of Immortality on your heads in the life to come If you have Christ you have all things all heavenly graces and spiritual comforts all temporal blessings if you have Christ God will and can give you all things that are good for you without Christ you are not and you can do nothing that is acceptable to God Therefore this is my first counsel to you Crown the Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearrs and lives Secondly Then maintain a constant and a conscientious intimate communion with the God of peace It was good counsel which Eliphas gave to Job Job 22.21 Would you have much of the preseuce of the God of peace Oh! then frequently fall down and lie at the foot-stool of the Lords Throne for grace and for peace and when you do so be not unmindful of us who have been often your mouths to God and Gods mouth to you And to engage and encourage you herein consider First The Lord Jesus Christ hath promised to be with his poor Ministers always even to the end of the world Mat. 28. ult If always not in the Pulpit only no the Lord hath promised to be with his faithful Servant out of the Pulpit as well as in the Pulpit in the prison sealing the truth as well in the Pulpit preaching the truth Oh then will you put this in suit by prayer that the Lord Christ will be with his poor Ministers to the end of the world Secondly We shall not fail to pray for you 1. Sam. 12.23 Our sequestring from our preaching-work from you will give us advantage to lay our more time to fetch sighs from our hearts in praying-work for you and I trust the Lord will give us hearts so to improve our time for you as Samuel said so God forbid we should sin against the Lord in câ—â—sing to pray for you as Peter did to the people with a promise as 1 Pet. 5.10 And not only for you But Secondly Even for such as have treated us somewhat uncivilly and unkindly to say no more of them although their number be very inconsiderable but such I trust we shall not forget in our prayers As Moses fell down on his face for the children of Israel when they treated him very unkindly and spit in his face I trust we shall not forget Moses's prayer for the people and so when they daueed before their Idol Jeremiab wept for those in his time as Jer. 13.17 And that we shall not for get Jeremiah weeping for you And I trust likewise that we shall remember Stephen being on his knees for his Persecutors powring out his life and prayer together Acts 7.60 I doubt not but my reverend Brother and my self shall remember Pauls willingness to spend and to be spent both in prayer and preaching for you all Though the more abundantly he loved the less he was beloved 2 Cor. 12.15 Thirdly Maintain and nourish all tenderness in your Conscience all your dayes Oh! go not without much less against the dictates of Conscience rebel not against the light of it beware of stifling and suppressing a warning Conscience lest a warning Conscience prove a gnawing Conscience and prove a tormenting Conscience And consider First Remorse of Conscience hath an eye against all sin past Secondly Tenderness of Conscience which hath an eye to all fin to come Take heed then of all calmness of heart Fourthly Take heed of Apostatizing Chrysostome hath a notable saying namely That Ministers have a greater trouble because they never find their work as they leave it as other workmen do Oh! in how short a time doth a poor Minister find all his work put out of frame and order Did not Moses find it so Exod. 32.8 Moses had no sooner turned his back as as it were but the People were turned out of Gods way of worship And did not Paul find it so Gal. 1.6 The Galathians were quickly removed Paul was but lately gone from them and they were quickly apostatized Now this cometh to pass First It is by reason of a crafty subtil deceitful Devil as in the Gospel we read While men slept the enemy came and sowed tares Mat. 13.25 And who this Enemy is we may see in Christs expounding the Parable ver 39. And secondly Partly by reason of mens own deceitful hearts as Heb. 3 12. observe it There is an evil heart of unbelief in the best it dwells in the best but it raigns in the wicked And what is that one of these evil hearts of unbelief in apostatizing in departing from the living God Thirdly It is partly by reason of deceitful Workers as the Apostle calls false Apostles It is partly by reason of such Then take heed of Apostatizing either from truth of Doctrine purity of Worship or practice of Conversation First From truth of Doctrine Be not weary of old Truths take heed and beware of itching after novel Doctrines take heed and beware of admiring this or that Opinion which as new Lights drop down from Heaven but indeed is but as the smoak of the bottomless pit Secondly From purity of Worship also Let not your zeal be cold but kindled against every bracelet of the Scaâ—let-whore How often doth the Apostle call the People Adulterers and Adulteresses because they Apostatize from the Word and Worship of God Thirdly In Practice and Conversation Priâ—e the Gospel love it and live accordingly to it With constancy look on every motion of thy soul and every action of thy life is a step of life or a step to death as a step towards Heaven or a step to Hell Heb. 10 31. To close this Counsel the Author of the Hebrews bringeth in the Lord protesting against Apostatizing If any man draw back from Gospel-principles and gospel-Gospel-worship or from a Gospel-conversation saith the Lord If any man draw back thus my soul shall have no pleasure in him Tremble then at this thou Apostatizer whoever thou art where ever thou fittest or standest My soul shall have no pleasure in thee I loath and abominate that person saith the Lord. 5. All of you then study peace and particularly you who do unfeignedly set your hearts and faces towards Heaven study peace and follow after it though it run from you pursue after it You profess your selves to be them that are truly searing God and truly honouring the King and truly loving one another Oh then seek peace You who do unfeignedly set your hearts and faces towards Heaven study peace alwayes and decline all dividing principles and practises among you and that you may not either breed or feed circumstantial differences or substantial divisions consider God is the God of peace our Saviour is the Prince of peace our Comforter is the Comforter of peace our Calling is the Calling of peace our Way is the Way of Peace Oh that we may so live in Peace that the God of Love and Peace may dwell with us and that the God of Peace may live with us here that
