Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
conscience_n	good_a	heart_n	merry_a	1,048	5	9.9107	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

when as they who stand fast do even force a good Testimony from their Enemies So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer the Papists did perswade him to subscribe and did he get any honour by it No truly they did upbraid him and reproach him and so he had dyed in a raving condition had not the Lord been merciful to him I remember a speech of St. Austin about drinking of Healths Oh! say they 't is upon the King's Birth-day and we cannot avoid it If we deny it say they we shall be reproached and scorned of men He gives them many Answers to it but one as I remember was this God will so work that if you will not comply with them they in their hearts will honour you and whereas if you did comply with them they would dishonour you and say you are base spirited That is one thing of this Point that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward you shall walk with him in the white of honour they shall walk in the white of honour with his People and it may be with the World too 2 They shall walk in white in the white of peace and joy and inward comfort I shewed you in the opening of the Text how the Scripture calls that walking in white Then the Point is this What ever becomes of the other white of honour in the World they shall be sure of this that abundance of peace and joy and comfort shall possess their souls that keep their garments white they shall walk in the inward white of joy and peace with Jesus Christ and this is a blessed Reward Indeed now this joy this white of joy arises in the Soul three ways 1. From the Testimony of their own Consciences Oh! they who have a good Testimony from their own Consciences walk in white 2 Cor. 1.12 We have this for our rejoycing the Testimony of our Consciences that in all simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in Heaven that is walking in white this is our rejoycing our Conscience speaks well of us and kindly to us and who is able to express the sweetness of this thing None can know what this is but they that have it as it is said of the New Name written upon the white Stone Rev. 2 1● 'T is a thing beyond expression what the joy an● peace of a good Conscience is Now this I say that our white Garments and our walking in white ariseth from the Testimony of our Consciences 2. As from the Testimony of our Consciences so from that Testimony which is greater than out Consciences the Spirit the shedding abroad of Divine Love thus it is with those that do not defile their Garments but endure any thing rather then defile their Garments Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not onely so but we glory in Tribulations knowing Tribulation worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed and whence was all this because of the Holy Ghost which was given to us this causeth joy unspeakable The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of God This Witness doth cause wonderful joy much more then the witnesses of our own Consciences 3. This ioy doth arise from that well-grounded hope which that Soul hath that keeps himself clean hope of enjoying Heaven at last hope of future glory is our present joy Rom. 5.2 By whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and joyce in hope of the glory of God Now they who keep their Garments white have good ground of hope of the love of God therefore this must needs cause them to walk comfor ably as they who have this hope purifie themselves so they who purifie themselves have good ground of this hope and therein great cause to rejoyce Pet. 1.5 6. Who are kept by the power of God brough Faith unto Salvation ready to be revealed in ●e last times wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for 〈◊〉 season if need be ye are in heaviness through many emptations We walk in white in the hope we have of that In●eritance Now lay these three things together ●f they who keep their Garments undefiled have ●he Testimony of their own Consciences and the ●estimony of the Spirit shedding the Love of God ●n their hearts and a well-grounded hope of fu●ure ●lory how can it be but these must walk in white ●ith Jesus Christ that is in comfort and joy of ●e Spirit and of their own spirits Thus David walked he had abundance of joy up●n the Conscience of his own integrity and keeping his heart and hands clean from those iniquities ●is enemies charged him with Ps 3. The Lord shall ●udge his people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness and according to mine integrity that is in ●●e He appeals to the Lord the Lord shall judge ●is people Judge me O Lord according to my ●ighteousness Thus he appeals to God himself he ●ad so much confidence and his heart gave him ●hat he kept himself from those iniquities So Job walkt in white though his Friends blackt him exceedingly yet he walked in white in his Conscience Job 16.19 Behold my Witness is in Heaven and my Record is on high I have not onely a Witness in my Conscience but my Witness is above He walked in white notwithstanding all his afflictions from God and his Friends Hezekiah walkt in this white when death 〈◊〉 him in the face Lord thou knowest I have we upright with thee I need not stay in the proof of the thing let 〈◊〉 make some Use and Improvement of it Vse Is this blessed reward to those who ke●● their garments white to walk in the white of peac● and joy then here we see the happiness of all tho●● who are true to Christ and his wayes Psal 119. ● Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in th● Law of the Lord. 'T is just in the Language of 〈◊〉 Text they indeed shall walk in white it is a grea● part of our blessedness to have peace of conscience and inward joy Oh how much better is it that the peace and joy of this world and the comforts of this world Prov. 15.13 A merry heart or as another Translation saith A good Conscience and indeed a merry heart and a good Conscience do but one explain the other a merry heart or a good Conscience is a continual Feast Here is no● surfeiting in this feast but a continual Musick co●tinual joy and comfort oh how blessed are the● who are undefiled in the way That which Christ said of the Lilly Solomon 〈◊〉 all his glory was not arrayed like one of these so may I say of the Lilly-white soul that keeps himself white in the world who keeps himself white i● matter of practice and worship Solomon in all 〈◊〉 glory was not arrayed like one of these Lilly-white ones Oh the Rivers of Consolations that flow to them that keep themselves out of

