l. 26. r. go on P. 108. marg r. Tarnov P. 110. l. 17. f. ye r. we P. 119. l. 34. r. as to say P. 120. l. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 122. l. 15. r. to be saved l. 16. dele us P. 125. l. 33. r. dearly P. 126. l. 17. f. his r. their P. 129. l. 3. r. deny Christ l. 10. r. many of us Christians P. 135. l. 32. f. them r whom P. 137. l. 32. r. others P. 138. l. 25. f. dulce r. datae l. 26. r. voluble P. 140. l. 2. f. we r. may P. 150. l. 6. r. forbear l. 11. dele not P. 152. l. 25. r. labitur labetur c. l. 29. r. indesinenter P. 157. l. 20. r. humane apprehension P. 159. l. 10 11. r. exceed all expressions P. 177. l. 14. r. restraint Correct the Figures from pag. 180 to 193. P. 180. l. 13. r. old P. 181. l. 35. r. vis unita P. 185. l. 32. r. incollumen P. 189. l. 28. r. heaviness P. 198. l. 25. r. individuum P. 200. l. 28. r. minutatim P. 204. l. 1. dele non P. 206. l. 22. r. Authority P. 207. l. 1. r. of Christ P. 210. l. 12. r. as accomplished P. 214. l. 5. r. Phil. r. 23. P. 215. l. 1. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 216. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 224. l. 15. r. to do P. 229. 31. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 231. l. 30. r. lay it not P. 235. l. 1. r. a wrong P. 241. l. 2 3. r. which they l. 29. r. double P. 248. l. 32. r. from want P. 260. l. 16. r. off from P. 261. l. 3. r. but I hasten P. 274. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 277. l. 16. dele as it were l. 32. r. his own P. 279. l. 14. f. that r. our l. 22. dele but. P. 282. l. 16. r. As when 283. l. 14. r. of suffering with Christ l. 15. f. image r. death 285. l. 23. r. practise it l. 29. r. supply and we shall overcome P. 311. l. 15. f. Her r. his 313. l. ult r. Midian 319. l. 15. r. Achaia 320. l. 20. r. glorying 326. l. 15. r. despondent l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 328. l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 336. l. 12. r. burnt offerings 345. l. 16. r. God makes 368. l. 15. r. inferiour world 394. l. 13. r. Cross of Christ P. 416. l. 14. r. improve 422. l. 12. Troublers P. 431. l. 32. r. Not mentioning 448. l. 9 10. r. against the Mountains 451. l. 11. r. Security 452. l. 25. r. warm 456. l. 22. r. your own 464. l. 18. r. have not There are other faults besides but these especially are to be corrected SERMON I. Preached Friday June 27. 1662. Revel 3. v. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent c. I Have gone through the whole second Chapter of this Book and the two first verses of this in my course of preaching the Friday-Lecture I shall enter upon this third verse at this time by God's assistance The words contain further counsel and direction given by our Saviour Christ to this Church of Sardis in order to her recovery from that formality and spiritual deadness she was sunk into Two Directions Christ had given her in the second verse Be watchful and strengthen c. There are three more added in this Remember c. hold fast and repent The third in order and first laid down in this verse is to remember Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard This is prescribed as a means to recover them from their spiritual decayes and deadness and to cure them of that formality hypocrisie they had been guilty of Christ had told them in the former verses that they had a name to live but were dead and that their works were not perfect or full before God Now the way to cure them of these distempers was to remember how they had received and heard implying that it was forgetfulness of those Truths Rules and Directions they had received in and heard from the Word of God that was the cause of their declining and that the way to recover vigour and liveliness in Religion and to fill up their works was to remember how they had received and heard So that the way to bring either Churches or persons to their former vigour in Religion and to a thorow-reformation of things amiss is to bring all things to the Test of God's Word to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuary and to try them by those Divine Truths they have formerly received and heard Briefly to explain the words Remember This may be taken first for the act of that particular faculty of the soul called Reminiscentia or Memory and so to remember is to recollect or call back a thing or object formerly heard received and laid up in the Memory Secondly It may be taken for an act of the Judgement and so to remember is seriously to weigh and consider Truths formerly received and heard and it may be well understood here so as to take in both senses How thou hast received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualia and would have it refer to the quality of the things or truths they had received and heard Remember what Doctrines were delivered by Christ and his Apostles what kind of Worship was instituted and practised by them This sense of the words I shall not exclude but the word relates rather to the manner how Truths and Ordinances were delivered to them and received by them Several Doctrines might be raised from the words Doct. 1. That one great cause of declining in Religion both in Churches and particular Christians is the forgetfulness of those Truths they have formerly received and heard the forgetting what and how they have received and heard Doct. 2. That the best way to recover and reform a declining Church or person is to bring them back to the Rule of God's Word which they have received and heard to reduce both Doctrine Worship and Practices to the first Institution as it is contained in the Scriptures There are other Doctrines that I might raise and insist on from these words but I shall sum up all I intend to speak from this direction in this one Doctrine Doct. That it is the duty of Churches and particular Christians and a special means to recover them from formality declinings and deadness in Religion and the exercise of Grace to remember what and how they have received and heard Christians should remember old Truths that they have received and heard long ago They should remember what Truths they have heard and what Ordinances they have injoyed and also after what manner Truths and Ordinances have been dispensed to them and received by them It is our duty to take care we be not forgetful hearers that we suffer not Truths to slip out of
endure So Christians you should do as you are exhorted Heb. 10.32 Remember what baths of godly sorry and compunction of spirit you found in hearing what earnest pantings after Christ and his Ordinances Could you not once say as the Psalmist Psal 42.1 2. 63.1 2. 84.1 2. Remember what flames of Divine Love to God Jesus Christ and his People you once felt burning in your hearts Remember those Raptures of Joy you have felt while you have been with joy drawing Waters out of the Wells of Salvation Remember with what delight and complacency you conversed in holy duties what zeal you had for God and his Ministers how even the zeal of Gods house eat you up O when you begin to feel your affections cool and grow flat say Why am I thus Is not God and Christ as lovely and desirable the Wayes of God as delightfull and pleasant as ever Such a remembrance how you have received will be a means to keep up a lively frame of heart in most dead times 4. Christians should remember with what readiness of mind they heard and received the Word of God with what holy resolutions to obey the Truth and to give up themselves to be guided by it and to walk with God to live and die in Gods wayes and for them too if God called them to it Thus God's People have received the Word So did those mentioned Isa 2.2 3. Acts 10.33 and so have you if ever you received it savingly Oh remember this as a means to quicken you when you find holy resolutions to cool in you 5. Christians should remember with what impressions upon their hearts they have received the Word and Sacraments Oh remember Christians what impressions Truths and Ordinances were wont to leave upon your hearts what work they made in your souls what wounds were given to sin what heart-meltings and heart-revivings you have found while one while your hearts have been melted yea even dissolved into penitential tears and another while filled with raptures of spiritual joy What workings of Faith Love Desires Hath it not been thus with you sometimes Christians Oh remember this to quicken you when you grow dead and can yea do sit under Ordinances with few if any such impressions as these are 6. And lastly Remember with what efficacy you have heard and received the Word and Ordinances of God You should remember what gracious effects have been wrought in and produced on your souls by these Oh Christians you should remember what good you have got by the Word Sacraments Prayer Communion of Saints what communion with God you have enjoyed in them and what of God you have received by and through them what quicknings what comforts you have been made partakers of while you have been attending upon them Have you not found the Word and Sacraments and other Ordinances of God wounding yea killing your corruptions enabling you to overcome temptations strengthening of grace enabling you to duty Hath not God spoken Peace to your souls in and through these Hath he not administred comfort to your souls in times of dissertion under sore afflictions against most bitter sufferings and most hot and fiery persecutions Oh remember this to keep your hearts alive in and your love warm and lively unto those precious Truths and Ordinances you have received so much good through how much soever they may be despised and scorn'd by others SERMON II. Preached Lords-day July 6. 