Dedication but by a real inward Sanctification at least of unblameable Conversations free from scandal being without offence though not before God yet before men A prophane wicked Minister is a gross Solecism and deserves to be counted a monster and to be driven from among men as Nebuchadnezzar was when brutified Dan. 4.25 But while you do shine with the bright beams of Holiness and walk according to the blessed Rules of the everlasting Gospel which you ought to preach you may boldly and comfortably without any severe gripes within without any reproaches cast upon you from without bend your utmost force against those extravagants who walk contrary to them Therefore my Brethren let us all study the Gospel we preach and live it as well as know it for knowledge will not be saving until it influence Heart and Life and be reduced into practice Let us I say think with our selves and repeat the thought often and often what manner of Persons we ought to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness and then may we lift up our voices like Trumpets and decry all the wickedness we know to be acted Herein will you do singularly good service both to the great God in Heaven and to our King and Magistrates upon Earth and to the whole Land We read that in the fight with Amalek while Israel was in the valley Moses was in the mount with the Rod of God in his hand which he lifted up And when his hands were weary and ready to flag Aaron and Hur were by to sustain and uphold them Aaron was the Priest of the Lord and Hur was a Prince of the Tribe of Judah Let this example teach all their duty and excite and quicken them to the performance of it When the hand of Moses the Supream Magistrate I mean is lifted up with the rod of God against the Sins of the times let both Aaron and Hur Magistrates and Ministers come in chearfully and strenuously to his assistance For it is a thousand pities that the Magistrate should work alone when set about so great and good a work as this Do you back him and afford unto him all the Assistance that you can Vse 3. I shall now in the last place direct my discourse unto those who are placed in a lower Sphere for the present not put into any Office nor clothed with any thing of Magistratical Power and Authority but altogether in a private capacity I would have you to consider what you have to do For there is a Duty incumbent upon every one Though you are not to reach out your hands to works or acts of Office neither in the State nor in the Church yet you are not to lay aside nor neglect any part of that work which belongs to you as members of both And as there is not the least and meanest Person in a Kingdom but may do a great deal of mischief so there is not the meanest but if he have an Heart may do some good Solomon tells us Eccl. 9.14 15. of a little City that had but few men and was besieged by a great King And there was found in it a Poor man who by his Wisdom deliver'd the City And in 2 Sam. 20. When Sheba rose up in Rebellion against David and being pursu'd went to Abel Joab with his Host cast up a bank against it and batter'd the wall but a Woman saved it from ruine Every one may be instrumental for good Since it is then the Duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest to act what they can toward the suppression of prophaneness there are these two things unto which I would exhort you who are in private stations First Set an high value and esteem upon every one of those Magistrates whom you know or hear to be herein true to their trust and careful to perform their duty You may be sure of this that they will find discouragement enough opposition from the ranting crew The wicked themselves at whose lusts they strike will hate them with an implacable hatred and curse them and drink to their confusion and with longing desire to be rid of them and do whatever they can in order thereunto I do not wonder to hear of the plottings and combinations both of Atheists and Papists in such a case There is nothing that they hate more than Reformation and Religion nothing they will be more impatient under than a restraint laid upon their lusts Therefore those that are pious and sober that fear God and are friends to the Nation should be exceeding dear over them and prize them at an high rate and love them with their hearts and honour them and willingly pay Tribute and bless God for them We are less than the least of mercies and ought to own them much more greater Mercies A good Servant in a Family is a blessing to it Laban confest it to Jacob Gen. 30.27 I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake How great a Blessing then is a good King upon the Throne a good Lord-Mayor in the Chair good Justices upon the Bench Certainly these are Blessings with all thankfulness to be owned they are mercies among temporal ones of the first Magnitude they do make an happy Nation and an happy People unless that People will be so vile and froward as to stand in the way of their own happiness Those that are Protestants in their Hearts who while they verbally profess that Religion are sincere in that Profession cannot but with delight look upon it as a choice and singular Mercy for our gracious God in a day wherein there were great searchings sinkings of heart to set over us our King and Queen a Protestant King and Queen whose hearts we perswade our selves are set for the Maintenance of the true Reformed Religion and we hope for the pulling down whatsoever is contrary and bids defiance thereunto in its Principles and Precepts Love them for this let them be our dear as well as our dread Sovereigns and let us be sure to be subject to them not only for wrath but likewise for Conscience sake yea and out of choice And let us pray for them and plead for them and strive both together and apart with God for them and bring down upon them from Heaven all the Blessings we can This was done by the Jewish Church Psal 20. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble The name of the God of Jacob defend thee send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt offerings Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsels and hear thee from his Holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Thus they did bless their King in his Exploits and thus let us bless our King in his Yea let the blessing of Joseph come upon him Gen. 49.25 26. Let the Almighty bless him with the blessings of
the Blessing Young Solomon's chusing Wisdom Young Obadiah's fearing the Lord Young John's lying in Christ's Bosom Yea Young Children crying Hosannah stilling or shaming at least and baulking God's Enemies and ours Origen's Father Leonides would sometimes uncover his Breast as he lay asleep and solemnly Kiss it blessing God that had given him to be a Father to so Excellent a Child And so shall many of us have warrant to do Upon our Houses Schools and Churches it shall be writ and read of all Jehova Shamma the Lord is there Amen and Amen Quest What Repentance of National Sins doth God require as ever we expect National Mercies SERMON XVIII HOSEA 10.12 Sow to your selves in Righteousness reap in Mercy breaks up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord till he come and rain Righteousness upon you THE Prophet joyneth Counsel with Threatnings Amendment is that he calleth them to as a means to save them That he might induce them to this he represents their aggravated Sins and the dangers to which they were exposed by their Provocations Yet least this Call should still be uneffectual through an opinion that Repentance could avail little to a People so guilty he addeth that if they returned to God their Sins tho' great should not prevent Mercy and the threatned Judgments though near might be diverted By this Text God proclaims not only to particular Persons but to Nations how desireable it is to him to execute his Goodness and his extream backwardness to avenge himself on the most provoking Kingdoms unless they add Impenitency under solemn Warnings unto their Rebellion God seems to address himself to Ephraim to this purpose Thou are a very guilty People yet turn that I may forgive Thou art on the very brink of ruine thy obstinateness is so notorious that it will not consist with the Rules or Credit of my Government to spare thee longer Oh yet be perswaded to render thy self a Subject capable of my kindness I have long pleaded and thou seemest even unperswadable Yet I 'll make one further essay I 'll try thee once more Sow to your selves in Righteousness First The words containeth some of the Essentials of Repentance and suppose the rest Under a Metaphor from Tillage God applyeth himself in the description of this Duty q. d. 1. He that will repent must deal with his indisposed Heart Break up the fallow ground whatever pain or difficulty attends so barren or obstinate a frame of Soul you must strive with your selves pluck up those Weeds strike at the root of your Lusts which render the Fruits of Righteousness impossible This sence of that clause is more evident from those words of another Prophet Break up the fallow ground Jer. 4.3 sow not among Thornes 2. When the Heart is thus prepared we must proceed to proper acts of Reformation Sow to your selves in Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad justitiam Isa 61.3 Let the Rule of Righteousness be observed in your hearts and ways be just to God and Men return to God in sincerity be and do what may argue you to be Trees of Righteousness Do thus to your selves i. e. leave it not to others Or you shall reap the advantage of it your selves if you repent 3. You must also seek the Lord i. e. Worship God and not Idols as hath been your way Follow after him who is departed from you call upon him crave his Grace to help you but be not satisfied with faint and short attempts persist in this work till you find his favour in the blessed effects of it even till he come and rain c. These heads of Repentance this Text affords Secondly This Repentance is urged from variety of Arguments but principally from this That National Mercies would certainly follow this National Repentance Reap at the face of Mercy or immediately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reap in Mercy It 's promised more strongly then if it had been said Indicatively you shall reap in the Future Tense Being put thus Imperatively the import of it is this you have no more to do but possess your Mercies upon your Repentance Mercy will of it self grow from that Root God hath provided all antecedent Causes he hath ordained the connexion and it lies on him to make a Repenting People happy You may be assured of this for that which was meer Mercy in making the Promise is become an Act of Righteousness by the Promise You may now expect it from God as just in which sense I take that clause till he come and rain Righteousness upon you That which was Mercy in the first part of the Verse is Righteousness in the last part I know it 's true Doctrine to say till God bestow on you holy inclinations and ability to perform but that 's not the most designed Sense He further argues Ezek. 34.26 from the plenty of those Blessings which God would afford on their Repentance Till he come and rain Righteousness The returns of God to a Repenting People are in a fullness of Blessing and there shall be showers of Blessings There 's one Motive more viz. The seasonableness It 's time to seek the Lord. It 's high time and but barely so you cannot say there is no hope though you must repent soon or not at all The consideration of this Paraphrase must lead any one to the case that I am to handle Can any serious Spirit think it vain to ask What is that National Repentance which may give a sinful people hope of Mercy Which is the same with the Case as it is given me What Repentance of National Sins doth God require as ever we may expect National Mercies I have led you to it by this Text that it may not seem a melancholly fancy a mystery not to be handled or a needless inquiry It 's an awful case It 's not put to satisfie your Curiosity but to guide your Fears and Hopes It 's not only to direct your Minds to a right judgment of the matter but to excite your Hearts to that Repentance which may afford us hope in the midst of our dangers and guiltiness It 's the happiness or misery of Nations are concerned in it It 's the only remedy that a sinful Nation can use or turn to God is peremptory Luke 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 utterly be destroyed except you repent you shall all likewise perish My work is 1. To resolve the case in general 2. To apply the case resolved to our own Nation I shall use this method As to the first 1. Shew you what is supposed in the case as stated 2. Explain the tearms National Sins and Mercies 3. State the Case it self 4. Propose the difficulties that attend the resolution of it 5. Resolve the Case which the forementioned particulars will much conduce to I shall as proof to this resolution of the Case 1. Evidence that the Repentance expressed in the fifth head doth ordinarily afford ground