taken away from the evil to come WE are here met this Evening to perform the last office of Love for an eminent and ancient servant of Jesus Christ and excellent Minister of the Gospel Mr. Simeon Ash one who hath formerly performed this office for many other Ministers and now we are met to perform this office for him and it is not long before others will meet to perform the same office for us so frail so brittle and so uncertain is the life of man Now the Text that I have chosen is suitable for this occasion for this Reverend Minister was first a righteous man he was righteous in an Eva gelical sense he was one that was justified and sanctified Secondly he was a merciful man both in active and passive sense he was one that shewed mercy to the distressed Members of Jesus Christ and he was one to whom God shewed mercy this righteous and merciful man is now perished as to his outward condition not as to his everlasting condition but as to his outward bodily condition he is perished and he is taken away the word in the Hebrew is very emphatical merciful men Colliguntur are gathered it is the same word that is used concerning Josiah 2 Kin. 22.10 Thou shalt be gathered to thy Fathers and go to thy grave in peace and shalt not see the evil that I will bring upon this Nation This godly and righteous man is now gathered as ripe Corn into the Barn of Heaven he is taken away from the evil that is to come from beholding that evil that is to come upon this sinful world he is taken away in mercy that he may not be troubled with the troubles that are comming upon many he is taken away from the evil to come And thus you see how suitable the Text is to the occasion there is only one particular that I desire may prove unsuitable for the righteous and merciful man saith the Text perisheth and no man considers nor layes it to heart These words are verba commentantis objurgantis the words of the Prophet bemoaning the spiritual security of the people of Israel chiding and reproving them for their spiritual Lethargy Now I desire that this part may not prove sutable but that all of you may lay to heart the death of this ancient merciful and righteous man The Observations from the words are these six First That the righteous man must perish as well as the unrighteous Secondly That the perishing of a righteous man is nothing but his gathering to God Christ and the blessed company of Saints and Angels Thirdly A righteous man as long as he lives is the preservative of a Nation and the supporter of a Kingdom the Chariots and Horse-men of a Nation Fourthly The death of a righteous man is a warning-piece from Heaven a Beacon set on sire to give notice of evil approaching Fifthly That God doth on purpose take away righteous men that they might not see the evil that is coming on a Nation Sixthly That it is a great and common sin not to consider and lay to heart the death of a righteous man 1. It is a common fin and therefore it is set down in the greatest latitude the righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart that is very few And merciful men are taken away no man considering that is very few 2. It is a great sin and therefore the Prophet Jeremy in the former Chapter calls to all the beasts of the field to devour that is all the Enemies of the Church to destroy the Children of Israel because they drank strong drink filling themselves with merriment and promised themselves happy dayes but did not consider that the righteous were taken away from the evil to come He begin with the first that the righteous perish as well as the unrighteous How is it that the righteous perish not in their soul they cannot perish so nay the truth is they cannot perish properly in their bodies for the bodies of the Saints never totally and finally perish for the very dust of the Saints in the grave is precious in Gods sight and they are asleep in Jesus and by the power of Jesus Christ they shall be raised glorious bodies Nothing perisheth of a righteous man by death totally finally but sin and therefore the meaning of the word is as Musculus and Justin Martyr observe perit perisheth that is not according to the truth of the thing but according to the opinion of the world and the proper language of his expression is this the righteous perisheth that is the righteous must dye and go down to the house of rottenness as well as others and that up upon a fore-fold account First Because the righteous are included within the statute of death as well as the unrighteous statutum est Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for all men ance to dye the righteous as well as the unrighteous it is true Jesus Christ hath taken away the hurt of death but not death it self Jesus Christ hath disarmed death made death like the Viper that fastened upon Pauls hand but did not hurt him he hath made it like the brazen Serpent that hath no sting but a healing power in it Christ hath sanctified death conquered and sweetned death at the present we are all under the statute of death but at last this enemy shall be destroyed 2 Cor. 15. ult 2. The righteous consist of perishing principles as well as the unrighteous the righteous are earthly vessels made of dust I their foundation is in the dust their lives are a vapour as well as the lives of the unrighteous 3. The righteous must dye as well as others because they have a body of sin which they carry about them for there is no man so wise that lives and sins not Eccles 7.10 wherefore there is that which deserves death in a righteous man Lastly and especially The righteous perish upon a peculiar account For if we have hope only in this life saith the Apostle we are of all men most miserable and therefore they must perish to keep them from perishing they must say as Themistocles Perissem nisi periissem they must dye that they may rest from their labour for here is not our rest Mich. 2.10 there remaineth a rest for the people of God there is no rest in this world the word quies wants the plural number 2. The righteous must die that they may have their reward their crown of glory that God hath laid up for them they must first fight the good fight and finish their course and then they shall receive a crown of glory 3. They must dye that they may be free from sin for they shall never put off the body of sin till they put off the body of the flesh 4. They must dye that mortality may be swallowed up of life that corruption may put on incorruption 5. They must dye that they may be perfect in grace Lastly They must dye that
sword and all miseries But the Godly when they are scattered they are scattered as a blessing into what country or town soever they come they come as a blessing they come like a Ship laden with Corn to a Town ready to perish with famine they come as a blessing four ways First they pray down a blessing on the place where they come Secondly they come as a blessing by their holy life and conversation that is a Load-stone to draw others to holiness Thirdly they come as a blessing by their holy advice and counsel that they give to the place where they come Nay fourthly their very presence is a blessing as long as Lot was in Sodom Sodom could not be destroyed so long as Paul was in the ship the 300 could not be drowned So that the godly come as a blessing wherever they are scattered but the wicked are as chaff scattered by the wind and they are scattered as the dust of the earth You know when the dust is scattered it gets into mens eyes and blinds them and falls upon their cloaths and sullies them so the wicked wherever they are scattered they defile the place where they are scattered The godly are as Planets that wander move from one part of Heaven to another carrying light to the world Secondly as the