and demolish the strong-holds of Satan The conscientious Physitian when he seeth thâ— health and life of the Patient committed to him how diligent is he in watching with and attending his Patient how curious exact in observing the pulse the symptomes workings nature and strength of the disease how careful and diligent to apply proper Remedies and Physick sometimes Corrosives sometimes Cordials and all to restore health and prolong life to his Patient How much more diligent should Ministers Physicians of souls be in observing the several Maladies and Soul-diseases of their People and to apply proper Remedies so many persons so many patients so many sins so many diseases some are brutish and unteachable some are weak others dull some perverse and many ungrateful How should they endeavour to make the brutish to understand to confirm the weak and make them strong to quicken the dull and make them zealous and fervent to allure the perverse and and make them tractable to win the ungrateful and make them kind what is the body to the soul or life temporal in a troublesome world to Life Eternal in unspeakable Happiness the Excellency of the object should heighten our esteem and double our diligence Pretious pretious Souls lie at the Stake One Soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds Jesus Christ shed his pretious Blood for the Redemption of souls but not for the honours dignitys riches of the world Now either Heaven or Hell And how should the joyes of the one and the torments of the other and the eternity of both add indefatigableness to our labours unwearied vigilancy to our perspective care invincibleness to our courage irrefragableness to our arguments â—â—d steep our perswasions in tears and all to keep you from lodging your selves in everlasting burnings and bring you to an Enjoyment of the beatifical Vision of the blessed God! In this decriped age of the world the Devils seem to be possessed with some spirits worse than themselves they turn every stone they improve the dregs of their malice the height of their power if by any means by secret perswasions by hostile invasions by strange delusions turning themselves into Angels of Light that they may drag one soul to Hell and shall not Ministers take much more pains to bring them to Heaven Paul was unwearied in his doing invincible in his suffering How many Cities and Countries did he enlighten with the Gospel Jerusalem Illyricum Damascus Arabia Antioch Arhaja Cilicia Cyprus Epirus Galatia Mysia Lycaonia Pamphilia Physidia Phrygia Selutia Syria Troas Ministers should make the Salvation of Souls their study their care their imployment their practice their whole business We must wait on our Ministry Rom. 12.7 give our selvs continually to it Acts 6.4 We must fulfill our Ministry Col. 4.7 The soundness fatness fruitfulness of the Flock is an honour to the Shepherd The recovered health strength life of a sick weak dying patient is an honour to the Physician It is the glory of Kings according to the rules of the great States-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ease and heal their Cities and Kingdoms of those miseries and calamities they groan and languish under to secure their present peace and prosperity to enlarge their bounds and of small to make them great If the Roman Emperour gloried when he said of Rome Lateritiam inveni marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick but left it built with Marble So it is a great honour for Ministers to do much good to their People to strengthen the diseased to heal the sick to bind up the broken to bring back that which was driven away and seek that which was lost Ezek. 34.16 When of Lead Brass Iron and Tin they make them Gold and Jewels for God when of Lyons they make them Lambs of Rebels they make them loyal Subjects beating their spears into pruning hooks and swords into plowshares when of a barren Wilderness they make them a fruitful Vineyard How exceeding great will that Glory be which God will give at the last day unto his faithful Ministers when they shall stand forth before God his Angels and all men Andrew bringing with him his Achaians whom by his Ministry he hath gained unto Christ John with his Asians Thomas with his Indians Peter with his Jews and Paul with his Gentiles and all the pious and faithful Ministers of Christ with all the Children God hath given them in their respective Ages and Generations and these shall be to them a Crown of Glorifying in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Thes 2.19 and the time for the accomplishing of all this at the longest is very short Death if no other providence may sooner than they are aware of throw them into an incapacity of doing any more good unto their People how should they labour to do much in a little while the grand importance of the work the numerous and potent enemies that oppose and hinder it the uncertainty and shortness of time to do it in should make us wonderfully diligent say and do with Paul We seek not yours but you accounting the winning of souls to Christ our greatest gain and glory Sed heu Quantum distamus ab illo how many say in their practice We seek not you but yours seek the fleece and neglect the flock How do Ministers run and ride cap and cringe to get Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments to multiply to themselves Church-revenues heaping Steeple upon Steeple as the Gyants of old Pelion upon Ossa and upon both these Olympus to fill their Coffers to