to observe and require an account of all their Actions The radical cause of this Hatred is from the Opposition of the sinful polluted Wills of Men to the Holiness of God for that attribute excites his Justice and Power and Wrath to punish Sinners Therefore the Apostle saith They are enemies to God in their minds through wicked works The naked representing of this Impiety that a reasonable Creature should hate the blessed Creator for his most Divine Perfections cannot but strike with Horror O the Sinfulness of Sin 4. Sin is the Contempt and Abuse of his excellent Goodness This Argument is as vast as God's innumerable Mercies whereby he allures and obliges us to Obedience I shall restrain my Discourse of it to three things wherein the Divine Goodness is very Conspicuous and most ungratefully despised by Sinners 1. His Creating Goodness 'T is clear without the lea st shadow of Doubt that nothing can give the first being to it self for this were to be before it was which is a direct Contradiction and 't is evident that God is the sole Author of our Beings Our Parents afforded the gross matter of our compounded Nature but the Variety and Union the Beauty and Usefulness of the several Parts which is so Wonderful that the Body is composed of as many Miracles as Members was the Design of his Wisdom and the Work of his Hands The lively Idea and perfect Exemplar of that regular Fabrick was modell'd in the Divine Mind This affected the Psalmist with Admiration I am fearfully and wonderfully made Psal 139.14 15 16. marvellous are thy works and that my soul knows right well Thine eyes did see my substance yet being imperfect and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them And Job observes Thy hands have made me and fashioned me round about Job 10.8 The Soul our principal Part is of a celestial Original inspired from the father of Spirits The faculties of Understanding and Election are the indelible Characters of our Dignity above the Brutes and make us capable to please and glorifie and enjoy him This first and fundamental Benefit upon which all other Favours and Benefits are the Superstructure was the Effect from an eternal Cause his most free Decree that ordained our Birth in the spaces of time The Fountain was his pure Goodness there was no necessity determining his Will he did not want external declarative Glory being infinitely happy in himself and there could be no superior Power to constrain him And that which renders our Maker's Goodness more free and obliging is the consideration he might have created Millions of Men and left us in our Native Nothing and as I may so speak lost and buried in perpetual Darkness Now what was Gods end in Making us Certainly it was becoming his infinite Understanding that is to communicate of his own Divine Fullness and to be actively glorified by intelligent Creatures Accordingly 't is the solemn Acknowledgement of the Representative Church Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they were created Who is so void of rational Sentiments Rev. 4.11 as not to acknowledge 't is our indispensable Duty Our reasonable service to offer up our selves an intire living Sacrifice to his glory What is more natural according to the Laws of uncorrupt Natures I might say and of corrupt Nature for the Heathens practised it than that Love should correspond with Love as the one descends in Benefits the other should ascend in Thankfulness As a polish'd Looking-glass of Steel strongly reverberates the Beams of the Sun shining upon it without losing a spark of light thus the understanding Soul should reflect the Affection of Love upon our blessed Maker in Reverence and Praise and Thankfulness Now Sin breaks all those Sacred Bands of Grace and Gratitude that engage us to love and obey God He is the just Lord of all our Faculties Intellectual and Sensitive and the Sinner employs them as Weapons of Unrighteousness against him He preserves us by his powerful gracious Providence which is a renewed Creation every Moment and the Goodness he uses to us the Sinner abuses against him This is the most unworthy shameful and monstrous Ingratitude This makes forgetful and unthankful Men more brutish than the dull Ox and the stupid Ass who serve those that feed them nay sinks them below the insensible part of the Creation that invariably observes the Law and order prescribed by the Creator Astonishing Degeneracy Hear O Heavens give ear O earth I have nourished and brought up Childen and they have rebelled against me was the Complaint of God himself The considerate Review of this will melt us into Tears of Confusion 2. 'T was the unvaluable goodness of God to give his Law to Man for his rule both in respect of the matter of the Law and his end in giving it 1. The matter of the Law this as is forecited from the Apostle is holy just and good It contains all things that are honest and just and pure and lovely and of good report whatsoever are vertuous and praise-worthy In obedience to it the innocence and perfection of the reasonable creature consists This I do but glance upon having been consider'd before 2. The end of giving the Law God was pleas'd upon Mans creation by an illustrious revelation to shew him his duty to write his Law in his Heart that he might not take one step out of the circle of its precepts and immediately sin and perish His gracious design was to keep Man in his love that from the obedience of the reasonable creature the divine goodness might take its rise to reward him This unfeined and excellent goodness the sinner outragiously despises for what greater contempt can be exprest against a written Law than the tearing it in pieces and trampling it underfoot And this constructively the sinner does to the Law of God which contempt extends to the gracious giver of it Rom. 7.10 Thus the Commandment that was ordain'd unto Life by sin was found unto Death 3. Sin is an extreme vilifying of Gods goodness in preferring carnal pleasures to his favour and Communion with him wherein the life the felicity the heaven of the reasonable creature consists God is infinite in all possible perfections all-sufficient to make us compleatly and eternally happy he disdains to have any competitour and requires to be supreme in our esteem and affections the reason of this is so evident by Divine and Natural light that 't is needless to spend many words about it 'T is an observation of St. Austin * Omnes Deos colendos esse sapienti Cur ergo a numero caeterorum ille rejectus est nihil restat ut dicant cur hujus Dei sacra recipere noluerint nisi quia solum se coli voluerit Aug. de Consens Evang. c. 17. That
so doing though very ill requited for it this is high and noble indeed this is an honour not vouchsafed to the elect Angels who are not capable of suffering this is to be a Christian in truth and eminency and to resemble Christ himself who suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps In the words which I have read you may take notice 1. Of one end of Christ in Suffering and that is that he might leave us an example To say that this was the principal end of his passion to deny his satisfaction as if it were impossible or needless is heretical in a very high degree to deny the Blood of Christ to be the price of our redemption is to deny the Lord that bought us And truly the only propitiatory Sacrifice for Sin being rejected there is no other remaining but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and of fiery indignation which shall devour the Adversaries And yet though Christ bare our sins in his own body on the tree He is not only our Redeemer but our Example He hath bequeathed Blessings never enough to be valued in his Testament he has also left us an incomparable Example The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Example is either taken from excellent Writing-Masters who set a fair Copy for their Scholars to write after or 't is taken from Painters who draw a curious Masterpiece for inferiour Artists their Admiration and Imitation 2. They were remarkable steps that Christ took when he was here in the days of his flesh and among them all he did not take one wrong one He was made of a Woman made under the Law and he did not in the least transgress the Law He came upon this Earth to do his Father's Will Heb. 10.7 Lo I come in the volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy will O God And never did he any thing that was in any degree contrary to it 3. The Steps of Christ are to be followed Good men in Scripture are our patterns whose Faith and Patience we are to follow Heb. 6.12 That ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise The Cloud of witnesses is to be minded and the bright side of it gives a good light unto our feet but there is a dark side of the Cloud which may make us cautious we must take heed of resembling the best of Men in that which is bad in their falls and infirmities Abraham is renowned for his faith yet not to be imitated in the carnal shifts he made for the saving of his life Barnabas was to be blamed for being carried away by Peter's dissimulation But Christ is such an example as to walk according to it and to walk by the strictest rule is all one for our Lord did whatsoever became him and exactly fulfill'd all righteousness 4. Here is a special intimation as appears by the context of a Christian's Duty patiently to bear injuries and to take up the cross Though the Gospel be the gladdest tidings yet Suffering is a word that sounds very harsh to flesh and blood But the Apostle bids us behold Christ in his Sufferings and not think mâ—ch of our afflictions which were but a drop compared with His which were a vast Ocean The Sufferings of Christ the Head were unconceivably greater than those which any of his Members at any time are called to undergo And indeed when he drank the Cup his Father gave him he drank out the Curse and bitterness of it so that it is both bless't and sweetned to the Lambs followers who are to drink after him 5. The Sufferings of Christ and his Example being joyned together in the Text here is a signification that by his Death he has purchased Grace to assist and enable us to follow his example Our Lord knows our natural impotency nay averseness to follow him or so much as to look to him His death is effectual therefore to kill our Sin and to heal our depraved Nature his power rests upon us that we may tread the Path in which he is gone before us I am able to do all things says the Apostle through Christ strengthning me I am desired this Morning to speak of Christ as our Example and to shew how Christians are to follow him This is a Theme that commends it self to you by its excellency usefulness and seasonableness in such an Age wherein there is such a sinful sad and almost universal degenerating from true and real Christianity Glorious Head had'st thou ever on earth a Body more unlike thee than at this day How few manifestly declare themselves the Epistles of Christ written by the Spirit of the living God! Few Professors have his Image who yet bear his superscription In the handling of this Subject I shall 1. Premise some things by way of Caution 2. Shew you in what respects Christ is an Example to be followed 3. Produce some Arguments to perswade you to the imitation of him 4. Close with some Directions how this duty may be done effectually In the first place I am to premise some things by way of Caution 1. Think not as long as you remain in this world to be altogether free from Sin as Christ was He indeed was from his Conception in the Womb to his Ascension far above all visible Heavens altogether immaculate and without blemish Some have fancied spots in the Sun but sure I am in the Sun of righteousness there is none The Sins of all that are saved were laid upon him but no Sin was ever found in him or done by him The Apostle tells us that he was holy harmless and undefiled Heb. 7.26 You are indeed to imitate Christ in Purity but perfect Holiness you cannot attain to while you carry such a body of Death about you and are in such a world as this It may comfort you to consider after the fall of the first Adam and the sad consequences of it how the second Adam stood and conquer'd and kept himself unspotted from the world all the while he conversed in it But as long as you remain on Earth some defilement will cleave to you to admonish you where you are and to make you long for the heavenly Jerusalem More and more holy you may and ought to be but to be compleatly holy is the happiness not of Earth but Heaven 2. Think not that Christ in all his actions is to be imitated There are Royalties belonging to our Lord Jesus which none must invade He alone is Judg and Lawgiver in Zion and that worship is vain which is taught by the Precepts of Men. Christ is all in all he fills all in all Eph. 1.23 When the Fathers of the last Lateran Council told Leo the Tenth That all Power was given to him in Heaven and Earth As it was blasphemous flattery in them to give so it was blasphemous pride and right Antichristian arrogancy in