1662. Rev. 3.3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent c. BEloved when I entred on this verse in my coâ—â—â— of the Friday-Lecture I little thought that I â—aâ—â— so short a time to preach among you I hoped I shoâ—â— have enjoyed some further opportunities for some â—ew weeks at least as long as the Act of Vniformity â—llowes But it hath pleased God by his wise and holy Providence to order it otherwise I being suspended from preaching here from this day forward for Non-conformity how regularly or legally on mans part I shall not dispute but leave to the righteous God to determine I desire that both you and I may not eye man but God in this dispensation I did not think to have preached my Farewel-Sermon to you from these words but having begun this Text and finding the matter of it so seasonable and suitable to rhis sad occasion I shall by God's assistance proceed in the handling of it Being probably like to preach no more unto you I judge it very seasonable to leave the Exhortation in the Text with you to call upon you that you would remember what and how you have received and heard and 〈◊〉 hold fast those wholsom Truths you have heard and those precious Ordinances at least the remembrance impressions and gracious effects of them that you have enjoyed and been priviledged with and also to repent of those sins which have provoked and may further provoke God to come on us as a thief to take away many of his Ministers from among us The words as I have already shewed are Christs counsel to a languishing Church and to decaied Christians to repair decaied Godliness and Religion in a Church and in the hearts and lives of particular Christians which renders them more seasonable to these days we live in and to the condition of many of our souls I have already opened the Doctrine and confirm'd it by several Scriptures Namely That it is the duty both of Churches and particular Christians and a special means to recover them from formality decaies and deadness in Religion and the exercise of Grace to remember what and how they have received and heard I should now proceed to give you the reasons of the Doctrine but I shall chuse rather to reserve them to the Application and then press them as Motives to inforce the Counsel and Exhortation grounded on the Text and Doctrine and so shall immediately proceed to Application Vse 1. The first Use is of Information 1. It informs us that there is somewhat more required of Christians than bare hearing of Sermons receiving and partaking of Sacraments and other Ordinances It is not enough to hear and receive but it is the duty of Christians also to remember what and how they have received and heard what good they have got by and what communion with God they have injoyed in the use of the Word and Ordinances 2. It informs us what it is we are to make the rule of our Faith Practice namely the Word of God contained in the Scriptures and the Truths you have heard rightly grounded theron They ought to be the Standard to which we should bring all Doctrines preached all things introduced into Divine Worship and imposed upon us in practice Bring all things to this Test It is your duty to search and study the Scriptures and bring all things to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to these it is because there is no light in them
one glimpse thereof in the Transfiguration put Peter in a trance Christ ascended to be glorified 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend Obj. O but how can these things be how much better had it been for us to have had Christs bodily presence still on Earth What a deal of good did he by his Life Doctrine Miracles Compassion on the Poor Blind Diseased that cryed for help for themselves children and servants Lord hadst thou been here my brother had not dyed said Martha So may poor desolate souls say Lord hadst thou been on Earth still this evil and that storm had not come upon the Church or particular members of it Expedient Christ go O leave us not Answ In general Saddest providences and most terrible things whereby God answereth his People often carry a great deal of sweetness and comfort in them which we through ignorance and unbelief hardly discern Christians often loose much by poring on present or imminent evils and not looking to the sweet Result and glorious issue thereof We walk too much by sence and too little eye by Faith the things that are not seen Thus the Disciples were loth to hear that Christ must be put to death When he was buryed We trusted say two of them Luke 24.21 it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Their Faith was low not considering that he came to give his Life a Ransome for many Such fools so slow of heart are we to believe Thus when Christ told the Disciples I go my way to him that sent me They asked him not whither goest thou and therefore sorrow filled their hearts John 16.5 6 7. they did not look to the sweet Fruit which they should reap of his Departure they would have found cause of joy had they seriously considered that Christ went to his Father and their Father to his God and their God But particularly You have Christ's Word for it which should silence all objections and questioning thoughts John 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away There were four Expediencies of Christ's Ascension in respect of us 1. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might in our nature as our Head and Surety take possession of Heaven for us Heb. 6.20 Whither the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus He had purchased the Inheritance and paid the price and he went to have seizen and possession for us John 14.2 I go to prepare a place for you 2. Christ's Ascension was expedient for us that he might intercede for us in Heaven and now appear in the Presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 and that we might have that consolation 1 Joh. 2.2 If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous And Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession We have a constant and skilful faithful Sollicitor in the Court of Heaven pleading our cause Is the Church militant oppressed Jesus the Angel of the Covenant pleadeth How long Lord wilt thou be angry Zech. 1.12 and he is answered with good and comfortable words I am returned with Mercies to Jerusalem as it follows ver 16. The Lord Christ standeth as with a golden Censer having much Incense which he offereth with the Prayers of Saints on the Golden Altar before the Throne the Smoak of which Incense with the Prayers of the Saints ascendeth before God out of the Angels Hand When his People pray on Earth He as their Sollicitor procureth a Grant in Heaven which he sometimes sendeth down by a swift Messenger So he did to Daniel and Cornelius So that now being ascended Believers may triumph Who shall condemn It is Christ that died is risen again is at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us 3. It was expedient for us that Christ should ascend that he might send the Spirit the Comforter Joh. 16.7 If I go away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him to you The sending of the Spiriâ— to lead Believers into Truth to convince the World to help Believers Infirmities to quicken to comfort to stablish them and to abide with them to the end of the World is the fruit of Christs Ascension 4. Christ's Ascension was expedient to assure us that he hath fully satisfied Justice for the sins of his Elect and left nothing undone of the great Work which he undertook Heb. 9.12 By his own Blood he entred once into the holy Place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us His sitting at the Right Hand of God is an evidence that he hath obtained for us Eternal Redemption In his Ascension he triumphed over all Enemies He had spoiled Principalities spoiled them of their Prey having rescued his Elect spoiled them of their Dominion and Power over his Sheep He had cast out the Prince of this World the Accuser of the Brethren and He made shew of them openly Col. 2.15 Christ having overcome Death and Hell declareth his Conquest in ascending as a Conqueror into Heaven Take the Application in four Particulars briefly 1. Christ is gone to Heaven Be not deceived by false christ's Such shall come Mat. 24.24 O remember he is not here but ascended as he told his Disciples Seek not then a bodily presence in the Sacrament The Heavens must contain him Acts 3.21 The Martyrs who burned at the Stake not for ceremonies c. as some would have it but for denying Transubstantiation or the bodily Presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper however now-a-dayes some bespatter them had a sure Foundation to build on The Scripture makes it plain that Christ's Body is in Heaven 2. Christ is gone into Heaven Christians let your hearts be there Seek those things that are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 3.1 Why do ye grovel on Earth when Christ your best Friend is in Heaven What on Earth can satisfie or what is to be desired when Christ is gone Well may Believers desire with the Apostle Phil. 1â— 23 to be dissolved and be with Christ which is far better 3. Let us prepare for Christ's Coming from Heaven Phil. 3.20 Behold He cometh quickly in like manner as he ascended but more gloriously attended more manifest every eye shall see him Blessed is that Servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find watching Luke 12.37 We are left to trade with talents our Lord will come and reckon with us Mat. 25.19 Be ready for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when ye think not Luke 12.40 O let us watch 4. Lastly Be comforted Christ our Fore-runner is in Heaven He is gone but he went about our business This providence of Christ's departing looketh with a bitter aspect it is doleful to consider Christ is Gone But as Jacob's Spirit revived when he knew Joseph was alive so it is exceeding comfortable for drooping distressed souls to consider Christ hath taken possession of a
the Apostles of Christ It hath been the design of Satan and the work of the corrupt hearts of men in all Ages to be making Additions to the Commands of Christ and to be mingling mens Inventions with the Institutions of Christ in matters of Worship Churches are very apt to degenerate from plain Spiritual Worship and the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ into a name to 〈◊〉 a meer outward form of Religion and a gay and pompous way of worshipping God such as may most please the flesh and fancy of men Now in such a case it is the duty of God's People to remember how they have received and heard They should remember that God hath said he will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Joh. 4.23 24. and what Christ hath said Mat. 15.3 10. and Mark 7.7 8 9. Reade these Scriptures at leisure This was Christ's Doctrine And when the Church was very much degenerated God bids them Jer. 6.16 Ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein Not the old paths of Custom Tradition the opinion and practice of forefathers but those wayes that are as old as your Bibles are as the Word of God and the Gospel is for these are the good old way Other wayes may be old but not good When things of mens devising are put upon men and crowded into God's Worship Christians should run to their Bibles and ask Was it so from the beginning Did Christ and his Apostles preach pray administer and receive Sacraments thus how did they appoint them to be dispensed Christians should account it wisdom enough to follow their direction and example Certainly they worshipped God decently yet they contented themselves with what they had received of the Lord without making additions of their own When any thing is obtruded upon God's People in matters of Worship they should try all things by the Word of God It is a saying of Cyprian to this purpose in an Epistle of his Si canalis aquam ducens subito deficiat nonne ad fontem pergitur c. If the Conduit-pipe or Cistern which was wont to give forth water plentifully suddenly stop do not men go to the Fountain to find out the cause whether the Fountain be dry or the veins stopped c. Sic â—â—portet facere Dei sacerdotes si in aliquo nutaverit aut vâ—â—â—llaverit veritas ad originem Dominicam Evangelicam Apostolicam traditionem revertamur c. Let us return to the Word and Gospel and Apostolical tradition that which is truly so called and can be proved from undisputable authority to be such This is a safe Rule and the way to keep Churches from corruption and rightly to reform them if they be in any thing corrupted 3. It is the duty of Christians and a means to recover them from spiritual deadness to remember what they have received and heard for the