wicked are scattered while they live so when they die they are gathered it is true but how not to God and Christ and his Angels but they are gathered to the Devil and his Angels and to damned spirits not as bundles of Wheat in the Barn of Heaven but as bundles of Tares to be burned for ever in everlasting fire Now if the righteous perish as well as others and if their perishing be nothing but a gathering to God and Christ then First learn hence the preciousness of every righteous man the great God will not gather things of no value great men do not use to gather chaff and straw and therefore when Christ said of Josiah I will gather thee to thy Fathers it was a sign he was a precious Pearl worth the gathering and of a high value and account in the sight of God and so is every true Child of God right dear and precious are they in the sight of God both living and dying they are bought with a great price not with Gold and Silver and other corruptible things but they are bought with the precious blood of the Son of God they are as precious to God as thee Apple of his eye so precious that he hath given Christ for them and to them so precious that he called them his Jewels his peculiar treasure his Jedidiahs and therefore God will not suffer them to perish but gather them to himself before the evil day come as the Husbandman gathers in the Corn before the Beast go out into the field Secondly Learn hear what reason we have to be comforted in the death of a righteous man or woman because their death is not a perishing but a gathering to God and Christ and the society of Saints and Angels The death of a righteous man is no more than if a Merchant that hath abundance of Jewels in a far Countrey he should send for theâ— home Why death to a righteous man is nothing but God sending for his Jewels home Such a phrase there is in Mal. 3.17 In the day that I make up my Jewels they shall be mine In this life they are imperfect Jewels they are like Gold in the Oare mingled with a great deal of dross and death is nothing but a perfection of the Jewels death is nothing more and God doth nothing by death but as a Gold-siner gathers up all his ends of Gold and Silver it is nothing but just as if a Father should send for his Son home that had been a long time absent from him to his own house it is a carrying us to our Fathers house And therefore let us be comforted when our Righteous Friends dye though their death be matter of sorrow to us in regard of the loss that we sustain by their death and because their death is a warning-piece of evil to come yet in regard of them we have no cause to mourn I speak this of those that are related to the righteous when they dye did you ever here of a Husbandman that mourned for the carrying in of his Corn into the Barn or a Jeweller mourn for making up of his Jewels Let us mourn rather that we are lest scattered among the wicked of the earth and from the glorious presence of God and Christ and let us morn for those that are scattered from Christ and from grace and for those that whilst they live are scattered and when they dye are gathered to the Devil and his Angels Let us not mourn for those that dye in Christ but let us mourn for those that live out of Christ let us not mourn over the body the soul hath left but let us mourn over the soul God hath left The third use is of Consolation to all the people of God in reference to evil times that are coming upon us or to the evil of times Whatever befalls a Child of God in this life though he be scattered by wicked men from England into forreign Countries though he wanders up and down in Desarts and Wildernesses though he be scattered from house to prison yet there shall be a gathering time shortly there will a time come when all the Saints shall be gathered to Christ and to one another never to part any more The death of Gods people is not a perishing but a gathering comfort your selves therefore with these words against the fear of death look upon death as a gathering as a gathering to Christ you are here as Daniel in the Lyons Den as Jeremiah in the dungeon yet there will come a gathering and if you dye in a good cause you shall not perish but be gathered to Christ to his Saints and Angels But you will say If I were sure when I dye that I should be gathered to Christ to live for ever with him this would be matter of great consolation to me but you told me the wicked are gathered by death as well as the Godly how shall I know whether when I come to dye I shall be gathered to the Devil and his Angels or to Christ and his Angels How shall I know whether I shall be gathered at death as a bundle of tears to be burned in Hell or a bundle of Wheat to be carryed up into the Barn of Heaven I answer You may know it by four things 1. If you are righteous then you shall be gathered to Christ at death For the Righteous shall go into everlasting life Heaven is entailed upon righteous men by Righteousness I mean the imputed Righteousness and imparted Righteousness of Jesus Christ I wave the explication of them because time will not give leave Know you not saith the Apostle that no unrighteous man
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
2. There must be light to actuate this Object if it were dark we could never see it There must be light both to actuate the eye and object Now this light that actuates the eye and object 't is either the natural light the light of Nature the light of Conscience the light of common Illumination the light of the Word or the light of the Spirit of God By all these Lights we come to look into the Looking-glass our Hearts 3. There must be an Irradiation from the Object i. e. a beaming forth from that Object some Species or Idea's that carries the object to the eye and clearly makes out to the sense what that Object is this beaming is by action from the heart mark it for it may be as necessary truth as was preached among you that look what the Stream is to the Fountain what the Beam to the Sun that the action is to the heart whether the act be manent or transient whether Internal in thought purpose election assection in joy in love in fear Or External in the life in the practice and in the conversation So that look as a puddle Stream always declares a corrupt Fountain so all your humble holy faithful thoughts speak a clear spiritual heart within a holy conversation speaks a holy Affection and a holy Affection declares a heavenly Constitution a new Nature Now for the Vse of this is the heart of a man a Looking-glass 1. See from hence of what concernment the Actions of men are whether internal or external The actions of men are like the streams you may certainly finde the Fountain by them they speak the heart as the Root bears the fruit 'T is of infinite concernment 't is the Fountain of what principles within and conversation without descend but into thy own heart c. 2. This shews the sad condition of all natural poor souls your Hearts are Looking-glasses but they are Looking-glasses in a dungeon of Darkness there be Toads Vipers and Devils there but thou canst not see them that hast no spiritual Light 3. Here is consolation to Gods