to stop their mouthes therefore if you would not have Judgements encreased take heed when you see the Lord appearing for his Church providentially acting the Lord is up then Say to thy own soul Let all flesh be silent before him That is the first looking upon these words as referring to the Churches enemies A word I shall add looking upon these words as referring to the poor distressed Jews who were now returned out of the Land of their Captivity but there was a mighty power of the enemy against them why yet saith the Lord do you keep silence silence your doubtings silence your frettings Silence your doubtings It it said of Abraham Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he did not dispute the business pro and con and truly neither must you if God be up leave the work in his hand leave off your doubtings leave off your doubtings upon conjectures and suppositions That is the first Let all flesh keep silence silence your doubtings Secondly Let all flesh keep silence silence your frettings saith David Psal 39. I kept silence I was dumb saith he for it was thy doings A terrible Judgement befell Aaron two sons were taken away by an immediate stroke from Gods hand and Aaron held his peace his spirit did not rise and discontentedly fret at the present dispensation Oh ye that fear God take heed when the Lord ariseth for his people keep silence before him silence your doubtings silence your fret tings That I press by four considerations and so I shall conclude I beseech you mark them You that fear God that know his name that expect an interest in all that mercy that the Lord intendeth for his people in the latter daies take heed I say that ye keep silence before the Lord. First Consider but this will you contend with God will you I say contend with God in Judgement the Lord challengeth that Who will appoint me a time who will contend with me in Iudgement Will you dispute the business out with God Consider Gods Judgement is the last Judgement and his Judgement is an eternal Judgement from his Sentence there is no appeal it is the worst course that a man could take that is to be Judged to undertake to contend with his Judgement before God therefore take heed of it you cannot contend with God in Judgement Iob 9.32 Secondly should not the Soveâ—aignty of God put you to silence though it may be all the actings of God be not according to your will should not the Soveraignty of God I say stop your mouthes â— hath not the Lord reserved to himself the power of Kingdoms Depoint Reges disponit Regna he it is that disposeth Kings he it is that disposeth Kingdoms now I beseech you observe this seriously this did silence David I was dumb and opened not my mouth it was thy doings truly had I looked barely upon man it was such a thing I could not have born if I had looked only upon instruments but when I looked upon him as my Soveraign and absolute Lord then saith he I was silent before him In the third place consider this A fretful spirit even in Gods own people doth strangely blind their eyes that they cannot see the goodness of God in the mercy but take many times that which is a high and glorious mercy they take it to be a cross and an affliction My Brethren observe envy will strangely hoodwink a man when the hand of the Lord is lifted up they will not see why for their envy at the people they text saith it is an evil frame of spirit in a Christian a froward discontented fretful spirit a spirit ill becoming a Saint your wisdom should hinder it Solomon tels you a man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frigidus spiritu he is a man of a cool spirit a man of understanding a great many men will speak of their understandings and their zeal many times but know that a man of understanding is of a cool spirit Consider the Spirit of Christ comes in the form of a Dove be innocent as Doves without gall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine felle sine dolo so the word signifies the Dove is without gall as well as without guil and truly that is a spirit becoming a Christian and the want of this my Brethren makes many deny the most glorious actings of God towards his people when many times even an Heathen man a stranger standing by is ready to cry out as he did truly it is a glorious God the God of the Christians Alas they will not look upon it they cannot see it envy I say strangely bleareth the eyes take heed of it therefore In the last place and so I have done Consider doth the wrath of man work the righteousness of God the Apostle S. Iames tels you clearly the contrary certainly you that will maintain Gods cause you must do it by Gods means the Lord needs no carnal weapons no help of any body no fleshly interest to maintain his spiritual cause no I entreat you consider it when if ever you will carry on the cause of God let it be done by the means and with that spirit that God requireth I dare undertake you shall find that of Nazianzen a good rule Nazian Let us be weak that we may overcome I that is the way the way to overcome men or to mannage a cause though you say it is the cause of God I say it is not to be done by humane heats and fleshly animosities therefore this is that I shall leave with you for the present in these five considerations farther and so have done First God hath never set up any authority or way of government but he hath reserved to himself in his providence a power to change it at his pleasure Zach. 21.10 Remove the Diadem take away the Crown God will shew himself to be King of Kings and Lord of Lords Secondly it is his ordinance that there should be a Magistracie they are called the shields of the earth the stay of your tribes the foundations of the earth and it is not good there should be an Anarchie for God hath set Rulers over men some by providence some by promise But yet God sets them over them that should be enough to restrain men of giddy spirits who are like the children of Belial without a yoak therefore let us not go about to pluck up our own bedge and destroy our own foundations Hab. 1.13 The fishes of the Sea have no Ruler over them but devour one another The Persians at the death of their Kings have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on purpose that men might find the evil of it therefore be not unruly boysterous spirits like the raging Sea But be content to submit to the bounds that God hath set you Thirdly though this Government be an Ordinance of God yet the extent and specification of it is but an humane creation 1. Pet. 2.13 〈◊〉
John 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth c. Take away Truth and ye destroy Holiness at the root Let men pretend holiness whilest they will unclean opinions will ever be accompanied with unclean practises and therefore it is a vain thing for men to hope that a holy conversation can be maintained without truth which is the instrument which the Lord useth of mens sanctification Job 6.14 he forsakes God that forsakes the fear of the Lord. Secondly What is it for a people to be forsaken of God First when God withdraws the influence of his Spirit from the Ordinances that though the Ordinances continue yet the influences are gone it is the first step of the Lords removing from a people and this is properly the removing or departing of his glory from off the Temple though the Lord is everywhere present yet there was a gracious presence there Deus ubique est sed non eadem ubique praestat And therefore there is a darkness that fills the house when the glory of the Lord was departed its true that the Temple and the Sacrifices did continue but it was but barely an outside for the presence of God in glory and mercy was not among them and therefore when the Lord returns to a people in mercy the glory of the Lord doth in this manner return unto their Ordinances Ezek. 43.4 while he may be found seek the Lord the time of the Spirits working in the means is the day of salvation Heb. 6. unto that people there is a ground that drinks in the rain not only of Ordinances but of Influences and the Lord will say My Spirit shall not alwaies strive there is an oath that may go forth against a people and then they are undone for ever for the Lord is not as a man that he should repent and this is the greatest Judgement that can befall a person or a people in this life for if the Spirit of the Lord depart from them and evil Spirit from God in Judgement comes upon them a Spirit of giddiness a vertiginous Spirit which doth cause them to err in all the works of their hands there is by some a great talk of conversion that abundance have been lately converted it is true if turning unto a new opinion or being brought off from such a party be conversion there are abundance of such turnings in this Nation but such a general conversion that if we look into the conversation of men yea even of them that do profess Religion and the power of godliness and the good old way of holiness in the practise of it is even wholly forgotten amongst us Secondly he takes away the Ordinances also the presence of God is in them he is by these said to dwell amongst us now when God departs from a people he is said to take away the Ordinances which are the visible tokens of his presence Ier. 23.33 they say the burden of the Lord and they were weary of the Ordinances of God amongst them saies God this shall be your burden I will forsake you Nulla posthac erit Prophetia Calvin Calvin But what if it be so its that in a special manner that we desire but consider 2 Chron. 7.20 I will cast this house which I have sanctified for my name out of my sight and I will pluck you up by the roots out of my Land which I have given you when God once forsakes his Ordinances he will the Land too Thirdly the Lord doth forsake a people by taking away the former assistances that they have had and denying of them to his people therefore the promise is Isa 62.4 thou shalt be no more termed forsaken whilst they were under the power of the enemy and given up into the hands of their oppressors so long they were a people forsaken of the Lord Iosh 1.5 I will not leave thee nor forsake thee when God forsakes them they shall not have the wonted presence of God amongst them the Lord will neither bless their counsels nor go forth with their Armies but he will delight to make that people vile that all their enemies should take encouragement thereby and say God hath forsaken them persecute them and take them for there is none to deliver them as the presence of God is the great terror unto all that are round about he being a wall of sire about them and the glory in the middle of them so the greatest encouragement to the enemies is when they shall see that Gods people have not the wonted presence or assistance of God with them and they shall be a derision to all the Nations round about ha ha so would we have it Fourthly God doth forsake a people in respect of his returns of their prayers Psal 22.1,2 My God why hast thou forsaken me and why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time and thou hearest not and in the night season am not silent and this is the true greatness and the glory of a people Deut. 4.7 that they have God nigh them in all that they call upon him for and this hath been your glory in former times in the sight of your adversaries that you could say Tertullian Caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus And the prayers of the people of God have been the fire that hath gone out of the mouthes of the people of God that hath consumed your enemies on every side as Rev. 11 5. We did no sooner make our prayers but we might as it were with Stephen lift up our eyes to heaven and see Iesus standing at the right hand of God tanquam causae suae Judex vindex But if God forsake a people they may cry but the Lord will not hear them he will shut out their prayers in displeasure and will cover himself with a cloud that they shall not pass through when God takes away the spirit of prayer from his people there is not a greater Argument that I know that God doth intend to forsake them and to shut out their prayers Vse Having thus spoken of the Doctrinal proposition let us take the particular application to our selves If you forsake him he will also forsake you our own hearts cannot but testifie against us that there is a great forsaking of God in the middle of us look but upon the generality of the Nation and for all manner of prophaness we go beyond the worst of times and under a pretence of liberty every man doth that which is right in his own eyes and there is no master of restraint to put them to shame It may be the fault is immediately to be laid upon inferiour officers but ye know their neglects and yet you do not force your own Laws misera vis est valere ad nocendum it is woful liberty a liberty of sinning the horrible oppressions such as have not been heard of you have made an act against it and what