directing of their practice and ordering of their conversations They should remember practical Truths the Commands Counsels Exhortations Directions they have found in and heard from the Word of God These should be had in everlasting remembrance They are to be remembred by Christians all their dayes and never to be forgotten Though some notions should through weakness slip out of your minds yet practical Truths should be written not in the dust but on your hearts as on marble engraven as with the point of a diamond never to be razed out Oh Beloved many many of these have you received and heard You have been pressed unto publick family secret relative duties you have been directed how you should hear reade pray confer receive Sacraments how you should carry your selves as Magistrates Ministers People Husbands Wives Parents Children Masters Servants in commerce traffique and dealings with men Oh remember these things And especially if such times should come when you may not hear so much and often of these things as heretofore you have done 4. It is the duty of Christians to remember the reproofs and warnings against sin they have received and heard The remembrance of these will be a means to keeâ—â—ou from sin You have been many times warned to take heed of sin as a most venemous Serpent and the most inveterate enemy both of God and of your own souls God hath sent his Messengers rising early to warn you to take heed of all sin You have been warned to beware of Prophaness Sabbath-breaking Error Superstition yea and of Hypocrisie Formality Deadness Apostacy you should remember what and how you have received and heard so as to take heed of these and all other sins and especially when you shall be in an hour of temptation when these sins may be rise common and grow in fashion 5. It is the duty of Christians and a means both to keep and recover from deadness to remember the forewarnings they have had of God's Judgments You have been told of God's Judgments against sin in general and against such and such sins in particular You have been told of Afflictions Sufferings Persecutions that you must look for You have been told of these in the written Word and by Gods Ministers And you should especially remember these when you see Judgments coming or feel them already executed Remember those warnings in the Word of God John 16.1 2 3 4 33. Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 3.12 O Christians you have been forewarned that Error in Judgment Wantonness in Opinion and Practice under the Gospel loathing of Manna would bring a famine of the Word that decayes in and leaving of first Love would cause God to remove his Candlestick that deadness and formality would cause God to come as a thief in the night to take away the Gospel and all your precious things O therefore Christians when you see such Judgments coming or feel them upon you remember what and how you have received heard and this Remembrance will be a special means to bring you to Repentance 6. And lastly It is the duty of Christians 〈◊〉 â—emember the comforts they have received in and heard from the Word of God those grounds of comfort precious Cordials and strong Consolations you have read and heard to bear up your hearts under the sence of sin and apprehensions of God's wrath and in a time of dissertion and against the fierce and fiery assaults of Satan the strength of corruption weakness of grace difficulty of duty as also under afflictions from God and sufferings and persecutions from men This will be a means to keep the hearts and hopes of Christians alive in the saddest conditions they can be brought into It will be of great use in an evil day And thus I have shewed you what it is for the matter Christians are chiefly and especiallp to remember Secondly For the further explication of the duty in the Doctrine I come now to shew how for the 〈◊〉 Christians are to remember how they have received and heard And this is more expresly spoken of in the Text
is as the driving home of the nail That which one forgets another may remember Improve private conference and speak often one to another and when you meet together be more spiritual savory and profitable in your discourse than heretofore you have been and then especially when you may have fewer publick opportunities Time may come when this may be one of the best helps you may have It may be God may cut you short of many publick advantages to chasten you for your not using or improving private communion of Saints and to quicken you to use and improve holy conference and other private duties more and better 5. A fifth means to help you to remember what and how you have received and heard is Earnest and fervent prayer to God that He would strengthen your memories and give his Spirit to you according to his promise to bring all things to your remembrance Commit Truths to the Spirit 's keeping and trust not onely to your own memories Often plead that promise with God John 14.26 Christ would not trust his Disciples alone with his Sermons He knew their memories were slippery But He intrusts his Spirit to bring things to their remembrance and the Spirit can and will bring Truths to your remembrances in the most seasonable time And lastly Endeavour to practise the things you have received and heard and that will be a means to help you to remember them Labour to get good by the Word and Ordinances and you will not soon forget them He who daily writes after a Copy wil be better able to remember it long after Psal 119.93 I will never forget thy Precepts for by them thou hast quickned me Those Sermons Sacraments and other Ordinances in and by which God hath quickned and comforted you you will not forget So much for handling this Doctrine Might I have had liberty to preach to you as long as I hoped and the Law allowed I should have handled the two other Directions in the Text Hold fast and Repent But seeing I am like to preach to you no more I shall briefly touch upon them and leave them with you in a way of Exhortation A fourth Direction Christ gives to this Church in order to recovering of her from her deadness and formality is To hold fast what she had received The Doctrine is That it is the duty of Christians and a means to recover declining Churches and Christians to hold fast what they have received and heard And indeed without this you cannot be strengthned by it That which you have lost and let slip will do you but little good You must not onely remember but also hold fast I shall not handle this Doctrinally Time will not permit it And besides I have formerly insisted on this Doctrine and duty from the 13th and 25th verses of the second Chapter I shall therefore onely leave the Exohortation with you Hold fast what you have received and heard And here I shall briefly shew you first What you should hold fast 2ly Against what 3ly How you may do it First What you should hold fast 1. Hold fast the Doctrine of the Gospel you have received and heard Do not let go any Truth of God Buy the Truth but sell it not at any rate Prov. 23.23 You may meet with those that would pluck it from you but be sure you hold it fast 2 Tim. 1.13 14. 2. Hold fast the plain pure and powerful Ordinances of God Oh do not let these go at least not through your default Let them not go for want of prayers and tears to keep them But may some say How if they should be gone How if God for our sins should take them away Why however yet 3. Be sure you hold fast a high estimation of the Word and pure Ordinances of God If ever you should want them yet prize and esteem them as your treasure let the want of Spiritual Mercies teach you more to value the worth of them Though you should lose many of your mercies and opportunities yet be sure you do not lose your esteem of them 4. Be sure you hold fast your love to the Truths and Ordinances of God as wel in the want as in the enjoyment of them Love the Word and love the Ministers of Christ even then when you may be deprived of them 5. Hold fast your appetite and stomach to the Word Ordinances of God though you should lose some of your meat take heed you lose not your stomach with your meat If you have lesse food yet you should labour to have the better stomachs Oh beg of God that though he should suffer your food to fail yet that he would not take away your appetites but keep them fresh and lively In temporals it would be a mercy if men wanted meat to want a stomach but in Spirituals it will be a mercy though you should have little food yet to have a good stomach continued This will be a pledge of Gods returning and restoring wanted and desired mercies For God hath said He will satisfie the hungry soul with bread 6. Lastly be sure you hold fast the good you have got by the Word Prayer Sacraments the Ministers and Ordinances of Christ Though you should part with these things themselves yet be sure you retain and hold fast the good you have got by them and those impressions of God's Spirit that have bin made on your hearts through under them And all this you must hold fast which leads to the 2d Particular against 1. The fraud and deceit of Seducers and Deceivers who would go about to cheat and cozen you of the great and precious Truths of the Gospel and of the true instituted Worship of God The Apostle tells you that such will a rise that will privily bring in damnable heresies 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. and the Apostle Paul speaks of the sleights and cunning craftiness of men their methods to deceive They will perhaps plead Antiquity Tradition the Authority of the Church the Suffrage of Ancient Fathers Custom Example yea seeming Reason for many Opinions and Practices But Christians be not cheated of your Religion but that which you have received of the Lord Christ and hath been delivered to you by the Apostles in the Word those Truths and instructions of Christ do you hold fast Secondly Hold fast the Truths and Ordinances of Christ as against the fraud of Deceivers so against the force and violence of Persecutors As you should not be fawned so neither should you be frighted out of any one Truth or Ordinance of God or out of your love to desires after or owning of them Thirdly And the means to enable you to hold fast what you have received are 1. Diligent attendance on the publick Ordinances and Worship of God if and when you can enjoy them in any measure according to Gods will though not altogether in that manner you desire and they should be administred in I hope that for those many praying
