him smite me I will not be ofâ—ended with him I will not smite aâ—ain when he fmites me it shall be â—s a precious Oyntment The meanâ—ng is Let him smite me with Reâ—roofs let him reprove me deal â—ithfully and plainly with me And Sirs I fear that my self and many of my Brethren in the Ministry may have much to answer for another day for that we do not deal more faithfully more plainly and downrightly with Souls Ministers are under a Temptation to please their Hearers as well as others and are loth to offend them but God forbid that Christs Ministers should be Servants of Men or Men-pleasers or Women-pleasers Let them look to it that they please their Lord and Master Christ. Direction IX Set upon nothing on which you cannot on which you dare not pray for a blessing Never undertake any thing never be imployed about any thing upon which thou dost not dare to pray for a blessing 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. Every thing is sanctified by the Word and Prayer I must have a Word to be my Rule for it and I must make a Prayer for a Blessing on it else I can not except that it should be sanctified and blessed to me Now Sirs how many things are there that we do that we dare not pray to God for a Blessing on It may be you spend two or three hours at the Looking Glass can you pray for a Blessing upon the time so spent can you pray for a Blessing upon your dressing and attiring your selves and habiting your selves in the way and manner that you do can you pray O Lord let this way of habiting and dressing my self be for thy Glory and for my Good and for the example of others Dare any of you go and make a prayer to God foe this Adventure not upon any thing upon which you dare not pray for a Blessing Direction X. If you would not have Conscience to reproach you Set about all in the name and strength of Christ. For that is the rule which the Apostle giveth Col. 3. 17. And whatsoever ye do iâ— word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do all according to the will and the command of Christ do all by the strength and help of Christ and do all to the Glory of Christ. 1. Do all according to the will and command of Christ. In Mat. 18. 20. The name of Christ signifies his command 2. Do all by the strength and help of Christ. In this sense also is the name of Christ used Luke 10. 17. and Psa. 44. 5. Luke 17. 3. Do all to the Glory of Christ which is sometimes to be understood by his name as Psal. 31. 3. Oh that People would ask themselves Is this according to the will and command of Christ that I am now a doing can I expect the strength and help of Christ in that I am now a doing is this for the Glory of Christ which I am now â— doing When thou art about 〈◊〉 Duty say to Christ all our sufficienâ—â—cy is of thee we have none of our own 2 Cor. 3. 5. Joh. 15. 5. Say as Paul I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. And thus I have given you ten Directions how you may so live that Conscience may not reproach you Case II. I come now to speak a little to the second case What if we have neglected these rules and directions which have been laid before us If you have neglected to walk according to rule and have given Conscience just cause to reproach you and if Conscience does reproach you and if you ask me How may we get the reproaches of Conscience wiped off and get Conscience quiet again I answer in two words Repent and Believe 1. Repent of that before the Lord which Conscience reproacheth you for mourn for it be ashamed of it judge and condemne your selves for what is past resolve against it for the time to come this is a good course If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Cor. 11. 31. For if we would judge our selves we should not be judged and if we acknowledg our transgressions and accept of the punishment of our iniquity Read Lev. 26. 40 41 42. There is not a better way to wipe off â—he reproaches of Conscience then by the tears of repentance Follow the example of that Woman that came behind our Lord and Saviour and washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with the haires of her head A service perhaps that you would be loath to put your hair to but Sirs if you would have Conscience to be quiet then seriously set upon the work of Repentance 2. Believe By Faith set Christs Blood on work to wipe off the aspersions and reproaches of Conscience to purifie and pacifie Conscience get Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of Christ Heb. 9. 14. You read of one Mat. 15. 28. that set the Pity and Power of Christ on work to make her Daughter whole Jesus answered and said unto her O Woman great is thy Faith Be it to thee even as thou wilt Christ seemed not to regard her a while but she followed him and set his Pity and Power on work Faith will set the Blood of Christ on work to wipe of the reproaches of Conscience The Centurions Faith set Christ on work to heal his Servant Lord saith he my Servant lyeth at home sick of the Palsie grievously tormented And Jesus saith unto him I will come and heal him The Centurion answered and said Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my Roof but speak the word onely and my Servant shall be healed And Jesus said unto the Centurion Go thy way and as thou hast believed so be it done unto thee And his Servant was healed in the self same hour Mat. 8. 