the World oh ● would there were not See that 1 Tim. 6.3 4 ● where the Apostle acquaints you with such men saith he If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which 〈◊〉 according to godliness the wholsome Doctrine th● healing Word what then in the 4th Verse 〈◊〉 he He is proud knowing nothing but doating ●bout questions and strifes of words where●● Wines enter strife-railings evill surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt mindes and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness or as most read it that godliness is a gain a meer Trade to get money by from such withdraw thy self If you be not baptized they will tell you you are not a Christion and baptized you shall not be unless you pay for it they will tell you eat flesh you must not at such and such times but if you will pay for it you may they will tell you you must not sin by no meanes but if you will pay for it you may and have a pardon for i● when you have done such a one as they can give Oh I beseech you when ever any make use of Religion to get money by take heed of them saith the Apostle from those that make godliness a Trade to get money by withdraw thy self and know that godliness with contentment is great gain Doubtless godliness is the best Trade in the world if closely followed but the worst if worldlily followed but to take up a Profession of the Christian Religion meerly for pomp and state and to get gain oh ruefull is Christian Religion made use of for such ends as this Oh take heed therefore as ever you would stand fast in the Faith and hold fast the Profession thereof take heed of all and every sort of men that make use of Religion to get money by Secondly Take heed of the errour of the wicked lest you fall from your own stedfastness this advice you have from the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore believed seeing you know these things before beware lest you also being led away by the err● of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness the 〈◊〉 ●our of the wicked is like to make one as wic●● as they pray what was this errour of the wick●● it was this there were a generation of wicked men that said It was in vain to serve God for say they where is the promise of his coming onely Beloved it was as much as to say there were no reward for godliness nor no wages for ungodliness Oh take heed of this error of the wicked it is a wicked ●●rour and none but wicked ones hold it to wit The it is in vain to serve God therefore keep this still 〈◊〉 your hearts that Verily in keeping his Commandements there is great reward if there were no more but the very work it is a great honour to us that we may be servants to such a God but Beloved Be stedfast and unmoveable knowing that your la●●● shall not be in vain in the Lord. Mal. 3.13 there is the like instance Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord yet ye say what have we spoke● so much against thee this God is lwayes quarrelling with us and laying things to our charge what 〈◊〉 we said in the 14th Verse Ye s●id it is in 〈◊〉 serve God and what profit is it that we have kept 〈◊〉 Ordinances we have walked mournfully before 〈◊〉 Lord of Hosts and now we call the proud happy 〈◊〉 they that work wickedness are set up yea they 〈◊〉 tempt God are even delivered well now what 〈◊〉 lowes Then they that feared the Lord spake 〈◊〉 one to another as if they had said let not 〈◊〉 things take any thing off the edge of our affecti●● or quench any flame of our love did God ta●●●ny notice of this now that he had any such fri●● in the World yes saith he God hearkened and heard and a Book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his name and they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Jewels and I will spare them as a man spares his own Son that serves him there is a time a coming the day will declare whether it be best serving God or the Devil well then Beloved as ever you would hold fast the Profession of your Faith take heed of the errour of the wicked never think it vain to serve God though you may loose by it for if you loose for him ye shall never loose by him Thirdly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then lay up the word of Faith in a good and honest heart Luke 8.15 It is said there of the good ground they are they which having heard the Word keep it or hold it fast where do they lay it up now in a good and honest heart so that you must pull out his heart before that you can pull out the Word and will any man suffer his heart to be torn from him you will never hold it fast till you lay i● up in a good and honest heart if it be onely in the hands of a Bible is in your hands or in the head it will be gone but if it be in your hearts you will never let it go therefore observe saith he Having heard it they keep it and hold it fast in an honest and good heart and b●ing forth fruit with patience they had a great deal of sufferings to bring forth with patience for if they were not under suffering what 〈◊〉 were there of patience Well Beloved con●●●●● a little further as to this the connexion between the Verse preceding the Text and the Text saith he Let us draw near 〈◊〉 a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled with an evil Conscience and our bodies washed with pure water Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith the purity of the heart is the best preservative of the Faith 1 Tim. 3.9 holding the mystery of the Faith in a pure Conscience a good and honest heart will never part with the mystery of Faith Lastly Would you hold fast the Profession of your Faith then look much to and often consider Jesus Christ the Authour and finisher of your Faith David had got the faculty of walking with God and how was it saith he I will keep thy loving kindness before mine eyes that I may walk with thee Oh if we do but keep the loving kindness of God in Jesus Christ before our eyes we shall certainly keep the Faith saith the Apostle Having a High Priest over the House of God let us draw near and let us hold fast a High Priest that is Jesus Christ our great High Priest Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy Brethren be partakers of the Heavenly Calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Professi●● Christ

