accomplish the Redemption and Salvation of all God's Elect. This work Christ had upon his hand to do and he did it Hence is he by way of Emphasis stiled our Redeemer our Saviour Eph. 1. 7. in whom we are said to have redemption the remission of sins through his blood according to the riches of his Grace And so Heb. 9. 12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves he entered once into the holy place having obtained eternal redemption for us and Heb. 5. 9. Being made perfect he became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him This was Christ's work and this work he finished on Earth so far as his Father had appointed him to do here 2. Our work comes under the same denomination and falls under these two heads 1. Our business is to glorifie God. Whether therefore ye 1 Cor. 10. 31. eat or drink or whatever ye do do all to the glory of God. It becomes us every morning when we rise up to put this Question to our selves how shall we so fill up this day as that God may have Glory from us and at night when we lye down to ask our own Hearts what glory hath God had from us this day 2. Our work lyes in securing our Eternal Salvation Christs working does not exclude nor excuse our putting our hand to the same work no we must work too though not in the same but in a far different manner work out your own salvation with fear and trembling For it is God who worketh in you Phil. 2. 12 13. both to will and to do of his good pleasure We work not as Christ did by way of purchase and impetration Here we can have no hand But in a way of Application and Appropriation in which neither can we do any thing as of our selves but as we are assisted and strengthened by the operations of Gods Spirit We are saved by grace through faith and that not of our Eph. 2. 8. selves it is the gift of God. Having thus in plain Terms given you an Account of your work in general I shall speak to it as 't is metaphorically expressed in my Text. I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith This Paul gives us an account of both with respect to his publick and more private and personal Station as a Minister and as a Christian I shall pass by the former in silence and speak only to the latter In the words you have comprehended the whole Duty of Man the sum of the practical part of Christianity and this under three Metaphors 1. I have fought the good Fight In which he compares the life of a Christian to a Military or Soldiers life a continual Warfare 2. He compares it to the running of a Race where a price is insured to them who run well 3. He compares it to a faithful Repositor or Steward to one that hath somewhat of worth and weight committed to his Trust of which a good account is to be given My business is to give you a short Paraphrase of the Christians work as vail'd under these similitudes First As our Life while here on Earth is expressed by a continued Combate or Warfare I have fought a good fight â—…rtamen Evanâ—…licum contra â—…iaboli insidias â—…undi exempla 〈…〉 carnis illeceâ—…as Grotius A good fight ingaging in a good cause and that which if heartily ingaged in is sure to have a good issue and event Thus the Life of a Christian in Scripture is frequently represented 2 Cor. 10. 4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing which exalts it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into Captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ Hence in the foregoing Epistle Paul charges Timothy to war a good warfare Paul had Tim. 1. 18. been himself a stout Champion a couragious Souldier in this Holy War his life ever since he was brought home to God and first had taken Arms in this good Cause had been a continual conflict many a hot skirmish he had had many a sharp encounter he had gone through and possibly many a wound he had received but he still kept the Field and had now upon the matter put his Enemies to a perpetual Rout and was himself going out of the Field through Christ that strengthened him more than Conqueror Beloved how large and copious a Subject I have here before me I need not tell you but my time will not allow me This War my discourse leads me to is of a far higher Nature and the success that such who are ingaged in it are concern'd about is of Everlasting moment The Enemies we must combat with are utterly implacable that they will either kill or be killed No peace not so much as a truce to be made or indeavoured with them Fight and Live Yield and Dye may well be every Christians Motto for says the Apostle if ye live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds â—â—m 8. 13. of the body ye shall live Here I will only touch upon a few particulars for the further illustration of these matters and this in a brief resolution of the following Queries 1. Whom we are to understand by the Soldiers that are ingaged in these Wars against these implacable Enemies and what Captain or General they fight under For the Soldiers they are all Believers such as had been taken Captive but are supposed to be rescued by the power of Christ the great Redeemer and being thus rescued in way of Gratitude to this blessed Redeemer together with an Eye to their own safety they have devoted themselves to his Service and under his Banner stand obliged to oppose the World Flesh and Devil depending upon him for all their success as also for the obtaining their blessed Reward as consequential upon their Conquest So that these spiritual Souldiers such as we can heartily bid God speed and pray for their good Success are all true Believers who stand devoted to Christ the Heb. 2. 