You must not believe every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God When either Doctrine or Worship is corrupted in a Church the way to reform both is not to fly to humane Authority or Antiquity but to the golden Rule of the Word this is the only safe Rule Other rules may erre but this is infallible Vse 2. The second Use is of Reproof To reprove forgetful hearers such as seem very eager in hearing and receiving Divine Truths attending on Gospel-Ordinances but are not careful to remember what and how they have received and heard such who return not on the things they have heard but leave all behind them Such as a Divine expresseth it who come from Duties as from a Grave where they leave their dearest Friends behind them not as from a Dole from whence they carry somewhat with them Of such hearers as these the Apostle James speaks Jam. 1.22 23 24. Yet I speak not here of that forgetfulness which proceeds meerly from weakness which is bewailed and is the burden of their souls This is indeed an infirmity to be bewailed yet deserves rather pity and compassion from men than reproof but the forgetfulness this Doctrine reproves is that which proceeds from carelesness when men do not make conscience of the duty pressed in the Text namely remembring how they have received and heard Vse 3. But the third and last Use of this Doctrine which I shall further make and insist on is a Use of Exhortation To exhort all of you to the practice of the Duty in the Text. Oh labour to remember what and how you have received and heard I am like no more to speak to you publickly in the Name of the Lord. Let me therefore leave this Counsel and Exhortation with you as that which may be of great use to you in hours of temptation that may come upon you I beseech you Beloved by the mercies of God in the bowels of Christ and out of the respect you bear to your own precious and immortal souls that you would labour and endeavour to remember those soul-saving Truths and precious Ordinances you have received heard and enjoyed and those impressions you have felt upon your hearts from them Oh be not forgetful hearers let not the Truths of God slip out of your minds Beloved I may say to you there is scarce any Truth necessary to salvation but you have heard of it once and again from some or other of Gods Messengers that have been sent unto you though not without the mixtures of sin and weaknesse as to the instruments which God in mercy pardon You have heard what God is and how he will be worshiped even in spirit and in truth and not according to the inventions and traditions of men you have heard the Doctrine of God's Decrees and of his works of Creation and Providence opened and applied You have heard of the sinful and miserable condition of a man in a natural condition You have heard the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and of the means of our recovery by Christ alone You have had Christ set before you in his Person Natures Offices Obedience Sufferings You have heard many other both Theoretical and Practical Truths set before you in Preaching Expounding Catechising and by these you have been antidoted against Popish Socinian and Arminian errors and many others Oh labour to remember these keep them by you as a choise treasure lay them up in your heads and hearts that you may be able to bring out of your treasury things both new and old O! let not any of the Truths of God slip out of your minds or be as water spilt upon the ground Ministers must dye but let not the Truths of God dye in your hearts Ministers may be forcibly parted from you and have their mouths stopt as ours and many others are and are like to be yet let not the Word of Truth depart out of your minds when we are gone Let the Word of God even that Word of his we have spoken to you in his Name abide with you for ever Let it live with you and let it dye with you also Oh let truths be written on your hearts as with the point of a Diamond never to be razed out A stony heart is a grievous plague but an iron memory is a great mercy Oh therefore remember what you have heard in point of Doctrine and remember also the counsels and directtions you have had given to you as to the performance of publick family secret relative Duties Remember the warnings you have had against sin Sinners you have been warned against your sins Thou Drunkard Swearer Sabbath-breaker Vnclean person thou enemy to Godliness thou scoffer at and persecuter of Religion yea you Formalists Hypocrites that rest in civility morality or outside-performances you have been warned of the danger of your condition of the wrath of God hanging over your heads for these sins of the necessity of repentance for and from your sins and of faith in Christ if ever you be saved Remember the fore-warnings you have had of God's Judgments of the things you now fear yea feel Have you not been told many a time Christians what wantonnesses in opinion and practice the deadnesses worldlinesses decaies carnal policy divisions of Professors would bring upon them And you that are Saints remember what soul-refreshing comforts you have had in and from the Word of God Remember how plainly purely powerfully plentifully the Word of God hath been preached and Ordinances dispensed among you And remember also with what seriousness of spirit high estimation holy affection readiness of mind strong resolution powerful impressions you have heard and received the Word and Ordinances of God and what Gracious effects you have found of them Now to press this Exhortation as a lesson I would leave with you I shall first lay down some Motives 2ly Some Directions 3ly Helps to inable to performance of this duty The Motives shall be what I might have laid down as Reasons of the Doctrine Mot. 1. The first Motive to stir you up to this Duty of remembering how you have received and heard is this That the Truths you have heard and Ordinances you have partaken of they were not of use only for the time past or present while you were or are hearing or receiving of them but they are of use a great while after The Sermons you have long since heard and Sacraments you have received may do your souls good the longest day you live The vertue and use of the Word and Ordinances may and doth often put forth it self long after the participation of them and therefore you should remember them that you may bring them forth for use in the time to come which you cannot do if you let them slip out of your heads and hearts The Truths of God are as Treasuries and storehouses which are not onely for present use but for time to come for men to live on