when death affliction comes Jonas lay quietly asleep till the storm came O my Friends we must shortly lie a dying the Lord knows how soon O what wil you do for comfort in a dying hour all other comforts may forsake you before that time you may meet with sorrow heavy afflictions so that all your friends in the world wil not do you good your friends may fail your hearts may fail then no comfort but the comfort of the Holy Ghost will do you good the time may come that all your friends may pr●●●● miserable comforters when God comes to 〈◊〉 with the so●● to set sin home upon the conscience to lay sin before us then what will you do We are all guilty of sins of omission and sins of commission when these come to be changed upon the soul what will you then do Then no plaister of comfort wil stick but those of the Spirits laying on unless the Spirit seal up the pardon of sin the love of God to the soul nothing will be quiet and comfort the soul however men may be merry for a time yet there is a time of sorrow that will come when they shall reflect upon their ways when they shall see nothing but sin behind them and terrors before them Oh! what amazement will seize upon their souls they have no interest in God in Christ they have no interest in the Promises there is nothing that will comfort you unless you have an interest in the Spirit But then what shall I do that I may get this comforting Spirit into my Soul First Thirst earnestly after it The promise is made to those that thirst after it Isa 44.3 Thirst after him in his convincings in his humblings in his sanctifying mercy Oh let the desire and longing of thy soul run out this way no matter for an Estate no matter for friends and outward comforts if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast that is paramount to all outward comforts Secondly Pray earnestly for the Spirit You are not so willing to give your children what they want as God is to give his Spirit to them that ask it Cry mightily Lord give me thy Spirit and cry to the Spirit and say as Laban to Jacob Come in so pray the Spirit so come into thy Soul Thirdly If you would have this Comforter to come and abide with you You must resolve to become Christs Disciples It is only for such that Christ prays that God would send the Comforter you must hearken and obey him and follow him wheresoever he goeth You know the terms upon which you must be Christs Disciple Matth. 16 24. He must deny himself and take up his Cross and daily follow Christ He 〈◊〉 deny him-self There is two selfs in a man nay three selfs and they must be denied but however 〈…〉 two must be denied if you intend to be Christs Disciple 1 A mans righteous self If any thing that we are that we have or can do from our works or duties any thing of our own all must be denied in point of Justification 2 Sinful self A mans corruptions must be denied pride passion and love to the world 3 Natural self Friends Estates Relations Credit and Honor and outward comforts these may be denied you may be called to part with them but if they come in competition with Christ they must be denied 2 You must take up the Cross of Christ rather then forsake his honour or disobey his commands You must resolve to follow Christ wheresoever he shall lead you either in a way of active or passive obedience you must take up Christs load you must undergo his burden Now Christians are you resolved upon this now sit down and consider what it will cost you to be Christians and if you would have the best you must be contented with the worst and if you are resolved upon this then you are the true Disciples of Christ and you are under the promise of his comfort and Christ is praying the Father to send you another Comforter who shall abide with you for ever The second use of Exhortation 2 Use Is of Exhortation wherein I shall apply my self to the true Disciples of Christ those that have had communion with Christ in his sanctifying presence labour after communion with him in his comforting presence To all others that are without the Spirit of God I may say as Jehu to Jehoram What hast thou to do with these things Labour to be convinced of the need and want of Christ but such as have been partakers of the Spirit of Christ as a sanctifying spirit labour after communion with him as a comforting spirit and to this end I shall stir you up to this 1 By way of Motive 2 By way of Comfort First By way of Motive Though you have some comsort it is but little in comparison of what you may have and in comparison of what you may stand in need of though a Saint would not change the saddest hour of his life for the sweetest hour in his former condition If the Saints of God did enjoy the comforts that they might oh what blessed lives might they live but they are so full of trouble as if there were no holy Ghost the Comforter The people of God are oftentimes troubled without a cause as that holy man Why art thou cast down oh my soul He could not render a true account of his trouble he was sad but he could not tell why or wherefore 2 When there is cause they are apt to be troubled without measure In those cases where it is a sin not to be troubled at all the people of God are apt to be troubled overmuch as the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt It were a sin for them not to be troubled but they were so full of troubles that they could not hearken to Moses and Aaron and so the Disciples in the Text it were a sin for them not to be troubled for the absence of Christs body but so to be troubled as if God could not comfort them without him this was their weakness And to come to our case it were a sin to slight this Dispensation of God that is coming upon us if we should not be troubled for the loss of the Ministers of Jesus Christ but to mourn before God under the sense of this Dispensation to mourn so much as to think that when these are gone all is gone to be so much troubled as not to hearken to the words of the Text That we have a Comforter I remember an admirable expression of a child to his mother when his father was dead to shew That out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings God can manifest his praise Why Mother says the child though my Father be dead yet God is alive May I not say so to you Though your Ministers be as it were naturally dead yet is not God alive is not the Spirit of God alive Though you have some

