and therefore I say it is boldness for us to go about to tye Gods presence to a place where God hath â—…ever tyed it I cannot but wonder how it is possible for 〈◊〉 of reason and learning to be so blind as to hold 〈◊〉 the Lords day which was set apart by God for the Sabbath as you may see in the fourth Commandment and afterwards by Christ and his Apostles which doth amount to no lesse then an Institution is not holy after the Service or Sermon is ended but then you may go to play at Foot-ball and Cudgels and Drinking and what not and yet that they should say that the place of performing religious duties in is so holy after religious performances as that you cannot come into it without bowing the knee and putting off the hat and bowing to the Altar and Communion-Table and the like this I cannot apprehend how it should be and I wish any of you that are of this mind would in private give me your reasons for it why it should be so Now having explained the point and given you a resolution of the question in these prrticulars give me leave to wind up all wich some Uses First We infer the great difference that is between sanctity of places under the Old Testament and sanctity and holiness of places under the New Testament they under the Old Testament had the immediate presence of God the standing Symbols and visible signs of his presence so long as these lasted which was set apart by Gods special Commandment and so they were holy though they were not employed in a way of worship but you cannot say so now our places for performance of holy duties have no such holiness places now differ from places then Secondly By way of inference I note the great goodness of God to give us such a sweet and gracious indulgent dispensation in the time of the Gospel under the New Testament as that he doth not tye us to Ceremonies or places he doth not bind us as he did the Jews to go three times in the year to the furthermost part of the Nation to worship No my Brethren no Land 〈◊〉 ground is now unholy as famous old Dr. Raynolds said every place is now a Iudea no Coast but is a Iudea every house is a Ierusalem every Congregation is now a Zion see here the goodness of God in indulging of us so far as to take any service done by us in a solemn and real manner as if it had been done in those places which were formerly appointed for it to be done in Thirdly I infer hence there are several persons to be reproved 1 We find hereby that all the holiness of reliques of Saints doth fall to the ground and we see the folly of those that make Pilgrimages unto Saints and Reliques as the Papists do there was a time say they when such a Saints reliques were laid up in such a place and these are more holy then other places so that this you see falls to the ground in it self I might tell you concerning their lying about their Reliques as one aid that there were as many Reliques as would fill an hundred Carts but supposing so all that would not make the place the more holy 2. Hence the Superstition of those is to be reproved which put holiness in places of burial and make it more holy to be buried in one place then in another it is more holy say they to be buried in the Church then in the Church-yard and more holy under the Communion-Table then any other part of the Church 3. This reproves them which cannot pray any where but in the Temple and they that use private prayer in Churches If you have houses and rooms at home what is the reason that if Pauls or any other Church stand open you must run in thither and drop down behind a Pillar to say your Prayers 4. This reproves them that have reverence towards any place more then another as if they did deserve more holinesse in one part then in another as bowing to the Altar or Communion Table or the like 5. It reproves those that have reverence for scituation of these places they must stand East and West and why not North and South all these things fall off like fig leaves if what I have said be true that there is no holiness in places and this I have made known to you not only as my judgement but as my duty Now for Exhortation I shall desire you to take notice of four things and I have done and shall leave you to God and commit you to the word of his grace If this be so that there is no holiness in places then first of all be the more encouraged to serve God in your families in those places where God hath set you where God is as well pleased with your service as in publick places serve God upon your knees with devotion humility and reverence And therefore though I am against Superstition and Popish practises and those wicked cursed traps of Innovations that the men of the world have disturbed the Church of God with yet I am against putting on your hats in Prayer and sitting in Prayer Those that are for holiness of places do not with Abraham in every place they come build God an Altar But let us in every closet and room build God an Altar let no morning nor evening go without a prayer in thy family pray often and pray continually let your houses be as so many Churches as you read in Rom. 16. 5. Likewise greet the Church that is in their house and in the second verse of Philemon's Epistle To the Church that is in thy house there the houses of the Saints are called Churches This will bring a blessing upon your families And if you be not willing to have that curse denounced against you in Ier. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know thee not and upon the families that call not upon thy name then neglect not family prayers be much in prayer and pray with frequency and encouragement because God binds you to no place The second Exhortation is this Labour to promote personal holiness as well as family devotion I am against local holiness As one said that I heard once when I was a youth Happy are those garments that can carry away any of the dust of the Temple but they think not that many of their garments are unclean in wallowing in the mire of sin But I say do you labour to promote holiness in your lives in your hearts and conversations The holy Ghost saith Unless you be pure in heart you shall not see God And therefore put away sin for if you regard iniquity God will not hear your prayers It is not your ducking or bowing or cringing never so much or your going with your hat off through the Church that will make God hear your prayers these will but dishonour you because you live not
