Others say he sinned in numbring all ages whereas he was to number but from twenty years but these are conjectural reasons I conceive the sin of David was because he did it without a lawful call and for an unlawful end Sine causa legitima he sinned in the manner rather than in the matter for there was no cause for him to number the people but curiosity and no end but vain-glory Go through all the tribes of Israel and number the people that I may know the number of my people v. â— Davids heart was lifted up with pride and creature-confidence he begins to boast of the multitude of his people and to trust in an arm of flesh therefore God sends the Prophet to David to prick the bladder of his pride as if God should say I will teach you to number the people by lessening the number of your people Now the burthen of his sin did add much to the burthen of this heavy message vers 13. After David had numbered the people his heart smote him the message smites him and his heart smites him and he said I have sinned greatly in that which I have done now I beseech thee take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done very foolishly If David had been to suffer this great punishment out of love to God or for a good Conscience he would not have been so distracted There are two sorts of straits in Scripture some suffered for God and a good Conscience and there are straits suffered for sin 1. There are straits suffered for God and a good Conscience Heb. 11.36 37. those Martyrs there were driven to great straits but these were straits for God and a good Conscience and these straits were the Saints greatest enlargements they were so sweetned to them by the consolations and supportations of Gods Spirit a Prison was a Paradise to them Heb. 10.34 they look joyfully at the spoiling of their goods Acts 5.41 They departed from the presence of the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name Straits for a good conscience are greatest enlargements therefore St. Paul glorieth in his strait Paul a Prisoner c. 2. There are straits suffered for sin and these are envenomed by the guilt of sin sin puts poyson into all our distresses and perplexities Now such was the strait into which David was now driven it was a strait caused by fin and that made it so unwelcome and uncomfortable so that from hence I gather this Observation Doctrine That sin and iniquity brings persons and Nations into marvellous labyrinths and perplexities into time real and great molestations and a man free from sin is free in the midst of straits a man guilty of sin is in a strait in the midst of freedom After Adam had sinned in eating the forbidden fruit the whole world was a prison to him Paradise it self was an Hell to him he knew not where to hide himself from the presence of God After that Cain had murthered his Brother Abel he was brought into such a strait that he was afraid that every one that met him would slay him Alas poor Cain how many there was then in the world We read but his Father and Mother yet such was his distress teat he cryeth out every one that met him would slav him Gen. 4.14 Into what a strait did sin bring the old world the deluge of sin brought a deluge of water to drown them Into what a strait did sin bring Sodom and Gomorrah the fire of Lust raigning in Sodom and Gomorrah brought down fire from Heaven to destroy them Sin brings external internal and eternal straits upon persons and Nations 1. Sin brings external straits Sin brings Famine Sword and Plague Sin brings Agues and Fevers Goâ—t and Stone and all manner of Diseases yea Sin brings death it self which is the wages of sin Read Lev. 26. and Deut. 23. and you will see a black Roll of curses which were the fruit of sin Sin brought Sion into Babylon and when the Jews had murthered Christ forty vears after they were brought into that distress when the City was besieged by Titus Vespatian that they did eat one another the Mother did eat her Child that whereas David had a choice which of the three he would have either Famine Plague or Sword the poor Jews had all three concatenated together in the siege Sin brings all manner of external Plagues 2. Sin brought persons and Nations into eternal straits sin brings soul-plagues which are worse then bodily plagues sin brings hardness of heart blindness of mind a spirit of slumber a reprobate sense sin brings a spiritual Famine upon a Land it brings a Famine on the Word Amos 8.11 Sin causes God to take away the Gospel from a people sin brings internal plagues sin awakens Conscience and fills it full of perplexities Into what a strait did sin drive Judas after he had betrayed Christ Into what a strait did sin drive Spira Saint Paul glorified in his tribulations for God but when he speaks of his sin he cryeth out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death David a valiant man when he speaks of sin saith they are too heavy a burden for him to bear A wounded conscience who can bear saith the wise Man 3. Sin bringeth eternal straits O the strait that a wicked man shall be brought into at the great and dreadful day of Judgment when all the world shall be on fire about him when he shall call to the Mountains to hide him and to the rocks to cover him from the wrath of God then will he cry out with David I am O Lord in a great strait And when the wicked shall be condemned to Hell who can express the straits they then shall be in Bind them hand and foot and cast them into everlasting darkness Mat. 25. When a wicked man shall be bound with ever lasting chains of darkness then he will cry out I am in a great strait Consider what Dives saith to Abraham he desires that Lazarus might but dip the tip of his finger in water and that he might cool his tongue not his whole body but his tongue but that would not be granted It is impossible the tongue of man should set out the great straits the damned suffer in Hell both in regard of the greatness and everlastingness of them This is all I shall say for the Explication Vse 1. I chiefly aim at the Application Doth sin bring Nations and Persons into external internal and eternal straits then this sadly reproves those that chuse to commit sin to avoid perplexity There are thousands in England guilty of this that to avoid poverty will lye cheat and couzen and to gain an estate will sell God and a good conscience and to avoid the loss of estate and imprisonment will do any thing they will be sure to be of that Religion which is uppermost be it what it will
painful Labourers at once but it is our duty to suffer patiently and not complain 2. As our troubles must be great so many will fear and in fearing faint we see it come to pass and you will find it more and more There are those that run with the Foot-men that will not keep pace with the Horse-men that may be left behind and be trod under foot our troubles are likely to rise according to all we can learn from Scripture and Providence and very many there be that will shrink 3. Consider it is a very difficult thing to stand stedfast in a day of evil you cannot name any of God's Children but when they have indeed come to it their carnal sears have been working so as their feet have almost slipt they have been almost gone but that for the promise of God that he would â—â—y no more upon them than he would enable them to bear O but you will say What will become of the publick interest of the name and Church of God and what shall become of my private interest I answer you have no ground of fear according to Scripture in either of these respects First as to the publick Name of God the interest of his Church of his truth of righteousnes or of a real Reformation the interest of our prayers and hopes be not afraid 1. God bears a dear respect unto his People they are represented in Scripture by all names that may import dearness and nearness imto him the interest of his glory is bound up in his people he calls Israel his Glory We know the interest of men is that which moves the world but the interest of God of his Glory no doubt will be the ground of safety and security unto us even till God takes us to Heaven For the interest of Gods Justice God made Hell and for the interest of his mercy and grace be gave Jesus Christ to die to take effect here among the children of men Do you think God will forget his interest 2. Remember Gods ways are in the deep you cannot tell what God is doing when you think thoughts of destruction and confusion my thoughts towards you saith God are thoughts of peace And truly God he does not save a Soul nor does not promote the salvation of his Church in any eminent degree but it is in a way that is cross and contrary to the sense and expectation of flesh and blood insomuch you know the darkness of our condition has been the entrance upon deliverance as just before the day dawns it is the darkest of the night when God looked and there was none to help them says he My arm brought salvation Thus it was with you that are effectually called you have received the sentence of death the entrance upon your deliverance is the darkest time of your condition 3. God can do great things Joel 2. Fear not thy God O Sion can do great things 'T is a disparagement that we offer to God we ascribe more to the Creature than we do to God when we give way to carnal fear fear not what man can do because of the power of God which is his shield and buckler Is any thing too hard too heavy for God And when God does great things he usually goes on to do greater though he may seem to suffer his work to be thrown back to confusion and his people may be ready to say we thought he had redeemed Israel that degree of Reformation shall not be lost You know in Luthers time take any special degree of Reformation in the Church and it seemed to be opposed by the gates of Hell when it was brought upon the stage to any hopeful degree when it was taken as it were utterly out of sight for a while but it was never lost thus God is but making way for his own glory to appear in these great works O but you will say What shall become of my particular It is enough God hath promised that we shall not want any thing that is truly good and that nothing that is evil shall fall upon us and lye upon us though we do not see deliverance it shall be