halting from the reigning power and predominancy of corruption The former is found in the Godly but it is their grief and burden Peter upon a sudden push of temptation halted down and fell fouly into a denial of Christ and that with such circumstances as might make any Christians ears glow and tingle to hear recited Mat. 26. yet afterwards he was far from applauding himself herein He went out and wept bitterly As one of the Ancients sayes of some that fell through weakness in time of Persecution Vicit eos paena non avertit perfidia negarunt semel sed quotidie confitentur negarunt sermone sed confitentur gemitibus ululatibus flecibus liberis non coactis vocibus They denied in word but afterwards confessed with sighs and groans and tears The Faithful sometimes halt through infirmity but it is their grief Others that halt deliberately far unlike them neither can they fairly pretend sorrow for it Alas it is their choice they approve of it and think themselves in taking their liberty in having so great a latitude about the matters of Religion much wiser then those who are more precise and strait-laced But so much for Explication to shew what it is to halt in Religion and how many wayes men are subject to it Now that is very sad and sinful you have as much affirmed Hos 10.2 Their heart is divided now shall they be found faulty God will be served with all the heart and with our whole soul and to divide it betwixt Him and others is a thing He cannot endure He cannot brook It were easy to produce other Scriptures that speak to this purpose but we shall have occasion to make use of them in the following discourse therefore I wave them here to proceed to the Demonstrations of the Point And I shall evidence the great evil of halting in Religion 1. From the nature of the thing it self 2. From the whence it proceeds 3. from the consequences and effects Demon. 1. Halting in Religion must needs be exceeding evil that considered in it self is directly opposit and contrary to God from whom the true Religion is derived and unto whom it returns It is both contrary to God's Nature and to his Mind and Will Contrary to Gods Nature He is still the same with him is no variableness neither shadow of turning Now how unlike to God are they that are off and on ever and anon changing one thing to day another to morrow yea it may be seemingly devout while on their knees but vain and prophane when on their feet Good and upright is the Lord. Thou most Upright Thou most Upright dost weigh the path of the just Then surely they are contrary to him who are for crooked ways The Lord that is faithful Isa 49.7 Heb. 10.23 He is faithful in all his promises to us How unlike to God are they who are false in their engagements playing fast and loose with him And how contrary this halting in Religion is to God's Mind and Will you may learn from what is said of those Mongrel-Worshippers 2 King 17.33 34. In v. 33. it is said They feared the Lord and served their own gods But in v. 34. They feared not the Lord. Such serving of God is as no serving of him There 's one But which takes off the lustre of all Amaziah did He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord BUT not with a perfect heart 2 Chron. 25.2 He began well but afterwards turned away from following the Lord v. 27. So we find this as a Blot in the story of some of the good Kings whose Acts are recorded in Holy Writ Such and such a one reigned well did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord only the high places were not taken away And here they fell short Demon. 2. Halting in Religion must needs be very evil which comes from such ill causes Such as the cause is such is the effect Now here I shall not insist on the Fall of mankind which is indeed the prime cause of all that halting in Religion which is in the World I shall not stay at that sinning sin the corruption of mans nature which was consequent upon his fall which makes way for all those sinful warpings crooked windings turnings in the course of our conversations But I will come to some more particular and nearer causes And so this halting I am speaking of is either from a bad head or from an evil heart or from both 1. From a bad head As we may see those that are troubled with the Vertigo c. that have bad heads how ill they can guide their feet Thus corruption of the judgement false Principles received into the mind cause the soul to halt and turn aside Many Hereticks of old thought it lawful enough to bow their bodies to an Image to an Idol so that they kept their hearts for God But this was doubtless a false Principle They whose hearts were true to God in Israel would not so much as how the knee to Baal Many of them taught It was enough to believe with the heart that confession with the mouth was not necessary Though as Anastas Sinait wel determines to be restrained by any fear of persecution a libera fidei confessione est quaedam species Abnegationis Not to confess Christ is to deny him No mean betwixt these Matth. 