shake his Kingdom about his ears Sathan and Antichrist know that their Kingdom must down by the power and light of the Gospel and therefore Sathan and men of an Antichristian spirit do all they can to oppose and shew their hatred against the everlasting Gospel and this makes them to be in such a rage against the Gospel Quare 2. When the Gospel goes from a People what goes I shall give but a touch here 1 When the Gospel goes Peace Plenty and Trading goe 2 Chron. 15.3.5 and 6. compared Now for a long season Israel had been without the true God and without a teaching-Priest Why They had Priests but they were Jeroboam's Priests as you may see Chap. 13. ver 9. Have you not cast out the Priests of the Lord the Sons of Aaron and the Levites and have made you Priests after the manner of the Nations of other Lands so that whosoever comes to consecrate himself with a young Bullock and 7 ●ams the same may be a Priest of them that are no Gods A little business will buy a Priesthood and so they are said to be without the true God without a teaching Priest and without Law Mark what follows And in those times there was no pence to him that went out nor to him that came in but great vexations were upon all the Inhabitants of the Countrey and Nation was destroyed of Nation and City of City for God did vex them with all adversity 2 Safety and security goes when the Gospel goes so in the Text but now cited The Ark was taken away and when that was taken away their strength and safety was gone When the Jews rejected the Gospel the Romans came and took away both their Place and Nation John 11.48 If we let him thus alone the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation About fourty years after Titus Vespatian took away their City they cryed If we let this man alone the Romans will take away our Nations And this was the ready way to bring the Romans upon them 3 When the Gospel goes Civil Liberty goes When the Jews sleighted the Gospel and turned their backs upon it they quickly became Bondslaves to the Romans 4 When the Gospel goes the honour and glory splendour and beauty of a Nation goes It is the Gospel that is the honour and glory of a Nation and when that goes all the glory goes As old Eli said When the Ark was taken away the glory is departed from Israel 1 Sam. 4.22 Jer. 2.11 12 13. Hath a Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods but my People have changed their glory for that which doth not profit that is the Worship of God into the Traditions of men Wh●t is it that lifts up one Nation above another but the Gospel Above all Nations of the Earth England hath been lifted up to Heaven 5 When the Gospel goes all soul-happiness and blessedness goes The Gospel you know is the means appointed by God to bring Souls to an acquaintance with Christ to an acceptance of Christ to an interest in Christ to an assurance that he is theirs and they are his Now when this goes all soul-happiness and blessedness goes Lastly When the Gospel goes the special presence of God goes for that still goes with the Gospel There is a general presence of God as the Psalmist speaks Psal 139. Where shall I go from thy Spirit Whither shall I fly from thy presence I his presence of God reacheth from Heaven to Hell in that sense God is included in no place not excluded out of any place But alas What is this general presence When the Gospel goes the special presence of God goes This leads me by the hand to the third Quaery Quaerie 3. And that is this Whether God will remove the Gospel from England or no It is the fears of many but I humbly suppose no Whatsoever Darkness may be upon it yet that God will not remove it and if you please I will offer a few things that signifie something as to my own satisfaction and it may be so to you 1 The rooting that it hath got in the hearts of sinners and Saints in the Judgment Affections and Consciences both of Sinners and Saints Certainly it hath got so deep a root in the hearts of many thousands of Saints and Sinners that it shall not be in the power of Hell to raze it out 2 The glorious Anointings that are to be found upon many thousands of God's Servants in this Nation to preach the everlasting Gospel and who would be glad to preach upon the hardest terms keeping God and a good Conscience to preach it freely as the Apostles of old did And certainly God hath not laid in this Treasure that it should be turned into a heap of Confusion but that it should serve to the end for which he laid it in 3 The ineffectualness of all former Attempts and Designs to destroy the Gospel You know what endeavours of old there hath been to darken this Sun to put out the light of Heaven in the Marian days and in other days since them and yet it hath not been in Prisons Racks Flames Pillories nor any thing else to extinguish the glory of it And then 4 All Designs and Attempts to extinguish the everlasting Gospel have turned to the advancement flourishing and spreading of the Gospel 5 God never takes away the Gospel from a People till the Body of that People have thrust the everlasting Gospel from them when indeed they have been so bold as to thrust away the everlasting Gospel God hath been severe unto them But till the Body of a People have thrust away the everlasting Gospel God hath not taken it away from them 2 Chornicles the 36. Chapter and the fifteenth verse to the end God sent his Messengers early and late they abused and sleighted and scorned them till there was no remedy So in the 35. of Jeremiah from the first to the twelfth it is a famous Text for this So in the thirteenth Chapter of the Acts and the 45 46 and 47 Verses Because you have thought your selves unworthy of Salvation loe we turn to the Gentiles Till the Jews came to thrust away the everlasting Gospel the Lord continued it to them 6 The spreading of the everlasting Gospel is the special means appointed by God for the destruction of Antichrist First he is to be consumed by the Spirit of his Mouth then destroyed by the brightness of his coming the Spirit of Faith and Prayer in them that would be willing to lay down any thing rather then part with the Gospel God will not put his blessed Church to the blush he will not make them ashamed of their confidence 7 Are there not multitudes of the Children of Believers that fall under many Promises and will not God make good his Engagements to them I will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your Seed and the Seed of the Vpright shall be blessed

