glorious House incorruptible Inheritance and a biding Kingdom for us We have an Advocate with the Father our Redeemer liveth and we shall see him All his Enemies shall be made his footstool Christ is glorified his Members however vilified on earth shall be like Him and abide with Him and He will be admired in his Saints He is gone to prepare a place for us and will come again and receive us John 14.3 And thus much briefly for this first branch Christ Ascended The second is Christ blessed his Disciples at his Ascension But may some one say How did Christ bless them I answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bless is to speak well So Christ alwayes spake well Never man spake like Him Grace was poured in his lips and gracious Words proceeded out of his mouth But it hath a more special Importance 1. To bless is to acknowledge the Blessedness and Perfection of another So the greater is blessed of the less So with the tongue we bless God even the Father and our Souls bless the Lord. 2. To bless is sometimes to pray for a Blessing So Isaac blessed Jacob when he prayed God give thee of the Dew of Heaven Gen. 27.27 And God Almighty bless thee Gen. 28. The 1st and 3d. Thus Jacob blessed Josephs Sons when he prayed The Angel that redeemed me from all evil bless the lads Gen. 48.9 16. 3. To bless is to pronounce a blessing and that either in the way of an ordinary Ministry Thus Aaron and his Sons were to bless the People saying The Lord bless thee and keep thee c. Numb 6.23 So Simeon Levi and Judah Issachar Joseph and Benjamin were appointed to stand upon Gerizzim to bless the People Deut. 27.12 Or else by an extraordinary Spirit of prophesie So Jacob blessed his Sons when he told them what should befal them in the last dayes Gen. 49. And Balaam prophesying the prosperity of Israel is said to have blessed them altogether Numb 24.10 4. To Bless is to make blessed to give as well as speak a blessing So Israel was blessed effectually Numb 22.12 Curse them not for they are blessed Thus there are Blessings spiritual and Blessings temporal Blessings of basket and store c. 5. To bless is to set apart from a common to a holy and spiritual use So Christ blessed the Bread when he set it apart to signifie his Body Mat. 26.26 Now when Christ blessed his Disciples the four last of these acceptions of Blessing may very well be comprized and intended The gesture used in blessing them lifting up his hands may well suit with pronouncing of a Blessing in way of prayer The Gifts and Graces poured on them soon after his Ascension speak the efficacy of his Blessing and that it was not empty words but Spirit and Life And it is evident that at his Ascension he set them apart and gave them a Commission to go and preach the Gospel Other Texts might be cited proving that Christ's Ascending did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speak well to his Disciples as Mark 16.17 18 19. and Acts 1.8 9. But the Text so fully assureth us that Christ lifted up his hands and blessed just at his Parting and Ascension that we need no other Confirmation To come then to the Reasons why Christ Ascended blessing The two main springs whence his Blessing slowed are his Love and his Faithfulness which two were the reasons of his Humiliation and Transactions He loved his Elect and He was faithful to him that appointed him Heb. 3.2 Out of Free-grace and Faithfulness He laid down his Life a Ransome for many He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Rev. 1.5 His Father had appointed Him and promised Him to bless and he faithfully performed it He came to bless and went to Heaven blessing There are eight special Reasons or Ends which Christ had in his eye in blessing his Disciples so solemnly when he was leaving Earth to go to his Father 1. He would assure his Disciples that his affection to them was the same now at parting as they had found it from his first choosing them they might have thought it strangeness had he gone and not left a Blessing behind him after all his kindness and compassion And this is one end to which are directed all those gracious and comfortable Expressions recorded in the 12 13 14 15 16th Chapters of John with that pathetical Prayer John 17. shewing him as tender-hearted towards them at last as ever He displayeth his Banner of Love over them in this gracious Valediction going to Heaven Blessing 2. Jesus Christ would have his Disciples and all that should believe in his Name to know that he carried the same Heart to Heaven with him that he had on Earth so that though his bodily presence was removed yet his Love continued and he would be as mindful of them in his Kingdom as ever he had been on Earth And this is another End of his gracious Expressions at and a little before his Ascension He knew how ready they might be through weakness and temptation to question his care and doubt of his Love as the Israelites about Moses Exod. 32. As for this Moses we wot not what is become of him He would not have them think Now Jesus Christ is gone and his Mercy is at an end he hath forgotten to be gracious and so sink in despairing thoughts No He