part of it whose sufferings may be sad enough and yet the promise not fail 3. A third errour may be as to Persons and that 1. As to persons that shall receive this mercy 2. As to persons that shall be Gods instruments in bring 〈◊〉 about the desired mercy 1. As to persons that shall receive thâ— desired mercy Promises as to outward mercies are more limited to the purity and holiness of a people than those made as to spiritual and eternal good things God hath said I will heal your back-slidings and God will save his people eternally notwithstanding their back-slidings but for outward prosperity and selicity it is no where promised to a back-sliding and impure people Supposing therefore a people that radically are good and the Lords people but a revolting back-sliding people and continuing in their revoltings without dup repentance if they build up expectations for the fulfilling of divine Promises as to outward prosperity and felicity while their soum is not taken off but bolleth into them they will most probably be disappointed 2. As to persons who shall be Gods instruments in bringing about the mercy desired And here let me only observe two things to you 1. No great expectations can be builded upon profane persons I do not say no great things for the good of Gods people may be done by them I know Cyrus was Gods servant to proclaim liberty to the Jews and oft-times God hath made the wrath of men to praise him Pharaoh shall keep the seed of Jacob alive and provide for them in a time of famine But I say expectations cannot be raised on these foundations If the Assyrian doth Gods work howbeit he meaneth not so saith God As the wife Faulkener maketh use of the ravenous quality of the Hawk to serve his turn and make it get that for him which the Bird gat for it self so the wise God will make use of an Assyrian an Egyptian a Cyrus an utter enemy to his people and make his selfish politick designs to serve his everlasting purpose but here is no ground for Gods people to build expectations 2. Nay secondly Be the persons never so holy that appear to us probable to do us good no certain expectation can be raised upon them Who would have thought that Moses and Aaron should not have been Gods instruments to have carried his people over Jordan and set their feet in Canaan yet they did not they sinned at the waters of Meribah and so died on mount Nebo holy men may fail and provoke God to cut them off So that to build expectations upon any particular persons is to lay a foundation for our disappointments 4. The fourth and last errour may be as to particular means It is true God doth most of his works by means but he wonderfully varies in the nature and kind of means he useth sometimes he doth it by what we call fair means sometimes by force and what we call foul means The people of Israel shall be delivered our of Egypt by the ruine oâ— Egypt yet not by sword and battel but by plagues and the Red-sea They shall be by the sword delivered from the Canaanites they shall by a Proclamation of Cyrus without any plague or sword be delivered from Babylon Mean which appear to us probable possibly shall not do the work what appear to us improbable and likely to work quite contrary that shall do it Oh the depth of the ways and judgments of God! how unsearchable are his judgments how are his ways past finding out Thus I have as shortly as I could opened the Proposition to you I shall now come to the application of it 1. Is not this Scripture this day fulfilled in your ears May not we in our addresses to God say O Lord hast thou utterly rejected England hath thy soul â—athed thy Church there Why are we â—itten and there is no healing We looked for peace and there is no good for healing and behold trouble That God dealeth with us as a people rejected and hathed is apparent Our Fathers are â—one our Prophets where are they We see not our signs nor is any Prophet to tell us how long We have â—en the Sanctuary of the Lord polited his Ordinances defiled we have â—eard our Sabbaths mocked at The Lord hath covered the Daughter of â—â—r Zion with a cloud in his anger â—nd not remembred his foot-stool in the day of his wrath As to our Civiâ— concerns How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people how is she become aâ— a widow She that was great amongst thâ— Nations and Princess amongst the Provinces May not we say Why are wâ— smitten and there is no healing Are noâ— we smitten in our spiritual things yeaâ— and with a dreadful smiting too Have we that preaching those Sacraments that communion of Saints which wâ— formerly had Have we those convictions and conversions of souls unto God those mournings under the Word of God such affected hearts as formerly I am sure I speak to those whâ— know we have not We see not thâ— Word of God go forth with that power and life to rouze up secure souls to convince and to change the hearts oâ— sinners to strengthen confirm anâ— comfort the wearied souls of Gods people as formerly We are full of deaâ—â— sapless dry unprofitable discourses 〈◊〉 Pulpits but where 's the power of thâ— Lord in his Ordinances where are thâ— weeping eyes where are the trembling souls we have formerly known where are the cries of them we have formerly heard Men and brethren what shall we do to be saved This is a smiting brethren and a dreadful smiting too it is true it is not in the most sensible part to the generality of people the Gadarenes you know came and besought our Lord to go out of their Country they have not now so many Sermons to disquiet them in their beds of lust and make their heads to ake but to them that fear God and truly understand and judge of the interest of a Nation it is I say a dreadful smiting and that in the tenderest part and possibly the cause of other smitings too But are not we smitten in our persons 〈◊〉 men will not believe they have souls â—et they know they have bodies Hath â—ot God smitten us with a dreadful Plague not parallel'd either in our days 〈◊〉 the days of our fore-fathers Hath â—â—t God smitten us both in our persons â—â—d estates with a consuming War and â—â—ce that with a dreadful Fire hardly â—o be parallel'd in any modern story And is there yet any healing for us again May we not say We looked for peace and no good for bealing and behold trouble Did not we in the year 1660 look for good for peace upon that miraculous revolution but did any good come instead of it all these dreadful judgments of God have succeeded Did not we again the last year upon the peace with our neighbours look for good did not we look for
the stones which they give them instead of bread the Scorpions they feed them with instead of fish speak it plain enough But this is not enough to a godly Minister My little children saith the Apostle with whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you Paul laboured to present his people a pure and châ— Virgin to Christ and saith that he come wish himself accursed and separated frâ—â— Christ for his Brethrens sake The godly Minister is touched with a zeal â— the glory of God with a true â—â— for the people of God committed to lâ— charge and desires they might be approved though himself should be aâ—probate he blusheth and is ashand for the hardness of heart the Stâ— borness Rebellion and Apostacy of his people How saith he shall I loâ— God in the face another day as to the soul He hath an ambition in the grâ— day to speak after his Lord and Mester Of all those whom thou hast give me I have lost none Now brethâ— If you love them that love you saith our Saviour what reward have you How inexcusable will you be if you love not them who love you But if you have any love for the Ministers Christ who have spent themselves the service of your souls If any kindness for us if you would be our â— and crown and glory not our trouble and grief and shame in the great dâ— when our Lord shall appear Abide in him Now abide in him that you may have a Crown for your own heads and help a Crown on to our heads that when Christ shall appear you may have confidence and not be ashamed to look the Captain of our salvation in the face as all renegadoes will and that we may have confidence and come forth cheerfully when the Lord shall â—all us out in the day of judgment and be able to say Lord here are we and those whom thou hast given us Thine they were trusted to us and they have kept thy word I will adde but one word more to his branch of Exhortation 4. Whether should you go This Peter considered when our Saviour said to him Will ye also go away Lord saith he whether should we go thou hast the words of everlasting life God complained of his people Jer. 2. that they committed â—oo horrible evils forsaking the fountain â—living waters and digging up to themslves cisterns broken cisterns that would hold no water This must be the case of every Christian not abiding in Christ But to speak more distinctly 1. What faith will you embrace There 's nothing so dissonant to the rational nature of man than to believe a lie Whatsoever pretends to a divine truth and is not bottomed on Scripture is no other 2. Where will you fix your hope and considence Christ is the hope and the alone hope of his people whoso pureth hope or considence in any thine else trusteth to a bruised reed and a broken staff 3. To what course of life will you turn Will you again go back to the onion and garlick of Aegypt Will you lick â— your former vomit and verifie the proverb The swine returns to the walloning in the mire again Let me speak you as the Apostle to the Romans Who fruit had ye of those things of which you have been ashamed Have you mourned for your former courses in vain with you repent of your repentance with you because your Lord delayeth hâ— coming eat with the gluttons and drue with the drunkards and fall to smitiâ— your fellow-servants Take that of oâ— Saviour concerning such servants Matth. 24.49 50. Matth. 24.49 50 51. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not try are of and verse 51. shall cut him â—sunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Once more Whether will you go to what society will you addere Take the company of professors with all their faults they are the best society in the world I mean not the best with reference to a Christians spiritual nature and temper but the best is men None more than they none so much as they live up to the principles of humane nature and reason The drunkard the unclean person the covetous worldling the profane curser and swearer and blasphemer of the holy name of God the unjust man that defrauds and cheateth his neighbour the fawning flatterer the godless atheist are so far from living like Christians that they live not like men Leave the flocks of Christs companions of the stricter sort of professors and find an assembly if you can not full of these spots there may be a severe Cato a just Aristides a composed Seneca amongst them but Oh! how rare are they Would you be glad Sirs to stand amongst these at the day of judgment would you be willing to have your portion with them If you would not let not your soul enter here into their secrets to their assemblies let us your honour be united But enough is spoken to this first Branch of Exhortation to them who through mercy yet is their first works I shall finish this discourse with one branch of Exhortation more 2. Exhor To those that have not abode in Christ pleading with them that they would return Here let me first shew you the persons to whom I speak Then I shall plead my Masters cause with them with a few arguments In the opening the point shewed you that men and women may have a three-fold state in Christ 1. The first Sacramental having been listed in the Lords Army given up their names unto him the Apostle saith we are baptized into Christ 2. The second Professional as members of the Church which is his body having walked with some Church of Christ in the Ordinances of the Gospel and made an outward shew of living within the Gospel compass 3. The third real and more inward and spiritual as having been by the grace of God the distinguishing grace of God taken out of the wild Olive of a natural estate and condition and ingrafted into Christ who is the true Olive and made true partakers of his grace From the first and second state there may be a toral and final apostasie from the last a sad and gradual apostasie but neither total nor final First then so many as have been baptized into Christ and since their baptism have lived in the service of the world of sinful lusts and pleasures instead of the service of God I say so many have not abode in Christ Oh! that they would remember the Covenant of their youth that by the smart punishments which they see earthly Princes inflicting on them that take their Oaths of Allegiance and then turn Traitors that take their press-mony and then refuse to fight for them nay instead of it openly fight against them they would collect what dreadful vengeance they must expect who in Baptism have