10. Col. 1. 21. Acts 5. 3â— Captain of their Salvation all others who remain in their unregenerate state they are Enemies to Christ and his followers who have for their General the Devil whom they follow and for whom they fight against God against his Spirit nay War against 1 Pet. 2. 11. their own Soul. Some of these Enemies are more secret and carry on their oppositions against God in a more hidden and cunning way displaying Gods Colours whilst they are managing the Devils Quarrels Others are more open and notorious that declare their Sin as Sodom and hide it not That Isa 3. 9. set their Mouth against the Heavens that dare to challenge God to his face Of this sort are all the openly prophane Debauched Atheistical Idolatrous
benefits and blessings that he hath purchased called precious Faith the Faith 〈…〉 Pet. 1. 1. 〈…〉 1. 1. of God's Elect as peculiar to God's chosen ones This is committed to Christians by way of operation and infusion and donation By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God. 2. By Faith we are to understand the Doctrine of Faith the revelation of the Divine Will in the Gospel of God's Grace which was committed to Paul as a Minister to be by him dispensed and preached to others as being the power of God unto salvation And elsewhere he tells us that Christ hath 〈…〉 m. 1. 16. committed unto us the word of Reconciliation And this is also a trust committed unto all Christians to be professed 〈…〉 Cor. 5. 19. owned obeyed believed against all gainsayers whosoever whether they be Men of unsound Minds or ungodly Livers Which some professing have erred concerning the Faith. This is 1 Tim. 6. 21 Jude 3. that Faith which we are exhorted earnestly to contend for which was once delivered to the Saints Secondly What is meant by his keeping the Faith To which I answer 1. If you take it in the former sense then it imports his constant endeavour to keep that Grace in its exercise by a constant cleaving to and relyance upon God and Christ for Life and Salvation drawing continued supplies of his Grace and Spirit for the enabling a Christian to do his present work and to fit him for his future reward and this against all the opposition that he may meet with from the slie and subtle suggestions and insinuations of the Devil who hath a special spight at the Christians Faith. 2. But if you take it in the latter sence then it imports the holding fast our profession of this both in our principles and practices against all attempts of Seducers and Persecutors and against all the enticing and alluring examples of prophane and ungodly ones Such there have been and never more than in this loose and ungodly Age in which we live When Iniquity abounds and the Love of many waxes cold When Matth. 24. 12. there are great endeavours to laugh all true Religion and Godliness in its power out of countenance and various stratagems to induce Christians to make shipwrack of Faith and a good 1 Tim. 1. 19. Conscience Thus have I given you a short account of the first part of my Text as expressive of the true Christians work a work to be done here I proceed now very briefly to Paul's prospect what he had in view hereafter relating to the Glorious Reward he was upon the matter entring into the possession of Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness I purpose only to note a very few things and shut up the whole with a short Application First Here we have an account of that future felicity which is reserved for the Saints 't is a Crown and a Crown of Righteousness A Crown which you know is an Ensign of the greatest Honour upon Earth and an Emblem of the highest Glory in Heaven Such a Crown and such a Kingdom as infinitely exceeds all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the World 't is an Incorruptible Crown a Crown which fadeth not away 〈…〉 9. 25. whereas all the Crowns of Kings and Emperours which are so eagerly contended for by the Men of this World are poor 〈…〉 5. 4. perishing corrupting fading things 'T is a Crown of Life 〈…〉 1. 12. What shall I say T is not only a Glorious Crown but a Crown of Glory Secondly 'T is a Crown of Righteousness as peculiarly belonging to those who are clothed with the Robe of Christ's Righteousness imputed and with the fine Linnen of the Righteousness of Christ imparted And also as a Righteous but yet free Reward which the Righteous God hath promised and will faithfully perform 2. We may observe here the time of Believers entring upon the possession of this future Glory 1. In part as to their Souls Henceforth that is immediately upon their Death and Dissiolution Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord from henceforth yea faith the Spirit 〈…〉 14. 13. that they may rest from their labours and their works do follow them So Paul Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ 〈…〉 1. 