people Is the Heart of a man a Looking-glass What reason have they to rejoyce in their hearts that are the best Looking-glasses in the world not like our Gallants Looking-glasses that must not bewray their wrinkles spots c. But theirs will represent their Heart Complexion Condition and Nature to them Nay in that Glass may be seen the face of a God Nay further because thy Heart doth answer to another Heart and his to his whatever Grace is in any Believers it is there in thy Heart in semine there 's the seed 4. By way of exhortation Is the Heart a Looking-glass Then keep the Looking-glass very chary make much of it above all keepings keep thy heart and that with all diligence in all places at all times and in all things If any thing under Heaven will keep thee holy it is the keeping of thy Heart There thou mayest see all thy spots defects desperate Hypocrisies Infernal Atheism all the deliques of thy soul How prone to commit as vile â—ins as ever was committed by the vilest of the sons of men Once more keep it clean and keep it close Look into the heart and thou shalt finde it to be a Copy of the Role of Eternity where thou shalt see thy very name written in Letters of Gold or Bloud for we looking into our Hearts may and do know that we are passed from death to life and that upon this ground because we love the brethren And thus I advance to The Fifth Sermon 1 John 3.14 We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren IN these words five things 1. A supposed Estate in which we are all by nature and that is an Estate of spiritual death 2. A peaceable Recovery or mention of another state and estate of life 3. A real Transition from this state of death to life We are passed c. 4. An inseparable property of all the Regenerate Souls in the World they do not hate but love the brethren 5. A comfortable Conclusion that a Christian may make from that property he may know he may be assured by this that he is passed from death to life because he loves the brethren The Observation this A Christian may know his real Conversion and Transition to Eternal life by this Character among the rest because he loves the brethren This Proposition waâ— slit into these two particulars 1. That every Believer may have an assurance of his Transition from death to life 2. The love of the brethren is one of the great eminent Symptoms of mans Regeneration 1. A Christian may know his real Conversion and Translation to eternal life Such a great and real change is there wrought in every Believer at his Conversion and this wrought by such a great Efficient and Infinite cause the Spirit of God and this cause working by such real and powerful means and instruments the great Word of God and this done notwithstanding the great opposition that is made by a poor sinner against the Word and when wrought it hath such a real and grand effect upon a Believer that 't is impossible but a Believer must needs know this his Transition from death to life Secondly Love to the brethren is the great Symptom of mens Regeneration Love to the brethren not taken solely singly as if this was the onely Character but concomitantly taken with others but beyond and above all others this is the Privie Soul of God on the Soul if he have inflamed it with love he may know he is passed from death to life The Vse is of Confutation of the Papists those grand enemies to Gospel-Truths and Believers peace They abhor this Doctrine of Assurance by it their Purgatory would fall down their Popes Kitchin would grow cold They tell us Believers cannot have assurance in this World No 1. Why hath God commanded us to make our Calling and Election sure and will God command Impossibilities such as cannot be wrought by our or his own power 2. Other Saints have attained this Assurance this New Name and White Stone within them Object That 's by extraordinary Revelation Ans This is not upon proof Was not the assurance of Gods people in Scripture grounded upon general promises Had they many of them either extrinsecal signs or marks to assure them of it did it not spring from Principles common to all Believers Object But suppose they have assurance to day they may lose it to morrow Man is a mutable Creature he may be a childe of God in the morning and a brat of Hell in the evening Answ 'T is true man is a mutable Creature yet is he preserved by an immutable God Man is a weak Creature but yet is preserved by the power of God unto salvation Man as a Creature is no less mutable in Heaven than upon Earth there preserved by God therefore why not
Trust Now I am leaving of you 4. Here is the commendation of the Trustee from the power and ability of him to manage this Trust and this is expressed in two particulars 1. He is able to build up And then 2. To give you an inheritance As if he should have said I will leave you with such who are able to build you up I might raise a multitude of Observations from the words As first of all Doct. 1. That it should he the care of a faithful Minister when be is by the providence of God taken from a people to recommend them to God and to the Word of his Grace 2. As it is the duty of a faithful Minister to do it so it is his comfort that be may do it that he may leave his people in the hand of God who is able to build them up in grace 3. It may be the comfort of any Church of Christ that when they are deprived of faithful Ministers that yet they are lest in the hands of God 4. Though God can by his infinite power perfect grace and bring men to Heaven without the use of means yet we have no ground nor warrant to expect one or other but through the Word of Gods grace 5. And lastly Though there be a glorious inheritance purchased and prepared by Jesus Christ yet it is to be expected by none but those that are built up and sanctified Or thus None â—ust look for an inheritance hereafter but such as are born of the Spirit and built up in grace I might speak to many more but I shall gather all that I have said into this one general Proposition which is this Doct. That the best Farewel that a Gospel-Minister can give to his people that he loves and labors amongst when he by the providence of God is taken from them iâ— to commend them to God and to the word of his grace Thus doth our holy Apostle When he was taken from his people and left to preach to them no more he recommends them to the hands of God And thus doth a greater than St. Paul even Jesus Christ himself The great Shepherd of the Sheep as St. Peter calls him when he was leaving the world and could no longer preach to them he commends them to God John 17.11 And now says Christ to his Father I am no more in the world but these are in the world and I come to thee Holy Father keep through thy own name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are And in the fourteenth I have given them thy word He commends them to God and to the word of his grace In the prosecution of this Truth I shall explain these particulars 1. Shew you what it is in a Minister to recommend his people to God 2. What it is that he should recommend them to God for 3. Why he should be so careful to recommend them to God 4. How he should recommend