13. The Lepers Faith did set Christ on work Mat. 8. 2 3. And there came a Leper and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean And Jesus put forth his hand and touched him saying I will be thou clean and immediately his Leprosie was cleansed The Father of the Child that had a deaf and a dumb Spirit his Faith set Christ on work Mark 9. 23 24 25. Jesus saith unto him If thou canst believe all things are possible to him that believeth And straight way the Father of the Child cryed out with teares Lord I believe help thou my unbelief The Faith of the Woman diseased with an Issue of Blood set Christ on work Mat. 9. 21. For she said within her self If I may but touch the Hem of his Garment I shall be whole And it followes the Woman was made whole from that hour The Faith of the poor Leper set Christ or work Luke 17. 19. And Jesus said unto him Thy faith hath made thee whole And likewise the Womans Faith Luke 7. 48. set Christ on
lips but do neither mourn for it nor hate it nor turn from it with their Hearts Some pray for that they would not have Some hear the Word but will not do it Some love in word and tongue but not in deed and in truth Some fashion themselves according to this world yet would not be thought to be of the world Some Dedicate and Devote their Children to God to the service of that one God who is Father Son and Holy Ghost and when they have so done they alienate them from his service to the service of the World Flesh and Devil breeding them np in Idleness Pride and Wantonness Never or never to any purpose minding them of their Baptisâ—al Covenant and Engagements to be â—holy and only the Lords Some neglect relative Duty as thou Conscience knowest very well Are not some Husbands bitter to â—heir Wives and some Wives disobedient to their Husbands Do not some Parents provoke their Children to wrath and do not some Children dishonour their Parents Do not some Masters deny that which is just and equal to their Servants and are not some Servants unfaithful to their Masters Dost thou not know all this to be true Conscience Doubtless thou doest and doubtless thou doest often nip and twinge them for it But good Conscience make them feel make them smart let them not go on in peace disturb them hannt them continually tell them their own and take a fit time and season for it My Reader does frequently or someâ—imes at least hear Sermons Sermons of the necessity of the New-birth Faith Repentance Holiness Take this opportunity Conscience of telling him the truth Say to him Hearest thou what the Preacher sayes hath he not clearly proved the necessity of New birth Faith Repentance Holiness unto Life Eternal What wilt thou do Man Woman Thou art not New-born thou hast not believed nor repented thou art not Holy Sure thou canst not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Joh. 3. 3. Sure thou must be Damned Mat. 16. 16. Sure thou must perish Luke 13. 3. Thou canst not see the Lord to thy comfort in that unholy Estate thou art now in Heb. 12. 14. My Reader prayes constantly or sometimes at least and sayes Lord give me a better Heart a new Heart a clean Heart a soft Heart a single Heart Lord write thy Law in my Heart plant thy Fear in my Heart put thy Spirit into me cause me to walk in thy Statutes Now Conscience tell hâ—â— the truth say to him Thou drawest â—igh to God with thy lips but thy Heart is far from him Thy Lip doth ask these things of God but thy Heart does not desire them thou art well enough satisfied and contented though thou be denied My Reader is sometimes busy in his Calling Conscience go to him and say O how busy thou art for back and belly what provision makest thou for thy soul My Reader is sometimes at a Feast or at his own Table go to him Conscience and say O how sweet this meat is to thy taste when shall the Word of God and the meat indeed and the drink indeed be as sweet My Reader is sometimes in a Tavern Ale-house or Coffee-house Conscience when he has done his necessary business there go to him and say Is not thy Family or Closet a fitterâ—place for thee to be in Sometimes he is walking in the fields Conscience go to him and ask him what â—e is meditating on and put him in mind of Isaac's practice Gen. 24. 6. My Reader is sometimes sick go â—t him Conscience and say This is thâ— just hand of God upon thee and biâ— him take his Bible and read Jer. 4. 18 Sometimes my Reader takes Physick go to him Conscience and say to him When wilt thou be at so much cost for thy soul when wilt thou spare so much time from thy business for thy soul when wilt thou keep thy Chamber a day or two for thy souls health Possibly my Reader has lately been recovered out of a dangerous fit of sickness go to him Conscience and put him in mind of â—is sickâ—bed prayers and purposes and say to him Sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee Conscience have but a very little patience more and I have done Some of my Readers thou knowest have lain under the meanes of Grace a long time Vnconverted would I could perswade thee 〈◊〉 force them to read Heb. 6. 