and which Christ did promise Mat. 18. 20. Where ever two or three are met together in my name there am I present in the midst of them not in the midst of the place but of them when they do perform holy and institute worship This spiritual presence of God is that that is afforded in the use of those Ordinances of Praying Hearing and Administration of Sacraments his presence is there to accept of these and to bless them and make them operative and to assist in these and to enable both Minister and people to go through their duty by his own power Nor can Gods presence be ordinarily expected but in this his own way Now then 2. You must know that as the presence of God is the foundation of a places sanctity and as it is several so you must know Gods propriety in and relation to a place is declared by his Precept the precept of God is Gods propriety in a place as well as his presence thus it belongs to him by command to make it holy he may do what he will and choose out what places he will to be holy He to whom all things belong surely may have some places and things more proper to himself and peculiar so the Temple of old and the Tabernacle those places of Levitical and Ceremonial worship was separated and set apart by God by Divine Institution Hence we have many commands 1. God commands thâ—…t such a House and such a Tabernacle shall be built and this had been unlawfull to do had it not been commanded 2. He directs the manner and the mode and that all things should exactly be done according to the pattern in the Mount And 3. God doth command it should be in such a place in the thrashing floor of Arumnah the Jebusite and that place that himself had chosen 4. He commands that he will be served in these places peculiarly rather then in any other place he would not have these places changed for others Herein this place typifi'd Christ one that is onely able to make our services acceptable Hence it is said Ex. 23. 17. Three times in the year all the Mâ—…ies shall appear before the Lord. And Act. 27 the Eunuch there went unto that place that God had commanded 5. He doth command that he would have these places reverenced and no civil employments used there when the holy service was doing and that after the service was done at that very time the place should be only for God 6. And lastly He annexed a promise unto that place that he would accept of a duty done there rather then in any other place even because it was done there hence they prayed in the Temple rather then in their private houses Lu. 2. 27 and when they could not be present by reason of Gods providence in the Temple if they do but look to the City and the Temple God accepted of their duty 1 Kin. 8. 44 48 So that God did promise that that place that he had instituted for his worship and service that the service performed there should be more acceptable to him then elsewhere This shews the reason and foundation of a places holiness the precept of God the promise presence of God And thus I have open'd to you the second thing Now having thus explained and opened the Question to you 2. I come to resolve the Question according to what I think in my conscience to be the truth of God and this I shall do two ways 1. By granting that which must not be denied 2. By denying what must not be granted 1. By granting what must not be denied and here I grant willingly these four things 1. That in the time of the Gospel it is not only lawful but it is often very commendable and necessary to design and dedicate places unto God Now when I say it is lawful to design them and to dedicate them I pray you bear me witness I do not say it is lawfull to consecrate them or to sanctifâ—…e them and say it is lawfull to design and dedicate them Now for this take notâ—…ce that between 1. the designing and appointing of a place 2. the dedication of a place and 3. the consecrating of a place there are these differences 1. Concerning the designation of a place Then is a place designed when it is appointed to be made use of for the most convenient for such a service as Tuesday and Wednesday may be appointed for Lecture-dayes not consecrated Now you must know that this designation of a day may be altered and so may a place if such a place be designed it is in our power to make use of it so as to leave off the use of it when weplease 2. As to dedication I mean so lawfully to dedicate a place which is of our own right to dispose of so to dedicate it as not again to be able to revoke it or call it back from such a use and purpose It is lawfull and commendable for a rich man to dedicate so much ground or money for building a House for a Free-School or for the poor and to give it away from our selves and from our own right and power and if so be that a man hath power or propriety over a place or thing it is lawful for a man to alienate such a thing And yet this you must know by the way that this Dedication that now is in the time of the Gospel doth very much differ from that Dedication of Free-will-offering unto God in the time of the Law for they were dedicated to God in the time of the Law immediately that is to his immediate Worship it was part of Gods Worship it was a part of Religion to do that thing whereas it is not now dedicated to the immediate worship of God but it is dedicated immediately to such a Parish or Minister or Place or company of People that we have a good will to gratifie and so it more remotely redounds to God's glory not immediately For God hath not declared in his Word the