debasement of Christ yet if he had been born to a Crown to Honour it had been something but he was born to shame to sorrow and death But man by grace is born to a Crown to a Kingdom he has a title to all the glory and blessedness of Heaven from the first moment of his new birth So 't is in the Text Grace be unto you and peace Peace in Scripture is a very comprehensive term it carries in it all happiness It was the common greeting of the Jews Peace be unto you Thus David by his Proxy salutes Nabal Peace be to thee and thy House and the Apostle here alludes to this form of Salutation that he might mix new Testament mercy to old Testament manners he first stiles grace before peace as Jacob did with his Venison he made it a savoury meat such as Isaac loved Peace is the glory of Heaven in the Bosom of God and brought into the World in the Arms of Angels the first peace you read of in the Gospel was peace by the administration of Angels Luke 2.13 14. And suddenly there was with the Angels a multitude of Heavenly Host praising and saying Glory be to God in the highest and on Earth peace good will towards men And when our Lord Christ first sent out his Disciples this was the Doctrine that he bid them preach Matth. 10.12 13. When you come into a house salute it and if it be worthy let grace peace come upon it Mark here by the way Our Lord Jesus Christ is no enemy to good manners he would not have Christians to be Clowns which is the use of some among us who would have their Religion quarrel with good manners no but in whatsoever City or Town you enter salute it and let grace peace come upon it that is wish peace to them saying The peace of God be upon this place upon the head and hearts of all in it So that peace is both a Gospel-salutation when Ministers and People meet and it 's also a Gospel-valediction when the Minister and the People part So did the Apostle and so do I now Grace be with you and peace I observe in Matth. 10.13 14. our Lord bids his Disciples when they enter into a house if the house be worthy to let their peace come upon it but if they be not worthy let grace peace return unto you Instead of leaving peace with them to shake off the dust of their feet against them that is to shew that God will shake them off as dust and tread them under feet as fewel My Brethren your diligent atteddance on the Word at this place hath comfortably prevented that part of my charge to shake off the du● of my feet for how beautiful have the feet of a poo● Worm been to you being shod with the prep●ranon of the Gospel of Christ And therefore seeing our Lord Jesus Christ said If they be worthy of th●● peace abide with them On this account I wish to you Grace and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ But what is this Peace It 's the beauty of Union the harmony of the Creation the pleasure of Life the feast of a good Conscience it 's that which makes life sweet and death easie● Peace sweetens all our Possessions and all our Afflictions without this the fulness of the World is a burden with this poverty and emptiness is a pleasant Companion without this our bread is gravelled with sowrness and our water mingled with bitterness with this green herbs become a feast and our Water is turned into Wine Peace it 's the most beautiful Creature in the World and therefore it 's beloved of all courted of all many fee● her but few there be that enjoy her they do not go the right way to find her for in the ways of right● ousness is peace Peace is the seminary of all blessing● Temporal as Grace is of all blessings Spiritu●l In Grace you have implyed all holiness in Peace all happiness In grace all inward in peace all ou● ward blessings Grace and Peace are the Alp● and Omcga of all Blessings as God is of all Being● no blessing comes before grace and no blessing l●● longer Then see in this phrase of speech the 〈◊〉 postle wishes upon them as I do upon you all 〈◊〉 blessings both of Time and Eternity and yet 〈◊〉 wished no more to them then God promise● give them 1 Tim. 4.8 For godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come Grace be unto you and peace c. not one without the other though a man may have grace without peace as in a time of desertion or temptation and a man may have peace without grace as in a secure and unregenerate Condition grace without peace is often found in a troubled Conscience and peace without grace is often found in a seared Conscience as grace without peace is very uncomfortable so peace without grace is very unprofitable like Rachel beautiful but barren Therefore the Apostle desires ye should have both grace and peace and we say the Sun and Salt are the most useful Creatures in the World the one for shining the other for seasoning My Brethren grace and peace are the Christian's Sun and Salt grace is the light of their souls and peace is the savour of their comforts grace shines through all their faculties and peace seasons all their mercies The blessings of God are become as Twins as Christ said of the Spouse Cant. 4.2 She is like a flock of sheep that are even shorn which came up from the washing whereof every one bears twins and none is barren among them Grace and peace here are knit together by the Spirit of God in a sacred knot not to be untyed As Castor and Pollux when seen together portend happiness to the Mariner so when grace and peace are found in a Soul together they portend the highest security and blessing to the Believer they are said in Scripture to be bound together where God gives the one he never denyes the other If he gives you me Upper Spring of grace he will give you the other Spring of peace for they go both together If be gives you the Dew of Heaven you need not question the fatness of the Earth If his right hand be full of merey his left hand shall not be empty Therefore Grace and peace be with us from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Grace has a double sense either for the grace of God to us that justifies us or the grace of God in us that sanctifies us Now there is a distant peace flowing from each of these but still its grace and peace First justifying grace has a peace attending that Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God So far as we have confidence in justifying grace there remains no Conscience of condemning sin As there can be no bitterer War then between Conscience and the