rusted over with many infirmities is better then all the glistering shews of hypocrites A sincere heart is Gods currant coin he will give it grains of allowance Sixthly as you love your souls be not strangers to your selves be much and often in the work of self-examination among all the books that you read turn over the book of your own heart look into the book of conscience see what is written there Psal. 77. 6. I communed with mine own heart Set up a judgment-seat in your own souls examine whether you have grace or not prove whether you are in the faith be as much afraid of a painted holiness as you would be afraid of going to a painted heaven Do not think your selves good because others think so let the Word be the touch-stone by which you try your hearts let the word be the looking glass by which you judge of the complexion of your souls For want of this self-searching many live known to others and die unknown to themselves Seventhly keep up your spiritual watch Mat. 13. 37. what I say unto you I say unto all watch if it were the last word I should speak it should be this word watch O what need hath a Christian to be ever upon his watch the heart is a subtle piece and will be stealing out to vanity and if we are not careful it will decoy us into sin we have a special eye upon such persons as we suspect thy heart is a supicious person O have an eye upon it watch it continually it is a bosom-traytor Iob set a watch before his eyes Iob 31. 1. We must every day keep sentinel sleep not upon your guard Our sleeping time is the Devils tempting time Let not your watch-candle go out Eightly you that are the people of God do you often associate together Mal. 3. 16. They that feared the Lord spake often one to another Christs Doves should flock together one Christian will help to heat another a single coal of Juniper will soon die but many coals put together will keep life one in another Conference sometimes may do as much good as Preaching one Christian by good discourse drops holy oyl upon another that makes the lamp of his grace to shine the brighter It is great wisdom to keep up the trade in a Corporation Christians by meeting often together setting good discourse on foot keep up the trade of Godliness that else would decay and soon be lost Is not the communion of Saints an Article in our Creed Do not then live so asunder as if thìs Article were blotted out The Naturalists observe there is a sympathy in Plants they say some Plants bear better when they grow near other Plants as the Vine and the Elm the Olive and the Myrtle thrive best when they grow together It is true in Religion the Saints are trees of righteousness that thrive best in godliness when they grow together Ninthly get your hearts screwed up above the world Set your affections on things above Col. 3. 3. We may see the face of the Moon in the water but the Moon is fixed above in the Firmament so though a Christian walks here below yet his heart should be fixed above in Heaven in Heaven there is our best Kindred and purest Joy our Mansion-house O let our hearts be above it is the best and the sweetest kind of life the higher the birds flies the sweeter it sings and the higher the heart is raised above the world the sweeter joy it hath The Eagle that flies in the air is not stung by the Serpent those whose hearts are elevated above the lower Region of this world are not stung with the vexations and disquietments that others are but are full of joy and contentment 10. Trade much in the Promises the Promises are great supports to faith Faith lives in a promise as the fish lives in the water the Promises are both comforting and quickning they are mitralia evangelii the very breasts of the Gospel as the child by sucking the breasts gets strength so faith by sucking the breasts of a promise gets strength and revives The promises of God are bladders to keep us from sinking when we come into the waters of affliction the Promises are sweet clusters of grapes that grow upon Christ the true Vine O trade much in the promises there is no condition that you can be in but you have a promise the promises are like Manna that sute themselves to every Christians palate 11. All you that hear me live in a calling Ierome gave his friend this advice To be ever well employed that when the Devil came to tempt him he might finde him working in his vineyard Sure I am the same God that saith Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy saith also Six dayes shalt thou labour The great God never sealed any warrants to Idleness an idle professour is the shame of his profession 2 Thess. 3. 11. I hear there are some sayes the Apostle that work not at all but are busi-bodies such we exhort by our Lord Iesus Christ that with quietness they work Solon made Laws to punish idleness and Seneca saith of an idle man Spiritum trahit non vivit He draws his breath but doth not live he is not useful but a good Christian acts within the spere of his own calling 12. Let me intreat you to joyn the first and the second Table together piety to God and equity to your Neigbour the Apostle puts these two words together in one verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2. 12. That we should live righteously and godly Righteously that relates to morality Godly that relates to piety and sanctity alwayes remember this every Command hath the same Divine stamp and authority as another Command hath I would try a moral man by the duties of the first Table and I would try a professor by the duties of the second Table Some pretend faith but have no works others have works but they have no faith Some pretend zeal for God but are not just in their dealings others are just in their dealings but have not one spark of zeal for God If you would go to heaven you must turn both sides of the Table the first and second Table joyn piety and morality together as we blame the Papists for blotting out the second Commandment let not the Papists blame us for leaving out the second Table 13. Joyn the Serpent and the Dove together innocency and prudence Mat. 10. 16. Be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves We must have innocency with our Wisdom else our wisdom is but craftiness and we must have wisdom with our innocency else our innocency is but weakness We must have the harmlesness of the Dove that we may not wrong others and we must have the prudence of the Serpent that others may not abuse and circumvent us Not to wrong the truth by silence here is the innocency of the Dove not to betray our selves by rashness here
with every one of you so to carry your selves in your several places and capacities that whatever you do you may please God It was a blessed testimony that was given of Enoch Before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God Oh how happy will they be at the great day of Judgement who shall be singled out by Christ before Angels and Men and Christ shall say of them This was the Man or this was the Woman that pleased God! There is a great deal of pleasing in the World but there are 〈◊〉 very few that make this their business to please God therefore I would have you shun that which is sinfull and press after that which is matter of Duty 1. There are some that mind nothing but to please themselves to promote their own interest to love their own ease to indulge themselves in their own carnal delights but they never mind the good of others or the pleasing of God the Apostle speaks of and against these Rom. 15. 1 2 3. 2. There are others that look no further than the pleasing of men if they can but keep fair with men and shun the displeasure of men that is all they aim at but my Brethren what a poor thing is it to please man and displease God what a poor thing is it to have Man to be our Friend and God to be our Enemy to have the smiles of a poor dying perishing Worm and to lye under the frowns of the great God Indeed there is a good pleasing of men to please them for their Edification as the Apostle speaks Rom. 15. 