maintain their Pomp their full Tables to provide portions for their Children or which is worse to administer more abilities of greater sinning against God and this great and necessary work undone the diseased not strengthened the sick not healed the broken not bound up that which was driven away not brought back that not sought which was lost Wâ— to such Shepherds of Israel of England and of all Christian Kingdoms in the world that feed themselves that eat the fat and cloath themselves with the wooll but feed not the Flock but with force and cruelty rule over them Ezek. 34.2 3 4. How desperate and dreadful is that Charge God layeth upon the Priests of Judah his Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down and loving to slumber yea they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for gain from his own quarter Come say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.10 11 12. Time will not suffer me to open and enlarge upon these words I leave them to your meditations and observations pardon my trespassing upon your patience the pains is mine the profit is yours 2. If Ministers are not certain of a continued
6.32 15.32 29.24 He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul But he that walks exactly by the Rule of God's Commands is wise for his own good in all respects He is wise for his soul wherein a man 's own chiefest good doth consist Prov. 19.16 He that kâ—epeth the Commandment keepeth his own soul Yea but may the wicked think if they are wisest for their souls we are wisest for our bodies Nay but the Godly are wisest for their bodies also for while they live they make their bodies thâ— Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 they so provide that after death at the Resurrection their bodies are raised incorruptible glorious powerful and spiritual bodies 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. Phil. 3.21 whereas the bodies of the ungodly while they live are but as a cage of unclean birds and after death shall be raised to everlasting shame and torment Dan. 12.2 Furthermore the Goâ—ly Man is wisest both for this life and also for the life that is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 I might yet add many other particulars wherein it will appear that a Godly Man is wisest for himself He keeps himself safest Prov. 10.9 3.23 c. He makes himself richest Psal 112.3 Prov. 3.16 8.18 22.4 He advanceâ—h himself highest Prov. 3.16 and the other forecited places He lives longest Prov. 9.10 11. Now therefore my Brethren if you have regard to your souls or bodies to this life or that which is to come to your safety wealth honour or life and would act the parts of truly wise men in all respects then see that you walk circumspectly and exactly 2. Again as he that walks most exactly appears to be the wisest man in doing that which iâ— best for him self so also in that he doth best for his Relations his Family his Friends his Neighbours his Country his Posterity do all fare the better for his goodness Potiphars house fared the better for Josephs sake Gen. 39.2 3. All Egypt for Jacobs sake Gen. 45.5 Davids posterity for Davids sake And Sodom Gomorrah should have fared the better for ten righteous Persons sake if they could have been found there Gen. 18.32 3. He that walks most exactly is the wisest Man because he doth that which is most pleasing to God Certainly if there be any wisdom in a Subjects pleasing his Prince a Son his Father a Servant his Master there is much more wisdom in a Creatures pleasing his Creator I am necessitated to be very brief but I know these things will not be received by many without the opposition of several Objections and therefore I must needs save a little room for the answering of those Objections if not to the satisfaction and silencing of the carnal Objectors yet for the establishment of the minds of the weak Object 1. But do not these persons that live so exactly cut themselves short by their preciseness of much of that pleasure and profit which they might otherwise receive and what wisdom is there in that Answ 1. It is true that they do abridge themselves of much of that which the men of the world call pleasure and profit they dare not drink and game and be wanton and cozen and cheat or devote themselves to the cares of the world as others do 2. But that which the world calls pleasure and profit is not so to them They find no joy in those fleshly delights which worldlings pretend do yeeld them so much pleasure and that profit which is got by unlawful means they ever account the greatest loss Take Solomon for an instance hereof Eccles 2. from the 1st to the 12th ver He gave himself for experiment sake to Mirth and Wine he made great Works and built Houses and planted Vineyards and Gardens and Orchards he made Pools and got him Servants in abundance and Flocks and Herds of all sorts of Cattel he gathered Silver and Gold and other precious Treasures he gat Men-singers and Women-singers and all the Delights of the Sons of Men as Musical Instruments and that of all sorts and when he had done he looked back upon all and writes this Motto upon them Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of spirit 3. Nay thirdly these persons of all the men in the world do enjoy the only true Pleasure and Profit and that is the Pleasure and Profit which they have in and by their living precisely and exactly Godliness is their gain Grace their riches the Service of God their pleasure and the Favour of God their