and be a Crown of Glory and rejoycing to your dying Minister both now and in the Day of Christ Which that you may be directed and enabled to do and be I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace that is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance among them that are sanctified SERMON XV. 2 Pet. 1.15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance THe occasion of these words and of the Epistle is this The Apostle knowing by Revelation as is probable that he was ere long to dye ver 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me and fearing that many of those to whom he wrote were negligent enough in minding and perfecting the business of their souls Salvation he therefore labours before his departing to put them afresh in remembrance of their duty ver 12 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things though ye know them c. as if he had said I know indeed that you who are the called of God know these things in part already which I am puting you in mind of but there are some considerable reasons why I would reinforce them again upon you viz. 1. From the nature of the things themselves they are of great concernment even such as relate to your Salvation ver 10.11 2. From the proximity or nearness of his Death ver 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off the Tabernacle of this body q. d. I am a dying man ere long I shall be taken from you and therefore I would leave this last Legacy with you I would leave something with you which you might remember when I am dead and gone in the words of the Text Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my departure to have these things in remembrance In the Original they run after this manner I will endeavour that ye may alwayes have to make a remembrance of these things after my departure Others reade it thus I will therefore endeavour that ye may be able to have these things in remembrance c. Therefore that is Seeing I am given to understand that I must within a few days be taken from amongst you translating the adversative Particle by an illative therefore I shall leave this Epistle amongst you as upon record that may ever put you in mind of these things when I am dead Hence observe Observ 1. That it is not unmeet for Ministers to inculcate and press the same Truths upon their People Our memories are brittle affections are ready to grow dull and we fall into security in an insensible manner which drowneth the force of former Truths Obs 2. It is the property of good Pastors to take care of their Flocks for the future Faithful Ministers should not only take care for their people whilst they are present with them but after they are gone from them they being spiritual Fathers should lay up for their Children When Christ was to leave his Disciples he leaves some Legacies behind him he tells them what they might expect when he was gone from them and how they should behave themselves in a sinful and troublesome world John 16.1 33. When Paul was to leave Ephesus he sends for the Elders and tells them how they should demean themselves amongst the Flock over which God had made them Overseers We see how Paul was not only a good Shepherd himself but he also provides sutable Successors at least to direct encourage and quicken those that were to succeed him to the same diligence and faithfulness among the People as he himself had exprest Acts 20.28 30 31. When Moses was to be absent but forty dayes from the charge that was committed to him he takes care for the People by leaving Aaron and Hur behind him that they might direct and govern them whilst he himself was in the Mount Exod. 24.14 After these examples I have made it my study and shall make it my business at this time to communicate some spiritual Gifts to you And whereas he said This is the third time I am coming to you Rom. 1.11 I fear I may say this is the last time I am coming unto you I cannot say with Paul ver 14. that our Lord Jesus hath shewed me I must shortly put off my Tabernacle though that may be for ought I know but this I may say that providence seems to point out unto me that the time of my departure from you in particular is at hand Gen. 49.1 We reade that Jacob being to dye calls his sons together to give them some good instructions and to tell them of things to come after his death Now Brethren there is a Law extent which lookes upon many of my Brethren as well as my self who were and are taking pains in the Lords Vineyard as civilly dead henceforth we shall not be in a capacity to preach to you in publick many laborious Ministers after this day are likely to be dead even whilst they are alive if not as long as they live And before I proceed I would that you were freed from mistakes Do not think we lay by our publick Work without cause I would
have Tribulation but be of good Comfort As you should be humble in Prosperity so quiet and chearful in Adversity Carry an even frame in each state Let your Moderation be known unto all men even in bearing Afflictions Be not overmuch cast down with any trouble Let the Enemy see that you have been with God by the Gladness of your Countenance You 'l discredit Religion by too much drooping Let not others say You serve a hard Master God that knows all things knows what condition is best for you and how to deal with you Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes Though Adversity and the Wicked may intermeddle with your outward comforts and take them away yet let them see you have inward Joyes with which they cannot intermeddle nor take away 13. Esteem and approve Time as a precious Commodity Husband Opportunities for Soul-Advantage When you have spare hours improve them in Reading Meditation and Prayer Redeem Time from sleep your callings and recreations in order to Heaven Men usually work sleep and recreate more than necessity calls for and then cry out they have no time for holy Exercises Oh what would damned spirits give for two or three of those hours which we throw away Oh how would they spend them would they sleep play or work them away Nay how would they Pray Read and Repent