cause that will pass for just and sufficient at the great day before they resolve upon a total separation from their Brethren 8. Christ is to be followed in his great humility and meekness Mat. 11.29 Take my yoak upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest unto your Souls Pride overcame the first man he affected Divinity and would needs be as God but behold the Lord Jesus who is the Eternal God and he humbled himself and became Man Humility was the constant attire and ornament of the Man Christ Jesus Though this great Redeemer be the chief of all the ways of God though more of God is visible in Him than in the whole Creation besides Though he glorifies his Father more than all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth put together and though he is exalted far above all Principalities and Powers and Might and Dominion no◠only in this World but in that which is to come Yet our Lord never was in the least High-minded Humility is one most remarkable feature in the image of Christ therefore resemble him in being humble Be not proud of Habit Hair and Ornaments 1 Pet. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Etymologists derive the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies nodus a knot Be cloathed or be knotted with Humility I wish that other knots were less and this which is incomparably most becoming were more in fashion Let not your Estates puff you up Riches are not always to men of understanding and there may be a great deal of Gold in the Purse where there is no true Wisdom in the Head no Grace at all in the Heart Let not your natural parts your acquired endowments your spiritual Gifts though never so excellent make you to look upon others with contempt upon your selves with admiration you owe all Glory to that God from whom you have received all Let Humility look out at your Eyes a proud look is one of the seven things which the Lord hates Prov. 6.16 17. Let Humility express it self at your Lips let it attend you in all your addresses to God and beautifie your whole behaviour and converses with Men. The more humble you are the more of every other Grace will be imparted to you the more Rest and Peace you will have within your selves and since you will be ready to give him all the Praise the Lord is ready to put the more honour upon you in making you useful unto others 9. Christ is to be followed in his love to God great care to please him and fervent zeal for his Name and Glory Joh. 14.31 The World may know says Christ that I love the Father and as the Father gave me Commandment even so I do He obeyed that first and great Commandment and loved the Lord his God with all his Heart and Soul and Mind and Strength Christs love made him do whatever his Father pleased Joh. 8.29 He that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I always do those things that please him Christs love was stronger than Death no Waters no Flouds could drown it neither could the Baptism of blood quench it Christ was consumed with Divine and Holy zeal and he matters not what befal him so he might but glorifie his Father and finish the work which was given him to do Oh let us bring our cold and careless Hearts hither to the Consideration of this Great Example that the frost may melt care may be awakened and there may be something in us that may deserve the name of Warm zeal for God Let us be importunate in Prayer and restless till we feel the constraints of the Love of God forceable till we find really the greatest delight and pleasure in doing that which pleases him and aiming at his Glory we think not much of labour difficulty and hazzard that this our end may be attained 10. Christ is to be followed in his Sufferings and Death and unto this my Text has a more particular reference Christs Faith was strong though he was under a dismal Desertion The Sun of Righteousness did set in a dark cloud He submitted to his Fathers will and being confident of a joyful Resurrection he endured the Cross and despised the shame When Christians come to die their Faith should be most lively as being near finishing it should by no means fail when there is most need of it Though he slay me says Job yet will I trust in him Job 13.15 Christians should submit when the Lord of time will grant no more time to them and they should gladly enter upon a holy and blessed Eternity When the body is about to be sown in corruption by Faith they should see that its lying there will be to advantage for it will be raised in Incorruption and Glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43. Let Death be more natural or violent it is yours in the Covenant if you are true Believers 1 Cor. 3.22 Fear not to follow our Lord Jesus through that dark passage into the House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens And all the while you remain on Earth study a Conformity to your Lords death by crucifying the Flesh and dying to the World The more dead you are with Christ in this sense you will live to the better purpose and die in the greater Peace In the third place I am to produce some Arguments to perswade to the imitation of our Lord Jesus 1. Consider the greatness of the Person that gives you the Example Christ has this Name written on his Vesture and on his Thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 A Roman Historian commends a Prince who is maximus imperio Velleius Paterculus l. 2. exemplo major greatest in authority and yet greater by his example Every thing in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth does bow and is subject to the Lord Jesus and yet whose obedience ever was so exact as his was He gives us precepts and he himself is the great Pattern of performance Claudian the Poet has a notable passage concerning the examples of Monarchs and what a mighty influence they have Tunc observantior aequi Fit populus nec ferre vetat cum viderit ipsum Autorein parere sibi componitur Orbis Regis ad exemplum nec sic inflectere sensus Humanos edicta valent quà m vita Regentis Kings have many observers who very much Eye them and their high estate both awes and allures their Subjects to the imitation of them If they keep within the bounds of their own Laws their Subjects will be the more unwilling to transgress them Christ is the universal Soveraign who commands both Heaven and Earth and has the whole Creation at his beck He has kept the Laws he gives his Church 't is duty 't is interest 't is reasonable 't is honourable to resemble him in obedience 2. Remember the Relation wherein you that are Saints do stand unto the Lord
Jesus You are espoused to Him and should you not consent to be like to him who has betrothed you unto himself in Loving-kindness Mercy and Faithfulness for ever Hos 2.19 20. Nay you are members of his body Therefore you should grow up into Him in all things which is the Head even Christ Eph. 4.15 You should discover such a mind as Christ had you should manifest the same Spirit and act as he acted when he was here in the World 3. Consider that God did fore-ordain you that are Believers to a conformity to the Lord Jesus Rom. 8.29 For whom he did fore-know he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren If you would appear with Christ in Glory you must be now changed into his Image Holiness and patient suffering will make you like him and is the decreed way unto his Kingdom 4. Walking as Christ walked will make it evident that you are indeed in him 1 Joh. 2.6 He that saith he abideth in him ought to prove what he saith and himself so to walk even as he walked To be in Christ is to be a new creature And these new Creatures do all resemble him for he is formed in them Naming the name of Christ will never demonstrate your Christianity unless you depart from iniquity which makes you so unlike unto your Lord. But likeness to him will prove you His in Truth And an evidence of this what strong consolation will it afford If you are in Christ how safe are you you are secured from the curse of the Law the stroke of vindictive Justice the wrath of the Destroyer the bondage of Corruption and Sin the sting of the first Death and the power of the second If you are in Christ His God is your God his Father your Father Joh. 20.17 You are loved as He is loved Joh. 17.23 That the World may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me And v. 26. That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them You are joint-heirs with Christ unto the same incorruptible inheritance how firm and sure is your title how certain and soon will be your possession and after possession is taken you shall not be dispossess'd unto Eternity 5. Your following the Example of Christ very much honours Him and credits Christianity 't is a sign that Christs death has a mighty vertue in it when it makes you to die to Sin and to be unmoved by the biggest offers that Mammon makes to you 'T is an argument that He is truly Christ when you are truly Christians that He is indeed alive when he lives in you and makes you to live to him and like him 'T is a demonstration that our Lord is risen indeed when you rise with him and seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 Christ is very much unknown and being unknown is undesired and neglected because so little of him is seen in Christians conversation How few deserve digito monstrari to be pointed at and to have such a Character given them There go the persons who discover such a Spirit who talk and walk too after such a manner that 't is evident Christ dwells and speaks and walks and works in them Be all of you prevailed with to honour your Lord Jesus by shewing the world what he was when here upon Earth and how powerfully he works in you though now he is in Heaven Chrysostom with great reason does call good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unanswerable Syllogisms and demonstrations to confute and convince Infidels The World would flock into the Church being struck with the Majesty and Glory shining forth in Her if She were but more like unto her glorious Head But when they who are called Christians are so like unto the World 't is no wonder if the men of the World continue still as they are 6. Christ frequently speaks to you to follow him and observes whether and how you do it His word is plain that you should learn his Doctrine and live after his example And his eyes which are as a flaming fire are upon Professours ways His Omniscience should be more firmly believed