assureth them John 16.26 I say unto you I will pray the Father for you rest satisfied question not but I will remember you and set you as a seal upon my Heart as a seal upon mine Arm I will carry your names engraven on my Brest-plate and make intercession for you and here he would assure them of lasting Love in parting from them with the most notable expression of it He solemnly blessed them 3. Jesus Christ would have his People assured that he is the Messiah the promised Seed in whom all Nations shall be blessed Gen. 18.18 The Apostle mentioneth this Covenant with Abraham Acts 3.25 26. and sheweth that Christ came to bless in pursuit of that Covenant and to fulfil Scripture It was prophesied of Christ Psal 72.17 Men shall be blessed in Him And Blessing was his beginning and conclusion in his Ministry upon Earth the beginning of his first Sermon and the close of his Last 4. He blessed them that he might not leave them overwhelmed with grief nor swallowed up of sorrow at his departure John 14.1 18 27. I will not leave you comfortless let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid He knew the loss of his Presence might strike cold to their hearts The Children of the Bridechamber might mourn alas the Bridegroom is taken away they might cry after so good a Teacher and Master My Father my Father the Horsemen of Israel and Chariots thereof and sorrow most of all that they must see his face on Earth no more Well The Lord God had
and halt that way in Religion This Oyntment might have been sold for so much says Judas whose mind was chiefly on the Bag. Holy David was of another disposition I will not serve the Lord with that which costs me nothing One thing I must tell you here If our Religion be not such as weans our hearts from the world the world wil deaden them to the exercise of Religion If the love of God we all profess to have be not such as consumes inordinate love to the world our love of the world will smother the love of God not suffer that to live and breath in us See Matt. 6.24 4. A sinful cowardize and fear of man Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare Ponit offendiculum Lavater Tremel it causeth many to stumble Ponit tendiculam it layes many fast As we read John 7.12 13. Among the people some said of our Saviour He is a good man Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews Seducit turbas Ludol Carth. clarius Sonabant Sed Bonus est pressius susurrabant There were great numbers and many of great note in the world that cryed out aloud He seduceth the people But that he was a good man it was whispered amongst some but scarce any found that durst speak it out The fear of man would plainly argue our forgetfulness of God Isa 51.12 13. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil Prov. 16.6 whereas by the fear of men many depart from the Lord. The former is a Soveraign Antidote against sin an excellent means to preserve us from it Neh. 5.15 Exod. 20.20 The latter greatly exposeth unto sin As we have a sad instance in Peter being surprized with fear how was he whorried into the denial of his Lord and Master when as he should have been more afraid of this than of a thousand deaths Thus you have heard some of the causes of halting in Religion Other might be named but I forbear Demon. 3. Halting in Religion may further appear to be exceeding evil in regard of the evil effects the sad consequences of it And that both in respect of God of the godly of sinners and of ones self 1. In respect of God 1. Hereby God is dishonored his Name polluted It was a Law among the Jews Lev. 21.9 The daughter of any Priest if she profane her self by playing the Whore she profaneth her Father she shall be burnt with fire More holiness would be expected in such a one as the daughter of a Priest thus the crime in her was greater She prophaneth the Name of her Father Then what a prophaning the Name of God is this for such as are called his People to go a whoring from him The sinful slips and falls of Professors cast dirt as it were on the Name of God since they are taken to belong to him And how just a thing it is that God should spit in their faces put them to shame who care not thus to throw dirt in his face Thus indeed the sins of such as profess God's Name and stand in a nearer relation to him are worse than the sins of others The miscarriages of strangers of those that are without reflect not so much on God to his dishonor as the miscarriages of those who are within his Houshold and Family as the Church is called The Commands of God are violated and broken by others also yet the holy Name of God is not so polluted by others But the Name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written Rom. 2.24 Better in this respect men would never take up a Profession than to rest here without taking any care for a suitableness of conversation Ezek. 20.39 As for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God Go ye serve every one his Idols and hereafter also if ye will not hearken unto me but pollute ye my holy Name no more q.d. If ye will not be ruled by me then go and serve your Idols altogether appear what