2. and so the Apostle speaks of himself 1 Cor. 10. 32. Even as I please all men in all things that is in all things that are of an indifferent nature not simply civil nor simply good in all such things This Apostle was of a yielding and complying spirit that he might thereby the better insinuate himself into the affections of men and be more instrumental to the glory of God in the work of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 22. To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospel sake But now in matter of Duty such things as are expresly determined by God and so are either good or evil in these things the Apostle would be no pleaser of men If I should please men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. It is good to please otherâ—… to their Edification but we must not please others to their own ruine and condemnation It is good to please men when we can so do and not grieve God Instead of pleasing men let it be your constant care best endeavour in all things to please God my Brethren this is a duty of so great importance that was I now to take my leave of you and should certainly know that I should never speak to you more as we are come very near to that for though I speak to you as a living man yet I speak to you as a dying Minister this I say is a duty of that weight and importance that I know not what to press upon you more material then this consult but two places of Scripture Col. 1. For this cause we do not cease to pray for you What was the thing the Apostle in this his constant Prayer did begg of God for them It was this That they might please God and when he was taking his leave in the winding up of his Epistle to the Hebrews Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Iesus the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight I need not go beyond the Text for Motives to stirre you up to these Endeavours For Motive 1. First Consider what that God is which I would have you endeavour to please He is that God which made Heaven and Earth that God before whom all this World is as nothing but as a little dust in the ballance and as a drop of water to the bucket that God whom Angels adore and worship that God who by a word from his mouth is able to bring the whole Universe into nothing Will not you study to please this God But further consider what this God is to you He is the fountain of your being he is the God of all your mercies he is your Creator and Soveraign he is your Maker Law-giver It is he that by a smile can make you happy and by a frown can make you miserable it is he that hath Heaven and Hell at his disposal who openeth and none can shut who shuts and none can open He that must iudg every one of you either to eternal blessedness or else to eternal torments it is he in whose hands your breath your life your soul your All is will you not endeavour to please this God as the Prophet argueth in point of fear Isa. 51. 12. Who art thou that art afraid of a man that shall die or of the Son of man that shall be made as grass and forgettest the Lord thy maker Oh poor Creature Who arâ—… thou that goest about to please a mortal dying man and dost not go about to please the Great God thy Creator and Soveraign 2. Consider that relation wherein you profess your selves to stand to God he is your Master you his Servants he is your Father you his Children he is your Lord you his Subjects You know all that are in close Relations will study to please them that are above them as the Servant his master the child his father the subject his Prince All persons that are in a state of inferiority will study to please their Superiours especially when they do depend upon them Oh! how infinitely is God above those Relations Alas there is but a very little distance betwixt you and your Servants and yet you expect they should please you will you not therefore please God especially considering your dependance upon him 3. You shall not lose by pleasing God that is enough to put us upon this He that pleaseth God profiteth himself in that very act wherein we please God we profit our selves Men can do but little for us and yet upon what they can do we study to please them Let me open this in a few particulars 1. If you will sincerely endeavour in all things to please God God will give you a gracious return to all your prayers Oh what a mercy is this for a man to have his prayers answered by God! 1 Joh. 3. 22. Whatever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandements and do those things that are pleasing in his sight Never expect that God should hear any Prayers if we do not endeavour to do those things that
this upon us in the thirteenth verse of this Chapter These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have Eternal Life Here is your duty according to what the Text it self doth charge upon you if you be such as by grace are brought over to a Gospel-believing the Apostle Iohn that did write this Epistle and I from it preach unto you into the Name of the Lord and by authority from him thaâ—… this is your duty to know that you are Persons that have Eternal Life that you are such as Christ by his blood hath made a purchase of Eternal Life for that he hath by his blood once for all entred into the Holy place that is not made with hands that he might prepare for you and that youmight have the possession of those blessed mansions that he hath made preparation of Eternal Life it is yours and you may be bold to claim it and you are bound to hope and rejoyce in the expectation of the full enjoyment of it and not to be alwayes upon the question and disputing point but to go on with a holy confidence towards God according to what the Apostle expresses 1 Câ—…r 2. We know that when this Earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved we shall have an house not made with hands c. But then a second thing that I have to charge upon you is this That you would acknowledge with all thankfulness and enlargedness of heart to God the riches of his mercy and grace to you that hath been pleased to cull you out of an unbelieving world and bring you over to the Gospel and to the participations that are by Christ according to the Gospel Oh! This you should set your hearts upon by admiring the riches of God's grace and say Lord Why shouldst thou manifest thy self to me and not to the world That many thousands should live and die in the total ignorance of Christ and the Gospel-mysteries or else live and die in an empty profession and yet that God should be pleased to pitch upon me This is that that the Text doth hint unto us in the nineteenth verse of this Chapter Oh! saith he in a triumphing manner We know that we are of God and that the whole world lies in wickedness Oh! our mercies and the riches of grace that hath appeared to us while the whole world that lies in wickedness is put into the Malignant evil One lies in the Devil for he is the malignant evil one while the whole world lies in the Devil in malignity Oh! It is a sad condition