singing of Psalms It is proper for the Sabbath but never out of season we leave that and occasional instruction of families out of the Scripture to private Christians as God shall give them opportunities and an heart thereunto Only commending them as duties fit to be sometimes done and not wholly omitted by any 2. Having thus far offered you our thoughts for the Family-Worship of every day We come in the next place to commend to you the special sanctification of the Lords day where we shall not speak to the more publick solemn sanctification of it but keep our selves within the bounds of the private house We know our Brethren understand that by the fourth Commandment God hath reserved a seventh part of our Time to himself That what should be the seventh part under the old dispensation of the Covenant to the Jews was determined by God to be the seventh day from the Creation That our seventh part is determined by the practice of the Apostles who were wont to meet and sanctie the first day of the Week counting the seventh from our redemption when the world was as it was created anew That we are tied to the sanctification of this day by the fourth Commandment none can doubt but he must question whether there be ten Commandments or no or whether the fourth be a Moral Law Nor can any sound reason be given why the fourth Commandment should not concern Christians as much as any of the other nine Hence it is plain that it must be kept as a day of holy rest from labour and recreations at other times lawful and to spiritual services publick and private These being the confessed general duties of Christians as to the sanctification of the Sabbath we shall only offer some Propositions for particular practice in reference to these general ends 1. That all heads of families take care that no kind of civil labour necessary to be done which can be done before be left to be done in any part of the Sabbath For no work can be justified on the Sabbath as a work of Necessity which though necessary to be done might yet have been done before that day cometh 2. That all Christians would endeavour but those especially whose callings in the world do not so much hinder them the Evening before the Sabbath to direct their family-duty as much as they can both as to Instruction and Prayer to prepare the several persons of their family for the Sabbath 3. That all heads of families would take care that on the Morning of the Sabbath they their children and servants rise up from their beds either as soon as on other dayes or at least so soon that the necessary business of the family may be dispatched and family duties performed before they go to the publick service 4. That those of their families who are not employed in any necessary work of the family whiles all the rest be ready employ their time being once ready in reading the Scriptures or other good Books 5. That the heads of families so order the rising of their families that morning that they may have full time to do their houshold necessary business and also to attend family duties In which we conceive it is the duty of Christians that day to spend some more time than on other dayes because it is a day wholly dedicated to the Lord. 6. We commend to our brethren as part of their family duty that morning to instruct their families in the Nature of Worship the several acts of it The true manner both of the outward and inward performance The morality of the Sabbath the true way of sanctifying of it To which purpose we recommend to them Mr. Sheppards Treatise of the Sabbath clearing the morality and Mr. Bernards threefold Treatise of the Sabbath 6. After the publick service in the morning and dinner which we think that day should be moderate we recommend to our brethren if they have time the calling of their family together repeating the Sermon heard to them or examining them about it and prayer and the like we again recommend to them after Evening Sermon and before Supper 7. We commend singing of Psalms to our Brethren as a special duty of the Sabbath we find that David composed Psalm 92. on purpose for the Sabbath We desire that our Brethren would not omit it at least to do it once every Lords Day 8. Finally We beseech our Brethren that they take especial care of all within their gates on the Lords Day that they profane not the Sabbath by unnecessary work sleep or recreations It is a day of rest but of holy rest A day of rest and therefore profaned by labour that is worldly and unnecessary An holy rest and therefore profaned by excessive sleeping which is natural rest idleness or recreations which are but a Civil rest 3. Having thus far offered to our Brethren our thoughts in reference to their families we conclude with a word or two in reference to their personal conversation 1. We suppose our Brethren conscientious in matters of Justice to remember to do in their callings to all as they would be done to to take heed of all gross and scandalous evils and shall only mind them of some things which God requireth of them wherein they are to do more than others as having received more from God and being under a more special Covenant and Obligations as also of some duties specially to be practiced with reference to these times wherein if ever Christians are by the Providence of God called out to a more winning conversation and to a more prudent conversation fulfilling that of our Saviour Be you wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves 1. In reference to the first We seriously commend to our brethren 1. Private prayer in their closets according to our Saviours precept Mat. 6.6 at least to be performed once every day 2. Private reading the Scriptures the example of the Eunuch Acts 8. shews how much God hath owned it and is pleased with it 3. Private self-examination 2 Cor. 13.5 Psal 4.4 4. Private Meditation commended Gen. 24.63 Josh 1.8 Psal 1.2 Psal 63.6 Psal 119.15 23 48 78 148. Psal 104.34 Psal 119.97 If Christians would be particularly instructed in this duty we commend them to Mr. Joseph Symmonds Three excellent Treatises Printed at London 1653. one of which is upon this subject 2. As to the prudent conversation of Christians and something of their farther duty in these times we recommend to our Brethren 1. As much as in them lyes to avoid all meetings of people at feasts or otherwise Where they foresee they may probably be engaged in discourses which will either tempt them to any thing that is sinful or to discover their opposition to such courses of others in a place where probably their speaking will but make them odious 2. As it is their duty at all times to do good to all though more especially to those of the houshold of faith
and if they â—ave any thing to do with Christians â—t is secretly coming by night as Nicoâ—emus to Christ But saith this Text â—f any be ashamed of me and my â—ords of him Shall the Son of man be â—shamed when he cometh in the glory of â—is Father The contrary is implied also if there be any that an evil time cannot make ashamed of Christ and the wayes of Christ but he will dare to own them in the face of the world when most peevish and angry that is the man whom the Lord when he comes to judge the world will not be ashamed to own Oh! what an honour will this be to a poor worm when all the world shall be gathered together before the Judgement Seat of the great God and a poor creature shall stand amongst them of whom it may be while he lived his friends were ashamed great persons durst not own him if they met him they were ashamed to speak to him because he was lookt upon as a Puritane and the Eternal Son of God at that day shall not be ashamed to own him as hiâ— Child his Servant Nay honour is noâ— all in the business Our eternal happiness dependeth upon our Lords owning us or being ashamed of us at thaâ— day Christ will be ashamed of nonâ— at that day to whom he will not sayâ— Depart from me ye cursed into everlastinâ— burnings For Christ at that day not tâ—â— â—e ashamed of us is the same thing as â—o give us the Kingdom which he hath prepared for them that love him But â—et a little further in demonstration of â—his see that Text Luke 22.28 29. Luke 22.28 29. You are they which have continued with â—e in my temptations And I appoint â—nto you a Kingdom as my Father hath â—ppointed unto me Christs temptations there mentioned were his trials and â—buses from men which he met with â—uring his labour in the accomplishment of our Redemption Christ hath his temptations still not â—ersonally but mystically not in the body â—f his flesh but in his body which is the â—hurch His precious members have yet â—he trial of cruel scoffs and mockings oâ— â—aols and imprisonments The Gospel is â—bjected to the same persecutions to â—hich the Lord of the Gospel subjected â—imself Now some there are that abide â—ith Christ in his temptations whilst â—thers turn their back professing they â—nnot burn What shall these men â—ave I appoint saith our Saviour 〈◊〉 you a Kingdom A Kingdom what 〈◊〉 reward is this What will not vain men venture what will not they suffer that they may but usurp a Kingdom 〈◊〉 When they have it what have they more than a gilded Crown of reaâ— thorns upon their heads But what iâ— this Kingdom not earthly but heavenly not a Kingdom for care trouble sollicitude and domination but for pleasure joy and happiness unspeakable 〈◊〉 Kingdom without a care a Kingdom without an enemy a State having aâ— the sweetness happiness and contenâ— but nothing of the trouble and burtheâ— of an earthly Principality Nay he addâ— As my Father hath appointed me Thâ— particle as may either refer to thâ— Kingdom before spoken of then it 〈◊〉 nota similitudinis non equalitatis not 〈◊〉 note of equality but of similitude Goâ— abiding servants shall not have an equâ—â— degree of glory but the same specificâ— glory with Christ Or else the partiâ—â— may denote the title and assurance 〈◊〉 certainly as the Father hath appointed me a Kingdom and I shall have it certainly shall you have your Kingdoâ—â— On the other side not to abide wâ—â— Christ and in Christ in an evil time 〈◊〉 a matter of great dishonour and highest disadvantage to us It will be of great dishonour to us both in this life and at the great day of the Lord. In this life first and that with all sorts of men Constancy to principles and profession â—s a virtue which commends it self to the worst of men for the contrary argues either a want of judgment in our first emâ—racing principles and undertaking â—rofession or a levity of mind and want â—f conscience both which are high disâ—aragements to our reputation and â—onour For a man to engage in Religiâ—n not understanding or not having â—uly weighed the principles of it in the â—allance of the Sanctuary is no better â—han to erect an Athenian Altar To the â—nknown God if he hath weighed them â—nd approved them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—e most excellent things to desert â—hem argues such a want of conscience â—s fitteth none but those who make a â—heap reckoning of eternity and will â—ell their souls and highest concernments for a morsel of bread Hence it 〈◊〉 that an Apostate never is in credit â—ith the men of the world or that faction in it to which he hath made defection who cannot but look upoâ— him as wanting either judgement oâ— conscience Did he first engage in 〈◊〉 course and practice of Religion with out any enquiry into the principles 〈◊〉 it or examining the truth of theâ—â— What could be a greater levity or vanity Did he understand the principleâ— and compare them with other pretended spiritual things and judge these 〈◊〉 which he hath walked the most rational the most agreeable to the will 〈◊〉 God Why hath he now rejectâ— them why is he departed from themâ— Is the will of God altered Is the Yea and Nay with him Is the 〈◊〉 the same the will of God the same anâ— his judgment altered and practiâ—â— turned What lightness is this Hoâ— unworthy of a man much more of Christian God therefore calls after hâ— antient people the Jews turned Reâ—â—gadoes from him Jer. 2.10 11. Jer. 2.10 11. Pâ— over to the Isles of Chittim and send uâ—â— Kedar and consider diligently and set there be such a thing Hath a Natiâ—â— changed their gods which yet are 〈◊〉 gods but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Object Some will say to me Is then every change of a Christians mind in the pâ—actice of Religion infamous or unlawful Sol. I answer No. There is a Religion which men have ex traduce a religious course which they have taken up meerly from the example or instinct of their parents without any exercise of their own judgment and I am afraid this is the Religion of the most in the world They can give no other account why they worship God this or that way but because this was the way their fore-fathers worshipped God and they hope they are gone to heaven and should they be wiser than their fathers This was the Religion of the Woman of Samaria before she was converted Joh. 4.20 Our father 's worshipped in this mountain and you teach that in Jerusalem we ought to worship This is that which the Heathens generally said for their superstitious worships and which they urged to Christians from time to time There is no true reproach ariseth to any from changing his practice in Religion taken up upon