same acceptation in the Gospel of things done in an immediate way as he had in the time of the Law of which acceptation now we have no such promise And therefore it is observable as one speaks concerning that Benefactor in the Gospel to the Iews He hath loved our Nation and builded us a Synagogue it is not said for God but for us This man out of love to us hath bestowed these things to God which though a giving our selves out of our own power yet it doth differ from the Free-will-offering in the time of the Law Ay but now Sirs ye must know that sanctification or consecration that is a great deal more when we sanctifie a thing or consecrate a thing this thing that is so consecrated it is so holy that there must nothing at all of unholiness or of a civil or secular employment and concernment be done in it Now we do not dedicate a thing
others die in horrour Mr. Jenkins's Prayer at Christ-Church Iuly 13. 1662. MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely â—…ppy before the world was made and wantest none oâ—… thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their services 〈◊〉 make thee more excellent tâ—…en thou art in thy self we dâ—…ily wâ—…nt thee thou never wantest us thou a 〈◊〉 to make use of Ordinanceâ—… Ministers Sâ—…baths as thy Institutions to accomplish 〈◊〉 bring about the great work of thy glory and maâ—…s Sâ—…lvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made â—…fficacious by these things but it is that that makes these things 〈◊〉 though thou art pleased to tye us to them when we may 〈◊〉 them and duly enâ—…y them yet thou dost not tye thy self to them we desire in these our addâ—…esses tâ—… eye the happiness of Saints that depends â—…on him that depends upon none We are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace Oâ—… whether should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee oâ—… strengthen our saith kill ouâ—… corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oâ—… that God would teach us â—…ow to pray that we may tastâ—… and seâ—… how â—…ood the Lord is t iâ—… day that ouâ—… souls may be filled 〈◊〉 with marrow the we may by ouâ—… own experience be able to say it is good foâ—… us to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…o God and that a day in thy house is better thâ—…n a thousand elsewhere that there may be a commâ—…ion between us and God let there be a diâ—…union between us and siâ—… we confess we brouâ—…ht sin enough into the world with â—…s to cause theâ—… to withdraw thy bleâ—…ed self from us and to cast such unprofitable servants as we are into uttâ—…r darkâ—…ss we have bin 〈◊〉 long time in thy school and yeâ—… how dull are 〈◊〉 we migâ—… have bin teachers of others but we need our selves be tauâ—…ht wâ—…ich aâ—…e the fiâ—…st Principles of the Oracles of God we lâ—…ve less â—…en we know and we do less then we love we have neither done 〈◊〉 good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received we have been trees that have cumbered the 〈◊〉 iâ—… thy Orchard but we have brought foâ—…th no fruit â—…o unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the woâ—…ld we are wise in every thing but in our own salvation we live as if â—…ell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledge of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of faith we confess we nâ—…ither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor â—…ant our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully we live as if hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were a either sâ—…ess in heaven nor bitterness in hell When we come into thy prâ—… 〈◊〉 are our hearts what earthly dispositions do wâ—… 〈◊〉 aâ—… with 〈◊〉 the sins of our prayers cry louder then the suppâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us â—…f thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty wâ—…t 〈◊〉 â—…ecome of us O Lord be pleased to smell a swâ—…t â—…avour of â—…est and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is onely his precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our consciences and no other thing we do renounce all our own works and we cry in our selves unâ—…one undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part and by our lively trust through the Covenant of thy grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the power of bell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts stiâ—…l our consciences 〈◊〉 I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befâ—…iend yâ—…u I will be just and faithful to â—…or â—…ive your sins my lawis â—…elly fulfilled by another though broken by you my justice is fully satisfied â—…y another though provoked by yâ—…u my wrath is ceased by the means of another though inceâ—…sed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be â—… caâ—…st not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in â—…ine owâ—… way speak peace to every such soul. Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O Lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which diâ—…t regard us when we were running from theâ—… do not reject us now we are drawing near thâ—…e and thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy â—…ord help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better then life Some do say Who will shew us any good but Lord lifâ—… thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and that will glad our hearts more then in the time when increaseth Corn or wine or Oyl Let it be sâ—…ir above head when it is dirty below lâ—…t us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of â—…aith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would â—…ain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life repentance from dead works a mourning far greater for the remembrance of sin then we had pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out wretched men that we are who shall deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear â—…f condemnation doth decrease so let the fear of transgression in crease and because O Lord that thou hast not made us to bleâ—… with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truly desire that heaven would enter into us in the way of holiness here as we desire to enter into heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let not that live quietly one minute with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which thâ—… great God is 〈◊〉 and an immortal soul is damned we are to be in the wâ—…rld but â—…r a while to take a 〈◊〉 or two and bâ—… goâ—… oh that we miâ—…ht make it the business of our life
accordingly 5. Love the holiness of the living members be not so much in love with the holiness of wood and timber bricks and stones but wheresoever you see the Image of Christ be in love with that soul whereever the presence of God shines and whereever thou seest one that gives up himself to God in holy duties do thou say Oh! my soul delight to come into the company of these men The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour If there be a heaven upon earth I tell you it is in the company of godly men I remember a famous man hath this expression saith he When I was in the company of the Saints and people of God I was as a living coal but when I was separated from them and was among the wicked swearers and drunkards me-thoughts there was a spiritual coldness and frozenness went over my soul. Though the people of God are best companie in heaven yet they are very good companie here on earth And Christians should stir up one another and be provoking one another to love and good works and where ever you have grace be sure to impart it Endeavour to love the holiness of Saints and be willing to impart your experiences to others for this is your duty Do not make a Monopoly of holiness but carry company with you to Heaven Lastly to name no more labour to preserve the holiness of Gods true Institutions those things which are of a divine consecration What is humane consecration without divine institution The Sabbath day is of divine institution labour to keep it holy this is a holy-day indeed and this labour to keep your families from profaning of but for other holy dayes and holy things they are much alike for holiness The Lords day is a holy day indeed and for shame do not let your children gad abroad on this day Truly I do verily believe that though here be a great company of people in the Congregation yet they are but a handful in comparison of what are drinking in Ale-houses and whoring and walking in the field that one can hardly get home to their house for the crowd of people that are going thither For shame let not this be told in Gath nor published in Askelon What! shall we stand up for the holiness of places and yet oppose the holiness of the Lords day which God hath enjoyned and instituted Oh! that the Magistrates of London Oâ—… that Englands King Oh! that Englands Parliament would do something for the reformation of this to oppose wickedness and prophanesse which will otherwise bring upon us the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah and make us guilty and worthy of a thousand punishments And labour by prayer in your families to overcome that flood of prophanesse which you cannot by your strength prevent And then for the Sacraments of Christ Baptisme and the Lords Sâ—…pper these are Ordinances of Gods appointment they are holy and therefore should not be given to those that are unholy and yet those who are so much for the holinesse of places do not care who come to the Sacrament if they have but a nose on their face they shall come and partake of the Ordinances let them be what they will this is to prefer mans institution before Gods institution And then for the Lords Message and Word that is a holy thing and therefore love his Messengers the Messengers of God delivering his Message with fear and reverence you are to hear them with the same fear and reverence and resolution to be holy as if Christ were present And for the Word of God it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the walls of your Churches but let Gods Law be written in your hearts and consciences and practised in your lives that all the world may see you live as men dedicated to the true God in all the duties of his wayes and obedience Many of these things might have been inlarged What I have given you with the right hand I pray you Christians do not take with the left for if you do you will make your selves guilty of a double sin First Because you do not obey the truth you hear And secondly For putting a wrong construction upon it But I have better hopes of you my Beloved Hearers and hope that the Lord will be better unto your souls then his Ministers Word or any thing else can be God blesse you and his Ordinances and discover his mind and will at this time to you Mr. Jenkins's Prayer after Sermon O Lord our God thou art never weary of doing us good if we either consider the mercies thou givest to us or the miseries that thou keepest from us that yet we have