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A62465 The saints great duty in time of the dangerous afflictions, persecutions, and oppressions, they may meet with in the troublesome and tempestuous sea of this world, either by spiritual or temporal enemies. Preached in a farewel-sermon by Mr. George Thorne, of Weymouth in Dorset-shire. From Psal. 37. 34. Wait on the Lord, and keep his way. Published by a friend. Thorne, George, of Weymouth. 1664 (1664) Wing T1057B; ESTC R220883 31,965 67

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is still as malicious and industrious as ever to put them upon this We read of Satan in that 1 Pet. 5.8 that he goeth up and down like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and as far as the Lord permits him he acts wicked men in whom he ruleth Eph. 2.2 to do what mischief they can to the Godly yea and in the last times he is so far from abating his rage as that we read his wrath groweth the hotter because he knoweth he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 While therefore the principle of enmity which is in the wicked against the Saints remaineth and while the ground of their hatred continues and Satan is as industriously stirring them up as ever nought else can be expected but that they watch the righteous to do them a mischief But now wher shall the righteous do shall he render evil for evil and watch the wicked that he may mischieve them God forbid what shall he forsake his righteousnesse and leave off to be godly no in no wise But if ye would know O ye Saints and righteous Ones what to do in this case I am sent of God at this time to instruct you That it will be your best way to wait on she Lord and keep his way And so I come to what is expresly asserted in the point That however it go with the truly Godly here in this World more especially when the Wicked watcheth the righteous to mischieve them 't is their best way to wait on the Lord and keepe his way Here I shall speak by way of Explication in shewing 1. What it is to wait on the Lord. 2. What it is to keep his way First To wait on the Lord is taken more largly or more strictly 1. More largly And so it is the same with serving the Lord attending and following the Lord and takes in the whole duty of the Saints waiting on the Lord as a Souldier on his Captain or as a Servant on his Master Psal 123.2 Behold as the eyes of the Servants look to the hands of their Masters and as the eyes of a Maiden unto the hand of her Mistris so our eyes wait on the Lord our God So in that Hos 12.6 Turn thou to thy God and keep Mercy and Judgement and wait on thy God continually 2. More strictly And so it intends a patient expecting the Lords Salvation 'T is the continued exercise of Faith and Hope it is Faith and Hope eekt out So here Vers 7. Rest on the Lord wait patiently So Psal 130. when he cries out of the depths as he sayes Vers 1. then Vers 5. I Wait for the Lord my soul doth wait and in his word do I hope My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning We have both these together in that Lam. 3.25 26. The Lord is good to them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him There it is taken as largly as seeking after God but it follows It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord there it is taken for the continued exercise of hope for a patient expectation of the Lord's Salvation Secondly What it is to keep the Way of the Lord here mind The way of the Lord may be understood of that way wherein he walketh towards his People which is aptly stil'd the way of his Providence or of that way wherein he requires his People to walk towards him and is properly stiled the way of his Precepts 1. There is the Way of Gods Providence in which he walketh towards us of which that Psal 18.30 speaketh As for God his Way is perfect So Psal 25.10 All the Paths or Wayes of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant and Testimonies Now if it be thus taken here Then to keepe his Way is diligently to attend his Hand and to observe his Carriage and ordering in all that befalls his People more especially in all that trouble that comes on them For whatever trouble comes upon the People of God and whoever be the instruments of inflicting the Lord hath his way in it Mic. 6.9 ordering it as to the kind as to the measure as to the season as to the continuance as to the ends and fruits Now to observe the Lord's Hand and to attend his Way in ordering his Providences and our troubles this is to keep his Way So Isa 26.8 In the way of thy Judgements we have waited for thee as if he had said We have waited on the Lord and kept his Way 2. There is the way of God's Precepts in which he commandeth his People to walk And thus is this phrase most commonly taken So 2 Kings 21.22 where 't is said of Amon He forsook the Lord God of his Fathers and walked not in the Way of the Lord i.e. not in the Way of his Commandements Thus David spake of the way of his Precepts in Psal 119.27 Make me understand the way of thy Precepts And if it be taken thus then to keep the Way of the Lord is to walk in his Statutes and to observe his Commandments to do them So Gen. 18.19 The Lord testifies of Abraham I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the Way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgement So in Job 23.11 12. My feet have held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the Commandments of his lips So to walk in his Wayes and to keep his Commandments are the same Deut. 26.17 and Psal 119.1 2. So that the sum of all is However it be with the truly Godly more especially when the wicked do watch them to do them a mischief their best way is to attend on the Lord to follow him to walk on in the ways of his Commandements so eying the hand of the Lord in all that befalls them as they that patiently expect and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. Thus for explication I now come to the Demonstration which shall be dispatcht by clearing That it is the honestest the wisest the safest the most comfortable and most honourable Way First This is the most innocent just and honest Way yea truly this is the only good honest and right Way I am to shew what is the best for a Godly man to whom no way is good but what is just and honest There are indeed other ways which a man may take when he is in trouble through the wickeds watching him to do him a mischief whereby to escape the mischief intended him but they are not just and honest I shall instance in these 1. By sinful complying with the wicked in their ungodly ways thereby to abate the edge of their wrath This was the way Peter took when in the High Priests Hall he not only denyes his
therefore the Apostle said unto them 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware least ye also be led away with the errour of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastness So say I seeing ye know the VVay of the Lord and approve of it beware lest being led away with the errour of the wicked and your own Judgments being thereby corrupted and your Consciences defiled you fall from your own stedfastnesse And I the rather press this for that as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 11.3 I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 3. Keep the VVay of the Lord in your Profession I am speaking unto those who as Rom. 10.10 with the heart believe unto righteousness and with the mouth make confession unto salvation And you have the Exhortation in the words of the Apostle Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of the Faith without wavering Be not ashamed of your Profession as our Saviour speaks Mark 8.38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my Words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels with Mat. 10.32 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven 4. Keep the VVay of the Lord in your hearts and affections loving rejoycing and delighting in the VVay of the Lord The keeping of it in your Memories Judgments and Profession will be but in vain unless you keep it in your hearts Lay up and hide the VVord of God in your hearts let the desire and delight of your Soul be in the VVay of the Lord with the Psal 119.111 Thy Testimonies have I taken for mine heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart 'T is the Character of the Godly man Psal 1.1 2. He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night 5. Keep the Way of the Lord in your lives and conversations walking therein conscientiously observing the Commandments of God to do accordingly I am speaking to those who have chosen the way of the Lord to walk in and they may read what the Lord saith in that Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you You shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left you shall walk in all the Wayes that the Lord your God hath commanded you And to as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God Having thus opened this Duty take these few Directions among the many that might be given 1. Let the Spirit of Christ be your guide and principle I am speaking unto such as have the Spirit of Christ Now if you consult that Ezek. 36.27 you shall find that the Lord promiseth his People that he will put his Spirit within them and to what purpose viz. both to encline enable and guide them to walk in his Statutes and to observe his Commandments to do them There is no entring into the VVay of the Lord but by the Spirit Joh. 3.3 we all naturally being gone astray wander from the way of the Lord and 't is the Spirit only that can and doth reduce men into this way and the best being but lame and having not only a principle of halting in but declining from it there is no walking in this VVay but by the assistance and guidance of the Spirit Let therefore the Spirit of God be your guide it is promised that he shall lead you into all Truth John 16.13 Let the Spirit be your principle walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 then you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh but shall keep the Way of the Lord. 2. Make the Word of God your Rule I have heretofore from that John 6.39 and 1 Tim. 3.15 and several other places cleared to you that it is given of God for this end to be the Rule both for Faith and Practice Keep therefore unto this and by no means depart from this if you would keep the VVay of the Lord. Here you have the Lord revealing his Way and that clearly and plainly so that the most simple that apply themselves to it may understand it the Scriptures are a perfect and a constant Rule Therefore as in that Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word 't is because there is no Light in them There are some that make the Light within their Rule and that in opposition to the VVord but the Light in such is Darkness for if they speak not according to this VVord if it be but diverse from though not directly opposite unto it then there is no light in them Indeed the Light within that is Conscience enlightned is a Rule but it is Regula Regulata a Ruled Rule There is Regula Regulans and Regula Regulata A Ruling Rule and a Ruled Rule The former is a Rule to the latter by which it is to be tryed and approved The Word of God is a ruling Rule and Conscience is a ruled Rule which is to be obeyed as far as it speaks according to the Word and no further If therefore you would keep the Way of the Lord do not despise Conscience do not neglect the Light within but make it not thy Rule make the VVord of God thy Rule admit not of any thing that is belonging to the VVay of the Lord that is not grounded upon or not warranted by his Word If you would keep the Way of the Lord hold fast to what is written stick to the Word That saying of Austin is famous Sive de Christo sive de Ecclesia sive de quacunque alia re non dico si nos sed si Angelus de caelo vobis annunciaverit praeterquam quod in Scripturis accipistes Anathema sit Not to say If we but if an Angel from Heaven shall preach any thing of Christ or of the Church or of any other thing besides what ye have received in the Scriptures let him be accursed Like to that Gal. 1.8 9. The Word is the heavenly compass whereby we may be directed to steer our course aright to the Haven of happiness Keep you to the Word while one says this is the way and another that Try all things by the Rule of the Word and make that your Rule to walk by Hence when Paul was taking his leave of the Church at Ephesus in that Acts 20. In his Farewel-Sermon that after his departure they might keep the Way of the Lord you may read what he commends to them vers 32. And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word
of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance among those that are sanctified He recommends the Word of God to them So Beloved now that I may no more speak to you from this place for the teaching of you the right and the good Way I recommend to you the Word of the Lord which will be a Light to your feet and a Lanthorn to your Paths to guide you in the Way of the Lord till you attain the end of your Faith the Salvation of your Souls What knowledge I have of the Way of the Lord what I have taught you of the VVay of the Lord I have been taught by the Spirit of the Lord through the VVord and though you want the great help of a plain powerful and faithful Ministry for the future yet let not those that are sincere in desiring to walk in the VVay of the Lord be discouraged by those who would make them believe that the VVord is hard to be understood for that as it is more from malignity in us than difficulty in the Scriptures that the most do not understand them so they are easie to be understood by them that sincerely endeavour it being not only most plain and clear in teaching the Way of the Lord but also appointed to enlighten the eyes and make wise the simple Psal 19.7 8. Yea the entrance of it giveth Light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 And how weak and simple soever any of the Saints may be in worldly matters and in the VVorlds account yet of them all is that spoken 1 John 2.27 But the Anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in Him Though they corrupt and pervert this Text that make use of it to the disanulling of all Ministerial teaching for if John had meant so to what purpose did he write this Epistle yet when God depriveth us of this help this Scripture affords support and comfort to the Saints that by the Spirit in them they shall be enabled to understand what he teacheth in the Word so as to abide in the Lord and in his Way as they have been taught Having then the Spirit for your principle and guide let the VVord be your Rule and you shall keep the VVay of the Lord according to that promise Isa 35.8 The way faring-men though fools shall not err therein 3. Let the example of Christ be your pattern that you may keep the Way of the Lord set this copy alwayes before you He alwayes kept the Way of the Lord as he came down from Heaven to do the VVill of his Father John 6.38 so he did alwayes those things that did please him John 8.29 He never departed in the least from the VVay of the Lord He knew no sin neither was guile found in his mouth If then you would keep the VVay of the Lord learn of him follow him walk even as he walked Indeed in the things that are proper to Christ as God or as Mediator therein he is not to be imitated by us but in the things that he did or suffered as man he left us an example or pattern that we should follow his steps 2 Pet. 2.21 Hence that exhortation of his Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart That then you may be directed as well as encouraged to keep the VVay of the Lord look to Jesus and walk as you have him for an example Indeed the Apostle exhorts to walk as you have Him for an example Phil. 3.17 But knowing that he could give them but an imperfect copy he exhorts in that 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ It may be of good use to us to mind the Examples of the Apostles and faithful Ministers of the Gospel that have walkt on in the VVay of the Lord before us But forasmuch as there is none of them even Peter himself but went awry more or less Therefore make the example of Christ your pattern Time will not permit to prosecute this at large I shall only offer some few particulars from the example of Christ to you such as may be most seasonable to further you in keeping the VVay of the Lord. 1. It was the work and business of the Lord Jesus Christ to do the VVill of his Father to do what pleased him As he came down from Heaven to do his Fathers VVill as you before heard from John 6.68 so he made it his work and business To this purpose is that Luke 2.49 How is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business with that John 4.34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his work If then you will keep the VVay of the Lord herein be ye followers of Christ let it be your work and business to do the VVill of the Lord and to walk in all well-pleasing before him Let the Exhortation be in the words of the Apostle 1 Thes 4.1 Furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you That as you have received of us how you ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more 2. It was the practice of the Lord Jesus Christ to look on all the sufferings that came upon him as coming from the hand of his Father in accomplishment of his Word and therefore quietly to submit to them To this purpose is it that he tells Pilate in John 19.11 Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above He looks beyond Pilate to him that was above So John 18.11 The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it He over looks the instruments and looks on his sufferings as a cup put into his hand by his Father And as he observed the hand of his Father in the sufferings that came upon him so he takes notice that they are in accomplishment of Scripture Mat. 26.53 54. Thinkest thou that I could not now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of Angels but how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be and he takes notice that the Scriprure had foretold that thus it must be and that he must suffer and enter into glory as he clears it in that of Luke 24.25 26. Therefore though he prayed if it be possible as Mathew hath it and if thou be willing let this Cup pass from me as Luke hath it yet he quietly submits to his Fathers VVill with a Not my will but thine be done And as Mat. 26.42 If this cup may not pass away except I drink it let thy will be done Thus you see how by looking