23 In the same moment wherein they pass from Earth they go to Heaven there is no calling in at Purgatory by the way no middle state to detain the Souls of Believers in 2. Perfectly and compleatly with respect to Soul and Body at a certain day the day of Judgment which will be a day of Retribution which is called by way of emphasis in the Text That Day A remarkable day it will be when the whole World shall be determined and sent to their Everlasting abodes either of Happiness on the one side or Misery on the other Thirdly We may observe the manner of the Saints entring upon this Glorious Possession not as matter of merit but by way of free donation which God the righteous Judge shall give me says Paul here Eternal Life cost Christ very dear no less than his Life-Blood but it comes free to us without price or purchace on our part 'T is not our deserved Wages but the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 〈…〉 23. Fourthly We have here the Extent of this Gift not only to such as Paul a Believer of the highest Fourm a Star of the first Magnitude in the Firmament of the Church not to me only c. but to every true though weak Believer to all who can approve themselves such as love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and look and long for his appearing It was not the peculiar priviledge of this great Apostle but a common Salvation which belongs to all the faithful from the greatest to the least of Saints And thus I have dispatcht the Doctrinal part of this Text I shall only add a word or two for the practical improvement of it First If they and only they who have good evidence of having done and dispatcht their great Work and Business in this World can with comfort and confidence ensure to themselves the expectation of the promised Reward in the other Then hence we may infer the madness and folly of a great part of those that hear me this day Who have been so often told of this Future State and profess to believe it and by dayly renewed instances of Mortality cannot but be convinced that they are drawing near to it and perhaps may be upon the very brink of it not knowing what a day or night may bring forth and yet they have lived all their days in a total neglect of that work whose accomplishment is a necessary praerequisite to this promised Reward Who are so far from having conquered their Enemies and fought the good fight that they have not yet really listed themselves under Christ's Banner
and run to the Devil and post to the bottomless pit as if it were with them as with the Swine when possessed by the Devil who are said to run violently down a steep place into the Sea and perish in the Matth. 8. 32. waters The Psalmist tells us and I think many in this Nation have given us sad proof of it Their sorrows shall be multiplyed Psal 16. 4. that hasten after another God. Blessed be God we have seen the accomplishment of the former as well as the latter these are sad Races But by what Rules were they acted No other no better than the Lusts and cursed Imaginations of their own Hearts But such as run the Christian Race must observe God's Word for then Guide Thus David Thy word Psal 119. 05. is a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths 'T is not the decrees of Popes nor Canons of Councils nor sayings of Fathers but God's Word that in this Race is to be our Guide Thou Psal 73. 24. shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards receive me to glory Thirdly The running of a Race is a progressive motion It is not the running in a round but a going forward Phil. 3. 13 14. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before I press towards the mark for the prize of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus This speaks the Christians dayly endeavour to grow in Grace and 2 Pet. 3. 18. in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ There must be a going from strength to strength a striving to get more of God and do more for God. Here must be no standing still nor much less any turning aside or going back O Christians How earnest had we all need be in our pleadings with God that he would heal our backslidings and accomplish that gracious Promise The Righteous also shall hold on his Job 17. 9. way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Fourthly Running of a Race is a painful motion there is and must be a putting forth all the strength a Man hath So my Friends the performance of the Duties of Christianity is no easie thing to Flesh and Blood No room for Spiritual sloth and laziness The way in Heavens road is up hill and most what rough and uneasie way to the Flesh and such as move in it must expect to meet with difficulties which considering the clogs that hang about us the Sin that so easily besets us will require our utmost strength and to send up loud cryes to Heaven for dayly supplies As David Hold up my goings Psal 17. 5. in thy paths that my footsteps slip not How miserably are they mistaken that conceit it is an easie matter to be a Christian or to live a Christians Life Fifthly The running of a Race is adjudged to be a constant continued and persevering motion without stop or stay till we come to the end So Beloved Christianity will find the Christian work every day Herein do I exercise my self to have always a Conscience void of Acts 24. 