the Great Shepheard of the flock and God being of a gracious disposition towards them provides to that end Christ shall take care of them and to all those things that pertain to their eternal welfare 3. It was expedient this person should dye though the Great Shepheard Nay it was necessary that it might be so much more verified and manifested that he was the great Shepheard of the sheep that he should lay down his life for his flock 4. It was as necessary that Christ should be raised from the dead as that he should dye Therefore his continuance was but a temporary nay a momentary time to him Now Christ is risen yea all power in Heaven and Earth is committed to him and if he was able to do any thing for his people before much more now 5. The Resurrection of Christ doth arise partly from the tenour of the Covenant God made with man and partly from the virtue and benefit that was in the blood of Christ God put himself into a Covenant Christ was Mediator of it and in vertue of that Covenant sinners must be saved but the Saviour must first save himself raise himself from the dead and then hath all power committed to his hand c. There are two things that I would have you further observe and carry away 1. That Christ is indeed the only Great Shepherd of the sheep Whatsoever others there are they make to his own interest whosoever there be that may possibly intitle themselves under the name and notion yet this is undeniable that Christ is the only Great Shepherd of the Sheep therefore in the concernments of the Church there is none Christians should honour as Christ and whose voice they ought to hear before his or by whom they should be ruled and governed but by him If Christ be the great Shepheard then the Church must hear his voyce for my Sheep hear my voyce c. And if he be the great Shepherd then the Church must be ruled by him for the Shepherd must have the ordering of the Flock and the Flock must be at the disposal of the Shepherd And then thirdly The Flock of Christ must be careful to please him for fear he set his Dog upon him that we provoke him not to exercise his correcting power He hath his correcting power He hath his Rod of Discipline as well as his Staff and Crook which is to performed by others as seems good to him for he hath many ways to let loose the Devil on his own Children Satan had a desire to afflict Job and God gave way to it c. The Church of God is Gods Spouse and there is a great deal of love between the Husband and the Wife between Christ and the Church Yet Psal 4.5 this she is solemnly charged withal God hath made Christ a head to his Church therefore his Church must be ruled by Christ and 't is not for the Church to say the inferiour Shepherds would order me thus and thus we must in the mean while say but what doth Christ say in such cases It is not for the Church to go aside by the Flocks of his companions Cant. 1.7 The companions of Christ pretended to be Shepherds of the sheep as well as he but have not that power Christ had They have their societies and would have the ordering of them but the Church desires to know where she may hold Communion with Christ that she may not turn aside by the Flocks of her companions There are many Disputations among inferiour Shepherds but this is out of all dispute that Christ is the great Shepherd of the Sheep That great man at Rome never pretended higher then to be the Vicar of Christ and Successor of Peter now we know that the Principal is much more to be regarded then the Vicar therefore if Christ be the Great Shepherd surely the Sheep of Christ must hear his voice before all other Shepherds especially since Christ hath spoken so signally in the case My sheep hear my voyce and they follow me a stranger will they not follow for they know not the voyce of strangers And God having so solemnly commanded Mat. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him The Great Shepherd must be heard before all little Shepherds The little Shepherds have their divisions Acts 20.29 After my departure shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them True Shepherds are always careful to make Disciples for Christ and to bring all Disciples to Christ All Johns work was to make Disciples to put them over to Christ not to make Disciples to him but to make over all his Disciples unto Christ If any man will gather he must gather for Christ not himself others would draw men to any matter or manner of Doctrine Government c. But our eye must be upon Christ and our ear open to his voice and our hearts awed with his will and mind in Scripture made known to his Church and they love not Christ as they ought that desire not to hear his voice before any others in the world for he is the great Shepherd of the sheep 2. Though he be the great Shepherd of the sheep ye he died and though he die yet because he is the great Shepherd of the sheep he is raised again The great Shepherd dies the little Shepherds must not think much of it if they be called to die We must be contented if it be exemplified in us if occasion serve for if God spared not the great Shepherd what have the little Shepherds to plead for themselves that they should be spared If the case fall out while Habour to serve the Church as I can I come to suffer for the Church in the end I do reioyce and I will rejoyce And truly we had need to pray for such a spirit as this for if