10.32 33. Some hold it lawful enough to profess the contrary to what they believe Jura perjura secretum prodere noli Whereunto the Doctrine of equivocation and mental reservation maintained by the Jesuits is as near a kind as may be The Christians in Justin Martyrs time were of other Principles We had rather dye sayes he for the Confession of our Faith than either lye or delude those that examine us otherwise we might readily use the common saying Jurata lingua est animus injuratus est My tongue only is sworn my mind unsworn Such principles as these they were far from approving of Some hold that men may be saved in any Religion It is not very likely that such should stick to the true But such are the false principles that teach men to play fast and loose with God These would teach men to deny Christ with Peter but not to repent with Peter Further many halt from a doubting Conscience or from an erring Conscience and it is sad being left to the conduct of but a doubting Conscience Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of Faith is sin That man halts in his course who is drawn to this or that sed titubante Conscientia as Beza terms it with an hobling hesitating Conscience The Apostles Rule v. 5. is Let every man be fully perswaded in his own mind Again how sad is it being led by an erring Conscience Indeed such a soul is in a miserable strait Ordinarily it is a sin to follow Conscience when it erreth When Conscience determines that to be a sin which is a duty or that to be
is a reduplication of this Votum Apostolicum for so some reade it Gratia inquam adsit omnibus c. In words it is more contracted but in sense more comprehensive than the former verse thus I wâ—sh Peace Love Faith to the Brethren yea Grace all spiritual and heavenly blessings to you and all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity By Grace he meaneth omnimodam Gratiam all sorts of Grace having mentioned already Peace Love and Faith which are excellent graces yet are they not all Grace therefore he adds Grace that he may take his leave of these his beloved Brethren in the same manner as he resolved to come to others Rom. 15.29 In the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ In the Text are two principal parts 1. A Character of a right Christian a Christian indeed as Christ said of Nathaniel Behold an Israelite indeed he is one that loveth our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity For the Apostle wisheth not so great good to all that pretend love to Christ to Hypocrites but to such as love him unfeignedly 2. The subject matter of his wish what it is he desireth for sincere lovers of Christ it is Grace Not outward good things as health long-life riches honour though he excludeth not them nay Peace in the largest sense may include them and Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come But the Apostle willing to give them a brief Epitome of his large heart and good wishes for them doth it in this one word Grace as not knowing any bâ—tâ—er thing for them Doct. 1. Jesus Christ is our Lord. He is Lord of all Aâ—ts 10.36 but especially he is Lord of his Church which is his house Heb. 3.6 1. He built the house it is He that made us not we our selves 2. He hath moreover bought us Acts 20.28 the Church which he hath purchased with his own blood 3. Him hath God the Father exalted to be a Prince c. Acts 5.31 and Phil. 2.9 Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him c. Vse Let all things in the Church be regulated according to the Institutions of our Lord Christ Let Ministers who are Stewards over the House of God be wise and faithful to preach no other Doctrine administer no other Sacraments exercise no other Discipline introduce no other Rites into Divine Worship than what they have good warrant for from the Lord Jesus Christ and can say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.23 I received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you 2. Let all that profess hope of Salvation by Jesus Christ receive him for their Lord to rule over them as well as for their Saviour to redeem them Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things which I say Luke 6.46 So we profess in our Creed I believe in Jesus Christ our Lord and so in the close of our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. So let it appear in our Lives and Gospel-becoming-conversations But this I pass over There are two Doctrines arising from the two several parts of the Text which I am to insist upon And as I am to preach this day not knowing whether I shall ever have the liberty to preach again so I would have you to hear as not sure whether you may ever hear again Doct. 1. It is the character of a right Christian to love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity 2. The Apostle wisheth Grace to all that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity as the best thing he could wish them 1. Of the first It is the character of a right Christian to love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Qu. To love Christ in sincerity what is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the letter of the Original is as much to say as in incorruption So reade the Interlin and vulgar Jesus Christ the Incorruptible God So reads the Ethiopick Arab. Amore non vitiato neque culpato that love Christ with a love not faulty nor blame-worthy which agrees best with the sense of Interpreters who render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incorruptly sincerely not feignedly It being the Apostles purpose by this phrase to exclude all rotten Hypocrites from the benefits he wisheth to good Christians Ubi notandum est hoc Apostolicum votum non in sceleratis hypocritis sed in sinceris tantum Christi Discipulis qui viz. Christum incorrupto animo diligunt locum habere Vorstius More particularly To love Christ in sincerity is the act or affection of a gracious heart whereby knowing the excellency and worth of Christ he desires union with him preferreth him communion with him and obedience to his Commandments before all things in the world 1. What it is to love Christ 2. In sincerity 1. Love of Christ implieth knowledge of him of his Worthiness and high Deserts Right Love is no blind affection but ariseth from Light and Understanding of the loveliness of the Object upon which it is placed and to which it is carried forth Cant. 5.10 The Church describing at large the Excellencies of Christ whom her soul loveth concludes ver 16. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether lovely or desirable 2. From knowledge of the worth that is in Christ springeth desire of union and communion with him A man desires to be near his Friend in whom he delighteth loveth his company converseth with him Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight Psal 86.11 Unite my heart David desired to dwell in the House of God for ever because he loved him Psal 23. ult The wise Merchant buyeth gets into his possession the Pearl which he prized Matth. 13.46 3. Hence followeth an high esteem of Christ so as he preferreth him to all other things whatsoever He seeth no beauty excellency comparable to his Cant. 5.10 The chiefest of ten thousand Psal 63.1 My soul thirsteth for thee 4. Lastly The loving soul is most obedient 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth him so as he thinketh nothing too hard to do or suffer nothing too dear to part with for Christs sake Amanti nihil durum 2. What it is to love Christ in sincerity 1. It is to love him with the whole heart according to the utmost extent of that phrase Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul c. Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is unto thee This is to love without dissimulation Rom. 12.9 To love not in word and in tongue but in deed and in truth 1 John 3.18 Where love is sincere there is idem velle nolle as if two hearts were in one body We love Christ sincerely or with all the heart when his will is ours our will is conformable to his when his Laws are so wrirten in our hearts that we are wholly his to be commanded as men subscribe their Letters to their friends Yours to
sincere Love to Christ be a distinguishing character of a right Christian then surely there be but few right Christians for there be few that love Jesus Christ in sincerity 1. There be many complemental lovers of Christ that say They love him withal their heart as the Papists who wear his Picture and bow to a Crucifix yet crucifie him afresh in his Saints the superstitious persons who cringe and make low courtesie at the rehearsing of the syllables of the Name Jesus yet do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by their unchristian practices Do they not take his Name in vain whilst they seem to shew reverence to his Name Did the Jews honour Abraham really to whose memory they pretended much respect We have Abraham to our Father say they we be Abrahams Seed Joh. 8.33 To whom our Saviour answers ver 39. If ye were Aâ—â—ahams Children ye would do the Works of Abraham If these men loved Christ with all the heart they would not hate whom he loves darely nor persecute his faithful Members nor take his Name in vain How canst thou say I love thee when thy heart is not with me said Dalilâ—h to Sampson Psal 78.36 They did flatter with their mouths and lyed unto him with their tongues 2. There are that love Christ but not with a transcendent Love they love Him a little but the world much more 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God Joh. 12.43 They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Can that man be said to love his wife with a conjugal Love that loveth another woman above her Can those be said to love Christ sincerely that love themselves or their lusts and prefer them before Christs Commands that make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts contrary to Rom. 13. ult Do they love Christ or filthy lucre who laugh in their sleeves and applaud themselves in their covetous practices whilst the Minister is preaching against his covetousness Luke 16.14 The Pharisees who were covetous heard these things and they derided him Do they love Christ or money better who are so void of charity that though they see a Brother or Sister naked or destitute of daily food yet will neither fill them nor warm them nor give those things which are needful to the body but hide themselves from their own flesh Christ will one day confute their fond pretences of love to himself to be meet self-delusion when they shall hear from the mouth of Him the Judge Depart c. for I was hungry and ye fed me not c. 3. There are Christians that love Christ as a Saviour but not as a Prophet as a Priest but not as a King Do these love him in sincerity 〈◊〉 Christ divided Did the Harlot love the Child with the love of a Mother who would have had it divided Solomon was wise enough to discern she was not the true Mother that had not the bowels of a mother And the Lord Christ who is greater than Solomon whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1.18 Who tryeth the reins and heart will easily perceive that man is no lover of Christ in deed and truth whatever he may affirm in word and tongue who divideth between Salvation and Sanctification who opposeth one of Christ's Offices to another who refuseth to take Christ's Yoak upon him will not stoop to the Scepter of his Rule and Government though 't is a Golden Scepter of Grace and his Yoak is