7 8. Jer. â— 29. Ezek. 24. 13 14. Mat. 23. 37 38. Luke 19. 41 42. 2 Cor. 13. 5. and not let them be quiet until they have mused a while on each Conscience I am in care and fear about my Readers lest that dreadful Message be sent to them that once was sent to Israel of old Isa. 6. 9 10. with Rom. 11. 18. I beseech thee Conscience suffer them not to eat drink or sleep in quiet until they have fixed their thoughts a while on this Message after the reading of it Conscience I am out of hopes of my Readers welfare unless thou be the more vigilant aâ—â—gent and faithful in doing thy office Wherefore I beseech you nay I charge you as once Paul charged Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 1. before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdom preach the Word to my Reader be instant in season out of season Reprove Rebuke Exhort him and continue thy speech to him as once Paul did to his Hearers Acts 20. 7. until midnight rather then fail of prevailing with him There are a few other Scriptures which I desire my Reader might peruse viz. 1 Sam. 2. 25. 2 Chro. 25. 16. Pro. 29. 1. But Conscience if thou wilt not by earnest and continual urging compel him he will not bestow the time nor take the paines to do it In hope thou wilt be faithful to my Reader I shall add no more save only the promise of my prayers that thou mayst be so SERMON I. JOB 26. 7. My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go my Heart shall not reproach me so long as I live MY Righteousness I hold fast His Friends would have robb'd him of it would have persuaded him out of it would have argued and disputed him out of it but you shall not do it saith Job I stand up in the defence of it I hold it fast I will not let it goâ— Say what you will do what you can I will maintain my Integrity I am not an Hypocrite as you would have me think I am I am not an unrighteous man as you would speak me to be and as you would have me take my self to be no my Righteousness I will hold fast I will not let it go pull while you will I will hold it fast Take we up the like Resolution there are some that pretend to be friends pretend friendship and kindness but act the part of Job's friends here Oh how many are there that would spoil us of our
him as Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8. 23. I perceive thou art in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity a child of wrath and the wrath of God will come upon thee if thou continue so Eph. 5. 6. If my Reader do live after the flesh and sure thou canst tell whether he does so or no. Good Conscience tell him that he does so and that if he shall continue so to do he shall die and shew him Rom. 8. 13. and bid him read it If my Reader do the work of the Lord negligently deceitfully if he offer to God a corrupt thing when he has a male to offer tell him of the curse which hangs over his head and make him read Jer. 48. 10. Mat. 1. 14. If he have no prayer in his Family cause him to read Jer. 10. 25. If he remember not the Sabbath day to keep it holy give him no rest till thou hast gotten him to read and ponder upon what is written Jer. 17. 27. If he be an idle slothful unprofitable servant in the Lords work shew him Matth. 25. 30. If he be an unfruitful tree in the Lords vineyard prevail with him for thou canst do it to read again and again the words of Christ Luke 13. 7 8 0. shew him also Matth. 7. 17. and Heb. 6. 7 8. Say to him Why dost thou not take the Bible and read it Conscience if my Reader believe not in Jesus Christ if he do not obedientially rest upon him alone for salvation tell him that if he do not believe the sooner he must be damned Mark 16. 16. If he have not repented if he have not confessed his sin and mourned for it and turned from it unto God tell him he must do it or perish and shew him Luke 13. 3 5. If he be unrighteous good Conscience tell him that if he continue such he shall never inherit the Kingdom of God Compell him to read 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. If he be unholy tell him that he shall never see the Lord and let him not be quiet till he has taken the Bible and read it in Heb. 12. 14. If he be unregenerate tell him he cannot if he continue so see the Kingdom of God Put the Bible into his hand and bid him read John 3. 3â—5 Conscience if my Reader be a neglecter of that great Salvation profered in the Gospel and continue so tell him that he cannot escape damnation and shew him Heb. 2. 3. If he turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven to him tell him that he cannot escape the wrath of God and shew him Heb. 12. 25. and Acts 3. 23. and ask him whether he be not afraid of destruction And if he shall still refuse to hearken and still pull away the shoulder and stop his ears and make his Heart like an Adamant stone tell him that great wrath will come upon him Zech. 7. 