this was in the great Shepherd of the sheep it will very well become the little Shepherds But against the fear of death here 's the comfort The great Shepherd of the sheep dies yet is raised from the dead so shall the little ones not one Member of the flock death can always triumph over him In this respect Christ will have all his Members to be raised in that he got the victory over death for Christ arose as the First Fruits and ascended into Heaven as a fore-runner Though we may have denial as to the advancing of Christs service c. yet the resurrection of the dead is that we must take into our thoughts and 't is our solid comfort God will one day bring all the sheep together into one Fold and David shall be their King and have the ruling and ordering of them to all eternity There is a Resurrection to little Shepherds when we come to lay down our natural lives we-can look for no other recompence for
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
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
the Word the Promises which are the breast of Consolation these are all provided by him for his people And in this respect he is the great Shepheard for he doth not onely allow them means but blesses the me ans to them he is able to enlighten the dark mind he can make pliable the stubborn Will and he can spiritualize drouzie affection which all other Shepherds in the World are not able to effect 4. He is the great Shepherd if you consider his power to preserve them from danger not onely those dangers which respect Satan for that fell under his care before but those diseases to which they are liable which threaten ruine Other Shepherds possibly may cure diseases but not defend them from danger Christ it is that gives eternal life to his sheep he begins the life of holiness which though at present is but a spark in the Sea yet he keeps it alive till it shall break forth into a triumphant flame That life that is encompassed with so many enemies and liable to so many weaknesses the Lord Jesus will bring forth judgement to victory and will make them to be powerful over spiritual and eternal enemies The summe is this the Lord Christ is so perfect a Shepherd so compleat as to all the qualifications of that office that the Prophet David breaks forth into exultation Psal 23. The Lord is my Shepherd c. and then afterwards expresses all those provisions which are made for him by God as a Shepherd He makes me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters So that you see Christ whether for diligence love tenderness for preserving us from danger for securing us to life eternal he is only the great Shepherd he is the God of Shepherds as well as the God of Sheep and all other Shepherds are but inferiour to him and must be accountable to him for the Souls of his Sheep which are more valuable then all the world It follows The great Shepherd of the sheep I shall not spend any time in making any resemblance between the People of God and the Sheep Only 1. They are Sheep in respect of their Innocency You know of all creatures the Sheep are unarmed other creatures either they are armed with strength or skin or swiftness to guard themselves and offend others but the Sheep hath neither the strength of the Lion the craft of the Fox nor the swiftness of the Deer and of all creatures is most weak inoffensive and most liable to dangers and injuries Of all persons Gods people are most liable to danger and when out of Christs protection the weakest persons in the world 2. In respect of their Meekness A Sheep is an Emblem of Meekness that 's their temper and therein they imitate Christ who hath propounded himself to be their pattern Learn of me for I am meek and lowly both these qualities are exprest by the Prophet Isa 11. where speaking concerning the times of the Gospel he saith The Lamb shall lie down with the Wolf Now where the Prophet expresses their safety there he expresses their Innocency and Meekness This is the reason why the Prophet saith For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter because of all creatures most liable to injuries that which doth least resent them And where-ever the grace of Christ comes it sweetens the most cruel nature and polishes the most rough disposition and makes them to be like Christ meek and lowly 3. In regard of their Profitableness for of all creatures they are most profitable the food as to their flesh the cloath as to their fleece And the people of God however they are exposed to the contempts and injuries of the world they are the most profitable for were it not for them the whole frame of Nature would fall into pieces the Stars would fall like leaves in Autumn and all the Elements would fall into confusion we see it by one Lot who kept showres of fire and brimstome from falling on Sodom till he was got out of it And it is the people of God for whom this frame of Nature is continued and when they are brought into the fold of Christ the Justice of God will have a solemn triumph over all the world 4. As they are liable to wandring sheep are wandring creatures and when strayed not able to reduce themselves And in this respect the people of God are sheep they have a thousand allurements to draw them from the ways of God and if God should not guide them by his eye 't is impossible they should go in the way that leads to Heaven Therefore David