easie and his Commandments are not grievous Christ came to set us an example That we should walk in his steps he came not only to suffer and dye for our sins but to rule over us to take upon him the Government of his Church Isa 9.6 He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever Luke 1.33 The Gospel is his Royal Law Jam. 2.8 which he establisheth in his Kingdom and to which he expecteth a conformity in all his Subjects The Turks own Mahomet's Law for their Rule and live up to it The Jews receive Moses Doctrine and live exactly according to the letter of it and the sence they have of it And how can those Christians be said to love Jesus Christ sincerely who profess to receive his Doctrine as a Rule but walk contrary to it 4. There are Christians who love Christ not for himself but for something else Some follow him in hope of gain as Judas Demas like those mungrel people that went along with Israel out of Egypt Exod. 12.38 which were the first that fainted and set them on murmuring and lusting Numb 11.4 Some followed Christ for the Miracles they saw him work and professed to believe John 2.24 but he did not commit himself to them because he knew their hearts were not right with him Some followed him Joh. 6.66 but took offence at his Doctrine and so went away Who ever follow Christ for by-ends love him not in sincerity not for himself but as boyes and idle persons love many holidayes not for Holiness sake or Saints sake but for playes sake So these love Christ for commodity sake or credit sake which respects when they faile there is an end of such love Use 2. The principal Use of this Doctrine had need be for tryal Let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ prove the sincerity of his Love Give me leave to perswade you my Beloved as to try your Faith in so your Love to Jesus Christ Gal. 6.4 Let every one prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself c. 1. Christ will not take good words a fair profâ—ssion of friendship for sincere Love He tryeth reins and heart Rev. 2.23 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the Children of men Metaph a palpebris pressis From them that press down their eye-lids that they may look wishly narrowly He will weigh our Love in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and quickly espie if it be too light He can distinguish between flattery and sincere love 2. Many pretenders there are in the world but few unfeigned lovers of Christ Mat. 25.44 Lord when saw we thee an hungry c. Lord we have been in thy Name Baptized we have worn thy Livery we have heard many a Sermon we have been oft feasted at thy Table as Luke 13.27 yet the answer is sad I tell you I know not whence you are depart from me c. Had these loved the Lord with an unfeigned Love they had not received so harsh a doom which they might easily have understood had they in time taken a tryal of their Love 3. Our hearts are also false and deceitful in this very point of love to Christ Peter was as confident of his sincere love to Christ as we can be though all men should deny yet he would dye first yet ye know what proof he made Insomuch that afterwards John 21.15 when our Saviour put to him this question Lovest thou me more then these he being taught more
God's Grace is great Comfort and Security for a departing Minister to commend his People unto This is the second part of the Remedy I shall be brief herein Now I commend you to this Word 1. Because it is of indispensible Necessity Happiness is the great principle Nature hath implanted in every creature all its motions are in tendency to its rest and tranquility Now the happiness and chiefest good of the rational Creatures is God who is the Fountain and supream End of all good to enjoy him is an Heaven to his People here on Earth and the Heaven of heavens to Saints and Angels to behold and enjoy his beatificial Vision And though the light of Nature works of Creation and Providence do manifest that there is a God his Goodness Lordship and Sovereignty over all as to leave men inexcusable Rom. 1.19 yet are they not sufficient to give that Knowledge of God and his Will which is necessary to Salvation 1 Cor. 1.21 2.13 14. How little doth the Book of Nature teach us what an one God is that there is a Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity three Persons and but one God every of the three Persons God the Father God the Son God the holy Ghost God yet not three Gods but one God! How little doth it teach us how this God will be worshiped how little doth it acquaint us with the excellent state of our Creation our miserable Apostacy how God came to be displeased with man and how he must be reconciled it tells us nothing of our Redemption from Sin Satan the Wrath of God by the Incarnation Death and Suffering of the Son of God it saith nothing of the Day of Judgement and Resurrection of our Bodies it tells us nothing and though it may possibly acquaint us with an immortal State yet what that Happiness is and what that Misery is how we came to be deprived naturally of that Happiness and how it must be recovered and who they be that shall enjoy it it saith nothing all which must be known before they can be believed Rom. 10. and they must be believed before we can be saved John 3.16 And therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and by divers manners to reveal himself and declare his Will to his Church Heb. 1.1 and afterward for the better preserving and propagating the Truth and for more sure establishment comfort of the Church against the corruptions of the flesh the malice of Satan and the World that she be not drowned in prophaness dejected by persecution blinded by ignorance misled by errours poysoned by heresies superstition and idolatry it pleased God to commit the same to writing which makes the sacred Scriptures most necessary those former wayes of God's revealing his will to his People being now ceased The Sun is not more necessary to enlighten warm and make fruitful this inferiour the World than the Word of God is for the World better to want the Sun in the Heavens than the Word of God in the World 2. I commend you to this Word because it is a compleat Word it is perfect as well as necessary such is the perfection of this Word that nothing is to be added to it nor diminished from it Deut. 4.2 Ye shall not add unto the Word I command you nor diminish from it Yea if an Angel from Heaven should preach and reveal another word than this he is accursed Gal. 1.8 9. God threatens that if any man shall add to the things wrote in his Word to add to him all the Plagues wrote in the Book And if any man shall take away from the Words of the Prophecy God will take away his part out of the Book of Life Rev. 22.18 19. all which Commands and Threatenings had not been given if God's Word had not been perfect it is compleatly perfect for the information of our understanding and will in things to be believed and for our direction in things to be avoided and practised 2 Tim. 3.17 18. All Scripture is of Divine Inspiration and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and thorowly furnished unto every good Work This teacheth you all things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation that there is a God and what an one this God is it teacheth you that there is a Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity that there is three Persons and but one God every one of the Persons God the Father God the Son God the Holy Ghost-God yet not three God's but one God It teacheth you what an one God is in his Attributes in his Works of Nature and of Grace This tells you what was our Primitive Excellency and Happiness in Creation our Deformity and Misery in our Fall This perfectly declares our Redemption from Sin Satan Gods Wrath by the Incarnation Death and Passion of Jesus Christ the Son of God that as Mediator and Redeemer he is the Priest Prophet and King of his Church what he hath done suffered and purchased for Us Pardon and Justification Peace with God and Reconciliation Adoption Grace and Glory It assures us of a Day of Judgement and Resurrection of all Persons from the Grave Of the blessed Estate of the Godly of the Misery of the Ungodly and the Eternity of both This directs you in things to be avoided all Duties of your several Relations to be practised Duties of your general and particular Calling Duties of Piety in the first Table Duties of Righteouss Charity and Temperance in the second Table as Husbands and Wives as Children and Parents as Masters and Servants according to your Relations of Consanguinity Affinity Friendship and Neighbourhood and therefore we are commanded to lay the Word up in our hearts richly in all Wisdom Col. 2.16 and to speak of it to our Children when we sit down in our houses walk by the way when we lye down and when we rise up Deut. 11.18 19. Yea Kings and supream Authorities of a Nation must reade in this Book all their dayes that they may fear God and administer Justice and Judgement to the People that they may relieve the Oppressed to be Encouragements and Defenders of the Good and Terrours to Evil-doers 3. I commend you to this Word because of its daily Usefulness and Profitableness every day and in every condition it is useful and profitable unto you and very suitable 1. It is a Light to enlighten and guide you How useful and comfortable is Light to man shut up in a dark Dungeon How useful and beneficial is a Light to a Traveller when the night is very dark the Moon and Stars covered with pitchie Clouds the way very miry and dirty dangerous by pits and precipices and easie to be mistaken By nature your souls are like a dark Dungeon having no saving knowledge of God of your selves your sin and misery nor of Christ the Sovereign Remedy But this Word
is pure enlighteneth the eyes Psal 19.8 This is the Chariot wherein the Sun of Righteousness rideth and by which he will arise and shine in the Horizon of your Souls and turn you from Darkness to Light This Light will guide you in all your wayes and actions a Light unto your feet and a Lanthorn unto your Paths Psal 119.105 This Light will discover Satans Temptations the Worlds Allurements and direct you how to avoid the precipices of Prophaness the sinks of Sin and how to walk in the Way of Purity and Peace This Light will direct and comfort you in the darkest Night of Affliction 2. It is a Touch-stone to try Doctrines whether false or true When you suspect a piece of money you will bring it to the touch-stone to try it that you be not deceived and take Brass for Gold Guilt-Tin or Copper for pure Silver so you are to bring all Doctrines to the tryal and touch-stone of the Word Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them And John adviseth us not to believe every spirit but to try the spirits whether they be of God or no because there are many false Prophets gone out into the world 1 John 4.1 Take heed of Doctrines that hold a strickness above what is written as the Popish doctrines of Self-whippings voluntary Poverty Vows of Continency The Apostle gives an Antidote against these and many such-like Col. 2.18 to 23. Reject doctrines that set up our own righteousness whether of Morality or Sanctification in the room of Christs Righteoâ—â—ness that place good works in the Throne of Christ doctrines contrary to Godliness opening a door to Libertinism Prophaness crying down the Morality of the Sabbath and Family-duties reject for the Doctrine of the Gospel is a Doctrine according to Godliness Tit. 1.1 a Mystery according to Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 Doctrines crying up the Traditions of men placing Purity and Worshiping of God and Religion in them but neglecting the Commandments of God for such worshiping of God is a vain worship Mark 7.