honour and life These are the things wherein alone they delight themselves and wherewith they are enriched to Eternity As for the things of this life if their godliness bring them in but little yet withal it makes that little to be better to them than the treasures of many wicked Psal 37.16 Object 2. But do they not by their Preciseness create to themselves a sad and melancholy life And what wisdom is there in that Answ 1. Men are much mistaken in this censure Because the Godly do not mingle themselves with their carnal pleasures therefore they look upon them but as a lump of melancholy flesh But his Joy is a kind of joy which a stranger intermeddles not withal The men of the world understand it not and therefore they think there is no such thing But 2. If the Godly have sorrow at any time it doth not arise from their preciseness but because they are not so precise and exact as they should and would be but evermore the more circumspectly and exactly they walk the more full of Peace Comfort and Joy they are 3. A Godly mans sadness is but in order to the attaining of a more true Comfort and full Joy by removing sin which obstructs and hinders his comfort Though weeping endure for a night yet Joy comes in the morning and that so much the more abundantly Hence his sadness is a blessed sadness because it ends in everlasting joy but the mirth of the wicked is a cursed mirth because it ends in everlasting horrour Psal 37.37 38. Obj. 3. But do they not make themselves the Scorn of the World by their Preciseness and what wisdom is there in that Answ 1. It is not for want of Ignorance that the men of the world scorn at their preciseness Alas poor creatures Did they but know how little hurt they do them and how much hurt they do themselves by that scorning did they but know how they provoke the great God by scorning at his Servants and Service and how sad an account they shall give at the last day and how much better it would have been for them to have been precise themselves they would never make such a scorn of preciseness as they do Had the very Children that mocked the Prophet 2 Kin. 2.23 24. known of the Bear durst they have done it Had the Jews foreseen the wrath of God breaking out against them without remedy durst they have mocked as they
Jacob to all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles to such as are the most Excellent of the Earth the Worlds wonder Angels delight the Chariots and Horsemen of the Nations the brazen walls and gates of the Kingdoms they live in Grace investeth us with the same priviledges as the richest Saints of the world ever have enjoyed the same Justification the same Reconciliation the same Adoption the same Life eternal and Glorification Secondly If true Christians be Brethren than this may exhort us to several duties 1. To live in love amongst our selves the very term bespeaketh affection and the affection should never cease so long as the relation endures Who should love more than those who are united in the same Head and Hope and cemented with the same blood of Christ It was an honour to Religion once and therefore the Heathens said Aspice ut se mutuo diligunt Christiani See how these Christians love one another But alas may we not say See how they hate one another O take heed of discreditting your Profession of opening the mouths and hardening the hearts of the wicked by envie hatred or want of love one to another It was the Exhortation of John to his People when he could preach no more in the Pulpit that they love one another and it shall be mine in these my dying words that you love as Brethren And as the foundation of this relation is more excellent than others so let our love be more fervent and intensive 2. Labour to maintain peace and unity This is good and pleasant to behold Psal 135.1 Let it not be said that a legion of Devils can live in one man in peace and unity and yet Christians cannot Let not inferiours go beyond the bounds of their duty and place neither let Superiors stand too much upon their Prerogatives but rather for peace sake to abate of what they might justly chalenge upon their superiority the richer the elder the nobler you are the more endeavor to be good examples to others condescending to the infirmities of the weak that the golden bond of peace be not broken we see this in Abraham who though he was elder yet for peace sake gave liberty to Lot his younger to chose which way he would go to feed his cattel And Abraham said to Lot Let there be no strife between me and thee between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen for we are Brethren Gen. 13.4 Labour to be of the same judgment in matters of Religion it is pleasant to see Brethren of the same mind in matters of Religion Consonant sounds upon Musical Instruments sweeten the melody there was no hammer nor ax nor any tool of Iron heard in Solomons Temple while it was in building neither should there be heard or seen discords in the House of God Divisions of judgments blunt the edge of Christians love abate the fervency of affection create distance and shiness of society amongst familiars gratifies Satan grieves the Spirit of God weakens Christ's Kingdom and exposeth a People to ruine A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand and if one member of the body should fight with another and each member of the body scratch tear and rend one another how deformed weak and near to ruine would that be Unapt sounds upon Musical Instruments spoyl the melody the