11 12. Conscience if my Reader be one of that black catalogue 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. or a doer of the works of the flesh Gal. 5. 19 20 21. tell him that he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And if he ask thee what warrant thou hast to say so refer him to the forecited Scriptures Conscience if my Reader should be fearful unbelieving abominable if he should be a Murderer a Whoremonger a Sorcerer an Idolater a Liar tell him that if he continue such he must have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone and make him read Rev. 21. 8. Conscience if my Reader be a proud person tell him from God that God is able to abase him Dan. 4. 37. and will be above him Exod. 18. 11. and bring him down Psal. 18. 27. and low Prov. 29. 23. even to destruction Prov. 16. 18. and 15. 25. Get him also to read Isa. 2. 11. to 18. and Isa. 3. 16. to the end If my Reader be a covetous person good Conscience let him know from the Word of God 1. That he is a troubler of his own house Prov. 15. 27. 2. That he is in Gods account an Idolater Col. 3. 5. Eph. 5. 5. 3. That he is hated and abhorred of God Psal. 10. 3. 4. That he is sorely threatned Isa. 5. 8. Isa. 10. 1 2. Job 20. 15 19 20. and 27. 16 17 18. 1 Cor. 6. 10. And get him to read 1 Tim. 6. 9 10. And Conscience if my Reader be a voluptuous person an adulterous unclean person I must intreat thee to send him to the Bible and to see that he read and consider these following Scriptures of the Old and New Testament Prov. 2. 18 19. Prov. 5. 3 4 5 6 to 14. Prov. 6. 26 32 â—3 Prov. 7. 21. to the end of the chap. Prov. 22. 14. Prov. 23. 27. Prov. 29. 3. Eccles. 7. 26. 1 Cor. 5. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Eph. 5. 5 6. Heb. 13. 4. Rev. 21. 8. and 22. 15. Good Conscience be at him again and again and never leave him till thou hast gotten him to go into his Closet and there to spend one quarter or half an hour in pondering on these Scriâ—â—â—â—â— Conscience do thy office thou art Gods Deputy fail not to be faithful Possibly thou mayest say That thou hast done it again and again but they will not hear they are deaf to me as well as to you But Conscience if thou be a good Conscience speak louder speak not with so low a voice lift up thy voice like a trumpet for thou art ordained a Preacher to shew my Readers their transgressions and sins Be not silent whether they will hear or whether they will forbear yet speak unto them I know my Readers many of them will endeavour to silence and stop thy mouth they do not love to be told of their faults or what their estate is but Conscience be not thou rebellious but do that which is thine Office to do I know thou hast much to charge my Readers with Some of them thou knowest do neither read the Sâ—riptures nor pray in their Families nor Cathechize them that are committed to their charge Others pray not in their Closets nor do they commune with their own hearts about their spiritual estates they examine not themselves whether they be in the Faith or whether Christ be in them they compare not themselves with the Word of God to know how it is with them Some spend their time and strength and Estates in Rioting and Drunkenness in Chambering and Wantonness in Strife and Envying Some trifle away their precious time in Taverns Ale-houses Play-houses Coffee-houses Some embrace this present World with Demas Some are lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God Some acknowledge God in their words and in their works deny him Some have left their first love Some are lukewarm neither hot nor â—â—ld Some say Lord Lord but will not do the things that he says unto them Some believe not with their Hearts what with their Mouth they say they do believe Some confess sin with their
have been either in the mire or in the fire will take heed how they come there again You can hardly force them into a Bog wherein they have been mired they will turn this way and that way and run back again upon you rather then run into the mire wherein they have been already A wounded Conscience who can bear They that have felt that wound and have gotten it heal'd will take heed how they make another The Proposition I gave you was this It should be our greatest care so to live that our Consciences may have no occasion to accuse or reproach us while we live Some do so live that their neighbours can have no occasion to reproach them some there are that so live that the very worst have a good word for them I have known some that have been so unblamable of such a sweet disposition so kind and courteous to all and have lived so inoffensively that the worst have had a good word for them But where are they that have or do carry themselves so that their Consciences have no occasision to accuse them or to reproach them Commend me to that person if you can I have already shewed you what Conscience is and about what it is imployed and how it is imployed I come now to the Proof of the Doctrine This was Jobs care you see he was resolved upon it that he would so walk and so watch that Conscience might have no occasion to reproach him And hath Job no Fellows yes many the Scripture speaketh of such as have made it their care so to walk that Conscience might have no just occasion to reproach them David was one of them as appears by what he saith Ps. 16. 