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Doctrines crying up Purity to the ruine of Unity reject for the Gospel calleth for Unity as well as for Purity Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. And Christ prayed for the Unity as well as for the Purity of the Church John 17.21 22. Time will not permit me to give you any more instances but I commit you to this true infallible Touch-stone of God's Word and see that you be like those noble Bereans searching the Scriptures daily whether these things you hear be so Acts 17.11 3. This is a Weapon to defend you When the Souldier is to fight with his enemies he arms himself and takes his weapon in his hand You Sirs are the Lord's Souldiers to fight his battles against Sin and Satan you have innumerable Enemies to encounter with and overcome before you can wear or obtain a Crown of Glory The Israelites must conquer and kill the Canaanites before they could possess the Land of Canaan Heavens Way and the Crown of Glory is beset with many Enemies enemies within you enemies without you so many sins lusts and corruptions so many Enemies so many Temptations so many Enemies so many Devils so many Enemies and all these must be conquered before we can be saved Now the Weapon by which you must conquer them is thâ— Word of God's Grace the Sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 This is the Sword whereby the Captain of our Salvation conquered our Grand Enemy the Devil in all his attempts Mat. 4. His Practice calls for our imitation his Conquest is our Encouragement Are we tempted to Pride this tells us God resisteth the Proud and gives Grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 Are we tempted to comtemn Reproof this tells us Such as harden themselves being often reproved shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29.1 Are we tempted to Drunkenness to Whoredom and Uncleanness this tells us None such enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. In a word face and affront all Temptations to Sin with the Threatenings of God and with his Judgments upon wicked men Doth the World and Devil promise thee great Preferments and Riches if thou wilt follow them tell them God doth promise greater better and more durable Riches and Dignities Doth he tempt thee to dispair tell him of the Fulness and Freeness of God's Grace the Fulness and Freeness of God's Promises the Greatness and Value of Christ Sufferings And by a faithful and skilful managing of this Weapon you shall overcome Resist the Devil and he will fly from you 4. This Word is a spiritual Rain Deut. 32.2 My Doctrine shall drop as the Rain my speech shall distil as the Dew as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showres upon the tender grass What rain is to the Eâ—râ—â— and fruires thereof the same is this Word to the Godly Christian when you are enflamed with Corruption pursued with Satan scorched with the Frownings of the Almighty this as a pure Chrystal Stream will cool you and refresh you As the Hart the chasted Hart painteth after the Water-brooks so doth my soul after God after the Ordinances of God Psal 42.1 This will soften your hard hearts Isa 66.2 2 Kings 22.11 19. As rain this will wash you clean when you are defiled Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth John 17.17 This Word as rain will make you fruitful and recover your decaying withering Graces and Comforts and make them fresh and flourishing like Trees planted by the Rivers side Psal 1. Isa 61.3 5. This Word is a Comforter unto you In all your Sorrows and Sufferings this Word affords suitable and seasonable Comfort to you Are you with David in great straits and exigencies and your thoughts and debatings within you like a troubled Sea you know not what to resolve on which way to take this will then afford you comfort Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts thy Comforts delight my soul O God And again Thy Statutes have been my songs in the House of my Pilgrimage Psal 119.54 Are you filled with sorrow concerning your sins here are Promises assuring your Scarlet-dyed sins shall become as white as Snow Isa 1.18 Here is a Sea of Mercy that can swallow Mountains as well as mole-hills Mich. 7.18 19. Are you troubled about the wants of Grace here are gracious Invitations for every one that will come and take of the Waters of Life freely Rev. 22.17 Are you troubled about the weakness of Grace he hath promised not to break the bruised reed nor quench smoaking flax Mat. 12.20 Are you troubled concerning Temptation he hath promised his Grace is sufficient for you to lay no more on you than you are able to bear and glorifie his Strength in your weakness 1 Cor. 10.13 2 Cor. 12. Are you afraid you shall not persevere this