excellent Copy indeed for us all to write after Learn of me sayes he And what grace what virtue is there that ye may not learn of Christ Never was there such love to God and man like that which wrought in the heart of Jesus Christ Never was there self-denial or humility comparable unto Christs Never any zeal any holiness like Christs O beloved no danger of our being too holy too precise since it 's impossible but that when we have done our best we shall fall far short of out Copy here They that censure Christians now and charge them with over-much strictness and making too much ado in Religion much more that these had they lived in his dayes would have found fault with Jesus Christ But I have no more to say to these here who are enemies to the power and strictness of Christianity onely a word to you my Friends Don't ye think much to bear reproaches for Christ here who hope at last to appear with him in Glory We would be like him in his glorified estate what reason then we should be conform'd to him in humiliation and in an holy conversation But let this serve as touching the coherence In the words themselves you may observe I. A weighty Exhortation Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling Where you have 1. The duty it self Work out your salvation And 2. The manner how it must be done with fear and trembling II. The manner how the Apostle presseth this Exhortation 1. By a sweet compellation My Beloved 2. By a prudent commending of their former course as ye have alwayes obeyed III. Another Argument may be couched in these words not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence i.e. Though ye have not me present with you yet God is present with you and the eye of the Lord is on you still And this would further evidence your sincerity that what you have done in Religion was not Pharisee-like to be seen of men if you obey and work on not only in my presence And indeed it is a work of necessity and as much need you should follow it close now as ever yea much more in my absence sayes he While I was with you I was most willing and ready to do what in me lay to promote your Salvation but now if you have not so much help from me as when I was amongst you ye had need take the greater pains your selves Children that were but too careless while their Father was with them had need learn to take care when he is gone My Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Copy hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my Brethren But I shall not stay at the compellation which you so frequently meet with As ye have alwayes obeyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some read it O◠with Grotius we may understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 2 Thes 1.8 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 2 Thess 3.14 obeyed the Gospel or obeyed the Word As ye have alwayes obeyed Obeyed what Loquiter de obedientia non erga improrum hominum traditiones sed erga Deum ejusque Evangelium sayes Zanchy He speaks not of obedience to the traditions of sinful ungodly men but of obedience to God and his Gospel Ye have obeyed alwayes i. e. from the time that you first received the Gospel Not but that they had fallen into many particular acts of disobedience even since their conversion but they now no more followed a course of disobedience as they had done before Their desire will and purpose care and study was constantly to obey Note That good beginnings must be seconded and backt with good proceedings and crowned with an answerable conclusion It 's not enough to begin but we must end in the Spirit For this the Church of Thyatira is commended that her last works were more than her first Rev. 2.19 O Christians you that have set forth that have entered into the ways of God go on I beseech you You have had a Name to live and more than a Name I trust Religion has flourished in this Town the Lord grant it may flourish still O may it take such deep root in your hearts that all opposite power let men and devils do their worst may never be able to pluck it up It follows Not in my presence onely i. e. while I am among you calling earnestly upon you to follow your work but now much more in my absence that you have fewer helps and greater hinderances Note also by the way That Christians are not sure they shall always have Gods Ministers at hand When the means of Grace are brought to a place none can say how long the same shall be continued As when the children of Israel were encamped and had pitched their Tents they could not tell how soon the fiery pillar would move and call them forth again Now how does this blame the folly and security of the most who are careless of improving Gods Ministers while they are continued amongst them Indeed this minds your poor Ministers at least that have been yours of their falling short Oh may we not remember our faults this day Oh our want of diligence that we have done no more good while we have had opportunity that it has not been our meat and drink to feed the souls of others so much as it ought to have been Brethren we will not excuse our selves we dare not the Lord is lust in threatning at this day to lay so many of us aside who have laid out our selves no more for him and the good of souls But have you nothing to charge upon your selves who have been our hearers The Lord knows whether in the course of our Ministry we have vented our own fancies or have not declared the will and mind of God to you and whether you have heard and received it as the word of God I hope it has been our desire not to with-hold any thing that was profitable and has it been your care indeed to profit Oh! I must tell you it grieves us at heart to think that we shall leave so many of you in gross ignorance after means of knowledge that we should leave so many of you in prophane courses after many plain reproofs that we should leave so many of you strangers unto Christ who have heard so much of him and have been so oft invited perswaded and pressed to come in to him And howsoever many will think there is no loss of us yet one day you will see what your souls have lost who have enjoyed Gods Ordinances though dispensed by never so weak and contemptible instruments and have not regarded to improve them Here I would have spoken a word to others of you who have got something though not so much as you might have done Let what hath been wanting in your former proficiency be made up as it were in after-humiliation and repentance And if you are conscious to your selves that your unprofitableness
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
not approve of But I must tell you that to mine and my Brethrens apprehensions they are forbidden in those general Prohibitions Deut. 12.32 Prov. 30.6 Col. 2.15 surely he that adds to the Worship adds by consequence to the Word of God If you say What hurt is in them I ask Have they not a tendency to draw men off the spiritual Part of God's Worship to rest in Formalities do they not bring us into more bondage than the Jewish Church since they had a stated number of Ceremonies and those of God's own Appointment but we as to the nature and number of ours are at mens arbitrement and must not cease obeying till they cease imposing Do they not prove a sad stumbling-block to the more tenderly consciencious Christians and to add no more they must needs do hurt in that they do no good I fear not to say that whatsoever doth no good I speak of mens inventions must needs be prejudicial and corrupting to God's Worship I hope then you will forbear to throw after us those rash and harsh Censures as if we wilfully ran our selves into sufferings I think it a Truth worth our bearing witness to by the greatest sufferings That men ought not to impose nor we submit to humane Inventions in God's Worship when introduced upon pretence of Edification or engaging men to their duty Since such things would reflect upon the Wisdom of God as if he had not known how to make his own Ordinances effectual But I forbear other Instances I might give and hasten to what remains Thirdly There is yet a third thing which may be an occasion of stumbling and sinning to the prophane and that is They will rejoyce at our sufferings because we have sometimes been Troublers of their Consciences They look upon us as pestilent Fellows movers of Soul-Sedition they could not swear or drink nor oppress c. but the Pulpit must ring of it they hate us because we never prophesied good concerning them and now they are glad not only to be rid of us but to see us suffer c. 1. But let me tell you It 's no good argument of Christianity to rejoyce in the sufferings of any though your worst enemies The Command is Rejoyce with them that rejoyce and weep with them that weep Rom. 12.15 remember them that are in bonds as if bound with them Heb. 13.3 How contrary is your spirit and practice to these and the like Precepts as for our troubling you we did it in faithfulness to your souls And for our present troubles suppose it were upon the account of an erroneous Conscience which is the worst that can rationally be supposed of us yet so long as it is upon the account of Conscience methinks it calls for your Pitty and Compâ—ssion But 2. Let me tell you There 's no such cause of rejoycing as you imagine if you sin more quietly when we are silenced Conscience will speak at last the flames of Hell at furtherst will awaken it and then you will wish that you had both enjoyed and improved your faithful Monitors who out of Love to your souls durst not but speak against your sins Besides our sufferings presage you no good 1 Pet. 4.17 If Judgement begin at the house of God the Cup may pass from us to you When God gives order to begin at his Sanctuary he intends utter desolation In Ezek. 12.3 4. the Prophet is commanded to remove his stuffe as one going into captivity for a type to the People You will see us ere long removing our stuffe what if this be a type to you sure I am it is a warning Let our sufferings be supposed never so just and righteous yet are there not among you even among you sins as heinous and provoking Luke 23.40 Do you not fear God since you are in the same condemnation Alas poor souls were you sensible it would be small joy to you to have your Ministers driven into Corners But so much to the first sort 2. I am now to turn my speech to you whom the Text directly concerns who look upon our removal as a Judgement who are burdened for the reproach of solemn Assemblies there is danger of your stumbling as the Text intimates and therefore let me caution you also Take heed you be not offended by or stumble at our sufferings many wayes you may miscarry it may possibly be a purling case with you how to reconcile our suffering in this case with God's Justice but remember with the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 12.1 to hold the conclusion however things go You may also meet with temptations to call in question the Truth of that Doctrine we have delivered to you or to doubt whether we have taught you the good and the right Way but that which is most ordinary and against which you need to be most cautioned is Lest your hands be weakned and your hearts discouraged in the Profession of the Truth lest the Shepherds being smitâ—en the Sheep be scattered lest by our Sufferings you be moved from the Hope of the Gospel To prevent which or the like miscarriages consider 1. Our Sufferings are not to weaken or discourage to confirm and encourage you you quite pervert the End of our Afflictions if you draw arguments of discouragement from them 2 Cor. 1.6 Whether we be afflicted it is for your Consolation We are put to lead that you may the more chearfully follow if called to it Phil. 1.14 Many of the Brethren in the Lord waxed confident by my bonds That was indeed a right Improvement of Paul's Sufferings I mean not that you should run your selves upon sufferings or do any thing unlawful or unwarrantable to pull Afflictions upon your own heads The Serpents wisdom is commendable when in conjunction with the Doves simplicity and innocency but if the Cup which ordinarily goes round be put into your hands our Example should be your Encouragement to drink it more cheerfully As for doing any thing or so much as speaking against Authority upon our account far be it from us to urge you to it nay we charge you to keep the way of Duty and Loyalty to Sovereign Authority The wrath of man works not the Righteousness of God but if you be call'd out to bear witness as we conceive we now are to the Truth of God or the Purity of his Worship and Ordinances then we say to you look on us and do likewise than chuse rather to suffer than sin We have preach'd the Truth and we now are called to seal it with the loss of our Livelihood and Liberty in some measure Let not our Sufferings weaken or dis-settle but rather strengthen your Faith and heighten your resolution our Afflictions should be your Encouragements 2. Nor should the bitter Scoffs and Reproaches which you may undergo for our sakes at all move you I doubt not you will have the scorn as well as the loss It will be said to you in way of derision as the Sons of
