sin Rom. 7.8 Now this original corruption may be considered as meerly native or as acquired and improved into evil customes and habits for according to mens tempers and constitutions as they are severally disposed so by the corruption of nature they are inclined to one sin more than another as the chanel is cut so corrupt nature findes a vent and issue every man there in some predominant sin and in every regenerate person some reliques of that sin from whence is the greatest danger of his soul thus David speaks of his iniquity Psal 18.23 Well then this is that sin that doth easily boset us original sin improved into some tyranny or evil custome which doth increase and prevail upon us more and more Now this is said easily beset us for three reasons Partly because it hath a great power and restraint over us and implies the whole man the members the body the faculties of the soul so great an interest hath it acquired in our affections it doth easily beset us it hath great power and command over us Partly because it sticks so close that we cannot by our own strength lay it aside Jer. 13 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his sports c. A man can as soon change his skin as lay aside his customes that are so deeply engraven as the blackness of an Ethiopian or the spots of Leopard And partly because it mingles it self with all our motions and actions Rom. 7.21 c. It easily besets us 't is present with us it impels us and sollicits us and draws us to sin further and further and doth make us negligent in what is Gods we cannot do or speak any thing but it wil infest us in all our duties of Piety Charity Justice on every side it is interposing vexing thwarting the motions of the Spirit and so abates our strength vigour and agility and retards our course towards heaven and glory therefore lay aside as every Weight so every Sin c. Quest Now what is it to lay aside or how can we lay aside since sin sticks so close to us and is engraven in our natures Answ Certainly something may be done by us for this is every where pressed as our duty Ephes 4.22 Put off the old man and 1 Pet. 2.11 we may put it off more and more though we cannot lay it aside Then we are said to lay aside the sin that so easily besets us when we prevent and break the dominion of it that it shall not reign over us Rom 6 12. Let not sin reign c. Though it dwells in us lives in us and works in us yet it should not overcome us and bring us into bondage and so it will not be imputed to our condemnation and at length when then the soul shall be separated from the body we shall be wholy free from it Quest I but what must we do that we may so repress it the question returns that we may break the dominion of it Answ I answer this is the work of the Spirit of God but we must know the Spirit of God doth work the work of mortification two waies by Regeneration and after Regeneration By Regeneration and so he doth immediately without any co-opperation of ours mortifie the deeds of sin gives sin its death-wound that which is left is a thing mortified it broken The Scripture often speaks of this first work of Regenration Rom. 6.6 Colos 2.11 First when we are planted into Christ then we put off the body of sin and though it doth not presently die yet 't is weakned that it cannot reign though it be not destroyed 2. After Regeneration the Spirit doth more and more destroy sin the relqiues of sin this crucified body of sin till it dieth wholly away this he doth in us but not without us Rom. 8.13 Through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Not the Spirit without us nor we without the Spirit but ye through the Spirit What is then required of us 1. Seriously purpose not to sin and promise to God to yeild him unfeigned obedience Especially should we make this promise in the use of those solemn Rites by which the Covenant between God and us is confirmed Take up a solemn purpose not to grive the Spirit nor to break his Law Psal 119.106 I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements This purpose of heart is the root of all good actions therefore in the confidence of Gods help in the sense of thy own weakness Psal 119.32 we cannot lay wagers upon our own strength yet 't is our duty to engage our hearts to God To sin against the light of our own conscience and illumination of the Spirit and the chastening and instruction of our own reins that aggravates our sin but to sin against and besides our fixed purpose of not sinning that lightens sin for then 't is a sin of weakness and infirmity not of wilfulness and malice and then we can say as Paul Rom. 7.19 When the heart is fixedly bent towards God The evil which I would not that do I Two wayes may we be said to sin against purpose either when we are over-born besides our purpose or our purpose still remaines to please God As when the water breaks over the bank the bank remaining in such a case the fault is not in the bank but in the violence of the flood Or 2. when we break off our purpose or consent to do evil as when we cut thorow the band the water may easily make thorow Ther 's a great deal of difference between sin dwelling in us and sin entertained by us between sin remaining and sin reserved when you have a firm purpose against all sin there is sin remaining but 't is not reserved 't is not kept and allowed 2. Watch over thy self with a holy suspicion because thou hast sin within thee that doth easily beset thee therefore consider thy wayes Psal 119 59. Guard thy senses Job 31.1 but above all keep thy heart Prov. 4.23 Conscience must stand Porter at the door and examine what comes in aad what goes out watch over the strategems of Satan and seducing motions of thy own heart 3. Resist and oppose strongly against the first risings of the flesh and the tickling pleasing motions of sin that doth easily beset us when it doth entice us away from God or do any thing that is unseemly contrary unto the duties of our heavenly calling Oh remember we are not debtors to the flesh Rom. 8.20 Thou art tyed to the Lord by all obligations and indulgencies therefore break the force of sin by a serious resistance check it and let thy soul rise up in indignation against it my business is not to pleasure the flesh but to please the Lord. 4. B. wail thy involuntary lapses and falls with penitential tears as Peter went ouâ— and wept bitterly Mat. 26.57 Godly sorrow is of great use for laying
