Lord pardons all the sinnes of thy unconverted condition upon thy initiall repentance so he will pardon all the sinnes of thy converted condition upon renewed repentance and therefore hee cals upon backsliding and declining people to returne unto him and promiseth both to heale them Hos 14. 4. and to Hos 14. 4. love them freely ibid. which is as much as to pardon them but see the pardon expresly Micah 7. Mic. 7. 18. 18. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his beritage c. 3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening work the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength for the worke There is a difference betwixt a man in his conversion there indeed he is without all strength hee can doe nothing and the Christian in his restauration there is now some living ability in him which can yet doe a little act a little strive a little at least in bewailings and desires Now if thou doest in any sincere degree set upon the right and full meanes of thy recovery the Lord God will come in with his owne strength Hee will strengthen what hee hath wrought in thee and will work the will and the deed in thee his own works in thee Object But then you will reply what meanes may a decayed Christian use to recover and strengthen himselfe againe Sol. I conjecture that the best course is this 1 A serious consideration of Seaven Meanes their condition this is the counsell which Christ gave to the Church of Ephesus decaying in her first love Remember from Revel 2 whence thou art fallen seriously consider take to heart peruse and judge over thy estate what it was formerly what it is now what strength then what weaknes now how much glory God had then what dishonour God hath now what good thou diddest then what evill thou doest now what peace in conscience then what woundings in conscience now what estimation among the Saints then what strengthening of the hands and opening of the mouthes of the wicked now And this is an excellent meanes to worke upon thy spirit or rather to worke of thy spirit David considered his wayes and turned his feet to Gods testimonies 2 A deep humiliation which will follow upon this thou must breake through all businesses and pleasures and impediments and retire thy selfe in a more solemne manner more then once or twice and set thy selfe before the Lord and fall down before his footstoole with shame and confusion of face with bitter weepings and lamentations with sound judgings and condemnations of thy selfe Ah how thou shouldest exquisitely afflict thy soule that thou shouldest be so mad and vile to lose a God to lose any thing of the graces of a God for a sinnes sake or a worlds sake That the Lord should shew thee more love then another and intrust thee with grace the least dram where of is more pretious then all the world and yet thou shouldest decline from the Lord not answer this trust not use those talents which have yeelded so much profit and comfort being improved but decay in them and fall behinde hand yea even under mighty meanes of strength alwaies continued unto thee and these things should cut and grieve and afflict and humble thy soul exceedingly 3 A solid resolution thou must with full purpose of heart resolve not to rest in thy decayed condition but to shake off all the causes and occasions of thy decayings If any wickednesse hath got into thy heart thou must put it farre away from thy tabernacles and if the morsels have beene sweet thou must cast them out with godly sorrow as bitter as gall and wormwood If carelesnesse and slothfulnesse of spirit hath caused thy decayings thou must with the Church in the Canticles stand no longer upon how shall I rise and put on my coat but rise thou must and get out of thy slothfull bed and thrust from thee a neglecting and negligent disposition Or if the world hath caused thy decayings either in the profits of it and gaine or in the honours of it and respects or in the friendship of it and acquaintance thou must resolve to bid them all farewell Think on it O Christian what gets he for profit who loseth in his graces or for honour who abaseth himselfe in his graces or for love who loseth himselfe in the favour of his God Ah poore soule thou mayest curse the day that ever thou knewest what did belong to thy drudgings in the world and unto thy great friends in the world and thy society with such and such persons at first thou didst converse with them with a regretting spirit then with a silent spirit then with an yeelding spirit many many a day hast thou come home with conscience accusing and smiting of thee unto which hadst thou hearkned thou hadst been much preserved well well if ever thou wouldest recover thy spirituall strength thou must peremptorily resolve on it to sever from wicked society better farre to be a poore man and a rich Christian then to thrive any way and bee decaying in grace 4 An active reformation Remember said Christ from whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes so say I now goe to thy old workes againe be trading for thy soule set up prayer againe and reading againe and hearing againe and holy meditation and conference againe and solemne humiliations againe stir up those coales and cinders of grace there is life yet in thee oh act thy life faith can doe something for thee though it cannot see comfort for thee yet it can see helpe and strength for thee godly sorrow can mourna little set it to work perhaps it may quickly rise to a floud upon particular surveyes and so set repentance on work yea and all thy soul thy minde thy judgement thy memory thy affections to worke in all the duties of thy generall and particular condition 5 Ardent supplication for it is the Lord who must shew this power in thy weakenesse Psal 86. O turn unto me and have Psal 86. 16. mercy upon me give thy strength unto thy servant Beseech him to pitty thee beseech him to succour and helpe thee to be thy strength and thy salvation to beat downe and weaken the sinnes which have so much weakened thee to crucifie thy heart to the world which hath so much crucified thy heart unto thy God To breath upon thy graces as hee did upon the dry bones to stirre up and revive them by his Almighty spirit to put his hand of power upon thy hand of weakenesse as the Prophet did upon the Kings c. Yea and never give him over till then that though thou hast beene a backsliding childe yet hee is a gracious Father though thou hast been unfruitfull yet hee is faithfull though thou art weakened yet he is the everlasting God the Creator of the ends of the earth who fainteth not who can give power to the