by shall have 3. Who are meant by You ye shall have 4. What is meant by In the world 1. What is meant by Tribulation The word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifieth Tribulation Affliction trouble distress whether by loss of estate liberty c. It signifieth any sort of tribulation or affliction that is for ones casting down Mat. 24.21 1 Cor. 7.28 Acts 14.22 2ly The Syriack word is Aulzono it cometh of the root Alaz which signifieth he hath forced constrained as in Gal. 6.12 And so this word is used for Oppression Persecution And the same word is used 2 Thess 1.6 And so here as appears from the scope of Christ's discourse 2. What is meant by Shall have The word in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the theam is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall have being the future tense implyeth that the suffering was to come It is not you have had but shall have tribulation This you are sure and certain of And so the Syriack how e l koun there shall be to you it shall come 3. Who are meant by You doth it imply that the Apostles and they only should have tribulation in the world or are we to understand it of Christians or Christ's Disciples in general I answer This discourse is principally to the Disciples yet with relation to all Christians that will be stedfast or constant in the Christian Faith Matth. 28.19 20. And lo I am with you alwayes c. i. e. with you whilst you live and with the Ministers that shall succeed you in this work to the end of the world And so in this chapter from ver 22. to 28. is hinted that Christ will by his Spirit give comfort and a spirit of prayer and gracious answers and though the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit were proper to the Apostles yet these belong to the Church in common and to Christians in all ages 2. Christ assureth his Disciples yea all that should be his Disciples hereafter as Mat. 16.24 that they should meet with the cross and so adviseth all that resolve to be his Disciples beforehand to prepare for sufferings As in Luke 14.25 to the end And so the Apostles Acts 14.22 2 Tim. 2.12 So that all that will be sincerely godly however they may now be free from yet they shall have tribulation 4. What is meant by In the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for this world in opposition to the world or life to come as John 12.25 and 2 Cor. 1.12 In the world is a limitation it is to last only whilst Christians are upon Earth it ceaseth when they leave the world 1 Pet. 1.6 Now for a season ye are in heaviness Now. And it is said of the Saints 2 Cor. 5.1 We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God c. And so the Apostle Phil. 1.23 and Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away After a Christian hath passed over this life all his Afflictions and Tribulations are over It is but in the world that is the time and date of them Again In the world you shall have It is not all the time you are in the world though sometimes the tribulations of the Faithful begin at their conversion and continue till their death yet more ordinarily they are but as storms Revel 2.10 Yet this is certain in the world Christians shall have tribulation though when and how long it is not for us to know aforehand as Christ told his Disciples Acts 1.7 The times and seasons are in God's power Secondly The Reasons why 1. Because there is an enmity in the world against Piety and Holiness ever hath been and will be and that is the ground of Persecution and of Christians Tribulation Gal. 4.29 As the world hated Christ John 15.18 19. The world as it is taken for the irregenerate 1 John 5.19 So every irregenerate man Rom. 8.7 And this is the ground of their tribulation in the world 2. In the world they have Tribulation for the tryal of their Graces As all Job's were for his tryal And indeed Hypocrites and sincere Christians cannot be discovered assunder but by persecutions and tribulations as in Rev. 2.10 and that is the reason that the Devil and wicked men may prove Liars for though God hath sufficiently confuted them yet are they ready to say as Job 1.9 10 11. Doth Job fear God for nought c. and Job 2.4 5. 3dly They are in Tribulation because they stand in need of it 1 Pet. 1.6 especially when they grow proud sensual and their hearts are lifted up as Psal 30.6 7. So when David had committed murder c. 2 Sam. 12.10 11. God keeps as it were a stricter hand over him than before 2 Sam. 24. As we say of children that correction is sometimes as necessary as food so is Tribulation for God's Children Fourthly because it is for their good As Frost and Snow is seasonable in winter profitable for the Corn killing the Weeds so is Tribulation Jer. 24.5 Like these good Figs so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the Land of the Caldeans for their good As all things shall so afflictions do work together for good Rom. 8.28 Psal 119.67 And the Faithfull should never be in Tribulation but that God aims at their good 1. To work them to humiliation and repentance as in 2 Chron. 7.13 14. Deut. 8.2 3 16. so this is God's end to break our proud spirits to work us to humiliation for sin and to a hatred forsaking of it as a main cause of all our troubtes And is not this more for our good than if we should be let alone in our sins 2. Again for the increase of patience experience hope as Rom. 5.3 4 5. And to keep us in obedience to keep us up in duty afflictions make Christians more watchful Psal 119.71 And indeed for practical Godliness the Church flourished most under the ten Persecutions and what tendeth to this is clearly for a Christians good 3. Again it is for their good to wean them from the world to draw out their desires after Heaven Nature doth encline us to love and like the world and constant prosperity doth encrease our love of it as seems to be implyed in Psal 62.10 If Riches encrease set not your hearts upon them But now tribulation weaneth our affections from the world helpeth to raise them unto things above according to our duty Col. 3.2 maketh us with the Apostle Phil. 1.23 desire to depart and to be with Christ 4. Again it for their good as it doth further their assurance and hope of Glory For a Christian may doubt of his
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
Refidence amongst their People be you then exhorted to make good use and improvement of present Gospel-Enjoyments you are not sure of a constant enjoyment of pious able and painful Ministers and the uncertainty of the future should make us lay in store of provision at the present lest by neglecting present opportunities we run our selves upon the damage of a future necessity The Jews were togather twice so much Manna on the sixth day as on other dayes because on the Seventh there was none to be found The Mariner hoiseth Sails to the present seasonable and right Gales of Wind. The Husbandman layeth hold on the present seasonable weather for the reaping and gathering in of the Fruits of the Earth And all of you in Summer lay in Provision for Winter Present Opportunities neglected may not in the future be enjoyed No Manna could be found on the Seventh-day the Wind turns and stands contrary the Summer is ended no harvest no reaping in Winter A People that enjoy a faithful and painful Ministry have the Manna of God's Word falling round about them they have the pleasant Gales of God's Spirit to waft them nearer to Heaven they have an harvest day of and pleasant seasons to make provision for Glory but if you neglect present Seasons you run desperate hazzards and adventure your precious souls upon great uncertainties He that sends his Embassadours to day may call them back to morrow God hath threatned his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with men The tongue that is speaking to you this day will be tyed up and silenced before the next Sabbath How miserable would it have been with Egypt in the seven years of Famine if there had not been vast provisions and innumerable store laid up in the seven years of plenty How miserable would they be pintched with hunger and cold in winter who have not laid in full and sutable provisions in Summer How miserable will they be in a famine of God's Word who have made no provision in times of plenty To be without Ministry and Ministers without World and Ordinances is the most miserable and destructive want in the world Where there is no Vision the People perish A People without a Pastour are without a Watchman to warn and awaken them without Lights to enlighten them without Guides to direct and lead them without Salt to season them without Physicians to heal them without Shepherds to watch over them to feed and defend them and the condition of such must needs be a miserable condition And to have such are as spoken of in Isa 56.10 11 12. blind and dumb covetous and greedy and drunkards or such as are mentioned in Ezek. 34. that are dispersers of the Flock not dispensers of the Word and Ordinances with force and cruelty to rule over you will be your cross not your comfort The actions of publick persons are very influentiall as is the Praetor such are the Citizens as is the Pedagogue such are the Children as is the Pastor such are the People like People and like Priest and how can there chuse but be Whoredom in Ephraim and Defilement in Israel when the Priests commit lewdness Am. 6.9 10. No wonder if that people be made a prey and brought to nought whose Watchmen are blind whose Preachers are dumb whose Champions are lame whose Physicians are sick whose Salt is unsavory whose Teachers are untaught whose Guides are ignorant of the Way whose Pastours are Impostors whose Pillars are Pollars fleecing but not feeding the Flock Doth not hence spring the ruine of the Church the contempt of the Ministry and all Church Orders and Ordinances the corruption of manners a sinck of sin and deluge of prophaness the starving of Charity the debasement of Religion the hazarding