saith I have gone astray like a lost Sheep seek thy Servant Psal 119.176 This shall suffice to make the Parallel and Resemblance of the people of God to sheep The second Argument is this That he hath design'd Christ to be the Shepherd of the Church The great Shepherd of the Sheep this is another argument and evidence that he is reconciled to us and that he is the God of Peace For when God gave Christ to be our Sacrifice and raised him up to be our Shepherd these are the most clear Testimonies of his Love For although Christ now sits in Heaven and all the Angels of God worship him yet he doth not disdain to exercise the same care and to express the same Love to his People that he did when he was upon the Earth All the Offices of Christ express Gods love to us for he feeds us as a Prophet died for us as a Priest Governs and defends us as he is a King and all these meet together in this Title feeding of us dying for us desending of us as he was God he loved us as he was Man he died for us This doth express the effects of his two Natures in this Title and therefore an admirable evidence that God is at peace with us It follows Through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant The bloud of Christ is that which cements God and us together For you must remember our original peace with God was broken that peace we have with him now is called Reconciliation it is as a broken bone which well set is stronger then before because Nature conveys most liberal supplies to the weakest part so now being reconciled to God through the bloud of his Son we stand upon surer terms with him than we did in Innocency The Bloud of Christ speaks better things for us than all our Sins speak against us it speaks peace to our souls that in Heaven purchased by his death Christ died as a Testator and bequeathed to the Church a Legacy of Peace he lives as the Executor of that Covenant and now in Heaven conveys to us that blessing of Peace which he bequeath'd in his death And as our Peace was founded in his Bloud so it is conserv'd by his Intercession he appears in the Court of Heaven as our Embassadour
which the Apostle uses by way of insinuation for Audience are contained in the words of the 20. verse wherein we have a very large description of the Person prayed unto The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus c. He describes him under such notes and marks as serve much for enlargment and enforcement in the matter of prayer But here a Question may arise Seeing Grace is the thing the Apostle principally desires and 't is usual with holy men both under the Old and New Testament to chuse out such Attributes as sure most with their particular occasions and are most agreeable to those requests they have why he doth not apply himself to God as the God of all grace but rather the God of Peace Therein first the Apostle seems to make use of that same liberty which belongs to holy men As there is in the General a Liberty left to Gods People from God himself Paul in this place makes use of that liberty he had as to the manner of prayer using such a description of God as seemed good to him at present But secondly if he be the God of Peace it follows he is the God of Grace If God hath glorified himself so far among the Hebrews as to reconcile them to himself by the blood of Christ then there is no question God will proceed further and having provided for those things which appertain to their Justification no question but he will for those things that are necessary to their Sanctification Therefore the Apostle argues plainly from Justification to Sanctification He that justifies his people through the Blood of Christ Sanctifie you by the spirit of Christ make you perfect to do his will working in you that which is wel-pleasing in his sight c. So desires we should be Sanctified on the consideration of our Justification having provided for Justification by the blood of Christ followes Sanctification by the spirit of Christ 1 Thes 5.23 And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. that God who is ally'd to you the God of peace and hath provided for you Peace I desire he would further provide Sanctification for Sanctification is nothing else but the effect of that grace which is procured for Believers through the blood of Christ There is no access to God for Sanctification of our Natures until we prevail with him for the Justification of our persons and he first shews himself to be a God of peace by way of Justification before a God of Grace and Sanctification But to proceed First for the description of the person wherein take notice of him 1. By one of his Attributes 2. By one of his special works whereby he hath manifested that Attribute 1. The Attribute of God is implyed under those words that he is called the God of peace The Gracious God that provides for reconciliation between himself and sinners that finds out ways and means to win those who are by nature Children of wrath to be the Children of God There is no peace but God is Author of whether natural peace or civil peace or political peace he is pleased to provide for them but there is a transcendent kind of peace which doth with a peculiarity belong to Gods people i.e. Spiritual peace between God and sinners and that inward peace that we enjoy if our conscience hath been troubled with terrour of sin Wrath c. Peace belongs so to God