Fulness in God viz. his essential self-fulness which is infinite inexhaustible undiminishable and therefore incommunicable 2. A second thing we must suppose is That there is a fulness of God with which we may and therefore ought to pray and labour that we may be filled We cannot reach the original fulness but we may a borrowed derivative fulness tho' we cannot attain the fulness of the Fountain we may receive a fulness of the Vessel from that Fountain and if we cannot partake any thing of Gods Essence we may partake of his Influence we cannot be filled with the formal holiness of God for that holiness is God yet may we derive holiness from him as an efficient cause who works all things according to the counsel of his Will Eph. 1.11 The Wisdom of God there 's Principium dirigens the Will of God there 's Principium imperans and he works according to these there 's the Principium exequens His Will commands his Wisdom guides his Power executes the Decrees and Purposes of his wise Counsel and holy Will Having thus cleared the way we proceed to the direct Solution of the Question What is that fulness of God which every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with For seeing we have supposed that there is a fulness of God which we cannot be filled with we must lay aside all ambitions and vain aspirings after that fulness and seeing we have supposed that there is a fulness of God wherewith we may be filled and the very Prayer of the Apostle supposes it We therefore are to take up this holy and humble ambition to be filled with it Now this Question can be no sooner proposed but our thoughts will suggest to us these two things First What is the matter of that Fulness and what is the measure of that Fulness with what of God and with how much of God ought we to pray and strive that we may be filled And therefore of necessity we must divide the Question into these two Branches First Branch of the Question What is the matter of that Fulness of God which we are to pray and strive to be filled with When we speak of Filling we conceive immediately that under that Metaphor there must be comprized these three things A Fountain from whence that Fulness is communicated A Recipient a Vessel a Cistern into which that Fulness is derived And then of something Analogous to the matter which from that Fountain is communicated and by that Vessel received Now in the Case before us This Fountain must needs be God the Author of every good and perfect Gift Jam. 1.17 Souls are the Vessel into which the Fulness is received but what we are to conceive and understand by the matter or the quasi materia with which these Vessels from that Fountain are filled is the Subject of our present Enquiry And to this branch of the main Inquiry I shall answer First more generally Secondly more particularly 1. To speak generally That which we are to pray and strive to be filled with is the Spirit of God Eph. 5.18 Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess but be ye filled with the Spirit where first the Apostle dehorts against Intemperance we may have too much of the best outward things It 's easie to run into excess in these matters The Psalmist assures us Psal 104.15 That Wine makes glad the heart of man And the Prophet Hos 4.11 assures us too that Wine takes away the Heart It 's no more but this the Use is good the Abuse is sinful and the danger is lest from the lawfulness of the Use we slide insensibly into the Abuse Be not therefore filled with wine wherein is excess but then he exhorts too But be ye filled with the Spirit No fear of excess or Intemperance in this case when God fills the Souls of his People with his Spirit he fills them with all the Spiritual good things that their hearts can fill their Prayers with Compare but these two places Matth. 7.11 How much more shall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him Luke 11.13 How much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him The comparing of these two Scriptures evidently proves that in praying for the Holy Spirit we pray virtually for all good things and that when God is graciously pleased to communicate his Spirit he communicates all good things when the Father gives his Son he gives all things So the Apostle has taught us to believe and argue Rom. 8 32. He that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us All how shall he not with him freely give us all things And we have equal reason to believe that he that spared his Spirit and gave him to us will in him and with him freely give us all things But these all things are to be taken in suo genere The Gift of Christ comprehends all things that are to be done for us the gift of the Spirit includes all things to be wrought in us Christ is all things for Justification the Spirit is all things for Sanctification and Consolation I shall touch at present upon some few things 1. Do you find an emptiness of Grace and do you long to have your Souls replenisht with it You go to the God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 That he would give you more Faith more Love more Patience more Self-denyal more Heavenly-mindedness c. you do well but the compendious way is to pray that God would fulfil that Promise and so fill your Souls with his Spirit Zech. 12.10 I will pour out upon the House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication First the Spirit of Grace that we may pray and then the Spirit of Prayer that we may be filled with more Grace Can we be content with a few drops when God has promised to pour out his Spirit John 7.38 He that believes in me out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water this spake he of the Spirit Can we satifie our selves that we have so much Grace as just keeps us alive when if we would pray and strive for the Spirit we might be more lively and vigorous Christians Can we be content with a Taste when God has provided a Feast Some of the Ancients who were anointed with material Oyl were anointed with the Cruise others with the Horn O let us not be satified that we have a few drops from the Cruise when God is ready to pour out his Grace more abundantly John 10.10 2. Would you answer the glorious Title of a Child of God with a more glorious and suitable Spirit that you may pray as Children walk as dear Children come to God not as Slaves but as Children and walk before God not under the resemblance of the Spirit of Bondage but with an ingenuous Liberty and Freedom as becomes the Heirs of Salvation Pray for
13. When the Lord sent Paul to Preach the Gospel among the Gentiles that he might hearten him for that difficult and dangerous work he promised him Protection Act. xxvi 17 18. Delivering thee from the People to whom I now send thee To open their eyes They stand in need of a mighty presence of God with them who have just cause to fear That those people will seek their death to whom they bring the word of Life and Salvation I thought this Scripture so apposite to the matter in hand and so directive to private Christians that it may plead my excuse for this enlargement upon it 2. That Private Christians may be sure to mind it our Saviour hath put it into the Rule of Prayer Matth. 6.10 Thy Kingdom come I have read That it is one of the Jews Maxims touching Prayer Ista Oratio in quâ non est memoria regni Dei non est Oratio That Prayer in which there is no mention made of the Kingdom of God is no Prayer at all when we pray Thy Kingdom come we beg That the Gospel which is the Rod of Christ's Power and the Scepter of his Government may spread all the world over For where the Gospel is believed and obeyed there doth Christ reign over fallen Man as Mediator 3. The Saints under the Old Testament prayed for the Calling and Conversion of the Gentiles under the Gospel-dispensation Psal lxvii 2 3. That thy way may be known upon Earth thy saving health among all Nations Let the people praise thee O God Let all the people praise thee 4. When by the Preaching of the Gospel in any place the people were wrought upon and brought to Believe in Christ They were exhorted to pray That the Word of the Lord might be carried to all other parts of the Gentile-world 2 Thess iii. 1. Finally Brethren Pray for us that the Word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified even as it is with you And such Prayers are not to be thought to be lost or put up to God in vain That Prediction or Promise Rom. xvi 20. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly did doubtless excite many a Prayer and That Promise was eminently accomplished and those Prayers which were grounded upon it and put up to God in faith took effect when the Kingdom of Satan administred in the Idolatries of the Gentiles was laid waste and the Christian Profession was advanced by Constantine the Great Having now so inviting an occasion offered to me give me leave to present a Request to you and it shall be in the words of the Apostle 1 Thess v. 25. Brethren Pray for us for those who labour among you in the Word and Doctrin And I hope I may without vanity enforce this Request by the same Apostles Argument or Motive Hebr. xiii 18. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly Many reflect upon us with disparagement and we are very sensible of our own many and great infirmities But Help us with your Prayers That we may Be better Live better and Preach better It is no Paradox but a well-weighed Truth That a godly private Christian upon his knees in his Closet may assist the Minister in his Study and in the Pulpit And that I may prevail in my Request I can assure you That whatsoever Gifts or Graces ye obtain of God for your Ministers by your Prayers they will come as Blessings upon your selves like the vapours that rise from the Earth being concocted in the Middle-Region fall down upon it again in fruitful showers 1 Cor. iii. 21 22. For all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas If any say This is a Digression from the Case which I was to speak to I would entreat them to consider what is the general scope and design of it and they will find That it comports very well with it Once I am sure That it is as much the Duty and Concernment of private Christians to pray for the Success of the Gospel that it may be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of Souls in England as that it may be preached entertained believed and obeyed in the uttermost parts of the Earth And so I will return to prosecute my Discourse with two Remarks 1. That From what hath been said touching the Prayers of private Christians for the spreading of the Gospel we may be assured That God hath determined to bestow those Mercies for which he commands his people to pray And more than That He usually bestows them in the disposal of his Providence upon the intervention of his Peoples Prayers as may be collected from Ezek. xxxvi 25. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness ver 27. I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes ver 30. I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the Field compared with ver 37. Thus saith the Lord I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 2. That no godly private Christian can object against his Duty in praying that the Gospel may be carried to all Nations and be entertained by them nor alledge any excuse or pretence why they should be exempted from it If any hesitate let me expostulate the matter with their Consciences Have ye received the Spirit of Christ as the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and can ye not pray Do ye feel the Love of Christ warming stirring and constraining your hearts and will ye not pray ye dearly value the Glory of God and sincerely desire That the earth may be full of the Knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea And can ye refrain from praying that this may be performed ye tenderly compassionate the miserable condition of Poor Perishing Souls and will ye not afford them so much as your Prayers that they may be relieved Are ye not greatly affected with the distinguishing Grace of God in bringing the Gospel to you and opening your Hearts to receive it How then Can ye offer up your Praises to God for so signal a Mercy without making some reflection on the deplorable state of those who have not as yet obtained the like favour without lifting up a Prayer for them that they may be made partakers of the same Grace Or will ye reply That you do pray indeed That God would visit the heathen World with the Gospel of Salvation But ye cannot think that your Prayers will contribute much toward so great and good a work Suffer me to debate this also a little with you Why will you reproach the Spirit and Grace of Prayer in saying it can avail little or nothing when God himself saith Jam. 5.16 The effectual fervent Prayer of a Righteous man availeth much Those Prayers which can mount as high as Heaven are able also to reach
Casuistical Morning-Exercises The Fourth Volume By Several MINISTERS In and about LONDON Preached in October 1689. JEREM. XXXV 15. I have sent unto you my servants the Prophets rising up early and sending them saying Return you now every Man from his evil ways and amend your doings LONDON Printed by James Astwood for John Dunton at the Raven in the Poultrey over against rhe Compter 1690. TO THE READER THese Sermons are sent out into the World upon the same Design with the former viz. To promote Practical Godliness Though none I hope will be offended with the Matter yet the Circumstances require some Apology which serious Readers will candidly interpret This Collection is less than the former the usual Time of the Exercise being contracted from a Month to a Fortnight and I could in Modesty crave but a Week's addition Besides a less disorderly pageing is made use of to prevent a greater while all Errors of this kind could not possiby be avoyded the Book being wrought off at several Presses and that necessitated by the Importunity of those who heard the Sermons they being impatient till they can read what they heard with so great Satisfaction Yet such things as these may occasion an abatement of their acceptation but greater prejudices than these may be blown away with a Breath do but say and hold that you will set your selves to profit to mend your own Faults not to hunt for others my Apology will appear less necessary the Sermons more usefull and my Recommendation of them superfluous I suppose some may single out some particular Case with special respect to the Question or Preacher and may probably be induced to Read on till he meet with more Profit than he desired In a word I shall as heartily pray that every Reader may get good by his Reading as I heartily request every one that doth get good by it to lift up a Prayer for Your worthless Soul-servant Samuel Annesley Decemb. 4. 