understanding Ieremy 6.16 Psal. 78 10. Isay 30 9.15 and 42.24 Ieremy 5.3 and 8.5 Zach. 7.11 Rom. 8.7 12. Gods Spirit will not alwayes strive with sinfull rebellious man Geâ— 6.3 but when he hath used all means to reclaim them and they will not be reclaimed he will give them up in judgement to their own hearts lusts so that he who is filthy shall be filthy still Revel 22.11 and since they would not be purged they shall not be purged from their sin till they dye Ezek. 24.13 13. Such sin against the Attributes of God 1. They sin against his Wisdome as if God knew not which were the fittect time for them to repent in 2. They sin against his Iustice whilest they say in their hearts God will not punish though they be impenitent Deut. 29.19 20. 3. They abuse his Goodnesse and Patience which should lead them to Repentance Rom. 2.5 Hence those that have favour shewed them and yet will not learn righteousnesse are charged with this that they will not behold the Majesty of the Lord Isay 26.10 14. Such sin against equity and common Reason Reason it self bids us speedily obey such as counsel us for our good especially if they be our superiours If a Prince should send a Pardon to a Rebel provided he humbled himself and submit Reason it self tels us that such a one were very unwise if he would not accept of mercy upon such easie terms 15. Consider what an exceeding hard thing it is to Repent 'T is no less then the change of nature old customs and habits which are very hardly broken Ier. 13.23 To change a Lion into a Lamb fire into water darkness into light is a work of omnipotency and such is Repentance 't is not in our power 't is Gods free gift and must be accepted of when he offers it 2 Tim. 2.25 16. Consider the vile nature of sin 1. 'T is the Poyson of the soul. Rom. 3.13 now the sooner we vomit up this poyson by a free and full confession of it the better 2. Sin is the souls sickness it stabs and wounds the conscience now diseases and wounds the longer they go undrest the â—â—rdlier are they cured 3. It 's a Thief to us and a Traytour to God It robs us of our strength Peace and comfort now the longer a Thief keeps possession the harder 't is to cast him out and to entertain a Traytor to our Soveraign is Treason 4. 'T is a Debt Matth. 6.12 Psal. 51.1 now the further a man runs in debt the harder it is to get out again 3. 'T is Folly madnesse darknesse blindnesse filth c. and therefore with all speed to be opposed and purged out 17. We would have God to hear us speedily Psal. 131.2 and 77.7 then 't is but Reason that we should hear him speedily and if we may not say to our Neighbour Go and come again to morrow much lesse to God Prov. 3.28 18. We shall cause joy in Heaven Luke 15.7 1. God himself rejoyceth that he hath a new son he esteems more of one poor humbled repentant sinner then of ten thousand proud Pharises who in their own conceits need no Repentance 2. Christ rejoyceth to see of the travel of his soul and that he hath a new member added to his mystical body 3. The Holy Ghost rejoyceth that he hath a new Temple to dwell in 4. The Angels in Heaven rejoyce that they have a New Fellow-servant to sing praises to their Lord. 5. The Church rejoyceth that one more is added unto their number 19. 'T is a point of the highest wisdom to know and improve the day of our Visitation 'T is only the wise mans heart that discerneth times and seasons Prov. 22.3 Eccles. 8.5 â—phes 5.15 16. he is wise to redeem the Time past with repentance the time present with diligence and the time to come with providence He observes the fit time of doing Gods commads 'T was the high commendations of the men of Issacher that they were men that had understanding of the times and knew what ought to be done 1 Chron. 12.32 'T is one of the highest acts of Practical wisdom rightly to improve the seasons of Grace 20. Lastly the neglecting and squandring away these seasons of grace brings Ruine to a person or Nation God hath appointed a season wherein to call and convert men and those that slight these seasons undo themselves when the harvest of grace is past and the summer ended no wonder if men be not saved This very sin ruined Ierusalem the not knowing the day of her Visitation Luke 19.42 44. when God gives people space to repent and they will not repent then he casts them into a bed of sorrow Rev. 2.21 22. Upon the well or ill spending of these seasons of Grace depends our eternal Weal or Woe Let then these Considerations Quicken thee to a speedy improvement of them that thou mayest have cause to blesse God that ever thou readest these lines and they may never be a witnesse against thee for thy negligence in that great day of the Lord. God records every Sermon he sets down the day and year when 't was preacht Isay 1.1 Ier. 1.2 3. Hag. 1.1 and he will one day reckon with us for them and therefore we had need to live up to our Means and Mercies and to answer them with an holy and obedient conversation that our Sermons may rise for our Justification and not for our Confusion Let us sow to the Spirit betimes for as men sow so shall they reap he that in the Seed-time of his youth sowes nothing but Tares and wild Oates in the harvest of his age must not expect a crop of corn But he that sowes to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting See more Reasons Madens Ser. on Luke 19.42 c. 14 15 16. D. Prideaux Ser. on Mat. 5.23 p. 20 21. Fenner on Prov. 1.28 Gen. 6.3 Luke 23.42 Dyke on Repent c. 16. p. 150. c. Mr. Ier. Dyke's select Ser. on Prov. 23.23 p. 359. and on 1 Thes. 5.19 p. 27. D. Preston on Sacram. Ser. 3. p. 326. Tayler on Titus p. 47. c. Mr. Obad. Sedgwick Rev. 3.20 Mr. Grosse Ser. on Luke 19.41 p. 242. Mr. Wheatly's Redemption of Time Mr. Ant. Burgesse Spi. Refining 1. Part. Ser. 75. and Mr. Iohn Downams Warfar l. 2. c. 29 c. p. 184. Fol. Mr. Sangars Morning Lect. Rev. 2.21 p. 211. Mr. Froysel his Gale of opportunity Mr. Beesly Ser. 8. on Eccles. 12.1 Mr. Chishull on Luke 19.42 From a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures 2. Observe Young Timothies should read the Scriptures betimes Those that are devoted to the work of the Ministery should bee seasoned betimes with Scripture-Learning they must even suck it in with their Mothers milk 1 Tim. 4.6 They must not give themselves to the Reading of Tristlers as many young men that first begin with School-men Controversialists
terminis for the out-works of Religion but for the Fundamentals and for the whole possession We must contend with Papists about our Justification with Arminians about our Election with Antimonians for the Law with Socinians for the Gospel and with the Antiscripturists for all 2. The Lord commends this in his servants he hath recorded the zeal of Moses Phinees Paul Apollos c. to their everlasting prayse they are the Apple of his Eye which is Oculus Oculi the glory of the Eye Zach. 2.8 They are his jewels he counts himself honoured and adorned by such and therefore he calls them his glory Isay 4.5 These glorifie God on earth and therefore we will glorifie them with himself Iohn 15.8 and 17.4.5 God hath more glory from his little zealous flock then from all the world besides Hence he so much glories in him Iob 2 3. Acts 13.22 3. He Rewards it where ever he finds it Phinees for his zealous execution of Justice was blest both he and his posterity Numb 15.11 12 13. Levi for his zeal in vindicating Gods Honour was exalted to the Priesthood Exod. 32.29 Deut. 33.8 9 10. Zabulum and Napthali that ventured their lives in Gods cause Iudge 5.18 God remembers the kindness and rewards it many years after in sending Christ to preach the Gospel first to them Matth. 4.13.14 yea so greatly is the Lord delighted with zeal that Iehu his Hypocritical zeal went not unrewarded 2 King 10.30 4. It graceth all our graces and is the Honour of our honours All Grace without this is nothing Dead Knowledge Faith Repentance are of no esteem with God dead Prayer is not Prayer As under the Law no sacrifice was acceptable without fire so no duty now is acceptable without the fire of zeal 5. Christ hath paid best for our zeal The fair price that he paid to Redeem us the same precious blood he gave to purchase us to himselfe a zealous and peculiar people Titus 2.14 If any have paid dearer for it or can shew better Title to it let him take it 6. Our zeal doth denominate us that we are that we are zealous for 'T is true we may love the creature but it must be with a subordinate inferior love but our zeal which is the cream of our affections must be given only to God 'T is a glory which he will not suffer to be given to another 7. Our zeal may provoke others the Corinthians zeal provoked many 2 Cor. 9.12 When the Love-sick Church began to commend Christ Cant. 5. ult This is my friend and this is my Beloved in the very next Chapter 6.1 Others begin to inquire Where is thy Beloved that we may seeke him with thee 8. Such help to save a Land from ruine One zealous Moses kept off judgement from Israel Psalm 106.23 One zealous Phinees stayes the Plague One zealous innocent man may save an Iland Iob 22. ult 9. This makes a man to excel we are all by Nature of one blood 't is Holy zeal that makes the difference This makes the Righteous to excel his Neighbour Prov. 12.26 both in life and death one of these Pearles surpasseth ten thousand peebles as one living creature excels a thousand dead ones These are called lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 1. They are stones in respect of stability and solidness they stir not from their principles but are an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 2. Lively because of their Zeale and Activity they are prompt and ready for every good work 2 Timothy 2.21 Their spirits are raised to the highest excellencies and so are capable of the highe stactings They live the life of God Ephesians 4.18 or a godly life because it is from God as the Author it is according to God as the pattern and it tends to God as the end Others may do well but the zealous man excels them all Hence he 's called in Scripture not Adam a common man but Ish quasi Esh a man of fire heat and courage a man of spirit life activity a man of men an excellent man fitted to honour God and rule others 10. You will have no cause to repent of this zeal yea if the saints in Heaven were capable of sorrow they would grieve for nothing so much as that they had not done more for God in their generation How many have repented of their superstitious carnal zeal as Cardinal Woolsy sometimes did Had I served God as diligently as I have done the King he would not have given me over in my gray hairs but this is my just reward for serving men before God 11 There is an absolute necessity of it in respect of the many enemies that oppose us So soon as ever a man begins to look towards Heaven he must look for Giants and sons of Anak to oppose him We have the Devil above us with all his methods Eph. 6.11 depths Rev. 2.24 Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 The world about us with all its baits and snares and an evil heart within us ready to betray us into the hands of our enemies So that unless we be resolute violent men we shall never get Heaven Matth. 11.12 't is not the lazy somnolent Christian but the active and the violent that take Heaven by force 12. All thy gifts and parts without zeal to improve them become useless A Stag or Hart that hath great strength and horns yet doth little with them for want of courage As a bird without wings a body without a soul and salt without savor so is a man without zeal like Ieremiahs rotten girdle that was good for nothing Ier. 13.7 Zeal is to the soul that which spirits are to the body and wine to the Spirits it puts activity and quickning in us 'T is as wheels to the Chariot which make us run the wayes of Gods Commandments as courage to a souldier as mettle to the horse and as manure to the ground which makes it abound in fruitfulness Now that you may get and keep this Gace we must shun those Quenchâ—coals which extinguish this holy fire in us 1. The first is the retaining of any one bosome beloved sin be it Pride Idleness Formality Covetousness either thy zeal must destroy thy sin or thy sin will destroy thy zeal Zealous affections are the wings of the soul but sin like bird-lime intangles them that they cannot fly Heaven-ward They are the feet of the soul but sin like fetters hindereth us from runing They are the fire of the soul but sin like water quencheth this fire We must resolve therefore against all sin if ever we would have the Spirit of zeal to dwell in us 2. Take heed of the inordinate love of the world These thornes will choak our zeal and this outward heat extracts and consumes our inward Cast earth upon fire and you put it out Demas and Iudas the love of the world drew them off we must get our affections loosened from the world and use it as though we used it not Use
Saviour what in us lieth to all the world this is to do the work of an Evangelist viz. soundly and sincerely to publish the Gospel True Ministers must preach the Law but then it must be preparatory to the Gospel to convince them of their sin and misery and so fit them for mercy and after their conversion as a Rule for direction c. This work is so that Christ tells us it was the primary end of his coming into the world viz. to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel Isai. 61.2 3. Luke 4.18 'T is true the four Apostles which wrote the Gospel are properly or rather appropriately called Evangelists but in a large sense he 's an Evangelist that teacheth the Gospel Observation 8. Timothy was no Diocesan Bishop He was an Evangelist and so not fixt as Bishops were to any particular Congregation City of Diocess but he was to go up and down pro re natâ as occasion required and to preach the Gospel as other Evangelists did Objection In the Post-script 't is said that Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus Answer These Post-scripts are no part of Canonical Scripture but were added by the Scribes who wrot out the Epistles 2. It contradicts the Text which expresly calls him an Evangelist which was a distinct Officer from a Pastor or Bishop Ephes. 4.11 3. It may help to take up the Cavel of Sectaries who would have us live as Timothy and others did without Tythes or fit Maintenance when the case is not the same For 1. They were not tyed to any particular charge as we are 2. The Magistrate was an Heathen and an Enemy 3. They had all things common and they sold all and brought the money to the Apostles 4. The Apostles had their learning by inspiration and they could work miracles and so could not want maintenance Observation 9. Make full proof of thy Ministry Observe Ministers must fully and faithfully discharge all the duties of their callings They must so behave themselves in their office that they may be charged justly with nothing Thus Barnabas and Saul fulfilled their Ministry Acts 12. ult and 14.26 so did Paul 2 Cor. 4.1 2. Archippus Colos. 4.17 must not do his duty to halves but he must perform it in every respect as it ought to be done and accomplish all the parts of his Ministry strengthning the weak comforting the afflicted raising the lapsed reproving the wicked convincing the erronious and confirming the strong adorning our pure doctrine with a pure conversation This is to fulfil our Ministry Verse 6. OBSERVATIONS 1. When God takes away faithful and laborious Ministers those that survive them must stand up in their stead supply their loss and be so much the more active careful and vigilant in the discharge of their office When Paul dyes then Timothy must double his diligence If Eliah be taken away Elisha must pray for a double portion of his spirit to carry on the work Eleazer succeeds Aaron Haggai and Zachary supply thâ— loss of Daniel and Christ ariseth in Iohn Baptists stead Observation 2. 2. The godly by a spiritual instinct and sagacity foresee their ends so did Iacob Gen. 48.21 and Ioshua 23.14 and Christ Iohn 17.2 and Peter 2.14 They alwayes watch and wait for their Masters coming Their acts diseases and disquietments which they meet withall from the world are as so many petty deaths unto them A man that dwells in an old crazy house where the walls fall down the foundation sinks the pillars bend and the whole building craks concludes such a house cannot long stand As for the wicked they are insensible and secure and though gray hairs which are signes of old age and death approaching be here and there upon them yet they know it not Hos. 7.9 Observation 3. 3. Death is not dreadful to good men The Apostle speaks of it here not by way of Lamentation but of Exultation and in an holy triumph tells us that he had fought a good fight and finisht his course and now the time of his departure was at hand when he should receive a crown of glory Death to him was but a departing from one room to another from a lower room to an higher from earth to Heaven from troubles to rest from mortality to immortality They are long since dead to the world and so can part with it more easily Paul died daily he was sending more and more of his heart out of the world so that by that time he came to dye he was fully weaned from the world and desirous to be gone Phil. 1.23 When Moses had finisht his course God bids him go up and dye that 's all Deut. 32.49 50. Death which to wicked men is the King of terrours and makes them fear and tremble Iob 18.14 That to a good man is the King of comforts and like the Valley of Achor a door of hope In an holy security at death and destruction they can laugh Iob 5.21 22. The wicked look on death as a dreadful dismal thing but Gods people looking on it through the Spectacles of the Gospel sâ—e it to be a conquered enemy having its sting taken out Hos. 13.15 so that what Agag said vainly and vauntingly Christian may speak truly and seriously The bitterness of death is past 1 Sam. 15.32 As Christ said of Lazarus this sickness is not to death but unto life so may we now say this death is not unto death but unto life So that now the Saints can embrace it go forth to meet it and bid it welcome They know 't is but winking and they are presently in Heaven This made the Martyrs go as cheerfully to their Stakes as others do to a Feast or Marriage when Basils enemies threatned to kill him if he would not turn he boldy answered Oh that I might dye for the truth Hilarion chides himself for his backwardness why dost thou fear Oh my Soul to dye thou hast served thy God these seventy years and art thou now afraid to dye Egredere anima egredere Even Seneca makes it the property of a wise man to desire death We must not judge of death or of any other thing as Sin Riches Afflictions c. as the world judgeth of them but as Scripture speaks Now the Spirit of God in Scripture cloaths death with very lovely and pleasing expressions 1. It calls it a going to our Fathers Gen. 15.15 A going to the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 23. A going to God to Christ and to the blessed Angels Phil. 1.23 2. It is called an Exaltation or lifting up Iohn 3.14 3. A sowing which will rise in glory 1 Cor. 15.43 4. An undressing and uncloathing of our selves a putting off our rags that we may put on immortal Robes 2 Cor. 5.2 2 Peter 1.14 5. A going to sleep when men are wearied with labour they desire their beds The grave is a bed of rest Isay 57.2 Iob 3.13 Dan. 12.2 Rev. 14.13