comfort your selves with this the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation he hath begun and he will carry on the work And so much now for the first branch of the Text the Proposition the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation The inference that followeth upon it I shall speak but briefly to only I pray you lend me your diligent ear and with that I shall conclude I would be loth to trespass in respect of time The Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation what then be silent Oh all flesh before him That is the inference be silent O all flesh before the Lord. These words Interpretets referr both to the Churches enemies and to the people of God who were returned from the Land of their captivity The particle Interjectio est silentium Imperans Jerom. Ierom. Oh that is here used is a kind of Interjection by which the Lord commandeth silence and not a silence of the tongue only but silence of the soul My soul keep silence unto God There is a double silence in the world Some men keep silence in policy because they would not discover themselves till a convenient time But all the people of God that will approve themselves they must keep silence in duty Well First then Let us look upon enemies and as it is a direction to them a command laid upon them Oh all flesh be silent before the Lord. I here is a double ground of all ungodly mens silence and I find it used so in Scripture First there is a silence from shame Psal 31.19 let the lying lips be put to silence that cruelly and despightfully speak against the righteous silencing may be by shame Secondly there is a silencing of men wiâ—h fear and astonishment Psal 107.41 he setteth the poor on high with Princes the righteous shall see this and rejoyce and all wickedness shall stop their mouth men shall be amazed to see it There is a silence from shame there is a silence from fear then it is as if so be the Lord should have said unto all the Churchs enemies for shame or if not for shame for fear suppress your murmurings away with your boastings your censurings your slanderings Keep silence Oh all flesh before the Lord why now give me leave to inforce it a little All those that are enemies unto Gods actings among his people give me leave to speak a word to you if any such are here as in most of our Congregations it is like there are When the Lord is raised up out of his holy habitation doth gloriously appear in providential actings for his people then see that you keep silence I say away with your murmurings your disputings your censurings your slanderings and let me inforce it upon these four grounds remember them First know the Lord hears all your murmurings the Lord takes notice of all your censurings sometimes men in design keep silence because they dare not speak out But remember what the Lord told his people when they murmured against Moses Exod. 16. the Lord tells them that they have not murmured against thee at the 7. ver they have not murmured against thee but they have murmured against me When God appears in Instruments and you evidently see the hand of God with them then when you murmur at these Instruments you murmur against God remember that and the Lord takes notice In the second place It is a far greater Judgement for a man to be given over to a froward fretful spirit under an affliction then any affliction that can befall him I desire that it may sink deep into all your hearts I say to be given over under an affliction to a froward and a fretful spirit is a greater judgement then any affliction can befall him for a man to be like a wild Bull in a Net full of the fury of the Lord the cross he cannot bear and yet he cannot avoid it I intreat you consider it is worse then any other judgement can befall you it is the Devils sin and it is the Devils punishment mark this I say it is the Devils sin and it is the Devils punishment the Lord crosseth him in all his designs and yet notwithstanding for all that still his spirit risseth up against all his acting and so envy is his sin and his plague now do you mark it is true all sins are from the Devil but yet some are from him per modum servitutis others per modum Imagini in some sins you do the Devils work but in some sins you bear the Devils image and I beseech you consider this is the condition of every man so far as he is given over to a froward fretful perverse discontented spirit under the providential actings of God towards his people Consider I beseech you it is this that makes Hell this makes Hell when a man is under the hand of God that yet he cannot bear it nor he cannot avoid it It was a good speech of Bernard Bernard Ubi non est propria voluntas non erit infernum take away a mans self-will and truly you take away hell this is that my Bretheren makes it be so when an affliction lies upon a man all that while his will continually riseth against the dealings of God and he frets against the hand of God upon him it is the greatest Judgement could befal him In the third place This will certainly hinder your repentance It is a sad Scripture that so much the more sad because it hath an aspect upon the times in which we live Rev. 16.9 you read of the Vial poured out upon the Sun the highest authority in Church and State so far as it holds to Rome Now the Text saith that men should be scorched the same Vial that was poured out upon the Sun I say now that men should be scorched exceedingly fretful perplexed in spirit and what follows why the text saith they blasphemed God that had power over these plagues and they repented not to give God the glory My Brethren there is not a greater Judgement befalls men in these daies then through a fretful spirit against the instrument to neglect the hand of God and not repent and turn Yea in the last place that I may draw to wards a conclusion This will provoke the Lord I assure you for to bring greater plagues upon you therefore take heed to it to keep silence before him when you see Gods hand upon you Isa 26.11 When the hand of the Lord is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed for their envy at the people saith the Text. My Brethren God worketh Judgements in lesser characters at first and truly if men cannot read it he will write them in more eminent and capital Letters small judgements they will not open wicked mens eyes truly neither will they stop wicked mens mouthes and if they will not do so assuredly God will have a way for all wicked men
XXXI Select Sermons PREACHED On Special Occasions The Titles and several Texts on which they were Preached follow BY William Strong That Godly Able and Faithful Minister of Christ lately of the Abby at Westminster None of them being before made publique LONDON Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the three Daggers neer the Inner Temple Gate 1656. Good Reader THere is a double way of edification now in use in the Church of God either by long Tracts or by short and pithy discourses T is not for us to determine which is most profitable Treatises have their use so have single Sermons sometimes t is good to see truths not by piece-meal but in their dependance and frame that the whole Doctrine may be brought together and digested into a method On the other side to say all that may be said in an argument is a burden and a prejudice to the common sort of hearers who when they find one point so much dilated and insisted upon think that the knowledge of divine truths will be so long and tedious a work that in a despair of attaining thereunto they sit down with any slight apprehensions in the things of God and such thoughts as rather come upon them then are found and searched out by them It concerneth the ministers of the Gospel then to use all methods to gain souls to God Sometimes to launch out into the common-place and larger discussion of truths that they may at once see the whole latitude and breadth of them in one intire draught and delineation at other times to consine themselves to the express scope of that particular place which they have in hand that the point and branch of Doctrine proper thereunto may be more earnestly and industriously inforced In the first method we may discern both the harmony and rich * Adoro plenitudinem Scripturae Tertull. fulness of Scripture whilest we see how much God hath spoken in a little and how a few words of His like a small piece of gold may without any forcing and violence be beaten out into so large an explication in the other method truths many times come in fresher and sweeter upon the soul as being drawn more immediately from the fountain and without the intervention of our Logick and discourse evidencing their deduction to the consciences of men In both these methods did that worthy servant of the Lord Mr. Strong excell In a Treatise who more copious and full In shorter discourses who more quick and sinewy Of his excellency in the former kind the world hath had a taste in what of his hath been already divulged more of which kind also is intended for the Press now thou hast presented to thy view a collection of several choice Sermons upon special occasions some more publique others more private and therefore though in that respect there may be some difference between them in beauty and freshness of colour yet they all have the character and impress of Mr. Strongs spirit in them and do plainly discover what hand hath passed upon them the exceeding usefulness of the particular subjects and that piety and judgement that shines forth in the management of them cannot but recommend them to the respects of the godly wise and therefore without any longer detaining thee only to assure thee that these are from his own notes we