infinitely more sad than for a man to lie in the most noisomest stinking ditch or in the loathsomest kennel why this is that that heightens the mercy to poor souls that are called by grace according to the purpose of God that while the whole world lies in wickedness and so are like to lie yea and to lie in hell to all Eternity that God should please to lay you in the bosom of his Son and to take you into the arms of his mercy this is that that should heighten our thankfulness I may make use of that expression which we find in Acts 14. when Paul and Barnabas came unto a company of Heathens and they saw what great things were done by them and took notice of the gracious spirit that they discovered sure say they The Gods are come among us in the likeness of men Considering the state of times and what an height of wickedness many at this day are grown up unto the dreadful swearing blaspheming of God and his ways Truly judge of it your selves Whether we may not say The devils are come among us in the likeness of men Why now oh How should we heighten our love and thankfulness to God that should please in free grace to bring us over to close with Jesus Christ But then fourthly As many as are brought over to Gospel-believing this is your duty To study and endeavour what you can your advantages in Faith and so the Apostle gives it in charge here in the Chapter in verse 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Son of God This is that you should set about If God hath brought you over to a closing with Christ and an embracing of the testimonies concerning him believe more and more labour for your advancement and let it be your Prayer Good Lord increase our Faith Labour that you may be clear in your apprehensions of Gospel-mysteries and that you may be more strong in your adherence to Christ of whom those Gospel-testimonies are given and that you may not only come to have an adhering-faith but to an assuring-faith that you may not be like waves tossed and tumbled up and down but that you may come to be rooted and established and grounded in your faith that you may not come to be unsetled by Heresie corrupt Doctrines or the Apostacy of others but that you may be stedfast and unmoveable Yet further fifthly This is to be given in charge to such as do believe according to the Gospel that they carry it sutably to a believing state as in those particulars that I have insisted upon so in a deportment congruous and sutable to the priviledges which belong to believing You are born of God carry it as men and women that are so indeed What! Born of God the Sons and Daughters of God What! and not live according to God and not study conformity to God I remember what he speaks there concerning Amnon How is it that thou being the Kings Son art lean from day to day How is it that we that profess to be the Sons and Daughters of God are lean and lank not more improved that we do not shew forth God and express Christ This lies in the beginning of the Chapter If you be born of God remember that you be born of him that is the God of Love And therefore you are to manifest this birth and your believing and your being born of God by loving God and by loving them that are born of God He that believeth is born of God and he that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him The God of Love doth beget a People of Love a loving God a loving People And this is that that you should express your Believing by and your Adoption by by the Love you bear to God and the children of God A hatefull spitefull spirit where it doth discover it self speaks those persons not to be born of God but of the Devill carry it as Believers as persons of God by studying a conformity to God and by keeping his Commandments subjecting your selves to his Authority not living according to your own Lusts but according to the Lawes and Rules which God hath given you saith the Apostle
indulgence therefore break the force of sin by a serious resistance check it and let thy soul rise up in indignation against it my businesse is not to pleasure the flesh but to please the Lord. 4. Bewail the involuntary lapses and falls with penitential teares as Peter went out and wept bitterly Mat. 26. 57. Godly sorrow is of great use for laying aside of sin as salt potions kill wormes when children are troubled with worms we give them salt potions so these bitter penitential tears are the means God hath appointed to mortifie sin that is the reason the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of 'T is not only a part of repentance but worketh persevering durable resolutions a walking closely with God 't is a means God hath blessed to this end and purpose 5. Recover from thy falls renew thy combate as Israel when they were overcome in battel they would try it again and again Iudges 20. 28. Take heed of ceasing for the present for though thy enemy seems to prevail though the flesh seems to prevail against the Spirit in the battel yet thou shalt have the best of it in the war by the power of grace thou shalt have the victory Thus I have gone over the privative part of our duty Let us lay aside every weight and the sin that doth so easily beset us I should have come to the positive Let us run with patience the race that is set before us there is the duty Let us run the Race that is set before us and there is the manner of the duty Let us run with patience I should have shown you That a Christian-life is like a Race from Earth to Heaven in a way of holiness and exercise of Grace This Race it continues as long as we continue in the world from our nativity to our death after death the strife is ended Now in this Race we must run and so run that we may obtain the Crown 1 Cor. 9. 24. Running is a motion and a speedy motion there is no lying sitting or standing but still there must be running We must make a further progress in the way to Heaven Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Phil. 3. 1. 3. The Runner was not to enquire how much of the way already was past but to strain himself to overcome what was yet behind And so should we consider what sins are yet to be mortified what duties yet untouched almost untouched what hard conflicts are yet to be undergone and still to hold on our way without twining aside or halting because of difficulties discouragements stumbling-blocks And there are fellows and co-partners with us that run this Race with whom we may strive in a holy emulation who should go forwardest who should be most forward in the course of pleasing God Oh Christians there are many contentions amongst us but when shall we have this holy contention Heb. 10. 24. In a Race there is the Agonotheta the Judge of the sports so here God observes all no matter what the standers by say the Judge of the sports must decide who must have the Crown 1 Cor. 14. 3 4. And then at the end of the Race there is the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness c. In a race there are spectators so there are here God Angels and Men 1 Cor. 4. 