divisions of the Church of Corinth sounded harshly in the Apostles ears some said they were of Paul others of Apollos others of Cephas If you would be comforts and helps one to another if you would be a credit to your Profession and comfort and rejoyceing to your Minister live in unity of judgment in matters of Religion contend not for the shadow and lose the substance Be not substantial about circumstances and circumstantial about Substances In the language of the Apostle I beseech you Brethren that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 4. Be ready to help and succour one another Nature hath created a Sympathy and Compassion in every relation The mother pitties and abundantly tenders her sick child doth all she can to do it good to ease it under pain to recover it from pain and sickness One brother is ready to condole with the sufferings of another to supply his wants to defend him in danger As Moses the Israelite whom the Egyptian wronged Exod. 2.11 12. and how much more should Brethren in Grace the dearer the Relation the more tender Affection As Brethren sympathize ye one with another Succour such as are tempted reduce such as wander satisfie the scrupulous confirm such as are staggering and raise such as are fallen by Prayers for them by Counsels by Exhortations Improve your Gifts and Abilities your Graces and Experiences to relieve and succour them in spirituals as you would be ready to assist them in temporals with your estates 5. Ministers should not lord it over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 they should not imperiously lord it over them nor lay greater burdens upon their Consciences than Jesus Christ hath impos'd We must do all things for their edification not any thing for their destruction We must further not hinder them in their progress to Heaven take away occasions not lay stones of stumbling before them How disgraceful and intolerable would it be to see one Brother to grow proud lordly and domineering over the other would not every one cry shame upon it And shall those whom Grace hath made equal usurp Authority and rule one over another when Christ hath not given such authority and jurisdiction And as Ministers must not lord it over the Consciences of their Flock so one Minister must not act Authority over another The Apostle Paul was a man extraordinarily called and qualified and so had an Authority over other Ministers but when this extraordinary Mission ceased the Superiority of Jurisdiction ceased also And though he was an Apostle yet he acted not imperiously over the Presbyters but called them Brethren neither had he Jacobs voice and Esaus hand he spake not as a Lamb and acted like a Lyon but his carriage and deportment was a comment upon the name Where Christ hath given no superiority of power and jurisdiction let no man claim it lest he be found an Usurper whom the Apostle calls in one place Bishops in another place he calleth Presbyters as in this place he calleth the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus Presbyters ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He called together the Presbyters of the Church And in ver 28. he calls them Bishops Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over whom the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made or placed you Bishops or Overseers And the same Apostle in his Epistle to Titus calls Ministers Presbyters Chap 1.5 and the same he calls Bishops ver 7. Now if Presbyters Bishops had not been one and the same but names of dinstict Office Jurisdiction and Power the Apostle's reasons
a great energy 1. This is to commit you to the Captain of the Church The Church is compared to an Army with Banners and Christ is the Captain General of that Army John 5.13 14 this Captain is wise and pollitick to find out and disappoint the cruel Stratagems and bloody Designs of his Churches Enemies Psal 33. He bringeth the Counsel of the Heathens to naught and maketh the Devices of the People of none effect He is prudent in managing all the Affairs and Concernments of the Church and orders them for his Peoples advantage because He is Wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working Isa 28.29 As the Captain of his Church He goes before them in all their dangers He a bates the Fury of the Adversary he blunts the Sword he will make way for his People to follow him through the greatest difficulties He stops the mouths of hungry Lyons cooleth a Fiery-furnace makes a Jordan and a red Sea passable He hath tasted of every cup hath taken away the Poyson of it and makes it medicinal and sweet in the issue hence called The Leader and Commander of his People Isa 55.4 As your Captain he will succour you with new supplies of Strength and Courage in all your combatings with Corruptions Temptations and Satan and restore you when you are near vanquished his Grace is sufficient for you 2 Cor. 12. As your Captain he encourageth you by his Word Isa 41.13 14 15. Mat. 10.28 Luke 12.32 John 14.27 Rev. 2.10 by his Example Heb. 12.1 2 3. by promise of Reward that the Dunghil of your sufferings through perseverance and uprightness shall be turned into a Throne of Glory Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 3.10 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne Rev. 3.21 As our Captain he conquers all our Eenemies Sin Satan the World and crowns us with Victory Rom. 8.37 We are more than Conquerors through Christ that loved us And hence the Apostle triumphs O Death