thy walls are continually before me 9. Expect and prepare for Troubles A Christian's way to Heaven is not alwayes strewed with Roles Piety hath heen persecuted from the beginning of the world Wicked Cain killed righteous Abel because Abel's deeds were righteous Ishmael persecuted Isaac even in Abraham's family Christ left this Lesson to his Disciples when he left the world John 16.2 These things have I told you beforehand that ye should not be offended They shall excommunicate you from the Synagogues Yea the time comes when he that kills you shall think he doth God service If you resolve to follow Christ you must resolve to bear his Cross after him as Simon did Forgo the love of friends rather than the love of God 2 Tim. 3.12 Christ doth not always call His do die for him but he expects they should be willing and prepared to do so if he require it See Luk. 14.26 27. Whosoever leaveth not father and mother cannot be my Disciple Leaveth not that is in affection and disposition and when the time comes in execution and reality Every Christian must be an habitual Martyr though all are not so actually To this end lay up suffering Graces as Faith Love Patience c. get your hearts warmed with a sense of Christs love to you in doing and suffering so much for us let your love be so vehement that many waters may not be able to quench it and then sit loose to every creature A man will with ease part with that to which he is dead already 10. Prove all things 1 Thess 5.21 Take not upon trust do not jurare in verba Doctoris believe any Doctrine meerly because such an one delivers it as is cryed up in the world for some-body Be like the Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether the things they heard were so or no. Whoever shall preach to you if he brings any Doctrine or adds any new Article of Faith try them Every Christian hath a Judgment of discretion left him whereby he may try whether that which is pressed upon him either for belief or practice be according to the Analogie of Faith We must not rest in a blind implicit faith it 's for Romanists to believe as the Church believes and what it is the Church believes they understand not Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them And so if they preach any new Worship bring it to the Touch-stone see if it be not without Warrant from the Scriptures try whether it be not gilded Superstition or will-worship under the cloak of Decency and Order If any scruple arise in your minds and you not able to satisfie your selves consult with able Christians or some able and faithful Guide Seek knowledge at the Priests lips even in private as well as publick All is not Gold that looks like it See what the great Doctor of his Church saith Matth. 23.7 9. Call no man Rabbi that is do not tye your Faith to his Dictates do not believe because he saith it Many dubious and controverted things are creeping even at this time into the Church therefore â—â—y them Satisfie your minds and judgments before you proceed to practice Be sure that what you do shall have God's approbation Worship God from Judgment not from Presidents 11. Be frequent and diligent in reading and meditation For ought I know this may be one of the greatest helps we may have 1 Tim. 4.13 Take that advice of Paul to Timothy Till I come give attendance to Reading So till God's Ministers be returned to you again give attendance to Reading When you cannot have Scriptures read and preached in God's House then make a Church of your own house Phil. 2. Paul commends himself to Philemon and the Church in his house this is a high Commendation of him that he had Domesticam Ecclesiam a house-hold Church As Calvin in loc In Mal. 4.4 we meet with this Exhortation Remember the Law of Moses my Scrvant which I commanded to all Israel with the Statutes and Judgements Doubtless they had been commanded frequently before this time to remember the Commandments of God therefore there is a peculiar reason why the Prophet repeats it and concludes his Prophecy as it were with this Exhortation the reason is this Malachi was the last of the Prophets after him the Jews were not to have any more Prophesying till the coming of the Messiah he knew how prone they were to follow the dictates of their own hearts and to walk in their own inventions to swerve from God's Institution as how soon did Israel fall to Idolatry when their Prophet Moses was absent from them but forty dayes Exod. 32.1 2 3. he therefore adviseth them in this interim to attend to the Law of God delivered by Moses and the Writings of the Prophets which were as Commentaries upon that Law that they would continue to reade and meditate and act according to that Law till the great Prophet should come Brethren I cannot say that we that are about to be silent are the last Ministers you shall hear no I suppose you may have others succeed us whose Apprehensions and Judgments concerning the things in controversie may be different from ours and may suffer them to condescend to and close with more for the continuance of their Opportunities than others can Now if God doth provide you a Successor if he be one that speaks according to the Law and prophesies according to the Analogy of Faith I would not advise you to separation from publick Ordinances no when they may be had in God's Way when the preaching of the Word is sound and the Substantials of the Ordinances observed and may be enjoyed without sinful Appendixes though you should take pains to fetch them or go some considerable way to enjoy them they are to be prefered before private exercises But this I say if it should be your hard lot after our departure from you to be deprived of publick Ordinances at home and to be out of a capacity to enjoy them abroad then I say you may freely and comfortably close with the advise propounded In this fore-mentioned case let the Bible preach to us when Ministers cannot when we cannot hear living Prophets let dead Prophets preach to us I mean this see what good you can get out of the wholesome Discourses of God's departed Prophets Many Ministers preach by their surviving Works when they themselves are in their Graves by their works though they be dead do yet speak Let the Bible be your rule alwayes refer to that in things to be believed and in things to be practised Scholars use to study their Rules well and then they cannot do amiss 12. Endeavour to walk in the Comfort of the Holy Ghost This was Christ's advice to his Disciples when he was about to leave them John 14.1 Let not your hearts be troubled In the world ye shall