theirs as Gods That 's not Rebellion against Rulers and Superiours vvherein not the will so much of the Inferiour gives sin a Negative vote as the Conscience and Conscience rightly informed by the word of God Yoke-fellows Love ye one another souls Love one another to heaven Let not the flesh go away with all your time and strength and affections nor the elder serve the younger Live together as heirs of the grace of life that your prayers be not hindred 1 Pet. 3.7 3. Look upon her as a Mistris in her Family 3. A Governess She was an excellent Governess her government was oâ— a Scripture constitution It was made up of sweetness and gravity sweetness without levity or remisness gravity without bitterness and severity There was no severity in her discipline save what was in the Pattern she proposed to them her own Conversation Indeed she was severely good her government was made up of Intreaties rather then Commands or Reproâ—fâ— She knew not how to be angry unless it were against sin and even that she exprest rather in grief then in passion Her great Care was that her family might know God and Jesus Christ Joh. 17.3 whom to know his life eternal She was of a Joshuah-like resolution Jos 24.13 As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. She thought it not enough to go to heaven alone but laboured to carry as many as she could with her especially them of her own Family To that end she was very exact and constant in Family-duties Her exactness in family-duties sc Reading the Scripture Prayer Catechising as deeply sensible how gainfull God had made that Domestick duty to her own soul in the Family of her education I say being conscious what good she had got by being diligently instructed in the principles of Religion she was conscientious in the discharge of that duty towards those whom God had committed to her trust not only in a way of exercising their memories in a bare verbal repetition of words but according to her faculty which verily was not ordinary in her sex in a way of helping them to understand the sence and meaning and by impressing upon conscience what was imprinted in their memeries In the absence of her dear Husband she constantly performed the duty of prayer in her own person save only when she could call in the assistance of her own pious Pastour or other faithful Ministers whom the present Providence had cast into her neighbourhood all which her Christian obliging converse had so marvellously endeared that she had as many Chaplains as if she had bin one of the greatest Ladies in the Land A true Gospel-Sabbatarian she was and thought it no Judaism to keep the Christian Sabbath as an holy Rest rather envying her body that it should have six dayes to her souls one then sacrilegiously filching out of that precious one any parcells of time for the uses and purposes of the flesh truth is she counted every moment of Sabbath-time too good for any time but Sabbath-work unless it were vvhere divine indulgence had made allowance for vvorks of Mercy and Necessity In reference to both vvhich notvvithstanding she vvell knevv how to spiritualize even them also into Sabbath-exercises Further then these two she durst not exact any of her servants labour As knovving 1. That the Sabbath vvas the servants priviledge as vvell as her ovvn Thou and thy servant c. 2. That her Servants souls were as precious to God as her own and cost Jesus Christ as much blood to redeem Therefore she vvas careful that every one in her Family should not only attend the publick Ordinances but that they should improve the whole overplus of Sabbath time in the holy exercises of Religion And as God had given her an excellent faculty in taking Sermons so she made it her vvork constantly to repeat both the former and latter Sermon to her Family vvhich she did vvith such a judicious accurateness that the hearer could hardly miss in the repetition vvhat he had heard from the Pulpit at least not any head or material enlargment of the Sermon The other void spaces of the day she commended to her Family as Gods and their own time for divine uses calling upon them to redeem it accordingly You that are Governours of Families imitate this blessed Saint herein also The Sabbath is exceedingly fallen amongst us not in our Publike Assemblies streets only but even vvithin our private vvalls The spirit of Ignatius dyed with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every one that loves the Lord sanctify the Lords-day Ignat. ep ad Magn. Hovv art thou fallen Thou Morning-Starr Thou Queen of days thou golden spot of the week Thou Map of Heaven Thou birth-day of immortality Hovv art thou fallen You that love the Lord Jesus and his Resurrection I charge you by all that right and interest you claim in either help to lift up the head of this glorious day of Jehovah for the love of God do not put avvay the Pillovv from under the head of this dying day as you vvould not be found guilty of the blood of Christ and of his Resurrection Christians stirr up your selves for the recovery of the life and honour of this Holy-day 4. As a Friend and Neighbour 4. As a Friend She vvas of a most sweet and obliging converse As many loved her as knew her as ambitious she vvas to do good offices to the poorest as others are to those that can requite them But that vvhich vvas eminent in her converse vvas her profitable improvement of it she was not one of those professors that with the holy could shew her self holy and with the prophane could shew her self prophane that could talk religiously in one company and vainely and frothily with others She was not one of them that could shape themselves into any form and garb of the present Company but she was gracious and uniform in every Company which providence cast her upon spending the time in Christian and profitable Communication alwayes either doing good or receiving good as opportunity served But if the Company were such as admitted neither her silence should argue her dissent and her withdrawment as far as might consist with civility should at once ease â—hem and her self of a burden Christians Oh that every one would herein become her followers Oh what a deal of pretious time is wasted in idle alk and foolish jestings which are not convenient how many precious hours are pent in vain and unprofitable complehents Yea in carnal mirth foolish talkâ—g and jesting which might be improved to spiritual soul-edifying conferences as if Christians had forgotten there were such a word in the Bible Let your speech be alwayes with grâ—ce seasoned with salt Col. 4.6 or that other Redeem the time for the dayes are evil Eph. 5.1 15 16. The Lord make you wise to salvation I might easily enlarge in these her Relative excellencies but I must
had judged them to be Apostates He doth two things 1. He sweetly insinuates a better opinion of them verse 9.10 But beloved we are perswaded bâ—tter things of you and the account of which pâ—â—â—â—sion he gives you verse 10th for God is not unrighteous co forget your â—abour of love c. 2. Yet That they may not think themselves altogether unconcerned in this caution he admonisheth them to take heed of sluggishness and security on the one side which are the usuall snare and precipice to Apostacy That ye be not slothfull And then he incites them to a vigorous diligence in their Christian profession on the other side the way and means which God hath sanctified for the attaining of perseverance and assurance Verse 11th We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end The same i. e. the same mentioned verse 10th Your work and labour of love q. d. That which some of you have given abundant testimony of I desire every one of you may give also lest there should be any that may possibly fall short and prove Apostate amongst you Or the same i. e. which you your selves speaking to the same individuals have given that ye grow not remiss and negligent in your love and zeal for then if you that have been formerly diligent and active shall cool and grow negligent not only your former diligence will be a testimony against you but the abatement and decay of your love and zeal may expose you to the sin and danger of Apostacy Now both these he doth by propounding the Pattern of the Saints and Worthies of God to their pious Consideration and Imitation Some of whom were yet alive whom he proposeth as Presidents to the rest among them Yea he proposeth themselves to themselves their former zeal to prevent their future luke-warmness Others here commended were such of the Primitive Heroes who had long before finished their course and obtained the Crown * Ego de patribus jam in coelis agere hoc loco Apostolum non dubito Bez. in loc As Abraham mentioned in the verses following my Text and others of those famous Lights of the World implyed in the word them in the Text Them who through faith and patience inherit the promises These also the Apostle doth commend as standing exemplars for the believing Hebrews and in them for all other Christians professing the Name and faith of Jesus Christ to follow Now to be followers of the Saints iâ— nothing else but vigorously and constantly to endeavor to Imitate them in their graces and gracious conversations to use all diligence to be such as they were and to do as they did in our times and places That you be followers of them who through faith and patience c. We may look upon the words under a twofold aspect 1. Positive 2. Relative 1. Positive as expressing and pressing a Duty necessary for all Christians to practice and that is a diligent imitation of the Saints 2. Relative as implying a Soveraign remedy to prevent the sin and danger of Apostacy Take them in their Positive aspect and so they present us with this Doctrinal Observation It is the duty of Christians to be followers of the Saints of God who have been or are excellent