and seriously considered by the Church it self Rev. 2.23 All the Churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and Hearts and I will give to every one of you according to your works I shall here by a Prosopopeia bring in our Lord Jesus speaking to you and himself propounding his own Example that you may hear and heed and follow the Lamb of God To this effect Christ speaks to you Look unto me and be ye saved all ye ends of the Earth Look unto me and become like me all you that profess your selves to be my Members What Do you see in me that in any reason should turn away your faces or your hearts from me Blessed is He whosoever shall not be offended in Me. The Father is well pleased in Me and so should you as you value his favour and would consult your own interest I never took so much as one step in the ways of misery and destruction be you sure to avoid them I always trod in those paths which to you will prove pleasantness and peace though to satisfy for your deviations and going astray I was fain my self to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Consider your Lord and Master you that call your selves my disciples Many look upon you that will not look into my word and will judge of Me by your practices Be not so injurious to Me by misrepresenting Me as if I allowed those evils which you allow your selves in Why should I be wounded in my honour in the house of my Friends Why should you crucify me afresh And put me to an open shame When you yield to Satans temptations are you like to me When you are eager after worldly wealth the applause of men and flesh-pleasing delights are you like to me When you are proud and haughty bitter envious and revengeful do you at all resemble Me When you seek your selves and please your selves and matter not how much God is forgotten and displeased Am I in this your example O all you upon whom my name is called content not your selves with an empty name Be my disciples in truth and let the same mind that was in me be in you also be my disciples indeed live as I did in the World to honour God and to do good to man let it be your business for I have left you an example that you should follow my steps 7. Follow Christs Example that you may enter into his glory For if we be dead with him says the Apostle we shall live with him if we suffer with him we shall also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. Be of good courage and conflict but do it in his Strength with your Spiritual enemies and
you shall be conquerours nay more than conquerours over them and hark what Christ promises to them that overcome Nay to every one of them Rev. 3.21 To him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne Conformity to Christ in his Humiliation will end in a conformity to him in his Exaltation All in the next world shall resemble in glory whom grace in this world has made to resemble him Col. 3.4 When Christ who is our life shall appear then shall ye also appear with him in glory 8. One word farther I would speak to my self and my brethren in the Ministry of the Gospel We are under special obligations to follow Christs Example All the flock should be like the great Shepherd but especially the Vnder-Shepherds should resemble him that they may be able to say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of us for we are followers of Christ How clear should be the light in our Heads who have special instruction from him in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge Col. 2.3 With what authority should we speak who speak in his Name Who speak his words and preach his everlasting Gospel and what we bind on Earth is bound in Heaven and what we loose on Earth is loosed in heaven How should we have compassion on the ignorant and them that are out of the way How faithfully should we warn the secure to flee from wrath How earnestly should we intreat sinners to be reconciled How should we long after Souls in the bowels of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.8 And since He thought not his blood too dear to redeem them we should not think much of our Prayers Tears Study Sweat and Labour for their Salvation How self-denying should we be counting it far greater wisdom to win Souls than to seek great things for our selves How exemplary should we be in Word in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith in Purity * Memento voci tuae dare vocem virtutis ut opera tua verbis concinant Cures prius facere qâ—à m docere Sermo quidem vivus efficax exemplâ—m est operis facile faciens suadibile quod dicitur dum monstrat factibâ—â— quod suadetur Bernard Epist 201. Passione ostendit quid pro veritate sustinere Resurrectione quid in aeternitate sperare debeâ—mus Aug. de C. D. lib. 18. c. 49. 1 Tim. 4.12 In all things we should shew our selves patterns of good works That our Sermons being practised by our selves as well as preached may be with greater efficacy upon others And since our Lord Jesus after he had preached the Kingdom of God was himself a Sacrifice we should not be unwilling to confirm the doctrine we deliver with our blood nor refuse if called to it to be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of the Churches Faith Phil. 2.17 This kind of Spirit made the Apostle like to Christ indeed Acts 20.24 But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear to my self that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry I have received of the Lord Jesus Christ to testify the Gospel of the grace of God In the fourth and last place I am to conclude with some Directions how you may be able to follow the Example of our Lord Jesus 1. Let your unlikeness to Christ be matter of your great humiliation It should be your trouble that you have been so long learning and have learned Christ no better That so much of the old Man remains to be put off that no more of the new man is put on Look upon the passions and lusts of the flesh as so many foul blemishes as so many deforming wrinkles of the Old Adam the more of these there is in you they make you the more unlike to him who is altogether lovely Be humbled for your sin and hate it that 's the way to be rid of it Sin cannot stand before a perfect hatred but languishes and dies away whereas love to it is the life and strength of it 2. Study more the admirable excellency and fairness of the copy Christ has set you And how desireable it is still to be growing up more and more into him in all things The beauty of Men and Angels is black to Christ's fairness to be like Him is to have that which truly deserves the name of excellency With open face and intentive eyes behold as in a glass the glory of your Lord that you may be changed into the same image and become glorious your selves 2 Cor 3. ult 3. Being sensible of your own impotency live by Faith on the Son of God Remember 't is in Him that you have both righteousness and strength Isa 45.24 Grace to be like Christ is from him He strengthens the weak hands he confirms the feeble knees that we may work and walk after his Example If you should attempt to do this in your own might that attempt would be not only vain but an argument of your pride and ignorance Can the branch bear fruit of it self 'T is from the Vine that sap is communicated to it to make it fruitful You must be and abide in Christ and ever be deriving life and virtue from Him that you may bear fruit worthy of Him Joh. 15.4 5. Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing 4 Give up your selves to the conduct of Christs own Spirit How often is it said He that hath an ear let him hâ—ar what the Spirit saith unto the Churches The Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus represents his amiableness and anoints the eyes with eye-salve that it may be seen And where-ever the Image of Christ is 't is this Spirit that has instampt it upon the Soul Live in the Spirit and Walk in the Spirit so your feet shall not decline from the Steps of Christ you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16.25 He will cause you to look unto Jesus and enable you to follow him without turning aside or drawing back Till you come to be where he is and behold his glory and then you will be satisfied with his likeness and be for ever with the Lord. The Case Proposed Quest How may a luke-warm Temper be effectually cured I add in our selves and in one another The Resolution given SERMON XIV Heb. x. 24 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day to be approaching THE inspired Author of this profound
Sword of Justice into the hands of good and faithful men I do not go about to make parties in the Nation God forbid it is contrary to my principles there hath been too much of it in the Nation and in the world and oh that there may be no more Oh that God would in the greatness of his goodness heal all our breaches and compose all our unbrotherly dâ—fferences and grant that we may all serve him in the beauties of holiness with one shoulder and one consent Oh that I might see it done In the mean time I am verily perswaded that among every one of the different parties in the Land who hold the head and are sound in the vitals of Christianity the main Fundamental points of our Religion there are to be found persons fearing God And if I may have leave humbly to speak my thoughts I count it a great pity that any of them should be laid aside as Vessels in which there is no pleasure as persons altogether useless and unfit to be trusted and imployed meerly because they dissent from others of their Brethren in those things which are acknowledged to be indifferent but cannot be by them complyed with lest they should sin against God and wound their own Consciences so long as they are sound in the faith set for the glory of God and for the honour of the King and for the publick good Why Oh! Why may not such men be owned and incouraged and imployed in those things of which they are capable Are they fit for nothing because there is something that they cannot do I know and all men must yield it that there have been and will be as well as are diversity of Judgments and by consequence of practice No man hath his Judgment Faith and Reason at his Command and it is as possible to make all men of a Stature as of a mind But I must and do humbly submit this to our Superiours withal leaving particular persons to their several Sentiments and to walk accordingly to that light which they have received and begging of God the hastning of that day prophesied of in Zech. 14.9 Wherein the Lord shall be King over all the Earth and wherein there shall be one Lord and his name one Vna fides una Deum colendiratio One Faith and one Worship This I take for certain That ungodliness is very unlikely to be suppressed in a Nation when the ungodly and wicked men of that Nation are the men intrusted with and imployed about the supression thereof It is not probable that a Swearing and Cursing Magistrate will punish another for his Oaths or a Drunken Magistrate will inflict the Legal penalty upon another for the like brutishness Or an unclean Officer make another smart for his Whoredom While he is going about it an hundred to one there will be a bitter Reflection the man will find a sting within himself his own Conscience if it be not fear'd or in a profound sleep cannot forbear flying in his face and asking him in his ear this pinching question How canst thou punish that in this person which thou knowest to be thine own practice Rom. 2.22 23. Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery dost thou commit adultery Thou that abhorrest Idols dost thou commit Sacriledge Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Upon this account it was that holy David resolved his eye should be upon the faithful of the Land Psal 101.6 He would express his special favour upon those that were of known integrity that would faithfully mind and perform the duty of their place and be true to their God and to their trust and saith he He that walketh in a perfect way he shall serve me viz. in governing the Nation and in seeing to it that good orders be kept And I look upon that as a good saying of one Melior est Respublica tutior c. That Common-wealth or Kingdom is safer and in a much better condition in which there is a bad Prince than that which hath in it bad Magistrates Officers and Ministers of State Sixthly In order to the effectual suppression of prophaneness it cannot but be owned as absolutely necessary to watch diligently and deal severely with the Nurseries of it For as our Lord Jesus who is the King of Sion Saints hath his Schools Nurseries for the instructing training up of persons in sound knowledge true holiness Such are the assemblies and congregrations of his people Isa 2.3 Come ye and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways So Satan the Prince of the power of the air the Spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience hath his Nurseries which he fills with cursed Temptations and his Instruments with Venomous examples in order to the alluring of men to flagitious courses and rendering them expert ready and compleat Artists in sin And do not all men see how our youths are tainted and corrupted there and how many of those that once were hopeful and thought to be plants of righteousness have been there blasted and turned into the degenerate plants of a strange Vine bringing forth the Grapes of Sodom and the Clusters of Gommorrah All that read these lines may easily understand my meaning what houses they are at which I now point And I would ask Are Stews and Brothel-houses fit to be suffered among us I have not at all wonder'd when I have read and heard how many of them are allowed in Rome that Mother of Harlots who holds in her hand a Cup of fornication we must expect the great Whore will not fall out with the little Ones specially when they are profitable to her Bonus odor lucri ex re qualibet In her Nostrils the money smells well come it from whence it will But it is an arrant shame that any of them should be found in a Land of Light in a Nation of Protestants in a City of righteousness in a place where that Religion is profest and established that condemns all such filthy practices And as for Ale-houses and Victualling houses though some of them possibly are useful yea and necessary yet is there need of such multitudes in which so many sit many hours together fuddling and drinking away their money their wits their health and their Souls while their poor Wives sit at home mourning and their Children crying and perhaps all of them wanting and ready to starve I am sure none ought to have Licenses for the keeping such houses who will suffer them to be places of licentiousness and not be careful to observe good hours and orders Seventhly Let all inferiour Officers be very careful and diligent in their places For their places are not dormitories places to idle and sleep in but to watch and work in Church-wardens Constables and others have
Heaven above and blessings of the deep that lieth under blessings of the Breasts and of the Womb let his blessings prevail above the blessings of all his Progenitors unto the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills let them be upon his head and the head of his dearest Consort For I hope time will make it further evident that He is a singular Instrument raised up by God for the effecting of great and glorious things in the world and for the Church of Christ which hath been in so many Places for so many Years afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Yea that he is designed for an Avenger to execute wrath upon him and them who have been the Plague of the Christian World and have made it their work and delight to destroy the Earth and their design to erect to themselves a Monument of Glory out of the Ruins of Kingdoms and the Protestant Religion Secondly Let me desire you to facilitate the work of Magistrates and make it as easie to them as you can You that are Masters of Families having Children and Servants under you and understand your work and desire to go through with it find that you have enough to do in your narrow and little spheres your small Cock-boats call for much care and pains We that are Pastors of Churches have a great deal more e'en so much as makes our Heads and Hearts to ake and we cry out with holy Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is sufficient for these things People do little think those many thoughts which gracious and faithful Ministers have both day and night the multitude of those cares which they take the burdens which often lie upon their Spirits and the many bitter sighs and groans which upon various accounts they do utter in their private recesses when they are alone with God But yet what is this all this to that load which lieth upon the shoulders of our Sovereign who sits as Pilot at the Helm of so great a Ship and upon whom cometh daily not only the care of Three Kingdoms but as doubtless I may safely add of the whole Protestant Interest which hath been so desperately struck at yea and of all the Churches who have felt the fury of Oppressors that have put yokes of iron upon their necks And not only the King whose Place is highest and Province hardest but others also who are employed by and under him do find they have enough to do The Lord Mayor the Justices of Peace the Petty Constables Beadles Watchmen have enough to do How many avocations have they from their own Callings and particular Affairs which for their own and Families good must be attended to and how many Troubles and Vexations have they in the management of their Places I would therefore prevail with you to pity them and to help them and to take off from their burden all that you can This will be an argument of your being acted by a Spirit truly Christian and it doth very well become all good Subjects When Jethro the Father-in-Law of Moses came to the Camp of Israel in the Wilderness and saw all that Moses did to the People He spake thus to him Exod. 18.8 Thou wilt surely wear away c. for the thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to perform it thy self alone So I say Our King will wear away He is but a Man His Strength is not the strength of Stones nor is his Flesh of Brass He is made of flesh and blood as well as others and is subject to the same infirmities decays and strokes that others are and truly his life deserves to be exceeding precious in our eyes He is the breath of our Nostrils and our Life and Peace our Comfort and Happiness is very much bound up in him And therefore we have and I hope we shall more and more see that we have a great deal of reason to contribute all that we can to the lengthening out of his days and making his life comfortable But the weight of Government is too heavy for him I mean as good old Jethro did He is not able to perform it himself alone To deal with England's enraged Enemies abroad and with England's daring Sins at home is too much for him alone nay may I not go farther It is too much for his Privy Council and Parliament too yea and for all inferiour Magistrates and Officers too Take them altogether and it is too much for them alone I do therefore earnestly beseech you all to put your helping hand to the work and yield them all the assistance that you can We have as my Experience and constant Observation tells me a Spirit of discontent and complaining very busie and active though indeed often times not without too much cause And the Lord grant those who are now our Rulers may have such a Spirit of Wisdom and Government plentifully poured out from Heaven upon them that they may never give good Men any that those who have an Interest in God and will certainly be heard at the Throne of Grace may never be constrained to go with their just Complaints But how many are there that do without cause fill their mouths with Complaints and call those faults which are not and throw dirt in the faces of Persons in place But I will ask this one question what do these Complainers do in order to the amending of that which is amiss Our Streets would be clearer than they are if every one would sweep before his own Door And Reformation would happily become Universal if every one would be a Self-Reformer And oh that you would be so Oh that others would be so Oh that all would say what Elihu doth in Job tell us is meet to be said unto God What I know not teach thou me and if I have done iniquity I will do so no more I shall yet divide this my Exhortation into two branches First I shall speak unto those who are Governours of Families and have Children and Servants under their inspection apply to your Duty there Would you gladly see all things well abroad as far as you can every one of you take care that they be so at home You that are Parents must know and consider that that God who gave you Children hath committed to you the care and charge of their Souls And you that have Apprentices ought likewise to know and consider that the Souls as well as the Bodies of your Apprentices are committed to your care by their Parents or Friends and are your charge likewise And the same is true as to your other menial Servants so long as they shall continue under your Roof as such and accordingly you are under a strict Obligation for looking after them That is not a thing which you may do or leave undone as you please but you are bound to it You ought to be their keepers for you are responsible for them And if thorough your neglect and carelessness any
Zimri and Cosbi God himself took notice of it and imputed it to his zeal and was highly pleased with it and mention'd it twice Numb 25.11 He was zealous for my sake among them And again v. 13. He was zealous for his God His heart did burn within him he was all in a flame and could not with any patience endure to see his God so unworthily dealt with and dishonoured While I am writing of this I am informed of that excellent precept against the prophaning of the Lords day sent out by the Right Honourable Sir Thomas Pilkington our present Lord Mayor which being of a more than ordinary strain I look not upon as a matter of custom but an effect of his zeal and let it be for his honour to succeeding generations and an embalming of his name and let God himself remember it for good to him both in time and to eternity One thing more Lastly Frequently seriously call to mind that account which you are at the last and great day to give of your selves and your power and all your actions to a better greater and higher than any of you even to God himself He will for certain he will call you all to a strict account therefore awe and quicken your Souls with the thoughts of it It is but a little very little time that the youngest and strongest of you have to spend in the World Death will certainly come and summon you hence And when it comes it will not stay for you till you have mended faults and supplied defects possibly it will not allow you time enough to say Lord have mercy upon me And then your places will know you no more and your power will know you no more and your comforts and enjoyments will know you no more You that now sit upon thrones and in Parliament-houses and Courts of Judicature must then stand before the divine Tribunal upon an equal level with the meanest of the people everyone of you give an account of himself to God of his trust power how he did carry himself and manage and improve his power And therefore if you have any kindness for your selves make it appear by your care so to live now so to act and rule as that you may give up a good account with boldness and comfort and hear the Judge say Well done good and faithful Servants you have been faithful in your little you have done your duty and fill'd up your places now enter into the joy of your Lord. I shall conclude this Sermon with that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.10 11. We must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men so to live in the World so to order their Conversations so to trade with those talents of interest and estates of parts and power for the present that then they may be found faultless and presented with exceeding joy Quest. How may we enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God SERMON XVI ACTS 17.21 For all the Athenians and strangers that were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing IN the Text chosen for me to speak of and