this score the reason is because every oâ—â— ought to live by his own faith And Goâ— expecteth that when we are arrived to years of discretion that we can use 〈◊〉 own reason we should Prove all things and hold fast that which is good Yet theâ— world accounts this a reproach to 〈◊〉 man 2. There is another blind Religion which men may be engaged in from Tradition and the course of the Church wherein they have lived The only account they can give why they thus or thus worship God is because this hath been the course of their Country the custom of that Church in which they have been educated God expecteth of us that we should especially in the great matters of our souls not take up any thing upon trust But it being certain that God hath left an infallible rule in his Word and given unto man a reason and judgment he expecteth men should exercise it and live as I said before by their own faith For a blind Papist therefore that hath been muffled in his Religion and taught to believe and do as that which a pack of men calling themselves the Church hath taught him having his own understanding awakened and his reason manumised to use it and judging that hitherto he hath worshipped God ignorantly and contrary to what the rule directeth to turn his feet into the way of Gods testimonies is no real reproach Thirdly Suppose a Christian hath undertaken a way and practice of Religion upon enquiry into the will of God conscientiously believing and walking according to his own judgment upon the will of God revealed in Scriptures The judgment of man growing by degrees to perfection and not being infallible it is not impossible but in some things he may alter his judgment and practice upon the further illumination of his mind and information of his judgment and it may be no just cause of reproach to him But then his alteration must be apparently for the better that is for such 〈◊〉 course as is apparently more conformable to the Scripture and the holy will of God revealed in them and consequently is more pureâ— strict and holy And if it be so amongst the men of the world whâ— will not understand this it will be reproach to him But where a maâ— changeth for what is apparently a loosâ— way of serving God and which brinâ— God less glory and gives a greaâ— liberty to the flesh this is a reproacâ— not to be wiped off But the good 〈◊〉 bad word of the world is not highâ— considerable indeed only to thâ—â— who make a defection to it To hâ—â—â— a praise in the Churches of Christ is whâ— is most truly valuable How little 〈◊〉 this can those expect who have â—â—proached the Gospel and the holy aâ—â— right ways of God Such men become the shame and grief of all thoâ— who were formerly their companioâ— in the things of God But alass what is the dishonour 〈◊〉 this life to the shame they will meâ— with at the great and terrible daâ— when as I shewed you before the Soâ—â— of God coming to judge the quick 〈◊〉 the dead with his glorious Angels shâ—â— be ashamed of them Oh the dishonour of that day How shall all Apostates with those mentioned Rev. 6. at that day cry to the mountains to fall upon them and to the rocks to cover them that they may not see the face of that Christ whom they deserted in the hour of temptation whose ways and ordinances they forsook because of the reproach and threats of men But this is not all That day will not only be a day of shame but also of wrath yea of great wrath And certainly there 's none will have a greater share in the dreadful wrath of that day than those who have forsaken the right ways of the Lord. Degrees of wrath will be dispenced according to degrees of sinning Now there are none who have to an higher degree dishonoured God and made his name to be ill spoken of than such as have apostatized from the ways of God But this I have before hinted I shall therefore adde no more to the confirmation of this point I now come to the application of it and that I shall bring under one general Head of Exhortation which I shall divide into two more general branches 1. Theâ— first respecting Such as yet keep their station in the ways of God to confirm them and engage them not to stir their ground 2. The second respecting such as have made a defection if possible to engage them to return In the first place give me leave to speak to you Exhort 1. Br. my Brethren who yeâ— are in the ways of God what you were to you let me repeat my Text Anâ— now little children abide in him It is reported concerning the blessed Apostle who was the Author of this Epistle that abiding at Ephesus when he was very old so as he could not go to the place where his Disciples met to worship God but as he was carried noâ— was able to speak much he was wont at their several meetings one after another to say nothing but this Hieron in 6 cap. ep ad Gal. Little children love one another His Disciples at last tell him of it and wondred that they never heard more from him than one sentence and that so often repeated He answers them It is the precept of the Lord and if that alone be done it susficeth If my beloved friends it were my case and I could speak but seven words unto you in this evil time these should be the words And now little children abide in Christ If you should ask me why I so often inculcated those words I would make you the same answer It is the precept of our Lord and if this be done it is enough I would not say unto yoâ— Abide in me or in my words nor Abide in the words which the faithful servants of Christ have formerly taught you This may be your duty but not because they taught it you they were fallible men Search the Scriptures Abide in Christ God forbid any Minister of Christ should require more of you I would not say to you Abide in any principle you have learned nor in my practice you have walked in This may be your duty but not unless those principles and practices have been what our great Lord and Master hath required of you Abide in Christ Hoc solum sufficit this alone is enough But that you may understand the full scope of the Exhortation I shall open it in three things and so divide this Exhortation into three branches 1. 1. Br. Abide in the faith of Christ I mean the fixed perswasion of the truth of Gospel propositions Truths which Christ in his Gospel hath revealed to you 2. 2. Br. Abide in your faith in Christ where I shall not take faith strictly for adherence but as comprehending that and hope and patience 3. 3. Br. Abide in your obedience
to Christ walking in your uprightness in an exact obedience to his blessed will both in matters of Worship and Homage towards God and in matters of Holiness Justice equity and Mercy towards men 1. 1. Br. Abide in the faith of Christ that is in a firm and fixed perswasion of the truth of those propositions of truth which Christ hath in his Gospel revealed This is the least of a Christian and that which distinguisheth him from a Jew whâ—â— believeth the Old Testament but not thâ— New and from a Pagan who believeth neither A man may go to heâ— who hath it for the devils also believe and tremble they could say Thou anâ— Christ the Son of the living God but nâ— man can go to heaven without it It is â—he foundation of justifying faith it hath an influence upon all our practice How shall men call on him on whom they â—ave not believed Therefore the Apostle â—eaking of some Apostates joyns both â—hese phrases together Having made â—ipwrack of faith and of a good conscience Without reliance on Christ none can â—e saved who will trust and rely and â—dhere to a Saviour who doth not â—now him or is not perswaded of him â—â— his circumstances of sufficiency Think not therefore light of this The propositions of the Gospel are various the Scriptures are as full of them â—s the Heavens are of Stars but as one â—ar differeth from another in glory â—â— it is with these Propositions All are â—ot of equal weight glory and influence Divines have usually distinguished â—hem into Fundamentals and such as â—e no Fundamentals But what are Funâ—amentals is not yet agreed nor I think â—er will I shall not undertake to deâ—â—de the controversie But in short I think Propositions of truth may be illed Fundamental 1. With reference to others So those truths are Fundamental which are the bases and foundations of all others from whence theâ— flow by way of just consequence oâ— inference 2. With reference to our salvation and so those are fundamental upon which our salvation depends And 〈◊〉 these 1. There are some that must be explicitly known and assented to or we can not be saved I think truly the number of these is not great though I durst nâ—â— undertake to define them 2. Others there are of which 〈◊〉 cannot say that an explicit disting knowledge of them is necessary to salvation but some knowledge of theâ— and assent to them is necessary especially to persons living under the light of the Gospel I shall not pretend â—â—give you a strict account of all that fâ—â— under either notion but some I shall more especially commend to you 1. That the holy Scriptures are 〈◊〉 Word of God and the only rule of faiâ—â— and life This is the principle of 〈◊〉 Christian Religion and the proof of from Scripture is not to be expected Take heed you fail not in this yea and take heed upon what argument you receive the Scripture as such The Socinian will tell you there are arguments enough from reason but the greater is not blessed by the less The Papists will tell you the Tradition of the Church is enough If you take the Scriptures upon either of these evidences as sufficient the devil hath a fair advantage to tell you That both these are but humane testimonies and humane testimony can beget but an humane faith and if an humane faith be sufficient for the Scriptures in general It is sufficient for every proposition of faith revealed in them Our Saviour â—lessed Peter for believing what flesh and â—loud revealed not to him The old Doctrine of Protestants was That nothing â—ut the impression of the holy Spirit workâ—â—g by and with reason and the self-â—vidence of those holy books can be enough â—old there or you lose all Do the â—apists bid you Prove the Spirit you preâ—nd to perswade to Bid them prove their Church whose traditions they obtrude upon you and you are even with them They must certainly prove it by the Scriptures or not all and iâ— so I hope the Scriptures may as weâ—â— be allowed to shine in their own light as in the light of the Church which hath no light but what it must borrow from the Scriptures 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ thâ— Eternal Son of God prophesied and prefigured of old in the fulness of time assume our nature and as God-Man died â—â— our sins and rose again for our justification being our only Saviour Mediator and Intercessor and he whom God hath appointed to judge the world The Socinian or Vnitarians as they call themselves deny the eternal existence of the Son God and so call you to believe in a insufficient Saviour they deny his Mâ—rits or the Satisfaction of them The Papists tell you of other Mediators and Intercessors hence their invocation 〈◊〉 Saints they teach you to trust in youâ— own merits take heed of these the shake the foundations The Apost calls Christ God over all blessed for evâ—â— It tells you Rom. 9 5.4.25 Rom. 4.25 He was â—â— livered for our offences 1 Tim. 2.5 and rose again for our justification It tells you that there is but one Mediator between God and man even Christ That he liveth to make intercession for us Heb. 9. Acts 4.12 That there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved neither is there salvation in any other Let this be a second 3. That there is none righteous no not one No Infant Rom. 3.10.5.15 17 18 19. The Scripture tells you Ephes 2.3 We are all by nature children of wrath Psal 51.4 That our mother hath conceived us in sin That by one mans disobedience many were made sinners No grown person either legally righteous 1 King 8.46 For there is none who liveth and sinneth not Jam. 3.2 Ja. 2.10 Eccles 7.20 There is not a just man that liveth and sinneth not Nor yet Evangelically righteous from any righteousness of his own But of this more by and by 4. That the righteous Lord loveth righteousness And without righteousness no man can stand before God but will certainly be accursed to all eternity The Psalmist tells you The righteous Lord lovth righteousness The Law is Gal. 3.10 Cursed be he that continueth not in every little of the Law to do it The Gospel dispenseth not with that curse it only allows of our Sureties fulfilling the Law for us and our fulfilling of it in him according to that of the Apostle In him you aâ—â— complete 5. That there is no righteousness when in any poor creature in the great day 〈◊〉 the Lord can stand before a righteous God but the alone righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ that is his active and passâ—â— obedienee imputed and made over unto â—â— Nor is there any deliverance from wrath but by this righteousness of Christ imputed This point is the very hinge of the Gospel Luther called it The Article of banding or falling Church it is the Article of a