another opportunity of drawing nigh to thee we beseech thee O Lord let not our mis-interpreting of such opportunities as these are cause thee to take them from us or thy self from them if thou dost Lord we cannot but justifie thee and abase our selves and lie low before thee because we have sinned against thee O Lord we bless thee that we are yet alive to bless thee that yet we have not sinned our bodies into a cold grave nor our souls into a scorching Hell thou givest us our beings if thou withdraw thy self we cease to be and shall return to our first nothingness from whence we came the living the living they praise thee as if we know our own hearts we desire to do at this time Praised be God for Iesus Christ that he died and rose again and is now a pleading at thy right hand for poor sinners Praised be God that he is offered to us for his sake O God pardon all our sins let our lusts die that would not let the Lord of life live let not any one of them live one quiet moment in these hearts of ours let us give up our selves and all that we are or can do to the purpose of thy praise we beseech thee prepare us for a blessed eternity that we may not be ashamed before thee nor ashamed of thee nor thy wayes in the midst of a crooked perverse unclean idolatrous generation Dear Father we most humbly pray thee prepare us for communion with thy self assist us in the ensuing duties of this day let all the work be done by thee let all the praise redound unto thee prepare us by hearing for prayer by both for practice by all for glory Lord set up thy truth ruine Babylon build up Sion delight yet to dwell in the midst of us and do us good though we are a sinful back-sliding God-provoking Nation Mayest thou not say of us as of old what couldst thou have done more for us then thou hast done yet how ill have we requited thee for all thy benefits Poure down the richest showers of thy choicest blessings upon the head and heart of our Dread Soverain Charles the Second by thy especial grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King as follows in his Royal
Title inrich his noble Soul with all the graces of thy most holy Spirit the Lord make him as holy as high that he may as much exceed in goodness as in greatnesse O Lord give him a Spirit of Wisdom to know how to go in and out before this great people and be able to discern between friends and flatterers O that he may be a true friend to thy friends and a real enemy to thy enemies the Lord make him the most glorious Instrument for promotion of the power of godliness that ever sway'd the Scepter in these Lands that under him we may live a peaceable and holy life in all godliness and honesty O Lord bless him in his Royal Consort Queen Katharine the Illustrious James Duke of York the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council the God of all grace give them graces suitable to that high and honourable imployment thou hast intrusted them with do thou rule our Rulers and teach our Senators wisdom any that are in authority over us give them to improve their power for thee blesse the Nurseries of learning Cambridge and Oxford Dear Father bless all thy faithful Ministers thou that art the Lord of the Harvest send forth Labourers and keep out loyterers preserve those that are that they may be faithful to thee and to those over whom thou hast made them Overseers that they may neither be ashamed of thee nor thy ways truths worship however stiled and disowned by men O remember thy ancient people the Iews call in the fulness of the Gentiles that we may be all one Sheepfold under thee the great Shepherd of Souls In mercy look down upon this great City bless the Governour and Government thereof that thy Sabbath may be more strictly observed that piety may be more encouraged and profanesâ—… discouraged in the midst of us Blesse this great Congregation let them be all taught of God and more truly find that thou wert speaking to the heart when that a poor worm was speaking to the ear Bless them in their basket and their store but especially in their souls let them grow heaven-ward every one that hath spread a Bill before us do thou read them over and be a present help according to their several wants and necessities O God pardon all our sins bottle our tears rebuke the Tempter reform our lives and save our souls that by all these enjoyments we may be the more fitted for an immediate un-interrupted enjoyment of thy self in glory whereas there shall be no more tears in our eyes neither shall there be any more sin in our souls these and whetever else thou in thy wisdom sees necessary and good for us we most humbly beg in the Name and for the sake of our dear and blessed Redeemer Iesus Christ the righteous for whom we bless thee to him together with thy self and God the Holy and ever blessed Spirit the Comforter we desire to be inabled to render as we acknowledge to be most due all honour praise power might Majesty and dominion from us and all thine now and for evermore Amen Dr. Manton's Prayer at Covent-Garden OH Lord God all that we can do is-nothing of our selves we can do nothing oh let us have the gracious assistance of thy Spirit at this time let thy love constrain us say unto us thou art our salvation Do not say that we shall fill up the measure of our iniquities and there shall be no hope for us Oh Lord we are ashamed that we have waited so long in thine Ordinances and have got no more profit to our poor souls but we have given up our heart to the pleasures and