you are but make no more shew of being my People to reproach and disgrace me It was a great dishonour to God that it should be said These are the Lord's People Ezek. 36.20 Hence as the sins of those who have his Name called on them are so far worse a greater dishonor to God than others so the more open and publick their warpings are still the more dishonour unto God Therefore the Lord was so quick and smart with Moses with that eminent Saint that faithful Servant of his that Favourite of Heaven Moses who was so far honoured that the Lord spake to him face to face even as a man speaks to his friend Yet Numb 20.12 The Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye believe me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Israel Therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them For this halting of yours before the Children of Israel you shall fall short of Canaan you shall nor have the honour of leading them into the promised Land Now if you do but look back to Numb 11.21 22. you will find Moses bewraying unbelief but privately before God And there the Lord only reasoneth him out of it v. 23. Is the Lord's hand waxed short Whereas in this other place when he smote the Rock twice his sin was publick here Moses and Aaron dishonour God in the view of the People wherefore the Lord clapt that smart sentence on their backs which no importunity in prayer could ever take off again or get reversed See Deut. 32.50 51. 2. Hereby the Truth and Wayes of God are much discredited They are deep wounds which the Truth receives in the house of its Friends It is long ere the scars wear out When any the professed followers of Christ and his Truth are taken tripping Religion it self must bear the blame and the way of Truth be evil spoken of This is their Religion say carnal men How earnestly doth the Apostle exhort Christians in general to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called Eph. 4.1 And Phil. 4.27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel So likewise he layeth a strict charge here upon several sexes estates and conditions The younger women must take heed they give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully 1 Tim. 5.14 Servants that are under the yoke must see to carry so in their places that the Name of our God and his Doctrine be not blasphemed 1 Tim. 6.1 The aged women must be patterns of holiness setting others a good example that the Word of God be not blasphemed Tit. 2.5 Christians halting in the way causeth others to speak evil of the way of Christianity 3. The Kingdom of God and His Interest is by this means weakned It loses more by the haltings and falls of Professors ordinarily than by the fury of Persecuters As Jacob complained of his Sons cruelty
Matt. 13.12 It is not in spiritual as in corporal things the more you use them the more you wear and waste them but as it is with a fountain the more you draw the more it springs labitur et labetur 6. Beware of whatever may blast and hinder the growth of Grace as 1. Take heed of growing strange neglect not communion with God Gracious walking is walking with God in-disinenter cum Deo ambulavit is said of Enoch 2. Beware of all sin especially pride that blasteth Grace as humility preserveth it God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble 3. Formality barrenness in duty 4. Worldliness as shining of the Sun puts out fire so hot pursuit of the world causeth cooling and decaying in Grace 5. Ill company society of graceless persons is a great quench-coal to Grace the body is not so apt to catch the plague from persons infected as evil communications and ill conversation of lewd companions is prone to corrupt the mind and manners Who walketh in the Sun shall be tanned though he walk not for that end who is much in the Mill may discern it in his clothes who sits in the Apothecaries shop much will smell of his Ointments So he that converseth with the froward graceless sinner will learn of his wayes and be like him For the worst precepts counsels examples prevail most SERMON VII 1 Sam. 30.6 But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God THe difference betwixt the friendship of God and the friendship of men appears best in a day of adversity for then the latter proves fickle and deceitful but the former durable and lasting A notable instance whereof is represented in this portion of Scripture wherein we have David's friends and followers turning his enemies but God continuing his fast friend in whom he may encourage himself In the words we have these three Generals 1. The person concerned and that is David a Prophet of the Lord and Ruler of his People by the appointment of God David encouraged himself 2. His behaviour he encouraged himself in God comforted and strengthened himself in Jehovah his God 3. The occasion of this behaviour and that was the great distress he was in which is hinted in the beginning of the verse David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him He was an Exile already driven from his Country and from his habitation by the rage and jealousie of Saul His City Ziglag was sack'd and burnt