for you to hear I do observe and would have you also consider we meet with a Concourse of people who pretended to be the Virtuosi of that Age and for ought I do discern may as well deserve the Character as they do in our Age who spend their time in enquiring into useless Novelties If our Learned Men equal the Learning of these Athenians If Students from Foreign parts flock to us to perfect their course of Studies as to Athens If Merchants in equal Numbers but with unequal Riches attend the Custom-houses and fill the Exchanges with us as with them If there were some Travellers who came onely to see and talk who were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strangers there If each sort had business of greater Importance to mind than to spend their time in hearing what others could tell or telling what others would be pleas'd with hearing which was the Folly and Distemper of those Athenians and Strangers the same is the Epidemical Folly and Disease of our Age and of all sorts of the Beaux-Esprits refineder Spirits with us The Cure of this Disease is the design of this Discourse in this Case How may we Enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better management of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God He that Enquires to satisfie his Curiosity or his sinful Prejudices or malicious Wishes and to boast and triumph in the Sorrows of the Church of God and He that Enquires not at all nor concerneth himself with these Works of God do both highly offend The one rejoyce in the Destruction of Sion as 't is Obad. 12. v. The other is at Ease in Sion Amos 6.1 and are not grieved at the Affliction of Joseph Amos 6.6 and each do provoke the displeasure of the Lord against themselves Amos pronounceth a Wo against the one Chap. 6.1 and an utter Extirpation is threatned against the other Obad. 18. v. Such careless ones as neither fear the Evil nor hope for the Good of Sion neither pray for its Deliverance nor do praise God for his Salvation to Sion greatly Sin and are likely to be deeply Punished Isa 32.9 10 11 12. That we may Escape both the Case warns us Not to Enquire Athenian-like but to Enquire as becomes Christians and suitably Pray for a Distressed or Praise God for a Delivered Church In stating this unusual Case it will I think be best to draw it out into some previous Propositions which shall make way for the clearer Resolution of it 1. The Casuist doth grant that in some Cases we may Enquire what is the News that is abroad Whosoever asketh Direction how to do an Action is first perswaded of the lawfulness of the thing he would do How shall I come before God implieth that I may yea ought to come before him Mich. 7.6 So here the Casuist is of opinion we may Enquire but is solicitous lest you should with the most enquire amiss and therefore would direct you the best way of doing what is lawful to be done If there were a doubt the Case should be first May it be done not How is it to be done 2. News which spreads abroad in the World is of very different Nature 1. Some Trifling Reports below the gravity and prudence of a Man to receive from a Reporter or to communicate to any Hearer 2. Others of a very particular private personal Concern and among such as are of mean and abject state which as they rise among them so 't is fit they should die
amongst them or if reported are of no more concern to a Judge or Magistrate or the Publick than a Counter-scuffle of Boys in their Sports to a General and his Army 3. There are other News of a Publick Nature and which concern the State or Church which import some threatning danger or some smiling Providence the approaches of somewhat more than ordinary for the Good of Mankind or the Church of Christ Such was the News of Joseph that he was alive Lord of Egypt and that he had sent to fetch Jacob and his Family the Church of God in that day to preserve a Seed alive Such was the News of Cyrus's coming to the Throne favouring the Jews and issuing out the Edict of their Return which made the Jews Dreamers like think 't was too Good to be true Or when sad News alarms the World as when Rumors of Wars come one upon another and threaten the World with an universal Deluge of Blood In such Cases 't is yet considerable How certain or how dubious the reports are which we hear How near at hand or how far off the Effects are which attend the Good or bad News we hear How likely 't is the evil may be diverted lessâ—â—â— or removed or whether inevitable and growing great How probable or sure the hoped Good accompanying the Providences of God in such Cases is c. Of such like News this Case speaketh Tydings which do import great Good or great Evil to the Church of God call upon every Member of the Church to Enquire into 3. In such Cases the Persons are of very different Capacity who as they ought do Enquire and according to the different Capacity each is in so each ought to Enquire what may be done by himself to prevent lessen or remove afflicting Evils or what may be done to hasten increase and secure hoped or enjoy'd Good this by such persons ought to be seasonably and effectually done The Divine Providence doth advance some to places of the highest Power and Authority and entrusteth them with advantages of being Shields of the Earth Nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers to his Church Psal 47.9 Isa 49.22 Obad. 21. v. Saviours upon mount Sion They that are Defenders of the Faith They should Enquire what Tidings for or against the Church that they may know what they are to do in repelling Violence and Injustice or in promoting the Welfare and Safety of the Publick The Enquiry such make is and ought to be much more Exact Constant and Solicitous these should not only receive Intelligence but seek it maintain such as from abroad are fit to give account what is framing against the Publick Good of the Civil State or against the Good of the Church of God Neither of which will be long in Safety Peace or Prosper if those who are Watchmen Ezek. 34.2 and like Shepherds should neglect to Enquire what ravening Beasts usually haunt the adjoyning Woods or Wildernesses Now because it would be too tedious to mention the several ranks of Men concerned to Enquire into News of a Publick Nature as Counsellors and Lawgivers Judges and inferiour Magistrates Martial and Fighting-men who are to turn the Battle in the Gate Ministers of the Word and Spiritual Guides of the Church yea and all the Members of the Church are to Enquire into what God is doing for or against his Church as they have in their present Station opportunity to do as Nehemiah did who Enquired of them that came from Jerusalem what Condition that City and People of God were in They who have any ability and power in their hand to do good to help the Church of God or any part of it under distress proportionably every one of them are to awaken their Enquiries after the state of the Church and set themselves with diligence to releive it And since we may as 't is our duty Praise God for his Mercy shew'd to the Church and pray for Mercy when wanted we should know by Enquiry what is our Duty herein So then by this we may see 't is the particular Office of some to Enquire and ought to be the Care of all in their places to know what the Church needs and they ought to do for it But none may Enquire like the Athenians Into which we must Enquire now and pray the Liberty of making discovery of this by what helps we can meet with both from Human and Sacred Testimony what they were Incepit regnum Atheniensium A. M. 2496. ante C. N. 1553. Hottom Lexic univers ad voc Athenae c. 1. These Athenians began to be a people about the year of the World 2496. about 1558 An. before Christs Birth and when this was written it was the 51st year of Christ It was at that time a City 1609 years old under various changes and grew up to great Trade for Merchants and as great Learning for it was through a long course of years the University of the World And a place that wandring Wits delighted to visit Now among such Capricio's so many curious and inquisitive Humors succeeding one another and inventing New things and glorying in the invention no wonder that their Inquiries were Vain or Ridiculous or Mischievous to others If sad threatning News were reported they enquir'd into it they betook themselves to their Antiquity their Power Wisdom and their Idols c. So did Niniveh of old so did a City more Antient than Nineveh Nah. 2.8 9 10. c. If Tidings affrighted Rome the Palladium the duration of the City Roma aeternum duratura and such like are enquired after as the security they trust in Jerusalem though better taught yet became so brutish as to Enquire after vain and helpless Refuges against bad News The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 or else they contenm the Rod and him that useth it Can the Antient City the Glory of the World be destroy'd Or shall the Course of its Prosperity after many hundred years be changed into Misery This were Athenian like to enquire into the Effects of New Causes If new Judgments threaten us for our old Sins and we hear that they approach a Christian Enquiry should be How we may prevent the Execution by a speedy return unto God 2. Secondly The temper the Athenians are represented to us in will help us to ghess what Enquiries they would make upon New Emergencies And our own Reason will tell us that all such Enquiries unbeseem a Christian Let us view the Athenians in their temper as Plutarch Varro Polybius Aristophanes and Aristotle c. give it us 1. Very Suspitious and Jealous Now whatever other Abilities a man may have to make right Enquiries of New Occurrences this one Vice or Distemper is enough to disturb all Jealousie will take amiss all that is Good and suspect 't is Evil it will aggravate evil and make it worse than it is No right judgment is made or if a man of such temper
our selves on such occasions endangering our selves and others by engaging in Parties and Quarrels increasing Discontents amongst those we should endeavour to unite giving occasions to Enemies and false Accusers to lay to our charge things we know not falling under suspicion of Plotters and Conspirators against the Publick Weal All these and much more might be Arguments against an Immoderate attendance on publick places of News amongst us where Wise Men come and stay whilst their necessary business calls and requires and Prating Fools continue till they fall Pest of the Nation and bane of Tradesmen common Nuisances and publick Mischiefs in the Opinion of some Wise and Good Men But when the places are blamed they that come there too often and stay there too long are in the fault and should I think be punisht I could wish there were a Redress of all the Inconveniences and Vices that spring up in Coffee-Houses but I believe that every Man who frequents them must mend his own faults herein and not expect Directions from a Pulpit how often or seldom how long or short a time what business with Friends and Chapmen to wait for or meet there Go not thither but on business thou canst best do there stay but till it is done and though many complain of the Coffee-Houses they cannot condemn thee But I pass on to tell you how in these places which seem to be Athenae Redevivae and the Company we meet there like Athenian News-Mongers all enquiring what is Newest you may as Christians ought enquire what News of Church-Affairs that you may the better manage your Prayers for the Church in trouble or praise God for good wrought for it which is the Second Part and Positive Part of the Case before us First Then a Christian ought to make Enquiry into News that concerns the Church according to the Advantage and Capacity he hath more fully to know both the Good and Welfare of the People of God or to know the Sorrows and Dangers that lye upon the Church Some lye under an Incapacity of knowing much of the Affairs of their own Countrey and the Church in it who never heard any thing so much as the Name of some of the Churches of Christ nor are they any way likely to know much of them yet these ought to enquire what they can that their Prayers and Praises for the Church may be suitable to what they know of the