16. offence towards God and towards Men. He doth not say I have done or I will do no 't is a work alwayes a doing You have work not only for the Lord's day when you have more immediately to do with God but on the week dayes Your Religion is not then to be laid aside as if all your Devotion was to be left at Church and as if you were obliged to serve God only one day in and the Devil and the Flesh all the week after This speaks that 't is not enough to be Religious now and then in a good mood or for a spurt and away to take a few steps where the way is smooth and fair No there must be a going through thick and thin Blessed are they that keep judgment and he that doth righteousness Psal 106. 3. at all times He that endures to the end shall be saved Matth. 24. 13. Quest But here an enquiry may be made How Paul could say he had finished his course before he had finished his days 'T is apparent that his Glass was not yet run and so his Work was not yet done he had a dark and thorny Stage to pass through yet in which he had at present taken but a few steps Resol 1. To this I answer First Negatively That if you take it in a plain literal sence no Christian can be said to have finished his Course till he have finished his Breath and Life The whole Day the Evening as well as the Noon and Morning are appointed all for Work Indeed when the Night comes our working time is over Resol 2. But yet Secondly Affirmatively A Believer may be said to have finished his Work as it is his sincere purpose and firm resolution not to give over till he hath finished it as God through his Grace is ready to account that to be done which the gracious Soul purposes and resolves through Divine Assistance to do Thus some resolve the same Question refering to Christ saying I have finished the work which thou gavest John 17. 4. me to do How could this be when as yet the bitterest part of that Cup his Father had given him to drink was yet behind To resolve this Augustine puts the Praeterperfect Tense into the Future Tense I have finished it viz. I will finish it But lastly the best resolution of this concerning Christ and Paul's saying he had finished his Course as thereby expressing their readiness as well as resolvedness to finish and consummate the Work they had gone on in so far I have finished my Course q. d. my time is just now at a period I am now entring upon the last Stage a few more steps to take and all is over A few moments will perfect all he lived in the view of Death which he saw was at the door which would put a Finis to all Thirdly I proceed now to the third and last Metaphor by which a Christians Life is represented alluding to the Duty of a faithful Steward who having somewhat of weight and worth committed to his Trust is careful not to lose nor embezzle it but preserve it for the use of the Owner without dammage or detriment Thus saith Paul I have kept the Faith. Here I shall touch only upon two things 1. What was this Treasure this Trust that is supposed to be committed to Paul's care The Faith. 2. How Paul or any true Christian may be said to keep this depositum this Faith I have kept the Faith. First What this Faith is Faith is chiefly to be consider'd under one of these two Heads 1. Either the Grace of Faith that Grace whereby through the operation of the Spirit of God we come to be united to Christ and interested in him and all the
Antichristian Crew These are the primo geniti diaboli and may be called the Devils Janizaries Of these we may say as Eliphaz doth of the wicked They stretch out their hand against God and strengthen Job 15. 25 26. themselves against the Almighty they run upon him even on his neck upon the thick bosses of his Bucklers But as many and as mighty as all these be yet sooner or later they shall all be overcome and shall yield either to the Scepter of his Grace O blessed Conquest or else be broken in peices by a Rod of Iron But we are now speaking of such as fight a good fight that are come on to Gods side and are engaged for God and Christ against those principalities and powers and rulers of the 〈…〉 6. 12. darkness of this World. You have heard who the Combatants are 2. In the next place we may enquire when they were first listed and enroll'd into Christs Army and became ingaged in this Holy Warfare Why this was not from their first entrance into the World Alas no! we were all at first on the other side born Enemies to God and in condition of Servitude and Bondage to the Devil All by Nature in a state of Rebellion against God and Self-destroyers but we become and were made so by Grace The time of our first being Listed under Christs Banner takes its Date from our Conversion When we are brought to a hearty and sincere Closure with and Entertainment of Christ as our Lord and Saviour as offered to us in and by the Gospel which is that great instrument by the joyful sound of which Christ by his Ambassadors goes forth and invites and calls poor Sinners off from the Devils Camp and to yield themselves to him And when these outward Calls are accompanied by the efficacious workings of Gods Spirit then Sinners are made willing in the day of Christs power Christ and his Gospel where they come do 〈…〉 10. 