if he gives you the upper spring of Grace he will give you the neather spring of Peace for they go both together If he gives you the Dew of Heaven you need not question the fatness of the Earth if his right hand be full of mercy his left hand shall not be empty Therefore grace and peace be with you from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Grace hath 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 different flowing from each of these but still it is grace and peace First justifying grace hath 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 than between conscience and the ear so there can be no sweeter Peace than when Mercy and Peace meet together and when Conscience and Peace kiss each other The former is the taste 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 Seconly Sanctifying grace hath 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 latter from the conformity that is between the Word and the Will between the Commands and the Conscience As many as walk according to this Rule grace be unto them and peace Gal. 6.16 So that Peace is the fruit of sanctifying Grace Now as the bloud of the Pascal-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 Posts of the true Believer an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile no Grace no Peace that is Gods 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 a sinner No Peace saith my God to the wicked Pray mark that chapter it begins with the peace and ends in no peace In ver 2. it is said He shall enter into peace that is the Righteous in the last verse There is no peace to the wicked It is the state of Grace that is the only 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 that the transial external 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 are attributed to the Son the same also to the Father so Grace and Peace are here ascribed both to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ that is they are both from Mercy and from Merit From Mercy on Gods part to us from Merit on Christs 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 runs God wils Grace and Peace to us Christ works them in us God gives Grace Peace to be applied 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 only 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 Believers 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 priviledâ—e 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 aske grace for the fruit of Gods love to the soul still it falls to the Believers priviledge Vocation Justification Adoption pardon of Sin purging from Sin strength against sin Holiness Faith Love 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 external peace supernal peace internal and peace eternal There is peace external this 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 here upon earth and then there is peace eternal and that is only 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 desired but peace with God and Conscience is much more to be desired Peace with God is the spring of all things both within and without both below and above both in time and eternity so saith Job if he gives peace who then can make troâ—ble 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 Job 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
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 wayes 1. From the testimony of their own Consciences O 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. 2.17 'T is a thing beyond expression what the joy and 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 our Consciences the Spirit shedding abroad of Divine Love thus it is with those that do not defile their garments but endure any thing rather than defile their garments Rom. 5.3 4 5. And not only so but we glory in tribulations knowing tribulations 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 than the witness of our own Consciences 3. This joy doth arise from a 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 his grace even we stand and rejoyce 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 comfortably as they who have this hope purifie themselves so they who purifie themselves have good ground of their hope and therein great cause to rejoyce 1 Pet. 1.5 6. Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last times wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through many temptations We walk in white in hope we have of that inheritance now lay these three things together If they who keep their Garments undefiled have the testimony of their own consciences and the testimony of the Spirit shedding the love of God in their hearts and a well-grounded hope of future glory how can it be but these must walk in white with Jesus Christ that is in comfort and joy of the Spirit and of their own spirits Thus David walked he had abundance of joy upon his conscience of his own integrity and of keeping his heart and hands clean from those iniquities his enemies charged him with Psal 3. The Lord shall judge his people Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me He appeals to the Lord the Lord shall judge his people Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness Thus he appeals to God himself he had so much confidence and his heart gave him he kept himself from those sins So Job walkt in white though his friends black't him exceedingly yet he walkt in white in his conscience Job 16.10 Behold my witness is in Heaven and my record is on high I have not only a witness in my conscience but my witness is above He walkt in white notwithstanding all his afflictions from God and his friends Hezekiah walkt in this white when death looked him in the face Lord thou knowest I have walkt uprightly with thee I need not stay in the proof of the thing let me make some Use and Improvement of it Vse Is this blessed reward to those who keep their garments white to walk in the white of peace and joy then here we see the happiness of all those who are true to Christ and his ways Psal 119.1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. 'T is just in the language of the Text they indeed shall walk in white it is a great part of our blessedness to have peace of conscience and inward joy Oh how much better is it than 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 continual joy and comfort Oh how blessed are they who are undefiled in the way That which Christ said of the Lilly Solomon in 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 in matter of practice and worship Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these Lilly-white ones Oh the Rivers of Consolations that flows to them that keep themselves out of the puddles of the world if you keep your selves from the puddles of the world from the dung of the world ye shall have rivers of joy flowing into your souls I may say to all such as Solomon saith Eccles 11.9 Go thy way it is a familiar speaking to them Go thy way blessed soul eat thy bread with joy though the world feed thee with the bread of adversity and though the world give thee nothing but the water of affliction yet let thy Garments be always White though the World cloath thee in mourning and cause thee to prophesie in Sackcloth with the Witnesses yet be of good comfort O Lilly-white soul for God now accepteth thy works now drink thy Wine with a merry heart thy labour thy ambitious labour is that whether present or absent thou mayest be accepted of him thou hast the fruits of thy labour the Lord accepts thy works therefore rejoyce in it Here is the happiness of those who keep themselves clean from a defiled and a defiling World 2. This point gives us an account why the servants of Christ stand so strictly upon their terms with the World even while some call it peevishness others ignorance others wilful stubbornness What is the reason the reason is because they understand in some measure and have had experience in some measure what it is to walk in some measure with Christ
their house for the crowd of the people that are going thither For shame let not this be told in Gath nor published in Askelon What! shall we stand up for the holiness of places and yet oppose the holiness of the Lords day which God hath enjoyned and instituted Oh! that the Magistrates of London Oh! that Englands King Oh! that Englands Parliament would do something for the Reformation of this to oppose wickedness and prophaneness which will otherwise bring upon us the judgments of Sodom and Gomorrah and make us guilty and worthy of a thousand punishments And labour by Prayer in your Families to overcome that flood of prophaneness which you cannot by your strength prevent And then for the Sacraments of Christ Baptism and the Lords Supper these are Ordinances of Gods appointment they are holy and therefore should not be given to those that are unholy and yet those who are so much for the holiness of places do not care who come to the Sacrament if they have but a Nose on their Face they shall come and partake of the Ordinances let them be what they will this is to prefer mans Institution before Gods Institution And then for the Lords Message and Word that is a holy thing and therefore love his Messengers the Messengers of God delivering his message with fear and reverence you are to hear them with the same fear reverence and resolution to be holy as if Christ were present And for the Word of God it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the Walls of your Churches but let Gods Law be written in your hearts and consciences and practised in your lives that all the world may see you live as men dedicated to the true God in all the duties of his wayes and obedience Many of these things might have been enlarged What I have give you with the right hand I pray you Christians do not take with the left for if you do you will make your selves guilty of a double sin First Because you do not obey the truth you hear And secondly For putting a wrong construction upon it But I have better hopes of you my beloved hearers and hope that the Lord will be better unto your souls than his Ministers than his Word or any thing else can be God bless you and his Ordinances and discover his mind and will at this time to you Mr. Baxter's Sermon Coloss 2.6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught abunding therein with thanksgiving OMitting the division and in part the opening of the words the Observations is That those that have received Christ Jesus the Lord must accordingly bee rooted built up in him and established in the Faith and walk in him as they have been taught and abound therein with thanksgiving This receiving of Christ signifies to believe in him It is not only to receive his Doctrine or Benefits but to receive his person to receive him as related to us for the uses and end for which he came into the World and for which he