them to God Lastly Apâ—â—ly it First It is to leave them in the hand of God to give them up unto Gods care and keeping as I shewed you in the opening of the words To recommend them to God is to do that for them effectually which he would fain do Ministerially if he had been suffered to continue among them As when a dying Father or Husband commends his wife and children to some surviving intimate friend it is a leaving a committing them to that friend to deal and to do for them which he would have done if he had lived Now let us consider what it is that a faithful Ministers design and endeavours are to do for that Congregation that is committed to his charge These four things especially every faithful Minister endeavours to do while he is amongst his people 1. Their Conversion and Sanctification 2. Their Building and Edification 3. Their Protection and Preservation 4. Their Comfort and Consolation First Their Conversion and turning to God This is that a faithful Ministers heart is set upon that he may convert poor souls that are in a sinful state that he may turn poor souls to God that by often preaching and praying and counsel he may bring them into a state of salvation Rom. 10.1 The Apostle there speaks of the Romans that they were the people of God in profession ah but this was not enough fain he would that they should be the people of God-in truth that is the hearty desire of every faithful Minister not only to bring his people to the outward profession of godliness but to the work and power of it in their hearts not only to have the name of Christian but Christianity it self and this is the end of all his studying to get them to God by little and little till Christ be formed in them Gal. 4.11 My little Children says the Apostle c. S. Paul travels in birth with the Galathians from a state of nature to a state of grace he would get grace wrought in their hearts he would get them ingraffed into Christ and this is the end of his commending them to God which he would fain have done if he might have been suffered to preach to them This is the language of a Ministers heart Lord Lord thou knowest that it was the desire of my soul that every one of this people should be made holy by thy Word I would fain have begotten them by the Ministry to Jesus Christ but now by the providence of God I am taken off before my work is done and thou seest yet there is a great many in the gaul of bitterness and the bond of iniquity in a state of death and I am now likely not to do any thing more Now it is my care that those that belong to thy Election of grace may be gathered home to thee 2. To build them up in knowledge and faith He endeavours that those that are already sanctified may be further built up in their most holy faith Where there are the most eminent Saints yet there is a great deal lacking The Apostle gives great commendation of the Thessalonans 1 Thess 3.10 They were a famous Church and there were a great many eminent Christians yet there was something lacking in their faith and in their knowledge Christ speaks to one of the most eminent Apostles Oh thou of little faith Though the Foundation-stone be laid yet there is a superstructure behind and this is the work of Christ the building them up Eph. 4.12 This is the end of every faithful Minister to make his people fit for Heaven he would be feeding of them that they may grow to the full measure of the stature of Christ And therefore every godly Minister desires that he may be the Finisher as well as the Author under God of their Faith that they may be built up to Christs heavenly Kingdom 3. A Minister's aims are that his people may be kept from danger The people of God after they are effectually called they are
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.
for ever O thou heavenly Samaritan that once poured in Wine into the half dead Traveller draw near draw near here 's a Church full of souls not half dead but wholly dead their eyes closed they cannot they cannot see thee their hearts grown stiff and cold and hard and have no feeling of thee unless in mercy thou speak a Resurrection word and make them live again to praise thee Oh let this be the time of life Oh let it be a time of love apply unto their festered sores this saving salve of Christs Bloud that they putrifie not to death nor languish in despair drop into their wounded souls the sharp Wine of thy wrath search them and pour in also the supplying Oyl of thy tender Mercy to heal them that so both them and their wills which further than they are driven will not go may be brought into a Conformity to thee and thy will Secondly It speaks terror to those that do the Devils will It was an Indictment which Christ prefer'd against the Jews and may I fear too truly be laid to the charge of many Nomical Christians John 8.44 Yeare of your Father the Devil and the works of the Devil you will do Adam when the will of God and the will of the Devil hung in equal ballance before him we know how ready he was to chuse the wrong Scale God said Touch not the forbidden fruit Satan said Take and eat the forbidden fruit and you know the sad event of that affair Now if Adam was at the Devils beck in the slate of Creation when his Nature was not depraved with sin nor his Soul debaucht with lust who in the state of Corruption can say my Heart is clean Object It may be some will Object None is so devoid of Grace sure none gone so far in the Sâ—upiâ—ication of their Conscience as to do the will of the Devil Answ Ah poor soul I could wish that the party here concern'd be not nearer than thou art aware of put thy hand into thy bosom and it may be thou mayest resolve the Objection thy self Thou wouldst possibly take it ill should I come to thee as Nathan did to David and clap thee on the shoulder with this Arrest Thou art the man I confess this would be more than my Commission warrants me to do yet give me leave to whisper one word or two in thine ear When thou makest a lye whose will dost thou Gods or the Devils not Gods for God saith put away lying Surely lying is the work and will of Satan whom the Scripture Records for a Lyar from the beginning Again when with Jezebel thou paintest thy self with pride and standest sacrificing many a precious morn to the Idol in the Looking-glass whose will art thou doing at such a time sure not Gods for in Isa 28.1 you have him declaiming against such practises Wo to the crown of pride to the crown of pride When thou art acting the good-fellow upon tâ—â—â— Ale-bench and with thy drivling Oaths damning all that are wedded to the Rules of Sobriety and dares not break off thy drunken Fraternity whose will art thou doing and in whose work art thou imployed at such a time Certainly not Gods he calls no such Conventicles nor allows no such Societies witness that Alarum which he sounds under the window where such Swaggerers fit Joel 1.5 Awake awake ye drunkards weep and howl all ye drinkers of wine for the time is at hand when your sweet draught shall be cut off from your mouth In a word when thou art finning whose will art thou doing not Gods for he saith Cease to do evil and learn to do well Certainly while