commend thee to God and the word of his grace which is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified Thy servants in the Lords work Thomas Manton John Rowe George Griffith To the Reader THE Learned Author of these Sermons had he lived to have put the last hand to his own elaborate works they would have been better commended to the world then any care or diligence of Friends is able to perform These Sermons some other Tracts formerly set forth were left by the Author under his own hand in such a character as none was acquainted with but only that Lady of whom I could speak as great things with as much truth as of any did not my own nearness of Relation her own modesty forbid me who made it her business to learn his character before his death and since to transcribe them by which means those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 left by the Author under lock and key as it were of an unknown hand are brought forth and exposed to publick view for common benefit Those that knew him must needs say that these Tracts were his own they are so like the Father for as Seneca saith of such as write books they present to the World morum suorum ingenii Chrirographum our Author hath left his own picture drawn with his own hand to the life by which though dead he yet speaketh His Sermons and tracts are not such of which we may say as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pharmaca multa quidem bona mixta noxia multa Praetereat si quid non facit ad stomachum Martial Homer did of Egypt and which may be too truly affirmed of many writings that are published to the world A miscellany of drugs good and bad We have Antidotes in him but no poyson and as Putean b Sine periculo ullo electionis decerpere omnia liberè liceat saith of Cicero we may more truly say of our reverend Author you need not use any great caution and care to pick and chuse you cannot chuse amiss He hath an excellent vein in his Sermons as one saith in the like kind plenius responsura fodienti the farther you search the richer treasure you are like to find It was the great infelicity of divers of the Ancients that though they had magna ingenia yet they had mixturam I will not add the other word they had magnas virtutes and they had magna vitia also Their raised Parts were attended with such gross infirmities as rendred them very obnoxious to censure And therefore Hierom speaking of Origen writes thus c Epist 72. ad Tranq Ego originem propter eruditionem sic Interdum legendum arbitror quomodo Tertullianum Novatum Arnobium Apollinarem nonnullos Ecclesiasticos Scriptores Graecos pariter Latinos ut bona eorum eligamus vitemusque contraria I think Origen may for his learning be sometimes read as other Ecclesiastick Writers so that we cull out what is good in them and avoid the contrary and he d Epist 13. ad Paulin. passeth a smart censure on Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius c. And Hierom himself which hath censured others is by several paid home in the same coin For Bellarmine e Lib. 3. c. 6. de Rom. Pontif. observes several contradictions in Hierom and Alphonsus a Castro f Lib. 6. adversus haereses tit Episcopus Apparet ◠Hieronymum sibi ipsi minime constare saith that in the business about a Bishop and a Presbyter Hierom
Judgements Rev 13.8 and Rev. 17.8 How came men to be insnared with the Doctrine of Popery and carried away with that doctrine of devils they were given up in Judgement to it as an evidence of their reprobation for they worshipped the Beast and received his mark and his image whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life c. for as Spiritual blessings are pledges of election so spiritual Judgements are dangerous signs of a mans reprobation Secondly they are a fearful earnest of a mans damnation 2 Thes 2.12 He gave them up to believe that lye that all they might be damned who believed not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Heb. 10.27 We read of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A receiving of a sentence an eternal judgement in a mans own soul when a man carries in his own heart the sentence of his own condemnation and there is not a greater earnest of it in the world then for a man to be given over by God unto spiritual Judgements for that is the portion that all the Heirs of Hell have from the Lord and as by the works of the spirit of adoption upon the soul there is an earnest of Heaven so by the work of the Spirit of Bondage on the soul in judgement there is an earnest of Hell the approaches of God are in the one and the desertions of God are in the other Thirdly consider what a great evil it is to be given up unto this judgement of a perpetual barrenness the sins against the Gospel must be especially requited by such judgements for the Lord will have the judgement hold a proportion unto the sin now the more spiritual sins are and the more spiritual Ordinances are the more spiritual must the judgement needs be now as there are no sins nor no Ordinances so spiritual as those under the Gospel so there are no judgements that are so spiritual and therefore as God is a spirit and hates spiritual sins most so it is most agreeable unto him the soul being a spirit and having the main hand in the sin to load that with spiritual judgements But why will the Lord punish the neglect of the Gospel with a perpetual Barrenness Why shall the marish places be given to salt The grounds are these First consider of all Spiritual Judgements this is the greatest of all judgements the greatest are spiritual judgements and of all spiritual judgements to be given up to barrenness is the greatest for it is that unto which all other Judgements tend and in which they all end and center There are many other spiritual Judgements as there is a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart a seared conscience a reprobate sense but what is all this for it is that we might bring forth no fruit to God and that nothing that is good might grow thereupon and therefore it is that the Devil doth catch away the good seed Matth. 13.19 That we might be as the high-way ground unfruitful we complain of a barren earth by reason of the curse Cursed be the ground for thy sake when thou tillest it it shall not yield thee fruit but there are three sorts of Spiritual Barrennesses which are far beyond this and are the fruits of a far greater curse and they are barren Churches barren Ordinances and barren hearts there was never a more terrible monument of temporal wrath then the Lord shewed upon Sodom and Gomerrah and those Cities of the plain which are now turned into the salt sea and their smoak ascends continually where nothing lives where nothing grows neither fruit nor grass Deut. 29.23 and therefore called the dead Sea as Jerom saith Ierome Quia nihil in se vitale habet unde nomen mortis sortitumest And if a fish be at any time carried out of Jordan into it Statim moriuntur nthâ—l utilitatis in se habet ut simplex sermo testatur the fishes presently die therein Now take an unregenerate man a barren soul and he is compared here unto the dead sea for it is said that fishers shall stand from Engedi to Eneglaim Eneglaim in principio est maris mortui ubi Iordanum ingreditur Engedivero ubi finitur atque consumitur As great yea a far greater monument of Judgement God gives unto a barren heart then is that of the dead sea which is nothing else but a barren land and barren waters as they bring forth nothing that is good of themselves so neither is there any thing that can live or thrive or grow in them but if it come into it it immediatly dies and so it is with any thing of God or the Spirit of God that comes into the barren heart it is like unto the dead sea what truths or motions soever are cast in they die immediâ—tly Secondly This is the greatest judgement because hereby thou losest the fruit of thy union with Christ and the comfort of it for the end of union with Christ is fruitfulness and it is a plain argument that he that brings forth no fruits to God was never married unto Christ for Rom. 7.4 We are said to be married unto Christ that we may bring forth fruit to God There is a double end of Marriage convictus proles Cohabitation and propagation and therefore there cannot be a greater evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ then this thou art barren for the Spouse of Christ is fruitfull and he hath no further a delight in them then as they bring forth fruit for it was the very end of his coming That they might bring forth fruit and that more abundantly and that their fruit might remain Now to be much in fruitfulness to be rich in good works is a great mercy Si mihi daretur eptio eligerem unius Christiani rustici opus sordidissimum prae omnibus victoriis triumphis Alexandri Caesaris c. Quando fidelis es Deo placent etiam Physica corporalia animalia officia And how great a comfort is it to bring forth fruit to God because it is fruit abounding unto our accounts at the last and the great day now as fruitfulness is a certain evidence of our marriage to Christ so barrenness is a certain evidence that thou art not yet married unto Christ and to be given up in judgement to barrenness is an earnest thou shalt never be married to him and fruitfulness is an argument and a pledge unto a mans heart that Christ will delight in him as Leah said when she had born a son Now my husband will love me now he will be joyned to me now I have born him this son also So may a soul reason it out with Christ Now I shal have his love he wil love me he will delight in me he will dwell with me â—ow I have yielded him fruit for he doth delight in the fruits of his pleasant things Cant. 5.12 Thirdly there is nothing that stands between such a soul and wrath for Ioh. 15.2 Every
enemies and their sins are grown unto a height Rev. 14.18 when the grapes are fully ripe when men do add unto al their sins contempt of God and say Who is the Lord it is an argument they are not like to stand long that doe stretch their mouthes out against heaveâ— and their tongues run through the earth When Instruments doe rise against their maker and the axe is against him that hews with it then I will send amongst the fat ones saith the Lord and kindle a burning under their glory Thirdly when the hearts of the people of God are low and their spirits do fail and they say our bones are dry our hope is past and we are cut off Ezek. 37.12 When the Son of man comes shall he find faith upon earth Men will not beleeve it Luk. 18 8. And though ye see no waies or means of deliverance yet remember It is not by power nor by might but by my spirit Zach. 4.7 And the earth did help the woman The Lord can make use of any Instruments for the Redemption of his servants The barborous Nations came in for their succour which I fear will be the Judgement upon this Nation GRACE ABUSED At a Fast for abused Liberty Febr. 28 th JUDE 4. Turning the Grace of God into wantonness c. THE word propounded for this daies humiliation is that we may take shame to our selves before God for that horrible abuse of that Gospel liberty which God hath given us which is the fruit of the Prayers the Tears and the Blood of the ancient Saints of God amongst us Rara quisquam circa bona sua satis cautus it 's a very rare thing for men to walk worthily under Mercies that they have earnestly desired when they are enjoyed There are two things that most men desire and they are Power and Liberty and when they have attained them I may say they are unto men as they describe waters suis terminis difficilè continentur They are easily apt to run over in what vessels soever you put them in I can my self remember when Arminianism did first invade this Nation how much the old Puritans for that was then the term of reproach were affected with it how the Ministers preached against it and writ against it and the Saints fasted and prayed against it as that which they looked upon as the inlet of Popery for if you will receive it first in its doctrine the same persons will quickly begin to set it up in its worship also And it was so much layd to heart by the godly Patriots of the Nation that I have been assured from good hands that they drew up an Act of Parliament to be past against it in the Parliament at Oxford which they did intend to have stood upon and by an Act of the Civil Authority to have supprest it had not the Parliament been in a sudden in an untimely manner broken up and yet now we can cry out against Popery and yet maintain with open face the Doctrines of Popery and that under the notion or name of the greatest liberty that can be and I can remember also that in the Bishops time when the people of God could not have liberty to meet without danger or the name of a Conventicle though it cross Tertullians notion for he saith cum boni coeunt non est factio dicenda sed curia c. and in danger of a High Commission How would the people of God have rejoyced at the Liberty that now they may enjoy and how sad it is to see how they are neglected by some and strangely prophaned by others they cannot be liberi unless they be Sacrileâ—i as Augustin against the Pelagians c. And this being the work of the day to humble our soules for theâ—e corrupt opinions and abhominable practises that under the notion and conceit of abused Liberty are broken forth amongst us that which the Lord requires of us is this That we should not only cry out against it as many of us doe but have our hearts seriously affected with it and desire the same for our Governours also that do injoyn this Fast that they may be humbled for that for which they do enjoyn upon us a day of Humiliation for every new Fast is a new obligation both to them and to us against this evil not onely to speak against it and pray against it but also to endeavour to reform it in our places to the utmost of our power for there is not any thing that is a greater provocation unto God then a cloak of Religious duties drawn over any corrupt intention Of a Jezebels Fast and a Pharisees long Prayers the one to shed innocent blood and the other to devoure the estate of an innocent person and both are an abhomination to the Lord. And this being that which is appointed for the humiliation of this day to help you therein and to administer somthing unto your thoughts I have made choice of this Scripture now read unto you The grand exhortation in this Epistle is set down ver 3. Contend earnestly for the faith once given unto the Saints The thing that you must strive for is the Faith the Doctrin of Faith the Doctrin of the Gospel which ye cannot keep without contention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies pro viribus it is to strive with all their might or as some render the word it's to strive one after another in your places and successive Generations in super certare or certamen repetâ—re It 's not enough to strive once and to assert the Truths but ye must do it again and again after one another as often as the Truth of God is opposed And he gives the reason of this exhortation First because it is a depositum that the Lord hath in mercy delivered unto the Saints Rom. 3.2 which the Lord requires them to keep You are but Stewards of it it is committed unto you that you should transmit it unto posterity Secondly it was but once given and therefore you cannot expect that if you part with it the Lord will again bestow it unto you It 's like the fire upon the Altar that was at first kindled from heaven and was there by the industry of the Priests to be kept alive and was never to go out it was but once given it was Gods free Grace to bestow it and he doth expect that it should be our care and work to preserve it Thirdly he doth press this from the danger of it in regard that the enemies lye in wait there are certain men crept in unawares c. First false Teachers they doe not rush in for then they would be observed but they creep in secretly and in an unobserved manner Rev. 13. A beast rising out of the earth There 's a temporal power of the Pope for he is represented under a double vision of two Beasts First a Beast with seven heads and ten horns that is he did
as when God became an enemy at first to mankind all the creatures also did become their enemy it were no matter for the desertion of all the neighbouring Nations though we were as a speckled Bird unto them and they all hate us yet if God be with us who can be against us but Tolle Deum nullus ero if the glory of the Lord departed then the Cherubims lifted up their wings and are gone as the voice that was heard to say in the Temple the night before Jerusalem was taken Migremus hinc c. Secondly if God forsake us all the creatures will break in upon us God hath forsaken him pursue him and take him for his hedge his fence is taken away I will take away the hedge thereof shall the Lord say and then a poor creature may comfort himself as Saul did in the creatures honour me before the people when the Lord had rejected him but it is but cold comfort for a man so to do for thy own servants will then become thy enemies Thirdly there is no one thing that afflicts and affects a gracious heart more then desertions either in Church or state or his own soul he fears nothing else all that David still prayes for is O Lord forsake me not Oh forsake me not utterly Lord be not thou far from me there is this difference commonly between a godly man and a wicked man the one fears Gods punishments but the other fears Gods departure and therefore Austin It is as with a chast wife and a harlot Austin they both fear their husbands Haec ne veniat illa ne decedat And the reason is because the one seeks only blessings from God and the other only seeks communion with God and if he had never so much from God yetif he be denyed to seek his face denyed fellowship with him and if the Lord do so forsake him all things are bitter unto him because the joy of his heart is gone surely if you go on to forsake the Lord he will forsake you but the desertion begins on your part if you do not forsake him he will not forsake you therefore so far as you have backslided from God return to him and you have this promise I will heal your backslidings THE DOCTRINE Of the Iews Vocation Preached at Gregories Lecture ROM 11.26 And so all Israel shall be saved as it is written c. THe Apostle having spoken in the close of the former Ch. of the vocation of the Gentiles I was found of them that sought me not of the rebellious under which is implyed the rejection of the Jews all the day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people he closes the Discourse in this Chapter and makes of this Chapter three parts first Consolatoria he hath not cast off his people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 è conspectu amovere he hath cast them off but not so as he will never look after them again he hath not so cast them off for there is even amongst them and to come out of their loins who are at present rejected a seed according to the election of grace though those four great Judgements threatned are come upon them there is poured upon them the Spirit of a deep sleep unto this day their table is made a snare and their eyes are darkned that they see not and they do alwaies bow down their backs but these Judgements shall not alwaies lie upon them because they are dear unto God according to the election of grace the Lord hath not cast off his people whom he knew before Secondly Hortatoria If the Jews were broken off that were the natural branches yet let not the Gentiles boast against the branches broken off be not high-minded but fear for if God spared not the natural branches take heed lest he spare not thee also behold therefore the goodness and severity of God towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness if not thou shalt also be cut off Thirdly Prophetica and that is of the grafting in of the Jews again the natural branches if they continue not in their unbelief of what the state of the Jews should be when the Lord again shall return to them in mercy and build up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down and this he doth Usher in with a praemium as being a great truth and that which he would have specially observed I would not have you ignorant of this mysterie What is a mysterie a mysterie is something made known by Revelation and can be known no other way it is from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 4.12 I am instructed from heaven a truth which the Apostle had been taught by divine Revelation and though much of this is spoken of and foretold in the Scripture yet there is a spirit of Revelation that must go to the opening thereof or else he could never have understood it himself nor been able to reveal it or discover it to others its true it was abundantly revealed in the Scriptures and when it was discovered to the Apostles they could see clear Scripture for it but not till then they are mysteries till the Lord please to enlighten the understanding to know these mysteries and therefore as the calling of the Gentiles is said to be a mysterie hid in God from Ages and from Generations and made known only by Revelation Eph. 3.4,5,6 sc that the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs with the same body and partakers of the Promise of Christ by the Gospel the calling of the Gentiles though abundantly foretold in the Scripture was a mysterie unto the Jews that they understood it not and so the calling of the Jews may seem also a mysterie unto the Gentiles till the Lord reveal it unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom so calls the Doctrine of the Jews calling Chrysostom a paradox and strange thing A strange and a wonderful thing and he that doth publish it shall seem at first to preach a paradox and a new Doctrine But what is this mysterie Blindness in spirit is hapned unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles shall come in that is the mysterie Blindness is in part come upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are three Interpretations and all true First non omnibus it is not come upon all Israel but upon a part and so it is to speak as the Apostles manner is molli locutione though it came upon a great part of them and in comparison there were but a few converted unto the faith of Christ yet he saith it came not upon all but upon part of them only the whole Nation were not cast away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost there are many of them now do believe and many of them hereafter shall believe and therefore it is not come upon all the Jews for God had mercy on many in those primitive times Insomuch that the first glorious Christian
together for good by their Covenant all things are yours whether life or death c. 1 Cor. 3.22 Now this dealing of God with men living in the Church under the same Ordinances and enjoying the same priviledges being so different there can be no reason given of it but meerly the different Covenants under which they stand for God hath been and is alwaies mindful of his Covenant and according to it doth alwaies dispence himself to the creature Vse Let it awaken every natural man to seek for a translation Thy misery by sin stands in two things First that thou art under Adams Covenant Secondly that thou bearest his Image now we many times see our misery by the one the evil of our waies but few are sensible of the other the evil of our state and that is the greatest for this makes thee a bond-man whilest thou livest for the Covenant genders unto bondage and it cuts thee off from all hope of an inheritance hereafter for the bond-woman must be cast out with her children This is the translation which the Apostle speaks of being translated into the Kingdom of his dear son Col. 1.1 this is the passage from death to life Iohn 5.24 In this passage a of man there must be a double change First mutatio moralis a Relative change as when of a bond-man a man is made a free-man of a servant he becomes a son Secondly Physica a natural change that is when of a sick man he is made sound the first is the change of a mans Covenant and the second a change of his Image the one is done in Justification and the other in Sanctification and by both these old things are past away all things do become new 1 Cor 5.17 This translation all the people of God that ever went to heaven had experience of and this is that I desire all men in a natural state may be awakened to seek after But you will say who be the men that stand under this first Covenant I hope there be none such amongst us You may judge your selves by these two rules First he that is under the second Covenant hath an interest in him who is the prince of the Covenant he that was given as a Covenant to the Nations Isa 42.6 for we heard before that the two Covenants were made with two different heads and it is union with them that brings a man under either Covenant it is being in Adam that makes a man stand under the one and being in Christ that gives a man interest in the other for a man must be in Christ as he was in Adam that is in him legally standing under his Covenant and in him naturally that is bearing his Image Now if a man would know whether he hath an Interest in Christ or no let him take the Apostles rule and lay it unto his own soul impartially 2 Cor. 5.17 he that is in Christ is a new creature he is not barely new dressed or hath gotten a new out-side but he is within renewed in the Spirit of his mind he hath a new understanding new apprehensions of persons and things and those things which before he counted foolishness now he doth know them to be his only wisdom and those persons that he looked upon as the scum and off-scouring of all things these they judge to be the excellent ones of the earth and those dark and carnal apprehensions of the waies of God and the mysteries of Godliness that he had before they are now done and past away they have no affection to them for it is not enough for a man to have new words and new actions there is many a man abstains from the practise of many sins that their hearts love and many a man for some respects takes up the practise of some duties that his heart hates but such a man now loves that which before he hated and he now hates that which before he did love that which before was to him the only matter of his joy now becomes the only object of his sorrow thus he that is in Christ is a new creature If so then surely they cannot take themselves to be new creatures that have not so much as renewed their actions that were drunkards and so continue were Sabbath-breakers and Swearers and Userers and Scoffers and so continue still the comfort of whose lives comes in by evil it is their meat and drink they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence Prov. 4.27 It s their cloathing Pride compasseth them as a chain violence covers them as a Garment Psal 73.6 and it is their recreation it is a pastime for a fool to do wickedly Prov. 10.23 and there be no recreations that have any pleasure in them unless they be sweetned by sin surely thus walking in their old waies it is impossible they should be new creatures and not being new creatures they are not in Christ and not being in Christ the Prince of the Covenant they have no interest in the new Covenant Secondly he that is under the first Covenant is a bond-man as Ismael whereas he that is under the second Covenant is the son of the free-woman and receives from the Lord by that Covenant a free Spirit Psal 51.12 First he is in bondage by earthly engagements he can have no engagement but it is a snare to him The false Prophets were honoured by some of the Kings of Israel therefore they could not speak the truth to him neither to reprove his sin nor to discover the mind of God I must do such a thing though it be against my conscience to give such a man content I must not reprove such a sin because it will displease c. the Prophet Michaiah had a dis-engaged Spirit in this respect Secondly in bondage unto sin and under the power of their own lusts that though they may see many evils in themselves and confess it yet when occasion and opportunity serves and the lust represents it self they are no more their own thy cannot resist Eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 and as men use to say they cannot choose c. Thirdly in bondage unto the creatures under the power of them 1 Cor. 6.12 one man cannot live without his honour another without his minion another without such an estate and all the thoughts of their hearts run out about such things and are wholly busied about meat and drink and cloathes and money and play and this wholly drinks up their spirits Fourthly in bondage under the guilt of sin and slavish and servile fears they go all their life long with a galled conscience filled with fearful apprehensions of death and Judgement for they all their life long for fear of death are subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Consider seriously of these particulars and unto such men I speak as being as yet under the first Covenant and I exhort them to seek to be translated I speak not this to
did seem to be in the enemies hands as if God had put all power out of his hand I but he can reassume it when he will he takes to himself his own great power and raiâ—eth himself it is a most glorious Scripture and full of all consolation that in Zach. 1.8 Jesus Christ was on horseback he had an Army following him in battle array all in a readiness the Church saw no succour all this while the enemy came on none appeared but the enemy he was behinde the mirtle trees in the bottom saith the text the Lord many times seems to sleep appeareth not when yet notwithstanding his heart is on the business as I say the Saints sleep but their hearts wake in their spiritual failings so doth the Lord towards his people in his providential actings Well that is the first thing for the opening of the Doctrine Secondly The great labour of the Saints in all their straits is to awaken God that God may arise their business is not to raise armies and forces powers of men no my Beloved their great business therefore is to raise up God Psal 68.1 Let God arise and let his enemies be scattered whether any body else rise or no that is nothing Let God arise in Psal 44.23 Awake Lord why sleepest thou stand up for my help lay hold of the spear I God must do it and stop the wayes O stand up for my help the great business of the Saints hath alwaies been to raise up God Awake awake put on strength O arm of the Lord that is the Churches prayer Art not thou he that didst cut Rahab and wound the Dragon it is spoken of the destruction of the King of Egypt the great business of Saints hath been alwaies to get God to arise There are two things commonly awaken God two things cause him to rise up presently The one is the prayers of the Saints Because of the crie of the poor and of the sighing of the needy I will rise saith the Lord Psal 12.5 the truth is my Brethren God cannot sleep when you pray it was a golden speech that of Tertullian Tertul. Deum orationibus ambimus caelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Basil We knock at Heaven gates we environ God beleguer God by our prayers we as it were wrest mercy out of his hands Be pleased to consider this is one means when the Disciples were in the storm at Sea what was their great business their great business was to awaken Christ and then immediately the storm was over and there followed a great calm and they were at the Haven where they would be God is awakened with the prayers of the Saints Secondly the Lord he is awakened likewise by the blasphemies of the enemies truly you have many times even my Brethren beheld how that the very end of Gods rising for you was because of the rage of the enemy I will awake and set him at rest from him that puffeth at him because of the rage of the enemy the enemies cruelty doth cry loud in the ears of God as well as the Saints prayers Now this being the great end that the people of God propound truly when God ariseth they are satisfied let God arise and they can sit down secure be the difficulties and oppositions what they will be in fine acquiescit appetitus efficientis It was a strange spirit that possessed Steven you will say that he was able to lie down to sleep when the stones flew about his ears having so said he fell asleep what is the reason why I see heaven opened and Jesus standing at the right hand of God Christ was up for him Christ standing why Christ is said to sit at the right hand of God how doth Steven see him standing standing tanquam sui sudex vindex as one that would judge and one that would avenge his quarrel and truly he could lie down and sleep securely Lord Jesus receive my Spirit and when he had so said he fell asleep The great business of the Saints then in all their difficulties is to get God to arise that is the second thing In the third place The consolations of the Saints must needs be very great from the arisings of God for them in his providential actings though men do not rise though Armies do not rise yet I say they are mighty consolations to see God arise And that upon these three grounds Observe them I pray you In the first place When the Lord doth arise whatsoever standeth in opposition must fall God will rise up alone that assure your selves whatsoever stands in opposition I say must fall yet many times poor creatures we look upon Armies and multitudes of men and we think now Oh alas here is now no hope but the Church will presently be overwhelmed mark you have seen sometimes a black smoke arise out of a Chimney that you would think it would threaten even to darken the Sun in its orb but mark in Isa 13.3 I wilscatter them saith God as smoke out of a chimney when you see Nations and multitudes combine they are confederate as thorns when you see them confident