lively in living works but performeth spirituall works without much spiritualnesse But the strengthened Christian hath workings in his workes or as in Ezekiel there was a wheele within a wheele he serves the Lord with a fervent spirit and with all his soul hee is exceeding glad to obey and is much grieved that he can obey the Lord no better Acceptation of duty the Lord doth not looke so upon his offerings as on the duties of a strengthened Christian it is true that the Lord doth not despise the day of small things even weake services are graciously respected by him but when Christians weaken their owne operations they doe weaken also Gods acceptations for the Lord is pleased differently to answer his servants according to their different dispositions and tempers faint seekers have but faint answers and resolute petitioners get plentifull answers from him of good 2 In respect of the ordinances here also the weakened Christian is very short of the strengthened Christian both For preparation unto them his heart is not put in such a frame to come and converse with God he will not take that paines before he comes to the word hee doth not by precedent meditations and prayers bring such a receptivity and and teachablenesse of heart to the word nor for the Sacrament perhaps he comes and thrusts on the worke but retires not himselfe examines not himselfe humbles not himselfe hungers not thirsts not nor considers his particular necessities so rightly to dispose his soule for an holy communion with God but is more full of carnall indulgence to himselfe and study rather for apologies to excuse his neglect then by preparative duties to fit himselfe For application of them hee stands under the ordinances with more distractions with lesse attentions with an unclosing spirit the word workes not so on his heart nor his heart on the word He stands under the ordinances with a more distracting spirit or else with a more fearing spirit lest the Lord will finde him out for his revoltings and either hee dares not come to the Sacrament or if he doth hee is not able for his life almost to be confident and perswaded of Gods love towards him in Christ For fructification he buyes not at the market suckes not and thrives not by the breasts nor makes that use of them as the other doth nor doth hee improve them so to the benefit of his spirituall condition as the other doth the counsels commands exhortations reproofes promises they are generally to him in his weakned estate as water on the rock or as the waves to Ionah sleeping in the ship they have not that virtutem moventem that authority over his drowsie spirit But the strengthened Christian hath farre more easie passages the word and Sacrament have their sweet and facile impressions on his understanding will and affections by discoveries of sinne and threatnings he feares the Lord and hates sinne more By discoveries of goodnesse and mercy and Christ his faith gets more and his love riseth more By discoveries of duties and commands his cares and desires abound more in him they are still humbling or still purging still raising or still upholding of him he is more and more built up and edified in his holy faith his communions with God are more cordiall and more beneficiall there is still a fuller and sweeter conjunction betwixt his soule and Christ 3 In respect of corruptions which are the very bane and poyson and shame of his soule and sore woundings and impairings the weakened Christian is found much underfoot and is more in bondage and lesse sensible of it gray haires appeare more on him unruly lusts get more head againe and he either hardly feeles them or faintly resists them He is now become as a wounded man over whom every coward can insult The strength of tender perception of sinne failes and the strength of resolute opposition and the strength of frequent conquest so that his soule is much imbased by lusts his resistance are either 1 None 2 Or faint 3 Or fruitlesse But he is overborne by the tide more easily like an unskilfull rower or a sicke man by a thrust But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian who now can leade captivity captive he is mighty in prayer and resolute in defiances and generally happy either in making sinfull motions to flye or in preserving his soule from yeelding unto them either hee is more quiet or lesse guilty He is a greater enemy to sinne a surer conquerour and still a lesser servant 4 In respect of conversation it is true that the Christian must be gold without and gold within hee must be like the heavens excellent in substance and beautifull in appearance a good heart is not enough but also a good life and walking like a Spring which is for common good and not for private But the weakened Christian in his conversation fals short of the others who is strengthened in many respects v. g. 1 For strictnesse though it be a kinde of garment yet it hangs more loosely and like one of the Planets Simile though a starre in heaven yet sometimes nearer sometimes more distant from the equinoctiall There is not that exact conscionablenesse in holy walkings but a sordid complying many times with the acts and waies of unworthy societies or at least his graces are out-dared and over-awed so that when hee should expresse them for Gods glory he is afraid to speake or worke 2 For profitablenesse every good man should be like a tree on which one may gather fruit he is to be a steward of the manifold gifts not inclosing but imploying of them for the benefit of others his boxe of oyntment should be opened If thou be good thou art bound also to doe good for graces are given not onely to make us good but also to make us to doe good but thus it is not with the decaying Christian He being now fallen into a penurious stocke of grace hath almost lost the art and skill of profitablenesse his acts seeme rather to be those of civility then piety he may be as facetious but is not so religious in conversings his discourses are more censorious and insolent then substantiall and edifying I confesse that some Christians cannot so draw out their treasure through a bashfulnesse of spirit but he is growne lesse active because lesse able his barrennesse is in the cause and not in the instrument So that he may eat and drink with others but no good comes from him his lips preserve not knowledge nor doth his communication administer grace to the heare whence it followes 1 That God hath little or no glory by him 2 That the Saints have little or no delight in him 3 That his conscience hath little or no comfort in it selfe 3 For cleernesse his river is not so sweet but ever and anon it proves brackish his sunne though it runs its course yet it is frequently clowded so is it with his life he is not doing