offers himself to souls by the Preaching of the Gospel Sinners have lost and undone themselves Christ comes to be the Physitian of Souls hee will not save the unwilling and Despisers of his Grace while they continue in their unwillingness He will save them by the way of covenant while he consents and tenders them his Grace he will have them consent to the terms of his Covenant The consent of the heart exprest by our covenanting with him is this receiving of Jesus Christ He is willing to be our Physitian and when we take him to be so we receive him He is willing to save us from the guilt and power of sin willing to be our Lord Head Intercessor with God Justifier and all unto us and if we consent to this and take him as offered this is receiving Christ with whom his benefits are also received the remission of sins in-dwelling renewing comforting spirit title to everlasting life c. In receiving Christ all this is received Receiving of Christ contains these two things or these two things are essentially contained to make up the nature of saving Faith that is to believe the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ to bee true and to consent that the goodness that is therein revealed and proposed shall be ours To believe what Christ is and what he hath done so far to believe it as here we are resolved to venture our souls though there may be some weakness through our Faiths imperfection and believing the Gospel to be the certain Word of God Then next to entertain the Christ that is offered in this Gospel to be ours with all the benefits that accompany and to all the blessed ends to which he is revealed Thus the Water of Life is freely tendered to all that are athirst and there is no more required but come and drink Then there is two things implyed that are the immediate products of saving Faith and inseparable from it that is trusting on him as the Redeemer and obeying him as a Lord. To rest upon him as a Redeemer Romans 15.12 And here as far as the soul feels entertainment and encouragement by Christ overcoming his doubts that Christ will reject him c. so far he hath quietness of soul in Christ and will trust his soul upon Christ And then the obeying of him in order to our full recovery as a Patient must obey his Physitian in using his Remedies and Means he prescribes for killing our sins restoring our souls to Gods love and being with him to eternity The nature of Faith is to receive Christ the sincerity of it lies in the suitableness of the act to the object that we receive him as he is Now in Christ there is something essential to this act that he be a Saviour and our Saviour c. and there is something makes unto the well-being and fuller attaining of the end The first are the objects of Faith it self as 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation The second sort are the objects of Faith as it is strong and makes to the well being of a Christian All that is essential to Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer is to be believed by him that will approve himself a true Believer And thus to receive Christ as the eternal Son of God made man the Redeemer of the World ruling us upon the right of Redemption justifying us before God bringing us to God and interceding for us And thus Christ must be received according to his Offices and as those uses for which he is given to the soul do import and imply For the Application of this Point First Let us begin with those that our business at present doth not mainly lye on Must men walk in Christ as they have received him What shall we say to those that have not
Hearts hear what the Text saith A New Command I give unto you c. Wherein First you have the Command A New Command I give unto you It is not left to our discretion but we are bound to it by vertue of a Command A New Command I give unto you Secondly This Command is enforced by Gods own example as I have loved you It is called a new Command but Love is an old Command this Law is written in the Nature of Man It is engraven in every mans heart by Nature and it is an old Command because found among Gods antient Statutes the antient Records of his Law I but 't is a new Command too because pressed by a new Example of Christ As I have loved you so do ye love one another Doct. Christians ought to make Conscience of this duty of loving one another Confident I am We shall never see Religion thrive in the World until we see this Grace of Love flourish in the heart of Christians Nor the illustration of this proposition I shall do these two things First shew you the truth of this Love Secondly the extent of this Love First Truth of this Love If you love one another saith Christ see you do it purely not dissembling but from the heart 1 John 3.18 My little Children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth dissembling love is like painted fire that will never warm we must not be like the Bee that hath honey in her mouth but withal hath a sting in her tail we must not pretend to love to have honey in the mouth but withal have the sting of malice in the heart no said the Apostle Let us love in deed and in truth Secondly Extent of our Love this Fountain of Love must run in three streams 1. We must love all men love their persons although we must not love their sins we have all the same make the same lump and mould and therefore must love there is a natural Love that every creature bears to his own species and kind 2. Our love must especially stream out to the Saints of God the houshold of Faith It is with our love as it is with our fire you keep fire all the day upon the Hearth but upon special occasions you draw it out larger so our Love must always burn to all I but to the Saints you must draw out the fire inlarge your affections