were is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 2. He is the King of his Church Psal 2.6 called the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 stilled the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 As King he will effectually call you and all others that belong to the Election of Grace into a state of Salvation Thy People shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power Psal 110.3 He will redeem you from the Thraldom of Sin and Satans Vassalage turning Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God Acts 26.18 Kings are the Refuge of their distressed Subjects like the Tree in Nebuchadnezzars Vision in whose branches the Birds builded their nests and under whose shadows the Beasts rested and secured themselves Dan. 4.12 So God is the great Refuge of his Church of his People Thy Name is a strong Tower and the Righteous fly thereunto and are safe Prov. 18.10 If you will be true Christians you must expect to meet with stormy and windy dayes within you and by corruption without you by wicked men and infernal Spiâ—its expect to be persecuted pursued with temptations stung with sin and buffeted by Satan but here is your Refuge Isa 32.2 A man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the storm and the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land This King of the the Church is glorious in Power fearful in Praises doing Wonders He is the Sole Soveraign of the three Kingdoms Heaven Earth and Hell and governs all the Creatures therein and disposeth their actions according to his will He stills the raging Sea turning the storm into a calm and limits the foaming and furious waves so far shalt thou go and no further He binds up the four Angels at the River Euphrates and looseth them at his pleasure and limits their rage i. e. He binds up and looseth and limits the Turkish Fury for an hour for a day for a month for a year which like mighty Seas break out and bear down before it mighty Nations and Kingdoms drowning them in the Floods of hostile Invasions and Miseries Rev. 9.14 15. This King binds up the Devil in the Chains of his Power and Providence that he cannot tempt you touch an hair of your head nor a Swine of your herd unless God give him leave and if he give him leave yet he limits for duration of time and measure so that your enemies shall neither sooner nor longer nor more afflict you than God gives them leave This King will subdue and conquer his Churches Enemies He will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2.9 He will strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Psal 110. they shall be before him as Dust before the Wind as Briars Thorns Stubble before the Fire Isa 27.4 This King is wonderfully rich and multiplies great Gifts and Priviledges upon his Church and People He is a Sun and Shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from you if ye live uprightly Psal 84.11 12. He will abundantly recompence all you works losses sufferings for him with an incorruptible Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 1.4 In a word in the day of his glorious Royalty when he comes to judge the World he will wipe off all the soot and blackness of Reproach and Sufferings and invest with an admirable Glory shining like the Sun in the Firmament 3. Jesus Christ is his Churches Shepherd Isa 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd And God promiseth that he will set one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even his servant David i. e. Christ of the Seed of David Ezek. 34.23 And Christ assureth us that he is the good Shepherd John 10.11 14 16. What a Shepherd is to his Sheep the same is Christ to his Church he will provide Pasture for his People He maketh me saith David to lye down in green Pastures and leads me beside the still Waters Psal 23. These green Pastures and still waters are Gospel Ordinances where his People feed and drink The variety of Ordinances shew the variety of feeding the richness and fulness of the Ordinances shew the plentifulness of feeding Here is Milk for Babes Wine for the Faint Water for the Scorched strong Meat for strong Christians Isa 55.1 2. He hath provided his Body and Blood to feast and feed you to Life Eternal He knows the number of his Sheep and their particular persons from other men John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep The Foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them
Blood of Christ that you may grow thereby I commend you to the Word of God's Grace Acts 20.32 5. Make conscience of all your thoughts and words Do not entertain vain and unprofitable meditations especially beware of Ungodly Athiestical Envious Repining Quarelsom Impure thoughts God sees them and is angry at them The Lord knows the thoughts of man when they are vanity Psal 94.11 He will call us to an account for them in the Day of Reckoning he will Judge the secrets of men Rom. 2.17 and then every private and close thing shall be brought to light whether it be good or wether it be evil Eccl. 12. ult Entertain holy and profitable conceptions Carry something every day in your minds that is worth thinking of when you are at leasure and out of imployment Let some Experience Promise Threatning or some Obscure place of Scripture which hath been explained to you or some profitable part of Scripture-Story be treasured up in your minds that so you may not be at a loss how to imploy your thoughts when you have any vacant hours Sin many times