of good so but withall ever and anon he is doing of some evill his weakened graces cannot beare him up against strong occasions and temptations his gold lies much in the ashes Simile and like a lame man he is not only halting in his best motion but ever and anone quite downe the snuffe gets above his candle 4 For delightfulnesse hee is almost a stranger to exact Christians and doth not honour them so much as formerly but secretly feares their company and judgement he is perhaps more ashamed or else more afraid of them his conscience is yet so apprehensive that hee interprets every glance as a secret checke of his decayings Thus is it not with the strengthened Christian whose graces are high carefulnesse great usefulnesse large godlinesse even and* great delights taken psal 16. 1. up amongst the best and choicest Christians Hee himselfe still growes better and others by him 5 In respect of consolation the declining sunne creates the longer and darker shadowes and the decaying Christian brings on himselfe either the sharper terrors or deeper griefs the sicke bed is full of paines neither his owne spirit nor Gods Spirit speake peace unto him He who of bad begins to be good may have much tranquility but he who of good becomes lesse good ever becomes more undelightfull to God and most unquiet with himselfe Simile The ship which goes out in low ebbes fals foulest on the sands so Christians who ebbe in graces shall alwaies flow with sorrowes But it is otherwise with the strengthened Christian for rising graces breed stronger comforts and longer there is not onely no troubling accusation but a most surpassing excusation in conscience he hath a better heart and shall therefore finde a more quiet spirit for conscience speakes peace answerable to our being more good and doing of it Alas that thou shouldest still walke like a Benoni a childe of sorrow whereas the other Christian lives like a Barnabas a sonne of consolation 6 In respect of affliction the weakened in active graces is ever most weake in passive duties generally hee hath more crosses and or himselfe lesse wisedome and strength to bear them because hee is growne worse therefore his afflictions are increased and because his abilities are sunke therefore the afflictions crush and prick him much the more Sampson who could easily breake thorow many cords and barres yet when weakened a few Philistines were too hard for him He cannot be so patient nor yet so confident nor yet so diligent in a suffering condition His weakened graces can neither administer strength nor yet subdue those workings of impatience so that he is almost sunke and split with calamities his decayed ship can scarse abide any foule weather But when personall sicknesses come and the apprehension of death at which times his conscience is thoroughly wakened ah how bitter how terrible are the thoughts and disputes of his heart at such a time much like those of him who apprehends his condition not to be good Oh how the pulses of his disturbing and disturbed conscience worke what reflexions on his former waies what comparison of his former flourishings with present decayings what feares of approching before the Lord what smart sentences on himselfe what sudden and vehement exclamations Oh Lord saith he I would not yet dye I am fallen much from my God Lord spare me a little that I may recover my strength my decayed strength before I go hence and shall be no more seene It is not so with the strengthened Christian but as in active duties hee is more forward so in passive duties he is more sufficient in losses in crosses yea in death it selfe hee is more submissive and confident he can with Iob be as willing to receive evill at the hand of God as good and doth not only rejoyce in his favours but in his strokes and is as ready to go to his father as to serve God his good master 7 In respect of Gods manifestation the Lord is pleased diversly to manifest himselfe to his people sometimes in admirable motions and suggestions of his spirit sometimes in more quick excitations of their spirits sometimes in singular confirmation of them with assistances for extraordinary works sometimes by secret impressions of his favour and love upon their consciences which doth revive their hearts as wine and satisfie their soules as with marrow so David speakes Psal 63. But now the weakened Christian he darkens this heaven over his head he hath not that comfortable sight of God that assurance of his favour that joy of the holy Ghost David lost the joy of the spirit and the voyce of gladnesse the arme of God is Psal 51. not so revealed in him for doing of good nor the face of God so open unto him at all Whereas the strengthened Christian findes it otherwise he hath a better heart and a fairer day his communion is sweet with the Lord hee still seeks the Lord and often findes him enjoyes him in his power and enjoyes him in his gratiousnesse the Lord meets him that worketh righteousnesse and remembers him who remembers the Lord in their waies Now thinke on these things O thou fallen and decayed Christian and rest not in thy weakenesse but recover and strengthen thy spirituals againe Three things I will let fall Three things which perhaps may fetch and quicken thee againe 1 Though thou art far sunk yet thou maiest be raised again 2 If thou doest rise again the Lord will graciously pardon thy decaies 3 If thou wilt set upon the strengthening worke the Lord will worke in thee sufficient strength 1 Thou maiest be raised and strengthened againe and that may appeare thus unto thee 1 Repentance is possible for any sinnes which are committed and if renewed repentance be possible then a recovery againe is possible for as much as our recovery again consists very much in a renewed repentance 2 Yea and we have examples of weakened Christians strengthened againe as we know in David exceedingly wounded but yet recovered and Peter grievously falling but graciously rising againe 2 If thou doest strengthen thy condition the Lord will mercifully pardon thy former decayings I confesse that there may be sore grounds of feare to intangle and depresse the spirit of a decaid Christian for his sins by which he hath decayed may perhaps be hainous for the kinde and also high for the circumstances being against knowledge against the workings of conscience against the workings of his graces against the tender love of God in Christ shewed to him more then to another so that his heart may strongly misgive him whether the Lord will ever looke upon him more and accept of him into favour But this I say that be thy decayings what they will either for the matter of them or causes of them or circumstances of them if thou doest rise againe by a renewed repentance I assure thee that the Lord will pardon thee and accept of thee in Christ looke as the
more will that man grieve for sinne the more will he feare to sinne the more will hee hate sinne the more will hee repent of sinne the more carefull will hee be to walke before God the more tender and conscientious will hee grow in duties the more able unto praier and the ordinances and the more successefull under them Therefore deale prudently for thy strengthening Simile when an house is declining we doe not meddle with every rafter and piece of wood no but wee strengthen the pillers and foundation faith is the piller as it were of our graces strengthen it to more apprehension application to more submission to the wil of God to more affiance to more dependance on God through the bloud of Christ and faith will both finde out thy strength and impart it I can doe all things through Christ that strengthens me 2 Love this is another radicall grace not that it brings forth other graces for their habits but onely that it eggeth on other graces to their acts and operations for as holy love is a most active quality in it selfe so it doth make the Christian to be most active it is a doing thing and makes the person to be doing More fully thus 1 There is activity flowing from love grace shall never be idle where the love of God is strong the love of Christ constraines 2 Cor. 5. me saith Saint Paul it is like the vertuous woman in the last of the Proverbs who did set all her handmaids to employment for love will finde duty enough for it is never quiet but in doing the will of God 2 There is diligence It will not set graces to a naked work but to a diligent worke even carefully and diligently to expresse their acts to take all the seasons of holy actings strictly to oppose and resist corruptions neatly to set out duties so as God may have most glory 3 There is delightfulnesse it makes our communion with God pleasant and the works of piety easie to the soule and the more delightfull and easie any acts are the more frequent they grow David loving of the Lord was glad when they said let us goe unto the house of the Lord and he had a desire even to dwell and rest there as the birds did Psal 84. Psal 84. Now put all this together and you shall see that if love be strengthened all our spirituall estate will be strengthened for it makes our graces to be active and doing to be carefull and exact in doing to be delightfull and cheerefull in doing good and in communion with God and all these are admirable meanes to raise and strengthen graces Forasmuch as the more any Christian doth the more hee may by using his spirituall strength he alwaies increaseth it and also wit All know that diligence in acting is a thrifty course the diligent hand makes rich saith Salomon so the diligent Christian is the gaining Christian and that delightfull frequency of acting Simile it is like the twisting of a cord which comes thereby to be the stronger No Christian is so able in the habits of grace as hee who is conscientiously frequent in the practise or exercise of grace 4 Seriously and in good earnest and not slightly and faintly the recovery of a faint soule will never be effected by faint workings Simile gentle physicke is improper for tough diseases you did fall into your decayed estate by remissive operations or actings and thinke you that what was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being greatly sunke If my hands cannot keep a swouning person from falling to the ground can they lift him up being fallen whereas every heavy body the farther it descendeth the heavier it is No no Christian thou deceivest thy selfe to thinke that a few complaints or a few sighes or a few teares or a prayer once in a quarter of a yeere more earnestly pressed will serve the turne I tell thee that thy wounds are deepe and thy diseases are strong thou art deeply revolted from the Lord the very foundations are shaken and battered within thy soule What talkest thou of putting a soft cloth over thy stinking and festred wounds of sinfull corruption thou oughtest to search deeply and to cut off the dead flesh lest the whole be gangrened Take my advise even breake up the fallow ground I meane thy hollow heart search and try it to the utmost not by slight but by deep and full humiliations and supplications make thy peace not by common but by extraordinary performances seeke to renue thy selfe Thy fals have beene great and therefore thy worke must not be slight great sinnings require grand sorrowings and low fallings the more industry for higher risings therefore act thy strengthening part with all thy strength and as it were for thy very life remember that David was in fasting and Peter in bitter teares for their falling and so they rose againe 5 Throughly and to some purpose doe not begin a strengthening worke and then either upon the motions of a lasie heart or a fearefull heart or an unbeleeving heart be discouraged and desist this inconstancy would keepe thee in an everlasting infirmity Simile just as if a Patient should follow the prescription of the Physitian for a day or two but afterwards finding that to be somewhat painefull and troublesome hee will bee bound no longer but then hee fals ill againe So if thou set upon the waies of strengthening and a while thou wilt keepe close to praying and hearing and humbling and reforming but perceiving the workes to be painefull and offensive to thy corrupt heart and too strict to thy licentious heart or the fruits of them to be hopelesse to thy unbeleeving heart I cannot hold out all is in vaine or to little purpose I tell thee that thou doest but play the foole with thy soule set it forward and backward this were to twist and untwist Penelopes threed thou never wilt get any thing by an inconstant and weary spirit But this must thou doe if thou wouldest recover thy strength indeed thou must never admit of interruptions thou must never break off thy renewing worke till thou hast got to thy former station in grace againe The worke must bee a daily worke a constant going on in mourning praying c. till thou hast got thy tender conscience againe till thou hast gotten thy broken heart againe till thou hast got thy more willingly and cheerefully obedient heart againe till thou hast recovered thy first love and canst doe thy first works againe Object It is true thou shalt meet with many temptations from Satan with many contrary suggestions from thine owne spirit and with many discouragements from the world and it is true also that thy doings may not at every time equall or be like to it selfe thou mayest feele thy physicke at one time to worke better then at another sometimes thou mayest doe thy strengthening worke with more strength sometimes with
lesse sometimes with more liberty of spirit sometimes with lesse sometimes with more comfort sometime with lesse Sol. Yet let nothing discourage thee or take off thy spirit from the worke but follow on to know the Lord and his strength against all temptations against all suggestions against all discouragements against all thine owne feares and feelings and inequality of operations yet give not over but Keep up thy services still retain frequent communion with God still be begging still for the strength of Iesus Christ to raise thee heare still use the prescriptions till health comes thou art in the way and must not rest till thou hast obtained If thou breakest off before thou hast regained thy strength thou wilt fall backe againe and also lose all thy new endeavours for thy recovery in grace Thus much for the second proposition I proceed now to the third of which I can but give a touch lest I be hindred in the prosecution of the matter in the next verse I have not found thy works perfect c. That the estate though visibly Thirdly faire to the eyes of men yet it may be really imperfect in the eyes of God Amongst the Churches Sardis had a name that it lived but with God it had not that name and estimation Wee Christians have the judgement of charity but God hath the judgement of infallibility we looke onely on the skin and surface of actions but God looks into the hearts and spirits of persons wee judge of the heart by the actions but God judgeth of our estates by the heart Now the outward acts upon severall arguments and for severall ends and inducements may be extreamely different from the inward habit and disposition Persons for their credits sake and for their peculiar advantages may draw out acts naturally good when yet their spirits stand not right either for principles or ends of those acts so that notwithstanding al their profession their estate may bee imperfect before God partly For the frame and constitution of soule For the vigour and fulnesse of acting For the scope and intentions in performing For the mixtures in matters of faith or conversation But I cannot now inlarge in this singular affection Vse 1 Onely it may teach us above all to looke unto our spirituals as they abide in and flow from our hearts and soules upon which principally the Lord lookes he searcheth the hearts and reynes and approveth the actings of the heart more then of the hand and therefore wee reade that he had first respect unto Abel and then unto his offering 2 To study Gods approbation more than mans it is not sufficient nor safe that either wee alone judge our estates to bee good or that men judge them to be so unlesse the Lord findes them to be so every Christian is that as God judgeth him to be and he stands or fals according to this righteous judgement of the al-seeing and al-knowing God And so I take leave of that verse and proceed to the next Remember therefore how thou Revel 3. 3. hast received and heard and hold fast and repent In these words you have the other branches of the spirits speciall directions to the Church of Sardis which are three viz. 1 Remembrance remember Three branches therefore how thou hast received and heard 2 Persistence and hold fast 3 Renewed repentance and repent Briefly to open the words Remember sometimes the word is taken for the act of a particular faculty of the rationall soule which is called by the Philosophers Reminiscentia and then it is the calling backe of a thing or object formerly knowne and laid up in the memory Sometimes it is taken for the act of serious consideration appertaining to the judicious faculty of the soule wherein apprehended truths are well weighed throughly thought on or considered of in both respects I conjecture it may bee taken in this place How some reade that word rather thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what remember i. call to minde and consider what thou hast received and heard as if it were a word declaring the matter but rather in this place it imports the manner and therefore it is well translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How noting the manner how Christ taught and prescribed them at the first and also the manner how they embraced those holy rules of his for doctrine conversation Thou hast received and heard that is assented unto and embraced those truths and directions of Christ where is expressed first their ancient subjection or embracing of the doctrine of Christ received and secondly the meanes or way thereof viz. by hearing and heard I cannot possibly with any profit insist on all the observables out of these and the other words considering that little part of time which remaines for me to worke amongst you only I will point at three singular propositions viz. 1 That holy truths once received Three propositions are often to be remembred and thought on Remember c. 2 That acceptance of truths is not enough but Christians must adde thereto a persistence in truths hold fast 3 That renewed repentance is required of Christians as well as initiall and repent You see that all these propositions naturally flow from the text and are very proper for us and for the occasion upon which they are handled I begin with the first of them viz. Doct. That holy truths once received are often to be remembred and thought on There are three things which should fall into a frequent consideration 1 Our former sinnes and this will keepe us humble 2 Gods former mercies and this will make us thankfull 3 Received truths and this will make us dutifull and fruitfull The Iewes were to binde them as frontlets between their eyes Deut. 6. 8. to which Salomon alludes in Pro. 6. 21. binde Deut. 6. 8. Pro. 6. 21. them continually upon thy heart and tye them about thy necke and Eccles 12. 11. they are to be as nailes Eccl. 12. 11. fastened Looke on David and this was his practise Psal 119. Psal 119 15. I will meditate in thy statutes there once then reade verse 23. thy servant did meditate in thy statutes there is the second time but then reade verse 48. I will meditate in thy statutes there is the third time what speake I of once or twice or thrice see him in verse 97. Oh how I love thy law it is my meditation all the day The Apostles are frequent in their exhortations to this purpose to remember to lay up to keepe in minde not to forget the holy doctrines delivered by them nay and Christ pressed the same also upon themselves upon many occasions But for the cleere opening of this proposition premise with me these particulars 1 The frequent remembring of former truths must be a remembrance by way of subiection and not by way of contradiction we must not remember them and question them much lesse abuse and pervert them least of all oppose
sufficient to a particular word of truth for the present yet the vertue and use of that may be for the future Simile It is with truths as it is with treasuries whereinto much gold or siluer is put and kept safe a little whereof my serve for the time being but most or all of it may be brought out upon future and severall occasions Simile Or as it is with friends and garments which though wee doe not use every one of them every day yet ere we dye wee may have an usefull occasion for them all The truths which thou hast heard from the word ten yeeres agoe may serve thee twenty yeeres hence that discovery of the mercy of God of the bloud of Christ of the freenesse of grace c. these may be of great availe unto thee and of sweet and proper helpe unto thee when thou commest to old age or to a dying bed Simile It is not with truths heard and received as with our meat eaten and digested the vertue of which may bee gone in few daies but as it is with a lease for life which this yeere brings in our revenue and so it doth the next yeere c. so divine truths may yeeld unto thee present comfort and strength yea and they can being rightly embraced be the staffe in thy hand to morrow to support thee and the river in thy conscience to refresh thee that heavenly truth which was thy starre at this time may fitly upon occasions serve to bee thy guide at any time as the starre to the wise men which appeared the second time 2 Frequent remembrance of divine truths is as it were a spurre to further obedience and therefore Saint Peter joynes 2 Pet. 1. 13. putting in remembrance and stirring up as if then we should revive our services when wee did renue our memories Every truth newly and seriously thought on is as it were a second Sermon or repetition and inculcating of it upon our hearts I am sure it is like a further digestion which serves for the better health and strength of our bodies 3 It is a meanes much to strengthen our graces the Philosophers have a saying eodem nutrimur ex quo generamur that wee are nourished by that of which wee are generated the truths of God begat our graces and the same truths well remembred and perused will increase them Those promises which heretofore inclined thy heart and perswaded it to beleeve can perpetually beare and raise up thy heart to stronger degrees of beleefe as Christ when he would helpe his disciples against a particular infidelity objected unto them why doe ye not remember Mark 8. 18. intimating that a right remembring of his works would have inabled them much against unbeliefe And so doth the remembrance of the words of Christ of his truths which are as able to build us up in grace as to communicate it unto us 4 It is a revocation from sinnings as David said I considered my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies the same may be said of holy truths a remembring consideration of them is a recovering of an erring and falling soule Saint Peter forgate his Master and then forgate himselfe he forgate the words of a Master and then the duty of a servant but Peter recovered himselfe againe and how did he so the text saith that hee remembred the words of Iesus and when hee had thought thereon hee went out and wept bitterly 5 It is an avocation or withholdment from errours why doe men so commonly slip into new errors one maine cause is they have let slip old truths they have lost their touch-stone to try doctrine by they doe not remember what and how they have heard and received and therfore they destroy what they themselves have built Simile Like a ship which hath lost her anchor tossed with waves and windes every way so they are hurried and puffed up and downe with every winde of doctrine But he who rightly remembers the truth hath not onely thereby a touch-stone to try and discover contrary errours but likewise a buckler to secure his judgement and a sword to cut off the corrupt reasonings and fallacies of the gaine-sayer 6 Lastly it is of singular good and concernement to a distressed and deserted soule and to a debarred person The daies of famine may befall thee and then the food which Ioseph laid up may preserve thee if future meanes should faile will not former and remembred truths be of comfort and are you sure that seasons will last for ever where is Ierusalem who did not know her day of peace and where are the seven Churches of Asia or the daies of sicknesse may befall thee wherein thou art debarred of the market I meane the publike assembly of the Saints and art so weakened that reade at all thou canst not if now thy soule can remember God and remember the truths of God and can secretly confer with them they may be of blessed helpe and peace unto thee yea the daies of desertion may befall thee the Lord may not looke on thee as formerly hee may not confer at all with thee in sense and feeling and what refuge hast thou now but to flye to the truths of God through which thou didst heretofore heare him and perceive him and this may prove a support and solace to thy heart Sure I am Asaph in his desertions did so see him in Psal 77. 10. I will remember the yeeres of Psal 77. 10. the right hand of the most high I will remember the workes of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old former embraces are new encouragements Vse Thus for the explication and confirmation of the point I now come to the application of it to our selves Should received truths be remembred then 1 Hearing is not all some there are who heare not at all they are like the deafe Adders which refuse to heare the voice of the charmer Christ is pleased to speake but they are not pleased to hearken how much have these to answer for Others doe heare and that is all the word is but as a naturall sound to excite that naturall facultie of hearing but they understand not what they heare the word preached is as a book sealed up unto them they think it enough to come to Church c. Others doe heare and understand the truths delivered but then they minde them no more they leave all at the Church doore as wee doe our friends at the grave forgetting that we came to a feast to carry away and not to a grave to leave all behinde as if the word were a tale or a dreame it is instantly forgotten in comes the world out goes the word to secular businesses or sinfull acts they presently apply themselves and so is the word Simile squeized out like water out of a spunge or the characters of it glide away like the impressions of a Seale upon the slippery water Perhaps many a thousand Sermon they
in the judgement we must not admit of a staggering and reeling minde nor of a levity in our judgements to be driven and carried about with every winde of doctrine as the Apostle speakes Ephes 4. 14. Eph. 4. 14. Athanasius knew this well when he held his iudgement fast in the truth of the deity of Christ against the Arians so Saint Austin his iudgement fast in the doctrine of grace against the Pelagians and Cyprian against the Donatists or Novatians or Catharists It is an honour for a man to recant an errour but a perfidious shame for any Christian to suffer any truth to be supplanted by any errour 2 In the will and affection our love must hold the truth fast therefore the Apostle bids us to be glued unto it Rom. 12. 9. it is with truths Simile as with some plants which live and thrive not but in warme climates That ancient desire after truth and delight in it to take counsell from it and strength from it and comfort by it must not decay and dye within us but must remaine and abound though others hate disgrace and endeavour to make voyd the truth yet wee must cleave unto it and love it as David Psal 119. 3 In our profession hence that advice of the Apostle in Phil. 2. 16 to hold forth the word of life even in the midst of a darke and froward generation Christ would have us not onely to beleeve but to confesse him before men Remember that it was no small sinne in Peter when he pretended that he knew not the man Gregory Nazianzen reports in one of his orations against Iulian that some Christian souldiers being cunningly circumvented by him to idolatrous sacrifices perceiving the errour they all ran backe unto him and threw him his money againe and protested they were Christians and in what they did they were circumvented by him Heb. 10. Heb. 10. 23. 23. let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering the Christian must change neither his Master nor his service nor his livery 4 In our conversation wee must still practise truths and keepe our lives answerable unto them Saint Iohn cals this a walking in the truth then a man walkes in the truth when hee holds on his course of holy obedience unto it against all the encouragements and discouragements of the world as the three children in Daniel c. not with the Galathians beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh or like those Israelites whose righteousnesse was as the morning dew But we must still runne the race set before us and keep stedfast our feet unto the pathes of righteousnesse and waies of truth Quest Why must divine truths heard and received be held fast Sol. Reasons thereof are many I will briefly point out some of them 1 Divine truth is a most precious and excellent thing therefore in Scripture it is compared to gold which of metals is the most precious nay it is more precious then gold or rubies and all the things which thou canst desire are not to be compared unto it see Pro. 3. 14. 15. Pro. 3. 14. 15. It is more excellent then the excellencies of the creatures not then some of them but then all of them and a man if hee were to imagine any excellency or if the utmost of his desires were enlarged yet could they not finde out and pitch upon such an excellency Therefore saith Saint Iohn to the Church of Philadelphia Revel 3. 11. Hold that Revel 3. 11. fast which thou hast that no man take thy crowne the crowne is the top of royalties such a thing is truth let no man take thy crowne Beloved there are two properties which assure us of the excellency of things 1 The more holy they are the Two things intimate an excellency more excellent they are all corruptions are diminutions of excellency the more mixt a thing is the more it is abased as if gold and tinne be mixed and the more pure it is as meere gold the more glorious it is Now the truths of God are holy not as persons are holy which is with mixture and imperfection but as the light at noone day is pure without darkenesse at all 2 The more that God is in any thing the more excellent it is for so much as we partake of him who is excellency it selfe so much more wee rise in our excellency But the great God is altogether seen in this word of truth there is his wisedome there is his power and greatnesse there is his love and mercifulnesse there is his Christ and faithfulnesse therefore it is most excellent and consequently to be held fast by us 2 Divine truths are as it were made over to us under termes of constancy and perpetuity I finde in Scriptures that they are termed sometimes Our heritage estates which are personall if that bee the phrase for possession may be sold as that which a childe buyes with his owne money but estates which are naturall or hereditary such I meane as come to be ours by descent these ought to be kept for posterity God forbid said Naboth that I should sell the inheritance of my fathers divine truths are an heritage to descend from us to our children and therefore wee are neither to dispossesse our selves of them nor to suffer our selves by any to bee dispossessed of them Psal 119. 111. thy testimonies Psal 119 111. have I taken as an heritage for euer Gods trust something wee commit to God something God commits to us 2 Tim. 1. 12. He is able to keepe that which I haue committed unto him we trust God with our soules and God trusts us with his truths which are therefore called that good thing committed to us for to keep 2 Tim. 1. 14. now in matters of trust wee must be faithfull for we must be responsable for the whole wherewith wee are instructed as the servants in the Gospell who had talents committed to their trust they were called to an account for them so if the Lord trust any man with graces or with his truths the man must carefully keepe and preserve them for the Lord will aske him another day for his trust as Saint Iohn did of the Bishop of Jerusalem for his depositum They observe that a trust must be first redelivered secondly wholly thirdly onely to him who committed it to us for trust 3 Not to hold fast the truths is an exceeding and fearefull injury or wrong it is injurious 1 To God for he is the Lord or God of truth truths are ours for the efficacie of them but onely this for the authority of them Simile Should a private person presume of himselfe to sell the Kings Iewels it might bee as much as his life is worth truths are Gods Iewels hee reveales them he ownes them hee hath sealed them with the bloud of Christ and therefore thou doest presumptuously wrong the Lord to put off the things which belong to him 2 To our
not bolstered up with high clamours and with artificiall lyes But truth is naked and plaine it is neither of a cruell nature like Caine nor of a subtile spirit with Absalom nor of a lying spirit with Ahabs false Prophets it flatters no man nor beguiles any being truth it is not ashamed of light or triall and it alone can maintain it self against all contrary quarrels a good cause is like a good conscience even a bulwarke to it selfe like the sunne in its light and heat against all clouds c. 5 The duration of them truth like the sunne hath runne down through all ages not that all men have embraced it but that by some it hath still beene embraced some one or more hath still beene at the barre to beare witnesse unto it New men have still risen up and sometimes out of the ashes as it were of the dead to maintaine and either by tongue or pen or bloud to defend the truth but Erroneous doctrines as they want an inward harmony so also an outward consent like a deceitfull brooke they are spent after a while or like commotions in a state Simile though strong or long yet they come to an end at length either some speciall judgements on the ringleaders or the authority of Princes as Alexander against Arius or the prayers of the Saints or the decision of lawfull counsels have still cashiered these meteors but as it is said of divine mercy that it endures for ever the same is affirmed of divine truth it runs from one generation to another till Christ make his Church triumphant the militant Church shall be the pillar of truth 6 The conformity of them to the rule or word Erroneous doctrines like unsound flesh cannot abide handling and Simile like an ill favoured woman would have all glasses broken But truth like sound gold will endure a touch-stone truth will be found truth upon search bring it to the conscience it will worke as truth bring it to the death-bed it will uphold as truth bring it to the scriptures it will hold out as truth 2 When truths upon search are found to be truths then embrace them for the truths sake not upon personall and mutable causes or ends 3 Firme refolution after tryall by which our knowledge comes to be cleare and without doubt there must be now a plain resolution and purpose of heart in cleaving to such faithfully evidenced truths thou must by an immoveable faith as it were root thy very heart in the truths of Christ as Saint Paul though bonds and afflictions though good report or evill though death it selfe abide him for Christ come what will come disputes fancies errors troubles losses I have found the truth and it will I hold for ever 3 Loyall affection then it is loyall when it is inclusive to every truth c. exclusive to nothing but truth this loyall affection will make us to first doe secondly suffer thirdly cleave love truth and then truth will be held I held him and would not let him goe said the Church then in love with Christ Cant. 3. Love is the easiest key to open the heart to Cant. 3. Christ and the strongest locke to keepe sure the truth in our hearts when thou hast experimentally felt the heavenly strength and comfort of Gods truths then wilt thou certainly sticke unto them 4 Ioyne conscience to science O when people have the truths still sounding in their eares and ungodlinesse still stirring and ruling in their lives it cannot be that they should have strong hands who have wicked hearts Hymeneus made shipwracke of faith and of conscience both together 1 Tim 1. 19. Therefore strive to obey the 1 Tim. 1. 19. truths adde to thy faith vertue be a doing Christian as well as a knowing Christian 5 Be watchfull in prayer to God with David to uphold thee with Saint Peter to establish thee still to keepe thee that thou mayest keepe his truths excellent is that speech of Bernard S. Bernard in Psal qui habitat pag. 283. Basil neque enim quae habemus ab eo servare aut tenere possumus sine eo that God by whose light alone we know the truth by his strength alone we keepe it Thus much for the text and now for the occasion and here I cannot be long neither my affections nor yours will admit of large discourse onely a word of you and a word to you Of you so regardfull have you beene to my Ministery so loving to my person so faithfull in your maintenance so cheerefully encouraging generally from you all but chiefly from the chiefest that had it pleased the Lord to have given mee health the which I have scarce enjoyed one whole yeere together since I have beene heere I should not have stirred easily from such a people for the best preferment that could be conveniently offered unto me I speake my heart freely I cannot tell on which side the unwillingnesse is most whether on your part who are left or on my part who am constrained to leave you But to say no more of your goodnesse give mee leave for the close of all to leave a few Legacies with you being all my friends and hearken to my words as the words of a dying man for the Lord knowes how short my daies may be My Legacies are these 1 Lay out more time for your soules the soule is a precious thing the soule is a corrupted thing sinnes are in it much guilt is upon it there is a Christ that it needs holinesse that it must have heaven that it would have thy body is but clay thy soule a spirit the world a vanity thy soule immortall all is well if the soule be wel nothing is well if that be evill I beseech you pray more heare more know more confer more doe more and more for your soules when you come to dye you will then finde it to be all your worke O then whiles health is in you make it thy chiefest worke to seeke the kingdome of heaven and the righteousnesse thereof for your soules feed not the slave and starve the childe 2 Vpon good grounds make sure of a reconciled God live not in an unreconciled condition no enemy like an ill conscience and a good God study the right of thy sinnes and the bloud of Christ repentance from dead workes and faith in the Lord Iesus so shalt thou behold the face of God and live The waies of reconciliation with God and the setling of thy conscience about it may cost thee many prayers and teares and diligent studies but the love of God and heaven will answer and recompense all 3 Wisely improve all heavenly seasons the Lord hitherto hath continued unto you daies of peace and salvation heavenly opportunities publike and private and I beseech him for ever so to doe Now receive not the grace of God in vaine lay hold on these occasions if there be not wisedome to improve them there may be sadnesse for neglecting