9. We are a spectacle to the world to Angels and to men c. Thus for the similitude of our Race in our way to Heaven Now wherein it differs This is a Race not undertaken out of wantonness but out of necessity God hath called us to this course and if we run not in this Race we are undone for ever And in other Races but one had the Crown here all are crowned 2 Tim. 4. 8. though they be not so eminent as the Apostle here all are crowned that run in the manner God hath required Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall give me at that day and not to me only but to them that love his appearing 2. For the manner with patience Let us run with patience Patience is necessary 1. Partly because of the length of the Race and the distance between us and the promised Reward Our Race cannot be ended but after some degrees of time long waiting is troublesome to the flesh and therefore we have need of patience 2. Because we meet with many impediments troubles and temptations by the way there are spiritual adversaries with whom we must fight for we go on we not only run but fight therefore run with patience c. 3. Because the spectators will be ready to discourage us We are set forth not only as a spectacle to God and Angels but to the world and they will be ready to deride scorn and oppose us for oâ—…r zeal to God and our forwardness in the wayes of God to discourage us by bitter mockings c. therefore let us run with patience the Race that is set before us Mr Lye's Prayer Iuly 20. 1662. at Allhallows Lombard-street O Lord our great God thou canst do all things for thou dost dispose and govern all the wayes and works and words of thy Creatures to thine own praise We thy poor Creatures the workmanship of thy hands the price and purchase of thy Sons blood do desire this morning to fall down and humble our selves at the throne of thy grace we desire to lift up an eye of faith to thee that thou mayst dart an eye of love to us since thou hast commanded us to come unto thee O bless us now we come Let it not be in vain for any of us from the highest to the lowest from the richest to the poorest that we have sought tâ—…y face this morning Blessed Father pour down a spirit of Prayer a spirit of Preaching a spirit of rejoycing a spirit of practising in the midst of us let us not only be enabled to know what to do but to do what we know Thou that didst cure the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle oh heal that natural dimness that is in the best of us thy rod in the hand of Moses brought water out of the rock oh do thou strike upon these rocky hearts that our adamantine hearts being softened may gush out into rivers of tears O drown our sins in the red Sea of our Saviours blood help us to sinite upon our thigh and to ask our selves what we have been and what we have done and humble us under the omission of any commanded duty and the commission of any forbidden sin sins of thoughts words and deed sins against the law against the Gospel of youth manhood and old age sins before under and since
ought to be for a Lamentation That there must be a parting between David and 〈◊〉 who loved one another as their own Souls this cuts them unto their very heart And this I may say with respect to my self I blesse God I cannot say as she of her Husband A bloody Husband hast thou been unto me but a loving Congregation have you been unto me I know none of you have desired my destruction nor to taint my name never did I hear three in this Congregation speak of pressing any thing against me that was contrary to my conscience nor can I say that there are four in this Parish that did ever deny to pay me my legal dues blessed be God for such a people you have not encroached upon my conscience as I hope I have not upon yours Pastors must love their people do not blame them if their hearts be almost broken when they are to part with such a people 2. Must the Pastor love his people then the people must love their Pastor 'T is true it lies in the power of man to seperate the Pastor and people but not to separate their hearts I hope there will never be a separation of love but that will still continue if we do not see one another yet we may love one another and pray for one another I hope a husband doth not cease from loving his wife because she is absent from him But oh for my Brethren hundreds of them think that you are undone though you cannot see as far as other men you may live in love and keep your consciences quiet 3. Must Pastors love their People then you see from hence what should be the grand object of the Pastors affection i. e. the people not what the people have this is great inquiry what is the benefice worth What 's the preferment Do they pay well c. Whereas we should not seek so much the Fleece as the Flock we should not take oversight of a Congregation for love of their pay but of their souls nor 't is an excellent good living as one said I have heard of Let me have their Tythes and let their souls go to the Devil but as the Apostle I seek not yours but you 2 Cor. 12. 14. And I hope there be many hundreds can say it hath been the peoples souls they have more loved and affected than any thing what the people had 4. Once more We must love them and love them tenderly Why and yet leave them Yes my beloved We are so to love our people as to venture any thing for them but our own damnation I come not here to throw firebrands I bless God I have a most tender affection for all my Brethren in the Ministry and though I am not satisfied my self yet I condemn no man I believe there be many of them do as conscienciously subscribe as deny to subscribe I protest in the fear of God I cannot subscribe perhaps it is because I have not that light as others have for he that doubts saith the Apostle is damned My beloved I hope you would not have us sin against God and our Consciences It is not my living that I desire but my office to serve my Lord and Master but if we should to keep communion with you lose our communion with God this is the ready way to have all our labour and pains lost but as David said and oh that I could speak it with as good hopes as David Zadok carry back the Ark of God if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord he will bring me again and shew me both it and his habitation but if he thus say I have no delight in thee behold here am I let him do to me as seemeth good unto him 2 Sam. 15. 