enters in by the thoughts beware therefore of and silence sinful conceptions and imaginations lest they produce sinful actions And so make conscience of your words beware of idle frothy wanton expressions for of every such we must give account Let not your communication be such as that it should corrupt the manners of those you converse with David was careful of his words Psal 39.1 I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I conclude this with that in Ephes 4.31 5.4 Let all Bitterness and Anger Wrath Clamour and Evil-speaking be put away from among you as becometh Saints and Filthyness and Foolish talking and Scurrilous jestings which are not convenient 6. Be and continue to be good in evil times In times of prophaness be you holy by how much others are worse by so much be you the better It 's Noahs commendation that he was upright in his generation Gen. 6.9 now the generation in which he lived was very wicked Lot was pure in an impure Sodom Say as Joshua Chap. 24.15 Chuse you whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord So let us say let others prophane Sabbaths we will sanctifie them let others despise Prayer we will call upon God as long as we live Be not stumbled because you see the way of holiness every where spoken against Fire burns the hotest in winter nights let your zeal for God's Honour appear when others are Luke-warm and Cold. Do not think the worst of holiness because contemned by wicked men they are fools and are not competent judges Who thinks the worse of himself because a fool laughs at him Gold is gold still though thrown into the dirt by a mad-man so Religion is Precious and Honourable still though mad-men throw dirt upon it 7. Let your life be a walking with God Manifest Holiness and Piety in every turn of your lives Be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every turn manifest Holiness in every calling in every condition in prosperity in adversity in every relation when you are single before you change your condition and whilst you are in a married state A Christian may shew much of Piety in all these circumstances Be holy not only at sometimes but alwayes 8. Live the Life of Faith Gal. 2.19 the Life of Faith is an excellent Life it gives God the glory of all his Attributes of his Wisdom Goodness Faithfulness Power c. It 's a comfortable life Believing we have joy unspeakable and full of glory It keeps the soul from sinking under wants and troubles Faith as I may so say holds life and soul together If you live not the life of Faith ye cannot live see how much there is of unbelief so much there is of death yea unbelief is sometimes a promoter of temporal death That which the Apostle saith of worldly sorrow that it worketh death even natural death the same I may say of unbelief that it doth in it self hasten death for whilst infidelity and distrust prevails sadness discontent vexation repining and murmuring and fear prevails and all these are enemies even to the body of a Christian Moreover if we live by sence we shall lose much of our spiritual life your Graces and your Comforts will dye your Love Hope Joy and Delight in God will decay yea all Religion will decrease and grow faint Faith is the life of all Graces and Duties Sence and Reason is many times at its wits ends we know not what to do but Faith is never at a loss But our eyes are towards thee there is Faith in the former expression was the language of Sense Faith realizeth seeming impossibilities and presentiates things afar of Heb. 11.1 Act Faith for every thing wanting for your selves or for the Church Do you want pardon of sin is conscience burdened with the guilt of your corruptions act Faith upon such Promises as these Isa 1.18 Though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow though they be like Crimson they shall be as Wool and in Hos 14.4 Do you want Righteousness to make you amiable in God's Eyes live upon that Promise in Jer. 23.6 He shall be called The Lord our Righteousness and that in 1 Cor. 1.30 Do you want purging Grace would you feign be washt from the filth and pollution of your lusts Plead such a Promise as that in Ezek. 36.25 I will sprinkle you with clean water that ye may be clean from all your filthiness will I cleanse you Do you desire persevering Grace and are you fearful of falling away urge that place in Jude 24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling c. and John 10.28 29. I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish my Father is greater than all and none shall pluck them out of my hands Live by Faith for Counsel when you are in the dark and cannot see your way clear Isa 42.16 I will make darkness light before them and crooked things streight For provision when in straits for security and preservation in a time of danger from Isa 33.16 His place of defence shall be the Munition of Rocks Bread shall be given him his Waters shall be sure And so for the Church Live by Faith for the restoring of a faithful Ministry from Jer. 3.15 I will give them Pastors after my own heart which shall feed them with knowledge and understanding For the restoring of an instituted Worship Mal. 1.11 In every place Incense shall be brought and a pure offering Mal. 3.3 I will purifie the sons of Levi and they shall offer to the Lord a pure Offering in righteousness Believe for the returning of God to his Church and People after his seeming departure and forgetting them Isa 49.14 15 16. Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee