from their Callings and casting them into Prisons and Dungeons and keeping of them there by Hundreds and Thousands for nothing but because they are Godly and because they love the Lord Jesus Christ and dare not sin against the Lord Surely the Hand of the Lord will one Day take hold of Judgement for these things and he will assuredly render Vengeance to his Enemies and reward them that hate him for the Arrows of the Lord are ordained against the Persecutors Deut. 32.41 42. Psal 7.13 Therefore though the enemies of God may now flourish and prosper for a while and lye upon Beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their Couches and eat the Lambs out of the Flock and the Calves out of the Stall and drink Wine in Bowels and annoint themselves with the chief Ointments yet when the Lord comes to Plead with the Nations for the Controversie of Sion Then they will be ready to run and hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains and call to the Mountains and Rocks to fall on them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. Therefore under this Consideration let 's not faint nor be discouraged in our Progress towards Heaven for if the Lord be on our side we need not fear what Man can do unto us Reas 3. Because our greatest and our worst Adversaries I mean our Persecutors are but Men that shall die poor vile sinful mortal men whose Breath is in their nostrils whose Lives are uncertain and whose greatest glory is but perishing vanity and when they are at their greatest strength and in their greatest Pride The Lord can but put forth his hand and touch them and lo they become as nothing and the Lord can but put forth his voice and call for their Breath and lo they become but dust and meat for Worms Therefore great Reason why we should not be afraid of their greatest Terrour For alas they may threaten great things against the People of God yea and be ready to Swear it may be that such and such things shall be done unto them the next Week or the next Month when it may be the next day they themselves are summoned to their Graves and so never live to see their wicked Designes accomplished Therefore see how the Scripture Reproves Persons under this Consideration for being afraid of man Isaâ— 51.12 13. Who art thou that thou shouldst be afraid of man that shall DYE and of the Son of man which shall be made as GRASSE And forgettest the Lord thy Maker that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the Foundations of the Earth and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressour as if he were ready to destroy and where is the fury of the Oppressour So that it is below the Spirit of a Saint to be afraid of any perishing Creature it is a shame for a Living Saint to be afraid of a Dying Sinner it is a great dishonour to God for Saints to be afraid of a mortal man and forget the fear of the living God it 's a shame for a Saint whose strength is in the Lord to be afraid of a man whose greatest strength is weakness it 's a shame for a Saint whose hope and Confidence is in the God of Jacob to be afraid of a man whose Expectation shall perish it 's a horrid thing that Saints should be more afraid to serve the Lord then wicked men are to serve the Devil Therefore let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering and never fear what man can do unto us Rea. 4. Because though we may be troubled and disturbed on every side by man yet we have Peace and Favour with God and though men may account us as the filth and the off-scouring of the World yet the Lord doth esteem us as his Jewels and his peculiar Treasure And this may be sufficient to bear up our Souls in the greatest of troubles to consider That though the World may hate us with cruel hatred yet the Lord loveth the Righteous and taketh pleasure in his People and though the World may be our Enemy and frown upon us yet the Lord is our Friend and will smile upon us with the Light of his Countenance and refresh our Souls with the choice manifestations of his Spirit and presence and though in the World we may have Tribulation and Sorrow yet in God we may have Peace and Comfort and Joy in the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore see where our Saviour Christ makes this a great Reason against Fear Joh. 14.27 where he speaks thus Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you for alas the world many times giveth Peace and presently takes it away again it may give Peace and rest a little to Day and it may be Sorrow and Trouble to Morrow But now sayes Christ I give not Peace after this manner But my Peace ILEAVE with you that is it shall continue and Tarry with you and none shall be able to take it from you Well what then suppose it be so why let not your hearts be Troubled neither let them be afraid for though your Enemies may Rob and Deprive you of your outward Comforts and outward Enjoyments yet they shall never be able to east you out of my Favour nor Deprive you of that inward Comfort and Spiritual Refreshment that I will give unto you and leave with you Therefore be not afraid of their Terrour neither let your hearts be Troubled And so likewise see the Apostle Rom. 5.1 3. Therefore being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord So that now we do not onely Rejoyce in the hope of Glory But we also Rejoyce and Glory in all our Tribulations and are filled with Comfort in all our afflictions 2 Cor. 7.4 Therefore let us endeavour to keep in the Love and Favour of God and then we need not fear what man can do unto us Rea. 5. Because all our Sufferings which are for Righteousness sake work together for our good and great advantage and will add to our future Glory and happiness there is no misery that can befall us upon the account of Godliness but it will prove an addition to to our Eternal Happiness Every step we trace in sorrow will be to the increase of our Eternal Joy Therefore this may be another great Reason why we should not fear the worst that man can do unto us for alas whatever they do unto us they cannot hurt us if we keep close to God they can do us no Injury at all Nay the more they Persecute us if it be for Christ the more it will conduce to our Good and Benefit Oh what a glorious Encouragement is this for poor Persecuted Saints to hold out in a Day of Tryal and to bear up their Souls
time to put under his everlasting Arm to bear up their Souls and support them under the worst of Tryals and in his due time to deliver them out of all their Afflictions Well but wee 'l see what the Scripture sayes concerning this matter See first Psal 23.4 Yea sayes the Psalmist though I walk through the valley of the shadow of Death yet will I fear no evil Mark how bold and resolute the Psalmist is in the midst of strange Difficulties As much as if he should say Although I should walk in a dangerous valley and mine Enemies at the top of the Hill ready to overwhelm me with destruction and though Death should pursue me and be as near to me as my shadow yet will I fear no evil Why David what 's the matter that thou art so exceedingly transported above the fear of evil Certainly thou hast some Reason for it thou could'st never be so full of Courage in such eminent Danger as thou speakest of if thou hadst not something more than ordinary to Support thy Spirit See the Reason therefore in the following words THE LORD IS WITH ME. There 's the business there 's that which is sufficient to fortify my Soul against all fear whatsoever Thy ROD and thy STAFF they Comfort me As much as if he should say Although thy Rod doth a little Correct me yet thy Staff doth exceedingly Support me and thy PRESENCE doth very much Refresh me and betwixt them all I am mightily filled with Comfort and Encouragement Thus the Saints and People of God should Plead their Interest in him in a day of Adversity and he will make all things Comfortable and pleasant unto their Souls and nothing shall be able to make them afraid See also Psal 46.1 2 3. God is our Refuge and Strength a very present help in time of Trouble Well what then What use doth the Psalmist make of this Why therefore will we not fear though the Earth should be removed and though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea though the Waters thereof roar and be troubled and though the Mountains shake with the swelling thereof Here 's an admirable Spirit filled with Confidence and godly Resolution in the strength of the Lord Challenging as it were the greatest Terrours on Earth to shew themselves in their greatest Rage and Fury yet they shall not so much as diminish his Courage nor make him afraid And the Reason of all is this GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH So that it seems the Consideration of God's supporting Presence is or ought to be one great Reason or Encouragement to bear up our Souls in the worst of Troubles Therefore when troubles do attend us and when our Enemies are most implacable against us and talk of Stoning of us and Banishing of us and putting of us to Death and the like let us with David encourage our selves in the Lord our God 1 Sam. 30.6 And let us consider the Lord is with us and he is a present Help in time of Trouble and if God be for us who can be against us Therefore saith God Isa 41.10 Fear thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness As much as if God should say Although all the World should be against thee yet fear thou not keep close to me and I will be with thee and although thou hast never so many Enemies and Adversaries to oppose thee yet be not dismaid for I am thy God and I will strengthen thee And though they set themselves against thee to wrong and oppress thee yet be of good chear I will help thee and take thy part against them And though they think to Conquer thy Spirit and subdue the strength of thy Inward-man by Imprisoning and Punishing of thee yet be not troubled at that do but put thy Trust in me and depend upon me and I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Therefore seeing the Lord is so much engaged for the good of his People let 's not fear what man can do unto us Reas 2. Why we should not fear man Because the Lord himself will engage and fight against the Enemies of his People and bring them to a reckoning for all their Malice and Cruelty towards them though they may tyrannize and insult over God's Heritage for a time and magnifie themselves against the Lord and his Jewels yet the time will come when the Lord himself 〈◊〉 appear against them in Wrath and Judgement and dash them in â—â—â—ces like a Potter's Vessel for their Rage and Cruelty against his People Therefore this may be another Reason to arm us against the fear of Man because the Lord hath engaged to deal with our Adversaries in Judgement and Recompence Fury upon our Enemies for all their Tyranny towards us and will assuredly work Deliverance and Salvation for his People from all their Troubles See that notable Text Isa 49.25 26. But thus saith the Lord Even the Captives of the Mighty shall be taken away and the Prey of the Terrible shall be delivered for I will contend with them that contendeth with thee and I will save thy Children and I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their own blond as with swoet Wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and the Mighty One of Jacob thy Redeemer Thus the Lord will one Day deal with the enemies of his People when they have filled up the Measure of their Iniquity then they shall assuredly Drink the dreggs of the Cup of God's Fury and when they are at the highest raging and roaring and swelling in Malice like the Sea against the People of the Lord then is their destruction the nearest and then is Sions Deliverance near at hand Read and Consider well that Scripture Isa 17.12 13 14. compared with Chap. 59.15 to the latter end Wo to the multitude of many People which make a noise like the noise of the Seas and like the rushing of many Waters the Nations shall Rush like the Rushings of mighty Waters But GOD SHALL REBUKE them And they shall flee and be chased as the Chaff of the Mountains before the wind and as Thistle-down before a Whirle-wind Behold this is the Portion of them that spoil us and the Lot of them that Rob us c. Oh! Little doth our Enemies Consider what mischief they are a heaping upon their own heads when they drive on so furiously against the People of God and Persecute the innocent Lambs of Jesus Christ without a Cause What account do you think they can give to the Lord when he shall call them to a Reckoning for these things And how will they be able to stand before the Lord when he shall bring them to a Tryal for dragging his People out of their Houses
but Little let us take heed that we do not run astray from Christ and so make it lesser Let us take heed that we do not wander out of the Fold of Christ and run after other Shepherds Let us take heed that we do not leave the voice of Christ and hearken to the voice of Strangers but seeing we have given up our Names to Jesus Christ let us endeavour through the strength of the Lord to follow Him chearfully and willingly in all his Temptations and let us remember the Lord is our Shepherd therefore we shall want nothing that is good and convenient for us and then the Lord will take special care of us to deliver us out of Egypt and to preserve us in the Wilderness till we come to that eternal Rest which yet remains for the People of God And though we may be scattered in a cloudy and dark Day yet the Lord will in a short time Return to his Flock and seek them out and gather them together and carry them in his bosome and feed them upon the Mountains of Israel and they shall no more be a Prey to the Heathen neither shall the Beasts of the Land Devour them but the Lord their God shall be with them and they shall Dwell safely and none shall make them afraid But I shall Proceed now to a Second Observation from the Text which is this Obser 2. That the Saints and Servants of God should not be afraid of the worst that man can do unto them A Third and Last Observation from the Text is this Observ 3. That it is the good pleasure of Almighty God to provide and prepare a Kingdom for his People I shall not speak any thing further concerning that Covetous kind of Fear which I last spoke of in the Explanation But I shall endeavour to Apply my self to the Two last Propositions they being Chiefly upon my Heart to Prosecute at this time from this Text Therefore I shall return to the Second Observation which was this Observ 2. That the Saints and People of God should not be afraid of the worst that man can do unto them They should not be daunted nor terrified at the worst Newes that they can hear out of the mouths of men nor at the worst Punishment that they can receive from the hands of men but they should still be bold and couragious strong and valiant for the Cause of God and for the Interest of Jesus though it may be attended with never so many Troubles and Oppositions Yea though stripes and buffettings should daily attend us if it be upon the account of God we should be so far from being afraid as that we should rather Rejoyce that we are counted worthy to suffer any thing for the Name of Jesus Possibly the men of the World may be filled with madness against us and put us in Prisons by Hundreds and Thousands and violently threaten us with Halter and Gibbet Well be it so we should notwithstanding be Resolute in the strength of the Lord and not be afraid nor discouraged at Rabshekah's Railing nor yet at Nebuchadnezzar's Fury See a notable Text to bind this Duty Ezek. 2.6 And thou Son of Man be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their words As much as if he should say Though they may magnifie themselves against thee with high and lofty Language and insult over thee with great and swelling words yet fear them not neither let their words terrifie thee Again further sayes the Text Though Briars and Thornes be with thee and thou dost dwell among Scorpions As if he should say Though they should be rough as Thornes and sharp as Briars against thee put forth their persecuting hands against thee to scratch and tear thee in pieces as it were with their Stocks and Whipping-Posts and though they should Hiss and Spit their venome at thee like so many Scorpions and threaten thee with Death yet be not afraid for all this neither be daunted nor dismaid at their proud looks though they be a Rebellious House Oh! that Professours at this day were but thus valiant for God and thus bold for the Cause of Jesus Christ But Oh! how doth the Contrary appear amongst Professors at this Day to the great dishonour of God and to the great grief of those who are truly sincere Oh! how base and cowardly doth many eminent Professors prove in this day of Adversity How are they ready to cast off all their Religion and to close in with the Worshippers of Antichrist and all out of a slavish fear of their persecuting Enemies Well but the Lord hath a Controversie against such Back-sliding Professours and they shall not escape the hands of his wrath for those that forgets the Name of the Lord in such a Day as this and stretches out their Hands to a strange god the Lord will surely search them out for he knoweth the secrets of the heart Psal 44.20 21. But we will see what the Scripture saith in another place for the Proof of this Proposition Isa 51.7 Hearken unto me ye that know Righteousness sayes the Text the People in whose heart is my Law Well what 's the matter that the Spirit of God calls so loudly for our Attention What is it that the Lord doth so earnestly endeavour to press upon his People See the following words Fear ye not the Reproach of men neither be afraid of their Revilings Though the Wicked may Reproach and Revile you and make you as the off-scouring of the World yet that must not be regarded by you that must be no excuse for you to be weary in well-doing but you must still go on in the Work of the Lord and follow after Righteousness and fear not but God will make you more than Conquerours through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thus much shall suffice for the Proof of this 2d Proposition I shall now come to give you some Reasons or Encouragements against the fear of Man and shew you in some measure why the Saints People of God need not be afraid of the worst that man can do unto them Reas 1. Because the Lord himself will be continually with them in all their Troubles to support and comfort them He will come and visite them if they continue faithful to him with his supporting Presence and be a Companion with them in all their Troubles He will never leave nor forsake his People in the worst Condition that may befal them Therefore great Reason why we should not fear what Man can do unto us You shall find by Consulting the Scriptures That the People of God in old time did make this Consideration a grand Reason or Encouragement against the fear of Man in the worst of Troubles And indeed this is a very glorious Encouragement for poor Souls to stay themselves upon in time of Trouble to Consider That the Lord is with them in all their Troubles and takes special notice of all their Afflictions and he is ready at any
with Joy in the midst of Troubles How is it possible me thinks for Souls to be dejected and cast down under Afflictions and to turn their backs of God in a day of Adversity if they did but seriously consider of these things For who is he that can harm you if you be followers of that which is Good 1 Pet. 3.13 See also that notable place 2 Cor. 4.16 17. where the Apostles themselves made this consideration a great support to their Souls under all their Troubles For which Cause sayes the Apostle we faint not but though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed Day by Day For our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory So that you may see All our Temporal afflictions are but so many Soul Advantages and all our Earthly Lâ—sâ—es will be made up to us in Heavenly Treasure and all our Crosses will but make our Crown of Glory the greater therefore under this Consideration Let 's go forward with Boldness in the way of the Lord and never fear what Man can do unto us Gen. 50.20 Rea. 6. Because if we continue Faithful to God he will give us a Crown of Life and a Kingdom of Glory he will Eminently reward us with an unmoveable Kingdom and with an Incorruptible Inheritance which fadeth not away Though we may for a time be attended with a great many Troubles and Difficulties and may be exposed to many outward Calamities in this Life yet the time will come when we shall be wholly Freed from all Sorrow and Trouble of what Nature soever and shall be filled with unspeakable Joy in the Kingdom of Glory to all Eternity And this is that which may exceedingly Support us under Sufferings and Arm us against the Fear of Man to consider that we who are now Despised and Trampled under Foot and made as the off-scouring of the World shall one Day be Honoured and Dignified with a Crown of Glory and Exalted with Jesus Christ in his Throne and Kingdom Therefore saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.12 Compared with Rom. 8.17 If we suffer with him we shall also Reign with him and be Partners together with him in Glory Oh this may mightily encourage us to presevere with Boldness in the Work of the Lord and exceedingly Fortifie us against the Fear of Man and Ballance all Oppositions whatsoever and therefore you shall find our Saviour Christ makes this a grand Reason or Encouragement against Fear in the words of my Text Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock though you are but Little Mean and Contemptible in the Eyes of the World yet Fear not be not afraid of them which kill the Body and Endeavour like Wolves to destroy you Why what 's the matter that we must so little regard the Terrour of our Adversaries Why here 's the Business For it s your FATHERS good PLEASURE to give you the KINGDOM Therefore seeing we have such a glorious Portion to receive from the hands of our Heavenly Father let 's never be afraid of our Earthly Enemy See also that notable Text Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt Suffer Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into Prison that ye may be Tryed and ye shall have Tribulation certain Dayes yet notwithstanding Fear none of these things Though the Devil and his Instruments may prevail against thee for a season to Imprison and Persecute thee yet be not afraid but be thou faithful unto death and for thy Encouragement herein I will assure thee thou shalt lose nothing by it for thou shalt certainly receive a Crown of Life and be exalted with me in my Throne and Kingdom Therefore let us have respect unto this Recompence of Reward and chuse rather to suffer Afflictions with the People of God than to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season And let 's not be dejected nor cast down nor be afraid of our Adversaries when they reproach and imprison us and deprive us from our Callings and Relations and threaten us with Ruin and Desolation as to our outward man but let us be content and chearful if it be for Christ let them do their worst we shall have satisfaction enough at the day of Account when God makes up his Jewels and calls his People to their Crown and Kingdom For what man is there that would not be content and willing to lose a Penny or two Pence if he were sure to gain a Thousand Pounds by it How much more should we be content and willing to lose any thing of this World for Christ so long as we are sure we shall receive such an Eternal and unspeakable Portion in the World to come For every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren or Sisters or Pather or Mother or Wife or Children or Lands for Christ's sake shall receive an hundred fold at the Resurrection of the Just and in the World to come Everlasting Life Mat. 19.29 Therefore saith the Apostle James Chap. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth Temptation for when he is tryed he shall receive a Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to those that love him Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved Let us abound in the Work and Service of the Lord and never fear what man can do unto us I shall now come to make a little Use or Application of this Point and so proceed to a third and last Observation Use 1. Well then is it so That the Saints and People of God ought not to be Afraid of the worst that Man can do unto them Then in the first place by way of Caution Let us take heed of being fearful and faint-hearted in the VVork and Cause of God Let 's take heed of neglecting any part of our Duty towards God out of a slavish Fear towards the Threatnings of Man Oh! let us take heed now that we do not Dishonour the Lord and wrong our own Souls by a base fearful unbelieving spirit in this Day of Jacob's Troubles when the Lord shall call us forth to bear a Testimony for his Name and Cause which are so much Blasphemed and Trampled under foot as it is at this day Let us take heed that the Devil do not catch us in the snare of slavish Fear and so hinder us and stop us in our Proceedings for God and in our Resolutions for Christ and cause us to Comply with the Enemies of Godliness and joyn issue with the Workers of Iniquity to the great Dishonour of God and to the encouraging and gladning the hearts of our Enemies and to the wounding and sadning the Souls of those that are truly faithful I say let us take heed of these things lest we shamefully turn our backs of God in a day of Adversity out of a slavish Fear of Suffering from the hands of Men. Oh! we might here lament the Apostacy of abundance of Professors since the Lord hath been pleased
to turn his hand of Tryall upon them Oh! how have many Professors at this day made shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and highly opposed the purity of the Gospel and basely turned their backs of the Truth as it is in Jesus and all out of a slavish Fear of the Frowns and Displeasure of Man Oh! how have many Professors at this day who have formerly born a glorious Testimony for God and against Antichrist yet now hath filthily defiled their hands with Iniquity and corrupted their hearts with Covetousness and lifted up their Souls to Vanity and Sworn Deceitfully to Babylon and all to avoyd Sufferings and to advance their own Interest and Advantage in the World Therefore I say again Let us take heed to our selves lest there should creep into any of us an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God for we shall be made partakers with Christ if we hold fast the beginning of our Confidence stedfast unto the end Therefore whatever we may Suffer or undergo for God let us take heed of declining the Cause of God and forsaking his Interest for it is written The just shall live by Faith but if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him And again the Backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways Heb. 10.38 Prov. 14.14 Therefore when we meet with oppositions in the Wayes of God Let 's not be afraid nor terrified at them if they shall threaten us with a Prison for our Integrity let 's not be afraid of a Prison but chearfully and willingly forsake all and embrace a Prison rather than forsake our Interest in God to embrace this present world If they shall threaten us with Banishment for our Love to the Truth Let not the fear of Banishment cause us to turn our backs upon the Truth and be afraid to own it knowing that neither Imprisonment nor Banishment can deprive us of the presence of God nor cast us out of the favour of him in whose presence is fulness of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore But if we out of a slavish Fear neglect our Duty towards God and turn from the Commandments of the Lord then we shall lose the favour of God and draw the Judgments of the Lord upon us and split our Souls against the Rock of his Displeasure Therefore saith God to Jeremiah Jer. 1.17 Gird up thy loyns and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them There is a notable place in Psal 44. which is worthy of our Consideration and also of our Imitation and Practice it is a glorious Account of the Churches Faithfulness in an evil Day and in a persecuted State Psal 44.9 and so forward Thou hast cast off and put us to shame Thou hast given us like Sheep appointed for meat and hast scattered us among the Heathen Thou makest us a Reproach to our Neighbours a Scorn and a Derision to them that are round about us Thou makest us a By-word among the Heathen a shaking of the Head among the People Here 's a miserable State indeed for a People to undergo full of Troubles and Sorrow and full of Contempt and Reproach and full of Distress and Misery Well but did they not turn back in such a day as this Is it possible for them to hold out in the midst of so many Difficulties Did they not forsake the Cause of God and decline his Interest in such a Persecuted State as this Noe not at all See vers 17 18. All this is come upon us yet we have not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely with thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Therefore now let us consider and make this Application of it unto our Souls whatever Sufferings we may meet withal upon the Account of Godliness Let us not fear let us not be dismayed let us not value the worst that Man can do unto us Thus much in the first place by way of Caution But Secondly by way of Exhortation Use 2. Is it so That the Saints and People of God should not be Afraid of the worst that Man can do unto them Why then let us not only be Cautioned from Fear but let us be Exhorted to Courage Let us no only be Dehorted from the Vice of Fear but let us also be Exhorted to the contrary Vertue Let us not only be found passive in that which is not our Duty but let us also be found active in that which is our Duty that so we may be compleat in the Will of God and glorifie him in the whole course of our Lives and Conversations Hence then let us be Exhorted to be Bold and Couragious strong and valiant for the Cause of God and the Interest of Jesus Christ though we meet with never so many Dissiculties and Oppositions in this World Let us count nothing too dear to lose for Christ feeing he hath counted nothing too dear to lose for us If the Lord shall call for loss of Liberty at our hands in the management of his Cause and Interest let us chearfully give up our Liberties to the Lord and embrace a Prison If the Lord shall call for the leaving of Friends and Relations and take us from our Callings and call for the loss of Goods and Estate let us freely and willingly give up all for God and be content without them and still contimâ—e as bold as Lyons in our Testimony for Christ knowing that the time will come when we shall have a hundred fold returned into our bosomes and the time will come when we shall serve God in his holy Temple and he that fitteth on the Throne shall dwell amongst us and we shall hunger no more neither shall we thirst any more for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed us and shall lead us into fountains of living Water Therefore I say let us go on with much boldness in the Work of the Lord and let us make it appear to the World that we are resolved through the strength of the Lord to obey God rather than man yet let us manifest so much Courage in our Christian Warfare as to be content to become any thing yea to become nothing so the Glory of God may be promoted and advanced by us Therefore in this Case let us take the Counsel of David to his Son Solomon when the Lord requires any thing at our hands to be done for the honour of his Name Let us be STRONG and of good COURAGE and do it Fear not nor be dismayed for the Lord God even our God will be with us he will not fail us nor forsake us till we have finished all our work for the Service of God 1 Chron. 28.20 Oh! we should very much glorifie God and adorn the Profession of the Gospel if we are but valiant for
Jerusalem what ever it Costs him Therefore said he in his Answer to his Disciples What mean you to Weep and to Break my heart As much as if he should say what mean you to be thus earnest to hinder me from the Work of the Lord away with all your Entreaties and away with all your Perswasions for I am more afflicted and wounded in heart at the Consideration of your perswasions in this Case than I am at the Consideration of all my Sufferings at Jerusalem For I would have you to think that I am Ready not onely to be Bound but also to Dye at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus Oh that this valiant Spirit of Pauls were but Seated and Grounded in the hearts of all Professors at this Day how would it Glorifie God and make his Truth and Gospel shine in the World and mightily amaze and astonish the hearts of our Enemies and exceedingly Engage the Lord to Crown us speedily with Victory and Deliverance Therefore now let us seriously weigh these things and lay them to heart And let us Rouse up our Dull Spirits and be Valiant for God and the more our Adversaries increase in their Rage and Fury against us the more let us increase in our Zeal and Courage for Christ and let us Remember the Lord is with us and for us and if we continue Faithful to him he will never leave us nor forsake us But continually Support us and Comfort us and in his due time deliver us out of all our Troubles and Afflictions Therefore to conclude this point Let us be strong in the Lord and in the Power of his might and take unto our selves the whole Armour of God That we may be able to stand and withstand in this evil Day That so having fought a good Fight and having finished our Course and kept the Faith we may at length receive that Crown of Righteousness and that Eternal weight of Glory which is laid up for all those that love the Appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ I have done with this point of Doctrine and shall now come to the last Branch of the Text wherein is comprehended the third and last Observation which I raised from the words I shall now endeavour to Manage and Prosecute that as the Lord shall direct me Therefore I proceed and say That it is the good pleasure of Almighty God to provide and prepare a Kingdom for his People The Lord hath so much Love and Affection for his People as that he takes Delight and Pleasure in their Glory and Happiness therefore he will be sure to have so much Care and Tender Respect towards them as to provide a Reward for his Flock And their Reward shall be no less than a Crown and Kingdom I say it is the good Pleasure of Almighty God to provide an Eminent Reward for his People yea to prepare a Kingdom for his despised little Flock Fear not little Flock for it 's your Father's good Pleasure to give you the Kingdom Though possibly now they may not be counted worthy of a poor contemptible Cottage by the Men of the World yet the Lord himself will one Day count them worthy of a Crown and Kingdom though now it may be they are not counted fit to have a being in the World yet the LORD will one Day count them fit to have a Being in a Glorious Kingdom though now it may be they are so much despised by the World as that they are not counted worthy to dwell amongst Sinful Men upon Earth yet they are so much honoured by the Lord as that he will one day count them worthy to dwell with Glorious Angels in Heaven though now it may be they are poor and despised and trampled under Foot yet they shall one Day be Rich and Honourable and sit upon Thrones Though now it may be they are cloathed with Reproach and covered with shame yet they shall one Day be cloathed with Majesty and Crown'd with Glory though now it may be they are tossed to and fro and have no certain dwelling place yet they shall one Day enjoy a City which hath Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Here 's a Glorious Portion laid up in store for the poor despised Flock of Christ Here 's that which will abundantly make them amends for all their Sorrow and Travel in their Earthly Pilgrimage though now possibly they are counted the filth and the off-scouring of the World yet the very poorest and meanest of God's People shall one day be promoted and advanced to an Honourable Kingdom I say a Kingdom shall one Day be the Portion of the poorest and meanest of Gods People yea even those that are the most despised and most abused are no less than Heirs of a Kingdom they have it now in promise and they shall assuredly one Day have it in possession But for the better Confirmation of this Glorious Truth I shall endeavour to give you some Scripture-Testimonies which strongly bear witness thereunto See one in Mat. 25.34 Then shall the King say to them on his right hand which is his little Flock being then Separated from the Goats Come ye Blessed of my Father A Glorious Invitation indeed he doth not onely invite them to come But come ye BLESSED Why what 's the matter Wherein doth their Blessedness consist See the next words and you shall find Inherit the KINGDOM prepared for you from the Foundation of the World Herein doth their Blessedness consist and herein are they Blessed Persons indeed It was the good pleasure of Almighty God to provide and prepare a Kingdom for them now they are called to come and possesse it therefore this is one clear Scripture Testimony to prove the Truth of this Proposition namely That it is the good pleasure of Almighty God to provide and prepare a Kingdom for his People See another in Mat. 5.10 Where our Saviour Christ speaks this Language Blessed are they which are Persecuted for Righteousness sake for theirs is the KINGDOM of Heaven Mark Blessed are they which are PERSECUTED for Righteousness sake Though in a PERSECUTED State yet in a BLESSED State though in troubled Condition yet in a happy Condition Why so How doth it appear that they are Blessed in a Persecuted State Why here 's the business there is a Kingdom-Portion prepared to make them amends for their Suffering-Portion therefore though they may be Persecuted and Reproached and evil spoken of yet their Condition is blessed and happy Because their Reward shall be great in the Kingdom of Heaven Alas now we are but strangers and Pilgrims Travelling towards our Fathers house and we must expect to meet with many Rubs and difficult steps in our Journey we must expect to meet with many Storms and bitter Blasts in our way to Heaven and to climb over many troublesome stiles before we come to the Land of Rest But when we come home to our own Country and Arrive at our continuing City Then we shall
thee O Lord but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the EXCELLENT in whom is all my delight But as touching the wicked this is his language concerning THEM Dogs have compassed me about the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me they are altogether become filthy and abominable their POYSON is like the POYSON of a SERPENT they are like the deaf ADDER and the filthy BOAR. Therefore I will not know a wicked person but I will say unto them Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandements of my God From hence you may observe That wicked persons though never so great in the eyes of the world are loathsome and abominable persons and very contemptible in the eyes of good men but the meanest Saint is excellent and honourable and very pretious both in the sight of God and in the account of his People Therefore little do the foolish world think what they do when they mock and reproach the People of God And when they strive to persecute and afflict the Saints they little think that the Lord takes it as done unto himself and when they villisie and abuse such as are godly they little think that they are a trampling under foot the Jewels of God and fighting against the Lord Oh! what enmity do such poor souls manifest against the God of Heaven Oh! how contrary and opposite such persons are to the living God For pray consider they hate them but God loves them they reproach them but God honours them they abuse them but God vindicates them they afflict them but God comforts them they frown upon them pronounce them cursed but God smiles upon them and proclaims them blessed they rob and spoyle them and endeavour to deprive them of their earthly being but God takes care of them and satisfies their souls with his goodness and will one day crown them with a heavenly Kingdom Thus the Persecutors of Sion do set themselves against the Lord and oppose the mighty God of Jacob. They count them odious and filthy but God counts them excellent and honourable And all this is their priviledge now in this life before they come to their Crown and Kingdom So that this is the first thing that I gather from this Doctrine of the Kingdom It informs us that the People of God are an Excellent Glorious and Honourable People But Secondly 2. It discovers the Happiness of Gods People The People of God are not only an Excellent People but also a Happy People for if it be so that the Lord hath prepared such a glorious Kingdom for his People and accounts them worthy of such a blessed Reward Oh! then it must needs be true that the People of God are a happy People and wonderful high in the favour of God And if it be so that the People of God shall have fulness of joy and unspeakable glory in a Kingdom eternal Oh! then it appears that the People of God are a blessed People and mightily concerned in the love of the Lord. There 's no condition in the world can make them miserable they are alwayes happy though in the midst of troubles they are alwayes blessed though in the midst of difficulties they are alwayes rich though in the midst of poverty they are alwayes satisfied though in the midst of hunger they have alwayes enough to make them joyful though in the midst of sorrows they have alwayes enough to comfort them though in the midst of discouragements they have alwayes enough to support them though in the midst of weakness they are alwayes at liberty though in the midst of bondage There is nothing in this world can harm them so long as they are followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3.13 Oh! what a wonderful priviledge is this for travelling Saints to enjoy for Strangers and Pilgrims to partake of before they come at their rest How doth this exceedingly proclaim the happiness of Gods People and the blessed condition of all those that belong to Jesus Christ Oh! how may this comfort and encourage the sorrowful hearts of many suffering Saints and bear up their souls in the midst of Tryals To consider that though the world is their enemy yet still the Lord is their friend And though the World hates them yet still the Lord loves them And though they are deprived it may be from friends and relations yet still they have an interest in God and he is their Father and he is able to make up the loss of any relation And though they may want earthly enjoyments and worldly possessions yet still they are rich in Promises and Heirs of a Kingdom and the Lord hath prepared an everlasting Portion for them Therefore now these things considered doth exceedingly discover the happy condition of Gods People whilst they are here on earth in their Pilgrim-state besides that forementioned glory prepared for them in Heaven for those that can claim an interest in this heavenly Portion are abundantly happy and continually blessed for its an excellent Fountain full of spiritual refreshment and soul-satisfaction in the worst of troubles Therefore you shall find that our Saviour Christ doth abundantly proclaim them blessed under this very consideration Mat. 5. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake for GREAT is your Reward in HEAVEN So that it seems the consideration of their future Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven is that which proclaims them blessed and happy now upon earth Though in a mourning condition yet in a blessed condition Though in a persecuted state yet in a BLESSED state whatever their condition is yet they are blessed because their Reward is great in the Kingdom of Heaven So that this is the second thing that I gather from this Heavenly Doctrine It informs us that the People of God are a blessed and happy People Thus much for the first Use by way of Discovery But Secondly by way of Examination 2. Use Is it so that the Lord hath prepared a Kingdom for his People Then let US seriously examine whether WE have an Interest in this Kingdom or no Let US search and try whether WE have any thing to do with this Heavenly Portion Or whether WE have any share in this Glorious Reward or no For pray consider seriously what will it profit us to hear of a Glorious Kingdom prepared for the Saints if we have no part nor portion there Or what will it benefit us to hear of the glory and happiness of Saints in the Kingdom of Heaven if it do not belong to us Alas it will avail us nothing to hear of these things nor to talk of these
things except we our selves have an interest in them and can call them ours It will do us little good to hear of the Saints happiness if we our selves are miserable Therefore I say let us take heed and diligently examine how it is with us lest any root of bitterness spring up in our souls and defile us and make us unfit for this Glorious Kingdom for no unclean thing nor no unrighteous person shall ever inherit this Heavenly Kingdom There 's none shall be blessed with the visions of God in the Kingdom of Heaven but such as have clean hands and a pure heart and are cleansed from sin and iniquity There 's none shall receive the Kingdom which cannot be moved but such as serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear There 's none shall dwell in the presence of God in his Heavenly Habitation but such as are humble and upright in conversation There 's none shall be happy in Heaven but such as are holy and heavenly minded on earth for without holiness no man shall see God and to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace Therefore let us not flatter our selves with vain fancies nor satisfie our selves with a bare profession of Godliness nor proclaim peace and safety to our selves with sin in our bosoms for if we do we shall be deceived and undone for ever For God cannot be mocked but whatsoever a man soweth that he shall also Reap And his servants ye are to whom you yeeld obedience Therefore sayes Christ Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Mark Not every one that professeth his Name and calls him Lord but he that lives in obedience to the Will of God There must be a walking with God as well as a talking of God There must be a DOING the Will of God as well as a SPEAKING the Will of God It is not enough to say that Jesus Christ is our Lord but we must make it appear by our actions and by our obedient conversations that he is Lord of our hearts and that he Rules and Reigns in our Souls for there are a great many that can call Jesus Christ Lord Lord with their tongues and yet work iniquity with their hands and intend mischief in their hearts But alas such shall never find acquaintance with God at the last day nor never be entertained nor received into this Heavenly Kingdom For every one that names the Name of Christ must depart from iniquity and abhor that which is evil or else they must expect to be denyed by Christ and to depart out of his presence as workers of iniquity and all their profession will be so far from doing them any good as it will rather rise up in Judgement against them and condemn them at the last day Therefore it highly concerns us all to examine seriously how the case stands with us and to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure by an humble walking with God and by a constant persevering in the pure wayes of the Lord lest we should deceive our own souls and miss of his Glorious Reward in this Heavenly Kingdom And if upon Examination we find our selves to be in Gods way standing upon a sure foundation then we may rejoyce in the goodness of God and satisfie our souls at this Heavenly Fountain and so long as we continue faithful to God in purity of soul we may challenge an interest in this Heavenly Portion and call the Kingdom and all its glory ours and all the Promises of God in Christ Jesus are Yea and Amen to us that by them we might be encouraged to continue and persevere in Holiness and Righteousness all the dayes of our lives to the praise and glory of him who hath called us to this Heavenly Kingdom But now give me leave to intermix a word of Caution into this Use of Examination and that is this If upon right Examination we find that we have an interest in this Glorious Kingdom Then let us take heed that we do not turn aside out of the wayes of God and travel again in the paths of iniquity and so lose our interest and be deprived of that Kingdom which once we had a right unto Let us take heed that the Devil do not beguile us with his golden baits of sin and iniquity and so rob us of our Heavenly Portion Let us take heed that we do not fell our Heavenly Birth-right for a little worldly pottage nor change our Heavenly Kingdom for a little earthly profit or worldly advantage I say let us take heed of these things lest there should spring up some Root of Bitterness in our souls and cause us to depart from the living God and grieve his holy Spirit with our evil wayes and give him occasion to swear in his wrath That we shall never enter into this Heavenly Rest for it is not every one that begins well But he that endures to the END shall be saved not every one that follows Jesus Christ for a little season and so leave Him that shall receive the Reward But he that continues and abideth faithful unto DEATH shall receive the Crown of Life it is not every one that begins to fight well that shall obtain the prize But he that overcometh shall inherit all things Therefore let us take heed that we do not grow weary of well doing and so faint before we Reap Neither let us give place to the Devil lest he deprive us of our Eternal Harvest and plunder us of our Heavenly Treasure but let us continue and persevere all our dayes in the work and service of our Heavenly Father and never turn again unto folly for Alas we had better never begin well except we continue so and end well For if after we have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ we are again intangled therein and overcome then our latter end will be worse than our beginning for it had been better for us never to have KNOWN the way of Righteousness than after we have known it to turn from the holy Commandment delivered unto us 2 Pet. 2.20 21. Therefore now let us take our last leave of every evil work and wholly apply our selves to the work and service of God and make it our meat and drink to do the Will of our Heavenly Father And as the Lord hath called us to a Heavenly Kingdom so let us exercise our selves in heavenly things and be no more in love with the beggerly things of this life but let us alwayes be found acting suitable to our Profession and walking in such wayes as become those that are Heirs of a Glorious Kingdom confessing that we are but Strangers and Pilgrims here on earth having our affections estranged from the things of this world That we may declare plainly that here we have no continuing
his earthly Glory and Dignity and did mightily bear up his soul in the midst of sufferings Yea further let me tell you this very Consideration was a great support even unto our Saviour Christ himself under all his afflictions and a great comfort to him in all his sufferings therefore we are exhorted to consider his example and to make him our pattern in this very particular Heb. 12.2 3. where the Apostle bids us Look unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the JOY that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and is now set down at the right hand of the Throne of God Mark The JOY that was set before him and the Crown that was laid up for him was that which did exceedingly bear up his Soul to endure the Cross and carry him forth to despise the Shame for he knew that though he was attended with sorrows here on Earth yet there was joy enough in Heaven to make him amends for all And though he was now cloathed with shame and reproach yet he should shortly be cloathed with Glory and Majesty in his Fathers Kingdom and for his Cross he should receive a Heavenly Crown Therefore he willingly bore the Cross and patiently underwent the Reproach knowing that this Glorious Reward would largely requite him for all his Troubles Therefore sayes the Apostle Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds When we are surrounded with Sorrow and compassed about with Troubles let 's remember our Heavenly Portion where we shall have fulness of joy and pleasures for ever and when we are attended with crosses and several calamities then let 's remember our Crown of Glory reserved for us in our Fathers Kingdom Let us in all things consider the example of Jesus Christ and be sure to follow his steps and then we shall be sure to partake of the same encouragement and be in a better capacity to run with patience the Race that is set before us Thus much for the third Use by way of Encouragement But Fourthly by way of Exhortation this may serve to exhort us to three things First Seeing it is so That the Lord hath so much tender love and respect for his People as to provide and prepare a Kingdom for them Oh! then let us be exhorted to increase and abound in our love one towards another Let us be sure to continue stedfast in Brotherly Love and to abound in Christian charity one towards another as becomes the Elect of God for if the Lord himself have such Bowels of Love and Affection for them as to honour them with a Crown and Kingdom how much more should we have Bowels of Love and affection one towards another for whom this Kingdom is provided And if the Lord himself tender his People as the Apple of his Eye and count them worthy of Eternal Glory Oh! how may this engage us to be tender one towards another and count one another worthy of respect and love yea it may engage us to manifest abundance of tender love and cordial affection even to the meanest and poorest of the Lords People yea though they be never so contemptible in the eyes of the World and never so mean and low in their earthly stations yet let us be tender towards them and embrace them in love and let us account them honourable and esteem them lovely for they are all Heirs of a Glorious Kingdom and they are all the dearly Beloved of the Lord Therefore this may engage us to love one another and this may engage us to be exceeding careful of each others welfare Therefore sayes the Apostle 1 Joh. 4.11 Beloved if God so loved us how ought we to love one another If the Lord himself hath so much love for us as to make us heirs of life and glory how should this enjoyn us to endeavour to exceed in our love one towards another and to abound in our affections towards all Saints Oh! let us take heed of slighting and contemning one another and let us take heed of scorning and setting at nought even the very poorest and meanest of Gods Jewels But let all those that truly fear the Lord be dear and precious to us though they are never so vile and ridiculous in the account of the World for they are all lovely in the sight of God and they are all precious in the eyes of the Lord and we are all his Children by faith in Jesus Christ therefore let us live in unity and love like Brethren Let us get and maintain an affection suitable to our Spiritual Relation and be sure to discharge a tender duty one towards another for we are all Children of one Father and we are all fed from one Fountain and we all belong to one Family and we are all Heirs to one Kingdom Therefore let us take heed of dividing in our Love and of difference in Affection seeing we are all one in Spiritual Relation and all concern'd in one Portion and seeing we are all travelling towards one Country and all journying towards one Land Oh! let us take heed that we do not quarrel and fall out by the way but rather let us like honest Travellers love and pitty one another and comfort and encourage one another and bear one anothers burden and help one another forward in our progress towards Heaven that so we may manifest our selves to be the Children of God and the Disciples of Christ by our love and affection one towards another and that we may make it appear to the world that we are living Christians by our love to Christians and that we are Born of God by our love to his Begotten for sayes the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.14 We know that we have passed from Death to Life because we love the Brethren for he that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death Mark He that hath not love and affection towards his Christian Brethren it is an evident sign that he is in a state of Death and that he is very unfit to stand as a Member in the Church of Christ for he is of no more use there than a rotten Branch in a fruitful Tree or a wooden legg in a mans Body which stands only for an outward shew but hath no life in it to refresh the Body and if all the members of the Body should be afflicted with grief yet still that would feel no pain nor would not at all be sensible of the Bodies sufferings and the reason is because it 's a dead member and wants the life that maintains and feeds the Body even so it is with a professed Christian that wants love to his Brethren he can hear of the afflictions of his Brethren and not at all be troubled and he can understand that his Brethren are in great want and misery and have no sympathy nor fellow-feeling with them in their condition and the reason is because he is
a dead member and wants that spiritual life that feeds and maintains the power of Godliness in the Soul for if he be acquainted with the Spiritual Birth and if his Soul be alive for God he cannot be without love to his Brethren Therefore sayes the Apostle in another place Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth his Brother is Born of God and is acquainted with the Lord. Therefore let this Doctrine of the Kingdom perswade us to continue and abound in this fruit of the Spirit and seeing we profess our selves to be all Partners in one Kingdom let us be all Partners together in Love and Affection Thus much for the first word of Exhortation But again Secondly 2. If it be so that the Lord hath provided and prepared a Kingdom for his People and will one day Crown them with Eternal Glory Oh! then let us be exhorted to bless and praise the Lord for his goodness towards us and to magnifie his Glorious Name for this his unspeakable Love Oh! the exceeding Riches of his Grace in this very particular doth mightily engage us to celebrate his praise to the utmost of our power both in word and action Oh! how are we bound to set forth his Glory and to magnifie his Mercy and to speak well of his Goodness for this his tender respect to his People yea all his Attributes shines and shews themselves beautifully in the accomplishment of this our great and wonderful Priviledge and loudly calls for a thankful Return at our hands Oh! how are we engaged to the Lord for his Goodness and how are we bound to praise him for his rich Grace To consider that we even such poor Creatures as we even when we were in a lost perishing state lay polluted in our Blood in an undone Condition that then the Lord should vouchsafe to cast his Eye upon us and pitty us and manifest his Love and Goodness so far unto our Souls as to find out a way for our Recovery and to bring about our Redemption by the death of his own Son and to put us into a capacity of Salvation that we might be honoured with the Dignity of Adoption and enabled to call him Father through faith in his only Begotten That so we might be partakers of a Heavenly Glorious and Unmoveable Kingdom Oh! what unspeakable Love and excellent Kindness is this Oh! what rich Grace and infinite Mercy is here extended to our Souls How do we stand engaged to the Lord for his infinite Goodness Pray let 's consider how it is in natural Cases If in case that we were poor and miserable and wanted relief and comfort for our outward Man and could not tell where nor which way to find any succour And now if a rich Man that hath fulness about him should take our Condition into consideration and meerly out of Love and Pitty towards us should hand forth Relief and Comfort to us and plentifully supply all our Wants and put us into a happy Condition and after all this make us Heirs of a Rich Inheritance Oh! how should we be engaged to esteem such a Courtesie as this And how should we be engaged to prize such a wonderful Kindness Oh! how would this bind us to acknowledge his Love and draw forth our hearts with thankfulness towards him Or else if we did not almost every one would be ready to condemn us for our Ingratitude And besides we should even give our Friend just occasion to cast us out of his favour and take our Inheritance from us Well but now the Lord hath done abundance more for us than all this and he hath extended his Love towards us in a wonderful manner even beyond comparison yea he hath done that for us that all the men in the World and all the Angels in Heaven could never have done by their greatest power and he hath provided and prepared such a Rich and Glorious Portion for us as all the World is not comparable thereunto Oh! then consider how are we bound to prize and esteem this infinite Kindness of God and thankfully to acknowledge his unspeakable Love And how are we bound to bless the Lord for his Goodness and to shew forth the Praises of him who hath thus called us out of Darkness into his marvellous Light Therefore seeing the Lord hath been so much enlarged in his Love and Goodness towards us Oh! let us endeavour to be enlarged in our thankfulness towards him lest we give him occasion to withdraw his Love from us for our gross Ingratitude and deprive us of our Portion for our ill improvement of his great Love Therefore you shall find that the Apostle himself makes this use of this very particular 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy hath Begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us Mark The consideration of Gods Goodness manifested in our hope of Glory and the consideration of our reserved Inheritance is that which doth here occasion him to bless and praise the Lord and exceedingly draws forth his spirit with thankfulness towards him and causeth him to acknowledge and admire his abundant Mercy towards us who hath Begotten us to a lively hope of such a Heavenly Inheritance Therefore saith the Apostle Paul Col. 1.12 13. We do not cease to give thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light who hath delivered us from the power of Darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son Oh! therefore let the consideration of our Heavenly Portion dwell upon our hearts and exceedingly draw forth our souls with thankfulness towards our Heavenly Father and let us mightily endeavour to set forth the Praise and Glory of him who hath provided and prepared such an Excellent Kingdom for his People Thus much for the second word of Exhortation I shall now come to the Third and last word of Exhortation and so conclude 3. Seeing the Lord hath provided and prepared such a Glorious and Heavenly Kingdom for his People Oh! then let all those that professe an Interest in this Kingdom walk worthy of God who hath called us to such a Glorious Inheritance Let the consideration thereof mightily engage us to a Holy and a Heavenly Conversation Oh! let us be sure to walk suitably and answerably to such an Honourable and Heavenly Profession as becomes those that are Heirs of a Kingdom and as becomes those that have an Interest in such an unspeakable Portion Oh! let 's consider what a Glorious Profession we bear and what a Heavenly work we are called unto and let us be sure to walk so as that we may honour our Profession with a suitable Conversation and answer the end of our
Heavenly Calling by a cheerful continuing in the paths of Holiness Oh! let us take heed that our Actions do not witness against our Words and our Conversations give our Profession the lye But as we bear a Heavenly Profession so let us lead a Heavenly Conversation and let us not suffer our hearts and affections to run out after the things of this Life But if we be risen with Christ let us seek those things which are above and set our Affections there where we profess our Portion is and let us manifest our selves to be Heirs of this Kingdom by our constant continuing in the work of the Kingdom and let us not shame our selves nor disgrace our Royal Profession with doring upon the beggerly things of this World but let us make it appear to the World that we are the Sons of God and Heirs of Heaven by abounding in the fruits of the Spirit and devoting our selves to Heavenly things and let us take heed that we do not defile our selves with any of the works of Darkness nor stain our Heavenly Reputation with wandring in the filthy paths of Iniquity For we that profess our selves to be Heirs of this Glorious Kingdom we must not expect to walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds and in the lusts of the flesh for if we do we must expect to be rewarded accordingly But we must if we expect a better Reward than others exercise our selves in a better Work than others and we must put off our former Conversation and cast away the old Man with his deeds which is corrupt and be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds and put on the new Man which after God is created in Righteousness true Holiness that so we may adorn our Princely Profession and walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are Called For pray consider what an unsuitable thing it would be for a Prince or one that is Heir to an Earthly Kingdom to go up and down in Beggers Apparel and associate himself with the meanest and basest of the People and expose himself to such a contemptible Course of life as to spend his time in the works of drudgery and slavish employment and take up his lodging with Beggers on a dunghil or under a hedge and yet keep up his Princely Profession and proclaim himself to be the Son of a King and Heir to a Kingdom I say it would be accounted a very unsuitable thing and a great dishonour to one of his degree and it would very much stain and diminish his Reputation in the eyes of the World and render him very ridiculous amongst his Friends and Relations How much more would it be an unsuitable thing for us that professe our selves to be the Children of GOD and Princes of HEAVEN and Heirs to an ETERNAL Kingdom if we should suffer the rags of unrighteousness to rest upon us and go along with the wicked in the paths of impurity and exercise our selves in the Devils drudgery and set our affections upon the unprofitable dunghils of this Life take up our lodging here under the hedges of Earthly Vanity Oh! how unsuitable would it be to our Heavenly Profession And how greatly would it derogate from God and diminish the Reputation of Godliness And how unworthy and unfit should we render our selves of such a Glorious Inheritance and we should cause the way of Truth to be mightily abused and manifest our selves to be no better than Hypocrites Therefore now let us endeavour to regulate and order our Conversations aright in the fear of the Lord and to walk circumspectly both in Words and Actions redeeming the time because the dayes are evil and let no corrupt Communication proceed out of our mouths nor no corrupt Actions be seen in our lives but rather let the appearance of Gods Grace unto our Souls teach as to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously in this present evil World that so we may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing increasing and abounding in the fruits of the Spirit and continuing and persevering in the way of the Lord all the dayes of our lives to the Praise and Glory of him who hath called us to such a Heavenly Glorious unmoveable Kingdom Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ our Lord To whom with the Father through the Spirit of Grace be Blessing and Glory Wisdom and Thanksgiving Honour and Power Might Majesty and Dominion now henceforth and for evermore Amen THE END