as none of the Creatures can have any Glory of it Psal 4.7 The peace is Gods peace none can effect it or devise it but God and with respect to this he is more especially called the God of peace because he hath found out a way to make reconciliation between God and his sinful perishing Creatures 2 Cor. 5.19 Ephes 2.14 c. Col. 1.13 2. There is a special Work of God attributed to him that the Apostle takes into consideration i.e. That he brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that Great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant wherein we have many words and every word its weight and we shall scarce be able to weigh every one so as to take the full sense and emphasis of them In the words there is 1. Something implyed 2. Something expressed 1. Something implyed namely That the Lord Jesus Christ was sometimes in the state of death and that being in the state of death it was not any ordinary power way or means could ransom him He was in the state and condition of the dead he was for a while under the power and dominion of Death his body for the space of three dayes lay in the Grave and in that sense he was under the dominion of death as all dead men are The Great Shepherd of the sheep could not have his own life in some sense no interest he had in God by vertue of Sonship or any of his Offices could save him from death though the Son of God and Head of the Church and Christ looked upon it so far from being below him as he thought it necessary for him and it was his glory Jâ— 10.11 12. I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep but he that is an Hireling and not the Shepherd whose own the sheep are not seeth the Wolf coming and leaveth the sheep and fleeth c. Hirelings they have no spirit or principle in them that they should lay down their lives for the sheep but he so much respected his Fathers glory and good of his flock finding there was no way to bring them to salvation as he denyed himself in all other respects for their good so in this respect lays down his life for them And herein the Church of God seems to have a deadly kind of wound to be at a deadly loss Zach. 13.7 I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered But herein lies the wonderful goodness and wisdom of God he is pleased to improve as the life so the death of Christ for the good of his Church Luk. 24.16 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things it was very expedient that seeing the sheep could not otherwise be saved but by the Shepherds dying that the Shepherd should lay down his life for the sheep and seeing no other way to make reconciliation to God it was very expedient Christ should die Therefore 't is to be taken notice of that it doth not mis-become the Head therefore not the members of the body They must be content to lay down their lives for the Flock for so did the great Shepherd 2. Something expressed Where take notice First of the person spoken of Secondly of that which is given us to be taken notice of in particular 1. The Person to be taken notice of is our Lord Jesus Christ That which we have considerable is First The Title that belongs to him in his Church in this regard called The Great Shepherd of
they dare to venture their life that have no ground of a better life but for those that have a well grounded hope of the mercy of God they say We reckon these light afflictions which are but for a moment to work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Fear not any of these things which you shall suffer Prop. 7. Christ does limit Satan he hath him in a string him and all his instruments The Devil shall cast some of you into prison c. Every word hath its weight who shall do it the Devil What shall he do cast you into prison How far some of you How long ten dayes For what use that you may be tryed Christ as he hath Satan in a chain of providence so he hath a chain of Restraint it is Christ that sets a circle about him he cannot cause a hair of thy head to fall he is in the hand of Christ they are as truly under him and his hand as they are against him If God let alone his Enemies what shall they not do If God let alone his People what shall they do 2. God has a special Providence about the things of his Church by way of Eminency by way of Premission and ordination 3. You will not deny but there 's power enough in God to destroy all that are against him and to limit and all shall make to the praise of God and to his peoples good 4. The Lord is exceeding merciful he cannot hold when the Enemy comes to insult to blaspheme and revile Now will I arise saith God and set him at liberty from him that puffeth at him there is not only a judging of their Enemies hereafter but a judging of them here the world shall say Verily there is a God that rewardeth righteousness verily there is a God that judgeth the earth 5. God hath a special design in hand therefore just so far as he will carry on the design God hath towards his people which is always a design of Faithfulness just so far shall the enemy go Isa 10. The Enemy means not so he means to cut off people not a few but Gods end was otherwise and he will over-rule them this is the comfort there is a set time there is an end There is a difference between the afflicting of God's people and judging their Enemies in the intention and extension one is for ruine the other in proportion one