we must love as God loves he doth especially love the Saints love every creature with a common love but especially the New Creature and indeed there is that in every true Saint that may excite and allure our Love What are the Graces of the Spirit but so many pearls to adorn the Bride of Christ What is holiness in the heart 〈◊〉 the imbroidery and curious Workmanship of the Holy Ghost here is enough to entice and draw out our Love and Beloved if we love the Saints for their Graces then we love all the Saints And here I beseech you consider these six pariculars First We ought to love the Saints in what condition soever they are although they be poor in the world low in their condition for commonly so it is They that have the lowest hearts have the lowest condition too I read of the King of the Moors that he was offended at the Christians because of their poverty and truly when wicked men do fleece the Saints it is no wonder if they be poor methinks grace in a poor man is like a Pearl that lies in the dust or like a cloath of Gold that is hid under Rags you must love the Gold that is the Grace notwithstanding the Rags The poorest Saint alive hath the Angels riches the poorest Believer is a Member of Christ and shall we not love him we love the picture of a friend although it be hung in a mean frame we must love a rich Christ in a poor man Secondly We are to love the people of God although they have many weak infirmities shew me the man that is perfect and let him throw the first stone even the best Saints like the Starrs they have their twinkling they have their blemishes and their failings in some there 's too much pride in others too much censoriousness in others too much rash anger and passion but we must love the Grace that is in them notwithstanding the infirmities that are in them you love Gold though in the oar and mixed with much impurity a Saint on earth is like a Diamond that hath its flaw like to the Rose that is sweet and perfumed but yet hath its pricks The best Saints have some mixture and infirmity and we must love them for the good that is in them this is our great fault we are apt to over-look all the good and so take notice of the stain and blemishes in them as those that see a little stain in a piece of Scarlet despise the cloath for the stains sake so do we But God doth not do so by us he is pleased to over-look many sad failings he seeth the Faith and winks at the failings of his people you that cannot love a Brother because you see an imperfection in him would you have God do so by you would you have him damn you for every blemish of sin Thirdly We must love the Children of God though weak in parts all are not born Politicians But though the Saints of God have not always so good intellectuals as others yet if they have good Vitals and the life of Faith in them love them for that Grace you do not despise your Children because they are weak but you love them because they are your Children Oh! do not despise a Saint because he is of low parts but love him as he is a Child of your Heavenly Fathers Fourthly We are to love the Saints of God though in some lesser things they differ from us if they keep the foundations of Religion and hold the Head Christ yet we are to bear other things one Christian hath more light than another and shall we un-saint all that cannot come up to our light It s great wisdom to separate between the precious and the vile O what a blessed place will Heaven be because there our light shall be clear and our love shall be perfect And that is the fourth Fifthly Love the Saints of God when reviled and persecuted a bleeding Saint should be the object of our love Onisiphorus saith Paul was not ashamed of my chain a sign he loved Christs Graces in Paul Christ Jesus loveth no Saints more than his persecuted Saints his Martyrs have the highest Thrones reserved in Heaven for them we must love to see Christs Livery upon a man though sprinkled with bloud he that is ashamed of a persecuted Saint will never suffer for a crucified Jesus Sixthly We must love the Saints of God though their Graces may eclipse and out-shine our Graces Beloved in the sweetest fruits worms are apt
Law hath laid upon my Ministry in regard of Conscience who cannot Conform for which our publick Ministry is suspended I shall chearfully and willingly return to you in this place But now though your dying Minister in respect of the Exercise to his publick Ministry is leaving of you yet I commit you into a safe hand I commend you to God and to his Grace Amen Mr. Pledger's Farewel Sermon Revel 2.9 10. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten daies be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life IN the former Verse you have the Superscription and Description of this Epistle the Superscription by the mouth and hand of John to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna that is the Ministry of the Gospel or the Colledge of Presbyters As the whole Tribe of Levi in Malachy is called the Angel of the Lord so here the whole Tribe and Office of the Ministry is called the Angel Angel is not a term that signifies a single Person but a name of Office Then for the Description These things saith the first and the Last which was dead and is alive He is described by his Eternity by his suffering and by his reviving I shall not speak of this nor of the Verses following the Text. I shall speak of the Inscription or Narration of the Epistle in these two Verses wherein you have 1. A Commendation 2. An Admonition a piece of Heavenly Counsel 1. You have a Commendation I know thy works c. I like well the pains that thou takest in my service for my Servants sake I know how thou hast suffered I take all well I consider all the reproaches that are vomited our against thee 2. Then you have the Counsel 2. Fear none of these things 2. The Arguments to set it on 1. 