24. Brethren I could do very much for the love I bear to you but I dare not sin I know they will tell you this is pride and peevishness in us and that we have preacht against it and are tender of our reputation and we would fain all be Bishops and forty things more but the Lord be witness between them and us in this Beloved I prefer my wife and children before a blast of air of peoples talk I am very sensible what it is to be reduced to a morsel of bread Let the God of heaven and earth do what he will with me if I could have subscribed with a good conscience I would I would do any thing to keep my self in the work of God but to sin against my God I dare not do it 3. My joy and Crown therefore my dearly beloved and longed for my joy and Crown my present joy and future Crown my joy which I value more then a Crown my principal joy Hence observe this Doctrine that The fixed standing flourishing growth of Saints in Gospel-practice and Gospel-obedience is or ought to be matter of transcendent joy to their Pastors It was so to the Apostle Paul Paul heard how they stood though there was a plague amongst them yet they were not infected and though he was in the Gaol ready to be beheaded yet this was his joy and Crown that his people did stand and I hope my Brethren it will be our joy and Crown to heâ—…r of your standing and growth in Gospel knowledge and Gospel-profession And 1. If this be so as Iohn said I rejoyced greatly that I found of thy Children walking in the truth It should be the prayers and endeavours of all Pastors really to love the souls of their people and to pray for them that when they cannot look after the souls of their Children yet that good Nurses may be looked out for them What a joy was it that Moses Mother was made his Nurse and who can tell it may be thought not out of any merit of ours yet of their own clemency our Governours may give us to be Nurses over our own Children but if I cannot nurse my Childe my self I will wish it well and as good a Nurse as I can far be it that those that are to succeed should not prosper Lord it shall be the prayere of thy Servant that those that are to succeed may have a double and treble portion of thy Spirit that he may be both painful and faithfull c. 2. If the peoples growth in grace and knowledge be matter of joy to a faithful Pastour then what do you think of those that hinder their thriving I shall give you two Scriptures Iohn 12. 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves they durst not speak publickly but who was it against why it was against Christ perceive ye how ye prevail nothing behold the world is gone after him But we will order him for that we will be sure to lesson his Congregation if we cannot do that we will shut the doors against him see Matth. 23. 13. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for ye shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men What! shut up the Kingdome
who have made the practising every opinion to be their trying of it till they have run themselves into all opinions but 't is by the Scripture you are first to try and then to practise who are like the Noble Bereans that were more noble then those of Thessalonica because they searched the Scripture To bring the Truths that have or shall be taught you or the Doctrines that shall be imposed upon you to the word of God to see whether they be according to the Truth or no for false Doctrines and false Worship of all things they hate the Scripture most they are like falâ—…e coyn or false Jewels which go best in the night false coyn will not endure the Touchstone nor false Jewels the day no more will false Doctrines the Scripture therefore it will be a great way to discover them 2. It will be a great way to vanquish them Eph. 6. Above all take the sword of the Spirit the word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which we slay Heretical Doctrines and by which we are to slay sinful practises All those stones that the Davids of God have flung at the Geliah's of Error they have been taken out of the brook of the Scriptures therefore reduce all Doctrines offered you to believe all worships that are taught you to practise to the word of God 1. All Doctrines that are taught you to believe reduce them thither there 's no profession of faith to be built but the stones must be fetched from that mountain If you believe divine truths but not because the Scripture propounds them your faith is but humane If you believe any thing the Scripture doth not speak your faith is Diabolical the word of God and your faith must run parallel All that is written you must believe and you must believe nothing but what is written This was the Rule of the Old Testament Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony to the Law that is to Moses and to the Testimony that is to the Prophets if they speak not according to these there 's no light in them When any thing was offered to Christ by way of enquiry his common answer was How readest thou Luke 10. 26. How is it written When the holy Apostle Paul would redresse the abuse of the Lords Supper he does not carry the Corinthians to these and these Fathers to this and that use and custome but brings that how it was delivered from the Lord he reduces them to the institution What I have received from the Lord that I have delivered to you The word of God is perfect in respect of Doctrine and in respect of worship So that whatsoever is offered you to believe you must try it by the perfect rule for 't is given by Divine institution to make the man of God perfect and wise to Salvation it is such a Canon about Doctrines to be received as nothing must be added nor taken from it Rev. 22. Therefore it 's called a Testament Now no man dares add to another man's last Will and Testament who shall dare to add a faith to the Faith of Gods Elect to that which Christ hath delivered I will give you this as a certain observation that there never was any thing of false Doctrine brought into the Church or any thing of false worship imposed upon the Church but either it was by neglecting the Scripture or by introducing something above the Scripture 2. Bring hither all practice of worship as well as Doctrines to be believed try the wayes and forms of Christs house by the word of Christ he shews us the patterns thereof the outgoings and returnings thereof he was faithful in all his House even as Moses was who did not leave a pin of the Tabernacle but did appoint it There is nothing decent and comely in the Church which is so much pleaded for but what comes in by Christs institution Whatever you worship without a warrant from the word of God or by whatever means you worship without a warrant from the word of God you worship you know not what Ioh. 4. 2 't is Will-worship and by the same Rule you receive one Will-worship you may receive twenty 't is vain worship it will never reach the end of your Communion with God for he is a Spirit and seeks such worshippers it will never bring you to the enjoyment of God therefore in point of worship bring it to the word of God and as to faith and worship say Hitherto my faith and my worship shalt thou go and no further This rule rightly improved it will dis-intangle you from the hooks and take you off from the baits of those cunning Fowlers for to such the Apostle doth compare them in the New Testament who seek to betray souls from the simplicity of Gospel-faith Never any did invent false doctrine but to put up them they put down the Scripture and they put out the eyes of Christians to make them bend to it before they use other means to compel them their great work is to darken the light of the truth and in the room of the Scripture to be your rule they set up other Rules which because there are three marvellous Popular I desire to mention them in opposition to this Rule I have given you There 's a three-fold Rule men would set up to deceive poor souls The name of a Church Ancient Customes The Generality of those where they live 