Cure so there can be no sweeter peace then when mercy and peace meet together and when Conscience and Pe●ce kisleth each other The former is the tast of Heaven the latter is the perambulation of Heaven both which the Believer shares in upon his Justification by Faith If Christ had peace who was made our sin● needs must the Believer have peace who is made the righteousness of God in him Secondly Sanctifying grace has a peace attending it and this peace differs from the former as the root from the fruit The peace of Justification is a radical peace the root of peace but the peace of Sanctification is the Bud the Blossom of the Tree The former flows from the Bloud of Christ sprinkled on the Conscience the latte● from the conformity that is between the Word and Will between the Commands and the Conscience As many as walk according to this Rules grace be unto them and peace Gal. 6.16 So that peace is the frui of sanctifying grace Now as the bloud of the Paschal Lamb which was a token of peace was not to be struck on the Posts of the Egyptians but upon the Posts of the Israelites so neither is the bloud of sprinkling which brings perfect peace to be struck on the posts of the carnal sinner but on the post of the true Believer an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guil no grace no peace that is God's Law How can a sinner have peace in a state of sin when God and Conscience when Word and Conscience when Law and Conscience and all the Attributes of God are against the sinner No peace saith my God to the wicked Pray mark that Chapter it begins with peace and ends in no peace In vers 2. it 's said He shall enter into peace that is the Righteous In the last verse There is no peace to the wicked It 's the state of grace that 's the onely state of peace And thus I pass from the double grace desired grace and peace to the double Fountain discovered God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ But here 's a Question to be answered If Grace and Peace be from God the Father then how is it said to be from Christ and if from Christ how then from God the Father Answ It 's a known rule thar the transient exernal works of God are attributed to all the Three Persons in the Trinity the same Works that are attributed to the Father are also attributed to the Son and the same Works attributed to the Son the same also to the Father so grace and peace are here ascribed both to God the Father and to our Lord Jesus Christ that is they are both from mercy and from merit From mercy on God's part to us from merits on Christ's part for us They are from God the Father because he wills them to us from God the Son because he works them in us They are from God to Christ from Christ to us they are from God the Father originally and from Christ derivatively and to us actually God the Father is the Fountain of all grace and peace Christ as Mediator is the Conduit of all grace and peace Man in union to Christ is the Cistern into which these streams of grace and peace run God wills grace and peace to us and Christ works them in us God gives grace and peace to be applyed to the Creature this is from the love of the Father but the Application of this peace to the Soul is from the merit of Christ the Redeemer Thus you see there 's a double Spring of this double Blessing Time will not serve me further The onely Observation is That all the grace and peace which Believers share in is derived from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ these three things opened will clear this 1. That grace and peace are the Believer's priviledge 2. That the Fountain of this grace and peace is from God the Father 3. That it is not given out from God the Father but through Christ First That grace and peace are the Saints priviledge if grace is then peace is But grace is the priviledge of every Believer and that whether you look upon it as taken from the love and favour of God to us This is the Believers priviledge God can as well forget Christ at his right hand as cease his love and favour to the Soul of a Believer The Believers Title to all their blessings arises out of this never-failing love of God or if you take grace for the fruit of God's love to the Soul still it falls to the Believers priviledge Vocation Justification Adoption Pardon of Sin purging from Sins strength against Sin Holiness Love Faith Obedience Perseverance all these are the priviledges of every Believer nay a man cannot be a Believer without any one of them they are as essential to the being of a Christian as reason to the being of a man Secondly as grace so peace is the Believers priviledge There is peace Eternal peace Supernal peace Internal and peace External There is peace External this is peace with Men There is peace Supernal that is peace with God There is peace Internal that is peace with Conscience All these three are to be had upon Earth and then there 's peace Eternal and that is onely to be had in Heaven The Apostle here doth not exclude the former but chiefly intends the latter Peace with man is a good thing to be 〈◊〉 but peace with God and Conscience is 〈…〉 to be desired Peace with God is the 〈…〉 things both within and without both below and above both in time and Eternity so says Job If he gives peace who then can make trouble Now this peace is the Saints priviledge It is a Legacy left to every Believer by the last Will and Testament of a dying Redeemer Will you see a Copy of his Will then look in John 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you There is it seems a peace in the Worlds power to give and there 's a peace of Christ's bestowing Now Christ would have us here not to mistake the World's peace for his for the difference is very great for first the World's peace is a false peace it is a counterfeit Coyn it has not the currant stamp of Heaven on it but the peace that Christ gives to a Believer is true peace and perfect peace Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee Secondly the Worlds peace is an outward peace It is but skin-deep it wets the mouth cannot wash the heart Prov. 14.13 In laughter the heart is sorrowful and the end of that mirth is heaviness The Worlds peace is but the shell of peace their Conscience lowres when their countenance laughs but the Peace that Christ gives is an inward and spiritual peace Psal 4.7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time