Church Jerusalem must not be forgotten she must be pray'd for Such who know few but their Christian Relations or Neighbours may know the Sorrows Dangers Wants of these and ought to pray for them as they are Members of the Church and consider the like State other Christians are in and must be pray'd for c. We are to mourn with those that mourn and rejoyce with those that rejoyce That we may the better do this we should enquire the most we can into the present State of the Church But more especially 1. Christian Kings Princes and Supreme Magistrates as Nursing Fathers Defenders and Promoters of Christ's Kingdom and People ought to Enquire and maintain Intelligences whereby they may understand what is the State of all the Churches of God with which they and their Subjects hold a Commerce that so either Publick Prayers or Praises may be made for the Church Moses hath given us Example of this kind Acts 7.23 24. who did deliberately conclude with himself that he would visit his Brethren the Children of Israel and with his own Eyes survey their Condition that he might suitably address himself to help them supposing they would know God would deliver Israel by Moses Some few we meet in History who have concern'd themselves for the Church of Christ abroad without their own Dominions now and then A Constantine appears to defend the Church and to mind a Licinius to forbear persecuting the Church Or an Elizabeth to support a Neighbour-Church Or a Gustavus Adolphus to rescue oppressed Churches Or such as we have in our day seen raised to be a Father and a Mother to his People in this Kingdom It was well for us that God awakened them to Enquire what State the Church was in here and how it might be rescu'd Secondly Nobles and Counsellors about Christian Princes and Kings who have opportunity to know publick Concerns of Churches abroad above other Men ought to Enquire more particularly and fully That they may the better advise Inferiour ones to pray for the Church or praise God as the Seasons require and that they may imploy their Interest at home with their own King or abroad in Foreign Courts for the good of the Church Which way soever Mordecai first scented Haman's Plot He acquitted himself in this point gave not over the Enquiry till he had done his best to rescue the Jews Much of the same temper was Nehemiah who at Court in fullness of Honour Riches and Ease could not forget Jerusalem Neh. 1.2 3. nor let slip an opportunity of acquainting himself with the Condition of the Jews there and addresseth himself to rebuild and repair it Had not King James I. and his Nobles about him enquir'd into the Plot the Church and Kingdom had been ruin'd though the Lord Mounteagle discover'd what he knew of it Thirdly Embassadors in the Courts of Princes that are Enemies to the Truth and Church and ready to extirpate both have advantage of Enquiring what Dangers threaten the Churches under such Princes Dominions and in such case they are fittest to acquaint the Prince who sent them that loves the Church and is foster Father to it that by his Mediation and Interest the Design of Enemy-Princes and Persecutors may be stopt and endangered Subjects and Christians may be secured The French Tyrant had been at his Dragooning Conversions some years sooner as I have heard if on the News of his Design communicated by Embassadour to his Master a Neighbouring Conquerour express Orders had not been sent to the Embassadour to require present and peremptory Orders to recall the Marching Troops So much the safety of the Church may sometimes depend upon the Vigilance and Zeal of such Publick Ministers of State Wise Embassadors of our Neighbours I doubt not informed their Masters and our Friends what dangerous Plots were laid against us and them and all the Churches of Christ So that now the Snare is brokâ—n and we are escaped Psal 124.7 For the one many pray'd for the other more gave praise to God Fâ—urthly Chief Commanders in Martial Affairs who are Christians are concern'd to enquire what State the Church is in among those on whom they are commanded to make War sometimes Multitude of Christians may be within the Quarters under the Power of the Enemy sometimes Christians of an eminent Character and highly valu'd by all that know the Truth and love it may be threatned to be destroy'd by the Enemy In such case a plain brave and peremptory Message that the Enemies Violence shall be retaliated may
did Josiah in reading the Law and comparing Judah's former behaviour how that people had sin'd against the Law of God and by this he discovered what Sins 1. Brought them into the danger of Captivity and utter Desolation 2. Which were likely to increase their danger or continue it 3. Were likely to lessen the deliverance expected and pray'd for 4. Which God hath long born with and at last pardon'd that he might deliver a sinful and unworthy people though his own This will in all probability bring the Enquirers on their knees to confess their own and their fathers Sins to be throughly apprehensive what need of earnest prayers that the Lord would purge pardon deliver and fully save his Churches This will make them admire the Lords long-suffering justifie his Righteous Judgments and give him praise due to him for leaving us a remnant that at last shall see his full Salvation VI. Would you as Christians Enquire into the News of the present times the better to manage prayer and praises for the Church Enquire then what are the effects of either Good and Welcome or of Sad and Mournful News upon such as are nearest concern'd in both Do Judgments awaken and frighten Sinners in Sion from their Sins Do the punishments of their Sins work them to deep Humiliation to publick Repenting and Reforming Do they return to the Lord that smiteth them Or are they as sinful secure and as fearless as ever What effect have Gods Mercies upon his Churches Do his Mercies prevail with them not to Conform to the present evill world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds Doth prosperity make them now as it did between 47. Rom. 12.1 2. and 60 make professors worldly proud quarrelsom unjust persecuting one another irreconcileably divided one from another enraged one against another with that mad unreasonable fury as to venture the ruining of the whole Church to satisfie the revenges of a Party When I think on these and such like sad miscarriages I can see little cause given by the Church to Rejoyce but much to Mourn Here 's need of prayer little matter of Thanksgiving in the deportment of the Church Indeed we ever ought to praise the Lord for his Mercies to his people but we still want that proper subject of praise to God which a Reformed United Holy and Heavenly Church would be to us When unexpected and stupendious revolutions make the generality of Christians to leave their sins and return to God and live more suitable to their Heavenly Calling and love one another as Christ commandeth Then we have abundant cause to bless and praise our God and continue our prayers for a people near to a full Salvation VII Would you as Christians better manage your Prayers and Praises for the Church on any New Occurrences Then Enquire what is the Temper and Deportment of the Churches Enemies Are the Enemies of the Church 1. Atheistical and Blasphemous as he was who spakes as contemptuously of the Lord of Hosts as of the Idols of the Nations whom his Father had destroy'd Are they grown up to Sennacherib's height of Atheism and Blasphemy Do then as Hezekiah Isaiah and the people of Judah did It is probable the Enemy is near his fall you near to the Answer of your Prayers and the Church near to the days of Thanksgiving and praise to God Read the Story in 2 King 18.1 and 2 Chron. 32. and Isaiah 36. and 37. chap. Atheism and Blasphemy are the Temper and Deportment of the Antichrist which we expect shall be destroy'd Rev. 13.1 5. ver 2. Combined and Confederate against the Church So was Moab Ammon and Amalek Psal 83.6 to cut off the name of Israel So did Gog and Magog Ezek. 38. if that refer to Antiochus Epiphanes or to any other already past So will the Gog and Magog mention'd in the Rev. 20. So hath the Antichristian Papal Kingdom done against the Church and its probable such a confederacy may be again made against the Church of God Now when rooting out of Israel is the end of the confederacy the Church is furnisht with many prevailing Arguments to use in prayer for the Church 3. Confident and proud promising themselves an assured Success answerable to their preparations and resolutions So Sennacherib as I have done so I will do c. and Gog and Magog I will go to the unwalled Villages and I will take the spoil c. Ezek. 38.11 12. So will the pride and confidence of Babylon the Enemy of the Church Babylon that will say I sit a queen I shall not be a widow c. Rev. 18.7 How seasonably may the Church plead with the Lord to execute his just Threats upon her and bring her Sorrows on her in a moment 4. Cruel and merciless so was Babylon of old so is Babylon at this day this ministred occasion to the captive Jew to pray and move the God of Mercy to remember their low and sad condition and rescue them from those cruel hands which delight in Blood In the temper of those who have for many Ages wasted the Church of Christ and in these last three or four years have labour'd to destroy it in France most unparallel'd cruelty hath been practised upon the members of Christ How long holy and true Rev. 11. VIII And lastly Would you as Christians Enquire in order to the better management of your prayers and praises then whatever News of Moment you hear concerning the State of the Churches of Christ be sure to your best knowledge compare those News with these things that are signs of approaching deliverance and fuller Salvation from its own sins and self-created troubles and from the furious rage of Enemies 1. Compare the state of the Church and your News of it with the Divine Providences over the Church in the like Circumstances in times past Find out some instance parallel to your present case in the Scriptures and in prayer plead it with God for the like nay for greater help The various cases of the Church recorded in Scripture are glasses in which we may see what troubles we must expect and Gods Providences to his people are exemplaries for us to conform our Hope and Confidence unto We may read his Deliverances and in like cases say This God is our God as theirs he will lead us preserve and deliver us as them Hence it is you do so often find the people of God concluding and expecting Relief because he did in like case hear prayer and give his people matter of praise in times past 2. Compare the News you hear with the expectations of the Generality of the observant praying meditating Scripture-wise Christians Consider well what the body of these look for whether good or evil A single Man or a few of them may easily mistake in their Conjecture but it is seldom that the whole body of them mis-time their Expectation Deliverance out of Egypt was expected by the best and wisest