drunk with confidence as the Drunkard then shall they be consumed like stubble fully dry Nahum 1.10 it was a good intimation that of Cyprian Cyprian ne attendas numerum never observe the number they be so many thousands and so many thousands certainly when God ariseth whatsoever stands in opposition must fall for God will rise alone that is the first ground of the Saints consolation Secondly when God ariseth he over-ruleth the spirits of men over-ruleth the malignity of the spirits of men so as they shall effect and accomplish his end â—…ou may see Psal 76.9,10 When God shall arise to Judgment the wrath of man shall praise him verily and the mainder of wrath thou shalt restrain my Brethren though we consider little of it yet we owe very much to restraining grace I say we owe very much to restraining graceâ— in the Saints indeed I conceive restraining grace and renewing grace to be one and the same habit as Justifying faith and Historical faith is the Saints owe very much to restraining grace that in their own persons but they owe much to restraining grace in reference unto others This is exercised two wayes There are restraints upon mens actions and there are restraints upon mens lusts God restrains not the Devils lusts he lets them out to the utmost but he restrains his actings but for men the Lord sometimes restrains their acts and sometimes their lusts No man shall desire thy Land God would lay a restraint upon their lusts now when God ariseth then I say he so orders the spirits of men that so much of their rage shall be let out as shall accomplish his ends and the remainder he will restrain In the third place the Saints have a great comfort in Gods rising for them upon this ground when
God ariseth he hath abundance rise with him I say if the Lord old rise alone he is able to do it but whensoever he ariseth he hath aboundance rise with him When the Lyon roars all the Beasts of the forrest tremblâ— Observe I pray you when the Lord comes to Judgement against a people if he doth but say cause the instruments of vengeance to draw neer they come every man with a slaughter weapon in his hand immediately Ezek. 9.1 so when the Lord riseth up to execute vengeance upon an enemy I will give you but one place but it is a very glorious Scripture observe it I pray you Dan. 10.20 there is an Angel come to comfort Daniel and instruct him and he tells you now saith he I go forth against the King of Persia and when I am gone forth the Prince of Grecia shall come mark God riseth up as the Text tells you for it referrs to the same when God riseth up once then truly there is an Angel up and together with him all the power of the Grecian Monarchie When I am gone forth saith he then the Prince of Grecia shall come mighty wars there were between the Grecian and the Persian until the Persian were subdued before him Now how came it to pass the Angel went out first to fight against the King of Persia when God riseth up then I say there be abundance rise with him These are the grounds of the consolation that the people of God did take from the rising of God in his providential actings for them There is a word more that I would speak to A question will rise now in every one of your mouths Oh But how should a people know when by his spiritual eyes can he discern that God is raised up we see men rise an arm of flesh but how shall we be able to say God is raised up out of his holy habitation that were comfort indeed if we could conclude that but what if men rise without God Why now in answer to that I intreate you give me leave a little When God is raised up for a people he useth to cause magnam conjunctionem a great combination as it were and a joyning together of these five things observe them I beseech you and truly I think we may speak it with thankfulness to the glorious praise of our God they have very far concurred in the Lords rising among his people in England In the first place When the Lord is awakened by prayer that is the first thing prayer is Gods way by which he is raised up Iob 8.5,6 If thou make thy supplication to him he will surely awake for thee If thou make thy supplication to him what is the reason that God was raised up for his people here he was raised up by prayer look into Zach. 11.12,13 the Lord Christ he comes and prayeth how long will it be ere thou have compassion upon Ierusalem against whom thou hast had indignation these three-score and ten years why now what is the return The Lord answereth the Angel with good words with comfortable words I am jealous for Sion as soon as ever Christ prayeth my Brethren he prayes your prayers if ever prayer arise God ariseth I am jealous for my people That is the first You shall know when God ariseth if he be awakened by prayer and truly we had cause to hope in the beginning of our troubles that the Lord did pour a large measure a plentiful measure of the Spirit of prayer upon his people Secondly when the Lord defeateth the counsels of the enemy turns their plots upon their heads I beseech you observe the Lord is known by the judgements that he executeth when the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands when the Lord takes men and burns them like Bees in their own Hive truly that is an argument God is up men could not do that God brings mens waies eminently upon their own heads you have a Scripture very remarkable Micah 4. for I dare speak nothing to you but what I have a word for I the enemy say that they would come together and they would thresh Sion why now saith God they know not the thoughts of the Lord these are their thoughts I buâ— they do not know mine why what were 〈◊〉 thoughts Gods thoughts were to make their 〈◊〉 against the people of God to be the means of their own ruine their own counsels should destoy them for so he saith they shall be gaâ—hered togeâ—er as sheaves in a flore arise and thresh O daughter of Sonâ— they thought to come together to thresh the Church I but saith God they themselves shall be threshed they shall be gathered together as sheaves to be threshed it would be horrible ingratitude for any of us to overlook the manifold appearances of God in this kind in these latter daies and not confess the Truth That is a second ground how we may know whether God arise for his people In the third place when the Lord takes away the hearts of his enemies truly my Brethren the discipline of Spirits is not in men but in the Father of Spirits when it shall be truly said the men of might have not found their hands when that shall befall them that the Lord threatneth in Nahum 3.17 their Captains shall be like the great Grass hoppers in a Sunny day the Sun ariseth and they are gone when their strong holds shall be like ripe figgs falling into the mouthes of the Eaters when God shall make the very names of men terrible to the enemies certainly God hath the Discipline of Spirits when it shall be said the sword of the Lord and the sword of Gideon and that as it is said a Barley Cake shall overthrow the Tent this is the Lords doings Certainly God doth arise In the fourth place when the Lord acteth the Spirits of his people unto high and noble and invincible resolutions draws them out to resolutions more then men when he guides their strength when he girds up their spirits to the busineâ—s in Zach. 4 6. Not by power nor by might but by my Spirit how did the Spirit of God do it truly it is the Spirit of God working in the hearts of men raising up their hearts to encounter with the greatest difficulties to look a thousand deaths in the face with boldness and elevating the spirits of men beyond what or linarily is in men this is the Lord the Lord riseth when it is so And then in the last place when the Lord goes on in waies of mercy and draws out his loving kindness sometimes the Lord may step forth for his people and he may withdraw himself again and then the misgivings of their hearts will be ready to say it is the Lord is upon us but when the Lord holds on a continual tenor of mercies when it shall be said as it was to Ioshua there is no man shall stand before thee all the daies of thy life I am with
to Magistrates though it be given generally to Christians My Brethren be not many masters saith the Apostle in Iam. 3.1 When a masterless disposition bears sway in Rulers truly then if their pathes in every thing be not trodden they are so far from being Counsellors that they are themselves uncounsellable My desire therefore to you is this that such Breaches amongst your selves may be made up that amongst you there may be none such if it may be But I should further desire that if any such be you would with more wisdom keep them amongst your selves then you do if such differences and breaches whatsoever they be amongst you in counsels come abroad they cause great divisions amongst the people and great animosities in the hearts of the people some one way and some another as their party or their fancy leadeth them In the third place labour for union amongst the Ministers that should be one thing that the Magistrate should take special care for endeavour a union among the Ministers of the Gospel they will have still and God would have them have a great influence upon the people If there be jarrs between Paul and Barnabas it is no wonder then if one be for Paul and another for Apollo people presently fall to parties therefore I desire you to consider in a special manner let it be your care that the Ministers be united far be it that they should be men to stir up strife and that they should cause divisions or nourish them amongst the people surely it is your duty Rom. 14.19 to follow after the things that make for peace and those that will edifie one another It is an observation that Bullinger hath Bullinger I remember in a Tract that he hath written de persecutionibus Christianae Ecclesiae be saith that whensoever the Church had peace auctae sunt dissentiones praecipue inter Episcopos Doctores quibus populus nihil aedificabatur by and by there arose differences amongst the Ministers and by this means the people were not edified but destracted and what then then the Lord gave them to such a persecution and then to such a persecution ad abstergendam aeruginem and those of us now that cannot pray together nor give thanks together no by no means we can neither pray for the same mercy nor give thanks for the same deliverances truly then we may go together in the same prison and it may be die at the same stake far be it therefore from the Minister of the Gospel I say that they should cause division or uphold it but if such a thing be it was Nazianzens last request to the Emperour before he left the Court Nazianz. that he would use all the Authority he had to reconcile the Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cause that dissention cause that war to cease Oh But you will say how is it possible we should do it how can it be Truly the Apostle hath a Rule if it were we I understood and as well practised would reach very far in it you have it in 1 Cor. 14.32 the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets the Spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets the Spirit of the Prophets that is the Doctrine which they did profess to speak by the Spirit this Doctrine is subject to the Prophets how prophetarum