more in one hour than we do in many Brethren the time is short your work is much you have God to honour your Relations to watch over your own Evidences to make clear O then redeem precious Time do not throw it away Ephes 5.16 15. Contend earnestly for the Faith Jude 3. Maintain fundamental Truths I do not mean that you should fall a wrangling with every one you meet The Apostle indeed takes notice of some men that place their Religion in fightings of Words in conflicting with the Air in janglings and disputings about things they understand not 1 Tim. 1.5 6. Some place their Religion in being of this and that Opinion and indeed they are meer Opinionists Our meaning is this When the Enemies of the Church labour to root up the necessary and very foundation Truths of Christianity that we should stick to them As Paul he did earnestly contend for the Doctrine of Christ being the Messiah against the Jews He maintained the Doctrine of the Resurrection against the Saduces The Doctrine of Justification by Christ's Righteousness against the Teachers of the Law He doth strongly and vehemently maintain Divine Worship against the idolatrous worship of the Athenians And so should we contend opportunely and wisely with tongues and lives Contend against Justification by Works against Idolatry rather than God's Honour should be given to dumb Idols give your honour to the Dust Consider fundamental yea every Truth hath been confirmed by no less than Miracles preserved in a miraculous way and sealed in the Blood both of Christ and of Martyrs Never then sell the Truth but buy it 16. Get longing Desires after the Enjoyment of God in Heaven Let your hearts be often sending sighs thither Long till you be at home Groan earnestly till mortality be clothed with Immortality 2 Cor. 5.1 2. Say as he When shall I come and appear before God Long till you be in Heaven that so you may have constant Communion with God's Angels and Saints that ye may be wholly freed from sin and made perfect in Holiness Let your Conversation be in Heawhilst you are on Earth To this end get more acquaintance with Heaven Study till you be convinced that it is and what it is Understand what that Happiness is that Saints enjoy there When you have got minds informed and hearts affected with it often muse and meditate of it This heavenly Conversation is very sweet it will comfort us when we are never so sad Well may the soul say Now I am full of sin O but then no sin I am now sold under sin O but then I shall be free Now I dishonour God but then I shall honour him altogether Now I am in continual fear of falling into sin but then I shall be past all danger Now I am in continual sorrow but then all tears shall be wip'd away Now I am kept in bondage through fear of death but then there shall be living and no more Death and so no more fears of it Moreover this would teach us to understand the World When we do experimentally taste Heavens Joyes we shall despise Earths Pleasures when we seriously think of that Friendship and Communion we shall have with Friends in Heaven even God Christ Angels and Saints it will wean us from Friends on Earth and make us more willing to leave them And when we think of Heavens Honour we shall undervalue the honours and scorn the contempt we meet with in this world Get now and then upon the top of Pisgah and solace your selves with a view of the Heavenly Canaan Having now given you an account of those main Duties and Counsels that relate more immediately to God and your souls I shall briefly give you the sum of those Counsels I have to leave you about things that relate more nearly to you and others with whom you converse and have to do The first is this 1. Discharge domestical Duties Study and perform the Duties that every Relation calls for Act as Christian Parents and Christian Masters towards your Children and Servants bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord call on them to reâ—d the Scriptures frequently that even of Children they be acquainted with that which will make them wise to Salvation keep them to a form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 hold them to the Principles of Religion Catechisms are called A Form of sound words because they keep the Judgment and Affections sound they help to discern betwixt Truth and Error fit and prepare for hearing of the Word preached and for the receiving of the Lord's Supper For want of this we may observe notorious ignorance in grown youth and old men also For want of this how many that are Fathers in years are meer Children in understanding Again pray with and for your Children and Servants and set them to pray by themselves for this end give them time convenient do not so much forward them in your service as to hinder them from serving God your Servants have God to acknowledge honour and serve as well as you they have sins to be pardoned corruptions to be subdued Graces to beg wants to be supplied and souls to be saved as well as you and will you make them throw their souls over-board to secure your goods And so study to carry as Christians in every other Relation Carry as Christian Husbands and Christian Wives are directed and ought to do that the Gospel of Christ be not blamed upon your account And so you that are Children and Servants as you expect your Parents and Masters should discharge their duties towards you so it is expected you should