in his gâ—â—tal calling in his particular relation cording to the general and particular Rules of the Holy Word of God â—â— turning aside from them 12. That as we shall all dye there shall be a resurrection from the diâ—â— and a day of Judgement When Christ shall judge the quick and the dead iâ— cording to his Gospel When the feâ—ful the unbelieving Rev. 11.8 the abominable mâ—â— dere's whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and all lyars all those that trouble the â—rvants of God that know not God that they not his Gospel all thieves 2 Thes 1.7 8. covetous persons drunkards revilers 1 Cor. 6.9 10. extortioners c. shall be adjudged to the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone to have their portion in fire and brimstone in everlasting burnings with the Devil and his Angels On the contrary Those who by believing and obeying the truth and by patient continuance in well doing Rom. 2. Evidence That they are such whom God from Eternity hath chosen to life on the behalf of whom Christ made an Eternal Covenant with his Father for whom he died To whom he hath given his Spirit in a way of a special and distinguishing grace shall have a joyful resurrection and hear that blessed sentence pronounced to them Matth. 25. Come you blessed of the Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you These are some of those Gospel Propofitions which you have been taught Abide in them Search the Scriptures see if they agree not with them if they do take heed how you change your persuasions as to them for any new systeme of Doctrines leadiâ— you to salvation This faith will leâ—â— you unto holiness and strictness of life will not give you that liberty to thâ— flesh which other doth It will maâ—â— you live in the daily view of the truth Straight is the way and nanrâ— is the gate that leadeth to eternal liâ—â— and few there be that find it Which will remain true when all the worâ—â— shall be found liars I pass to the â—â—â—ond branch of the Exhortation Abide in your faith in Christ 2. Br. I shall not her take faith in so strict and abstract a notion as it is sometimes take in Scripture but as it comprehendeth 1. Adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ and him alone for salvation 2. Hoping in him 3. Patien waiting for him The two latter are the daughters of faith strictly taken but they have so much of their Mother that in Scripture they are often taken for it and called by here name 1. Abide in your stedfast adherence to and reliance upon the Lord Josus Christ and him alone for salvation There are some that despise salvation some that neglect it some that vainly seek it some have no hope some have no true foundation for their hope Some never think of another life so neither hope for it nor despair of it but live like Beasts in the world crying Let his eat and drink for to morrow we shall â—lye and so call out their souls to no â—ct of faith or adherence to any â—hing at all in order to it I hope I peak to such as believe they have souls and that their souls are not given them meerly pro sale to keep their â—odies from putrefaction but that they are immortal beings capable of and ordained to an Eternal existence which must be either in eternal life â—r in eternal misery and who live in the waking conviction of this and so are concerned to think what they should trust to for eternal salvation Some are thus far awakened but like Browning men lay hold on every twig and bulrush never considering whether â—t will bear their weight or no. One man thinks if he be baptized he shall be saved Another if he keeps his Church and payes every man his own he shall be saved Another if he give his goods to the poor builds Churchâ— Hospitals This is all to say we have our life in our hands You have been otherwise taught viz. To do all that you can in obedience to the commandments God and when you have done all to sâ—â— you are unprofitable servants to say the is not my Righteousness Isa 64.6 to say after the Church We are as an unclean thing and all our righteousness as a filthy ragâ— to cry out None but Christ None bâ—â— Christ Hold there Christians live in daily view of eternity in a daily exercise of faith adherence to and relianâ—â— upon the Lord Jesus Christ as he hâ— whom alone you can be brought to blessed Eternity Let the Papist if hâ— will trust to his own merits Trust you to the merits of Christ alone Their Learned Cardinal when he came to dye could cry out It is the safest do so Video melior a proboque Deteriora sequor Let them if they will trust to the superlative merits of other Saints it may be they were no Saints if they were they must be better supplied â—an the Wise Virgins if they have oil mough for themselves and you too if they had there is no way of conveyance to you ordained by God but very man hath use enough of his own righteousness and at the great say it will be found that those have â—een mistaken who have dreamed that â—ny but Christ have had any to spare or â—ny that could be imputed to another â—â— trust in Jesus Christ and in him â—one 2. Abide in your lively hope In â—our hope of a glorious resurrection In â—ur hope of a day when God shall judge be world by our Lord Jesus Christ In our hope of eternal life This very age will tell you that if such as fear God and strictly walk in his wayes Following the severer paths of Worship and â—oliness had hope in this life only they were indeed of all men most miserable These are the worlds reproach these almost are the only transgressors accounted Drinking Swearing Blaspheming Cursing Uncleanness these are but venial tolerable sins Close walking with God fearing to offend him â— matters of Worship praying meeting together to fast and pray these are the Capital Offences for which Prisons oâ— are prepared But Christians theâ— will be a Resurrection of the body theâ— will be a day of Judgement There will a revelation of eternal life The body of Gods people may be abused waste in Prisons and consumed there but they shall live again Men now judge the world it stands them in hand consider whether they make righteoâ— Laws and decree righteous judgement â—â— on them For there is another day Judgement appointed when all Law and Acts of Judgement upon them wiâ— be examined again by the Divine Law and by the Standard of Heaven tryed The issue will be then tryed whether Drunkards Swearers Cursers Vnclean Persons such as wallow in all manner â— filthiness or such as live according to the strict rule of Gods Word and defire no more than that they may quietly live so according to the just dictates
iniquity Judas in all probability was baptized yet a Son of perdition Will it relieve thee to think thou hast believed the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Christ to be the Son of God so do the Devils believe and tremble Will it relieve thee to think that thou hast been obedient to the orders of the Church Dost thou not see that those are most universal in that Obedience which is so called whose lives proclaim the greatest opposition to the plain letter of Scripture in almost all the moral precepts of it Shall they also have peace 2. For thy new Practices Heretofore thou wer 't wont to pray in thy family and to instruct them in the things of God to spend thy time in reading the holy Scripture to spend dayes in fasting prayer communion with the Saints of God Believing thy obligation from a moral Precept to keep the Lords Day holy thou wer't wont in it to exercise thy self in reading the word hearing of it in prayer instructing thy children Now thou hast forgotten thy family duties thy chamber practice in Religion thy religious care of thy children and servants and all thy Devotion is turned into a little Formality of which thou makest no great conscience neither Thy Sabbaths are spent in vain and idle discourses and in a vain conversation and if any acts of devotion still continue possibly they are such as to which God will say to thee Who hath required these things at your hands Where did I ever speak a word to you or your Fathers of such homage to be performed to me nor did it ever come into my heart The time on other dayes which thou wer't wont to spend in fasting is now spent in feasting what was wont to be spared for hearing Sermons is now spent in hearing Playes Hark my friend shalt thou not one day thinkest thou be sick unto death as Hezekiah was Isa 38.1 will the Providence of God thinkest thou never speak to thee saying Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Wilt thou upon these practices be able to say as Hezekiah ver 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how lâ—â— have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Doth thy conscience tell thee these things are good in the sight of the Lord. Such an absurd verdict may possibly be given in by the conscience of one muffled up in ignorance but thou hast known thou hast proved better things thy conscience must tell thee the courses which I formerly took were better than these Thou after thou hast escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 through the â—nowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ art again entangled therein and overcome Thy latter end is worse than thy beginning It had been better for you never to have known the way of righteousness then having known it to turn from â—he holy commandment delivered unto you 3. For thy new Company Thou heretofore wer 't a companion to those that â—eared the Lord. The Excellent on the Earth were those in whom thou didst delight or at least pretend to do so Ministers of the Gospel who had beside their habit something else to approve them such powerful constant Preachers of the word that knew hâ—â— to speak a word in season to the weary how to satisfie a doubt resolve case of conscience give to every oâ— their portion c. People who math a conscience of their wayes aâ— though they had possibly their error and failings yet they were not such 〈◊〉 the very light of nature and reason shewed abominable such as cursing aâ— swearing blaspheming the God whoâ— they served reviling persons an things that had ought of his Imâ—â— and Superscription upon them Thâ— art now become a companion of soeâ— such I mean as the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 leud profane persons Sons of Bâ—â— that live without any yoke either Scripture or Moral Principles thâ— catest with the Glutton and sittest with the Drunkard and thy Chair is set 〈◊〉 them who sit in the seat of the scornsâ— and whiles they are smiting thy onâ— fellow servants if thy hand be not wâ— them yet thy heart is if thy â— throwest no stones at the Lord 's Sâ—phen's yet thou holdest the cloaths them that do it Will thy day of vâ—tation thinkest thou never come Send in that day for those that have sat at the Tavern with thee and see â—f they be able to speak a word to thy â—oul weary of life Remember Saul who had rejected Samuel enough when he was in distress he goes to a Witch and who must she raise up but Samuel What satisfaction wilt thou have â—n an evil day in a dying day from â—hose whom living thou hast preferred to be thy companions before such as have feared the Lord. I shall shut up this Head with minding you that by this Argument God by his Prophet Jeremiah endeavoured to reduce backsliding Israel Jeremiah 2.28 Jer. 2.28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can save thee in the day of trouble I will only add one thing for thy termor It is like enough that in the day of trouble God may leave thee to fetch thy relief from these empty cisterns When Judas's conscience smote him God left him to his Masters the Scribes and Pharisees alone to comfort him how cold a cup of consolation they afforded him the Gospel tells you When the Jewes had apostatized and the Philistins and Ammonites opposeâ— them and they cryed unto the Lord they met with a rough answer ver 13. Jude 10.11 12 13 14. I will deliver you no mâ—â— Go and cry untâ— the Gods whom you haâ— chosen and let them deliver you in the day of your tribulation Take heed thâ— the Providence of God speaks not that language to your souls in the day oâ— their tribulation Go and fetch their comfort from the principles practice and company which you have chosen 7. I will add but one Argument more That shall be from the mercy 〈◊〉 God which he hath for backsliding children making timely returns unto him This is an Argument which the Prophet Jeremy largely insisted upon Chap. 3. v. 1 2 3 4 5 12 13 14 22. First He sheweth them that this is above the mercy of men If a mâ— putteth away his Wife shall he take bâ— again c. It is very observable that the Jews defection chiefly insisted upon by the Prophet was in matters of Divine Worship where the sin charged upon them was the highest in genere suo idoâ—try which is a failer in the object of Worship either more immediate or meâ—iate and therefore exprest in Scripture by the sin of whoredom which is the highest error in conjugal relations There 's no sin so separates a people or person from God as this sin Superstition which is failer in the more external manner and rites of