is a light affliction the other a load And then for extension one is for ever the other is for a time for ten dayes Then our affliction shall have an end I and a comfortable end the end of our sins and the end of our sorrows God will restore comforts to his mourners let us be mourners during the time of mourning God will quickly cloath us with garments of praise there shall be an end of sufferings never an end of our joy and glory Prop. 8. To conclude in a word Be faithful to the death Be faithful in your Promises in your vows and purposes your covenants of obedience and reformation persist in the doctrine of the Gospel and the worship of the Gospel and the Ministry of the Gospel and Offices Christ hath fixt in his Church be faithful by your most earnest zealous desires before the Lord Be faithful to the death he will never let you see death till all your fears are conquered he can presently take them away he will certainly be present with you in all your troubles And remember God in tender mercy and faithfulness for the present accepts thy unfeigned purpose to be constant and faithful to him to the death Mr. Philip Lamb's Farewel Sermon Preached at Beer-Regis in the County of Dorset Aug. 17. 1662. Joh. 14.23 Jesus answered and said unto him If a man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him THe departure of Jesus Christ unto his Father from whose bosom he came into the World was very sadly resented by his Disciciples whose mixt passions produce a very great disturbance and trouble upon their Spirits The inward Anxiety and unconcealed grief of the Disciples move the Bowels of their more affectionate Lord to pity their case and provide for their relief and give them instructions how to express their love unto him in his absence not so much in carrying blubber'd eyes and heavy hearts as by remembring and observing the Counsels and Instructions that he hath given to them while he was present with them So that this whole Chapter is fill'd up with Counsels and Comforts Directions and Consolations First Directions and Counsels especially in the 1.13.15 verses First To the exercise of Faith verse 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me And this is the life even a life of Faith which we must live till we come to the enjoyment of Christ by which we fetch comforts in all troubles and strength against all tentations from Jesus Christ Secondly To the duty of Prayer ver 13. which is the proper duty of an afflicted State as Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted let him pray By Prayer the Soul empties his Complaints in Gods bosome and finds ease by telling him of all the trouble and grief that attends his state Prayer hath that divine excellency that like a heavenly Charm it speaks away trouble and speaks in comfort as 't is said of Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 She prayed and went away and did eat and her countenance was no more sad And thus our Prayers alwayes speed when they be made by the help of the Spirit and offered up to God in the name of Christ 13 14. verses Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name that you shall receive Thirdly To obedience in the 15. verse to do the work committed to them If ye love me keep my commandements You cannot better express your love to me than in keeping my words Nor is there a more certain way for men to find comfort than this by keeping his commands for then though they cannot enjoy his Person yet they shall not miss his Promise Secondly The Consolation which he gives them in the 2. ver c. the 16. ver c. and the 23. ver c. First In the 2 3 4 ver c. From the place whether he was going to his Father and their Father his Home and their Home whence he did intend to come again to them So that his going from them was but a Recess or with-drawing for a time until he came For in ver 3. I will come again and receive you to my self as rendred in the Greek I come again in the Present Tense to intimate the certainty of his coming to them again as if he were already come which in ver 28. of this Chapter Christ tells them should be matter of great joy to them If ye loved me ye would rejoyce because I said I go unto the Father Secondly From ver 16.
shortly become a feast for Worms though they may be adorned with all the Ornaments that the pride of man can invent and friends and riches and will but accompany us to the Grave and there leave us and Oh what will then become of us if we have no interest in Christ and Heaven and can no lay claim to the eveâ—laâ—ing Glory If you ask me how we shall do to secure our interest in the Kingdom of Heaven I answer it must be by a through closure with Christ by saith and chusing of him for our Lord and Saviour God hath ordained that those that are united to Christ by faith here on earth that they shall be with Christ and live with Christ in Heaven Heaven and Glory is the Dowry that God giveth with his Son Jesus Christ and they that will Marry the Heir shall have the Inheritance and if we are Christs then all will be ours 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Whether of Paul or Apoâ—os or Cephas or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christs They that have an interest in Christ have a Title to all Let us therefore contract our selves to Christ resolving to be no longer our own but his and to live no longer to our