by those who knew the promise to Abraham much about the time that God sent Moses and therefore 't is observed of Moses that when he vindicated the injur'd Hebrew and slew the Egyptian that he supposed they would have known him to be the person God had sent to deliver them Near the time of the return from the Babylonish Captivity many of the Jews expected their Deliverance some that were very Aged could reckon the number of years by their own Age. And Daniel searched into the nearness of it by Books Dan. 9.2 and we may now hope some great perhaps the last and full deliverance from Antichristianism is near at hand the generality of Gods people do expect as well as pray for it Pray ye as they do 3. Compare your great News abroad when Kingdoms and States are shaken with the Threats that are denounced against the Enemies of the Church Consult the Word of God in this thing You may discover much of the Approaches of Mercy in deliverance of the Church by the Executions of Threats against the Enemy When Moses and Aaron began to Execute Judgments upon Egypt Israel might well conclude their deliverance was near at hand when the Rivers were turn'd into blood Israel might hope their God was coming to avenge their blood The Jews had good ground to conclude when the Medes and Persians began the War against Babylon that their Captivity drew on to an end and when they read the Mans name who was the great Commander in that Expedition Cyrus by name foretold the Deliverer of Gods Captives and builder of the Temple if then they did not pray earnestly and praise God heartily they were inexcusably stupid and wanting to their own Release It will much help you in prayer at this day if you will look into the several Menaces pronounced in the Book of the Revelations against Babylon and observe which of them are in part Executed which are now Executing which of the Trumpets we are under and which of the three woes are now Executing c. By this we might conclude the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet near and the Kingdoms of the VVorld e're long are like to be the Kingdoms of Christ 4. Look to Promises made to the Church for her Deliverance when you hear of or Enquire after any great News among the States and Kingdoms of the World among which the Churches of Christ sojourn and among which the Saints of God have and still do suffer It needs not a particular proof that there are many express Promises that the Church shall be delivered that there is a fixed time for the beginning progress and full accomplishment of these Promises that their accomplishments shall be gradual and such as will clear it self and though we cannot say when the full accomplishment to a Day or Month or Year yet by comparing Transactions and Occurrences with Promises we may without doubt discover somewhat of the Promise made good to the Church for which we ought to praise the Lord and all the rest of the Promises shall be fulfilled and for this we should earnestly pray to the Lord. 5. Compare the great News in the present Revolutions with the Times God hath been pleased to make known to us in his Word By this you may discern what Encouragement and awakening Considerations are given to us to pray and praise our God for what is already done and for what is doing and what e're long is to be finished Here is work for learned Men for Ministers for Understanding Saints There are in the Revelations two distinct Numbers mention'd which were they clearly unfolded would enable us as very wise Christians to receive seek and improve the great News that is abroad in the World The first Period is that Rev. 9.15 They i. e. the four Angels bound at Euphrates i. e. the Turkish power were prepar'd for an Hour and a Day and a Month and a Year i. e. for Three Hundred Ninety Six Years and a very little more Now from One Thousand Three Hundred in which Osman or Ottoman was Elected King of the Turks they have been the destruction of the Christians and were to be until Three Hundred Ninety Six Years were expired i. e. till One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six which will in likelihood end their Empire and how great Hope of this now This calls us to pray for their Ruin The second great Period is of the Forty Two Months i. e. One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years the time the Beast was to persecute the Church and then the Beast was to perish i. e. the Papal Kingdom shall be destroy'd Now these One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years in likelihood began about Four Hundred Seventy Five or somewhat sooner and by this Account you may suppose the News you still hear of both Turk and Papacy will encourage you to hope for a speedy deliverance of the Church from both It will be worth your while to read those Excellent peices of Mr. Joseph Mede who wrote his Key of the Revelation above Threescore Years ago in Latin I cannot say whether it be Translated into English having alwayes kept my self to the Latin Copy but 't is a Thousand pitties it should be confin'd to Latin a Book fit to be publisht in all Languages Of Mr. Jurien Accomplishment of Prophesies Translated out of French into English Of a Nameless Author newly written in French and translated into English Printed lately under the Title of A New System of the Apocalypse c. I commend to you who would know the Importance of publick News How to pray and praise God on hearing it How to wait for Deliverances to read diligently those Books in which are greater and better News than any Pacquets then all Gazzetts or Coffee-houses can yet afford to you when you have read these Books then Long for One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six or One Thousand Seven Hundred and hope if you live to that day to hear Mahometanism in the Turkish Empire destroy'd with that Empire Wish for One Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty Five or One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty and remember I do not pretend to Prophesie but I do dismiss with a conjecture that between this time and that you 'l see great Deliverances to the Churches of Christ and as great Distresses and Judgments executed on the Anti-christian Kingdom it may be the total Ruin of that Kingdom which was to last but One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years and I think will have out-lasted that Period before One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Quest Wherein may we more hopefully attempt the Conversion of Younger People than of others SERMON XVII OMnipotence can suffer no Difficulty and that which is Immense can admit no Limits Unto the Divine Power all things are as perfectly Easy as they are certainly Possible And the Heavenly Grace is fruitful equally of all things consistent with its spotless Purity God Creator did strain no harder to make
Reason our Law makes it Death to conceal High Treason so much as four and twenty hours I am sure God's Law requires you to Confess and Forsake your higher Treason against Christs Crown without so much as a Minutes delay And with much more Reason and Equity I thought I had done But I am sensible how little I have done And therefore before I make an end I must try to set two sorts of People a doing more for poor Unconvert young ones Two very concerned ones in the case Two that my Text hath surely somewhat to do with I mean Parents and Ministers Surely Natural and Ecclesiastical Fathers are all bound to joyn me in preaching of this portion of Scripture To you Natural Parents I first Address Beseeching you that you go study what you have to do and do all that you shall know for your Childrens early Conversion I am of the mind that gallant Language ne're did Gods Work And do find it what you call Wild Note rather than set Musick that I can ever move you by VVherefore plainly I tell you we may thank you for Earth's becoming thus unlike Heaven and like to Hell VVe may thank your Negligence and worse for the ruin of more Children than ever Herod slew or the Lyar and Murderer of France himself VVe may thank you that Children be so generally Beasts before they are Young Men and young Devils before they are Old Men. VVe may thank you for vitiating the most numerous the most ductile and the most hopeful part of the VVorld For robbing God of his First Fruits in the VVorld I beseech you by Gods tender Mercies repent of your Cruelties And I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ reform ye straitway and do as aforesaid The Light of Nature that guides you to help your Children to go and to speak and to do what is necessary for this Life guides you also to help them for the Divine Life Nor can you doubt but Gods Ordinance in the old Church for the appearanee of the Male-children before him thrice in the Year was to bring them to an early Acquaintance with himself And there is still both need and obligation to keep the substance of that precept now under the Gospel O let it not be said any longer that your care is more for your Childrens Cloaths than their Souls For shame Sirs for shame let them not be wicked without your pity nor Converted without your pains Think ye daily of both the Advantages and Engagements to do it Your Advantages You do Love your Children best do you not And you are best Beloved by them You are Nearest unto them and have most Authority over them You do know their Capacities and their Tempers VVho can suit them as you Your Engagements Their sore Needs do engage you And so do the sore Evils that however undesignedly you have done them Who brought Adam's Sin upon them and into them but you And who dares say that your own personal Sins have done them no wrong Dying Dr. Harris said He had made his Peace with God A Minister of the Church of England told me he had refused to Baptize some of his Parishioners Children because as he saw they would not afterward breed them up to Christianity And told his Children that his Sins should not hurt them therefore unless they made them their own Can you say so if you were now to dye Well very Nature also engages you Ay and Equity binds you For your Children are God's more than yours and sure it is to him and for him that you should educate his Children Truth also engages you For you promised you would so educate them when you had them Baptized did you not The Fear and Love of God if any be in you do engage you And so doth your own Interest also Yea lastly Shame engages you For 't is a shame is it not To teach Children to honour and serve you and not to honour and serve their God and yours I have bid many Children ask you whether if they were too young to be bound to keep Gods Commands they were not also too young to be bound to keep yours Listen not to the White Devils that will suggest If your Children take not to Religion of themselves without your ado your pains will do but little good Do Horses or Camels tame themselves Do Men tame Beasts of the Wilderness and you not tame the Children of your own Bodies and Families But all in a Word Does God set you a work and promise you Success and you dream it to no purpose to set about it Read you Prov. 22.6 23.13 14. 29.17 15. As for you Church-Fathers may I humbly assume to stir up your Minds but in way of Remembrance You know if the Lambs be lost the Lord of the Flock will with great anger ask Where were the Shepherds all the while What were they doing Nor will our highest feeding of the Sheep compound for the loss of his Lambs And I doubt it will not suffice to say Lord we were the while digging for profound Notions or Disputing Nice Questions or studying polite Sermons for people whose Peace and whose Praise we could not have cheaper Brethren for the Lords Sake let us all do somewhat weekly and set the Parents of our Congregations doing somewhat daily for young people's Souls And let both set to it Hopefully for the Reasons foresaid The Difficulty and Impossibility as to our Endeavours be left but to drive us to Diligence and Dependance on him to whom nothing is Difficult or Impossible The more we do look for success the more it will come Let not Catechising that is praised by all be Unpractised by any And in Preaching let none of us make need where we find none to shoot over young folks heads and use a Language we must needs know they understand not Love of God and of them would make us willing rather to be trampled under Scorners feet for our Faithfulness then to ride over their heads in Figures of Vain-glorious impertinence The which wise Hearers do no more commend than weak Hearers do Understand Neither be it any more grievous to us than it was to St. Austin to have now and then an Ad vos Juvenes To call and tell them Young people this is for you I would be glad to see wanton Wits have less Sawce and weak Souls have more Meat in all our Sermons And to discern that our pains in making Converts did exceed the Papists in making Proselytes For it must be owned 't is an uncolourable Profaneness to Baptize Infancy and not teach Youth or but slightly Because otherwise we shall starve the Nursery and then what becomes of Jesus Christ's Family The good Lord awaken us all And set Ministers Parents Young people themselves all a doing and well doing Our Churches then shall be Beautified and Joyed and Strengthned with abundance of young Meditating Isaac's Young Jacob's seeking