'T is the Devil that shall trouble you he is the prime Agent he that never took a good Cause Thou hast certainly God for thee if thou hast the Devil against thee 2. This Devil shall be checked and restrained 1. As to the number of them he shall deal withal The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison He aims at all but he shall come short of many 2. In respect of the kind of the Affliction Cast some into Prison He aims at our Souls to disturb the peace of them to cast us into Hell but it shall be but into Prison 3. For the design of this Affliction Not for destruction but to try us It shall not be as Wood in the fire to be consumed but as Gold in the sire to be tried 4. For the term of duration it shall not be for ever But for ten dayes for a time a set time for a short time perhaps thou shalt lose thy life but Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a crown of life Before I finish I shall endeavour to shew the whole light of this Text in these six or seven Propositions Pro. 1. First Jesus Christ takes notice of all the works and trouble and losses that we endure for him There cannot be a godly word spoken but the Lord hears it takes notice of it not a day of humiliation not a tear not a prayer not a sigh not a cup of cold water but the Lord sets it down Item At such a time thou didst lose such a thing hazard such a concernment Now this knowledge lies in two things 1. It implies an Approbation 2. A Recompence I know what thou doest what thou sufferest so as to approve it and so as to recompence it Now then if God takes notice of what we do and suffer for his Name then either we must say He hath not good enough or not time enough to bestow that good upon us or not faithfulness enough to perform his promise before we can be moved from his service Pro. 2. Secondly I observe Believers in their poor condition when they have lost all they are rich I know thy poverty but thou art rich The only wise man is the only rich man so saith the Philosopher but the Believer is the rich man so saith the wisdom of God in the Text. And the riches of a Believer lies in five things 1. In his interest he hath a God for his portion Faith doth unite and implant into the Lord Jesus Christ so that we are become spiritually rich to the utmost degree of happiness saith David The lines are fallen to me in a pleasant place I have a goodly heritage All that rich love of God which is stronger than death it self a rich Covenant of Grace shines in the Promises as so many Pearls he will not with hold any thing that is good nor suffer any thing that is evil to fall upon us that shall not turn to good How rich are they that are rich in God! 2. Believers must needs be rich in their relations Our Communion is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ They are married to Christ and have an Interest in him they must certainly contract very honourable Allies the Brother of Jesus Christ a Member of Christ she that marries a Prince or King is a Queen What title of Honour shall we give to her that is espoused to Jesus Christ 3. The Believer is honourable in his possessions To name but two possession of Grace possession of Peace Grace and Peace there is your riches so the Lord salutes you in his Word the least dram of Grace is more than all the World And this is the character of one that hungers and thirsts after Christ And then for comforts which are grounded upon grace and the work of grace for the spring of grace is a spring of joy In the world you shall have trouble but in me peace And in the midst of my troubled thoughts saith David thy comforts delight my Soul 4. A Believer is rich in regard of his expectation that Reversion that blessed hope that is reserved for him A Believer his character is to long and look for the appearance of Christ The Believer is rich in the everlasting Kingdom of glory 5. A Believer is rich in the things of this life he can live above these things he can be content without them contentations is your riches you shall want nothing that is good Why then have we not enough And if we have enough Why do we nor see our riches Because God doth not shake down the Acorns from the Tree of common providence which he does to the herds of the World but feeds us with Childrens bread shall we therefore repine Let us see our riches even in the things of this life He that believes on Christ is
Without God's gracious presence we can profit by nothing without this health is not profitable nor riches profitable nor Ordinances profitable the choicest means of Grace without God's presâ—nce are but as breasts without milk as bottles without water nay they are not onely a dead letter but the savour of death without Godâ—s presence they will damn us many go loaded to Hell with Ordinances But c. 2. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it transforms them into his own likeness making them holy as he is holy As the Sun will change the colour of those that are much in it so a man cannot be near to God but this will make him in purity and holiness like God And do you not desire to have such a beauty put upon you and thus to be adorned with the Robes of Righteousness Why do but strive to walk in obedience with God and he also will be graciously present with you making you of Bryars and Thorns Lillies and Roses of Lyons Lambs of deformed he will make you comely and of filthy he will make you clean adorning your souls with the Jewels of Holiness Col. 1.13 Without the presence of an holy God you can never be holy and without holiness you can never see the Lord with comfort Heb. 12.14 'T is onely Grace that leads to glory For no holiness here no happiness hereafter 3 Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it can quiet their souls turning every storm that arises into a blessed calm When the heart is full of doubts and distresses accused by the Law pursued by the Adversary and condemned by it self then doth God by his gracious presence still the raging of the sea give quiet to conscience and lay the storm Nothing but the breast will quiet the child so nothing but the breasts of God's gracious presence can quiet a distressed soul Rom 5.1 Would you therefore be at peace and have quiet in your own consciences would you have a sweet calm and a sabbath of rest from all your spiritual agonies Walk then in obedience with God endeavouring to practise what you know that he by his presence may work your desire 4. Consider Such is the presence of God with all that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that nothing can intercept it nor withhold it from them If they go up to Heaven in prosperity God is there making all their enjoyments conduce to their everlasting advantage if they be forced to make their bed in hell and lie down in sorrow God also is there turning their sorrow into joy if they be glad to take the wings of the morning and to fly for their lives into the uttermost parts of the earth God is also there bringing them back at length out of Egypt the Land of their Captivity into Canaan Oh then if any thing can make you obedient let the hope of God's gracious presence prevail with you to be so your Honors your Riches your Friends and all your creature comforts may be easily withheld these are but as the shining of the Sun which every discontented cloud may intercept But if you walk in obedience with God there is nothing can intercept his presence nor hinder you from having communion with him Are you banished from your own habitations and forced to sojourn as strangers in a strange Land There will the Lord be with you as with Jacob at Padan-Aram Gen. 28.15 Are you shut up in close prison and lie under restraint that your Friendâ— may not visit you There will God also be present with you as with Paul and Silas compassing you about with songs of deliverance Act. 16.25 Are you in a word as men appointed unto death cast into an hot fiery Furnace There likewise will the Lord be present with you as with Shadrach Meshech and Ahednegâ— not suffering the flames to kindle upon you Dan. 3.27 5. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it makes them rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1.8 Many traduce Religion as a thing that makes men melancholick but his estate is of all mens most joyful who walking in obedience with God doth enjoy his presence for where can the soul find those comforts which do fill it with gladness and crown it with delight but in God His presence is a Christians musick and Festival the Nectar and Ambrosia whereon he delights to feed You may sooner taste honey than tell how sweet it is so you may taste what joy and gladness God's presence puts into the soul but can never express it Would you then have your souls overflowing with gladness Would you have them rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Then walk in obedience with God and his presence will do it 6. Consider Such is the presence of God with all that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it sweetens every Cross and makes them not onely rejoice but to rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5.3 Amaritudines mundi dulces reddit The Wine of God's presence can sweeten the bitter Waters of Marah Let sickness come let reproach come let persecution come yea let death it self come yet the sense of God's gracious presence takes away the sting out of all these Such is the power of God's gracious presence that it takes away the bitterness of afflictions from all that walk in obedience with him gives them honey out of the beily of Lyons meat out of the Eater and sweet out of sowr If then you desire to see light in darkness to have your Prison turned into a Paradise and the flames of Martyrdom into a bed of Spices See then that you walk in obedience with God according to what you have heard and learned and received Prosperity without God's presence is full of trouble but trouble with the presence of God is full of comfort 7. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it doth not onely rejoice their souls but gives them full satisfaction The Sun satisfieth the eye with light the Fountain satisfieth the thirsty with water so God satisfieth by his gracious presence all that walk in obedience with him Outward comforts do sooner cloy than chear and sooner weary than fill they can no more satisfie the heart than a Triangle can fill a Circle But when once God comes and vouchsafes his gracious presence now the soul is at rest now it 's come to its centre and with Jacob it can say I have enough For with whom God is graciously present to all them he is an all-sufficient portion 8. Consider The presence of God with all those that obey him in what they have heard and learned and received