selves but to him let us chuse him to be our Lord and Saviour and take him upon his own Terms as he is offered to us in the Gospel to be our King Priest and Prophet and when we are once thus united to Christ by faith we shall be coheirs with him of the heavenly Inheritance all this will be ours when we are Christs by a self-resignation and submission and when Christ is ours by a believing choice and election when we have thus made choice of Christ upon his own terms to be our Lord and Saviour our portion and our all and have given up our selves to him to be wholly his and at his dispose this will undoubtedly give us a sâ—m and an unquestionable title to Heaven Secondly The next address that I have to make is to those that are the Heirs of this Kingdom and have a Title to this Heavenly Inheritance Is it so that a Believers interest in the Kingdom of Heaven is enough to bear up his spirit under all his troubles and afflictions and to keep him from being dismayed under his sorest Trials and Tribulations that he meeteth withal from the World then the Exhortation that I shall give to you is the same that our Saviour giveth in the Text Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom You that have an interest in the Heavenly Glory Oh be not dismayed nor affrighted at those outward afflictions and tribulations that you meet with here below it is true God doth often exercise his dear Children with Trials Afflictions and Tribulations this is the way by which God doth discipline his Children while they are in their Minority here this Believers must count upon before hand but there is not any of those things that should make a believing Christian dismayed seeing his eternal concernments are so safe and his Heavenly interest is secure And there is no Trouble nor Cross that the Saints can meet withal but that we are somewhere or other in the Word of God exhorted not to be afraid of it Do we meet with reproach from men is that the Cross we undergo this indeed is heavy insomuch that the Psalmist complains that his heart was broken by it Psal 69.20 Yet the Servants of God the Heirs of Heaven are cautioned not to fear that â—a 51.10 Fear not the reproach oâ— men nâ—r be afraid of their revilings or is the affliâ—tion that thou meetest withal imprisonment for the sake of Christ and of a good Conscience this is likewise grievous and heavy to be born yet the Heirs of Heaven are exhorted not to fear that neither Rev. 2.10 it is Christs advice to the Church of Smyrna Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behâ—ld the Devil shall cast some of you into Prisâ—n that ye may be tryed and 〈◊〉 shall have Tribulation Ten days be thou faithful unto the death and I will 〈◊〉 thee a crown of â—ife Those that hâ—â—◠〈◊〉 interest in the crown of life imprisonment for the sake of Christ if God shouâ—d call them thereunto nay put case thou wert to suffer death it self for the sake of Christ this is the greatest and sorest of all sufferings yet the servants of Gâ—d are cautioâ—ed not to fear that neither for it can be but a bodily death and it will make way for a better and happier life Mat. 10.28 Fear not them that can kill thâ— body but are not able to kill the soul Whatsoever thâ— sufferings be thou that art a Believer and hast an interest in the Kingdom of Heaven thou art exhorted not to be afraid of it Oh Christians I beseech you act faith upon your Heavenly Interest I might tell you it can never be more seasonable so to do than now the more you act faith hereupon the more you will be enabled to live above the frowns of a troublesome and vexatious world Oh look up by an eye of faith upon â—he recompence of rewards and you will be able to prefer the afflictions of the Saints before the vain and transitory pleasures of unregenerate sinners which endure but for a moment and to chuse the greatest affliction before the least sin as Moses did Heb. 11.25 26. And let the joy that is set before you make you to endure the Crosses of this world and to desâ—ise the shame as the Captain of your salvation hath done before you and let the hope of the Glory of God make you rejoyce notwithstanding all the scorn and contempt that you meet with from the world But because of our frailty and aptness to be afraid and dismayed at afflictions and tribulations I shall see before you some considerations which if well weighed might by the blessing of God do much to the curing and removing of those fears and discontents that are aâ—t to seize upon us when we are exposed to Trials and losses in the world First Consider Christians you that have secured your heavenly interest are you in sore Troubles and do you meet with hard dealings from men it may be you may bring more glory to God bâ—â—our afflictions lâ—sses and crosses in the world than if you should always be in a quiet prosperous and serene condition it may be God mâ—â— have a greater Revenue of glory by thy troubles and â—â—â—als than by thy prosperity in the world and shall we not be wilâ—â—â—g to bâ— in such a condition howsâ—ever unpleasant to our corrupt fleâ—h in which we may be most sâ—rviceable fâ—r Gâ—d and bring most hâ—â—â—uâ— and 〈◊〉 to him It is a sign that we have little love to God or indeed to 〈◊〉 own souls if we do not prefer the Glory of God before our own ease and carnal contentment what do we but
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