insatiableness Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times A formalist hath his fits of thirst but they are but at some times when the good mood comes upon him and he is quickly satisfied quickly cloied A gracious heart may have a greater thirst upon him at some times than at others but the edge is never off his spiritual appetite nor is he ever satisfied he could as to his spirit his flesh indeed is weak be always hearing lively and powerful Sermons always praying he is troubled to see the Glass so soon out and the shadows of the evening so soon stretched upon the Lords days and cries out to God Blessed are they that are always before thee He blesseth the Sparrows and Swallows that can make nests at the Lords Altars 4. In fine there is a singularity in this The thirst of gracious souls is real and spiritual the thirst of other souls is dissembled and carnal An unregenerate man whether profane and carnal or formal and moral may prefend a thirst after divine institutions but he doth but pretend What a stir did the generality of these make for Sacraments when they have them with all the circumstances they desired how little do they come at them What longing did they pretend formerly to some forms of Devotion which now they enjoy how seldom are they at how slightly do they attend And as their thirst is pretended more than real so it is carnal wherein it is real There is a carnal part in Divine institutions The Apostle tells us the Jews had carnal ordinances imposed on them Heb. 9.10 he saith they were but until the time of reformation i. e. until the Gospel times Such was their Musick their Levitical gay garments their ceremonial rites their worldly Sanctnary which had the golden censer the golden pot that had Manna c. Such institutions as pleased the outward senses but did not inwardly affect the heart nor had much influence upon that In opposition to these Job 4.24 we are commanded to worship God in spirit and truth Under the Gospel there is a carnal part also in Ordinances In Prayer in Preaching the wit and neat composure or pronunciation of the Prayer or Sermon they are but the carnal part Now take an unsanctified heart if it hath any thirst after any thing that hath the name or looketh like a Divine institution 't is after the carnal part You will see their copy Ezech. 33.32 And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument Hence they mock at a Prayer that is not dressed up in fine language and mock at Sermous that are not full of Sentences of Authors pieces of wit quibbles and such like vanities which to use the term in the Prophet are but like the souls bread mixed up with mans dung which makes the gracious soul nauseate it The hunger and thirst of a gracious soul is quite of another nature Psal 119.140 Psal 119.140 Thy word is pure saith David therefore doth thy servant love it The more plain and spiritual and scriptural the more quick and powerful a Sermon is the plainer and more spiritual the Prayer is the more a truly gracious soul thirsteth after it the more it allayeth his thirst and satisfieth his soul Other preachings and prayers which are rather starch'd Orations and exercises of wit and ostentations of parts he seeth so little of God in so unlike the copies in holy Writ so disproportioned to their end that he will have nothing to do with them as long as he can enjoy any other and feeds upon them as men do upon carrion and dung only when they can come by no better food This I have shewed you the singularity ofâ— gracious souls thirst after divine institutions That there is such a thirst suchâ— singular thirst is evident from this instance in the Text and that of David expressed Psal 63.1 2. my â—oâ— thirsteth for thee Psal 63.1 2. my flesh longeth for thâ—â— in a dry and thirsty land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory as I have seen thee in the sanctuary Psal 84.1 2. And again Psal 84.1 2. How amiable are thy tabernacles O Lord of hosts My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord and my flesh crieth out for the living God It is evident from the diligence of Gods people in attending upon such institutions it was prophesied of the Gospel times that many should say Isa 2.3 Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord 〈◊〉 the house of the God of Jaccob He will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths Though there were very many corruptions crept into the Jewish worship yet our Saviour ordinarily went to their Synagogues and aways to the Passover and as to the last he saith Luke 22.15 Luke 22.15 With deâ—â— have I desired to eat this passover with you He thirsted not after their inventions and traditions those he condemned reproved bare open and frequent testimony against but he thirsted after his Fathers institutions though his Soul stood not in that need of them that we do It is evident from the experience of every gracious heart who finds this thirst within himself But let us in the next place enquire the causer of this thirst whence it is that in every gracious soul there is such a thirst such a singular thirst after Gods institutions I shall assign a three-fold cause 1. The strictness of the Divine Precept 2. The apprehension of the suitableness in them to the vacuities and wanâ— of the soul 3. A Christians experience of his former advantage from them 1. The strictness of the precept Waiting upon Gods institutions is a great piece of a Christians obedience Of old Câ—â—enmcision Sacrificing the Passover alâ— fell under a strict precept for the moâ— part with a commination The soul thâ— did them not should be cut off from bâ— people We do not find the like threatning under the new Testament butâ— gracious heart feareth the analogy oâ— the one to the other will evince it dangerous to neglect them Whether 〈◊〉 doth or no he is one that rejoyceth iâ— the Lords commandments above riches and cries out O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119.14 He is sensible that these are pieces of his homage to God such pieces of homage as God eyeth in a special manner and wherein his soul draweth nigh to God this maketh him thirst af er them But this is not all 2. He so well understands the state of his own soul and the-nature of divine insitutions that he apprehendeth in them an â—â—esding suitableness to his souls wants This highly encreaseth his spiritual thirst Let me here open a little this saitableness of divine institutions to the flate of the best souls on this side of heaven 1. The
For a judicious Christian though he knows the efficacy of the Ordinance doth not depend upon the purity or ability of the Administrator yet he also knows that in this period of time God useth not to work miracles but to concur with probable means means that have some rational tendency to the end and suitably he observeth that God in the dispensation of his grace ordinarily co-operates with such Ministers as live their Doctrine and speak the Oracles of God as the Oracles of God with plainness gravity life and power He knows the end of preaching is not scratching a peevish humour nor tickling the ear but affecting and changing the heart Psal 63.1 David desired to see the power and glory of God in his Sanctuary Thirdly If we truly thirst after Divine institutions we will not despise a plainer draught provided it be wholesome God distributeth his gifts even to his Ministers variously to some he giveth more excellent abilities as to the same acts Some are not only able to preach the wholesome Word of God but as good Cooks they are able to make the wholesome food of the Word appear more lovely by handsome language apt similitudes neat allusions Others have not this ability yet it may be open and apply the Word of God faithfully I must confess the best of Christians have cold and feoble and teachy stomachs that they have need of all due art to commend their food to them yea and this excellency of gifts in some is the special priviledge of some with which God ordinarily blesseth them in order to some more â—â—inent services for souls than others â—â—all be honoured to do And therefore â—â—cannot blame Christians knowing the dulness and deadness of their hearts â—â— desire the best advantages they can give themselves and where choice is â—o desire to sit under the ablest Miniâ—try Austin once wished to hear Paul â— the Pulpit But yet the soul that truly thirsts after Gods institutions â—â—ill not despise his spiritual food hough it be not brought him in a Lordly dish He considereth thus with himself 'T is the word that nourisheth my soul not the wit not the quaiâ—â— expressions are which it is served to me the good of these is determined in my carnal part I must love thâ— word because it is pure not because 〈◊〉 is wittily delivered and the matteâ— neatly couched A good stomach we say needeth no sauce Thereforâ— though in a time of choice and plenty a gracious heart will prefer the ableâ— Preachers who can give the word moâ—â— advantage by their parts Yet as eveâ— then he will not despise the performances of him who hath the meaneâ—â— gifts and abilities provided that hâ— doth not handle the word of God deceitfully or negligently so in a timâ— of scarcity he will much less do it Fourthly The soul that truly â—â—â—eth after Divine Institutions will emâ—â—â—â—â— what he can when he cannot enjoy whâ—â— he would When I say he will embrace what he can I mean what 〈◊〉 is satisfied in his conscience that 〈◊〉 may enjoy without sin Sin is such 〈◊〉 thing as nothing can tempt a gracioâ—â— soul to it he knows that it is impossible he should please God by an action wherein he presumptuously sinneth against him especially too in matters of worship where he is more especially jealous he knows participation of Ordinances is not absolutely necessary to salvation if therefore he cannot hear a Sermon or receive a Sacrament but he must before or in it defile his soul with sin he rather chooseth to forbear the Ordinance than run the guilt of the sin But suppose circumstances such that a good Christian cannot enjoy every institution but some he may I say he that hath a true spiritual thirst will enjoy what he can when he cannot enjoy what he desireth The Disciples would gladly have heard Paul 〈◊〉 the Synagogues as they had wont Acts 19.8 9 10 11. â—â—swading the things concerning the Kingdom of God But when men come to be hardened and to speak evil of the righteous wayes of God before the multitude so as Paul can speak no more openly those that are true Disciples will hear him though in the school of Tyrannus If Paul cannot Preach at mid-day Acts 20.7 and break bread they will hear him till midnight I do not speak here to plead for those coetus antelucani which the Heathen so much scandalized Christians in Origens time for but only to shew you by these instances that it is no new thing for Christians to make any shift to taste any thing of Christ in his Ordinances The Antients justified the Christians of those days for those meetings though in times of liberty they had not been Eligibleâ— If a Christian truly thirsts after Divine Institutions if he cannot go with the multitude to the House of God yet he will not omit the homage of two oâ— three gathered together in the Lords name Jo. 20.19 The Disciples when they could not assemble openly nor have door open for fear of the Jews yet they assembled and shut the doors and enjoyed the Institutions of God and Jesus camâ— and stood in the midst amongst then and said Peace be unto you It argueâ— not a thirsty and ingenuous but a wanton and teachy soul when it will make use of no means of Grace because hâ— cannot enjoy all under such circum stances as he desireth 5. Fifthly Who so hath the true Spirit of a Christian in this thing will be content for the enjoyment of Gods institutions to encounter some difficulties We use to say Hunger will break through 〈◊〉 stone wall We see what those natural â—assions will do in brute creatures and 〈◊〉 reasonable creatures The spiritual â—unger and thirst will do much more with a Christian and in reason must as the preservation of a spiritual life and the prospect and hope of that life which is Eternal is more valuable than the preservation and enjoyment of a natural life 6. Lastly A true Christian when he cannot enjoy Divine Institutions yet will 〈◊〉 crying after them When shall I come â—â—d appear before God saith David and again Psalm 27.4 Psal 27.4 One thing have Ideâ—â—nd of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple But by this time methinks I hear some good Christians say to me Case Is this indeed the temper of every true Christian May I then conclude my self a true child of God if I find such a thirst in my soul after God in his Ordinances though I do not meet with those enjoyments of God in his Ordinances which I desire Saith another If this be true I 'am much afraid of my self I do not find such a thirst as you have mentioned or if any yet not after all Ordinances Noâ— is it so even a temper as I desire Sometimes I am
point we defend against the Papists All Protestants grant it as to matters of Doctrine why they should not also agree that it is so as to matters of Worship and Discipline I can not tell As to acts of Worship they all yield it too as to circumstances of humane actions in Divine Worship viz. such as no humane actions as such can want none can deliberately contend for it The Question is concerning Ceremonies or if they will call them so circumstances of Worship In very deed it will be a nice distinction and such as can abide no test to distinguish betwixt an act of Worship and a circumstance of Worship I mean such a circumstance as is not appendant to the action from its nature and necessarily but affixed to it by men without any necessity But not to digress here into that dispute The more strictly a Gospel Institution is administred according to the letter and examples of Christ and his Apostles in Holy Writ the more there is of God in it the more of Divine presence and influence is to be expected in it and from it The more plain and Scriptural a Sermon is the more authority it comes down with upon the conscience The honest heart saith to the quaint and oratorial Preacher to the quoter of Fathers and Schoolmen to justifie what he saith Paul I know and Jesus I know The Old Testament I know and the New I know but for Augustine and Hierom and Aquinas who are they Possibly worthy persons in their Ages but it is the word of God not their dictates which command the conscience For your high phrased Preachers they signifie nothing to the conscience the hearers as Luther was wont to say intelligunt â—â—bum arte super se compositum ideo nauâ—â—nt they loath the word thus canâ—â—ied up in the language of men puffed 〈◊〉 in the conceit of their own parts and desirous to seem some thing when indeed they are nothing but folly and vanity There is abundance of â—reaching is good for nothing but to â—oil good Christians stomachs to heaâ—ing and to make them loath their food by reason of the fantastick sauce if you would keep your appetite to Ordinances keep the purest and most lively administrations of them 4. Fourthly Remember the dayes of old the years of former times I doubt not but many of you have heretofore tasted how good the Lord hath been you have tasted it in a Sermon convincing you of sin working faith in you bringing a word in season to your souls that hath even ravished your souls with the joy of it You have enjoyed much of God in a Sacrament in a few hours of prayer Oh let not the memory of those good dayes to your souls go out of your hearts and if you remember them you cannot but long for more of them It is almost impossible to imagine that a soul that ever in earnest tasted of God in Ordinances should not cry out Lord evermore give us that bread those that grow weary of Divine Institutions are such as never experienced the goodness and excellency of them 5. Watch against the prevailing of lusts and corruptions It is ordinarily experienced in the natural body A soul stomach hath no appetite or very little and teachy noxious humours in the stomach blunt the edge of it to its proper food It is as true to the soul suffer pride vanity of Spirit any spiritual or sensual lust to prevail upon you you will soon lose your appetite to spiritual things Keep your soul clean from these things and your appetite will be sharp 6. If you would keep your appetite to Divine Institutions improve them when you have them Indigested meat corrupts the stomach and takes off the edge of it The reason for this is This thirst after Ordinances as it is first caused from an apprehended suitableness in them to the souls needs so it is encreased by the souls experience of the truth of that apprehension This it never hath without an improvement of the Institution I mean such a ruminating upon it such a digestion and application of it as the soul may suck out the juice and vertue of it and find that a Sermon is not to his soul as a tale that is told nor a Sacrament as a meer morsel of bread and a draught of Wine Would you keep alive your thirst after Divine institutions when you have heard a Sermon go sit alone think of what you have heard what truth you have been instructed in and call to your souls to remember and believe it what sin you have been convinced of and call again to your souls to consider it and to avoid it What duty you have been admonished of and call to your souls to arise and do it 7. Lastly Beg this great blessing of God You beg or should beg an appetite to your bodily bread much more to your spiritual food Christians I doubt not but in these times of spiritual scarcity you beg Sermons of God you beg Preachers of him who is the Lord of the Harvest In this you do your duty but let not this be all Beg stomachs for your selves as well as mouths for us I am afraid it was too great a decay of this spiritual thirst that brought on Gods dreadful voider and brought the Wells of Salvation to so low a state as you see them If you could by begging of God recover your appetite again I doubt not but he who feedeth the young Ravens when they cry would also hear and feed you and in his Fatherly Providence so order it that you should not have Scorpions instead of Fish and Stones instead of Bread Nor as the Spouse be smitten and wounded Can. 5.7 and have your vail taken from you by pretended Watchmen whiles you are sick of love and ask them in your distress Saw ye him whom my soul loveth FINIS Jer. 14.19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble s THE words I have read are agreed by all to be the words of the Prophet Jeremiah he was one of those Prophets who prophesied last in Judah before their carrying away into the seventy years Captivity of Babylon chap. 1.2 He prophesied in the days of Josiah and in the days of Jehoiakim and so to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah which was about forty years He began to prophesie in the thirteenth year of Josiah Jer. 1.2 and prophesied eighteen years during the reign of Josiah then three months during the â—â—ign of Joachaz or Jeconias and eleven years during the reign of Jeâ—iachim a second son of Josiah and three months more during the reign of â—â—hoiachin and eleven years during the â—â—ign of Zedekiah At what time he â—ophesied what we have in this chaâ—â—er recorded is not expressed probaâ—â—y before the death of
Josiah The â—â—ticular judgment which God at his time had given him a prospect of â—as a Dearth as in verse 〈◊〉 dearth â—â—rough want of rain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Hebrew â—ord signifieth and so the Text makâ—â—h it plain verse 3. The Nobles sent their 〈◊〉 ones to the water they came to the 〈◊〉 and found no water verse 4. The 〈◊〉 was chapt there was no rain on 〈◊〉 earth ver 7 8 9. The Prophet â—on the prospect of this-dreadful â—â—dgment puts up a fervent prayer to God To which the Lord returns an angry answer verse 10 11 12. 〈◊〉 short he bids Jeremiah pray no more foâ— them for he would consume them by sword famine and pestilence As there is an acceptable day a day when the Lord will be found so there is a time when his Spirit shall no longer strive with man his patience shall no longer be tired though Noah Daniel and Job pray they shall but deliver their own souls the decree is gone forth Verse 13. Jerem tells the Lord that there were a breed of Prophets sang another tune to this sinful people and told them they should have peace and neither see sword noâ— famine Thus Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses Such wretches have been in all ages when the Devil gets 〈◊〉 commission to seduce a people to ruineâ— the instruments he useth to execute 〈◊〉 are profane ignorant lying Priests Thâ—â— was the way you know Satan toâ—â— God he would seduce Ahab to go an fall at Ramoth-Gilead I will go saitâ— he and be a lying spirit in the mouth 〈◊〉 his Prophets The Lord tells Jeremy Verse 14. these Prophets were not of his sending they prophesied lies in his Name false visions divinations things of naught the deceit of their own hearts yet without doubt these were the generality of the Jewish Ministers men brought up in the Schools of the Prophets and in the orders of their Church and cloathed with an external call to their works Even under the Law God allowed his people a judgment of discretion and did not oblige them to believe what their Priests said without any examination of it It is possible regular Priests and Prophets may not be sent by God nor â—ught people to look upon them so when they find them speaking contrary â—o the Word of God But Oh! it is a â—angerous thing for the Ministers of truth to become the messengers of lies for us to corrupt the Word of God Dangerous it is to our selves Verse 15. Tell these Prophets saith the Lord By sword and â—â—mine you shall be consumed It is danâ—â—rous for the people If the trumpet â—â—ve an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battel If the Ministers try All is well God is well pleased do wickedly still you do God good service in it The interpretation be to the enemies of all good men How easily are people hardened and encouraged in vile courses Verse 16. But shall their Priests words save them No. The people saith God to whom they prophesie shall be cast out in the streets of Hierusalem because of the famine and the sword and there shall be none to bury them their wives their sons and their daughters for I will pour their wickedness upon them The lie of the Prophet never justifieth the credulity of the people God expecteth that his people should search the Scriptures and examine whether those things the Minister speaks be conformable to his Word or no and yield no further assent to what they say then what they find ground for there After this Verse 17.18 God directeth the Prophet to act the person of a mourner before the people upon a prospect of his judgments to come as if they already were come Oh! how loth the Lord is to destroy a people amongst whom he hath once had a Name How shall I give thee up O Ephraim how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboiim Jeremiah knowing he had to do with a gracious God that sometimes repenteth himself of the evil he hath threatned and brings it not upon a people sets himself to prayer as the proper means if any would do to avert the vengeance of God His prayer begins with the words of my Text and holds on to the end of the Chapter In which you have 1. A servent Expostulation Hast thou utterly rejected Judah hath thy soul loathed Zion Why c. 2. A sad representation of the state of the people 1. They were smitten and there was no healing for them 2. Their expectation was frustrated We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble 3. Here is an humble though more general confession We acknowledge our iniquities and the iniquities of our fathers for we have sinned against thee 4. An earnest supplication express'd in several terms and back'd with several arguments closely couched The Terms are 1. Do not abhor us 2. Do not disgrace thâ— throne of thy glory 3. Remember Break noâ— thy Covenant with us The Arguments are 1. For thy Names sake 2. We are the throne of thy glory 3. Thou hast made a Covenant with us 4. Thou art he alone canâ—â— give showers the vanitieâ— of the Gentiles cannot cause rain 5. Lastly here is the Prophets declared resolution to trust in God and wait oâ— him verse 22. My Text as you see contains only the two first general parts of this excellent Prayer of the Prophet The first I called his fervent expostulation Hast thou utterly rejected Judah 〈◊〉 Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why haâ—â— thou smitten us and there is no healing for us Hast thou in rejecting rejected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in reprobating reprobated Judah Those that are critical in the Hebrew observe the word signifies to reject a thing with scorn and disdain as vile and contemptible it is used as in many other places Hos 4.6 Because thou hast reâ—ected knowledge I will also reject thee Hos 4.6 Lam. 5.22 But thou hast utterly rejected 〈◊〉 Lord saith the Prophet Lam. 5.22 hast thou â—â—terly rejected Judah what Judah the remainder of the people the seed of Abraham thy friend which was so â—â—ear to thee Judah of which it was â—aid In Judah is God known hast thou â—tterly rejected this Judah Hath thy 〈◊〉 loathed Zion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word used is much of the same signification with the other only it signifieth something more of the affection set against an object it is used Ezech. 16.45 Ezecth 16.45 to exâ—ress the alienation of a leud womans â—eart from her husband It is also used â—evit 26.44 Levit. 26.44 a place to which one would think the Prophet here hath home special respect And yet for all that when they be in the hand of their enemies I will not cast them away neither will I abhor them to destroy them utterly and to break my covenant with them for