vanities of this world that are but for a season even those that thou hast drawn out after thee do not walk worthy of thee answerable to that blessed hope of future happiness in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Iesus Christ is to many of us become a stumbling-block and a rock of offence while our hearts are carried out after the world with such strong affections Oh when shall we carry our selves so as those that profess themselves to be seekers of a better life we come into thy presence now for strength do thou manifest thy self to us thou hast promised to pour out thy Spirit upon all flesh oh let it be unto us according to thy promise Oh Lord our hearts naturally are averse to thee so that of our selves we shall never be able to do any thing that may be well pleasing to thee but do thou regulate us by thy blessed Spirit that we may observe thy Statutes and do them and that thy Commands may not be grievous to us that it may not be burdensom to us to do the work of God O Lord when shall our hearts be made sound in thy Statutes we wait upon thee in the use of thine Ordinances that we may have a new supply from thee that at length we may come to see that thou art at work with us to save our souls O help us to be followers of them who with faith and patience do follow thee and to do nothing unbecoming our holy call suffer us not to swerve from thy Commandments but let us have a constant and earnest desire after thee Let the choicest of thy mercies come down upon our Soveraign CHARLES King of England Scotland France and Ireland let his heart be guided by thee and let him alwaies set thee before his eyes that under the shadow of his Government we may have peace in all godliness and honesty Blese him in his Relations in his Councels teach our Senators wisdom bewith all thy faithful Magistrates and Ministers let them be a terror to evil doers and an encouragement to them that do well Be with us in the way of thy worship we are here met together to hear and handle thy holy word oh do thou command it to light upon all our hearts let it come in the evidence and demonstration of thy Spirit and all for Christ his sake for whom we bless thee to him with thee and thy holy Spirit be praise glory for evermore Dr. Manton's Farewell Sermon Heb. 12. 1. Therefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the Race that is set before us IN the former Chapter you have a Spiritual Chronicle or a Catalogue of the Lord's Worthies and all the emiâ—…ent effects of their Faith and now the Apostle comes to make use of this History that he had produced through â—…o many successions of Ages of all the holy men of God â—…at excelled in Faith Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a Cloud of Witnesses c. The Text is wholly Hortatory In it observe 1. The premisses or principle the Apostle worketh upon seeing we are compassed c. 2. The practical Inferences which are deduced from â—…ence and
the stress of my Salvation upon these t is true I cannot in conscience conform but I do not lay the stress of salvation on it as I did not lay the stress of my salvation on my being a Presbyterian I confess I am so have been it hath been my unhappiness to be alwaies on the sinking side yet I lay not the stress of my salvation upon it 'T is my conscience but it may be I have not so much light as another man and I profess in the presence of God could I conform without sin to my own 〈◊〉 I would if I should do any thing against my conscience I should sin and break my peace and conscience and all and never see good day do not then spend the strength of your zeal for your religion in censuring others That man that is most busie in censuring others is alwayes least employed in examining himself Remember good Iohn Bradford he would not censure Bonner nor Gardiner but saith he they called I. Bradford the hypocritical I. Bradford c. I do not speak this as though I can or did in conscience approve of those things for which I must suffer that I cannot approve of them but to take off people from those things that are so far from the foundation Look you but to the main things and look but into your own hearts examine them and then you need not be much perswaded to look about to others 2. You must take heed you be not loose Christians will you remember one thing from me the God of Heaven grant you never live to see it verified A loose Protestant is one of the fittest persons in the world to make a strict Papist Tell not me of his Protestantisme being a drunkard it is because his King oâ—… Countrey are Protestants where they live There is no Religion in a loose liver if ungodliness be in the heart it is no difficult thing for error to get into the head A loose heart can best comply with loose principles see if they will not be of any Religion in the world that is uppermost let the Turkâ—… prevail they would soon be of his Religion 3. Take heed of being worldly Christians oh this is the David that hath â—…lain his ten thousands A worldly heart will be bought and sold upon every turn to serve thâ—… Devils turn Come to a worldly heart and but promise him thirty pieces of silver he will betray his Saviour The temptations of the world are great upon us at this time you that are husbands and parents know it the world is a 〈◊〉 temptation but if we be overcome by the world and the world not overcome by us we shall never be able to overcome any one temptation that is offered to us Therefore that 's an admirable support In the world you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world I have overcome the world for you and likewise I have overcome the world in you Oh Lord if thou wilt but overcome the love and the fear of the world if thou wilt but arm us against the smiles of the world then come what will we shall stand stedfast 4. Take heed you be not hypoeritical Christians i e. take heed you do not receive the truth and only receive the truth and not receive the truth in the love of that truth 2 Thess. 