in their Generations Or The Graces of the Saints whether alive or dead they are Patterns set forth for our Imitation Take the words in their Relative aspect and so they afford us this Observation sc That a diligent imitation of the Saints of God in their graces and vertues is a special Preservative and Antidote against Apostacy It is the first of these I intend to insist upon the other will be of use in the prosecution of this Doct. It is the duty of Christians to be followers of the Saints of God The Noun here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.7 Called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 followers is derived from the same verb which is used ch 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to work according to pattern a metaphor borrowed from Stage-playes where the Actors study exactly and to the life to express the gestures and dispositions of the persons whom they represent or else from Apes who do naturally love to imitate the actions and gestures of men Thus the Apostle calls Christians to an exact and unfeigned imitation of the Saints of God whether departed and in Heaven or yet surviving in the Land of the living This holy Imitation is frequently commanded in Scripture 1. Cor. 4.16 11. 1. Jam. 5.10 Heb. 13.7 And for this others are comended as 1 Thes 1.6 2.14 c. For the opening of the Doctrine I shall shew you 1. Why The Saints are to be imitated 2. Wherein The Saints are to be imitated 3. How The Saints are to be imitated 4. We shall improve it for our use and practice 1. Quest Why Now the Grounds and Reasons of the point are such as these following 1 Ground Gods end in giving such patzerns This was a principal end or design which God had in bestowing such choice and gracious qualifications upon the Saints in the world â—scil that they might serve as patterns for the imitation of others who either live with them or come after them Hence they are called lights Phil. 2.15 16. They be like the Pharo's or fires upon the Sea-coasts to shew passengers their way in the dark night that they may not suffer shipwrack They are looking-glasses by which the Saints should dress themselves God did not bestow graces and excellencies upon them meerly for their own sakes for the adorning of their own souls and to qualifie them for their future Glory though that was one gracious â—esign he had upon them 2 Cor. 5 5. Col. â— 12 but that by their light they mâ—â—m shew others the way holding forth the word of life and by their heat they might warm others and by their zeal provok many 2 Cor. 9.2 your zeal hath provoked many Therefore saith our Lord Mat. 5.51 let your light shine c. No man lighteth a candle to put it under a bed or under a busâ—el but on a candlestick that it may give light unto all that are in the house Therefore as the Saints themselves sin against Gods design in giving them such excellent shining graces when they do withhold their light and influence by putting them under the bed of pleasure or the bushel of profit So Standers-by sin against the gracious ends and purposes of Gods love in the graces of his Saints when they do not fruitfully improve them for their own imitation They take the grace of God in vain in his Saints and slight and neglect the blessed helpes which God hath afforded them in their passage to heaven they regard not Gods love and care in setting up such lights in the world whereas they should
are not to rob spoil and take away the substance and estates of wicked men meerly quà wicked because the Israelites robbed the Aegyptians unless we had immediate Authority and command for it from him who is the absolute and Supream Lord of the Creature Psa 75.7 and may dispose of the whole Creation to whomsoever he please as they had We may not offer up our Sons and Daughters in sacrifice to God because God tempted Abraham to offer up his Isaac for tryal of his obedience and Self-denyal Nor yet again may any man or woman take a Wife or Husband of Whoredome as the Prophet did Hos 1.2 whether in vision only or in reality we enquire not here uness we had the same special dispensation and allowance from the Supream Law-giver Thus Negatively We are not to follow the Saints 2. Affirmatively Therefore we are to imitate the Saints in their graces only and in their holy Conversations in the world and in whatever they did in a way of obedience and conformity to the revealed will of God the standing rule of the word A more distinct and particular account whereof I shall give before I finish this discourse 3. 3 Qu. How we must imitate the Saints Querie How must we imitate the Saints of God Answer Here again our Negative Rule meets us scil We are not to follow the Saints Universally not all over And the reason is because all that is in the Saints is not Sanctity All that is in the Godly is not Godliness Saints have their infirmities and in them they are not to be imitated The best of men are but men at the best Affirmatively Therefore our imitation of the Saints it must be but With limitation 1. A limited Imitation And that Limitation one of the best of men that were but men the great Apostle hath given us in his own Person 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me How as I am of Christ If we find holy Paul not following Christ he doth not require us to follow him It was Jehosophat's honour that he made choice of the first wayes of David to walk in Indeed we have these intermediate Copies written for our learning God therein condescending to our infirmity lest our tender eies should be too much dazled in continual beholding the transcendent brightnesse of the Supream light 1 Joh. 1.5 But God and Christ and the Spirit are the Supream Original Standard of our Conformity The Father Mat. 5.48 Be you perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation The Holy Ghost Rom. 8.7.14 They that are after the Spirit do mind the things of the Spirit And again As many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God Next to these the Saints and Angels in Heaven are our lights of a second magnitude Petit. 3d. Thy will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven These are our exact and perfect Exemplars in which there is no defect or imperfection But all our Earthly Patterns be they never so excellent have their errours and deficiencies which may mislead us if we follow them without due limitation And therefore all these inferiâ—ur Patterns are to be reduced to the Original Standard and Exemplar and wherein they are found either erroneous or defective we are to correct and perfect them by the Original we must by faith eye the Pattern in the Mount we may imitate our terrestrial Copies but we must not terminate in them The Saints are good Leaders but not infallible useful Copies but such as have need to be corrected by the Original Our imitation of them therefore must be bounded by Scripture-limitation 2. Uniform Nemo agit unum nisi sapiens caeterimultiformes sunt Sen. Ep. Phil. 4.8 2. Our Imitation of the Saints must be exact and uniform though we are not to imitate the Saints in all their actions yet we are to imitate them in all their Graces and gracious conversation Whatsoever things are true whatsâ—ever things are just Whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise in the Saints and Servants of God these things we must think of and in these things we must labour to be like unto them We must take heed of Partiality in our following the Saints of preferring one before another one Saint before another or one Grace in the Saints before another unless it be such Saints and such Graces as God himself hath preferred by putting upon them more abundant honour some special remark of excellency we must take heed of picking and chusing taking what vve please and rejecting what we list according to our own private fancies and interest We must follow them in every path and in every step wherein they have fâ—llowed the Captain of their salvation Whether in their doing-work or in their suffering-work St. Paul's charge to Timothy will not in this case be improper for us I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 5.21 and the elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by Pa tiality To this end 3. Vigorous 3. Our Imitation of the Saints must be a vigorous and industrious Imitation Truly to follow the Saints fully and exactly is not a business of an easie and ordinary dispatch it will require a vigorous and industrious intention and contention of our spirits as a work that will take up all the faculties of our souls and parts of our bodies Our Judgments to discern according to the word what is to be chosen and what to be eschewed in the Patterns we propound to our selves Our Undeâ—standings to discover the beauty and amiableness of the Graces and Holiness that is in the Saints Our Memories to keep alwaies before our eyes these excellent Presidents lest at any time we let them slip we shall stand in need of such Looking-glasses continually to see our faces in we shall want our Guides at every turning to tell us the way when we are turning to the right hand or to the left Our Wills and Affection to love our Guides to take delight and complâ—cency in beholding these beautifull pieces if we see no beauty in the Saints why we should desire them we shall never be zealous imitators of their Persons Our Consciences we stand in need of the impartial Testimony of an awakened conscience to accuse or excuse us according to our fidelity or neglect in this duty of so great concernment Moreover it will cost us much prayer meditaâ—ion often reflection upon our selves watchfull observation self-denial mortification c. Yea much labour and pains even of the outward man much fasting striving wrestling and watchfulness to carry on this great important duty of imitating the Saints Surely a slothful lazy