of your Graces the endangering of your soules for ever And for a Christian now to order his conversation aright it requires that God's Word should dwell richly in him in all Wisdom and to be preserved safe and found in infecting times it is expedient and necessary that he be fraught with the impregnable Cordials and Plague-expelling Antidotes of God's most holy Word This was the Preservative and Security of that good King Psal 119.11 I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Therefore my Brethren for the glory of God for the honour of Christ the credit and ornament of your Profession the rejoycing of your dying Minister and your own Salvation See that you walk in the strength of that Doctrine and Word I have almost for the space of these four years delivered unto you as the Prophet Elijah in the strength of the Cake until you come unto the Mount of God 1 Kings 19.8 That whether I come again unto you or be absent yet I may hear of your affairs that your conversation be as becomes the Gospel that ye stand fast in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel Now I have done with the Sore A Ministers Departure from his Poople I should now shew you the Plaister and apply it But of this by and by SERMON XIV Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified These words I have told you are part of Pauls Valediction to his Beloved Ephesians the Parts and Arguments whereof I have briefly shewed you In the words you have a twofold Remedy in opposition to a twofold Malady The first Malady was Affliction and Persecution mentioned in ver 29. for which the Apostle prescribeth God as the Sovereign Cure and Remedy And now I commend you to God The second Malady is Infection and Heresie mentioned ver 30. for which the Apostle prescribeth God's Word as the best Preservative and Remedy And now I commend you to God and the Word which Remedy is further implified by the title given to it Grace the Word of his Grace 2dly From the precious effects and benefits of the Word first Edification secondly Life Eternal in these words which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Then the relative name Paul gives to the Ministers of Ephesus Brethren from which word you may remember I gave you this Observation Doct. That true and real Christians are Brethren It is not only true in respect of Ministers but of all Christians Pastors and People I have demonstrated it briefly and briefly improved it by way of Application But then secondly from the Provision of Security and Comfort that Paul commendeth his Ephesians to at his departure you had this Doctrine Doct. That God and the Word of his Grace is the best Security and Comfort a departing Minister can commit his People unto You may remember I took this Doctrine in two and gave you this Note or Doctrine Doct. That Ministers cannot alwayes expect a continued and uninterrupted Residence amongst their
Son Is he a pleasant Child Since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my Bowels are troubled for him and I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord. And this tender compassion is not a bare pitty but an helping relieving succouring Pitty Many have compassion but want ability to help and succour others have ability to help but want compassion but God hath both Mercy to pitty and Ability to help and save his People and therefore we have frequently an Act of Deliverance joyned with an Act of Mercy When Hazael King of Syria oppressed Israel all the dayes of Jehoahaz the Lord was gracious unto them and had compassion on them and would not destroy them 2 Kings 13.22 23. And the reason why God did not destroy the Jews in the Wilderness was because of his Mercy But he being full of Compassion for gave their Iniquity destroyed them not Psal 78.38 Mercy steps in and pleades prevailingly against Justice for the preservation of a People And this Compassion of God God's People have pleaded with him for deliverance Look down from Heaven and behold from the Habitation of thy Holiness and of thy Glory Where is thy Zeal and thy Strength the sounding of thy Bowels and Mercies towards me are they restrained O Lord thou art our Father and our Redeemer Isa 63.15 16. This Mercy is a sin-pardoning-Mercy And this will be a refuge to fly unto when ye are pursued by an accusing condemning Conscience for sin committed this is a Cordial of greater comfort than sin a cause of sorrow a Plaister of a larger proportion than the wounds of sin upon your Conscience it as far excells thy Scarlet-dyed sins as the distance is betwixt East and West As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed our transgressions from us Psal 103.12 compared to the height of heaven above the earth As the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is Mercy to them that fear Him Psal 103.11 And again My thoughts are not your thoughts nor my wayes as your wayes for as the Heaven is higher than the Earth so are my Wayes higher than your wayes and my Thoughts than your thoughts and therefore he will abundantly pardon Isa 55.7 8 9. Compared to a Sea that can swallow and cover Mountains as well as mole-hills Mic. 7.19 This Sea of Mercy covered Noahs Drunkenness Lots Incest Davids Adultery and Murder Mary Magdalens Whoredom Peters Denial of Christ and Pauls Persecution and covers the mountains and multitudes of sins of all God's People in all ages of the world and will be a Refuge for your security against the guilt of sin if you flee unto it this is a Refuge to secure you against the violence of the proud Psal 86.14 15 16. This is a Mercy so lasting that is everlasting In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting Kindness will I have Mercy on thee saith the Lord Isa 54.7 8 9 10. Christ is so merciful a Shepherd as in the dayes of his flesh he had compassion on the multitude because they were sheep without a Shepherd and now he sits upon the Throne of Glory he hath not laid this tenderness to his Church aside but will either provide fresh supplies or support and preserve his People under want of ordinary means by an extraordinary manner And to this Mercy I commend you that as a shield will defend you from the Curses Divinations Inchantments Anathema's of your enemies that will destroy your Persecutors pitty you under all your pressures redeem you from your miseries â—ecure you against the guilt of sin committed and provide for your want and relieve you by some ordinary or extraordinary way 3. This is to commit you to the greatest fidelity They that will defend and secure others must be faithful as well as merciful Faithless defenders are worse than open pursuers they rob us of the safety we expected and expose us to the danger we least feared Jaels peace was Sisera's death And how often did faithless Dalilah attempt to betray Sampson to the Philistines Judg. 16. And David must not lodge in Keilah because the Inhabitants would deliver him up 1. Sam. 23.11 12. Ahabs Children lost their heads by the unfaithfulness of their Guardians 2 King 10. How many famous and strong Castles well-fenced Towns and formidable Armies have been destroyed by the treachery of faithless Guards Commanders Open fields have more security with Faithfulness than the strongest walls with Treachery Nothing safe committed to the custody of faithless persons Orphans wronged and defrauded your Estates imbezeled your Persons betrayed your Lives exceedingly endangered and what comfort or security can there be in such Guardians or Protectors But to be committed to such Keepers whom Favour cannot win nor Preferments corrupt nor Rewards bribe nor Fear nor Threatening nor Dangers discourage but remain resolute and faithful against all is great Security and Comfort And such an one is God He is the faithful God faithful to make good his Promises faithful to preserve whatsoever is committed to him The Apostle would not have committed the Ministers the Affairs and Concernment of the Church of Ephesus to God if he had not been a faithful God Christ when he dyed said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And Peter exhorts the afflicted Christians in his dayes to commit their souls unto God as unto a faithful Creator 1 Pet. 4.19 And how many Martyrs when they have become whole offerings to God have given their souls in charge to God Father into thy Hands I commit my spirit whatsoever is laid up in the hands of God is safe and secure He cannot be bribed by Promises Rewards or any other way to surrender any thing that is committed to his custody He is faithful to the least Beast of our Herds to the least hair on your heads Luke 21.18 And if he be faithful in the least he will not be unfaithful in the greatest He is faithful to keep your persons in dangers not to give you up to the rage and ruine of your enemies The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive and he shall be blessed upon the Earth and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his Enemies Psal 41.2 And David prayes that God would secure him against false Accusers Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies for false witnesses are risen up against me Psal 27.12 He is faithful to preserve you from Temptation He binds up Satan that he cannot tempt you when he would and when he gives Satan leave to tempt yet God will be your refuge in the temptation God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to bear but with the temptation will find out a way for your deliverance 1 Cor. 10.13 Thus he prayed that Peters faith failed not Luke 22.31 his Grace was sufficient for Paul 2 Cor. 12.7 he is