whatsoever our sad thoughts and tremblings of heart may be yet give God the glory of his Word Take these few directions 1. Strive to strengthen thy Faith Faith is that which lays hold on Christ and Christ is your strength therefore Faith is said to do that which Christ doth let every day drive thee to a renewed Act of Faith Take heed be not shaken in the Faith of the Cause be not shaken in the Faith of Christ fides causae fides Christi Be not shaken upon the Cause which upon utmost examination we find to be according to the Word hold that Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot and tittle of this Cause And then do not shake in the faith of Christ that is in your laying hold in your applying your selves to him in your resting and settling upon him beg of God to strengthen your Faith 2. Get more Self-denial we must forsake all we must not accept any thing A man would part with his life as easily as with a pin off his sleeve if he had but some considerable growth in Self-denial 3. Get a great deal of love towards that Christ that loved us with love stronger than death get love of that Christ that may be stronger than life Let nothing in the world be of any consideration with you so as Christ be magnified in your bodies love will breed courage and cast out fear slavish fear before God carnal fear before me 4. Get a true insight in an account of suffering and troubles whence they are they issue from the same love with redemption of your souls from Hell and your glorification God doth every thing in pursuance of the purpose of his love he doth every thing according to the platform and pattern of his thoughts towards us from eternity Confider what troubles are and to what end not to destroy but to try to wean from the world to fit for heaven 5. Get an insight into the vanity of the Creature you reckon the Creature some great matter and that is the reason of your love and of your fear 6. Get the fear of God that may over-rule other fears Fear not him that can but kill the body but fear him that is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell-fire 7. Keep a clear conscience void of offence towards God and towards men by a heart-abasing confession of what is past and the application of the blood of Christ and by mortification and watchfulness therein keep your selves from evil for the time to come 8. Get a better assurance of eternal life a glimpse and sight of this would make a man run through the very flames of hell How comfortable was Stephen when a shower of stones was about his ears to see Jesus standing at the right hand of God! I wonder how
Now give me leave this morning to speak three things to these sort of men and O that my words might prevail with them 1. Consider it is sin only that makes trouble deserve the name of trouble for when we suffer for Gods sake or a good Conscience these troubles are so sweetned by the consolations of Heaven that they are no troubles at all therefore in Queen Maries dayes the Martyrs wrote to their friends out of prison If you knew the comforts we have in Prison you would wish to be with us I am in Prison before I am in Prison saith Mr. Sanders Famous is the story of the three Children they were in a great strait when cast into the fiery Furnace Bind them 〈◊〉 and and foot and cast them into the Furnace but when they were there they were unbound Dan. 3.25 saith Nebuchadnezzar Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire and loe I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I have often told you when three are cast into the fire for a good Conscience God will make the fourth therefore I say straits and sufferings for God are not worth the name of straits David was often driven into straits 1 Sam. 30.6 he was sore distressed when his Town was burnt and his Wives and Children taken captives by the Amalekites I but that was a distress of danger not of sin therefore he encouraged himself in the Lord his God Jehosaphat was in a great strait 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do saith he this was a strait of danger not caused by his sin and God quickly delivered him but the strait that David was in was caused by his sin and that made it so bitter I am loath to enlarge here St. Paul was in a great strait Phil. 3.23 but this was a blessed strait an Evangelical strait saith St. Chrysostome He knew not whether to die for his own sake or to live for the Churches sake were best he was willing to adjourn his going to Heaven for the good of the people of God Nay Christ was in a strait Luke 12.15 I have a baptism to be baptized withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished I am to shed my blood for my Elect this is the baptism he speaks of This was a strait of dear affection to the Elect of God all these were blessed straits but now a strait caused by sin these are imbittered and envenomed by the guilt of sin and sense of Gods wrath It is sin that maketh straits deserve the name of straits therefore you are spiritually mad that commit sin to avoid straits 2. There is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest outward calamity whatsoever this the world will not believe therefore St. Austin saith That a man ought not to tell a lye though he might save all the world from hell for there is more evil in one lye than there is good in the salvation of all the world I have often told you the story of St. Austin saith he If Hell were on one side and sin on the other and I must chuse one I would chuse hell rather than sin for God is the Author of Hell but it is blasphemy to say he is the Author of Sin There is a famous story of Charles the ninth King of France he sent a message to the Prince of Conde a zealous Protestant gives him three things to chuse either to go to Mass or to be put to death or to suffer banishment all his life long saith he Primum Deo juvante nunquam eligo The first God helping I will never chuse I abhor the Idolatry of the Mass but for the two other I leave it to the choice of the King to do as he pleases there is more evil in the least sin than the greatest misery 3. The third thing I would have you consider that whosoever goeth out of Gods way to avoid danger shall certainly meet with greater danger Balaam went out of Gods way Numb 22.22 and God sent an Angel with a drawn sword and he riding upon an Asse verse 26. the Angel stood in a narrow place where was no way to go from the right hand or from the left if his Asse had not fallen under him he had been run thorow by the sword of the Angel Jonah for fear of the King of Nineveh went out of Gods way but he met with a mighty tempest he met with a Whale What do you do when you commit sin you make way to be cast into the eternal prison of Hell you destroy your precious souls to save your perishing bodies Vse 2. If sin be the father and mother of all perplexity and distresses then I beseech you let us above all things in the world abhor sin all the curses of the Bible are all due only to a sinner and all the curses not named in the Bible for that is observable Deut. 28.36 every plague that is not written in the Book shall light upon him there are strange punishments to the workers of iniquity Job 31.3 Is not destruction to the wicked a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity sin it bringeth the sinner to little ease little ease at death little ease at the day of Judgment and little ease in Hell tribulation and anguish the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little ease to every soul that doth iniquity O my beloved will you promise me to look upon sin and consider it in all its woful consequence as the Father Mother and Womb out of which come external eternal and internal straits more particularly there are twelve sins I especially command you to take heed of and avoid 1. Take heed of Covetousness the love of the world will pierce you thorow with many sorrows the love of money is the root of all evil the love of the world drowns men in perdition 2. Take heed of the sin of Pride into what a woful strait did Pride bring Haman God crossed him in what he most desired God made him hold the stirrup while Mordecay rode in Triumph and God hanged him on the Gallows which he had made for Mordecay 3. Take heed of Drunkenness Look not on the Wine when it gives its colour in the cup c. Drunkenness will bring you into snares in will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder 4. Take heed of Disobedience and Rebellion against the Commandments of God it brought Jonah to the three nights and three days in the Whales belly 5. Take heed of Fornication and Adultery and all uncleanness this brought Sampson to a woful strait this brought David and Solomon into great perplexity 6. Take heed of Oppression and all acts of Injustice this brought Ahab into great straits insomuch that the Dogs licked his blood 7. Take heed of unnecessary familiarity with wicked men this brought Jehosaphat into a