8. Ps. 119. 3 112 113. although there was a time when he gave Conscience too great occasion to reproach him and his Conscience did reproach him to purpose at last Ah poor David what broken bones had he This was Hezekiah's care else he could not have had the testimony of his Conscience for him as he had Remember saith he Isa. 38. 3. O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight Perfect heart that is an upright heart perfection not of degrees but of parts is there to be understood There are many such other places in Scripture as in the Book of Psalms Mark the perfect man and behold the upright where you find one word to explaine the other This also was Pauls care else could not he have had the testimony of his Conscience as he had This is our rejoycing saith he the testimony of our Conscience c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. it was Pauls exercise Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Man Reason I. The grounds and Reasons of it follow One reason why we should take all possible care that Conscience may have no occasion to reproach us is because if occasion be given these reproaches are unavoidable I say these Reproaches Vexations and Accusations of Conscience wil be unavoidable there is no escaping from them we may give occasion to others and possibly there may be some avoiding that which we give occasion of but here is no avoiding or escaping in this case Conscience may be asleep and Conscience may say nothing a great while but at last it will awake and do it's office in accusing and in judging condemning and tormenting David's Conscience was asleep for a great while but afterwards Nathan cometh to him from the Lord and rouzeth Conscience and then Conscience set most violently upon him as appears by the Ps. 51. where he complaineth of broken bones and prayeth that the bones which were broken might rejoyce So Joseph's Brethren they heard nothing of Conscience a great while but at last Conscience twinges them at last Conscience put out his envenomed sting no such sting as the sting of Conscience at last Conscience taketh them by the throat Gen. 42. 21. And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning the Blood of our Brother c. though men do with the Harlot for a great while wipe their mouths and say What evil have we done As Joseph's Brethren they sold their Brother Joseph Conscience said never a word to them let them alone a great while they came and told their Father a lie and Conscience said never a word to them when they told their Father that Joseph was slain they saw their Father Mourning as if he were going down into the Grave Conscience saith nothing all the while a Famine cometh upon the Land Conscience yet saith nothing to them at last they come down into Egypt there they meet with hard usage and are in danger of imprisonment Now Conscience beginneth to rouze up itself like a Lyon to tear and devour then they cry out Verily we are guilty concerning the blood of our Brother You see Conscience had an awakening time though it had been asleep the Morning came for its awakening So Judas his Conscience was asleep for a great while and one would wonder that it should ever be so fast asleep as was Mat. 26. 15. you may read there some passages of it He goeth to the Chief Priests and maketh a Bargain What will you give me and I will deliver Jesus to you and they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of Silver there he maketh a bargain for a little Silver to sell his Lord and Master and to betray the innocent blood Conscience saith never a word to him Further he sought for opportunity to betray Christ yet Conscience saith nothing to him v. 21. when he was come into the presence of his Master he came with the Disciples to the Passover yet Conscience saith nothing to him all the while when he was at the Passover and eating Christ telleth his Disciples that one of them should betray him yet Judas's Conscience saith never a word to him but letteth him alone all this while Nay further when the Disciples at these words were exceeding sorrowful and began to say every one of them Lord is it I yet Judas's Conscience saith nothing to him And Christ said He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish the same shall betray me yet his Conscience was asleep all this while Further ver 24. Christ pronounceth a Wo to that man by whom he should be betrayed yet the denunciation of that Wo did not awaken Judas's Conscience Wo to him it had been good for that man he had never been born It is matter of admiration and amazement that his Conscience should be so fast asleep the Devil entred into him and rocked Conscience asleep till he might be sure to do him mischeif enough ver 25. Then Judas which betrayed him put the question and said Master is it I Methinks his Conscience should have flown in his face like a Mastiff Nay further saith Christ Thou hast said