it is thus with thee the words of Christ are applicable to thee Thou art of thy Father the Devil and the work or will of the Devil thou wilt do John 8.44 Vse 3. Thirdly Is it so then ever make Gods will the Standards of yours and think not to bring down his will to yours but resign up your will to his That Epitapth would not become a Christian Tomb-stone which was found Engraven upon a Misers Monuments Here lies one against his will the blessed Apostle was of another minde when he said I have learnt in what ever state I am therewith to be content Many can be content in an Honorable Estate or in a wealthy Estate or in a plentiful or prosperous Estate but to be reproacht and yet content to be bely'd and yet content to be affronted and wrong'd and yet content in such Estates as these to be content is far above Nature and none can do it but he that hath learnt it I have learnt saith Paul But alas how few Scholars hath this Great Doctor St. Paul in his Heavenly Academy Children can learn to be proud can learn to be covetous can learn to be undutiful to their Parents can learn to lye and swear before they have well learnt to speak But he must be a Man nay more than a Man that can learn to love an Enemy to forgive an injury and with Paul to be content with every Contingency For the Lords sake MAN ply this lesson well if thine Enemy lay thy Honour low intreat the Lord to lay thy heart as low and be content If Authority bring thy Estate down beseech God to bring thy Spirit down and be content when thy comforts runs a tilt and thy blessings runs dregs then let patience have her perfect work and be content feast upon thy own Lentiles quash thy penitential tears instead of luscious Wine and count thy sins instead of pounds keep thy heart at home and suffer not thy ambition to climb up beyond thy Makers pleasure Mahomet when he could not make the Mountain come down to it he went up to the Mountain So when thou canst not enlarge thy Dominions to thy minde then confine thy minde to thy Dominions and when thou hast more be the more thankful and when thou hast less be content This is the third Use Make Gods will the stan dard of yours Now if you put Pauls Query Lord what wilt thou have me to do I will answer the question tel you what God would have you to do 1. God would have you obey his Command and live piously 2. God would have you bear his Cross and suffer patiently First It 's Gods will you should live piously For the proof of this you may read 1 Thes 4.3 4. This is the will of God what is even this saith Paul your Sanctification that every one of you should possess your vessel in holiness Mark this in holiness and if so what will become of all those befooled and abused souls who debauch their vessel with uncleanness and defile themselves with drunkenness If Belshazar was so severely punisht for dissecrating and prophaning the Vessels of the Temple dedicated unto God of how much sorer punishment shall these wretches be thought worthy who have adulterated and defiled the Temple of the Holy Ghost He drank
Without God's gracious presence we can profit by nothing without this health is not profitable nor riches profitable nor Ordinances profitable the choicest means of Grace without God's presâ—nce are but as breasts without milk as bottles without water nay they are not onely a dead letter but the savour of death without Godâ—s presence they will damn us many go loaded to Hell with Ordinances But c. 2. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it transforms them into his own likeness making them holy as he is holy As the Sun will change the colour of those that are much in it so a man cannot be near to God but this will make him in purity and holiness like God And do you not desire to have such a beauty put upon you and thus to be adorned with the Robes of Righteousness Why do but strive to walk in obedience with God and he also will be graciously present with you making you of Bryars and Thorns Lillies and Roses of Lyons Lambs of deformed he will make you comely and of filthy he will make you clean adorning your souls with the Jewels of Holiness Col. 1.13 Without the presence of an holy God you can never be holy and without holiness you can never see the Lord with comfort Heb. 12.14 'T is onely Grace that leads to glory For no holiness here no happiness hereafter 3 Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it can quiet their souls turning every storm that arises into a blessed calm When the heart is full of doubts and distresses accused by the Law pursued by the Adversary and condemned by it self then doth God by his gracious presence still the raging of the sea give quiet to conscience and lay the storm Nothing but the breast will quiet the child so nothing but the breasts of God's gracious presence can quiet a distressed soul Rom 5.1 Would you therefore be at peace and have quiet in your own consciences would you have a sweet calm and a sabbath of rest from all your spiritual agonies Walk then in obedience with God endeavouring to practise what you know that he by his presence may work your desire 4. Consider Such is the presence of God with all that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that nothing can intercept it nor withhold it from them If they go up to Heaven in prosperity God is there making all their enjoyments conduce to their everlasting advantage if they be forced to make their bed in hell and lie down in sorrow God also is there turning their sorrow into joy if they be glad to take the wings of the morning and to fly for their lives into the uttermost parts of the earth God is also there bringing them back at length out of Egypt the Land of their Captivity into Canaan Oh then if any thing can make you obedient let the hope of God's gracious presence prevail with you to be so your Honors your Riches your Friends and all your creature comforts may be easily withheld these are but as the shining of the Sun which every discontented cloud may intercept But if you walk in obedience with God there is nothing can intercept his presence nor hinder you from having communion with him Are you banished from your own habitations and forced to sojourn as strangers in a strange Land There will the Lord be with you as with Jacob at Padan-Aram Gen. 28.15 Are you shut up in close prison and lie under restraint that your Friendâ— may not visit you There will God also be present with you as with Paul and Silas compassing you about with songs of deliverance Act. 16.25 Are you in a word as men appointed unto death cast into an hot fiery Furnace There likewise will the Lord be present with you as with Shadrach Meshech and Ahednegâ— not suffering the flames to kindle upon you Dan. 3.27 5. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it makes them rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1. Pet. 1.8 Many traduce Religion as a thing that makes men melancholick but his estate is of all mens most joyful who walking in obedience with God doth enjoy his presence for where can the soul find those comforts which do fill it with gladness and crown it with delight but in God His presence is a Christians musick and Festival the Nectar and Ambrosia whereon he delights to feed You may sooner taste honey than tell how sweet it is so you may taste what joy and gladness God's presence puts into the soul but can never express it Would you then have your souls overflowing with gladness Would you have them rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory Then walk in obedience with God and his presence will do it 6. Consider Such is the presence of God with all that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it sweetens every Cross and makes them not onely rejoice but to rejoice in tribulation Rom. 5.3 Amaritudines mundi dulces reddit The Wine of God's presence can sweeten the bitter Waters of Marah Let sickness come let reproach come let persecution come yea let death it self come yet the sense of God's gracious presence takes away the sting out of all these Such is the power of God's gracious presence that it takes away the bitterness of afflictions from all that walk in obedience with him gives them honey out of the beily of Lyons meat out of the Eater and sweet out of sowr If then you desire to see light in darkness to have your Prison turned into a Paradise and the flames of Martyrdom into a bed of Spices See then that you walk in obedience with God according to what you have heard and learned and received Prosperity without God's presence is full of trouble but trouble with the presence of God is full of comfort 7. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that obey him according to what they have heard and learned and received that it doth not onely rejoice their souls but gives them full satisfaction The Sun satisfieth the eye with light the Fountain satisfieth the thirsty with water so God satisfieth by his gracious presence all that walk in obedience with him Outward comforts do sooner cloy than chear and sooner weary than fill they can no more satisfie the heart than a Triangle can fill a Circle But when once God comes and vouchsafes his gracious presence now the soul is at rest now it 's come to its centre and with Jacob it can say I have enough For with whom God is graciously present to all them he is an all-sufficient portion 8. Consider The presence of God with all those that obey him in what they have heard and learned and received
not beat folly out of our hearts We have been unprofitable all our days some have done thee more service in one year than we in all our time We have forgotten thee in the day of prosperity and sung a lullaby to our own Souls Oh that we could speak these things with broken and bleeding hearts But as in the time of our ignorance we could sin without reluctancy so now we can sin without repentance Oh that thou wouldst smite the rock that there might flow out tears VVe can do nothing by way of expiation if we would weep out our eyes nothing but the blood of Christ can take away our guilt O that there might be a spring of that blood upon our souls at this time Oh that that blood may at this time bring a report of love and a message of mercy to us Do we beg any more than thou hast promised Oh hast not thou accepted of that satisfaction that Christ hath made in his own person If we had suffered the torments of Hell it could not have made that satisfaction that Christ hath made Give us the witness of thy spirit and thy Love and we will say we have enough give us hearts of flesh crush the head of the serpent in our souls O Lord Christ thou camest into the world to destroy the works of the Devil in our hearts and to build up the Kingdom of the spirit in us Oh when shall we see the old man decay in us and the new man to live more and more O be wisdom to guide us and Righteousness to cleanse us from guilt and redemption to deliver us from the wages of sin let us be nothing in our selves that we may be all in thee our saviour Oh honour us so far that we may honour thee VVe pray thee strengthen our weak saith quiet our consciences we would not live a day longer than that we may honour thee tread Satan under our feet fit us for our places and imployments let not our conditions be so low but that our hearts may be lower we are posting to death Oh let sin die before we die let us know our names are written in the Book of Life before thou take away our life Look upon thy servant our dread Sovereign Charls of Great Britâ—â—â—n France and Ireland King oh inrich his Royal heart with all those saving graces of thy Spirit in order unto a wise and happy Government of these Kingdoms Look upon his Royal Consort his Royal relations the Lords of his Privy Council and make them blessings to this Nation oh sanctifie thy good word oh give thy gracious assistance to us both in speaking and hearing let us hear it as that word by which we must be judged that we may be convinced by it and say it is the power of God to salvation to every soul of us Let our meeting be for the better to all of us that we may be built up in the most holy Faith and let us know we have not sought thy face in vain for Jesus Christ his sake our dear Saviour for whom we bless thy Majesty to whom with thee and thy Spirit be praise for ever Amen Mr. Jenkin's Prayer at Christ Church MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely happy before the worâ—d was made and wantest none of thy creatures nor their services to make thee more excellent than thou art in thy self we daily want thee thou never wantest us thou art pleased to make use of ordinances Ministers Sabbaths as thy Institutions to accomplish and bring about the great work of thy Glory and mans Salvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made efficatious by these things but it is that that makes these things efficatious though thou art pleased to tie us to them when we may have them and duly enjoy them yet thou dost not tie thy self to them We desire in these our addresses to eye the happiness of Saints that depends upon him that depends upon none we are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace O whither should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee Oh strengthen our faith kill our corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oh that God would teach us how to pray that we may taste and see how good the Lord is this day that our souls may be filled as with marrow that we may by our own experience be able to say It is good for us to draw nigh to God and that a day in his house is better then a thousand elsewhere that there may be a communion between us and God let there be a disunion between us and sin we confesse we brought sin enough into the world with us to cause thee to with-drawâ—th blessed self from us and to cast such unproffitable servants as we are into utter darkness we have been a long time in thy school and yet how dull are we we might have been teachers of others but we need our selves be taught which are the first Principles of the oracles of God we love less than we know and we do less than we love we have neither done that good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received We have been trees that have cumbred the ground in thy orchard but we have brought forth