great strait 8. Take heed of mis-using the Prophets of God this made God destroy the children of Israel without remedy 2 Chron. 36.15 16. 9. Take heed of coming prophanely to the Lords Table this brought the Church of Corinth into a great distress insomuch as the Apostle saith For this cause many among you are sick and many weak and many fallen a sleep 10. Take heed of loathing the Manna of your souls this brought the children of Israel into woful misery that God destroyed all their carkasses in the wilderness save Joshua and Caleb Take heed of slighting the Gospel this brought Queen Maries persecution as many godly and learned men that fled for Religions sake out of the Land have confessed their thankfulness for and unfruitfulness under the Gospel in King Edward the sixths time brought the persecution in Queen Maries time 11. Take heed of losing your first love that makes God threaten to take away his Candlestick 12. Take heed of prophaning the Christian Sabbath which is much prophaned every where a day that Christ by his resurrection from the dead hath consecrated to be kept holy to God Certainly if the Jewes were so severely punished for breaking the Sabbath which was set a part in memory of the Creation surely God will severely punish those that break the Sabbath set a part in memory of Christs Resurrection May be same will say I have committed many of these sins but am not brought into any strait Remember it was nine moneths after David had numbred the people before he was in this strait but as sure as God is in Heaven sin will bring straits sooner or latter though one sin a hundred years yet shall he be accursed may be thy prosperity makes way for thy damnation and this is thy greatest distress that thou goest on in sin and prosperity Vse 3. If sin bringeth a Nation into marvellous labyrinths learn what great cause we have to fear that God shall bring this Nation into great distress because of the great abominations are committed in the midst of it Our King and Sovereign was in a great strait in the dayes of his banishment but God hath delivered him God hath delivered this Nation out of great straits but alas we requite God evil for good and in stead of repenting of old sins we commit new sins I am told there are new Oaths invented Oaths not fit to be named in any place much less here Certainly the drunkenness and adultery the oppression and injustice the bribery and Sabbath-breaking the vain and wicked swearing and forswearing this Nation is guilty of must of necessity provoke God to say of us as he did of them in Jer. 15.29 Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this God will not only punish us but be avenged on us There is no way to avoid a National Desolation but by a National Reformation Lastly Learn what cause you of this Congregation and Parish what cause you have to expect that God should bring you into great straits because of your great unthankfulness and unfruitfulness under the means of Grace you that have so long enjoyed the Gospel you have had the Gospel in this place in great abundance Dr. Taylor he served an Apprenticeship in this place Dr. Stoughton served another Apprenticeship and I through Divine Mercy have served three Apprenticeships and half another almost among you you have had the Spirit of God seven and thirty years in the faithful Ministry of the Word knocking at the door of your hearts but many of you have hardned your hearts Are there not some of you I only put the question that begin to loath the Manna of your Souls and to look back towards Egypt again Are there not some of you have itching ears and would fain have Preachers that would feed you with dainty phrases and begin not to care for a Minister that unrips your Consciences speaks to your hearts and souls and would force you into Heaven by frighting you out of your sins Are there not some of you that by often hearing Sermons are become Sermon-proof that know how to sleep and scoff away Sermons I would be glad to say there are but few such but the Lord knoweth there are too too many that by long preaching get little good by preaching insomuch that I have often said it and say it now again there is hardly any way to raise the price of the Gospel-Ministry but by the want of it And that I may flatter not you you have not profited under the means you have enjoyed therefore you may justly expect God may bring you into a strait and take away the Gospel from you God may justly take away your Ministers by death or other ways Have you not lost your first love Why did God take away the Gospel from the Church of Ephesus but because they lost their first love Are you not like the Church of Loadicea that was neither hot nor cold therefore God may justly spew you out of his mouth what God will do with you I know not a few weeks will determine God can make a great change in a little time we leave all to God but in the mean time let me commend one Text of Scripture to you Jer. 13.16 Give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness and before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it gross darkness Verse 17. But if you will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eyes shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lords flock is carried away captive Give glory to God by confessing and repenting of your sins by humbling your souls before the Lord before darkness come and who knoweth but this may prevent darkness Dr. Manton's Sermon Hebrews 12.1 Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us IN the former Chapter you have a spiritual Chronicle or a Catalogue of the Lords Worthies and all the eminent effects of their Faith and now the Apostle comes to make use of this History that he had produced through so many successions of Ages of all the holy men of God that excelled in Faith Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of Witnesses c. The Text is wholly Hortatory In it observe 1. The Premisses or principle the Apostle worketh upon seeing we are compassed about with c. 2. The practical Inferences which are deduced from thence and they are two 1. One concerning the private part of our duty Let us lay aside every weight c. there is something external and without like to clog us in our way to Heaven every weight
to make up all those differences which fall out between God and us for you know Amity and Friendship is kept between Forraign States by their Residents and Agents that are kept in their several Courts so we have an Agent in the Court of Heaven the Lord Jesus Christ that was raised from the dead And as a Believer falls into sin which is a breach of Peace between God and us so that Peace is made up by the exercise of repentance on our part and by sprinkling of Christs bloud upon us on Gods part The renewed exercise of Repentance and application of Christs bloud preseryes that peace that is between God and Believers And to sum up the force of the Argument when we had fallen from God and it did not consist with the Majesty of God to make peace with us without satisfaction then was he pleased to pay our Ransom out of his own Treasury and Redeem us by the bloud of his Sonne So that all his Attributes might shine forth in their Lustre and glory in our Salvation and that upon sure terms we might be able to challenge an Interest in his Favour and Love It follows Through the bloud of the Everlasting Covenant It is called an Everlasting Covenant in two respects 1. In opposition to the Old Covenant which was made with Adam in Innocency but that Covenant which secures to us the reward of that Life Eternal did not secure to us the Condition that was perfect Obedience and in reference to this Old Covenant sometimes the Gospel is called a New Covenant sometimes a Better Covenant because it supplies all weaknesse in the first Covenant not as if the Law of God was weak and faulty in respect of its self for the Law is Holy Just and Good but weak in respect of us for it is impossible that that Covenant by the breach of which Sin and Death came in to us should reconcile us to God and appease his anger and therefore God contrived another Covenant for us a Covenant in the Gospel that was made with us in Christ and this is called an Everlasting Covenant because it remains for ever the tenor of it shall not be changed for the Frst Covenant is onely abrogated and made null while frustrated as to the intent it was first given 2. It 's called an Everlasting Covenant as it brings to those that are parties in it an everlasting Glory so the Lord Jesus his blood is called an Everlasting Redemption for it ransoms the souls of men from that Eternal Death to which they were liable and gives them a Title to Everlasting Life for this Covenant which now God hath made with us it not onely secures the Reward but the Conditions to which the Reward is made for God saith I will plant my fear in your hearts that you shall not depart from me I have now gone over the Title and that in order to the Prayer which follows Make you perfect to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight the general sum of it is this That God of Peace who is reconciled to us in his Son as he is the Father of mercies to us so he is the Fountain of Holiness to us and in this respect we can onely expect from him the treasures of Grace as he is the God of Peace for God as he is our Judge dispences to Sinners nothing but revenge there is nothing to be expected but the curse of his Law the Execution of that sentence of death from him For although the World despise holiness as a base and contemptible thing they had rather be ungracious than inglorious in the eyes of men and upon this account they are afraid to be Holy lest they should be the publick scorn and contempt of the place wherein they live although holiness is of so low a price in the world yet in Heaven next to God Christ and the Spirit Holiness is the most rich Jewel that God can bestow upon us and therefore we must first look upon him as the God of Peace before we can beg any grace from him And this is the Reason why the Apostle represents God by these Titles that he might encourage the Hebrews to believe God would grant this request When Christ dyed for us it was not his design only to quiet our consciences but to quicken our souls not onely to free us from Damnation but from the Domination of sin And therefore you shall find these two are joyned together Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works The death of Christ as there was a value in it to purchase Gods favour so there was a vertue in it to restore to us Gods Image And the account of his dying for us is it that we must expect the least degree of Grace and Holiness from God And this is the reason why the Apostle prefaces this Now the God of Peace c. I know you expect I should say something as to my non-conformity I shall onely say thus much It is neither fancy faction nor humour that makes me not to comply but meerly for fear of offending God And if after the best means used for my illumination as prayer to God discourse study I am not able to be satisfied concerning the lawfulness of what is required if it be my unhappiness to be in error surely men wil have no reason to be angry with me in this world and I hope God will pardon me in the next Mr. Watson 's Forenoon Sermon Aug. 17. 1662. John 13.34 A New Commandment give I unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you VVE are this day called to a Love-feast and nothing can be more suitable than to treat of Christian Love Jesus Christ hath given us a great evidence of his Love to us he bled Love at every vein therefore we are to imitate him and as becometh Christians to Love one another 'T is a general complaint how true I know not That this is the great Grace that is defective among Christians Although they pretend much Love to Christ yet they have little Love one to another I have in former Sermons discoursed concerning Faith how that by Faith we must receive Christ in the Sacrament and now I shall speak something of Love Love is needful at a feast it is requisite when we sit down at our own Table I remember it is said of Augustin He would not suffer any to feast at his Table that came in a Spirit of Rancor and sate down in passion Sure I am they are not fit to be Guests at Christs Table that come not in a Spirit of Meekness and Love It is true we are to eat the Passover with bitter herbs but they must be the bitter Herbs of Repentance not the bitter Herbs of Malice Wrath and Fury we must come here with bitter Tears not with bitter