censuris to their examination and to their censure they were to try it by the rule of the word whether it were the word of God or no Now if the Spirit of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets then certainly if men were to undergo such a tryal of Doctrine they would not be so ventrous both in the Press and in the Pulpit as now every where they are but it is for want of this rule not being observed the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets That is the third direction Reconcile the Ministers and you will unite the Nation In the fourth place I will but add a word of the rest Take away all oppression and all partiality in judgement there will never be a union till then while there is oppression there will be division it is a sure rule Ubi desinit judicium ibi incipit bellum war begins where judgement ends a sure rule hold the reins of Government with an even hand I say do not hold them strait upon some and loose off upon others for if you do there will be a heart-division that will arise take but that Scripture but mark it is a notable Scripture Job 34.17 Shall be that hateth right Govern saith he the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall he that hateth right bind up so it is in the Original shall he that hateth right bind up truly that man that doth not administer judgement righteously in his Government that man will never bind up the breaches of a Nation he that hateth right will never bind up the sore In the last place pray for this mercy you that are Magistrates pray for it it is not only your duty to rule the people but to pray for them Hezekiah prayed for the people and you find upon every occasion Moses his hands were up and Samuel saith God forbid I should cease to pray for you saith he And God hath promised to hear the prayers of the Magistrates in an especial manner you pray ex osficio you pray as men in office their prayers are more then the prayers of any private and particular man if they be godly Consider I humbly beseech you as it is in Church-Officers Iames 5.14 15. saith the Apostle If any man be sick let him send for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him why not for the Brethren as well as for the Elders The Lord hath special respect to men in office and in an especial manner let your prayers be by strength of arguments of faith drawn from those great promises I will give them one heart and one way the two sticks shall become one in my hand and by this means the Lord may make you the healers of the breach the Corner-stone to unite as well as to uphold the people This is the dignity and this is the duty of Magistrates that as Corner-stones they uphold the building and that as Corner-stones they unite the building Now I have a word of Application suitable to the present occasion and I have done The Use that I shall make of it is unto you my Beloved that are to vote in this Election it is a great trust that the Lord hath committed to you the good and the publick welfare of this great rich and populous City I say it is a great trust that the Lord hath commited to you You are now to make choice of a Corner-stone to rest the weight of the building upon a Corner-stone in whom the several parts of the building be united You see what manner of person he ought to be You see what the office is to
which he is called I shall now in the Apostles words give you a charge before God and the Lord Iesus Christ who shall â—udge quick and dead at his appearing and in his Kingdom that you do this without partiality without respect of persons making choice of such a one of such persons as may be fit and best suitable in your consciences unto those great ends that have been named to support and unite the building I but you will say What manner of persons must they be what manner of men must they be now that will be fit for this great work Truly I shall but make choice barely of that direction laid clearly down Exod. 18.21 the common rule for Magistrates which I shall briefly offer to your consideration and conclude They were to choose Governors under Moses because he could not bear the people alone now saith he chuse you able men fearing God men of truth hating covetousness mark ye First I say make choice of men fearing God have not respect to riches so much or to seniority so much where there is not piety Let that be the great thing you have in your eye For I beseech you consider they that have not given themselves unto God they will never govern for God they will never give up themselves to the publick good who have not in that great work of Regeneration denyed themselves they can never do it and therefore I say it is the greatest wrong you could do such a man to chuse him to an eminent place for what do you do You do but put into his hands a far greater occasion an opportunity of sinning Besides I beseech you consider if they have not the fear of of God in their hearts they will not have the presence of God in their Government I say if they have not the fear of God in their hearts they will not have the presence of God in their Government and surely they will never rule well that rule without God in stead of being a Corner to support the Common-wealth truly they will be a means to destroy it Therefore that is the first thing have respect unto godliness let them be men fearing God those that have first given themselves to God and then when they have given themselves to Gods service they will give themselves to yours but never else Secondly The second direction that is there given is they must be men of courage able men you read it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Original it signifies strength either of body or mind they must be men of stout and resolute Spirits Magistrates meet many times with matters of great difficulty sometimes they be ill looked upon by them that are above them sometimes they are ill spoken of by them that are below them Now I say this will require a stoutness and resolution of spirit that a man shall not flatter the one nor he shall not strive to please the other but go on in his duty and not turn aside neither to the right nor to the left hand I told you Magistrates are called the Shields of the earth a Shield is a venterous weapon receiveth all the Darts and I say he had need be a stout-spirited man that must undertake such an employment he must be a man of courage that he may not for fear of them above him nor that he may please them below him he may not step by or beyond his duty He may dispise the murmurs of the multitude and he maâ— say Bene facere male audire regium est Seneca Seneca It is the property indeed of a noble Spirit for if you should chuse now a weak-hearted man one that is not able to encounter with difficulties but is afraid of the appearance of every danger when any opposition presents it self his heart faileth and he will be ready to turn with every wind you have seen woful experience thereof therefore I say the next thing as to be a man fearing God so in the next place let him be a man of courage a man of strength and resolution of Spirit In the third place let him be a man of truth chuse men of truth that is not only men that love the truthes of God and are valiant for the truth upon earth in that respect but men that love truth in judgement men that love to execute true judgement as the expression is My Beloved a false Judgement is a lye to Authority and therefore the greater transgression I say a wrong Judgement is a lye to Authority and therefore the greater transgression there is a great deal of Art not only in sinning but in concealing Micah 7.3 So they wrap it up sometimes the forgery of a witness sometimes the subtilty of a pleader there is a mist cast before the eye of the Magistrate and truly by this means many times wrong judgement proceedeth from him which now if he be not a man that loves truth he will never be diligent to search out the cause and therefore that is the third thing Chuse men of Truth And then in the last place Let them be men hating covetousness hating covetousness not only he must not be a covetous man but must be a man that hateth covetousness Certainly my Beloved that man that is greedy of gain will transgress for a morsel of bread the poorest circumstances will turn this man out of the way of Judgement a gift blindeth the eyes Deut. 16.19 truly the man cannot see with his own eyes he cannot see with the eyes of the Law nor he cannot pronounce the Sentence of the Law surely men will never take care for the publike profit so long as their eyes are set upon their own private gain it was an old observation of Salvian Salvian Dives potestas pauperem facit Rempublicam a rich Magistrate commonly makes a poor Common-wealth who make it their business to serve themselves upon it Therefore in an especial manner these are the directions I give you and I lay it upon your consciences in the name of the Lord that you make choice of such a one and that will serve for those high and glorious ends that hath been mentioned to us to support and to unite the building by this means my Beloved the Lord shall be with them and with you in their Government and by this means your City shall be called a City of righteousness a faithful City And so much now shall serve for the opening to you this first branch of the Text how to support and unite Let us look up to God for a blessing Perfect CLEANSING 2 COR. 7.1 Having therefore these Promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthyness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God THE Apostle having in the former Chapter exhorted the believing Corinthians to abstain from all Communion and fellowship with Idolaters and having pressed the Exhortation with divers Arguments he comes at last to mention those