by the Amalakites his Wives and Children carried captive and which was worst of all his Friends and Followers spake of stoning him looking on him as the cause of all the misery that had befallen them this was a sore distress he had nothing left now wherein he might comfort himself God only excepted David was greatly distressed but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Hence we may take notice by the way That God many times suffers his own dear and precious Ones to be greatly distressed David was a man after God's own heart yet David was greatly distressed This might be abundantly strengthened by the condition of the Church and People of God in all Ages And this God doth for these ends amongst many other 1. To take his People off from an arm of flesh from leaning upon humane props that they should not trust in themselves or any other but in God alone 2 Chr. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. Cor. 1.9 We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead 2. To prove their Graces to try their Faith and Hope God will see whether we can hold out in a storm whether we can trust him without a pledge in our hands he will see whether we can encourage our selves in Him when we have no outward mercies to lead us to him 3. To magnifie his own Name by their deliverance 'T is the strongest argument we can urge to God in our troubles What wilt thou do for thy great Name The greatness of the distress greatneth the deliverance out of it and this advanceth the glory of the Deliverer But come we to the words which we have pitched upon which hold forth the behaviour of David in his distress he encouraged himself in the Lord his God Whence we may gather these two Doctrines 1. That Believers have an interest in God the Lord his God 2. There 's enough in God to encourage a Believer when greatly distressed David was in great distress sorely beset with troubles his enemies destroying on one hand his followers gathering stones to stone him on the other hand but for all this he encouraged himself in the Lord his God I shall begin with the first of these 1. Believers have an interest in God We have the Saints every-where using this phrase which holds forth their propriety in God Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is One Lord. Josh 14.8 I wholly followed the Lord my God John 20.28 Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God This interest and propriety in God holds forth these three things 1. A nearness to God 'T is the misery of graceless persons that they are far off from God But now Believers are nigh to God The Psalmist calls this one of Israels priviledges Psal 148.14 He exalteth the horn of his People the praise of all his Saints even of the children of Israel a People near unto him O 't is a priviledge indeed to be a People near to God Ephes 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Believers are brought night to God they are even set under his wing of Providence and special Protection 2. A Relation to him Our God implies some very near relation to God he is the Believers Father by Grace 't is the misery of the Wicked that God is not their Father but they are of their father the Devil as our Saviour tells them John 8.44 But every Believer is related to God as a child to his father 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be to you a Father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty We are not only made night to God but nigh in relation He that can say My God may say also My Father This relation is held out in this interest and propriety 3. A Right to God Whole God is a Believers God and all he hath all he is all he can do This is a vast priviledge My God there 's my right and title to him He is the Believers portion his inheritance his estate made sure to him he may call God his and the Power of God his the Wisdom of God his the Goodness and Mercy of God he may call it all his he hath a right to it Thus you see what is held forth in this Interest Come we now to shew how Believers do obtain this their Interest and Propriety
nothing can hurt them there Psal 46.1 2. God is our refuge and strength a present help in time of trouble therefore will we not fear though the Earth be removed and the Mountains carried into the midst of the Sea See how the Church encourageth her self in the Strength and Power of God even beyond all fear come what will we have a refuge to betake us to Isa 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting Strength such Strength as can never faile Oh how may a Believer glory when he is inclosed within such Walls though he be compassed about with troubles yet his comfort is that everlasting Strength is engaged for him There is a threefold Comfort in this general Encouragement 1. This Power is sufficient for our deliverance be our distresses what they will though Believers may have many enemies yet God that is on their side is able to save them He is greater than all In this the three un-martyred Martyrs encouraged themselves against the burning rage of an angry King and his fiery Fornace Dan. 3.17 Our God whom