peace in the worlds power to give and there is a peace of Christs bestowing Now Christ would have us here not to mistake the worlds peace for his for the difference is very great for first the worlds peace is a false peace it is counterfeit coin it hath not the current stamp of Heaven on it but the peace that Christ gives to a Believer is true peace and perfect peace Thou will 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 lowers 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 than in the time that their corn and their wine increased Thou hast put gladness in my heart Peace is that gladness or peace smooths the brow but this fills the breast as the finner hath trouble within in the midst of all his peace without In the world you shall have trouble but in me you shall have peace Thirdly The worlds peace has only a neather spring arising out of the Creature out of worldly comforts therefore it must needs be unclean for an unclean fountain cannot bring forth clean water But the peace of Christians has an upper spring it flows from the manifestation of the love of God in Christ it is from the sprinkling of Christs bloud on the conscience it flows upon the workings of Christs Spirit upon the Soul which is first a Counsellor then a Comforter Oh how pure must this peace be in a believers soul that flows from so pure a spring Fourthly The worlds peace is a peace given to sinners it is a peace in sin and it is a peace with sin as the Prophet Isaiah tell us It is a Covenant with Hell and an Agreement with Death God delivers us from that peace Again Christs peace is given to none but believers it is their priviledge onely a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy Prov. 14.10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness but a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy Fifthly The worlds peace is a fading dying transitory thing it withers in the Sand The tryumphing of the wicked is but short and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment Job 20.5 Solomon doth elegantly liken it to crackling of thorns under a pot which is but a blaze and is gone Eccl. 7.6 so is the sinners peace it is for a spurt and is soon gone but the peace that Christ gives to Believers is a durable and abiding peace Your joy no man shall take from you it appears in life in death and after death first it is our peace in life grace brings forth present peace It is said of the Primitive Christians They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost Act. 9.41 It is a remarkable expression Psal 19.11 In keeping thy Commands there is great reward He don't say for keeping them which respects the end of the work but in keeping them which looks at the work it self My brethren every duty done in sincerity reflects a peace in conscience as every flower carries its own sweetness It is possible I grant a Believer may not always find and feel this peace few do some seldom find it few find it always the remains of corruption bringing forth to interrupt or temptations to hinder and Gods dissertion may darken and hide it and a Believer may seem to be totally lost yet in this condition which is the worst a child of God can be in he hath a double peace first a peace in the promises in this very condition and what you have in Bonds and Bills you account as good as money in your pockets Secondly he hath it in the seed Light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 Grace is the seed of Peace which Christ hath sown in the furrows of the soul and therefore peace shall spring out of the furrows of the soul Indeed this seed springs up sooner in some than in others yet every Saint shall have a reaping time sooner or later Psal 126.6 He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him If he staies long for the fruit he shall have a greater crop at last if he reaps not now he shall be sure to reap hereafter Psal 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upâ—iâ—â—t for the end of that man is peace Secondly by this peace which is the peace of a Child of God it is a peace at death Grace will Minister to us then and that Ministration shall be Peace the sinners peace leaves him when he comes to the grave though in life it fills him yet in death it leaves him A Believer hath a two-fold spring of peace the first is from above him the other from within him That spring that runs with peace above him is from the bloud of Christ sprinkled on his conscience the other that is from within him is from the sincerity of his heart in the ways of Obedience My Brethren when we lye on our death-beds and can reflect on our sincerity in all Gods ways this will be peace at last so it was in Hezekiah Isai 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight There 's nothing makes a death-bed so hard and so uneasie as a life spent in the service of sin and lust and nothing makes a death-bed so pleasant as a life spent in the service of Christ Grace will bring forth Peace if not in this life yet Thirdly it will be sure after death if time brings not this fruit to ripeness yet Eternity shall Grace in time will be Glory in Eternity Holiness now will be Happiness then whatever it is a man sows in this world that he reaps in the next world be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6.7 8. When Sin shall end in sorrow and misery Grace shall end in peace in joy in glory well done thou good and faithful servant enter into the joy of thy Master Mat. 25.21 Whoever shares in the Grace of Christ in this world shall be sure to share with the joy of Christ in the next world that joy is joy unspeakable full of glory I will wind up all in a three-fold Application by way of Exhortation to three sorts of persons 1. To such as have this Grace
Lord and to enquire in his Temple Now love stirreth up the affections as young Cresus though he were dumb yet seeing his Father like to be killed cryed out Do not kill my Father Such is the love of the Saints of God to the Ark that they cannot be silent they cannot but tremble when they see the Ark in danger and for Sions sake the cannot hold their peace and they cannot be silent until the Lord make the righteous thereof go out like brightness and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth 2. The people of God are troubled at this because of the interest they have in the Ark of God Now interest stirreth up affection as when another mans house is on fire as you had a lamentable and sad providence this last week and it is not to be forgotten how suddenly in all our feastings may God dash all our mirth Now consider how were they affected that had an interest in those that were burned so the people of God have an interest in the Ark. God is the Haven of a child of God the portion and inheritance of a child of God and when God begins to forsake them they cannot but be afflicted and troubled The Ordinances of God are the Jewels of a Christian the Treasure of a Christian and the loss of them cannot but trouble them And Jesus Christ is the joy of a Christian and therefore when Christ is departing they cannot but be much afflicted at it 3. The people of God are much troubled when the Ark is in danger because of the mischiefs that comes upon a Nation when the Ark of God is lost woe be to that Nation when the Ark is gone The Heathens had the Image of Apollo and they conceived that as long as that Image was presented among them they could never be worsted but be preserved and the Romans had a Buckler upon which they had a Tradition that as long as that Buckler was preserved Rome could not be taken Shall I give a hint and set it out a little in five particulars 1. When the Ark of God is taken then the ways of Sion mourn and none come to the solemn Assemblies it was the complaint of the Church Lam. 1.4 that is matter of sadness 2. When the Ark of God is taken then the Ministers of Christ are driven into corners And this is matter of heart-trembling 3. When the Ark of God is taken then the souls of many are in danger when the Gospel is gone your souls are in hazard There is cause of sadness 4. Then do the enemies of God blaspheme and are ready to say Where is your God then do the enemies of God triumph Ps 42.10 As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say daily unto me Where is thy God 5. Then is Jesus Christ trampled under foot and the Ordinances of God defiled and trampled on and then Blasphemy and Atheism comes in like an armed man 4. The people of God must needs tremble when the Ark is in danger because of their accessariness to the losing of the Ark this was that which made old Eli so much troubled because he knew it was for his sin that God suffered the Ark to be taken He knew that his not punishing his two sons was one cause of that great slaughter the people of Israel met withal and that made him tremble There is no person here in this Congregation but his heart will tell him he hath contributed something towards the loss of the Ark. None of us so holy but our consciences must accuse us we have done something that might cause God to take the Ark from us And therefore Mr. Bradford that blessed Martyr said in his Prayer Lord it was for my unthankfulness for the Gospel that brought in Popery in Queen Mary 's dayes and my unfruitfulness under the Gospel that was the