spirit against Judas Psal 69.8,9 and it took effect upon him many hundred years after he was dead and had seen corruption God hath promised to bring forth Judgement to victory and to present you without spot or wrinkle your prayers and endeavours for this shall add to your glory and these promises shall be accomplished in the Lords time and then your names shall be recorded in those mercies as those that were co-workers with God and preparing your own glory here for hereafter and then you shall rejoyce in them not only as Gods mercies but also as an answer to your prayers all the prayers of the godly are not for present fruit yet so as they bring a harvest many years after and then when it comes a man hath the sweetness of the mercy and the answer of the prayer all come in together if the Spirit that indites prayers doth so here in this life how will it do hereafter when he shall dwell in a man for ever without grievance how will a mans joy be great when his joy shall be as the joy of harvest oh how full will a mans joy be then Vâ—… Let it therefore stir us up to the practise of this duty which is here exhorted and that is perfect cleansing And now to awaken us to it the more I will give some Rules by which men may judge that they have great need of this exhortation and that the work of cleansing is very imperfect in them Consider these six particulars First To sin much against knowledge is an argument of a very unclean spirit whether it be against principles as Rom. 1. ult Who knowing the Iudgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them or against repeated admonitions as Judas and Pilate did or against the secret instructions of a mans own conscience the chastisement of his reins as Darius and Herod did against Iohn the Baptist Mark 6.22 or against truths professed as Saul against Witches and truths glorified in us the Apostle saith Thou art called a Iew and makest thy boast of God and gloriest in the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God Secondly The more speedily lust takes away the man the more unclean that man is therefore the expression is A man soon angry Prov. 14 17. A man of a hasty spirit Eccl. 7.9 but on the other side a man of understanding that is a holy mortified man is of a cold spirit so that though the fire of corruption blown long by Satan may kindle at last yet it doth not speedily because he hath a cold spirit not a Gun-powder disposition unto evil Prov. 7.22 as soon as the harlot made the motion it is said he went after her strait-way or immediately without any more ado c. And as it argues a heart the more perfectly sanctified when it is sitted for a very good work Tit. 3.1 for any honourable use so it argues a heart more exceedingly unclean when it is fited to be used by Satan in any evil work when the heart is prepared as an Oven fit for any Batch Hos 7.6 fit to be led captive at the will of Satan 2 Tim. 2.26 And the truth is that makes a man stubble to judgement because he hath been stubble to sin first and therefore lust in a mans heart is not only compared to fire amongst men that must be fed with fewel and so it sooner burns but it is a fire that feeds it self without fewel and therefore called the fire of hell Iames 3.6 Thirdly the more sin passeth through the whole man without controul the more unclean the heart is as in the performance of duty the more the soul is subdued to the duty and every thought brought into subjection 2 Cor. 10.2 the more sanctified it is so on the contrary the more the heart is subdued by a lust and the less resistance it finds Iude 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. So Ezek. 16.36 Thy filthyness was poured out to all thy Lovers when shame which is a doom to some mens lusts prevails not when checks of conscience thoughts of death and Judgement keep not mens lusts from overflowing 2 Pet. 3.4 it shews a heart exceedingly defiled Fourthly the more unsatiable mens desires are in the commission of any sin the more unclean the man is Hab. 2.5,6 Nebuchadnezar for his covetousness is compared to a Drunkard for his unsatiableness for none cal faster for wine usually then they that have had too much before it is with greediness Eph. 4.19 who being past feeling have given themselves over to work all uncleanness 1 Pet. 4.4 with greediness excess of riot wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot Isa 5.14 As the grave and as hell they weary themselves Ierem. 9.5 the members are weary in obeying when the Law of the members is never weary exacting Balaams lust was too swift for the very beast and mens lusts are often too vast for their weakned and tyred ability to act them therefore they load themselves with thick clay Hab. 2.4,5 enough to load them but not to satisfie them Fifthly the more provision a man makes for lusts before and the more plots he hath going to accomplish his lusts the more unclean that man is Rom. 13.14 As Iudas sought opportunity to betray Christ Mat. 26.16 And some do provide themselves of nets and draggs before hand to catch men as Hab. 1.16 Hos 7.5 and 6.7 They have made ready their heart as an Oven it is conceived to be spoken of the Princes of Israel under some Idolatrous King the hearts of the Princes and the Counsellers were ready as an Oven they had prepared themselves to receive and bring in any wickedness or any Idolatry and they were ready to bring the people into it and they had their Agents went about to leaven the people that were not all of that mind presently in the mean time it is said the saker the King some say or else they that had the special hand in this he sleeps not at night but he observes how the plots take and where the lump is leavened and the people prepared to entertain the innovations that he did intend to bring in and if they miss an opportunity of sinning they be sorry for it 2 King 5.20 Sixthly and lastly The more lust doth disturb a man in holy duties it did shew indeed that Elyes sons were sons of Belial that lay with the women at the door of the Tabernacle 1 Sam. 2.22 It argued that Zimry was desperately set upon evil when in a day of humiliation he durst bring a woman where all the Congregation were humbling themselves before the Lord. So for a man to lead a lust through the whole soul in the special presence of God in his Ordinances shews a very unclean spirit if the heart of the people go after covetousness when they are hearing
beset us Isa 6.6 and 7.8 when the Lord saith Whom shall I send the Prophet saith send me non tardat uncta rota but see the contrary in Moses and Ionah and this makes men in all the duties God cals them unto no longer then corruption is bribed to drive heavily Fourthly This makes all our services the more sweet unto God the more clean the heart is in them Mal. 3.4 Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord c. Psal 66.18 But if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear me the duty would be more valuable in Gods account Luke 21.3 The poor widdow cast in more then they all because her mite came from a purer spirit then their great gifts therefore such services of the Saints Christ cals them the honey and the honey-combe wine and milk to shew how acceptable they are Cant. 5.1 Lastly consider the glorious motives and encouragements we have therein as First the promises Ezek 47.8 and Zach. 13.2 Secondly the Spirit of Christ to be a spirit of burning Isa 4.4 and when the Church is in the purest condition yet alwaies this spirit is leading her on to perfection still the spirit and the Bride saith come Rev. 22.17 and Christ and the Father love the purity as well as the prosperity of his people and if we would set faith on work he hath promised to manifest it Iohn 14.20,21 In that day ye all know that I am in my Father in his counsel in his â—osom one with him in Majestie and in power and we have the same purposes and intentions towards sinners and you in me your nature and your infirmities you are in my bosom and in my heart cloathed with me and living with me and while I live you shall live I dyed your death and you rose my resurrection I bear your in firmities and you are filled with my fulness I pray your prayers and you weare my righteousness and I in you not only by my righteousness to justifie you but by my Spirit to purifie you by my wisdom to guide you and by my power to keep you and by my glory to Crown you You unto whom I will say Enter into the joy of your Lord these are the better promises of the Gospel and it is the lowness of mens spirits want of Christian greatness of mind grounded upon the consideration of this that is the true cause why Christians lie fettered with their old failings and out-grow their infirmities no more then they do A Set Time FOR Iudgement JER 8.7 The Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times and the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow observe the time of their coming but my people know not the Iudgement of the Lord. EVery faithful Minister of God hath a double reference First unto the particular Flock over which God hath made him an Over-seer Acts 20.28 Secondly unto the Land in general where he lives unto whom God hath made him a watch-man to foresee danger Ezek. 3.17 and a Trumpeter to discover it Numb 10.8 For first every private Officer in the Church is to have a publike spirit and so to perform his particular duty as to have respect unto the general good a Minister is so limited to a particular Flock as he must also remember that he is the servant of the whole Church and as every particular Church hath an interest in the gifts of all 1 Cor. 3.21 so every particular Minister is to have a care of the good of all though in a more peculiar manner of the Flock committed unto his own charge Secondly there are not only Congregational and Personal sins and mercies but there are National also and there are times when God cals a people to be humbled for the one and to be thankful for the other and in both these the Ministers of the Gospel must be employed as Trumpeters to sound forth the praise of God and as watch-men to give warning of Gods displeasure and of the time and approach of Judgement Being thus debters unto both we must pay both debts in their season and be so far careful of our particular charge that also we forget not to be faithful to the Nation and Church wherein we are for this is the common Ship in which we are all embarked and if this in Judgement be cast away whether dashed against the Rock of any forraign power or swallowed up in the quick-sands of domestick divisions it must needs hazard all the passengers Or if you were sure that for your parts you might be safe would it not be a bitter thing to you to stand upon the shore and to see so glorious a Vessel as this Nation is to be cast away to see this glorions Land defaced the blessed Gospel polluted the golden Candlestick removed it cannot but affect men that have any bowels Or if this move you not yet to see a stranger to Lord it in thy habitation and thy dwelling to cast thee out for your delightsom dwellings your pleasant and well-tilled fields to be made a prey and for you to sow and another to reap Impius has segetes c. for the delicate woman upon whom the wind must not blow and that scarce dares venter to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for tenderness Deut. 28.26 to be exposed to the lusts and cruelty of an enemy and to be glad to flie away naked to prolong a miserable life which they would be glad to part with for death were it not for fear of the exchange for the tender mother to look upon the child of her womb and consider Must this child in whom I have placed the hope of my age for omnis in Ascanioâ—stat chari cura parentis he that hath been so tenderly bred up must he fall into the rough hands of a bloody souldier skilful to destroy it had been well for me if God had given me a miscarrying womb and dry breasts rather then to bring forth children unto murderers if you might be safe how could you endure thus to see the evil that should come upon your people and the destruction of your kindred as it was her expression Hest 8 6. I do not Rhetorize and fawn to draw your affections your Brethren are a sad Comment upon what I have spoken and Ireland the stage upon which you may see this Tragedy acted before your eyes And is this nothing unto all you that pass by are you nothing concerned in the misery of your Brethren is not the Lord come neer un to you and may not you be consumed by the same fire tunc tua res agitur c. is not Iudah neerly concerned in the desolation of Israel can we see the dealing of the Lord with our Brethren say I shall sit down as a Ladyfor ever I shall see no forrow shal we say when the over-flowing scourge shall pass over it shall not come at us Isa 28.15 shall we