the propagation of it in the power thereof is and having observed some decays thereof in present Professors from the life zeal and power thereof in our fore-fathers and withall how many temptations are daily offered to the corruption which yet remaineth in the best to divert them from the streight and narrow way which leadeth to the Kingdom of God That through our negligence the study and powerful practice of godliness wherein England hath been famous above any other sort of Christian people may not abate and Religion evaporate into a meer formality and the souls of you our Brethren might not be hindred of that joy and peace which usually attendeth a strict and close walking with God have thought fit to propose our serious thoughts unto you for the revival and preservation of Religion wherein we shall rather give you a copy of the conversation of our fathers who walked with God in their generation than propound any new thing unto you There are three things in Religion observed as the glory of England wherein our Church hath exceeded other Reformed Churches 1. The diligent practice of Family-Worship 2. The strict sanctification of the Christian Sabbath 3. The severe personal strictness in the Conversation of Professors And as these things have been the the beauty of England so we doubt not but they have been the strength of it We therefore as Ministers of Christ do beseech you and so much the rather by how much our condition in respect of publick communion is more sad than in former times that you would joyn with us in your particular places so much as in you lies to recover unto God an England that antient Revenue of his glory which he hath formerly had from our fathers in these things 1. The first thing which we commend unto you is the promoving of Family Religion and that both in reference to the week-day and to the Lords day Families are the lowest Societies and such wherein we have further advantages to propagate Religion than in any others and that not only in respect of our daily converse in them but of the authority with which God hath there cloathed superiours They are the Societies in which alone every private person who is the Head of the family is a King Priest and Prophet And he that cannot rule his own house well is by the Apostle determined unfit to rule the Church of God In order to which we propound 1. That every one who is Head of a family would by a constant deportment to his or her children or servants vindicate the honour which God in the Fifth Commandment hath reserved for him neither by too much familiarity divesting himself of his authority nor by too much severity estranging the hearts of his Relations from him but by a wise gravity so deporting himself that while his relations fear him as being in the stead of God unto them they may also love him for his tenderness to them both in their temporal and eternal concernments In order to which we desire Christians to consider That he or she is rarely dishonoured by his child or servant who have not by too low and unhandsome carriage dishonoured themselves before them God ordinarily vindicating the honour of superiours till themselves have unduly prostituted it that they may read their sin in their punishment 2. That being cloathed with this authority from God you would make it your business to vindicate his glory not enduring any in your families who after due admonition and the use of other means to reclaim him or her shall live in the practice of any moral vice or what shall have an evident appearance of it If any therefore in your families shall be given to drinking swearing lying prophaning the holy Name of God reviling of his people any species of uncleanness or any other scandalous sin if they be such as you can turn away if they will not be reclaimed remember the resolution of David Psal 101.6 7. If they be such as either by natural obligation or moral contract you are obliged to keep let it be your business to endeavour all possible ways by instruction admonition correction begging the help of others to reclaim them that their sins may not be laid to your charge Consider with what face he can blame the Magistrate for not punishing these offences who neglecteth it in his own family where the body to be ruled is less and his authority as to some kind of punishment far greater than the Civil Magistrates is And as a means in order to this we desire That giving your children and servants all due liberty of recreation especially with such company as you shall commend to them you would restrain them as much as may be from Plays Fairs Meetings for Dances and others Revels and from Recreation at undue hours 3. That seeing an ability to read the Scriptures and other good Books is the foundation of all knowledge you would not only see to the bringing up your children to this capacity but if the providence of God casts any under your roof that cannot read you would exhort encourage and by all means help them till they attain this faculty What knoweth the Master but he may thus be a means to save the soul of his servant by bringing him to the knowledge of God We urge this rather because we observe divers well disposed persons grown up miserably disadvantaged for the want of this 2. The family being thus ordered and disposed is prepared for a joint communion with God And surely if there were no Scriptures evincing Worship a family-duty such as that of Joshua resolving with his house to serve the Lord. Cornelius fearing God with his whole house and praying there about the ninth hour of the day Davids walking in his house in a perfect way Abrahams instructing his houshold The Prophet Jeremy's imprecation upon the families which call not on the name of the Lord. The mutual prayers of husband and wife 1 Pet. 3.7 which the Apostle hinteth that he would not have hindred Daniels praying in his house thrice a day which we cannot tell how it should have been proved against him had he done it alone We say that were there none of these evidences from holy Writ yet every Christians reason can tell him that the providence of God hath cast us into family societies not meerly for natural and civil ends but for to be joynt blessings each to other in those things which he hath commanded us first to seek Now if any desire to be more particularly instructed concerning those duties which God expecteth from families we answer We know no act of divine Worship but may be performed in so small a society as that of a family if a lawfully ordained Minister be the Head of it or assumed into it for that time But we shall only speak to those duties which God expecteth of every family without any respect to a Minister in it c. Those we conceive are
which it brought forth leaves and was green and flourishing being thus withered Husbandmen use to appoint their Servants to gather them up and burn them 1. He that hath made a profession to Religion a purer way of worshipping God and a stricter conversation before him if he maketh a defection from it he is cast forth Cast forth by the Church if that be in a calm and Pacate State and not in such a crowd of disturbances from the world that it cannot draw out its spiritual Sword and â—et me tell you Christians that is a dreadful thing to be orderly excommunicated by a Gospel Church The Apostle calls it a delivering up to Satan â—he separation of the Israelites from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram was 〈◊〉 forerunner of Gods dreadful Vengeâ—nce on them the Churches separation from an apostatized Professor for his Apostacy is not to be flighted Proâ—ided this be done by a true Church â—nd for a just cause it is formidable enough for other Bruta fulmina they signifie little according to that of Job How forcible are right words but your â—rguings what do they reprove But this â—s not alwayes I told you the Church â—s not alwayes in a condition to execute this Vengeance upon Traitors However they are cast out by the Providence of God A notorious sinner may be cast out in the sight of God when hâ— is not so in foro Ecclesâ—ae in the view 〈◊〉 men and there is no branch not abiding in Christ but in this sense is cast forth God casts him forth he never had any true union with Christ he shall noâ— now have any appearing relation God will not own him his Saints shall notâ— he shall be none of them that God will care for with that special care which God extendeth to all those that are visible members of his visible Church hâ— hath made a defection from the City of God and hath removed himself into the suburbs of Hell he shall noâ— now have the priviledges of common Citizens Thus men use to do Tuâ—â— saith it was never known that those who made defection and proved false to the City of Rome jura civium tenuerunt enjoyed the priviledges of Citizens God will let it be seen that those who are false to his City shall not retain the priviledges of the City of God Secondly As the branch casts out with thereth So it ordinarily is with professors they lose their beauty and glory whether it lay in their quick and excellent parts these oft times abate their gifts dwindle and come to nothing or whether it lay in the repute and credit they had in the Church of God they are lookt upon as Fugitives and Renegadoes by the sincerer professors of Religion Nay for the most part this is not all they lose also their hopes for repute and credit with the world Who regard them as little as the Pharisee did Judas when he had betrayed his Master The wise God so ordereth it that the world shall not trust those that his Church cannot trust A fugitive from his Profession sheweth too little of a Christian to be valued by the Church and too little of a man to be much valued by the world who ordinarily love the Treason but hate the Traytor they like it well enough to see one professing to Christ spitting in his face to hear him jear and mock at the wayes of God in which he once walked but in the mean time they hate the traytor abhorring the levity and inconstancy of this weather-cock in Religion that turns in obsequiousness to every wind Thus he withers every way That which he hath is taken from him his gifts and parts his credit and reputation he becomes a man of no value to every one But there is worse yet that follows Thirdly Saith our Saviour Men gather them and they are cast into the fire and burned Thus men deal with the withered branches of Vines once separated from the Vine Thus will God do with Professors that abide not in him They shall be gathered up it the great day of Judgement Our Saviour tells us who shall gather them the Angels Mat. 13. They shall be burned with unquenchable fire The Apostle saith There remaineth nothing for them Heb. 12. but a certain dreadful looking for of fiery indignation Now our abiding in Christ in the truths of Christ which we have formerly owned in the wayes of Christ to which we have formerly professed and in which we have formerly walked is by our Saviour himself prescribed as the only means to avoid this unspeakable evil otherwise hanging over our heads Thirdly Our abode with Christ is the excellent means to keep his presence with us Joh. 15 4. Abide in me saith our Saour and I in you So John 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him What is this for Christ to abide with the soul I answer as it is one thing for a soul to be in Christ another thing for a soul to abide in Christ So it is one thing for Christ to be in the soul another thing for him to abide in the soul The abiding of Christ with a soul I think implieth 1. His manifestation of himself to the soul John 14.21 He that hath my commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him The Lord may be in the soul and yet be hid so as the soul may go about trying Where is my God become The soul may walk in the dark and see no sight Christ is then said to abide in the soul when he appeareth to it and that in some constancy that he is not to use the Prophets expression Jer. 14.8 as a wayfaring man who tarrieth but for a night And 2. Gods sensible manifestations to a soul may be in the influences of comforting quickning or strengthening Grace Take a soul under the greatest desertion and cloud of Divine light there is yet as an Vnion so some communion betwixt God and it as the soul doth in some degree communicate it self unto God under the greatest apostacy it can be guilty of if it truly belongs to him its backsliding is but gradual so God doth in some degrees communicate himself to the soul under the greatest desertion the Union abiding some communion is necessary But now the Lords abiding with the soul argueth more than this it argues thus much that the soul who thus abides in Christ shall be under some sensible influences of Divine Love and that not only for its consolation chearing and refreshing it under dark issues of Providence but for its strength and liveliness in the way of God it shall grow stronger and stronger every day more fresh and lively and active in the wayes of God Without this how heavily doth a soul