no fruit Wo unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the world we are wise in every thing but in our own Salvation we live as if Hell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledg of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God Which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of saith we confess we neither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor want our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully We live as if Hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were neither sweetness in Heaven nor bitterness in Hell When we come into thy presence where are our hearts what earthly dispositions do we bring along with us the sins of our Prayers cry louder then the Supplications of our prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us If thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty what will become of us O Lord be pleased to smell a sweet savour of rest and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is only his precious Blood that can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our Consciences and no other thing We do renounce our own Works and we cry out in our selves Undone undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part
of you but when we come again unto you I will have you to be of another manner of temper then now you are Well if all that I have said will not prevail with you I am sorry that nothing would prevail with you but the flames of Hell Oh then you will say Oh that we had but hearkened to the voice of God's Messengers that are sent to us Oh that we had our rousing Ministers to awaken us I have one of Advice to you that are the people of God whose hearts God hath humbled and I shall have done First I advise you that God hath humbled for sin now to look to your selves God will not now lead you you must learn now to go alone If you would keep tender hearts then be afraid of sin as well of the least sins as of the greatest Be afraid of a vain thought and if thou takest heed of a vain thought thou wilt be afraid of telling a lye and if thou takest heed of telling a lye thou wilt be afraid of swearing an Oath Secondly If thou wilt keep tenderness of heart then lye under the best Ministry you can get that there is a difference between some mens Preaching and others is plain by the effectual working of their Preaching upon the hearts of their hearers First Take heed of a blind ignorant Minister If the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch If one that understands not what sin is nor feels not the guilt of sin Preaches Repentance it is ten hundred to one if ever God doth work upon your hearts by his Preaching Secondly Take heed of fly shun avoid an idle drunken Minister If you would ask me what we shall do in such a case I Answer Keep such a one out of your Parish if you can if you cannot then I advise you to take heed how you hear him First Because all such Ministers are no Ministers at all No what and are ordained No because they are not sent from God And let me tell you that men have no power to Ordain such to Preach the Gospal as are not sent by God I do verily believe that God never sent any Minister for to Preach the Doctrine of Salvation but such as God hath endowed with gifts and abilities to speak and if there be any Ministers that have not those qualifications that are fit for a Bishop to have then they are none of Gods Ministers although they are made Ministers by man 1 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. This is a true saying If a man desire the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good work A Bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous own that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity For if a man know not how to rule his own house how shall he take care of the Church of God Not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil Here is all these excellent qualifications that a Minister of the Gospel ought to be endowed with Secondly I say that those Ministers that are not endowed with these qualifications but are ignorant drunken Ministers it is generally observed that people grow more wicked and that their hearts grow harder while they live under such a Ministry Object But how if we are forced to hear such and we can do no others wise if we will not hear them our purses must pay for it Answer To this I answer I wish that every place had an eminent Minister that you might gather up Manna at your own dores But if your Minister be wicked and prophane he is no Minister of Christ and in such a case you must rather hazard your purses than you souls But the Doctrin that he preaches it is good 'T is true it is so if it do not come out of a stinking vessel The water that is drawn out of a sweet Well if it be put into a stinking cask it will smell of the cask But I would not have you to be quarrelsome A Third advice that I shall give you is this Be sure that you ply the company of those that are of a tender heart It is a true saying Birds of a feather will flock together Take heed of being in the company of such as will swear and of living with such as scoff at religion It 's true a tender holy heart may live among wicked company as Lot did in Sodom but let me tell thee there 's danger they 'l tempt thee to be like them Lastly My advice is this Be sure that the Bible be much in your hand you that can read and beg of God to give you an understanding heart When God bids you to be holy think of Heaven Let the Bible be much in your hands and let God see you much in your Closets Mr. G. N. his Farewel-Sermon Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. IF divine Providence shall make this the season of our separation it is good for us to part with each other in the meditation and consideration of that from which those that are Gods shall never be divided that is the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Apostle is very confident of it I am perswaded We shall conclude the Chapter with our present Imployment and therefore shall not stand long discoursing on every particular but first briefly open them unto you and after improve them First We meet with the. Apostles Confidence a strong perswasion from whence we may learn Confidence belongeth unto a Christian yea it is the priviledge of the Gospel Col. 2.2 That their hearts may be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assuring of understanding c. This is what you may daily stand in need of therefore be perswaded to press toward it The Apostle calls to give all diligence to make your calling and Election sure Great diligence it is you give to assure the title of your earthly possession is it not of far greater concernment to assure your Calling and Election unto an everlasting enjoyment of divine Love And that you may do this remember to live 1. Lest unto this present World 2. More in heaven For then will you be more acquainted with the concernments and counsels thereof Do but draw up your hearts out of the cares pleasures and delights of this present world which choak the Word and
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