conscienciously discharge duties towards them See your duty in Ephes 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and practise it 2. Live in Love This was Christ's Command to his Disciples when he left them John 13.34 35. A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Hate not any of your Brethren in your heart Hatred makes us like the Devil Murderers The wicked love one another entirely and shall not Christians much more The great Exhortation of John the Divine was even when he was so old as he could scarce say any thing else Little Children love one another little Children love one another 3. Esteem and maintain Peace among one another as a precious Jewel Beware of Animosities and Heart-burnings of Jealousies and Jarrings one with another Many evils follow this one of strife Jam. 3.16 Where Envying and Strife is there is every evil work It 's the nature of Christianity to be meek and peaceable ver 17. Strifes are a work of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Now the works of the flesh are manifest Hatred Variance Strife Now it s the property and duty of true Christians to put off the works of the flesh To this end avoid the occasions of Strife Contentions Put up Injuries hearken not to Tale-bearers The Tale-bearer separateth very Friends Prov. 26.20 But when there is no Tale-bearer the Strife ceaseth Moreover deny your selves sometimes of that which may be your right that so you maintain brotherly Love Ever suspect your own Judgment Man is usually partial in his own cause Never think thy self so much in the right but that thou mayest sometimes over-shoot thy self and be in the wrong Be not wise in thy own conceit Consider as long as there is Jars and Contentions amongst Brethren and Neighbours they are not in a capacity of doing good to or receiving good from one another Contentions fill that mind full of Prejudice and then neither Instruction Advice Reproof or any courtesie will be well accepted but will be in danger of rejection with abundance of contempt As long as men are prejudiced against one another they will not believe that any good thing done by the other proceeds from a good principle or hath a good end In a word I conclude this in the words of the Apostle As much as is possible live peaceably with all men 4. Study to unite 1 Cor. 1.10 Bring your minds to meet in one point Bring them to the Center of God's Word The wider we go from God's Word which is the Center of Unity the further we go from one another It cannot be expected while the world stands that Christians should agree in every punctilio but labour to meet in the main meet in the root The branches of a Tree grow several ways and are at a great distance from one another but they all agree in this that they came from the same root So Christians may in some things seem to be a great distance from each other O labour to meet in the Root agree in Substantials study the things that make for peace whereby ye may edifie one another 5. Exhort one another Heb. 3.17 Instruct warn strengthen comfort one another take that advice 1 Thes 5.11 Comfort your selves together and edifie one another do not straggle one from another run together against a storm be assured it is not safe for Christians to be alone two are better than one if they be together they shall have heat 6. Be righteous in all your dealings with each other Defraud not one another Mich. 6.8 Deal justly lye not one to another but speak the Truth 1 Cor. 6.9 The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God In buying and selling and all your civil contracts do as you would others should do unto you set your self in the buyers stead and see how you would have others act towards you and so do to them 7. Be sensible of the loss which you and others about you sustain this day Our Church is parting with many Ministers that were willing and in some measure able to do God service Their Iniquities I confess may have a great hand in putting them forth and I hope they are in some measure sensible of the Plague of their hearts But see if your hands have not helpt to lift them out have not you weakned their hands many a time It may be you have made them preach and pray weakly and feebly by your coldness and deadness It may be your barrenness provokes God to take away his Vine-dressers your leasiness might cause these Candles to be taken away Is not England weary of Ministers do not we count them troublers Alas we have raised winds to blow out these Candles And then as you should be sensible of your sin so of your loss Why what do we lose this day We lose Shepherds and Sheep are likely to do poorly without we lose spiritual Fathers My Father My Father And how do poor Children cry at the loss of a Father We lose some of the Pillars of the Church and Nation As David I bear up the Pillars of it And how can a House stand without Pillars they are our best defence The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Cant. 3.7 they defend souls against Sin and Satan and bodies from many Judgments How can a Nation do without Watchmen It 's well if the taking away so many Prophets be not as the pulling so many Lots out of Sodom Object But what needs all this what a needless stir do you make Though you and others like you be silenced yet there are others to succeed you your Places will not be vacant Do you think there are not as good as your selves to stay behind we do not see but you may very well be spared Answ 1. Let it be as you have spoken It is the hearty desire of our souls that better may succeed us it would much elevate our souls if it might be so 2. Suppose there may some holy and painful Labourers stay behind it s to be thought it will be but some the Harvest is great and it is not reasonably to be imagined that there should be suddenly raised a competent succession of able experienced Pastors to supply so many Congregations as are like to be left destitute It 's much to be feared that we shall have cause to sit down and weep over many poor Towns and Parishes being left as Sheep without Shepherds 3. Are you sure that those that stay behind us shall continue long amongst you How do you know but that within some months or a few years some stumbling-block or other may be laid in their way over which they cannot possibly go if they will retain a good conscience 4. However this Dispensation of God is a wonderful affliction It is not the manner of God ordinarily to deal thus with his Ministers and People God doth not use to light