keep their Garments undefiled and live in high favour with Christ they shall walk with Christ we favour those that walk with us Walking with Christ notes to us three things 1. That we have peace with him 2. That we have intimacy with him 3. That his being so much above us we should have this favour from him And hence I noted the great priviledge of the People of God that they shall walk with Christ 1. It notes the great satisfaction of the Saints to walk with Christ they shall be filled with his company 2. How safe it is and what safety there is to walk with Christ he hath a Wing to spread over them 3. What opportunities such have as walk with Christ 4. What liberty such have as walk with Christ 5. Such as walk with Christ may be sure he will communicate his secrets to them he will shew them what they have to do 2. We shewed you the great goodness of Jesus Christ that he would take such Creatures to walk with him such defiled Creatures 3. Then let us take heed of keeping our Garments undefiled lest Jesus Christ cast us out of his company and we can no longer walk with Christ any more Oh! take heed of walking blameless in the ways of Christ These things were spoken from the first Point Now I come to the walking with Christ in white In opening the Text I told you white might be considered two ways 1. As it respects our state and so that by way of Justification and thus they shall walk with Christ but this is not the walking in white the Text means 2. Here is a further walking in white and that is matter of reward to the people of God 1. To walk with Christ in white it is matter of honour white garments are matter of honour Princes great Kings walk in white garments so the Saints of God shall walk in white Christ will honour them and give them honour among them because they have kept their Garments undefiled They shall walk in white like great Princes and honoured Persons A good name is better then precious Ointment They that are good indeed they shall have a good name they shall walk in white To keep the Conscience clean is to keep the Credit clean and they who are careful 〈◊〉 blot their Conversations Christ will take 〈…〉 their Reputations that they be not blotted that they walk with me in honour 'T was worthily spoken in the 11. of the Hebrews They kept their garments undefiled and it was by the power of Faith and they obtained a good report by Faith keeping themselves from the pollutions of the World they kept themselves a good report This honour and good report which we get by keeping our Garments undefiled is sure Abraham had an honourable Title Abraham My Friend and a man after my own heart Isa 45.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honourable and not onely so that the people of God are honourable in his eyes but they also sometimes walk in white in the eyes of the men of the World he can give his people room in the opinions of men he moves their hearts to think well of them and he opens their mouths to speak well of them though indeed the honour which they who keep their Garments undefiled have in this World it is most usually from good men from godly men and indeed honour of them is most honourable It is not much to us what others say or think of us what the wicked World judge of us yet I say God can and doth sometimes raise a Testimony of honour for his people amongst carnal men of the World Joseph would not defile his Garments he walked in white amongst men true he was cast into Prison what of that he was respected by the Keeper of the Prison and afterward he walked in white In the whole Persi●● Court Daniel was one that walked in white with 〈◊〉 men of the World first with the Prince of the Eunuchs he had tender favour with him he told him he would not disobey God to please men yet he did not rail against him and call him a stubborn fellow because he would not bow to Baal and afterwards Daniel was as great a man as any in all that Province he walked in white God hath created Testimonies of honour for his people from some men of the World yea they many times put white Garments upon them so it was with Christ Matth. 27.4 common-men put a good report upon Christ a white Garment Truly saith the Centurion this was the Son of God Truly this was a righteous man saith he when he saw how he carryed himself at his death he gave him a good report Thus it doth come to pass God doth sometimes keep up their honour in the World who will not defile their garments nor touch the Sacrifice of Baal and it falls out so with them that the Lord shall clear up their credit and reputation and they shall walk in white in honour before the men of the World Rev. 6.11 where the Souls under the Altar are spoken of who were miserably used in this World white Robes were given them to every one of them that is their Evidences were cleared This may teach us the readiest way to the white Robe to the Robe of Honour it is to keep us from being defiled with sinful practices certainly they who please God he can make he World to honour them if God approves us he can make the world approve us too yet we must not think to have all men speak well of us yet this we may say if we keep our Garments undefiled we shall walk in white in the eyes of men if God see our Garments in the dirt and spotted with the filth of the World it will spoil the honour we should have in the World as it was said of Arius when his garments were defiled they called him Satanarius that is to say devilish Thus it may be for the Lord hath a time to take our good name from us to cause our light of honour to be taken from us And as he hath caused us to walk in the white of honour in the world so he doth sometimes cause us to walk in reproach with the World they who defile their Garments lose their honour with men and they lose their joy they should have hereafter Mal 2.9 You have departed from my Law therefore will I make you contemptible in the eyes of all men It is a design of the spirit of wickedness to draw men to sin that they may upbraid them that I conceive is the sense of the Apostle Gal. 6.13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they might glory in your flesh saith he Oh there are some of this wicked Spirit that would draw men to such and such wickedness not that they joy in their returning but that they might glory in their flesh