1. The specious Name of a Church to make that a rule to Doctrine and to worship It was the plea of the Popish party in the Marion daies What will you not believe the Church hath not the Church power to make Institutions and Canons about this and that and the other will you not believe the Church will you go out from the true Church Thus do men that go about to deceive nothing like it as to the catching and deluding many poor souls by making the Church their rule It was the way of of the Popish party of old and if Antichrist ever hath power again over the Church of Christ in that measure and degree it has had you must expect it again therefore let me caution you against it Can we enquire who this Church was It was only the decree of the proud Church Antichrist of old and the Antichristian Clergy who as you may read in their Stories would Lord it over the Faith of Gods heritage I must tell you the name and custome and way of the Churches of Christ is a reverend holy thing even of that that is a true Church 'T is a weighty Argument when the Apostle saith We have no such Custome nor the Churches of Christ And therefore I do fully close with him that said No sober man will go against Reason No Christian against the Scripture and no peaceable minded man against the Church But then the Church must shine by a Divine Scripture Light If that be a rule it must be ruled by
darts in some dazling light within so that you never knew a Heretick take up a false opinion but it was with a marvellous deal of sweetness and comfort so when the Lord Christ teacheth by his Spirit he comes with that light that sweetness savour and relish of truth as will be impossible for you to let it go Hence when Christ would confute the Pharises that had the witness of his â—…ather in his works he saith Ioh. 5. 37. Ye have neither â—…ard his voyce at any time nor seen his shape It 's an excellent thing to see the shape and hear the voyce of God 2. Be well rooted upon Christ or else you will never be established in any truth of Christ If you misse the Lord Jesus by the grace of Faith you will never hold fast the doctrine of Faith you are built upon the doctrine of the Apostles not their persons upon which the Lord Jesus is the corner-stone he that does not know Jesus Christ himself will certainly lose his faith What is the reason the stony ground in time of persecution fell away why they had not root they were not planted upon the Lord Jesus Rule 3. Thirdly those truths that God hath taught you and those wayes of worship God hath committed to you love them as your lives love them above your lives for no man will ever contend to hold them if he do not love them things of low price and esteem are presently let go he that loves the Word above his life will let life go rather then the Word if you receive not the Word out of love every Impostor and false Prophet every fear and terror of men will rob you of it Hide the word in thy heart saith Solomon love the truth dearly It was a great speech of Calvin Never did any one apostatize from the truths of Iesus Christ but it was because he did not love the truth And I add this That never did any apostatize from the wayes and truth of Jesus Christ but it was because they did not receive them in love or else they have lost their love for there is a decay of affection as well as having no affection if you love them what will you not suffer for them but more of that by and by Rule 4. Fourthly Guard all the truths of God and those wayes of God that have been taught you guard them strongly especially truths that are most material and fundamental for leading truths are like Captains of Armies if they be routed the whole rout follows them There is great opposition that will be made against your faith The whole power of darkness of Antichrist of his seducing spirits likely and probably enough will over-spread the whole face of Christianity once more that she must sit as a Lady before she be desolate and forsaken for ever The Apostle bids you beware of Dogs beware of the Concision beware of evil-workers guard your selves against them guard the truths you have learned by Argument by Scripture by Reason that you may have wherewithall to confute them by the word of truth mightily out of the Scripture as the Apostles did Three things you are to guard against 1. Your own deceitfulness especially in a rash and sudden forsaking of those waies that have been taught and the profession you have taken up for Christians would never be so mad to Apostatize were they but seriously deliberate about the weight of them Gal. 1. 6. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth c. I marvel what ailed you that you are so soon turned away to another Gospel One would have thought they might have spoken with Paul first and sent to him and reasoned the case with him There 's a marvellous bewitching in false Doctrines and false Worship to take men presently who are not watchful over themselves It is in disputations and practising truth as it is in contentions if you make a Judgement before you hear both parties speak you judge unrighteously if you forsake the waies and truths of Jesus Christ before you hear what can be said for them you do unrighteously 2. Guard them against the lusts of your own hearts The great work of a Christian is contention it is not so much against Antichrist those that are without him as that that is within him If all Heretical Doctrines and waies were rooted out of the world not only the being but the memory the heart is bad enough in one day to set them all on foot again therefore guard the truth Men of corrupt minds will presently grow Reprobate as to the faith 1 Tim. 3. 6. Such Doctrines and Worships as shall sute with our lusts as shall sute with exalting it self and laying Christ low as shall sute with an easie way to Heaven when the Scripture saith straight is the Gate as shall sute with self-preservation So I might secure my Estate my Liberty I would suspect such Doctrines as these before I take them up for the waies of Christ. 3. Guard the truth against false teachers such as shall come among you in sheeps-cloathing yet are Wolves in heart men that creep in at unawares among you to subverâ—… souls I will not here describe them you know them well enough by their fruits only this let me tell you in opposition to those though you cannot come at the publick Ministry or those God hath set over you yet make conscience for to take fences to take defences from them as you may by their counsel prayer help and assistance for to guard you against false teachers When the Church of Christ is in the Wilderness you will finde this is that the holy Ghost advises them to Gant 1. 8. You are to guard your selves by communion one with another as to go forth by the footsteps of the flock so also you are to go and feed your Kids besides the shepherds tents for though 't is not the work that God calls for to pin your faith upon their sleeves yet 't is your duty to enquire of the Lord by them for he is the messenger of the Lord to you Rule 5. Arm your selves with Resolutions to suffer for the faith of the Gospel and for the wayes of Jesus Christ as you should love the truth above your lives so labour to be made willing for to part with life estate liberty any thing for to keep the ways of Jesus Christ. It is not the honour of the Gospel of Christ to hear Christians to break out into murmurings passions discontent contentions that are carnal and sinful your work is humbly meekly and patiently to lie under the hand of God and under the hand of man too that becomes Christians suffering is that that will restore the glory of Religion that will keep the truth delivered to you that will honour the cause of Christ best of all follow the example of blessed Paul his expression is worthy of consideration 2 Tim. 2. 9. he gives a charge of