wâ—â—serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery Fornace The proud Heathen cries Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands Who why the God that made Heaven and Earth the living God he can deliver us The Believer knows that the powerful God is able to save him It was He that shut the hungry Lyons mouths and saved Daniel in the Den It was He that filed off Peters Chains and threw open the Iron-gate that he might escape He hath wrought Miracles for the deliverance of such as have trusted in him 2. All the power and strength the enemy hath comes from God and is limited by him the Devils themselves are led up and down in Chains by the hand of providence So that if the Believer be frighted by hearing the Lyon roar he is again encouraged by the gingling of the Chain he cannot fix a scab upon our body without a licence from God as appears in Job's story Our God hath his hook in the nose of the chief of our enemies he cannot go whither he would nor do what he pleaseth and so wicked men who are Satans instruments they have their power from God John 19.10 11. Pilaâ—e boasteth of his power to release or to crucifie Christ Jesus answers Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above But 3. From this Power and Strength the Believer receives strength to undergo his burthen 't is a strong God that makes patient sufferers a heavy burthen upon weak shoulders will make ill work but when the shoulder is made strong by strength from above then it can bear the burthen better Psal 138.3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Believers count themselves to be strong in the Lord and the power of his might when in themselves they are low and weak through trouble and distress 2 Cor. 12.10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then am I strong 4. The last thing I shall name in God whereby the Believer encourageth himself in his distress is the Faithfulness of God we have a God to go to in our troubles that never was known to faile any that came to him after a due manner He is a God of Truth keeping Covenant and Mercy whatsoever Promise he hath made to his People in troubles he will be sure to make all good Heaven and Earth shall pass away but his Word shall not pass away God in very faithfulness doth afflict when he sees 't is needful and he is faithful in over-ruling all our afflictions 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it We may encourage our selves in the true and faithful God He is faithful that hath promised who also will do it These things principally there are in God wherein the Believer may encourage himself when he is in trouble and distress For Application 1. This gives a check to the immoderate fearfulness of Christians who are ready to run out of God's Way to avoid troubles and are ready to cry out they are undone they shall perish by the hands of these enemies whereas they ought not to be dismayed with their own folly and weakness but to encourage themselves in the Power and Wisdom of God What ails thee O Christian that thou art more afraid of man whose breath is in his nostrils than of God that giveth life and breath and all things Think not the Lord's hand is shortned that it cannot help or his arm weakned that it cannot save 2. We see the vanity of the wicked man's confidence he encourageth himself in that which cannot save him but will vanish when he hath most need of it he encourageth himself in his sinful wayes in his own wisdom leans to his own understanding he encourageth himself in the arm of flesh but he hath no God to encourage himself in he is without God in the world God is not in all his thoughts there 's nothing below God and an interest in him wherein the soul can find encouragement therefore 't is that the wicked are so often at their wits end when they are in distress they have nothing to encourage themselves in when once their refuge of lies is swept away and their agreement with Hell is come to nothing 3. We are hence exhorted in all our troubles and distresses still to encourage our selves in the Lord our God in his Presence in his Wisdom in his Power and in his Faithfulness let us stay our selves upon these things God is the same now as he was in former Ages he will be the same to thee as he was to David to Habakkuk to the three Children to Daniel to Peter therefore let the thoughts of God and the Comforts that are in God stay up and delight your souls every thing that is good is contained in that Name let nothing amaze you so long as you have such a God to fly unto your condition may be low and sad but is it worse than David's was at this time therefore do as he did and for your direction take with you these two things 1. Be sure that the Lord be your God otherwise you cannot encourage your selves in him A man cannot rejoyce in an Estate which is not his own or in a great Man in whom he hath no interest be sure then to get an interest in God he gives no encouragement to strangers he is a consuming Fire to his enemies but to his Children and Servants he is a sure Defence Get near to God by the Blood of Christ beg of Him to take you into his Family amongst his adopted