2. 10. You have received truth but have you received the truth in the love of that truth which you have received want of this is that damnable occasion to Popery And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they shall believe a lye that they all might be damned who believed not the truth 'T is just with God they should fall into errours whose hearts did never love real truths Better never receive the truth then to receive it and not in the love of it Take heed of being venturous and God tempting Christians what 's that when do I tempt God I tempt God when I do run into a Pest-house and say God will preserve me from the Plague Take heed of running upon temptations to sin whether it be in principles or in practice I could tell you of two spiritual Pest-houses in England if I had time for principles one and for practices another I do not say that I mean Play-houses on the one hand or Mass-houses on the other hand Certainly Bretâ—…ren I read of Iulian that wicked bloudy Apostate that he sunk into that his Apostacy first by going to hear Libanius preach mistake me not I am not against your hearing the Ministers of Christ for a man may be a true Minister though he be a bad man all the world can never answer the instance of Iudas who was a true Minister though a bad man while I plead for the truth of his Ministry I do not spread a skirt over the wickedness of his life The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses Chair hear them But that which I mainly aim at is this do not you go and run and venture your selves upon temptations you have heard of superstitious or Idolatrous worship you have a months mind to see this and what if so be when you are found in Satans way Satan should lay his â—…aw on you and claim to you what do you there in Satan's ground Would you be found when you come to die in a Play-house or in such a place where the true God is Idâ—…latrously worshipped 'T is a great truth if you would not be found in the Devils power do not be found in the Devils pound Brethren we must know Satan is bâ—…sie enough to tempt us we need not go to tempt him Eve lost all that she had by hearing one Sermon but 't was from the Devil Therefore if you would not have your pockets pickt do not trade amongst Cheaters 1 Tim. 6. 3 5. If any man â—…each otherwise c. then that ye have received and we preached from such withdraw thy self that 's a good honest laudable separation from such withdraw thy self 6. Where God doth not find a mouth to speak do not you find an ear to hear nor an heart to believe pray mind it this I am sure is of concernment This is one of the grand points in my Card or Compass on which I hope I shall venture all If any man come with a Doctrine not according to the word of God let him carry it whither he will what have I to do with it Either you come from God or no If you do shew me his word and I 'le believe it if not open your pack where you please c. where God doth not find a mouth to speak where you have not a precept promise threatning or example in the word of God let them talk their hearts out 't is nothing to me to my Religion
the Scripture the Churches power is not Authoritative as to give Laws against the Laws of Christ it 's only Ministerial we do believe the Scripture for it self and not because of the Church we receive the Scripture by the Church Hence therefore when we set up the name of a Church let us see whether that Church walks in the way of Christ whether she be his Spouse or no whether she doth act according to his Institutions whether they bring his light yea or no then submit for it is not what a Church practises but what they are warranted to practise not what they hold for a truth but what they are warranted to hold as the word of truth The word was written afte the Church but as it is the word of God it s before it This therefore will break the snare if you be set upon by the specious name of the Church look that the Church hath warrant from Scripture Institution and then submit to Church Institution A second Rule I observe men would set up to betray poor souls from the faith once delivered to them is Ancient Custome Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain when they would hold forth that which the Scripture is short in they will send us to such and such Customes of so many hundred years standing It is to be bewailed that the date the standing of false Doctrines and false Worships is so ancient for though at first they were but Invocations yet to succeeding Generations they become old And 't is a very great truth that That is the most ancient is the most true and therefore there lies a great snare in this Therefore when Antiquity is pretended if you find not their hoary heads in the way of Righteousness there is little reason for you to reverence them or comply with them no more then there was reason so suddenly to be taken with the Gibeonites mouldy bread and clouted shooes When matters of Antiquity are pretended say as Ignatius Iesus Christus est mea Antiquitas Jesus Christ is my Antiquity so say Truth is my Antiquity for though an opinion have been practised a thousand years yet men may have the word of truth in their hearts that is ancienter then all A third Rule that men would set up is The general course of the world or place the generality of those where they live This was that the Popish Party did often mention to the Witnesses of Jesus Christ what will you be wiser then others can't you do as others do must you be singular And this is a taking rule for to make you conformable to those things possibly the word of God will not warrant if you bring not this custome to the word of God 't is not what the most do but what we may do 't is not what is the practise of all in general but what ought to be the singular care and strict holiness of Christians in particular that the word of God will allow Christians are not to be conformable to the present world Rom. 12. 1. The word will tell you it is no more safe to follow a multitude to do evil then it will be sweeter to be in Hell with a great company The word will let you know the secrets of the Lord are with a very few and those them that fear him as for the whole world it lies in wickedness The word will tell you The waies of Jesus Christ and the profession of Jesus Christ is commonly called a Sect it is every where spoken against and men hate it every where Therefore set up this Rule in your hearts in your houses in your meditations in your practise Rule 2. Be very well rooted and established in the faith that hath been delivered to you I observe it 's one of the great reasons why Christians so easily let go the profession they have made is because they were never well built upon it nor established in it There are many Christians that through their own itching ears heaping up Teachers to themselves have never been rooted or established in the truth the Lord pity them and keep them this day Many Christians that have attended to establishing means yet never seriously considered nor laid things to their heart but are like those the Apostle speaks of Heb. 5. 12. that had need to learn the first Oracles of God How many among us profess with the highest but have little ground for their faith only with the Jews the Traditions of the Elders the custome of the place Education and because such a party of men say so because no body denies it because Ministers commonly preached it but to take any solid and serious ground they are yet to seek 'T is not wiâ—…h the things of God as with other Arts as Logick Rhetorick Astronomy in these Arts the principle is presupposed to be proved no man goes about to prove there is Reason that there is Number that there are Heavenly bodies because sense and experience shews it But 't is quite otherwise in the things of God for you are not only to run away with the notion that there is a God that this God is one and that these are his word and his works but you are to know this by experience because the knowledge of these things comes in by infusion by faith by a belief that God is For by Faith we believe the worlds were made by the word of God Heb. 11. 2 3. It is that therefore I would press you to that you would labour for an established spirit Do not only hear the things of God but see them the first will but blind you or at best leave you at great uncertainties the last will settle you What was the reason of the holy Apostles zeal when they were under the greatest threatnings of the High Priests and were forbid to speak in the name of Christ and to speak of Justification by faith and the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and forgiveness of sins by him things that are furthest remote from sense and reason the Apostle will tell you Act. 4. 20. We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard Hence it is that poor silly women that in respect of their Imbecility and Infirmity of sex the terrours of the fire and faggot might have been such to have brought them to Apostacy yet they confounded the great Doctors and Rabbies when they were brought before them they were able to burn though they could not dispute they beheld things that were invisible It is an excellent thing not to take up the word upon notion upon opinion but to have an established heart through grace I shall direct you in two words 1. Get the Lord by Prayer to teach you every truth what Jesus Christ teaches once is everlastingly taught no word is abiding but what the Lord Jesus teaches himself Look as it is with Satan when he comes to seduce men from the truth he will present such a fine notion without and commonly he
others also Hath God committed any thing to you a treasure of Learning or Grace commit it to young Ministers that they may commit it to others that so there may be a succession of gifts and graces Do as Physicians do that labour to communicate their skill to their children and to others so should we that so there may be a succession of godly ones that godliness may be entailed upon us and our Relations Thirdly and lastly Let us all labour to be such that when we dye when we come to be gathered we may be gathered to Christ and his Angels and not to the Devil and his Angels And for that purpose let us labour to be merciful and righteous and let us be gathered to Christ by faith and to one another by love and dear affection and then we shall be gathered at the great day to Christ and the blessed company of Saints and Angels There are four observations yet behind but I must wave them at this time I have