been acquainted with him many years He was not onely a Minister but the Son of a Minister his birth and education suiting together He lookt upon it not onely as an honour but as an engagement to be carefull to walk in those steps set before him and to continue the work of the Ministry begun by his Religious Father Certainly the Children of godly and holy Parents cannot come off so cheap in their carriages as others they have greater accounts to make as having greater examples set before them greater advantages of prayer exhortation c. and so greater engagements this was thought on and observed by him And as he was the Son of a Minister so when he came to years and was fitted he took upon him the Ministry as he was one of great abilities so accordingly he discharged them faithfully and conscienciously He was a spirituall powerfull consciencious Preacher he preached by his Life for as Erasmus saith we should not onely love to speak truths but we should digest truths on our own hearts before we commend them to others and so they will be the more effectual He was a man of a very meek sweet and humble spirit a man of great humility and of great meekness in the midst of great abilities which was a great Ornament in him a man full of tenderness and condescension to others a man of a very yeilding and melting fram of spirit soon dissolved into tears It was the saying of one that a good man is full of Tears so this good man was full of Tears not affected but very real and hearty drawn from the fullnesse of his Spirit as the Apostle Paul saith he served the Lord in much humility and many tears This was remarkable that in these times our Reverend Brother was full of tears in delivering his Doctrine which was sutable to the age we live in being full of sin and calamity there is much need of a bewailing spirit to bewaile the iniquities and miseries of the times they that cannot bewaile themselves need the tears of others He was a man of great integrity and single-heartednesse in his exhortations he had much of the simplicity of Christ as the Apostle Paul speaks In reference to the Ministry he had no worldly and base affections he had no carnall designes therein but his chief design was to bring souls home to Christ that was his chief businesse As the Apostle saith of himself may also be said of him that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in the world not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by the manifestation of the truth commending himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. He was a man that had ability to speak a word in season he was very compassionate to a wounded spirit he himselfe having been much afflicted He was a man much in communion with God and had much acquaintance with God and was carefull in improvement therein he was a Iacob in wrestling with God a Moses that stood in the Gap an Elijah that prayed earnestly the whole Land was the better for such a Person being much with God he made many addresses to him and had much holy familiarity with him And as in his publick performances he was very faithful and beneficial so in his family and private he was very fruitful and serious In a word not to multiply much in this kind you need it lesse in this Auditory but onely by way of grateful memorial there was much of God and Christ in him and he was a great example to his fellow-servants there was much of his Treasure spoken of in the Text in this earthen Vessel as in the matter of it he was one of a Gospel spirit and in the conveyances of it he had great abilities for the work of the Ministry and discharged it with a great deale of successe As he had this Treasure in an Earthen Vessel so his Vessel his fraile body was no disparagement to him but the advancement of the Treasure in setting forth the power to be of God his outward man was much weak and worn away but his inward man was upheld by the grace of God His first work in the Ministry was in that place where my self have relation to he was an assistant to my predecessor being then past labour Mr. Richard Couder and performed the work so well that he was exceedingly beloved of Mr. Couder and well beloved of the Parish and other places He left a good impression behind and I found good effects by the foundation there laid The Apostle Paul indeed desired not to work there where another had laid the foundation but I thought it a great advantage that the foundation was laid by such a Master-builder He was called into the Country to Rugby in Warwick-shire there he continued very fruitfull and did much good For some occasion he removed and returned into the City and came into this place where he continued about 18. or 19. years discharged the work of the Lord carefully I need not say much of his carriage in this place I appeal to your own Consciences I may say of this servant of Christ as the Apostle Paul said of himself 1 Thes. 2. 10 11. Ye are his witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameable he behaved himself among you as you know how he exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdome and glory Therefore there lies an engagement upon you to walk answerable to the truths he delivered and to follow his steps considering the end of his conversation I shut up all in the words of the Apostle Paul to the Phillippians Ch. 4. 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in him Do and the God of peace shall be with you Mr. Nalton's Prayer Iuly 20. 1662. at Foster-lane ETernal most Mighty and most glorious Lord God Thou aâ—…t God alone and besides thee there is no Saviour or Helper our strength stands in thy Name who hast made both Heaven and Earth of our selves we are able to do nothing that is pleasing in thy sight we can pollute thy name but we cannot honor thy name we can run away from thee but we cannot run unto thee unlesse thou dost powerfully draw us by thy Spirit we can grieve thy spirit but we cannot grieve for grieving of thy spirit Oh let thy strength be manifested in our weaknesse look upon us with the favour thou bearest to thy Children Enter not into judgement with thy servants for we cannot answer thee one of a thousand not one thought of a thousand thoughts not one word of a thousand words Most of our actions have been reproveable and the best of our services have been improfitable our omissions commissions and presumptions have been multiplyed intolerably Oh how often