of sin to avoid the evil of trouble This is to make a covenant with Hell and to be at an agreement with Death But when the overflowing scourge shall pass through the Land God shall disanull their Covenant and break their Agreement Isa 28.15 18 19. This there carnal wisdom shall be destroyed the iniquity of their heels shall compass them about and they shall be taken in the snare of Vengance so much of this fourth Observation the next is this Doct. 5. That it is a special part of Christian Wisdom to redeem Time to know and discern time and Opportunities doth very much conduce to this redeeming of Time but this the Wise man makes the property of a wise mans heart Eccles 8.5 Redeeming of Time implies some kind of recovering that time which is already lost a diligent improvement of that which is present to the best advantage and a getting before hand with time by making sure of Eternity I would have told you how to redeem Time in three particulars 1. The loss and former misspending of precious time must be heartily bewailed and repented of 2. Those lusts and affections by which time hath The Conclusion My Brethren I have now finished my Text and my Work together for so it hath pleased God in his wise Providence to order affaires that I may not be any longer amongst you in that capacity in which I have been I dare not murmur nor repine I desire with the holy Psalmist to be dumb and not open my mouth because the Lord hath done it Neither men nor any other creatures can do any thing but what God is â—â—â—â—sed to permit them to do I profess seriously from my soul that could I have kept a good Conscience and my station among you also I do not know what good this World could afford that could have prevailed so far upon my affections as to have drawn me away from you In that little time that the Lord hath been pleased to give me an abode among you I have had very great comfort and contentment in my relation to you I desire to bless God from my heart who hath made you teachable and tractable willing to be instructed and informed for that is my rejoycing above all other things which will be my rejoycing in the great Day of the Lord Jesus Though I forget not your Love to me as your Minister expressed in common Courtesies and Civilities yet this is not a place and time to make mention of them But your diligent attendance on God's Word and Ordinances in publick your willing submission to private Instruction and Reproof the flocking of many of you to Repetion the chearful coming of the younger sort to Catechising and the progress they have made therby in the knowledge of God and Christ and the way to Life these things and whatsoever good it may have pleased God to have wrought in you by my poor labours among you have been the comfort of my heart and the remembrance of them will be my joy when I have other sad thoughts enough to press if not oppress my spirits after this day Well my Glass is run my time is short and I have but a few more words to speak to you I am now for ought I know preaching my last Sermon and my face which you have often seen in this Pulpit you are never never like to see here any more I would fain speak one word that might stick by you longer than ordinary as the last words of a dying Friend are wont to do A dying man especially a dying Father hath commonly some word of advice to give to his Friends and Children about him and something to request of them before he leaves the world God hath made me in the room of a spiritual Father to you and now I am as a dying Friend that must never speak in publick to you again I have a word of advice to give you and something to intreat of you and this Advice and Request I shall leave with you as my last Legacy 1. My first Word of Advice shall be the same which the Apostle hath here given us in the Text That you would with all seriousness endeavour to walk circumspectly and to live exactly according to the Rule of Gods Word in performing all holy Duties that God hath required and in avoiding all sins that God hath forbiâ—den This Advice is for your own good and yoâ— cannot reject it without rejecting the Command of God himself and therefore I do the more earnestly press it upon you You know not what Temptations and Tryals you may come to meet withal and therefore get it fast fixed and rooted in your hearts and consciences that you ought to live exactly and strictly Perhaps the time may come when you may neglect Duties and no body put you in mind of them when you may sin freely and none check or reprove you for it when you may swear and curse and blaspheme the Name of God and be drunk and prophane the Sabbath and have no body to tell you of your sins or to warn you of the danger of them nay perhaps you may be encouraged to these sins or perswaded to them or led to them by the evil example of those who should draw you from them and you may be hated and reproached for Fanaticks and Puritans and I know not what if you make any scruple of running into all excess of riot God forbid that this should ever come to pass but if it should and you not have a principle of Circumspection Exactness within your own breasts and consciences to restrain you my heart trembles to think what a sad condition you would be in and in how great danger you would be of being led away with the errour of the wicked to the utter and everlasting undoing of your poor Souls Well God write this Memento upon every one of your hearts and Consciences I beseech you my Brethren for Christ's sake and for your own poor Souls sake that you will not slight or forget this Advice Oh remember remember I beseech you that it is but a little a very little while before you and I and all the world shall meet together and stand naked before the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of this very thing and to answer to this very question Whether we have lived circumspectly and exactly or no Oh how sad a thing would it be if I should meet any of you there who having neglected this Advice and gone on in your sinful wayes and lived loosely and dyed impenitently if I should meet you I say trembling with guilt before the face of Jesus Christ and should be necessitated to confess and say Lord these very men and women I did advise warn perswade intreat beseech with all seriousness and earnestness that they would break off their sins by repentance and spend the rest of their dayes in walking circumspectly and living exactly and told them in thy