now another Sermon to preach and I cannot without injury to you that are alive and without wrong to the memory of my dearly beloved Brother but speak something of him at whose Funeral we are met this evening not so much for his commendation he needs it not but for our imitation it is pitty great pitty something should not be said that this Reverend Minister though dead may yet preach this night and I have so much to say of him that I know not where to begin and when I have begun I hardly know how to make an end I must confesse the little time allotted me for the providing for this solemn Work and the necessary avocations in this little time have hindered me from informing my self about his breeding and manner of education at Emanuel Colledge under Mr. Stooker and his excellent carriage and converse with Mr. Hildersam Mr. Dod Mr. Ball Mr. Langley and other Ministers famous in their generations and the many pressures and hardships that he suffered in those parts and times for the keeping of his Conscience pure from that which he counted sin and therefore I must draw a vail over that part of his life and confine my discourse onely to the time since his coming to live with us in London which is about the space of twenty two or three twenty years all which time I have had the happinesse to be intimately acquainted with him insomuch as that I can freely and clearly professe and that with a sad heart that I and many others have lost a real wise and godly friend brother and fellow-labourer in the Lord j the Church hath lost an eminent member and choice pillar and this City hath lost an ancient faithfull and painfull minister who by his prayers and holy life did seek to keep off the Judgements of God from falling upon us and the lesse sensible the City is of this losse the greater is the losse I fear we may too truly repeat the words in the Text The righteous perisheth and no man layes it to-heart and mercifull men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come I have read of Philo the Iew and by chance met with the same in the life of S. Ambrose that when they came to any City or Town and heard of the death of any godly man though never so poor they would both of them mourn exceedingly because of the great losse that place had by the death of that godly man and because it was a warning-piece from God of evil approaching But we have had many godly men and godly ministers taken away of late and yet I fear me but few lay it to heart and therefore as I said the loss is the greater to this City because it is so little sensible of it It is a great loss also to his relations his wife hath lost a dear and loving husband his sister a dear brother his parish and congregation a faithful pastour The ministerial excellencies of many ministers were collected and concentred in one Simeon Ash he was a Bezaleel in Gods tabernacle a master-builder an old disciple a Polycarp a Christian of long standing in the school of Christ a burning and a shining light one whom many ministers and other good Christians called father insomuch that it was a common proverb in this City father Ash and I believe many experimentally lament over him as the King did over the Prophet Elisha My father my father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof For he lived desired and died lamented not only in the City but I believe in very many places in the Countrey where he was known But more particularly there were twelve excellencies that I observed in this Reverend Minister and my dear brother that were as twelve Jewels or precious pearls in that crown with which God had crowned him I shall name them for your imitation and benefit he needs them not for he is above our Eulogy The first and chief Jewel that did beautifie and adorn this our brother was his sincerity and uprightness of heart which indeed is not a single grace but the soul of all grace and the interlineary that must run through all grace for what is faith if it be not unfeigned what will love to God profit you if it be not without dissimulation what is repentance worth if it be not in truth as the body without the soul is a rotten carkass so is all grace without sincerity this is the soul of all grace this is the girdle of truth Sincerity is that which girts all our spiritual armour together and makes them useful what advantage is it to have the brest-plate of righteousness the shield of faith the helmet of hope if they be but painted things it is the girdle of sincerity that makes all the other parts of our armour useful Now this excellent grace of sincerity was eminent in this our dear brother he was a true Nathanael in whom there was no guile I mean no allowed hypocrisie and this was that which carried him throuoh the pangs of death with a great deal of comfort for he was able to say with Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart He could say with Paul This is my rejoycing the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have had my conversation in the world Secondly another Jewel was his humility this is a grace that he was cloathed withall and it is a rare grace for God dwels with the humble he resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble This reverend Minister was low in his own eyes and therefore very high in Gods eyes he had a mean esteem of himself and therefore he was in high esteem with God He was as Iacob said of himself less then the least of Gods mercies and therefore he was made partaker of the best of Gods mercies He was like