a great energy 1. This is to commit you to the Captain of the Church The Church is compared to an Army with Banners and Christ is the Captain General of that Army John 5.13 14 this Captain is wise and pollitick to find out and disappoint the cruel Stratagems and bloody Designs of his Churches Enemies Psal 33. He bringeth the Counsel of the Heathens to naught and maketh the Devices of the People of none effect He is prudent in managing all the Affairs and Concernments of the Church and orders them for his Peoples advantage because He is Wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working Isa 28.29 As the Captain of his Church He goes before them in all their dangers He a bates the Fury of the Adversary he blunts the Sword he will make way for his People to follow him through the greatest difficulties He stops the mouths of hungry Lyons cooleth a Fiery-furnace makes a Jordan and a red Sea passable He hath tasted of every cup hath taken away the Poyson of it and makes it medicinal and sweet in the issue hence called The Leader and Commander of his People Isa 55.4 As your Captain he will succour you with new supplies of Strength and Courage in all your combatings with Corruptions Temptations and Satan and restore you when you are near vanquished his Grace is sufficient for you 2 Cor. 12. As your Captain he encourageth you by his Word Isa 41.13 14 15. Mat. 10.28 Luke 12.32 John 14.27 Rev. 2.10 by his Example Heb. 12.1 2 3. by promise of Reward that the Dunghil of your sufferings through perseverance and uprightness shall be turned into a Throne of Glory Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 3.10 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne Rev. 3.21 As our Captain he conquers all our Eenemies Sin Satan the World and crowns us with Victory Rom. 8.37 We are more than Conquerors through Christ that loved us And hence the Apostle triumphs O Death were is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 2. He is the King of his Church Psal 2.6 called the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 stilled the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 As King he will effectually call you and all others that belong to the Election of Grace into a state of Salvation Thy People shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power Psal 110.3 He will redeem you from the Thraldom of Sin and Satans Vassalage turning Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God Acts 26.18 Kings are the Refuge of their distressed Subjects like the Tree in Nebuchadnezzars Vision in whose branches the Birds builded their nests and under whose shadows the Beasts rested and secured themselves Dan. 4.12 So God is the great Refuge of his Church of his People Thy Name is a strong Tower and the Righteous fly thereunto and are safe Prov. 18.10 If you will be true Christians you must expect to meet with stormy and windy dayes within you and by corruption without you by wicked men and infernal Spiâ—its expect to be persecuted pursued with temptations stung with sin and buffeted by Satan but here is your Refuge Isa 32.2 A man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the storm and the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land This King of the the Church is glorious in Power fearful in Praises doing Wonders He is the Sole Soveraign of the three Kingdoms Heaven Earth and Hell and governs all the Creatures therein and disposeth their actions according to his will He stills the raging Sea turning the storm into a calm and limits the foaming and furious waves so far shalt thou go and no further He binds up the four Angels at the River Euphrates and looseth them at his pleasure and limits their rage i. e. He binds up and looseth and limits the Turkish Fury for an hour for a day for a month for a year which like mighty Seas break out and bear down before it mighty Nations and Kingdoms drowning them in the Floods of hostile Invasions and Miseries Rev. 9.14 15. This King binds up the Devil in the Chains of his Power and Providence that he cannot tempt you touch an hair of your head nor a Swine of your herd unless God give him leave and if he give him leave yet he limits for duration of time and measure so that your enemies shall neither sooner nor longer nor more afflict you than God gives them leave This King will subdue and conquer his Churches Enemies He will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2.9 He will strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Psal 110. they shall be before him as Dust before the Wind as Briars Thorns Stubble before the Fire Isa 27.4 This King is wonderfully rich and multiplies great Gifts and Priviledges upon his Church and People He is a Sun and Shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from you if ye live uprightly Psal 84.11 12. He will abundantly recompence all you works losses sufferings for him with an incorruptible Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 1.4 In a word in the day of his glorious Royalty when he comes to judge the World he will wipe off all the soot and blackness of Reproach and Sufferings and invest with an admirable Glory shining like the Sun in the Firmament 3. Jesus Christ is his Churches Shepherd Isa 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd And God promiseth that he will set one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even his servant David i. e. Christ of the Seed of David Ezek. 34.23 And Christ assureth us that he is the good Shepherd John 10.11 14 16. What a Shepherd is to his Sheep the same is Christ to his Church he will provide Pasture for his People He maketh me saith David to lye down in green Pastures and leads me beside the still Waters Psal 23. These green Pastures and still waters are Gospel Ordinances where his People feed and drink The variety of Ordinances shew the variety of feeding the richness and fulness of the Ordinances shew the plentifulness of feeding Here is Milk for Babes Wine for the Faint Water for the Scorched strong Meat for strong Christians Isa 55.1 2. He hath provided his Body and Blood to feast and feed you to Life Eternal He knows the number of his Sheep and their particular persons from other men John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep The Foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them
attendant of this Affliction The Churches Lamentation is some mens Jubilee Israel is a derision to Moab and they even skip for joy Jer. 48.26 Enemies at such time are either Rabshakahs or Ishmaels God's People are at such times much lashed with the scourge of tongues When David is forced to leave Jerusalem then comes out Shimei with his stones and curses 2 Sam. 16.5 In such a time 1. The Masters of Assemblies are reproached So are Ministers called Eccles 12.11 They have shot many a keen Arrow of Reproof out of the Bow of Ordinances and now they shall find them shot back again in Reproaches When God's poor Servants are silenced there are many mouths opened against them much trampling upon the dead Lion Reade Rev. 11.8 9 10. where you find the dead Bodies of God's Witnesses are a sight that the world can never have enough of they look upon them with as much content as she did upon John Baptists head Jeremiah makes it part of his Lamentation The vengeance lips reproach of adversaries and that sitting down and rising up he was their Musick not a meal but his Head as it were was served up he was their Table-talk they used their teeth in gnashing upon him as well as grinding their meat Reade Lam. 3.60 61 62 63. In most times the Ministry is as the dung-cart but in such times they are the filth and off-scouring especially 2. The Members of Assemblies Despiteful minds make them a Derision The Jews when this calamity befel them bore the shame of the Heathen Ezek. 36.4 5 6. Consider and behold our Reproach Lam. 5.1 The holiness of God's Peoples lives have bitten bad men many a time and now they will pay them for it in talking to the grief of them whom God hath wounded 3. The Exercises of the Assemblies No Vessels will please Belshazzer to carouse in but the consecrated Vessels of God's Temple no Jest in such a time like that which jerks at Religion Psal 137.3 The Babylonians would make themselves merry with one of Zions Songs It was grievous to have a Song required but such a Song O this went to their hearts It may be in such a time the Actions of the Pulpit are brought upon the Stage this is the Vineger and Gall which the Church hath when it is upon the Cross 4. The Time of Assemblies Lam. 1.7 Her enemies saw her and did mock at her Sabbaths They did deride their former observation of a Sabbath and the present cessation of it but especially at their former religious observation of it as if it was lost time Now have we at any time sinned our selves into such a condition as makes our enemies laugh and shall not we weep Reade Psal 80.5 6. Have we so far provoked God to withdraw from us that enemies have occasion given them to say Where is our God and should not tears be our meat should it not be as a sword in our bones Reade Psal 42.3 10. Pray consider Is not Reproach a burden in it self But further this Reproach is and hath been most burthensome to God's People and a mighty breaking to their hearts Reade when you have leasure Nehem. 1.4 4.4 Psal 69.19 89.50 51. 123.3 4. you will find under this they have mourned with this their hearts have been broken this they have born in their bosom and with this their souls have been exceedingly filled And surely there is great reason it should be so for 1. the things that they immediatly reproach are things dear to God and such in which his Honour is much bound up God hath three things that are especially dear to him His Truth his People and his Worship and all these are under such Providences grievously reproached 2. The strokes that are immediately given them do ultimately reflect upon God cast dirt upon him Isa 52.5 My Name is continually every day blasphemed The Blasphemies against theâ— Ezek. 35.12 13. Mountains of Israel are called Boastings against God and words against God 3. These Arrows of Reproach will fall upon mens own head They now grieve God and his People but hereafter finally and in the end they will be poor mens shame and confusion The burden that now lies upon God's Saints shall rest on the wicked in the end God will reckon here with them They shall bear their shame Ezek. 36.6 7. God answered the reviling Letter from the King of Assyria in the blood of his Army but especially hereafter Jude 15. He will convince of hard speeches He that will not miss an idle word will surely call to account for bitter Sarcasms venemous Taunts and Devil-like Rejoycings in the Afflictions of God's Servants And so I pass to the third Reason Reas 3. Because this speakes thee to be a true Son of the Church a living real Member thereof Thou maist see a Christians face in these waters of sorrow There is a voice in tears such tears they speak to God and they speak to thee too I will gather them that are sorrowful for the Solemn Assembly who are of thee i. e. saith Junius on the Text Hi sunt tui veri O Ecclesia Germani partus This argues one an Israelite indeed It is an argument of a very profane heart to sin away such Mercies and then to slight what we have done As Esau is called Profane Esau and in this he shewed it that when he had sold his birth-right he eat and drink and went his way Gen. 25.34 To be left of Assemblies and left under insensibleness of it is compleat Misery Can you be born of God and not lament for these teats Can you be Babes of Grace and not desire the sincere Milk not cry for your breasts This Sorrow is that which tells you you have got good by the Ordinances whilst enjoyed They that see no evil in the loss of them got little good by the enjoyment of them Would we know what the Word did whilst we had it how do we carry under the want of it Are we as Rachel weeping because our Solemn Assemblies are not The Godly among the Jews are described not only as Mourners in Zion but Mourners for Zion Isa 61.3 Isa 66.10 Where is your Love to Ordinances if you mourn not Doth that woman love her Husband that parts with him without a tear Oh therefore as even you would approve your selves to have gotten Grace under the Means mourn for the withdrawment of the Meanâ— of Grace By this means whilst any of us shall want the visible tokens of God's Presence amongst us we shall have an unquestionable token of his Presence in us We shall see some token for good upon our hearts whilst we cannot see our signs This Sorrow is as that of a woman in travel it hath something of joy in it It is the mark of a Child of God Roas 4. Fourth and last Reason is Because God will gather such as are sorrowful for the Solemn Assemblies Which Promise hath much in it 1.