1689. The Names of the MINISTERS and the Cases they Resolved Dr. Annesley Serm. I. HOW may we give Christ a satisfying Account why we attend upon the Ministry of the Word Mat. 11.19 p 1 Mr. Barker Serm. II. VVherein and wherefore will the Damnation of those that perish under the Gospel be more intolerable than the Damnation of Sodom or the worst of Heathens at the day of Judgment Mat. 11.24 p. 33. Mr. Steel Serm. III. How may the Vncharitable and dangerous Contentions that are amongst Professors of the true Religion be allayed Gal. 5.15 p. 45. Mr. Mayo Serm. IV. From what Fear of Death are the Children of God delivered by Christ and by what Means doth he deliver them from it Heb. 2.15 p. 64 Mr. Vink Serm. V. How is Gospel-Grace the best Motive to Holiness 2 Tim. 2.19 p. 69 Mr. Alsop Serm. VI. What is the fulness of God which every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with Eph. 3.19 200 Mr. Adams Serm. VII How are the ordinary Means of Grace more certainly successful for Conversion than if Persons from Heaven or Hell should tell us what is done there Luke 16.31 p. 214 Mr. Cole Serm. VIII How may it convincingly appear that those who think it an easie matter to believe are yet destitute of saving Faith Eph. 1.19 20. p. 223 Mr. Veal Serm. IX VVhat is the danger of a Death-bed Repentance Luke 23.42 p. 230 Mr. Woodcock Serm. X. How doth practical Godliness better rectifie the Judgment than doubtfull Disputations Rom. 14.1 p. 241 Dr. Bates Serm. XI How is Sin the most formidable Evil Gen. 39.9 last clause p. 249 Mr. Hamond Serm. XII How may private Christians be most helpfull to promote the Entertainment of the Gospel Col. 4.5 p. 300 Mr. Vincent Serm. XIII How is Christ to be followed as our Example 1 Pet. 2.21 lat part p. 314 Mr. Sylvester Serm. XIV How may a lukewarm Temper be most effectually cured Heb. 10.24 25. p. 321 Mr. Slater Serm. XV. VVhat is the Duty of Magistrates from the highest to the lowest for the suppressing of Prophaneness Rom. 13.3 p. 336 Mr. Hurst Serm. XVI How may we enquire after News not as Athenians but as Christians for the better managing of our Prayers and Praises for the Church of God Act. 17.21 p. 400 Mr. Burgess Serm. XVII VVherein may we more hopefully attempt the Conversion of Young Persons than of any others Eccl. 12.1 p. 410. Mr. Williams Serm. XVIII VVhat Repentance of National Sins doth God require as ever we expect National Mercies Hos 10.12 p. 427 Quest How may we give Christ a satisfying Account why we attend upon the Ministry of the Word SERMON I. MATTH XI 9. But what went ye out for to see COuld I Preface this Exercise with any thing which through Grace would force its own Application and lye lieger in your Consciences to mingle with every Sermon you shall hear that these Sermons may influence your Lives so that your profiting though you modestly vail it yet may shine through the vail and may appear unto all men so as to commend Religion in them who are prejudiced against it and to encourage those who have made some entrance into it then you and I when we shall meet in Glory shall bless God for this Exercise Shall 's try Christians what may be done Conscience do thine office and through Gods assistance I 'll endeavour to do mine John Baptist was Bodily in Prison Spiritually in Heaven he is not sollicitous about himself but his Disciples and therefore sends them to Christ As a dying Father consigns his Children to a faithful Tutor and then dyes quietly he had instructed them while he could and now recommends them to Christ When John's Disciples were gone Christ askt the people who used to flock after Johns Ministry while he flourisht but now grew cold upon his long Imprisonment Christ asks them what end they proposed to themselves what went ye out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken with the wind q. d. You could not look upon John to be a light hollow empty Preacher to bend with every wind and wave But what went ye out for to see a man cloathed in soft rayment q. d. You could not expect any thing smooth and delicate John was no Court Preacher if he had he would not be so long in Prison and now in daily danger of his Life These two Metaphors shew what John was not like my Text lyes in the question which is not Negative but Affirmative they lookt upon him as a Prophet an extraordinary person sent from God yea saith Christ and more than a Prophet that is John spake of Christ in another manner than the former Prophets they spake of him as a great way off John points to him as (a) Joh. 1.29 present Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the World I know some
I live than speak a word to gratifie scoffers at Religion who scornfully twit those that are better than themselves with their Hearing so many Sermons but yet I dare not sooth up those in their Hypocrisie whose Religion lies all in Hearing of Sermons as if there were no other Duties to be minded no Family Duties no Relative Duties whereas only Hearing will make at best but rickety Christians 2. They are also to be reproved that only go to See a Sermon What went ye out into the Wilderness to see What To see Fashions They can give a more exact account of every fantastical Dress than of any one savoury Truth they heard whereas 't is said of Christs hearers (f) Luk. 4.20 the Eyes of all that were in the Synagogue were fastened on him A wandering Eye is an infallible evidence of a wandring Heart But I 'll come closer to the Case in a Use of Exhortation With Directions to all sorts of Hearers that they would sorthwith set upon the practice of this great comprehensive Duty to give Christ a satisfying account why they attend upon the Ministry of the Word Every one must give an account of himself to God That you may do it with Comsort take these or such like Directions Dirâ—ctiâ—n 1. Set your selves towards the removing of those Hinderances whiâ—h tiâ—l you iâ— good earnest set upon the removing of them you can never give a good account to your selves much less to Christ of any Soul-business I 'll name but four and with the naming of them give a word of Direction how to attempt their removal e. g. 1. The state of Vnregeneracy is a dead weight to the Soul it keeps it down from lifting up it self Heaven-ward One dead in sin blesseth himself that his Conscience is not troublesome i. e. 't is neither squeamish to boggle at sin nor inquisitive after the danger of it The only Remedy I shall name is this viz. Mind Conversion as far as 't is possible for an unconverted person to mind it How far is that Thou canst never tell till thou hast tryed Query Whether ever any pusht this forward to the utmost and missed of Conversion Not that any thing an Unconverted person can possibly do can merit Grace but the Soul 's holding on in its attempt and in some measure breaking through the Corruptions and Temptations that way-lay it is a token for good that the Spirit of Grace is hopefully at work to bring over the Soul to Christ the Spirit of God saying to that Soul what David said to his Son Solomon (g) 1 Chr. 22.16 Arise and be doing and the Lord be with thee 2. The second hinderance is love of Ease Persons don't love to meddle with that which they apprehend will be a troublesome business What To be always upon our watch To be always examining why and to what end we so much as hear a Sermon This is wearisome and intolerable For Remedy Rouze up thy Soul as thou would'st do thy Body in a Lethargy thou wouldst then be jogg'd and pull'd and shook there 's more need in thy Soul-Lethargy 'T is the voice of him that deserves to be thy Beloved that calls thee do not give an answer directly contrary to Christs Spouse (h) Cant. 5.2 I am awake but my heart is asleep 3. A third hinderance is Vnbelief As to this I speak not now of the state of Unbelief but they do not believe this to be so needful as 't is represented The truth is if we run up sins into their causes we shall find Vnbelief to be the most teeming Mother of most omissions and of more than omissions e. g. Why do you omit such a Duty I do not believe it to be necessary Why do you not reflect upon the Duties which you do not omit I do not believe God requires it For cure Consider you have more grounds and Motives for Faith in this matter than you have for any thing you practise e. g. You Pray I hope you do I would not have my supposition fail me 't is more your Duty to reflect why you Pray and how you Pray than 't is meerly to Pray you may teach a Parrot to speak words of Prayer but 't is a special exercise of Grace to Pray aright as to the manner of it So you believe 't is a Duty to attend upon the Word 't is more your Duty to propose a right End and to reflect how that end is pursued attained or lost than 't is barely to hear Pardon me if I use a nauseous Metaphor to set forth an odious sin Some of you bring your Dogs with you and they hear the sound of words lye still and depart when the Sermon is ended Upon reflection you 'l be ashamed to do no more 4. A fourth hinderance is the satisfaction that natural Conscience takes in a little tiny Devotion Natural Conscience requireth a little and but a little a little will satisfie it so it be but something Doeg (i) 1 Sam. 2.7 was detained before the Lord. It had been better for him to have been sick in 's Bed than to have been quieting his Conscience with such circumstantiated devotion For cure Do but review what thy natural Conscience takes satisfaction in and thou wilt be more dissatisfyed bring but thy Conscience with thy Duty to the Rule and then examine it To act only like (k) Gal. 4.30 a Slave that desires no more than to turn his Work off hand to do no more than he needs must this leads to rejection whereas a Conscience guided by Scripture will put you upon doing all as a Child that the Manner of it may please your heavenly Father and this will qualifie you for an heavenly Inheritance This is the first Direction remove hinderances Direct 2. Call your selves to an Account before in and after the hearing of the Word to what End thou camest and how the end is pursued or dropt 1. Before you hear Solomon adviseth thus (l) Eccles 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God and be more ready to hear than to offer the sacrifice of Fools be more ready to receive Instruction and to accept of what God says which will be thy Wisdom than to offer Sacrifice and neglect Obedience like foolish Hypocrites And a greater than Solomon (m) Luke 14.28 31. our Lord Jesus Christ cautions us by a double Metaphor at his School-door when we come to be his Disciples viz. That spiritual Edification will be in this like worldly building cost more tha we imagine and our Spiritual warfare will be in this like the carnal more costly than at first we conceive 't will cost us more careful thoughts more waking nights more painfull days more Prayers and Tears more Self-denyal and Contempt of the World than inconsiderate persons will believe For your care before you hear I shall propose but three things 1. Renew your Repentance of the Sins of your hearing the
more particularly and expresly and heartily you do this the better you will be able to give account of your attendance upon the Word This will be like the washing or scouring of a Vessel before you fill it that what you put into it may not be spoil'd According to that of the Apostle James (n) Jam. 1.21 Lay apart not only restrain and keep in but put off and throw away all filthiness ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sordes 'T is a Metaphor borrowed from the filth of the Body and thence transferr'd to the Soul Sin is a sordid thing and we must not only lay aside all things that defile us but all superfluity of naughtiness Some interpret of it those Excrements which we are in pain till we are rid of them q. d. Wash off all outward filth and purge out all inward for without this we can never savingly receive the Word 2. Propose to your selves such an End for your hearing that you will not be ashamed of If God should give you your Liberty propose what End you will to your selves provided it be such as upon serious reflection you will not be ashamed of e. g. You go to hear a Sermon to see a Mistriss is not that an End to be ashamed of or you fetch a Walk for your Recreation and sit down to rest you at the end of it to hear a Sermon and when you have rested you return may you not be ashamed of this You go to a Sermon for the Language or Notions of it though both these may be excellent your End is sinfull But yet I 'll close this with this Advice viz Hold on to hear Sermons though with an end to be repented of for while you play with the Bait you may be caught with the Hook while you are in the way of Grace you may be graciously surprized 3. Above all preface your hearing with Prayer As praying is the last thing the Minister doth before he Preacheth let praying be the last thing you do before you go out to hear Neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase (p) 1 Cor. 3.7 Many times our profiting is according to our praying But here again I advice you to hear though you pray not at all for by hearing you 'l be convinced that 't is your Duty to pray you 'l be instructed and incouraged in it 2. In hearing When you are engaged pray don't gratifie Satan then by a diversion for Preparation No tho it be by Prayer any other than Ejaculatory that must have been before herein likewise take these three Directions 1. Set your selves before God to hear Christ speaking to you from Heaven The more actually and seriously you presentiate Christ unto your selves the more you will give up your selves to him I grant we can't preach as the Apostles wrote by the immediate guidance of the Holy Ghost without all error and mistake Query whether all their popular Sermons were so infallibly guided it seems not (*) Gal. 2.11 yet Christ speaks through us as through a crack'd Trumpet though we betray our own frailties yet for the main of our Sermons we dare say Thas saith the Lord which is a proof of Christ speaking (q) 2 Cor. 13.3 in us this will be matter of thansgivings by both your Ministers and your selves when (r) 1 Thes 2.13 you receive the Word of God which ye heard of us not as the word of men but as it is in truth the Word of God then 't will certainly work effectually 2. Mix your hearing with Ejaculatory Prayers Ejaculations to God and Soliloquies to your selves will help to make and keep the heart tight Jogg your own hearts as you do your sleeping Neighbour call in your thoughts while they are within call and as far as 't is possible think of nothing but what you are about A Heart thus confin'd is like to be most enlarged both with Grace and Comfort 3. Be sure to hold fast the Seope of what you hear Not only those passages which more particularly affect you but that which is the main design of the Sermon I think this the weakest Memory may retain and I think this will do most good when 't is retained In short be be sure you retain something Do thus or somewhat like it in hearing 3. After hearing These Questions were proposed by Christ both negatively and affirmatively some months perhaps some years after they had heard John And Christ proposeth that with some vehemency That you may give a good answer I shall commend to you but two things 1. Consideration Chew the Cud this is the Metaphor that 's commonly made use of (ſ) Lev. 11.3 The Beasts that chewed the cud were clean for food and sacrifice◠these Creatures gather up their food into a kind of inward bag and then they sit down and bring it up to chew it over again and then convey it into the stomach for nourishment So that Christian whose self and service is a Sacrifice acceptable to God gathers up what he thinks the Best in a Sermon and when retired chews it over again for his spiritual nourishment and growth in Grace As your considering thinking Man is the only wise man so your considering thinking Christian is the only thriving Christian 2. Add something to your practice and continue that till it give way to something else of greater moment I am far from laying any stress upon any spiritual Prudentials that I can offer but I would humbly propose it to thinking Christians whether if every Lord's-day I do not exclude other days but Query Whether we may not expect more from Lord's-days Sermons than any other The Lord's-day being the time of Divine appointment and other days of humane conveniency The business of the Lord's-day is Devotion on other days we make a scape from worldly business to a Sermon and then rush into the World again as if we would redeem that time for the World that we spent with Go◠I query therefore If we do charge our selves upon what we hear on the Lord's-day to practise something more or something more carefully than before and to keep to that till that give place to something else of greater moment Did we begg something of God more this week than the last Did we single out some sin for mortification more this week than the last Did we do something enjoyned on the Lord's-day This would be to us like the Shew-bread to Israel which was made thus They brought twenty four pecks of Wheat-meal out of which they sifted twenty four Pottles of fine flower of which they made twelve unleavened Cakes every one was ten hand breadth long and five broad and seven fingers high which signified the multitude of the Faithfull presented unto God in his Church as upon a pure Table continually serving him (t) Lev. 24.8.9 as also the Spiritual repast which the Church of God obtaineth from
his Royal Captives who helped to draw his Charlot looking wistly on the Wheel how the part now lowest was presently uppermost so that he considering the mutability of these sublunary things released him from that bondage And however forget not what the Holy Ghost saith Jam. 2.13 He shall have judgment without mercy that sheweth no mercy and mercy rejoyceth against judgment 10. My last Advice is to Pray for the peace of Jerusalem This every one may do and this every one ought to do Psal 122.6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love thee Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy palaces There are few greater Reasons for our solemn Fasting and Prayer than this If some Plague or War or Drought come upon us we reckon it 's high time to Fast and Pray But alas those are in themselves but Miseries but our Contentions are so our Miseries that they are our sins also Those will but destroy some of our People but Uncharitable Contentions will consume us all But whatever Others do herein let it be every sincere Christian's care to lay holy violence to Heaven upon this Account You have done all that is in your Power to restore Love and Peace and it is in vain try thâ—â— what God can do Abi in cellam dic miserere Deus He can make Men to be of one mind in a House City and Nation He can bow the Hearts of a whole Nation even as the Heart of one man and that in a moment of time He can bring the Wolf and the Lyon and the Lamb to feed together so that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all his holy mountain Isa 65 25. And O that the Prayer of our most Blessed Saviour Joh. 17.21 may yet prevail with God to pour down a spirit of Love and Peace into us all In the mean time let all those that are passive that are upright humble and quiet comfort themselves with Salvian's saying Insectantur nos in nobis Deum Christ is a fellow-sufferer with all that suffer as Christians and their design is against God himself that devour his servants And then pergant nostrae patientiae praecones 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beatos nos hoc modo facient dum vellent miseros They that speak and write all manner of evil of you so it be falfely while they endeavour to render you miserable do thereby make you happy True Virtue and Piety shines most in the fire and therefore in Patience possess your Souls if you can possess nothing else And for Others if after all Warnings and Endeavours their Hearts be still fill'd with Rancour and bent upon mischief we must leave them to St. Augustine's Sentence Quos Deus vult perdere prius dementat There is a God who tells his Servants wandrings and puts their tears in his bottle and who will execute judgment upon all that have spoken or done hardly toward them and though they may support themselves with their present impunity and prosperity yet the Lord of that servant that began to smite his fellow servants will come in a day he looked not for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder Matth. 24.50 And though they may think it a long time to that day they will find there is a longer space after it They that choose the Fire shaâ—â— have their fill of it For to them that are contentious there remains indignation and wrath and Fire that is everlasting But I despair not of so much Remorse in such as have without Prejudice and with Consideration read these Pages but that they will awake and shake off the Inchantment which hath possess'd them and discerning their Sin and our common Danger they will embrace all their faithful Brethren and become sincere lovers of Truth and Peace which effect the God of Love and Peace work in us all by his Holy Spirit for the sake of the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ our Redeemer Amen Amen Quest From what Fear of Death are the Children of God delivered by Christ and by what Means doth He deliver them from it SERMON IV. HEB. II. 15. And deliver them who through fear of Death were all their life time subject unto bondage IN this and in the foregoing Verse you have some Account of the design and end of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Incarnation and Passion There were divers weighty Reasons why he assum'd our Nature and therein subjected himself to Death and two of them are told us in this Context 1. That he might destroy the Devil 2. That he might deliver the Elect People of God 1. That he might destroy the Devil who is describ'd to be one that had the power of Death not the supream but a subordinate Power of Death a Power of Death as God's Executioner to inflict it and affright men with it to make it terrible and formidable to them by heightning their guilty Fears and representing to them its dreadful consequents In these and in divers other respects that might be mentioned the Devil is said to have the Power of Death Him as it follows hath Christ destroyed That is disarm'd and disabled Christ hath not destroy'd him as to his being and substance but as to his Power and Authority over the Children and chosen of God And this Christ did by his own Death Through or by death he destroy'd him that had the power of Death viz. The Devil It was upon the Cross that be spoil'd Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it 2. To come to what I intend another End and reason of Christ's Incarnation and Passion was that he might deliver the Elect People of God These he calls the Children in the foregoing Verse not the Children of Men as some expound it but the Children of God Such Children as the Father had given the Son so they are said to be Ver. 13. Behold says Christ I and the Children which thou hast given me such as were predestinated to the adoption of Children as it is phras'd Ephes 1.5 These the Text also describes and tells us in what Condition they were by Nature Through fear of Death they were all their life-time subject to bondage By all their Life time you must understand all that time which they liv'd before they were deliver'd This is the Condition of the Elect of God as they come into the World they are not only subject unto Death but unto the Fear of Death and unto bondage by reason thereof The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is render'd subject signifies they were held fast and manacled as Birds that are taken in a snare or as Malefactors that are going to their Execution The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is rendred bondage signifies a state of servitude or slavery such as men dislike but cannot avoid One calls it a poenal disquietment or perplexity of mind that ariseth from a
hath provok'd layes the hand of his Faith upon Christ and humbly beggs that Christ's Death for him may be accepted instead of his own which he had deserved But now to give a further illustration of my Text and Subject if he pleads thô for Christ's sake for pardon of sin and yet retains a love and liking to his sin if he desires never so earnestly that he may not dye for sin and yet is willing that his sin may live these are vain Oblations vain Prayers but most real and dreadfull provocations There is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Beast within us which we must kill I mean every corruption or no Sacrifice no not of the Lamb of God himself will be accepted for us Habes in te quod occidas Every Man hath some sin or other within him nay a whole body of sin which he must slay by at least a sincere continued endeavour or all Legal and Gospel sacrifices too in the World will not avail him we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8.13 or we cannot live And now we may easily understand who they are that name the Name of Christ And to what purpose For our Saviour is he who is so called the same with Messias from his being anointed by God to those Offices of King Priest and Prophet to his Church All Christians name the name of Christ Now those that apply themselves unto him for Life and Salvation are necessitated to name his Name And so they do 1. In their Profession 1. In their Profession Hence we are call'd Christians and we own the Name and rejoyce and glory in it as a name divinely imposed on the Disciples of the Blessed Jesus by God himself for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does import and in our Baptism we agree to be listed amongst his Souldiers Acts 11.26 and to fight under his Banner nay we name Christ's Name and 't is our ambition to be call'd by it 1. Owning him as our Father 1 Pet. 1.23 By whose Spirit we are born again thrô his Word and as Jacob would have his Name named on the Children of Joseph Gen. 48.16 thereby owning and respecting of them as if they were his own Children so does Christ look upon all Believers as his Children and condescends to have his Name named on them nay he names them his Children when he says Here am I Hebr. 2.13 Isa 8.18 and the Children which thou hast given me 2. Looking upon Christ as our Husband 2 Cor. 11.2 to whom this Apostle tells us that we are espoused It is as ancient as the Prophet Isaiah's time to have the Wife called by the name of her Husband Isa 4.1 which is the meaning of their desire Let us be called by thy name i. e. that being married they might change their names for that of their Husbands and this was the custom amongst many of the Romans as still amongst us Vbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia And thus all that look upon Christ as their Father and hope for the Inheritance he hath so dearly bought for them or whosoever beholds him as their Husband and esteem his Love and long for the enjoying of him are concerned in this Obligation to depart from Iniquity As also 2. In their Petition naming Christ 2. In their Petition In every Prayer to be sure they name the Name of Christ in that they ask all in his Name that is in his strength and for his sake So indeed runs the Promise John 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name and i' th next verse If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it especially after our Saviours Ascension when he had paid the price for his People and for all the Pardons and Graces Strength or Comfort they should want he bids them expresly to mention his Name relying on his Merit for the obtaining of them He told them a little before his going to suffer for them John 16.24 Hitherto ye have asked nothing in my Name thô doubtless they had prayed according as they were commanded Luke 11.2 the Lords Prayer day by day and implicitely at least desired all those mercies thro a Mediator They knew that the High Priest was to appear with the Names of God's Israel and to offer up Incense for them yet clearly and explicitely Christs own Apostles did not enjoy this great priviledge And doubtless some new advantages have accrewed to the Disciples of Christ since that Prayer was recommended or commanded by his Death and Resurrection Now the explicit naming of Christ is a very great encouragement in Prayer whether in those or any other words More particularly Pardon and Acceptance Justification and Peace with God must especially be desired in the Name of Christ and for his sake only for he was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 and by being a Curse for us hath redeemed us from the Curse he was as accursed in our stead and did bear what the Curse did threaten to transgressors which being done and God's Justice and the Law satisfied it follows that in him God is well-pleased Mat. 3.17.17.5 which words are not only mention'd by the other Evangelists but repeated again in that extraordinary voice at his Transfiguration and are the more remarkable in that it is not said That Christ was God's beloved Son with whom God was pleas'd tho that was a truth from all Eternity but that God is pleased in him that is that God is well-pleased with all that are by Faith united to him and are as it were ingrafted in him Hence we are said to be justified freely by the Grace of God thro the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3.24 So that all who are liable to condemnation have no other Remedy no hope or help but in Christ Jesus Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 6.11 and there is no other Name by which they can be saved but by the name of Christ for we are justified by Faith in his Name Justification properly speaking is not the making of any righteous or holy tho none are justified who are not also sanctified but it is the accepting of any person who duely comes in the Name of Christ as righteous and holy for so he is in God's sight Christ's Righteousness being imputed unto him and for Christ's sake he becomes one of those blessed ones unto whom the Lord does not impute sin Psal 32.2 as the Psalmist expresses it in those very words En Graecis bonis Latina fecere non bona Ter. Whatsoever the import of the Latin word from whence our English word Justification may seem to be the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by the Apostle are Juridical words and relate to a Court of Judicature where when the accused Party upon sufficient ground is acquitted he is said to be justified and Justification or Absolution is the proper Antitheton
tells us may be gained to Christ by his Wife thus a Servant that does his Service as to the Lord may convert his Master Oh! up and be doing your labour shall not be in vain No 1 Cor. 15.58 but great shall be your Reward in Heaven When you shall be taken up to shine as the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever Dan. 12.3 Matth. 25.11 But if you shall neglect or refuse my Soul shall mourn in secret for you as knowing that the crying Lord Lord will not avail you nor any confident Profession of Christs Name stand you in any stead When the Deluge came how many perishing Wretches ran to the Ark and laid hold on it cryed earnestly for to be admitted into it but in vain Fac quod dicis fides est You know whom the Ark represented even this Christ in whom alone is Salvation Oh get into him by a true and living Faith and that to day whilest it is called to day 2 Pet. 2.1 least swift destruction come upon you 2 Cor. 5.11 May we all so know and consider the terrors of the Lord that we may be perswaded Quest What is that fulness of God every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled with SERMON VI. Ephes III. 19. And to know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the Fulness of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THESE words are a considerable part of that excellent Prayer put up to God by the Apostle for his beloved Ephesians from vers 16. to the end And indeed Prayer was his tryed Engine by which he always could bring down supplies of Grace from the God of all Grace for his own and the Souls of others In this Branch of it you will easily observe he prays for Grace the End and Grace the Mean to reach that End 1. He Prays for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God This being the utmost of the Souls Perfection ought to be the height of its Ambition beyond this we cannot reach and therefore in the attainment of this we must rest 2. He Prays for Grace the Mean to compass that End viz. To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge As we grow up into a greater Measure of the knowledge of the Love of Christ to us we shall enjoy more of the fulness of God in us But here we meet in each of these parts of the Text with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a seeming contradiction in the Terms To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge What is that but to know what is unknowable And to be filled with all the fulness of God What is that but to comprehend what is incomprehensible The narrow vessel of our Heart can no more contain the boundless and bottomless Ocean of the Divine fulness than our weak intellectual Eye can drink in the glorious Light of that knowledge And yet there are many such expressions in the Holy Scripture Thus Moses Hebr. 11.27 saw him that was invisible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saw him by the Eye of Faith in the glass of a Revelation whom he could not see by the Eye of Reason in the glass of Creation And thus we are instructed in the Gospel how to approach that God who is unapproachable 1 Tim. 6.16 To approach that God by Jesus Christ according to the Terms of the New Covenant to whom considered absolutely in himself we could never approach Let us therefore first clear and remove the obscurity of the Phrases that we may more comfortably handle the Divine matter contained in them Always taking along with us this useful caution That we run not away with a swelling metaphor and from thence form in our minds rude undigested Notions of Spiritual things nor fancy we see Miracles when we should content our selves with Marvels 1. The former of these seeming repugnances is To know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge If this love of Christ passeth knowledge why do we pray why should we strive to know it If it be our duty to pray that we may know it how is it supposed to pass knowledge Must we endeavour to reach that which is above all heights To fathom that which is an Abyss and has no bottom Or to take the Dimensions of that which is unmeasurable To remove this difficulty there have been many expedients found out 1. I. Some carry the sense thus To know the Love of Christ which passeth or surpasseth the knowledge of all other things There is an excellency an usefulness in the knowledge of Christs Love which is not to be found in the knowledgc of any thing else A man may know to his own pride to the Admiration of others he may have the knowledge of all Tongues and Languages may understand all Arts and Sciences may dive deep into the secrets of Nature may be profound in Worldly Policies may have the Theory of all Religions true and false and yet when he comes to cast up his Accounts shall find himself never the better never the holier indeed never the wiser never the nearer satisfaction till he can reach this blessed knowledge of the Love of Christ Only the excellency of the knowledge of the Love of Christ consists herein 1. It must be a knowledge of Christs Love by way of Appropriation to know with the Apostle Gal. 2.20 That he loved me and gave himself for me 2. By way of efficacious Operation Rev. 1.5 That he loved us and washt us from our sins in his own blood 3. By way of Reflection that his Love has kindled a mutual Love in our Souls to him 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us 4. By way of practical Subjection when his Love subdues our Hearts to himself and constrains us to new obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constrains us it restrains us from sinning against him and engages us to obey him To know that we may know and make knowledge the end of it self is nothing but vain curiosity To know that we may be known is nothing but vainglorious arrogancy To know that we may make others know is indeed an edifying charity but to know that we may be transformed into the image and likeness of what we know of the Love of Christ this is the true the excellent the transcendent way of knowledge And this was that knowledge of Christ and of his Love which the Apostle set such a price upon 1 Cor. 2.2 when he determined not to know any thing save Jesus Christ and him crucified That he might there see the Love of Christ streaming out of his heart at his wounds in his blood and there see Divine Justice satisfied the Law fulfilled and thence feel his Conscience purified and pacified and his Soul engaged and quicken'd to walk in all new obedience This is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The transcendent
it Cant. 8.7 So much we know and may blush that our Love to Christ is so easily quenched discouraged and disheartned 3. Although our knowledge of Christ be imperfect yet so much we may know as may serve to guide and encourage our obedience to him All our knowledge of Christ is vain all our love to him is a pretense if we know him not that we may love him and love him not that we may keep his Commandments 1 John 2.4 He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him for as that is not reputed with God to be any obedience which is not performed by a principle of love so neither is that accepted as any love that is not productive of obedience The Authority of Christ over us is the reason of our obedience but the Love of Christ in us is the true principle of that obedience John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Christ will not acknowledge any Man to love him that does not serve him And as the Love of Christ was an universal Love it extended to all our Spiritual necessities so must our Love to Christ be as universal and have a sincere respect to all his Commandments And upon lower terms than these Christ will not own our love to be any thing John 15.14 Ye are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you 4. Although we cannot perfectly understand the Love of Christ in this our present state yet may we know so much of his Love as shall be of more true use and worth than all we know besides we may know something of God and know it to our terror and confusion There may be such rays of Divine knowledge let into a guilty Soul as may make it wish it could shut them out again And hence it is that sinners say Job 21.14 Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways The most ungrateful unwelcom thing to an impenitent sinner in the World is to see God and to be convinced that God sees him That Gods omniscience looks into his rotten heart and the sinner must needs sit very uneasie under this knowledge of God till he can see God reconciled to him in Christ and have the light of that knowledge comfortably shinning into his heart in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 There is no knowledge to be compared with the knowledge of God no knowledge of God comparable to the knowledge of God as reconciled in Christ no knowledge of Christ to be compared with the knowledge of his Love nor any knowledge of his Love to be compared with that knowledge of it which subdues our hearts to his obedience transforms our Souls into his likeness and raises up the Soul to aspire after his enjoyment Thus it is that we joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement Rom. 5.11 All other knowledge may swell the head sooner than better the heart or reform the life A Man may go silently down to Hell by hypocrisie he may go triumphantly thither by open prophaneness and he may go Learnedly down to Hell with great pomp and ostentation what-ever he knows if he knows not the Love of Christ ruling in him and giving Laws to him and conforming him both to the Death and Resurrection of his Saviour And let this suffice to have spoken of the second Proposition That tho' the Love of Christ in its highest elevation passes all perfect knowledge in our present dark imperfect state yet there 's enough of the Love of Christ that may be known to engage our desires and endeavours to know more to shame us that we know so little of what may be known to engage our hearts to him and make us confess that whatever else we know without this is not worth the knowing Come we now to the second part of the Text viz. the Apostles Prayer for Grace the End That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God wherein we meet with a second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or something that implies a contradiction in appearance The Apostle prays that the Ephesians might and certainly we ought to add our Prayers to his that we may and to second our Prayers with endeavours that God would fill us with all his fulness And yet we are here aground again To be filled with Gods fulness With all his fulness seems rather the object of our Despair than of our Prayer 't is that which startles Faith discourages Hope which supersedes Prayer and Endeavour for how can our finite grasp his Infinite Our narrow vessel comprehend the Sea of his Divine perfections We can no more comprehend the incomprehensible of God than we can apprehend the unapprehensible Love of Christ Our hearts must needs be narrow because our minds are so we can see but little we can love no more than we can see what the Eye cannot behold the Hand cannot hold For the solution of this I shall only observe at the present That as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be known of God Rom. 1.19 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be known of God in which respect we are like the Athenians and erect our Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God Acts 17.23 so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which may be comprehended of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which cannot be comprehended in which respects we are all scepticks and must confess 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I cannot comprehend it For the clearing therefore of this difficulty perhaps we may have some relief from the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we may render thus That ye may be fill'd unto all that fulness of God There is a measure of Grace unto which the Divine Wisdom has appointed Believers unto that measure that degree of fulness we ought to aspire and to pray that God would fill us with it which seems to be the purport of that other Prayer of this Apostle for the Thessalonians 2 Thes 1.11 We pray always for you that God would fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is the Fountain his Saints are Vessels These Vessels are of several capacities God according to his good pleasure has gaged these Vessels now it is our duty to pray and strive to strive and pray that God from the inexhaustible Fountain of his goodness would fill these Vessels with Grace up to the brim and that according to that capacity which God has graciously bestowed he would graciously fill up that capacity For if you should pour the whole Ocean upon a Vessel yet it receives only according to its own Dimensions And this is the Interpretation of Theophylact who when he had recited and rejected some other interpretations fixes on this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive says he this
the Spirit of God that he may be a Spirit of Adoption to you as well as of Regeneration pray in the Spirit for the Spirit that you may have the frame of a Child filled with Zeal for the Fathers Name and Interest 'T is the Spirit of Adoption that teaches us to cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 'T is the Spirit of God that gives us an inward freedom and liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 Whâ—â—e the Spirit of the Lord is there 's Liberty This Spirit will not give you a liberty unto sin but from it nor from God but with him This Spirit will not break the Bonds of the Commandment but tye up your hearts to it and give you liberty and chearfulness in it We read that the Son makes us free John 8.36 If the Son shall make you free then are you free indeed We read also that the Spirit makes us free too but in different respects The Son makes us free from the Curse of the Law from the guilt of Sin from the Wrath of God but the Spirit makes us free too from the reigning power of sin from the bondage that is in the Conscience The Authority of God has made his Precepts necessary what is necessary in the precept the Spirit makes voluntary in the principle God charges the Conscience with Duty and the Spirit enlarges the heart to obedience Psal 119.32 I will run the way of thy Commandment when thou shalt enlarge my heart 3. Pray for the Spirit that he would perform his whole Office to you that you may not partake only of the work of the Spirit in some one or some few of his operations but in all that are common to Believers And especially that he that has been an anointing Spirit to you would be a sealing Spirit to you also that he that has sealed you may be a witnessing Spirit to his own work and that he would be the earnest of your inheritance a pledge of what God has further promised and purposed for you 2 Cor. 1.21 22. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed you is God Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit into our hearts 2. To speak a little more particularly what the Apostle prays for his Ephesians in more general Terms he prays for the Colossians more particularly Col. 1.9 10. We do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be fill'd with the knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and Spiritual Vnderstanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitful in every good work and encreasing in the knowledge of God And when I have opened the particulars of this Scripture I shall not need to seek elsewhere for an answer to this Inquiry What is the matter of the fulness of God which we ought to pray and strive to be filled with I. Let us pray and strive and strive and pray again adding endeavours § 1 to prayers and prayers to endeavours that we may be filled with the knowledge of Gods will And we have need to make this an essential part of our prayer for first We may happily do the will of God Materially when we do it not Formally not under that formal and precise consideration that what we do is the will of God and that we do it under that consideration because it is the will of God A Man may perhaps stumble upon some practices that are commanded by the Moral Law and yet in all this not do Gods will but his own that which in all our obedience we are to eye and regard is the Authority the will of God we cannot be said to observe a Commandment unless we observe Gods Authority in that Commandment nor to keep Gods Statutes unless we keep God in our eye as the great Legislator and Statute maker A blind obedience even to God is no more acceptable than a blind obedience to Men is justifiable Secondly We ought to pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of Gods will that there may be more employment for the powers and faculties of the Soul which in every heart wherein the grace of God radically is are in the general inclined to do the will of God There are some well disposed Christians of strong affections and good inclinations to do Gods will who are but slenderly furnisht with knowledge what that will of God is which he would have them do And thus those warm propensions of Spirit either lye like dead stocks upon their hands or else they laid out the zeal of their Souls upon that which is not the will of God and when they have spent their vigour and strength of Soul upon it they come to God for a reward who asks them who required this at your hand And thus even holy Davids zeal was mislaid upon this account that God had not spoken a word nor revealed his will in the Case 2 Sam. 7.7 Thirdly It s our great concern that we may know the will of God and be filled with that knowledge that the knowledge of Gods will may be an operative principle of obedience thus David prays Psal 143.10 Teach me to do thy will O God We are to pray that God would teach us to know and then teach us to do his will knowledge without obedience is lame obedience without knowledge is blind and we must never hope for acceptance if we offer the blind and the lame to God Luke 12.47 That Servant which knew his Lords will and prepared not himself neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes As therefore all our practice must be guided by knowledge so must all our knowledge be referred to practice Fourthly and lastly We ought to pray that we may be filled with the knowledge of God's will that this knowledge being rooted and grounded in our Souls it may render that obedience easie and delightful which is so necessary to its acceptation when Satan had entred Judas his heart he would not stick at any of the Devils commands and when he had filled the heart of Ananias and Saphira Acts 5.3 how ready were they to lie unto God If our hearts were more filled with the knowledge of Gods will that this Divine Law were written there duty would be our delight obedience our meat and drink nor would there be room left for those corruptions which hang upon us like dead weight always incumbring us in our obedience § 2 II. Let us pray again that we be filled with all wisdom in the doing of the will of God we want knowledge much we want wisdom more we need more light into the will of God and more judgment how to perform it For first It 's one great instance of wisdom to know the seasons of duty and what every day calls for As the providence of God disposes us under various circumstances so it calls for the exercise of various duties one circumstance calls for mourning another for
the tenor of our conversations to this God whom we serve If there be not that exact and punctual walking up to what God in strict justice may expect yet there must be that accuracy and circumspection which God in mercy will accept we must be holy as the Lord our God is holy Spiritual because we walk before him that is a Spirit sincere as being always under his omniscient Eye acting our faith upon him that is faithful and true casting our care and burden upon him that has undertaken to care for us and in all things proving what is the will of God and then approving that will and practising what we have thus approved § 5 V. Let us pray and strive let 's add holy endeavours to humble Prayers and second again those endeavours with our Prayers That we may be fruitful in every good work That there may be Grace in the root Grace in the fruit Grace in the habit strengthned Grace in the exercise multiplyed Let 's pray that our Faith may not be a dead Faith for want of the Grace of obedience that our obedience be not a dead obedience for want of a living Faith and a lively active Love that our Fruit may be of the right kind new obedience from a new heart that it may be right for its proportion for herein is our Father glorified that we bring forth much fruit John 15.8 that it be rightly directed that we may bring forth fruit to God and not to our selves And to all our Prayers we must add this that we may encrease in the knowledge of God That knowing God better we may love him better and loving him more we may serve and glorifie him more and be riper every day for the enjoyment of him And thus much in answer to the first Branch of the Question I proceed to the Second Second Branch of the Question What is the measure of that fulness of God with which every true Christian ought to pray and strive that he may be filled There is Plenitudo fontis Plenitudo Vasis the Fulness of the Fountain and the Fulness of the Vessel There is again Plenitudo Solis Stellae the fulness of Light in the Sun and the fulness of Light in a Star Again there is Plenitudo Capitis Membri the Fulness of the Head and the fulness of a Member A Fountain is full a Vessel may be full but with different measures Jesus Christ as Head of the Church has the Fulness of the Spirit without measure John 3.34 A gracious Soul may be also full but it is with the residue of the Spirit which Christ can spare for the use of those that are his Mal. 2.15 God is full of all Grace with the fulness of the Fountain he is full with his own fulness but not filled from another A Believer may be full too but he is filled from the fulness of God Thus John the Baptist is said to be filled with the Holy Ghost Luke 1.15 And so Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost v. 4. So was Zechariah v. 67. And thus were the Disciples all filled with the Holy Ghost Acts 2.4 All these were full but their fulness was borrowed they were filled It was of Christs fulness that they received grace for grace John 1.16 They were filled but they could not fill others from thelr fulness they had Grace but none to spare And every Believer must answer his Brother that would borrow of him as the wise Virgins did Matth. 25.9 Not so lest there be not enough for us and you There is an All-sufficiency of Grace in Christ it s well if Believers have a sufficiency according to Christs promise to the Apostle 2 Cor. 12.19 My grace is sufficient for thee And having premised this little I shall give the direct Answer to the Question in these following particulars 1. Every gracious Soul ought to pray and strive to be filled with such a measure of the fulness of God and of his Grace as the Holy Spirit who is the proper Judge of that measure shall see fit to communicate to us The Holy Spirit has these parts in this matter 1. He is the immediate Worker of Grace 2. He is the Distributer of all Grace 3. He is the Arbitrator of that Quota and proportion of Grace which every Believer has need of 1 Cor. 12.11 All these worketh one and the self-same Spirit dividing to every one severally as he will where you may observe the several parts that the Spirit of God hath in this matter 1. He works this Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is by his Energy or powerful working that there is root or fruit habit in us or Act of Grace proceeding from us 2. He divides and distributes to every one severally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is the great Steward of the Houshold of Christ and dispenses the measure of Grace to Individuals 3. This measure is distributed by his absolute power 't is according to his will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he pleases for the Grace being his own he may do with and dispose of his own Grace according to his own will And tho' he will be faithful in the discharge of his trust yet will he be sought unto to do it for us Thus when there was a promise Ezek. 36.25 that God would sprinkle clean water upon his people and cleanse them from all their filthiness and from all their Idols And v. 26. That he would give them a new heart and a new Spirit and take away the Heart of stone and give them a Heart of Flesh and put his Spirit within them v. 27. c. Yet still v. 37. I will yet for all this be enquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them 2. Every gracious Soul ought to pray for such a measure of Grace as may fit his Capacity none are so full but they may receive more We have so little of Grace because we ask no more Jam. 4.2 Ye have not because ye ask not We are but poor in our selves we might be enriched from Christ and if we were more poor in Spirit we should be more enriched with Grace from him John 16.24 Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full We should not satisfie our selves with the present measure of Grace received but pray and strive that we may have grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.7 3. We ought to pray and strive that our narrow Vessels may be widned our Capacities enlarged that we may be more capable of Grace The Vessels of Divine Grace are of different sizes as one Star differs from another in glory so one Saint differs from another in Grace And as the Spirit enlarges the Heart he will enlarge his own hand Psal 18.10 I am the Lord even thy God open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Our blessed Saviour may say to us as the Apostle to the Corinthians 2 Cor.
6.12 Ye are not straitned in me but ye are straitned in your own Bowels Our hearts are narrow towards Spiritual and Heavenly things because they are so enlarg'd towards earthly and visible things when the heart is enlarged as Hell and death that cannot be satisfied Hab. 2.5 For these perishing things no wonder if there be little room for the Graces of the Spirit This is therefore our great concern to pray that God would enlarge our desires that he may satisfie and fill them 4. We ought to pray and strive That all the Powers and Faculties of the whole man may be filled according to their measures There is much room in our Souls that is not furnish'd much waste ground there that is not cultivated and improved to its utmost We might have more light in the Understanding more tractableness in the Will more heat in our Love and a sharper edge set upon our Zeal And we have warrant to pray for this measure of the fulness of God 1 Thess 5.23 Now the God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit Soul and Body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 5. Every gracious Soul ought to pray and strive for such a measure of Grace that he may be qualified for any Duty and Service that God shall call him to and engage him in The Hebrew word which we render Consecration or separation to an Office is Filling the hand Exod. 29.9 Consecrate ye Aaron and his Sons in the Hebrew Fill the hand of Aaron and his Sons Where God employs the hand he will fill the hand we have ground to believe that he will send us about no Errand but he will bear our Charges where-ever he gives a Commission he will bestow a competent qualification when we go about his Work we may expect his presence and assistance in the Work And Moses seems to stand upon these terms with God Exod. 33.15 If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence As therefore there is great variety of Duties in our Christian Calling we may in Faith expect and from that believing expectation pray that we may be furnish'd with a suitable variety of Grace for the discharge of them 6. Every true Christian ought to pray strive for such a measure of Grace as may enable him to bear patiently chearfully and creditably those afflictions and sufferings which either God's good pleasure shall lay upon us or for his Names sake we may draw upon our selves We ought to pray that either he will lay no more upon us than our present strength can bear or if he encreases our trials he will encrease our Faith There 's no danger of excess in our Prayers when we confine them to the limits of his gracious promises Now here we have encouragement from his Word 1 Cor. 10.13 God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it 7. Every true Christian ought to pray and strive for such a measure of Grace as may bring the Soul to a settlement and stability that he be not soon shaken by the cross and adverse evils that he shall meet with in this Life And the Apostle Peter has gone before us in this Prayer 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus after that ye have suffered a while make you perfect stablish strengthen settle you And herein especially let us keep an eye upon these particulars § 1. Pray that God would so stablish you in the truth that ye may not be blown away with every wind of Doctrin A sorry trivial Error many times oversets and puzzles a weak Understanding Now 't is our great Interest to pray and strive that we may reach such a clear distinct coherent Light into the Doctrin of the Gospel that every small piece of Sophistry may not perplex and stagger our Belief of it So the Apostle Paul Eph. 4.14 would have Believers be no more Children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive § 2. Pray also that God would so stablish you in the truth of the promises that your Faith may not be shaken with every wind of Providence We are apt to have our hearts tossed by contrary Dispensations So upon a rumour Isa 7.2 The heart of Asa was moved and the heart of his people as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind It argues great weakness of Faith that we cannot maintain an equality of mind under various Providences the only remedy of which evil is to pray that God would encrease and strengthen our Faith that we may be so firmly built upon the unmoveable rock that we may not be afraid of evil tidings having our hearts fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112.7 And this was the glory of Job's Faith Job 13.15 That tho' God should slay him yet would he trust in him § 3. Let us pray and strive that God would so settle and stablish us in Love to himself that no blast of Afflictions from his hand may cool the fire of Divine Love in our hearts We want exceedingly the Faith that God carries on a design of Love under all his various and seemingly contrary dealings with us he can love and correct why then cannot we love a correcting God Whether he wounds or heals his love is the same and why not ours Can we not love God upon the security of Faith that he will do us good as well as upon the experience that he has done us good § 4. Pray we and strive that God would so settle and stablish us in our inward peace that no wind of temptation may overthrow it 'T is a slender and ill-made peace which every assault of the Tempter dissolves The Psalmist stood upon a firmer bottom when the terrifying Onsets from without made him fly more confidently to his God Psal 56.3 What time I am afraid I will put my trust in thee And we have Gods own promise to answer our Faith Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is staid on thee because he trusteth in thee And thus I have return'd some Answer to the second Branch of the Question What is the measure of the fulness of God with which every true Christian ought to pray and strive to be filled There will still remain an enquiry How we may reach to such a measure of the Divine fulness as has been described To which tho' the limits of this discourse will not allow a full and just Answer yet the importance of the Question will oblige me to point at some few things upon which your own Meditations may find matter of enlargement 1. And first it is necessary that we be convinced that we are very far short
as Euscbius and Pliny also saith Vsed early to sing Psalms and Praise to Christ Administer the Sacraments in the very words of Christ But guard the Door that the grosly ignorant and profane may not come in 1 Cor. 5.11 If any degenerate so as first and second admonition reclaim not shut the Door upon him Let him be to you as an Heathen or a Publican for so is the rule of Christ Matth. 18.17 Every Natural Body and Civil Body or Society hath a power to take in or cast out such as are for the Benefit or Damage of the Community to Infranchise or Disfranchise when there is just cause The Church is Christs Body and a Society of visible Saints Most Epistles to the Churches in Scripture were directed to the Saints at Rome Rom. 1.7 at Corinth 1 Epist 1.2 and so on Now if out of Custom carnal Policy Flattery or other ill motive the whole World must come into the Church and the Church and the World which lieth in wickedness 1 John 5.19 are one thing then in cometh also the god of this World too And will Christ have fellowship with Devils If Swearers Drunkards and Unclean persons come in it may be a Market-house or House for Merchants but not the Lords-house John 2.16 A Drunken Saint an Unclean Saint a Swearing Saint if they be not contradictions yet they sound very harshly No sin hath less tentation of gain or pleasure than Swearing and Cursing and no sin more debaucheth the Conscience and strips it even to Atheism of all reverence and for Men to have no more pity on them than to let them cram damnation down their Throats as soon as they have made the imprecation on themselves is dreadful I remember an Ear-witness told me he heard Dr. Ham. preach before King Charles the First at Oxford when his Affairs were at a low ebb and he told him While God-dam-me led the Van and the Devil confound me brought up the Rear he would be routed in all his designs And they are very unlikely to be good Subjects to Princes who are open Rebels to the Laws of God and Men and their own reason But let us keep to the Rule the Principles of Christs Kingdom are Rock and Steel not calculated for the soft Meridians of this World but can abide and stand in all times the same they need not load the secular Arm to hold them up Let us be faithful Executors of our Lords Will not Law-makers or Testament-makers for untempered Morter will be always falling and fowling them who daub it up Let us therefore stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free he and his Truth only can make us free from all Errors and mistakes John 8.36 Let us be of the same mind which was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 then nothing will be done out of contention or vain-glory But God will make good his own Promise all his shall have one Heart and one way Jer. 32.39 then our Lords Prayer shall be answered Joh. 17.21 That all his may be one as he and his Father are One. One in the World that is impossible but let them be one in us in our appointments and then the World will believe that thou hast sent me otherwise Divisions will breed such tentations as if Christianity was no reality Now what can any Man say against this method Who are they that make Divisions but they that make more Duties in Religion and Worship than Christ hath made They who build upright on the foundations or they who will jet over and drop upon their Neighbours 2. As we should keep to our rule so practise accordingly let the one Foot of the Compass keep the Center and the other walk the rounds let us live so as M. Felix says Non magna loquimur sed vivimus We do not talk great things but live them Exact walking would be as a miracle in this loose age to confirm the Faith we do profess Catechize your Children and Servants as Abraham did Gen. 18.19 to walk in the way of the Lord so most excellent Theophilus was Cathechized and instructed in the things of Christ Luke 1.4 Pray in your Families dayly bread you have twice at least then you are directed to dayly prayer for it If Nations and Kingdoms have Gods wrath poured out upon them that call not on his Name Psal 79.6 then surely Families much less can escape We and our Families need dayly Grace dayly Pardon as well as dayly Bread therefore unless we dare die in our Sins we should dayly pray for in Gods hands is our breath and his are all our ways Dan. 7.23 who then dare breath a day without compassing him about with Prayer and Praises And let us adorn our Profession of Godliness with honesty Tit. 2.10 1 Tim. 2.2 Labour to think as near to the truth of things and actions as you can and as they are in themselves Job 26.3 then speak and declare the thing as it is in your mind Jos 14.7 then do as you speak Psal 15.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplifie your self in Epictetus's phrase from all composition of Frauds Policies and Hypocrisie then besure you be just and do as you would have others do to you the grand skale of Righteousness if Men would but weigh their Thoughts Words and Actions by this standard of equity Matth. 7.12 how would this make Ministers Lawyers Physicians and all others take as much care of Peoples Souls Bodies and Estates as of their own then would come that golden age wherein they would have if not so many dirty Fees yet a cleaner and a greater reward of Peace of Conscience and joy in God Let us all be humble meek and patient as our Lord modest in Apparel and all civil Conversation as those that resolve to walk in Christ as they have received him Col. 2.6 and to wear him as they have put him on Rom. 13.14 1 Tim. 2.9 This Primitive simplicity would revive charity which is frozen to pieces in this cold Age this being the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 All the commands of God must needs be broken by the very want of it When all is done live so accurately Ephes 5.15 as if you were to be justified by your works and then as unprofitable Servants cast your selves wholly on Free-grace in Christ Luke 17.10 least by the conceit of any merit when you have anointed our Saviours feet you fling the box at his Head and rob him of his Priestly Office and Crown As for disputing of Controversies let your discourses be rather in private than before others that you argue in Love to the Souls of your Brethren not for Victory and Triumphing over their infirmities The Jewish Rabbins say He deserveth Hell-fire who putteth his Brother to the blush Therefore in meekness of Wisdom argue with your week Brethren that Christ was faithful in Gods House or Church Heb. 3.2 in commanding all things necessary for Salvation and the Worshiping of
1. In that here is no intimation given that he intended any other Not one of those Characters are set upon them whereby the Pastors or Guides of the Church use to be distinguished from the Community of Believers 2. The Duties which he exhorts them unto may undoubtedly and ought to be performed by private Christians As To continue instant in prayer and to watch in the same with thanksgiving verse 2. To pray in special for the Apostle himself that he might receive Divine Assistance and be blessed with success in the Ministry of the Gospel verse 3 4. To walk in wisdom toward them that are without redeeming the time verse 5. That their speech be always with grace ver 6. With all which the same persons are charged Now to walk in wisdom toward them that are without is a Duty of a great latitude And if it comprehend the promoting of their Conversion and Salvation as certainly it doth having an aptitude tendency and efficacy to help it on Then must private Christians take themselves to be concerned therein For to them is this Exhortation directed And so we have gained a very considerable point That we may from this Text charge the Duty upon the Consciences of private Christians in the name and authority of Jesus Christ 2. We have an account of the Persons with respect to whom in a special manner private Christians are counselled to walk wisely And they are described by this Periphrasis Them that are without i. e. Such as had not as yet entertained the Gospel nor professed subjection to it but still continued in a state of Infidelity This is clear from 1 Cor. v. 12 13. What have I to do to judge them also that are without Do not ye judge them that are within But them that are without God judgeth The sum whereof is this That scandalous Christians are to be corrected by Church-censures when milder remedies prove ineffectual But those flagitious persons who are out of the Pale of the Church are to be left to the judgment of God and of the Civil Magistrates Thus we are advanced one step farther For we have discovered that those to whom private Christians may be very helpful may be such as are without i. e. Heathen or Infidels and therefore they must not cast off all care of them 3. We are to enquire what is that special work and business in the disposal and management whereof private Christians are charged To walk wisely toward them that without I suppose none are so weak as to surmize that the Apostles intent and meaning was to caution them to make sure and advantageous bargains when they traded with Infidels who being false and crafty might be likely to over-reach them This was too low for the Apostles Spirit It was something of a more sublime import and tendency viz. To admonish and excite private Christians so to demean themselves in all things that they might beget even in the Heathen themselves a due veneration for the Gospel and a love and liking of that holy Religion which they professed And to enforce this his Counsel the Apostle did set them a fair example in his own practice 1 Cor. x 33. Even as I please all men in all things not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved And hence we learn further That private Christians in their negotiations with Heathens and Infidels should not mind only the enriching of themselves but chiefly the promoting of the Conversion of those poor miserable Souls to the Faith of Jesus Christ 4. In order to the winning over of Infidels to Christ private Christians ought sedulously to endeavour to promote the admission of the Gospel among them For the Gospel is the glorious Chariot in which Christ is carried about the World And that it may be entertained among them to procure the Preaching of it to them For that is Gods method and the Apostles way of reasoning is clear and strong Rom. x. 14 15. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Here then are many things wherein private Christians may be very helpful As in seeking out and procuring those who may preach the Gospel among them Encouraging and supplying those who give up themselves to that blessed work In disposing those poor creatures as much as they may toward the Reception of the Gospel and preventing or removing all impediments that might obstruct their entertainment of it This shews us In what private Christians should desire and endeavour to be Helpful viz. In promoting the entertainment of the Gospel 5. The last thing the former four being established and admitted is to enquire How private Christians may be most helpful herein The Text gives a general Direction when it enjoyns them to walk in wisdom toward them that are without And this will administer to us occasion to lay out this general direction more distinctly and particularly Thus I hope the opening of the Text hath reflected some light upon the Question and all that I have to offer may be gathered up in this Observation Private Christians walking in wisdom toward them them that are without may be exceeding helpfu l to promote the entertainment of the Gospel among them This they may do and more For they may be helpful to promote their Conversion and Salvation To further the entertainment of the Gospel among them is but the Means To promote their Conversion and Salvation is the End And the Means are for the end Now it is expresly affirmed That a Private Believer may save an Infidel 1 Cor. vii 16. For what knowest thou O Wife whether thou shalt save thy Husband Or how knowest thou O Man whether thou shalt save thy Wife i. e. The believing party may be induced to cohabit with the unbeliever upon a hopeful prospect that it is possible to conquer them by love to attract them to have an esteem for holiness by an exemplary conversation and to obtain Gods grace for them by ardent prayers and so be the Means of saving their Souls The Apostle Peter exhorts Christian Women who were yoaked with unbelievers to become eminent for their Modesty Chastity Humility and Respectfulness to their Husbands by the same argument 1 Pet. iii. 1 2. Likewise ye Wives be in Subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also may without the word be won by the conversation of their Wives while they behold your chast conversation coupled with fear Christian graces being so exercised that they may be seen in their proper luster are excellent Orators and have a mighty power to perswade It is more to live vertue than to commend it Let me have leave to say to women professing godliness as the Apostle stiles them 1 Tim ii 10. O live to such an eminent
Gospel of the Grace of God may be carried into the dark corners of the Earth for the Conversion and Salvation of them who are ready to perish and so the Kingdom of Christ get ground in the World is I am sure a most holy and excellent design and so I recommend this also to the Prayers of Godly private Christians These few things being suggested touching those Christians who bear a Publick Character I now shall address my self to all Godly Private Christians and I must exhort and beseech them with all the fervour I can to set their hearts sincerely upon this glorious work and to bestir themselves in it with all their might This belongs to every Christian as such in what circumstances soever the Providence of God doth dispose of them whether they be High or Low Noble or Base Rich or Poor Learned or Unlearned Male or Female None are to be excluded or exempted But it is likely This may seem strange to many Private Christians That they should be charged in the Name of Christ to be helpful to promote the spreading of the Gospel all the world over Alas will one say with the Eunuch I am a dry tree and no such fruit is to be expected from me And I will another say am but a Cypher and make no Figure in the world as the Phrase goes and therefore I can signifie nothing But let me beseech all Private Christians to take heed of shifting off from themselves any Duty or Service that Christ calls them to or would employ them in And To suspend their Determination a little until I have shewed them as Christ shall enable me How and wherein Private Christians may be helpful in this Great and Good work And then I hope they will see That they may do much more therein than possibly they have hitherto apprehended The second thing mentioned is Their Duty and Work Which is To be helpful in promoting the Entertainment of the Gospel And the third thing is How or in what ways and by what means they may be most helpful in it But for dispatch sake I shall speak to both these Conjunctly Now That I may proceed herein the more clearly and profitably I think it may be useful to place Private Christians according to their several Circumstances and Capacities as to the matter now under consideration in three Ranks or Orders 1. There are many Private Christians who live very remote from such Places and People as have not the Gospel preached unto them Or at least have not hitherto entertained it 2. There are some Private Christians who may Occasionally go into or may Providentially be cast into such Places 3. There are some Private Christians who live among such people in a more fixed or constant Residence As In our Factories abroad Or In our Plantations in the Indies or other Heathen places Now Tho' it be the Duty of all Private Christians To promote the entertainment of the Gospel yet all cannot take the same Measures nor be Active in the same ways And therefore it may be to very good purpose To let each of them to see wherein their Proper work doth lie That they may contribute their assistance accordingly 1. Most of the Private Christians among us live very Remote from those People who have not as yet entertained the Gospel And so They cannot be helpful unto them by Personal instruction or counsel Neither can they attract them by the Example of their holy conversation And yet they may greatly contribute toward the promoting of the entertainment of the Gospel among them And that they may do several ways e. gr 1. They may and ought to pray in Faith That the Gospel may be sent among them That it may be Received by them And be blessed to the Conversion and Salvation of all that are ordained to Eternal life among them For such Prayers being according to the Will of God They may be confident that he heareth them 1 Joh. v. 14. And that God requireth and expecteth such Prayers from them cannot be unknown to any who acquaint themselves with the Scriptures For 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ recommendeth this matter to the Prayers of private Christians Matth. ix 37 38. Then saith he unto his Disciples The harvest truly is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray ye therefore to the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth Labourers into his harvest Here we may take notice 1. That by the Metaphor or Allegory of an Harvest our Saviour would instruct us That as when the Corn is ripe Men use to employ Reapers to cut it down and gather it in So there are some blessed Seasons wherein God hath decreed to send the Gospel among a People and accordingly prepares and disposeth them for the Reception of it and raiseth in them a propensity and strong affection toward it Thus it was when John the Baptist came and Preached That the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand Matth. iii. 2. and it follows in verse the 5th Then went out unto him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan And our Saviour sets a special remark upon that time Matth. xi 12. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force When therefore ye hear That the Day of the Gospel begins to Dawn in any of the dark corners of the Earth Then Lift up a Prayer That the Grace and Power of the Spirit may accompany it and make it successful 2. Our Saviour teacheth you to pray That the Labourers may be increased proportionably to the work as when he saith The Harvest is plenteous but the Labourers are few Pray then that God would imploy such as are Skilful and Industrious such as Paul describes 2 Tim. ii 15. Study to shew thy self approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth And pray That God would imploy such a number of them as is sufficient for the work A Reverend Person among us hath for many years complained That in many places where there is but One to labour in the Ministerial Work there is enough for three or four tho' all of them be very industrious But it seems that Men either cannot or will not make better provision 3. Private Christians when they perceive How the case stands should be importunate with God that he would send forth Labourers into his harvest Send them by the Efficacious word of his Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut ejiciat vel extrudat Thrust them out by his Grace working in them and his Providence ordering of circumstances concerning them It is no wonder if Flesh and Blood shrink from the employment of carrying the Lord's Message to a barbarous people Moses would fain have been excused from going into Egypt and he multiplied Evasions and Pretences till the Lord was angry with him Exod. iii. 10 11 14. and Chap. iv 1 10
the ends of the Earth Why will ye by your disobedience as much as in you lies make void the Commandments of Christ Doth not He expresly charge you To pray to the Lord of the Harvest that he would send forth Labourers into his Harvest And to pray That his Kingdom may come And will ye say That the Lord Christ doth injoin his Servants to do that which is insignificant and impertinent Why will you by your unbelief go about to make the Promises of God of none effect When as he himself hath assured us That He will fulfil the regular desires of them that fear him Psal cxlv 18 19. And that whatsoever we ask according to his will he heareth us 1 Joh. v. 14. For ever then beware of entertaining that Temptation which is formed and cherished in the hearts of the ungodly Who say unto God What profit should we have if we pray unto him Job xxi 14 15. I shall close this when I have added That were the Prayers of private godly Christians more frequent intense and importunate for the spreading of the Gospel it would be an hopeful indication that the Gospel is about through the blessing of God to find better entertainment in the World than it hath done of later years This may suffice to have been spoken touching the first way and means wherein private Christians who live remote from those places where the Gospel is not entertained may be helpful to promote the spreading of it that it may be brought to them viz. by the Prayers which they put up to God in Faith for the propagation of it 2. The second way and means whereby private Christians who live remote from those places whither the Gospel is not yet come may promote the reception of it among them is By a ready chearful and liberal contribution of supplies and encouragements to them who labour in that holy work And here the different Abilities and Capacities of private Christians are to be considered They who are rich may cast in much into the Lords Treasury and for the proportion the Apostles Rule and Measure should be attended unto 1 Cor. xvi 2. Every one as God hath prospered him When the Tabernacle was to be made every one brought something They who had gold silver and precious stones offered them they who could bring but rams-skins and badgers skins were accepted And those good Women who had nothing to bring did yet spin with their hands and brought that which they had spun and they also were accounted and recorded among the Contributers What private Christian is there who can afford Nothing They who subsist by the labour of their hands should spare something for works of Piety and Charity Eph. v. 28. To excite and encourage you to comply with this Direction I shall lay before you several Examples which will shew you how Practical and Acceptable a work this is 1. Private Christians were helpful to our Lord Jesus Christ himself in his preaching of the Gospel in the days of his flesh upon Earth Tho all things were made by him and he upholds them by the Word of his power and so the Earth is His and the fulness thereof yet for our sakes he became poor and was pleased to receive provisions for his subsistence from some godly women who ministred to him of their substance Luk. viii 1 2 3. 2. The Apostle Paul records it to the praise of the Philippians That they were careful of him and made provision for him not only when he laboured among them and when he was in Bonds for preaching the Gospel And I heartily wish that all private Christians among us yea and such as glory in their profession would keep pace with them so far but also when he was employed in the service of the Lord among such as were then strangers to Christ and the Gospel Phil. iv 15 16. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the Gospel when I departed from Macedonia no Church communicated with me as concerning Giving and Receiving but ye only For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again to my necessity 3. St. John drawing up the fair character of Gaius a private Christian placeth this as a beautiful flower in his garland That he was hospitable and liberal to those who for Christs names sake went forth preaching the Gospel among the Gentiles taking nothing of them 2 Ep. John ver 5.6 7. Let private Christians take notice that the name of Gaius and his Charity are registred in the sacred Scripture and if their disposition and practice be like to his theirs also shall be written in Christs book of remembrance Mat. x. 41 42. He that receiveth and so he that encourageth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward 4 Take notice that it stands as a Blot in the Escutcheon of the Corinthians that they were altogether for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gratuitum Evangelium A Gospel that should cost them nothing Corinth was the most convenient and so the most frequented Port for Trade in all Greece The Inhabitants are said to have been very Wealthy Proud and Voluptuous They had abundance to spend upon Themselves but could find nothing for Paul while he resided among them and preached the Gospel to them For this the Apostle makes a very mild but a very close reflection upon them enough to make their Consciences to start if they had any Spiritual life and sense and their Faces to blush if they retained any sparks of Ingenuity in them 2 Cor. xi 8 9. I robbed other Churches taking wages of them to do you Service For when I was present with you and wanted I was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me the Brethren which came from Macedonia supplyed It is a sad word but too frequently experienced That a faithful Minister of Christ may Labour and yet Live in want in a wealthy City And I think it cannot be rationally supposed that such as suffer those to want who labour among them will be very forward with their purses to assist them who preach the Gospel to Infidels in the remote parts of the World Upon this Head give me leave to say a little as I did upon the former London doth out-shine Corinth in Trade God grant that it may still flourish in wealth and yet be preserved from those Vices which are the usual Attendants of it May London ever have the Corinthians advantages and the Philippians spirit It will be I hope to the praise of God and of many of Londons Citizens to Recollect what hath been done here to help on the propagation of the Gospel in New-England and I hope also that the care of that work is not extinct but will revive as there may be a necessity and opportunity for it When I shewed how private Christians might he helpful to promote the Gospel by their Prayers I made a Request to you that ye would not fail to befriend
be exerted thence That thoughtless Idle Souls should be luke-warm is no such wonder or strange thing The contrary would be stranger even to a miracle And being thus awakened and prepared your selves drive all things home upon each other and plead the cause of every Duty Truth and Motive throughly in free and frequent conversation each with other Mal. iii. 16. Luke xxiv 32. i Thes v. 11-15 Rom. xv 13-16 Col. iii. 16. ii Thes iv 18. Christian conference well managed makes and speaks warm hearts and leads and helps to better lives Men that rarely transiently or triflingly think upon or talk about the things of God must needs be cold within and when such pray that God should warm them can they expect returns to prayer when neither hearts nor pains are after them And here How many heart warning Topicks of discourse and edifying conference might I now entertain you with but let the text speak for it self and though it here offer but one yet is that one impregnated with many 1. It is the day 2. 'T is an approaching day and 3. They saw it thus approaching 4. The sight ought because so fit to quicken them to growthful care and diligence in this heart-warning course and work Whence 4. Preserve and practically answer and improve a quick deep constant sence of the approaching day i Thes v. 1-11 ii Pet. iii. 1. 14. and Jude 20 21. Col. iii. 2-5 Luke xxi 34-36 xii 35-40 Perhaps the Reader will not lose his time and labour in perusing and pausing upon these cited Texts Nor find them impertinent nor inexpedient as to the case in hand See also ii Pet. i. 5-13 How copiously and closly might all these passages be insisted on did not the Press stay for me and the stated confines of a short discourse restrain me and the fruits and labours of abler heads and better pens and hearts urge me severely because deservedly to give place thereto Well Sirs Consider the Approaching day and represent it to your thoughtful and concerned selves in all its Grandeurs and Solemnities of Process and Results and try then if it do not warm your hearts and urge you pungently and severely to Good works As to the persons here most Immediately concerned these Christian Hebrews There was a day of reckoning with their malignant Enemies by Providential Controversies and Rebukes which also was a day of great Redemption and Establishment to the persecuted faithful Christians There was to be a day of great Conversion and divine Attestations to the Christian Faith and to its Proselytes and what was more congenial herewith than this endeavoured provocation to love and to good works And they that are provoked hereto are also fittest for a day of tryal But I shall here consider it as the great day of Christs appearance and his Kingdom ii Tim. iv 1.8 i 18. That day of God of Christ of Judgment and Perdition of Vngodly Men. That day of Revelation of God and Christ in their Majestick glory that day of searches sentence and full execution and adjustments in all the accuracies of governing wisdom holiness and grace Who can contemplate this and yet be Cold and Barren Then in the glorious splendours solemnities and proceedings of that day shall it be evident who and whose Son Christ is What cost and care he hath been at to bring men to this warm and active course and temper and what an estimate he and his Father set hereon by what they then dispense and testify by way of recompence of reward thereto Christ in his threefold glory Luke ix 26. God sending him forth and appearing in him by him and for him as his own dear Son the Son of such a King i Tim. vi 3-16 Father and Son making so vast a difference amongst the Sons of men by everlasting punishments and rewards as they are differently found as to Christian love and practice Rom. ii 6-10 ii Cor. v. 9-11 Mat. xxv 34-46 And all that vast Assembly and Convention applauding Gods proceedings and joyfully Congratulating the great endeavours and rewards of our provoked and Successful love Are not these warming thoughts Secondly The Case And of this I have given you this textual resolution You have seen 1. The Seat of this distemper of a Luke-warm Frame or Temper that it is in the heart or will 2. The formal nature of it 'T is a defect or chilness of practical love and zeal to and for God and their concerns with us and ours with them The things which claim and merit the highest place in and that should engage and exercise our best affections and most active zeal are 1. Gods glory in the Church and World 2. The life and growth and the vivid Exercises Profession and Effects of Godliness in our selves Tit. ii 11. 14. Rom. xiv 17 19. Jude 20 21. ii Pet. i. 3. 11. For we must begin at home and set our all in order there 3. The Power Peace and Progress of the Gospel in the World Phil. i. 3. 11. ii 19.21 That it may have its free course and be glorified 4. The Harmony and Prosperity of the Church of Christ wherever this Gospel is accepted and profest 5. The Case and Circumstances of particular professours as they variously are and are evidently considerable as to their Growth Tryals Duties Dangers Decays Wants or Weaknesses c. 6. And the Sons of men as Strangers Enemies Persecutors or any ways Endeavouring to supplant the Gospel interest or to obstruct it or discourage it And these it considered as reducible or incorrigible Now heartlessness Neutrality or Sluggishness of our affectionate concernedness about these things is what we call Luke-warmness 3. The Cure hereof doth formally consist in our Enflamed love Exercised and Exprest unto the life by constant activity congenial with this principle The practical accommodating of all the regency vigours of this principle of love to the concerns of Christian godliness and of those that are concerned therewith pursuant to the growth and prosperousness thereof When we so value these concerns have such Sympathizing with and such genuine adherence to resolutions and activity for and satisfaction in the prosperousness of the things of God and Christ and Souls and Christian Churches as that nothing can stand before us nor be regarded or dreaded by us that rivals or opposes them then are we indeed effectually cured Here our thoughts naturally fix and work here our hearts cleave and flame and hereunto our vigors time interest and treasures are most entirely and cheerfully devoted Where is there then the least remainder of a Luke-warm Temper When we are wrought up to this Frame and pitch 4. The way and means of working this great cure are 1. Persons considered 2. Assemblies attended on 3. What there and thence and otherwise is or may be derived improved by Mutual Exhortation 4. And all this under the powerful influences of and in fit and full proportion to a quick and constant apprehensiveness and
on the good or evil to the comfort or the discomfort of the Church-Catholick or any particular Churches near to or far from you Nehemiah no doubt weigh'd the importance of the News brought to him from Jerusalem and it was thought reasonable that Israel in Egypt on the first appearance of Moses should have considered what Importance it was to see such a Man as Moses was how likely he might be to bring them out When the Edict for Israel's return out of Captivity was first spread as good News to the Jews none of them resented it aright who considered only his personal advantage by it They pray'd and prais'd God aright who look't into the Import of it to the whole Church The News of the death of Ahaz and Succession of Hezekiah is not enquired after till the certainty of the Reformation of Religion and the great change for the better in the Church is lookt into Julian's death was great and good newes to the Church and called for praise to God but those that considered not the influence it would have upon the Church for good if God rais'd up a Christian Successor must needs fall very far short in their prayer and praise When the News of the death of Edward the Sixth afflicted the hearts of Gods children in England and they mourn'd and pray'd as apprehensive of the consequences of the death of a pious Prince a Zealous Reformer a Hearty Lover of Truth and professor of it whilest he lay sick these considerations quickken'd them of that Age to beg his life So when the sickness of Queen Mary was the News on the Stage and her death would be the safety of the Church no wise Protestant enquired after the News without a thought how much it would benefit the Church to lose her III. Who Enquires as a Christian in order to manage Prayer and Praise should I think Enquire of those who can and will inform him the best most truly and sincerely of any News he knoweth There ever have been and now are persons who abuse the world with false Reports to amuse the more simple-hearted they dare coin Lies and cry out Wo Wo or Peace Peace very unagreeably to the nature and aspect of Affairs If you have a Friend who dares not wittingly spread a Lye nor deny a Truth and knows much of publick Occurrences thou mayest rely somewhat on his word thou mayest with greater confidence pray for the Church in deep Distress and Praise God for bringing it out of its Distress When we know the Church needs our Prayers it is most agreeable to God that we do pray If when we praise God for the Church in any particular if afterwards it appear we were deceived by false Reports the Enemy scoffs at us we should to the best of our knowledge pray and praise suitably to the real state of the Church It was a common practice in our late Civil Wars upon a fight that both Parties kept Thanksgiving Days when 't was not possible both should have the Victory this was highly Scandalous and each upbraided others with Hypocrisie Let us as much as in us lieth prevent such a reproof what we cannot be Eye-witness of but must take on Hear-say let us endeavour to be truly informed that both prayer and praises may be grounded on the Truth of things as they proceed from Truth of Heart Tragical Stories of Catholicks prosecuted in England when Garnet and some few others were executed for their unparallel'd Hellish Powder-Plot and Treason set many a deceived Papist into Tears and Prayers who had they known the Truth of things would have prais'd God for preserving their King and Countrey condemned the Traitors and own'd the Hand of God in the Discovery of the Plot and punishment of Plotters On the other side when bloody Men imbru'd their Hands in blood of many Thousand Innocents in the Parisian Massacre and the Irish Rebellion destroy'd Innocent Protestants by Hundreds of Thousands it is palliated with false Rumors to lessen the Horrour of the Fact the Barbarous Cruelty of the Actors as if a few turbulent persons had been prevented and fallen by the hands of Self-Defenders Which had it been a Truth who could have found in their hearts to pray for such But with respect to all such bloody usage of the Innocent Church in all Ages past and in this of ours we will pray with the Psalmist Let God be known by the avenging the blood of his Saints Psal 70.10 IV. Who Enquires as a Christian must Enquire with a Compassionate Affection to the suffering Churches of Christ or feeling their Wounds as living Members feel the griefs and wounds of the Body in what part soever preparing to help the whole and bear his own part as one who prefers Jerusalem above his chief â—oy and can heartily rejoyce in her prosperity as one whose heart is wounded with the same sword that woundeth Jerusalem and therefore bitterly bemoaneth and heartily prayeth for the bleeding Church Give us an Nehemiah who chap. 1. ver 4. sate down and wept when he heard sad tydings great distress and long desolations of Jerusalem When you Enquire with Jeremiah's wish Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears Jer. 9.1 To weep for the slain of the daughter of my people Such an heart doth as naturally pour out it self in prayers as it doth into tears and doth as naturally rejoyce with the rejoycing Church as it either wept or pray'd before When Christ foresaw and foretold the doleful state that Jerusalem should fall into he wept over her and so must every Christian weep over desolate and disconsolate Jerusâ—lem when he hears her Sorrows and prays for her Relief Among Natural Relations few there are who are not affected with grief for the Sorrows and troubles of a Brother there should not be one among Spiritual Relations but should with hearty grief entertain the News of Sorrows and distress upon the Church and give God no rest till he make her a quiet Habitation till he turn her Mourning into Joy till he take away the garments of her Widowhood and cloth her with the garments of his Salvation When we hear the sad Tydings with such a Heart as Josiah heard the Threats of the Law read in his presence 2 Chron. 34.27 ver then we are like to do as he did to seek the Lord to return to him and make a Covenant with him to serve him that he may turn away his displeasure and spare his people Josiah heard the news with a tender heart a melting heart and sent to Enquire of the Lord that he might know what was to be done by him and his People to prevent or defer or lessen the threatned Evil. V. When you Enquire into the present News that concerns the Church that you may the better pray for the Church or praise God on behalf of the Church Enquire into the sins of the Church with an humble mourning and repenting Heart So
by those who knew the promise to Abraham much about the time that God sent Moses and therefore 't is observed of Moses that when he vindicated the injur'd Hebrew and slew the Egyptian that he supposed they would have known him to be the person God had sent to deliver them Near the time of the return from the Babylonish Captivity many of the Jews expected their Deliverance some that were very Aged could reckon the number of years by their own Age. And Daniel searched into the nearness of it by Books Dan. 9.2 and we may now hope some great perhaps the last and full deliverance from Antichristianism is near at hand the generality of Gods people do expect as well as pray for it Pray ye as they do 3. Compare your great News abroad when Kingdoms and States are shaken with the Threats that are denounced against the Enemies of the Church Consult the Word of God in this thing You may discover much of the Approaches of Mercy in deliverance of the Church by the Executions of Threats against the Enemy When Moses and Aaron began to Execute Judgments upon Egypt Israel might well conclude their deliverance was near at hand when the Rivers were turn'd into blood Israel might hope their God was coming to avenge their blood The Jews had good ground to conclude when the Medes and Persians began the War against Babylon that their Captivity drew on to an end and when they read the Mans name who was the great Commander in that Expedition Cyrus by name foretold the Deliverer of Gods Captives and builder of the Temple if then they did not pray earnestly and praise God heartily they were inexcusably stupid and wanting to their own Release It will much help you in prayer at this day if you will look into the several Menaces pronounced in the Book of the Revelations against Babylon and observe which of them are in part Executed which are now Executing which of the Trumpets we are under and which of the three woes are now Executing c. By this we might conclude the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet near and the Kingdoms of the VVorld e're long are like to be the Kingdoms of Christ 4. Look to Promises made to the Church for her Deliverance when you hear of or Enquire after any great News among the States and Kingdoms of the World among which the Churches of Christ sojourn and among which the Saints of God have and still do suffer It needs not a particular proof that there are many express Promises that the Church shall be delivered that there is a fixed time for the beginning progress and full accomplishment of these Promises that their accomplishments shall be gradual and such as will clear it self and though we cannot say when the full accomplishment to a Day or Month or Year yet by comparing Transactions and Occurrences with Promises we may without doubt discover somewhat of the Promise made good to the Church for which we ought to praise the Lord and all the rest of the Promises shall be fulfilled and for this we should earnestly pray to the Lord. 5. Compare the great News in the present Revolutions with the Times God hath been pleased to make known to us in his Word By this you may discern what Encouragement and awakening Considerations are given to us to pray and praise our God for what is already done and for what is doing and what e're long is to be finished Here is work for learned Men for Ministers for Understanding Saints There are in the Revelations two distinct Numbers mention'd which were they clearly unfolded would enable us as very wise Christians to receive seek and improve the great News that is abroad in the World The first Period is that Rev. 9.15 They i. e. the four Angels bound at Euphrates i. e. the Turkish power were prepar'd for an Hour and a Day and a Month and a Year i. e. for Three Hundred Ninety Six Years and a very little more Now from One Thousand Three Hundred in which Osman or Ottoman was Elected King of the Turks they have been the destruction of the Christians and were to be until Three Hundred Ninety Six Years were expired i. e. till One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six which will in likelihood end their Empire and how great Hope of this now This calls us to pray for their Ruin The second great Period is of the Forty Two Months i. e. One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years the time the Beast was to persecute the Church and then the Beast was to perish i. e. the Papal Kingdom shall be destroy'd Now these One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years in likelihood began about Four Hundred Seventy Five or somewhat sooner and by this Account you may suppose the News you still hear of both Turk and Papacy will encourage you to hope for a speedy deliverance of the Church from both It will be worth your while to read those Excellent peices of Mr. Joseph Mede who wrote his Key of the Revelation above Threescore Years ago in Latin I cannot say whether it be Translated into English having alwayes kept my self to the Latin Copy but 't is a Thousand pitties it should be confin'd to Latin a Book fit to be publisht in all Languages Of Mr. Jurien Accomplishment of Prophesies Translated out of French into English Of a Nameless Author newly written in French and translated into English Printed lately under the Title of A New System of the Apocalypse c. I commend to you who would know the Importance of publick News How to pray and praise God on hearing it How to wait for Deliverances to read diligently those Books in which are greater and better News than any Pacquets then all Gazzetts or Coffee-houses can yet afford to you when you have read these Books then Long for One Thousand Six Hundred Ninety Six or One Thousand Seven Hundred and hope if you live to that day to hear Mahometanism in the Turkish Empire destroy'd with that Empire Wish for One Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty Five or One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty and remember I do not pretend to Prophesie but I do dismiss with a conjecture that between this time and that you 'l see great Deliverances to the Churches of Christ and as great Distresses and Judgments executed on the Anti-christian Kingdom it may be the total Ruin of that Kingdom which was to last but One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Years and I think will have out-lasted that Period before One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty Quest Wherein may we more hopefully attempt the Conversion of Younger People than of others SERMON XVII OMnipotence can suffer no Difficulty and that which is Immense can admit no Limits Unto the Divine Power all things are as perfectly Easy as they are certainly Possible And the Heavenly Grace is fruitful equally of all things consistent with its spotless Purity God Creator did strain no harder to make