cause of the untimely death of King Edward the sixth and those that fled in Queen Mary 's dayes sadly complained that they were the cause of Gods taking away the Gospel from England O beloved it is for thy sin and my sin that the Ark of God is in danger and therefore the Lod gave us trembling solicitous hearts what shall become of the Ark. I come now to Application Vse 1. If this be the property of a true child of God to be solicitous when the Ark of God is in danger and to have such a trembling heart for fear of the Ark then this is a certain sign there are but few that are the children of God in truth O where is the man and where is the woman that like old Eli sits watching and trembling for fear of the Ark And that will appear by these reasons First in reference to the many sins in this Nation for let me tell you there is not one sin for which God ever took away the Ark from any people but it is to be found in England Did the Church of Ephesus lose the Candlestick because they had lost their first love And have not we lost our first love to the Gospel and to the Ordinances And did the Church of Landicea lose the Candlestick because of lukewarmness and are not we lukewarm Did the people of Israel as here in the Text lose the Ark because they abhorred the offerings of God and do not you do so are not the sins of Israel amongst us the sins of Germany and the sins of all other Nations about us and can any man here before God this day in this Congregation that considers the great unthankfulness of this Nation the great prophaneness wickedness of this Nation but they may conclude the Ark is in danger God may justly take the Ark from us I might tell you of the Drunkenness Adultery Covetousness Injustice and Uncharitableness c. that doth abound among us and I might tell you of Sanctuary sins prophanation of Sabbath and Sacraments our unthankfulness and unfruitfulness and unworthy walking under the Gospel and you of this place God may very well take the Ark even from you and indeed it was the great interest I had in you the which while I live I shall ever own and that great affection and respect I had to you that I would not send you home this day without a Sermon and let you go without a blessing Now can any of you in this Parish and this Congregation can any of you say God may not justly take the Gospel from you Secondly shall I add the discontents and divisions of a Nation as Christ saith A Nation divided against it self cannot stand but I leave these things to your considerations I believe there is none here but will confess the Ark of God is in danger to be lost But now where are our Eli's to sit watching and trembling for fear of the Ark Where is Phinehas his Wife that would not be comforted because the Ark of God was taken Where are our Moses our Elijahs
mock with God in our prayers when we pray that his Name may be glorified if we are dismayed and discontented when God is glorified by us in our sufferings because they are tedious and irksome to our flesh If we are unwilling that God should be glorified by our sufferings If we are unwilling to honour him in an afflicted state why do we then in our prayers pretend to beg that God may be glorified Oh how much is God glorified many times by the sufferings of his people when as he is dishonoured by the secure and sensual lives of many thousands that are in prosperous calm and quiet condition in the World I might give you many instances from the Scripture to such that the sufferings of Gods people have tended very much to the setting forth of the high praises of the Lord. Oh how much have the sufferings of the Israelites been all along of Joh of David of Hezekiah of the three Children of Daniel and so under the New Testament how have the sufferings of Stephen Paul Silas and the rest of the Apostles and Martyrs resounded to the honor and glory of God for whom they suffered Indeed Gods people do more honour and glorifie God by their sufferings than by their doings for him Let us not then be dismayed though we may be in a troublesome and suffering condition seeing this is a condition in the which we are most capable of doing service for God and of bringing most honor and glory to him Secondly Thou that hast an interest in the Kingdom of Heaven art thou in an afflicted suffering condition in the world to bear up thy fainting spirits consider that affliction and tribulation is that by which God is pleased to cleanse and purge his people from sin Afflictions are like Black-soap which doth seem to soil the Cloath and make it more filthy yet it purgeth and cleanseth it and maketh it more white at length it is as the fire into which the Gold may be thrown yet it is not consumed but refined and puriâ—ied thereby it loseth only its dross so the Saints are not quite consumed by their afflictions but sanctified and they lose only that filth dross and rust that doth mix it self with grace in their hearts by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged saith God speaking of afflictions and this is all the fruit to take away his sin and shall we be unwilling to have our sins purged It is true as for those that are Reâ—robates God usually lets them alone to go on and die and â—erish for ever when as yet God is pleased to correct his people and to cast them into the Furnace of affliction because he intends mercy to them and surely it will be known one day that there can be no greater Judgment befall poor Creatures than to be let alone without chastisements to take their own swing in sin and Oh how many thousands are now in Torment for that they were let alone in their sins and never chastised by Afflictions in their Life time when as Gods people are chastened of the Lord that they might not be condemned with the World 1 Cor. 11.32 And which is easier to be born external tribulations in this life or eternal torments in the life to come one of these two will certainly befall every man and woman of us either we shall be chastened here or condemned hereafter the wicked are oftentimes let alone here they are not in troubles as other men Psal 73. but they are condemned with the World The Goâ—ly they are often chastized of the Lord here but it is in mercy to them that they may be purged from sin and not condemned with the world And David tells us that by his afflictions he was reduced from going astray and brought back again into the Fold of God Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy precepts And shall we be dismayed at the means whereby we are kept close to God and are kept from falling away from God A man is willing to take a bitter medicine to purge away that disease which would otherwise kill him Nor is he troubled at the working of his Physick though he have many painful gripes so long as it tends to the removing of those obnoxious humours and diseases which would otherways bring him to his grave And shall Christians be afraid of the bitter Cup of Afflictions which by Gods blessing purge away their sins which are the diseases of their Souls and so preserve them from eternal death Thy trials here are to purge thee and cleanse thee that thou mayest not lie in Eternal torments in the world to come And shall Christians be dismayed at that which tends to their Eternal health and Salvation and to the keeping of their Souls from Hell We should rather rejoyce to be in that condition whatsoever it be by which we may be most purged and preserved from sin Standing poâ—ls do usually contract filth and mud So those Christians that are setled upon the lees in a prosperous state and condition they do verâ— frequently get filâ—h and corruption The people of God are never made the freer from sin by their freedom from outward affliâ—tions This then is the second consideration to keep the Saints from being dismayed at their afflictions in the World because thereby they are purged from sin which would otherways prove the bane of their souls Thirdly You that are the heirs of Heaven and have an interest in the Eternal Glory you are in affliction and tribulation in the World be not dismayed For coâ—â—ider that the thing do tend to the exercisinâ— and increase of our â—â—aces and tâ— the making of â—ou eminent in Grace and â—â—linesâ— Aâ—d will you be daunted at that which tend to the making of you more holy Will you be grieved at that which tends to the increasing of your faith patience humility heavenly-mindedness and to the making of you more eminent for holiness and godliness Believers are usually greater gainers by their afflictions in the World than by their external prosperity yea many times they are losers by their prosperity when as they have been great gainers by their troubles and adversity Oh how many have gained in grace and holiness by their losses in the World the servants of God were never more eminent in grace than when they were least and lowest in their outward estate true graces are the diamonds that shine brightest in the darkest night and these shine clearest in the obscurest night of adversity The Saints in Scripture were then most eminent for holiness and godliness and all other graces when they lay under greatest troubles and tribulations from the World and how exemplary in holiness and how eminent in faith and heavenly-mindedness were the Martyrs when they were afflicted tormented imprisoned burned and persecuted with the most grievous persecutions from the hands of wicked men when as the prosperity and pleasures of the wicked did tend
but he whose life is correspondent to his light God will never leave to sit in Egyptian darkness 3. By way of preservation God is always present with those to keep them from evil who study obedience to him in that which is good If God's people abstain from drunkenness swearing Idolatry and the like abominable impieties which inevitably drown the soul in perdition let them not rob the Lord of his glory in ascribing it to the goodness of their natures but let them ingeniously acknowledge it to proceed from the goodness of God that preserves them more than others and many times prevents their falling into those fins which by nature they were prone to as well as the rest Thus David was kept from murdering Nabal Noah from partaking with the old world in their wickedness Lot from following after the abominations of Sodom Joseph from consenting to the lude inticements of his impudent Mistris and those three Jewish Worthies from falling down to worship before the golden Image which Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon had set up Dan. 3.16 18. When therefore Gods people consider Judas â—hursting â—aâ—under through black despair Julian dying with revenge and rage against Christ Achitophel dispatching himself for very madness because his oracle was not received one blaspheming another sinfully 〈◊〉 plying with a wicked world and aâ—third running into all excess of riot Oh! let them then also consider the goodness of God and the power of his Grace in preserving them from the like horrie impiettie Every one of Gods people did not the Lord preserve them by his Grace and keep off temptation would soon be a Gain or Achitophel Yea a Devil incarnate Oh then think with your selyes if the Grace of God did not keep off such a sin such a lost such a temptation how had it swallowed us up as the Whale did Jonah 4. By way of Corroboration Those that walk in obedience with God doing what they know the Lord is still present with them essisting them by his Grace and strengthening them in all their weaknesses Whence â—t iâ— that a Christian is able to do duty to resist temptations and to scorn as well the smiles as the frowns of a deceitful world whether seeking by promises to draw into sin or by threatnings to deter from duty but through the Presence of God strengthning him Phil. 4.13 Paul hath as one observes a kind of Omnipotency and to him with every good Christian all things are possible because possible to the Grace of God who is with them The strength of a Christian lies not in himself but in God assisting him the Bird may as well flie without wiâ—gs as he resist a temptation perform duty acceptably mortifie any lust or do any thing prevailing without the Presence of God strengthening As Sampson while God kept him and was present with him no Rhilistine was too strong for him So while God is present with us assisting us by his Grace we cannot fall and when he keeps us not we cannot stand 5. By way of Protection Such as do what they have heard and learned and received with them God is present not only as 〈◊〉 Sun for Direction but also as a Shield for Protection Not only to do them good but also to defend them from evil Psal 84.11 Pharaoh King of Egypt followed Israel but he and his mighty men were drowned and Israel escaped for the Lord was with Israel Saul hunteth David as a Partridge upon the mountains but Saul perisheth and David is made a King For the Lord was with David Haman hateth Mordecai resolving to have him hanged high enough because he would not stoop low enough But Haman himself is hanged and Mordecai is advanced for God is with Mordecai And thus if we study to walk with God he will give us protection and be present with us to deliver us out of all our troubles For the Lord whom we serve is stronger than All and if he be present with us who can be against us Rom. 8.31 Nemo nos loedit nisi qui Deum vincit He only who can overcome God can bring evil upon those that walk in Ocedience with him neither is any man delivered from evil but through Gods protecting him When therefore we see one disgraced another slain One diseased another cut off by the stroke of Death One lose his Estate another his Liberty and we out selves delivered from the like Calamities how can we choose but ascribe it to Gods goodness protecting us therefrom 6. By way of Communication The wicked are estranged from God but the Righteous have access into his Presence and in all the methods thereof he lets out himself communicating of his Grace and Goodness to them Such open to him and therefore He comes in to sup with them that they may sup with him Rev. 3.20 Such are often drawing nigh to him in Duty he therefore draws nigh to them in a way of Mercy and graciou Communication Jam. 4. If they meditate they meet with God and what a blessed Contemplation is that If they hear his Word they meet with God and what a joyful hour must that be If they receive the Sacrament there also they meet with God in Christ and what a soul solacing Feast is that If they how their souls in Prayer there they meet with God And oh what an heaven upon earth is this Oh! Little do any of you that are yet disobedient know what secret Debates what spiritual Incomes what Heavenly Illapses and soul ravishing contentments Gods people find in Communion with him They study obedience with him and therefore he is graciously present with them communicating himself to their souls in every Ordinance So that those who are willing and obedient they eat the fat of Ordinances they have other jâ—yes other pleasures other delights to be feeding upon and solacing their souls withall in the duties of Gods Worship than what the world is aware of Such are satisfied with the fatness of Gods House they sit down under his Shadow with great delight they find his Fruit sweet to their taste and one days communion with the Lord it is better to their souls than a thousand elsewhere 7. By way of Occultation God is an abiding place for his people their Refuge and Fortress in times of trouble Those that keep close to God to do what be loves the Lord will keep close to them to hide them from what they fear In the time of trouble saith David He shall hide me in his Pavillion In the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me Psal 32.7 God hath secret Chambers of Providence wherein to hide his people in time of danger and publick calamities Isa 26.20 21. Come my people saith the Lord enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy Doors about thee Hide thy self as it were for a little moment until the indignation be ever-past When danger pursues Gods people he teaches them to run to himself as a most inviolable Sanctuary
is such as shall endure for ever Your Riches your Comforts your Friends may be with you to day and be gone to morrow but with whom God is once graciously present to them he continues the presence of his grace his love and his favour for ever God may indeed withdraw the light of his countenance for a time but totally and for ever he will never desert those that walk in obedience with him All things without God are full of vanity and change onely the Lord will never utterly absent himself from us if once he be graciously present with us He is a faithful Friend loving at all times his favour is a Sun that knows no setting and his presence a Well of comfort springing up to eternal Life John 4.14 13.1 So that if you regard a Treasure that shall never be taken from you that favour which shall never end in frowns make sure of God's gracious presence by walking in obedience with him according to what you have heard and learned and received from him 9 Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it 's every way suitable and correspondent to their souls necessities What ever the soul can desire what ever it stands in need of may be found in God's gracious presence this is beauty to adorn this is gold to enrich this is balm to heal this is bread to strengthen this is wine to comfort and make glad the soul in the time of heaviness Are we in danger this is a shield Are we disconsolate this is a Sun If in a word we be pursued by any calamity this is like the munition of Rocks an hiding-place against the storm and a Tower wherein we may find safety If then God's gracious presence be thus proper to our wants and so suitable to all our necessities how ought we to labour for it by walking in obedience with him according to what we have heard and learned and received from him 10. And lastly Such is the presence of God with those that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it fit them for everlasting Communion with him in Glory God's people they go from Communion to Communion from Communion with God in a state of grace to Communion with God in a state of glory For with whomsoever God is graciously present here they shall hereafter enjoy his blissful soul-ravishing and beatifical presence to all Eternity If then you desire to be with the Lord for ever where you shall see his glory enjoy his presence and be satisfied with pleasures at his tight hand for evermore then see that you walk in obedience before him For those onely shall enjoy God's presence in a state of glory with whom he is now present in a state of grace There is no commencing Saints either Militant on Earth or Triumphant in Heaven per Saltum If we draw not nigh to God in a way of obedience here we must hereafter be punished with everlasting destruction from his presence and from the glory of his Power Thus by Divine assistance I have shewed you the excellency of Gods presence with all such as obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received from him Now then do not deprive your selves of so glorious a privilege but see that henceforth you walk in obedience with God giving diligence to practise those things you have learned But that you may not at length be disappointed neither finding God graciously present with you here nor enjoying his presence in glory hereafter be sure that in doing what you have heard learned and received you observe these following directions 1. Be sure that of all which you have heard and learned and received tither of me or of any other you practice that onely which you find to be of God and according to the unerring Rule of his Word We have one Heavenly King and must therefore observe one Law we have one God and must Worship by one Rule We have one Shepheard and must be commanded by one Voice We have in a word one Head and must follow upon that account one direction All that builded Noah's Ark builded by one pattern so all that intend to build themselves an Heavenly and Spiritual House to GOD must build by one Rule All Israel travelled to the Land of Canaan by the light of one fiery Pillar So all that will travel to the Heavenly Canaan of God's gracious presence must make his Word a light to their feet and a lanthorn to their paths All the passengers in a Ship sail by one Compass so all that will fteer a right course to the Haven of Eternal Rest must keep close to the unerring Rule of Gods Word as their onely Compass Phil. 3.16 For it 's Gods Prerogative to prescribe and mans duty to conform our service is no service not will God be present with us in any thing that we do farther then we have heard and learned and received it from him Mat. 15.9 Let then every man amongst you that desires Gods presence either in grace here or in glory hereafter be like those noble Bereans examining the ground of their Faith and obedience Oh do not offer to God a sacrifice without eyes your Religion must be Scripture-Religion and all your obedience commanded therein would you ever be accepted of God in what you do 2. Be sure that what ever you have heard received and learned you do it cordially without dissembling The obedience of the life without when integrity of heart and the life of grace is wanting within finds no acceptance with God nor will he ever be graciously present with those who onely draw nigh unto him by an external conformity Obedience without the heart and to practise what we have heard and learned and received but not in sincerity will bring neither glory to God nor comfort to us Do not then dissemble any longer with the God of Heaven Oh be not industrious to plot your own death and through your hypocrisie go to Hell in the way of duty but what ever you have heard what ever you have learned what ever you have received be sure that you do it heartily as unto God 3. Be sure that what ever you have heard and learned and received you do it univerfally without any reservation True obedience is universal doing many things and neglecting others will not save one leak in the ship of thy Soul is enough to sink it in eternal perdition Psal 119. The hypocrite will walk in some of Gods Statutes but with David you must have respect to all his Commandments if you ever desire the Lord to be present with you as he was with David Every duty therefore commanded be sure that you do it and every sin forbidden be sure that you shun it as Hell it self Many wholsom Doctrines have been taught and many soul-saving Truths have been made known among you well of all that you ever
have done will you take more care of your Family Will you give them an example of a holy heavenly Life Fifthly Have you repented of your Sins as you say you have Then how much are you troubled for the sins of others Do your hearts mourn in secret for the Wickedness and the Abominations of the places where you live And now I beseech you do not you flatter your selves in your wicked sinful courses If you do then I say take heed that God doth not send his Judgments upon you And if you repent not doubtless God will bring some Plague upon England ere it be long Consider this O England and do not provoke God to depart from you For if you repent of your Sins you may expect to live quietly in the Land of your Nativity and go to your death beds in peace and rest But if you will not repent of your sins then I say expect nothing but Cursings instead of Blessings from God If you will repent do it to day God knows how long it may be before you have such another day But I have one word to you this afternoon and it is for ought that I know the last words I have to speak to you I have one Question to ask you before I depart out of this Pulpit with thoughts for all that I know never to return into it any more My Question is this Will you repent The welfare of your souls depends upon it the welfare of the Church depends upon it the welfare of three Kingdoms depends upon it My beloved it is no trifling now Will you repent I ask you It may be hereafter God will give you up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind and if you go on in your wickedness Hell will follow after it Well I say Will you repent I ask you the Question and I ask you no other Question than I have asked my own self before I came into this place I ask you again Will you repent every man woman amongst you For Jesus Christ is angry with you and he takes away many of your Lights from amongst you That God is angry with you it is plain for God would never else have taken away his Ministers from among you I doubt not but God hath made use of some of those that are to speak no more in the Name of Jesus to the snatching of you as fire brands out of the fire and in bringing you from the kingdome of Satan unto the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ Well will you repent If you will not you sins lye at your own dores do not think its a hard Question when I ask you if you will repent There are two places where there is no Repentance the one is in Hell it were a vain thing for me to go to the gates of Hell and câ—y to them Repent for their day of Grace is past and their doom is passed upon them I do verily think that there is more sorrowing in Hell for sin than there is here upon Earth but their sorrow is not sanctified sorrow If the damned in Hell were delivered out of Hell they would sin again if they lived eternally they would sin eternally But I am not speaking to men in hell nor to women in hell but I speak to you that are here upon earth But there are a people to whom the day of Grace is set while they live to whom the Sun of Righteousness is set and their day is filled up with darkness I look upon the Heathen as such I look upon the Jews as such I look upon the Turks as such I dare not say of any man or woman living that can come within the hearing of a Sermon that God hath given any one up to such a reprobate mind Now my beloved if it be not thus with any of you that your day of Grace is not past as I am confident it is not Then I beseech you in the Name and Fear of God that you would repent The dying words of dying men and women do usually prevail with those that hear them The dying words of Fathers and Mothers do use to prevail with their children My beloved if you have any love to God if you have any love to your souls remember my last words I say Repent of your sins It may be God hath made me instrumental to the plucking of some of you as Fire brands out of the fire and in building of some of you up in the most holy Faith Remember what I say I have chosen this as my last words that ever I shal speak to some of you Object But may some of you say You bid me repent how can I do it I can no more repent than the dead man can arise Answ It is true O sinner that thou sayest But though thou canst not repent when thou wilt yet if thou wilt but endeavour to set thy self about the work it is probable that God may give thee a repenting heart therefore I say take heed of shutting thy self out from mercy Object But say you Why do you then press us to such a work when we cannot do it of our selves Answ Mark here when I say unto you will you repent That is will you make use of the means that God hath appointed for your Repentance Will you reckon up all the sins you have committed against God will you reckon up all the times that you have been drunk or that you have sworn an Oath will you reckon up all the sins that you stand guilty of between God and your own souls and will you go to God and beg of him that he would be pleased to pardon them But say you What if we do not If you do not then you are still in your sins and there is no peace to you there is no inward peace to your souls there is no true peace to your Kingdom But that I may prevail with you I shall give you some grounds or motives to press this Argument more home upon your consciences First of all Repent because Jesus Christ hath commanded you under great Penalties if you do not My beloved consider a little with your selves who it is that speaks unto you here in my Text. It is not I but it is Jesus Christ and doubtless Christ would never have perswaded you to this work of repentance if it were not necessary This book is the counsel of the Physitian of your Souls the Physitian of your Church and the Physitian of your Kingdom He that saith unto you repent saith if you do not Your sins shall not be blotted out He that saith unto you repent saith if you do not Eternal death shal follow Repent I say or if thou dost not wo be unto thee wo unto that man that ever he was born wo unto thee it had been better thou hadst never seen the Light Thy Parents that bore thee they may repent that ever thou were born Oh my beloved it is a terrible
ye also may come to joyn with the Apostle in saying I am perswaded nothing shal separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Secondly The Apostle is perswaded neither Death nor Life can do this Deaâ—h in its self hath in it by reason of its terrors and torments a great tendency to separate those from Christ which have not real firm hold of him but those that have seen everlasting love and thereby have had love bâ—gotten in them unto Christ that love also being everlasting have something that will cause them never to depart from him Death is Christs servant he did abolish it and carry it Captive in his Resurrection and then as it were renew unto it its Commission to bring his Beloved out of the world unto him Therefore with what terrors soever Death cometh it is granted to him by the Commission of the Prince of Life and this is only to shew that neither its terrors not torments can overcome the love and life of Christ Jesus in the soul but they remain still everlasting Neither can Life separate us Although a love unto Life and a fear of Death are of like power to separate from Christ It doth sometime happen that we see persons out-live thâ—ir goodness and how much better had it been for such to have died sooner But the Apostle is confident neither Life nor Death could separate him from Christ This ye shou'd expect the tryal of every Christian whether there is any thing he feareth more then God or loveth more then Christ yea even his own life And it is only Faith that makes this union with the love of Christ that neither life nor death can separate from him Did we understand the smal value of this outward life we should not adventure our everlasting health for it Thirdly Neither Angels nor Principalities nor Powers These are Powers on which are built sereral gradations of Angelical eternal Dominions and in each Dominion are multitudes of Angels divers of which rebelled against God and these only he here mentioneth for the other would not endeavour to make any separation from Christ neither are these able though Angels in the highest gradation of evil spirits because stronger is he who comes to save us than he who attempts to destroy us Yea Christ's derivative power is greater than the power of evill 1 John 2.14 I have written unto you young men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one Fourthly Nor things present These were the Opposition envy and malice of the Jewe they called the wayes of the Christians Heresie and resolved to extirpate them under a sense that thereby they did God good service 2. Opposition from the Gentiles who lived in common prophaneness and so contrary to the Christian Profession 3. That which the Apost a mentioneth with more regret the Divisions among the Christians them selves some glorying to be of Cephas some of Apollo and false Brethren also watching to betray them yet the Apostle saith while in the view of all these round about him did perswade him all these could not separate him from the love of God in Christ Jesus tour Lord. Fifthly Nor things to come And this not only in reference unto the time of the Apostles life on earth but after also so that the Apostle wroke not only for his own faith but of those also which were to be true Christians hereafter and he saw there was to come a time of Apostacy wherein men would give out Doctrine of Devils and Wolves which should not spare the Flock but here was Faith which all these things could not separate from this love in Christ Many times things to come are greater terrors then things present because fear consults what they would be and that is apt to multiply things in the imagination and render them also greater than indeed they are how many soever therefore of these may come upon us let us see that they have not power to work this separation in the Apostles example Sixthly Neither height nor depth Heights have in them a great power to separate from Christ high Gifts Saint Paul himself saith There was a Thorn given me in the flest least I should be exalted above measure God would not have sent that remedy had he not been in danger And therefore Paul would not have his Bishop a Novice 1 Tim. 3.6 One newly planted in the faith lest when he is listed up in his Office he he lifted up in pride also and fall into the Devils condemnation being cast down for lifting up himsel too high To fall by pride is a dangerous snare to separate from Christ Jesus These God beholds afar off but giveth more grace to the humble It is a great grace to have exaltations in temporals or spirituals which leads us into no danger Nor depths this is that the Pselmist tels us Psal 44.9 c. But thou hast cast us off and put us to shame and goest not forth with our Armies Thou makest us to turn back from the Enemy they which hate us spoil for themselves Thou hast given us like Sheep appointed for meat and hast scattered us among the Heathen Thou sellest thy people for nought and doth not increase thy wealth by their Price Thou makest us a reproach among our Neighbours a scorn and derision to them which are round about us Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen a shaking of the head among the People My confusion is daily before me and the shame of my face hath covered me For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth by reason the enemy and avenger All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsly in thy Covenant The deep distress could not separate them from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Seventhly Nor any other Creature Let it be what it will so it be but creature and not God it cannot separate from the love of the Creator Exalt Creator in your hearts and creature will be but little in your eyes Eightly Shall not be able There are many enemies want nor will but they shall not be able So it was with the enemies of Gods King in the Psalms Psal 21.11 For they intended evil against thee they imagined an evil device which they were not able to perform Ninthly To separate us To make us without the love of God in Christ Jesus they may drive us and turn us into it but not beyond it there the malice of Man and the Devil leaving those that are truly Christs And this because it is 1. The Love of God 2. In Christ Jesus It must be somthing able to turn the Divine affections which nothing can do nor alter the love of God in Christ Jesus because it is not built on our worthiness or stability but on Christ And none can cause the Father not to love his son And if ye
and by our lively trust through the Covenant of Grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the powers of Hell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts still our consciences say I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befriend you I will be just and faithful to forgive your sins my Law is sully fulfilled by another though broken by you my Justice is fully satisfied by another though provoked by you my wrath is ceased by the means of another though incensed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be canst not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in thine own way speak peace to every such soul Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which didst regard us when we were running from thee do not reject us now we are drawing near thee And thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy Word help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better than life Some do say Who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and thou wilt glad our hearts more than in the time when Corn or wine or Oil increaseth Let it be fair above head when it is dirty below let us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of faith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would fain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life epentance from dead works a mourning fat greater for the remembrance of sin than we have pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out Wretched men that we are who should deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear of condemnation doth decrease so set the fear of transgression increase And because O Lord thou hast not made us to bleed with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truely desire that Heaven would enter into us into a way of holiness here as we desire to enter into Heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let net that live quietly one minuite with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which the great God is offended and an immortal soul is damned We are to be in the world but for a while to take a turn or two and be gone Oh that we might make it the business of our life to get into Christ though it be the scorn of men and burdensome to nature yet this is that which will bring us peace at last Let us be what we profess our selves to be let us love Christ and evangelically keep his commandements let us live by faith let us keep thy Commandements let us be above the world in the world above the love of life and above the fear of death let not the smiles of the world allure us nor the frowns thereof affright us from thee but in all these things let us be more than conquerers through Jesus Christ Let us love him much whom we cannot love too much Help us to be above the power of Hell let us ever say My soul it is good for me to draw nigh to God Let us be willing rather to be faved with a few than go to Hell in a crowd let us live as if Eternity were long and life but short let us thrive in holiness and be brought neerer to thy self by every dispensation let us in this our day know the things that concern our peace before they be hid from our eyes and know the time of our visitation and though God suffer long he will strike at last O Lord bow the heavens and come down among us at this time and be with the unworthiest of thy servants and give unto him a door of utterance and to thin great people a door of entrance and let them be all taught of God and let them truly find that the great God is teaching to the heart when that a weak worm is speaking to the ear let all the work be done by theo and let all he praise redound unto thee and let him that is with us be greater than he that is in the world behold us in the Son of thy love smell aswee savor of rest on these our poor prayers speak peace to our consciences rebuke the tempter tread him under our feet shortly raise us up to newness of life let us remember when that which is perfect is rome that which is imperfect shall be done away Hear us and help us through our dear Redeemer let us live for him here and with him hereafter and all for his sake whom not seeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory to whom with thee and thy Sprit be Glory and Honour now an for ever Amen Mr. Cradocott's Prayer at St. Sepulchres MOst glorious and most gracious Lord God who art God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hast put thine own Name and stamp upon this Day wilt thou be pleased to appear now and prepare and dispose our unprepared and indisposed souls for holy Observation of this thine holy day Will the Lord vouchsafe us the incomes of his spirit and influences of his Grace whereby we may be inabled to offer up spiritual Sacrifice which may be acceptable to Jesus Christ Lord thou requirest praying hearts but thou hast not commanded us to use Prayer-books and if thou wilt give us the Spirit of Prayer we shall not need them Lord give us praying hearts at this time let us find by experience that the Sabbath is a day of Souls opportunity that thine Ordinances are full of marrow that thou hast not said unto thy Children the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain VVe acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes to heaven we have cause enough to cry out God be merciful to us sinners undeserving ill-deserving men and women we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickednesses we are by nature enemies to thy Majesty heirs of death children of darkness slaves to sin captives to lust dead to sins and trespasses how are our understandings darkned and our hearts-hardened what are our hearts but a store house of malicious thoughts a brothel house of adultery a palace of pride we are by nature