When Christ was put to death how did his followers lament him Is it not a lamentable sight to behold a poor weather-beaten rotten ship without Mast or Tackling in a tempest Good Lord what will become of the Ship and Mariners Is it not a sad sight to see a flock of sheep invironed with a band of wolves and no shepheard to protect them thus it is with people when their Minister is gone Ministers themselves have wept and lamented when they have thought of departing from their own people and that for these two causes First because they knew they would corrupt themselves suffer others to corrupt them Secondly because they knew they would corrupt themselves suffer others to corrupt them First because they knew they would corrupt themselves Moses he knew this Deut. 31.29 he is there leaving the world and the people thereof Call unto me the Elders of your Tribes that I may speak a word in their audience and call Heaven and Earth to record against them for I am sure that upon my departure you will utterly be corrupted and turned from the way that I have commanded you for behold I being yet alive with you in this day you are rebellious against God how much more then after my death I assure you it is cause of lamentation to think on this Thus it was with Joash while Jehojada that good Minister lived with him and instructed him in the way that he should walk he kept to the true worship of God but after Jehojada dyed he turned Idolater and persecuted the sons of Jehojada 2 Chron. 24.21 Secondly they knew that after their departure they would suffer others to corrupt them This was that that made Paul use these words to the Ephesians Ver. 29. For I know that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter not sparing the flock And therefore well may you mourn when a faithful Minister is taken from you I shall say no more only a word or two to Paul's speech wherein you have First Paul speaking to God for them Secondly Paul speaking from God to them First he spake to them from God and then prayed to God for them I shall divide this speech to them from God into these two parts First he spake something by way of vindication of himself Secondly he spake something by way of exhortation to them First You may observe in Paul's farewell speech something by way of vindication of himself and it is not amisse for a Minister when he is to depart from a people to say something in vindication of himself for there are enow that will when his back is turned lay falshood and scandals to his charge which they never durst do to his face Samuel knew this and therefore provided for it in 1 Sam. 12.1 And Samuel said unto them all Behold I have hearkened to your voice and have made you a King now behold the King walks in and out before you I am old and of grey hairs and must now leave you I have walked before you from a child to this day and now witness against me before the Lord whose Oxe have I taken or whose Asse have I kept whom have I done wrong to or whom have I hurt and of whose hand have I received a bribe to blind mine eyes therewith he stood here upon the justification of his life and carriage towards them that he had not been a self-seeking or oppressing man unto them and thus did Paul vindicate himself to the Ephesians give me leave to divide Paul's vindication into four or five parts First He tells them that he had constantly preached amongst them notwithstanding all the afflictions which encountred him v. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of mind with many tears and temptations which befel me through the lying in wait of the Jews Secondly He vindicates himself by telling them the manner of his preaching v. 20. I have taught you publickly and from house to house you know I may fitly apply this to my self for I have not only taught you publick●● but in many of your houses also But Thirdly He vindicates himself 〈◊〉 telling them the matter of his preaching and I blesse God it hath been my method ever since I preached among you v 21. testifying to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ and this is my rejoycing now I may preach no more that I have spent my time in declaring unto you the sundamentals and grounds of salvation and not in frivolous Ceremonies Fourthly He vindicates himself by declaring the impartiality of his preaching v. 27. I have not shunned to declare unto yot all the Councel of God Oh my Brethren though I cannot say I have declared all the Councel of God yet this through grace I can say that I have not shunned to declare any of it Fifthly Paul doth clear his Doctrine and withall himself by telling them he had preached freely v. 33. and 34. I have coveted no mans silver or gold or apparel Yea ye your selves know that these have ministred to my necessities and to those that were with me I blesse the Lord I can with a good Conscience safely say I have covered neither your silver nor gold neither am I a penny the richer for what I received of you it was not a desire of any thing of yours that made me at first accept of this place yet this I shall say for your honour that you have richly and liberally bestowed your favours upon me but as there is something in his own vindication So Secondly there is something by way of Exhortation to them v. 18. Take heed therefore unto your selves c. Paul before he leaves them hath something from God to say to them from whence I note this That the Ministers of God before they quite leave have something to say to them from God it was thus with the holy men of old Jacob when he was dying called all his So●● before him and to every one he gave counsel and blessing David when he was upon leaving the world he knew he should not live long he calls all Israel unto him sayeth thus unto them 1 Chron. 28.8 9. Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keep and seek for all the Commandements of the Lord your God that you may possesse this good Land and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you for ever And thou Solomon my Son know the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind for the Lord searches all hearts and under standeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou seek him he will be found of thee but if thou forsake him he will cast thee off for ever Thus you see it ●ath been the custome of holy men of olp when they are leaving the World to say something to their people so now here I am