of wrath will fall upon us O Lord how many ways hast thou used to reclaim us what Arts hath thy blessed Spirit used how many times hast thou approached to our souls and shewed us something of thy glory and the glory of heaven and the terrours of hâ—ll the one to allure us and the other to scare us But Oh! how many times have we grieved thy blessed Spirit who came to seal us and despised thy Son who came from heaven to earth and liv'd a sorrowful life and died a shameful death how often hath he offered us grace and glory if we would how to his Scepter but we have preferred a base lust before that excellency that he hath purchased us Oh how often hast thou condescended so far as to intreat us to be reconciled how easie hast thou been to forgive and how hard have we been to be forgiven VVe confess thou mighâ—est pass an eternal Doom upon us for we are sensible of the dishonour that we have brought upon thy Name Do thou at this time strike upon all these rocks that are in thy presence at this time give us hearts of flesh let our repentance pâ—eprare us for corversion let there be such a through conviction that thy grace and Mercy may be admirable in our eyes VVe intreat thee hear us pardon all our iniquities let us be monuments of thy grace and favour speak peace to our Consciences convey those clear evis dences of thâ—â—â—ve unto us that may inable us to scatter all our fâ—aâ—s that we may rejoice in God and have hope of glory Let the image of thy Son be engraven on all our hearts and let our souls be made subject to him while we are in the world preserve us from the evil of it If thou givest us out ward happiness give us withat inward holiness and if we do suffer help us with patience to bear all knowing we are in our journey and our passage to a better life and let our whole time be spent in a serious Preparation to appear before thy Tribunal and let us consider the unchangableness of that state hereafter Remember thy whole Church make the Name of Christ glorious in the world shed abroâ—d thy light and thy truth heavour back-slidings and love us freely Let thine Ordâ—nances continue among us and let thy blessing descend upon our sovereign Lord the King of England Scot and France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Incline his heart to thy Law make him an instrument of publick good protect his person and give him prosperous affairs Bless his Royal Consort his Relations his privy Counsel let them promote solid Piety and real Godliness Bless the Minister of thy Word and Sacraments Let their labours be precious in thy sight and remember all afflicted ones revive thy Mourners and let thy grace answer all their fears Let thy presence be in the midst of us and help us to hear as our last and let us be raised nearer heaven and make thy word powerful and effectual to all our souls and let thy word subdue our lusts and aâ—l we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name and words we sum up our imperfect Prayers Our Father which art in Heaven c. Dr. Jacomb's Prayer at Martins Ludgate BLessed God thou art a God blessed for ever thou givest Mercy to all returning and repenting sinners thou art worthy to be praised by all that draw nigh unto thee Thou hast vouchsafed to us one Sabbath more Oh that we might all of us be in the spirit upon the Lords day that whatever we do we may do it in the strength of God that we may offer spiritual Sacrifices to God this day through our Mediator the Lord Jesus It is a very great condescention that thou shouldst suffer such as we are to come unto thee O Lord we are unclean we are unclean from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we are overspread with the leprosie of sin all the faculties of our souls are defiled our understandings are darkened our wills are corrupted we have affections but they are carnal we have hearts but they are impure we have consciences but they are seared and as our inward man so our lives are unholy as the fountain is so is the stream besides that our general guilt that we brought into the world we are guilty of innumerable actual transgressions against thy holy Law We think O Lord there are no greater sinners in the world than we our sins are attended with many aggravations We have finned against Prayers against vows and promises we have had as much light shining before us as any in the world have had great is our unbelief Oh that we could lay these things to our hearts We do refuse to come to Christ we go about to establish a righteousness of our own and neglect the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ how are our hearts glewed to the present things of this world Oh! what do we do for thy glory How unreformed are we under all the ways of God that he hath taken to make us a holy people Give us a sight of our sins O Lord we confess sometimes we do make a formal confession but we do not find our hearts melted for sin as they should Oh take away from every one of us this heart of stone give a heart of flesh give us tender hearts make us sensible of all our departing from thee Oh let us look upon him whom we have pierced let us mourn that the Water of penitential sorrow may flow from us we are strangers to our selves we do not see what a hell there is in our nature Oh! how should we put our mouths in the dust and loath our selves if so be there might be hope O Lord convince us of sin give us such a sight of sin as may make us flie to thee give us such a sight of our own guilt that maâ—â— prepare us for the Grace of Godâ— now we are sâ—ung with the fiery Serpents help us to come to Jesus Christ our brazen Serpent give us the holy Spirit to bring us out of the state of nature to let that God that made us Creatures make us new Creatures O Lord we are thine own work but we are dead in trespasses and sins give us grace and speak a word to them that are dead put out thine Almighty Power and draw some sinner to Christ this day and those that have any breathings after thee Oh! thou that gavest them that desire carry on thine own work in them where thou hast begun a good work carry it on let sin as the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and grace as the house of David grow stronger and stronger Oh! increase our faith O Lord at this time we do not onely stand in need of grace but of a great measure of grace Oh! help us by faith to relie upon God that thou mayest help us at last Bless