Blood of Christ that you may grow thereby I commend you to the Word of God's Grace Acts 20.32 5. Make conscience of all your thoughts and words Do not entertain vain and unprofitable meditations especially beware of Ungodly Athiestical Envious Repining Quarelsom Impure thoughts God sees them and is angry at them The Lord knows the thoughts of man when they are vanity Psal 94.11 He will call us to an account for them in the Day of Reckoning he will Judge the secrets of men Rom. 2.17 and then every private and close thing shall be brought to light whether it be good or wether it be evil Eccl. 12. ult Entertain holy and profitable conceptions Carry something every day in your minds that is worth thinking of when you are at leasure and out of imployment Let some Experience Promise Threatning or some Obscure place of Scripture which hath been explained to you or some profitable part of Scripture-Story be treasured up in your minds that so you may not be at a loss how to imploy your thoughts when you have any vacant hours Sin many times enters in by the thoughts beware therefore of and silence sinful conceptions and imaginations lest they produce sinful actions And so make conscience of your words beware of idle frothy wanton expressions for of every such we must give account Let not your communication be such as that it should corrupt the manners of those you converse with David was careful of his words Psal 39.1 I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I conclude this with that in Ephes 4.31 5.4 Let all Bitterness and Anger Wrath Clamour and Evil-speaking be put away from among you as becometh Saints and Filthyness and Foolish talking and Scurrilous jestings which are not convenient 6. Be and continue to be good in evil times In times of prophaness be you holy by how much others are worse by so much be you the better It 's Noahs commendation that he was upright in his generation Gen. 6.9 now the generation in which he lived was very wicked Lot was pure in an impure Sodom Say as Joshua Chap. 24.15 Chuse you whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord So let us say let others prophane Sabbaths we will sanctifie them let others despise Prayer we will call upon God as long as we live Be not stumbled because you see the way of holiness every where spoken against Fire burns the hotest in winter nights let your zeal for God's Honour appear when others are Luke-warm and Cold. Do not think the worst of holiness because contemned by wicked men they are fools and are not competent judges Who thinks the worse of himself because a fool laughs at him Gold is gold still though thrown into the dirt by a mad-man so Religion is Precious and Honourable still though mad-men throw dirt upon it 7. Let your life be a walking with God Manifest Holiness and Piety in every turn of your lives Be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every turn manifest Holiness in every calling in every condition in prosperity in adversity in every relation when you are single before you change your condition and whilst you are in a married state A Christian may shew much of Piety in all these circumstances Be holy not only at sometimes but alwayes 8. Live the Life of Faith Gal. 2.19 the Life of Faith is an excellent Life it gives God the glory of all his Attributes of his Wisdom Goodness Faithfulness Power c. It 's a comfortable life Believing we have joy unspeakable and full of glory It keeps the soul from sinking under wants and troubles Faith as I may so say holds life and soul together If you live not the life of Faith ye cannot live see how much there is of unbelief so much there is of death yea unbelief is sometimes a promoter of temporal death That which the Apostle saith of worldly sorrow that it worketh death even natural death the same I may say of unbelief that it doth in it self hasten death for whilst infidelity and distrust prevails sadness discontent vexation repining and murmuring and fear prevails and all these are enemies even to the body of a Christian Moreover if we live by sence we shall lose much of our spiritual life your Graces and your Comforts will dye your Love Hope Joy and Delight in God will decay yea all Religion will decrease and grow faint Faith is the life of all Graces and Duties Sence and Reason is many times at its wits ends we know not what to do but Faith is never at a loss But our eyes are towards thee there is Faith in the former expression was the language of Sense Faith realizeth seeming impossibilities and presentiates things afar of Heb. 11.1 Act Faith for every thing wanting for your selves or for the Church Do you want pardon of sin is conscience burdened with the guilt of your corruptions act Faith upon such Promises as these Isa 1.18 Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be like Crimson they shall be as Wool and in Hos 14.4 Do you want Righteousness to make you amiable in God's Eyes live upon that Promise in Jer. 23.6 He shall be called The Lord our Righteousness and that in 1 Cor. 1.30 Do you want purging Grace would you feign be washt from the filth and pollution of your lusts Plead such a Promise as that in Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle you with clean water that ye may be clean from all your filthiness will I cleanse you Do you desire persevering Grace and are you fearful of falling away urge that place in Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling c. and John 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish my Father is greater than all and none shall pluck them out of my hands Live by Faith for Counsel when you are in the dark and cannot see your way clear Isa 42.16 I will make darkness light before them and crooked things streight For provision when in straits for security and preservation in a time of danger from Isa 33.16 His place of defence shall be the Munition of Rocks Bread shall be given him his Waters shall be sure And so for the Church Live by Faith for the restoring of a faithful Ministry from Jer. 3.15 I will give them Pastors after my own heart which shall feed them with knowledge and understanding For the restoring of an instituted Worship Mal. 1.11 In every place Incense shall be brought and a pure offering Mal. 3.3 I will purifie the sons of Levi and they shall offer to the Lord a pure Offering in righteousness Believe for the returning of God to his Church and People after his seeming departure and forgetting them Isa 49.14 15 16. Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee
thy walls are continually before me 9. Expect and prepare for Troubles A Christian's way to Heaven is not alwayes strewed with Roles Piety hath heen persecuted from the beginning of the world Wicked Cain killed righteous Abel because Abel's deeds were righteous Ishmael persecuted Isaac even in Abraham's family Christ left this Lesson to his Disciples when he left the world John 16.2 These things have I told you beforehand that ye should not be offended They shall excommunicate you from the Synagogues Yea the time comes when he that kills you shall think he doth God service If you resolve to follow Christ you must resolve to bear his Cross after him as Simon did Forgo the love of friends rather than the love of God 2 Tim. 3.12 Christ doth not always call His do die for him but he expects they should be willing and prepared to do so if he require it See Luk. 14.26 27. Whosoever leaveth not father and mother cannot be my Disciple Leaveth not that is in affection and disposition and when the time comes in execution and reality Every Christian must be an habitual Martyr though all are not so actually To this end lay up suffering Graces as Faith Love Patience c. get your hearts warmed with a sense of Christs love to you in doing and suffering so much for us let your love be so vehement that many waters may not be able to quench it and then sit loose to every creature A man will with ease part with that to which he is dead already 10. Prove all things 1 Thess 5.21 Take not upon trust do not jurare in verba Doctoris believe any Doctrine meerly because such an one delivers it as is cryed up in the world for some-body Be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether the things they heard were so or no. Whoever shall preach to you if he brings any Doctrine or adds any new Article of Faith try them Every Christian hath a Judgment of discretion left him whereby he may try whether that which is pressed upon him either for belief or practice be according to the Analogie of Faith We must not rest in a blind implicit faith it 's for Romanists to believe as the Church believes and what it is the Church believes they understand not Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them And so if they preach any new Worship bring it to the Touch-stone see if it be not without Warrant from the Scriptures try whether it be not gilded Superstition or will-worship under the cloak of Decency and Order If any scruple arise in your minds and you not able to satisfie your selves consult with able Christians or some able and faithful Guide Seek knowledge at the Priests lips even in private as well as publick All is not Gold that looks like it See what the great Doctor of his Church saith Matth. 23.7 9. Call no man Rabbi that is do not tye your Faith to his Dictates do not believe because he saith it Many dubious and controverted things are creeping even at this time into the Church therefore â—â—y them Satisfie your minds and judgments before you proceed to practice Be sure that what you do shall have God's approbation Worship God from Judgment not from Presidents 11. Be frequent and diligent in reading and meditation For ought I know this may be one of the greatest helps we may have 1 Tim. 4.13 Take that advice of Paul to Timothy Till I come give attendance to Reading So till God's Ministers be returned to you again give attendance to Reading When you cannot have Scriptures read and preached in God's House then make a Church of your own house Phil. 2. Paul commends himself to Philemon and the Church in his house this is a high Commendation of him that he had Domesticam Ecclesiam a house-hold Church As Calvin in loc In Mal. 4.4 we meet with this Exhortation Remember the Law of Moses my Scrvant which I commanded to all Israel with the Statutes and Judgements Doubtless they had been commanded frequently before this time to remember the Commandments of God therefore there is a peculiar reason why the Prophet repeats it and concludes his Prophecy as it were with this Exhortation the reason is this Malachi was the last of the Prophets after him the Jews were not to have any more Prophesying till the coming of the Messiah he knew how prone they were to follow the dictates of their own hearts and to walk in their own inventions to swerve from God's Institution as how soon did Israel fall to Idolatry when their Prophet Moses was absent from them but forty dayes Exod. 32.1 2 3. he therefore adviseth them in this interim to attend to the Law of God delivered by Moses and the Writings of the Prophets which were as Commentaries upon that Law that they would continue to reade and meditate and act according to that Law till the great Prophet should come Brethren I cannot say that we that are about to be silent are the last Ministers you shall hear no I suppose you may have others succeed us whose Apprehensions and Judgments concerning the things in controversie may be different from ours and may suffer them to condescend to and close with more for the continuance of their Opportunities than others can Now if God doth provide you a Successor if he be one that speaks according to the Law and prophesies according to the Analogy of Faith I would not advise you to separation from publick Ordinances no when they may be had in God's Way when the preaching of the Word is sound and the Substantials of the Ordinances observed and may be enjoyed without sinful Appendixes though you should take pains to fetch them or go some considerable way to enjoy them they are to be prefered before private exercises But this I say if it should be your hard lot after our departure from you to be deprived of publick Ordinances at home and to be out of a capacity to enjoy them abroad then I say you may freely and comfortably close with the advise propounded In this fore-mentioned case let the Bible preach to us when Ministers cannot when we cannot hear living Prophets let dead Prophets preach to us I mean this see what good you can get out of the wholesome Discourses of God's departed Prophets Many Ministers preach by their surviving Works when they themselves are in their Graves by their works though they be dead do yet speak Let the Bible be your rule alwayes refer to that in things to be believed and in things to be practised Scholars use to study their Rules well and then they cannot do amiss 12. Endeavour to walk in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost This was Christ's advice to his Disciples when he was about to leave them John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled In the world ye shall