walk crying out with David Lord When wilt thou comfort me How hardly and heavily doth it come off with any spiritual duties How weakly doth it perform them When these locks are shaven off in which its great strength lyes it becometh as another soul And this evinceth it to be a great point of a Christians Wisdom to abide in Christ You meet with a Promise in the Old Testament to this purpose I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 that I will not turn from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Mark how God twists these both together the same Covenant that ensures us Gods abode with us to do us good engageth us also not to depart from him Thus far now I have evinced this as a piece of a Christians wisdom to abide in Christ by considering it as an End 2. As a Means A Means in order to our keeping Christs abode with us 2. In order to our bringing forth fruit and much fruit 3. In order to the preservation of our selves from the greatest evils of being cast forth withering and burning 3. Let us consider it as a condition to which indeed all the Promises of the Gospel are annexed You may observe all the promises annexed to a continuance in the words of Christ to overcoming to an holding on to the end which expressions and many more of like import signifie the same thing as abiding in Christ It is a question amongst Divines whether the Covenant of Grace be absolute or conditional If we understand by the Covenant of Grace that Eternal Paction which was betwixt God the Father and his Eternal Son as the head of the Elect it is no question absolute and nothing is required of the Elect in order to their Salvation but what God in some other branch of that sacred Stipulation hath engaged to do for them give unto them or work in them but because in what we are to perform our own endeavour is required and we are workers together with God to use the Apostles expression in another cause therefore in all Exhibitions and Declarations of this Everlasting Covenant unto men which were gradual according to the different periods of the world and as God was pleased more or less darklier or more clearly to reveal his mysteries it is propounded conditionally And this is the Condition annexed to all the great Promises of the Covenant that we should abide hold fast persevere continue to the end not draw back c. I shall only particularize in one and that is no mean one John 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you you shall ask of me what you will and I will give it you For poor worms to have a liberty to go to God to ask of him to ask of him what we will and this under an assurance from the only Son of God that we shall have it Is it nothing to us Seemeth it to you Sirs a small thing to have this liberty of access to the Throne of Grace this is promised by him that â—annot lye and the condition annexed is your abiding in him If you abidâ— in me you shall ask what you will Certainly I shall need say no more to evince this Abiding in Christ the great concernment of Christians 4. But once more let us consider it as an Evidence An Evidence of the truth of our Vnion with him An Evidence to our selves An Evidence unto others 1. We can no other way evidence to ourselves that we ever had any true union with Christ than by our abode and continuance with him There is a real difference betwixt a seeming and a real and sincere Professor but not discernable other than to him that searcheth the heart and trieth the reins any way but by a steady and constant abode in our profession God hath said if the righteous man forsake his righteousness and commit iniquity his righteousness shall never be remembred And again If any one draws back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Whiles those and such like Texts abide this assertion must be true The Apostle speaking of some that wert gone out from the Church sayes They were not of us if they had been of us they had continued with us That day a Christian steps back he loseth all his hope all his joy peace comfort satisfaction 2. It is our only Evidence unto others Put case a Christian hath a truth of Grace and be really united to Christ by an union which sin shall not dissolve and this Christian apostatizeth from his profession though it shall not be totally and finally gradually What ever he be other Christians during his Apostacy before his return cannot judge him a Christian indeed but must look upon him as a temporary Professor till they see him renewing himself by repentance for De secretis non judicat Ecclesia The Church of God can judge only from what appeareth and interpret his heart by the Comment which his actions make of it The summ now of all is this If a Christian be concerned to keep the manifestative and influential presence of Christ with him to bring forth the fruit of holiness to the glory of God and much fruit to maintain his communion with Christ and his Church his vigor credit and glory with the Church of God to keep himself out of Hell fire to maintain his unspeakable privilege oâ— going to God asking of God what he pleaseth with assurance of receiving from Christ what he asketh if he be concerned to preserve unto himself and to have to give unto others an Evidence that he hath not mockt God deceived men in his profession acted an odious dissembler counterfeit in Religion It is then his wisdom and high concernment to abide in Christ I added further that it is his more especial concernment to look that he abide in Christ in evil times Let me evince that a little and it will appear to you if you consider with me these things 1. That in such times it is most difficult to do it It is a known saying Difficilia quae pulchra No brave thing is easie It is an easie thing when the Jews prosper to lay hold on the skirt of a Jew and say we will be called by thy name to swim with the stream alas in such a day there are bladders enough to hold us up from sinking besides the force of the stream alone will do it but an evil time is the time of trial Peter himself found it easier to abide with Christ when all the world ran after him than when all his Disciples â—rsook him and fled Evil times ordinarily afford three disadvantages which make an abode in our profession more difficult to Professors 1. The first is from the loosening the â—kin to wickedness There is this charaâ—teristical difference betwixt a good and evil time in a spiritual sense In 〈◊〉
reducible to four heads 1. Reading in the Book of the Lord. 2. Prayer 3. Praise 4. Instruction 1. For reading the holy Scriptures That this is a family-duty doth appear from that of Moses Deut. 6.6 9. where we are commanded to have the Law of God wrote upon our posts and the gates of our house From that of the Apostle Col. 3.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you a Metaphor drawn from members of Families which dwell together For the further proof of this duty we commend you to an excellent Book called Family Religion further revived by Mr. Philip Goodwin Printed at London 1655. and to a Book of Mr. Whites for the profitable reading of the Scriptures Chap. 9. 2. For Prayer We are commanded to pray alwayes and who so considereth that the Law of God requireth it of single persons and of the first and least society that of a man and his Wife 1 Pet. 3.7 cannot think 1 Pet. 3.7 that a man is excused from it with his children and servants It is the blessing with which the Superiours in families ought to bless their infeririours 3. For Praise by singing of Psalms As praising of God is a natural duty so the doing of it by Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs which are the three titles of the Psalms of David is commanded by the Apostle In the same place where God saith I will be the God of all the families of Israel Col. 3.16 and they shall be my people Jer. 31.1 2. he also ver 7. saith O shout with joy and sing amongst the Nations 4. Instruction is a general duty God commendeth Abraham for it Gen. 18.17 For the matter of it in our present discourse it is In the things of God Now this may be done several wayes 1. By Catechizing which is by experience found the most plain and familiar way of teaching and that by which the Papists confess the Protestant Religion hath been highly advantaged in the world We therefore urge this in a more especial manner upon all the heads of families as the nearest way to bring those under their roof to the knowledge of God and the establishing of them against the errors of the sinful times wherein they live 2. By repeating of Sermons to them an antient and profitable duty wherein every Christian is a fellow-worker with and a preparer of the work of the Holy Spirit of God Joh. 14.26 whose work it is saith our Saviour To bring to remembrance the things we have heard of God By opening the word of God read unto our families which though it be not a work to which every private Christian is fit yet may be profitably performed if any Christian will but take the pains to spend a little time before duty in fitting himself for it by reading the Annotations upon the Chapter or any of those profitable Notes wrote by Mr. Ainsworth on the five Books of Moses Mr. Jackson upon all the Historical Books of Scripture Mr. Dickson upon the Psalms Mr. Calvin on Job and Deuteronomy and Daniel Dr. Willet on Genesis Exodus and Leviticus Mr. Hutchinson on the small Prophets Mr. Dickson on Matthew Mr. Hutchinson on John Mr. Fergusson on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians and many others 4. By occasional discourses of Religion and applying Scripture unto our relations according to the Precept Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. 5. By examining their children and servants what they remember upon hearing Chapters read or Sermons preached or repeated 2. Particularly we commend unto Christians A more extraordinary care to inform their families concerning the true Nature of Worship in general concerning the several acts of Gospel Worship and the right way and method of performing of them as well the external as internal manner by which means they will not only be armed against temptations to Superstition and Will-Worship which is abomination to the Lord but also kept from a formal and perfunctory slighty service of the great and living God And the better to enable Christians to do this we do by the blessing of God intend to contribute our pains to the utmost in some exercises of this nature 3. If any one ask us how often these duties are to be performed We answer that we have in this no stated rule but as we are sure they cannot be too often and reason teacheth that they should be so often as to reach their ends So the Scripture doth not obscurely hint some kind of Instruction and Prayer to be used Morning and Evening Deut. 6. We are commanded to talk to our children of the Law of the Lord when we lye down and when we rise up God of old required a Morning and Evening Sacrifice David Psal 55.17 and Daniel Chap. 6. v. 10. prayed thrice a day which possibly may hint to us that those who have more leisure from the world than others ought to spend more time than others in this worship But we should press upon our Brethren 1. That none of them would omit praying and reading the Scriptures or some other way of instructing their families twice each day viz. in the morning and evening The morning is an excellent time 1. Because no excuse can be for the omitting it It may be done and is fittest to be done before the world calleth us off 2. It is the time when our spirits are most refreshed and fit for duty when worldly occasions have not seized on our thoughts 3. We are bid to say Prosper thou the works of our hands upon us and that is the time when the works of our hands begin 4. It is commended to us by many Scriptures Psal 5.3 Psal 59.16 Psal 88.13 Psal 92.2 Psal 119.147 The Evening is also a proper time 1. To beg pardon for the sins of the day and to give thanks for the mercies of the day and to beg the Protection and sleep of the night 2. The work of our hands is done and it is reasonable to beg Gods blessing upon it 3. Our sleep is the image of death and many never rise from their beds it is reasonable we should therefore commend our spirits and the spirits our of relations to the Lord. 4. It is commended in Scripture Psal 141.2 Psal 55.17 2. That if possible these constant duties may be performed before we be disadvantaged for them Either 1. By intermedling with the world or 2. By inclinations to rest and sleep which usually make the performance of religious duty late at night or after supper a very slightly perfunctory serving of God 3. We commend the Reading of the Scripture repeating a Sermon or singing of a Psalm before prayer not only as duties in themselves but as excellent means to call home the thoughts prepare the heart and fix the mind to a more steddy contemplation of God and devotion toward him in prayer 4. We commend to our brethren the repeating of Sermons and Catechizing to be at least once performed every week besides on the Lords Day 5. For