3. not find sinners willing at the first motion to hearken to his Counsel nor quit their Arms nor submit to him but he makes them willing and from that time of their yielding to Christ they declare War against the World the Flesh and the Devil And these Enemies upon this grow more enraged than before which young Converts are not so well aware of many times drawing very uncomfortable and unwarrantable Conclusions against themselves thinking they are now worse than before because they find their enemies more busie and enraged than in time past But remember this the Devil and our Lust are ordinarily most destructive where they are lest disturbing Whilest the strong man armed keepeth his Palace 〈…〉 1. 21. his goods are at peace 3. Enquiry might be made what Enemies the Christian Soldier hath to encounter with these you know are commonly reduced to three Heads viz. the Devil the World and the Flesh First The Devil from whose Tyrannical dominion Believers are enabled to escape He is our old Adversary he is call'd a murtherer from the beginning Oh the many ways Joh. 8. 44. and stratagems by which he carries on his pernicious designs 2 Cor. 2. 1◠against poor Souls both to retain and hold fast such as he hath taken in his snare by whom they are carried captive at his 2 Tim. 2. 2◠will and that which is most sad by the consent of their own will too and also to reduce and bring back again such as have fled to Christ for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before them Heb. 6. 18. Against whom Christians are warned to keep their eye upon 1 Pet. 5. 8 9 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist stedfast in the faith Secondly The World Which not as made by God but as marr'd by Sin is an inveterate Enemy against the Christian which therefore we are caution'd against by no means to give entertainment to in our Affections Love not the 1 Joh. 2. 15. world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him This World is a Witch a Delilah what unspeakable detriment have Christians been exposed to when once by her Allurements they have been enticed to take a nap and lay their Heads in the Lap of the Profits Pleasures or Honours of this World What advantage hath Satan hereby taken to cut their Locks and abate their strength which many times hath scarce been recovered to their dying day Thirdly The flesh which though mentioned in the last place yet is not the least of those Enemies the Christian hath to encounter with but rather the worst and greatest For what could Satan or the World do without if it were not for the Flesh within By Flesh I mean not the Body but the remainders of the corrupt Nature that inward and unseen depravity which like a Leprosie hath over-spread us from head to foot that body of Sin the blessed Apostle complain'd of which warred against the law of his mind and brought him into captivity to the Law of sin which was in his Members This like a Rom. 7. 23 25. Traytor in a City or Castle is always ready upon every occasion to open the gates and let in the Enemies that lye in siege gainst it Fourthly We might further enquire what those Weapons are both Offensive and Defensive with which Believers must be armed to encounter with these Enemies and which upon their first listing themselves they are to put on and so to put on as never to put them off till they have gained a perfect Conquest To which I briefly answer you may find them summed up in one Chapter where you have the Christians Armory or Magazine to which the Soul upon its closure with Christ and first Ingagement must repair and with which he must furnish himself Never thinking to encounter these Enemies naked with success nor with any other Weapons which are not of this make You have them set down by the Apostle Ephes 6. from the 11th to the 18th verse of that Chapter where we are exhorted ver 11. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil This Counsel is repeated ver 13 the several pieces of this Spiritual Armour are set down in the following Verses viz. 14 15 16 17. The girdle of truth and the breast-plate of righteousness the feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace the Shield of Faith the Helmet of Salvation the Sword of the Spirit These things I cannot now open only observe the Title that is put upon them all they are stiled the Armour of God amongst other reasons for these two to note to us that they are all of Divine institution and of divine constitution All other Weapons which are of Humane make and invention as I might instance in many especially
such as are fram'd in Antichrist's Forge How fond soever some are of them will in these Spiritual Encounters be of no use nor force 'T is not the besprinkling our selves with Holy Water or signing our selves with the sign of the Cross that will defend us from or help us against the assaults of the Devil These are but wooden Daggers and elder Guns that will never do execution It may be said of the Devil as to all such Weapons What is said of the Leviathan such Darts are counted as stubble and 1. 29. he laughs at the shaking of such Spears Fifthly We should enquire what the cause or controversie is that occasions these continued Combates betwixt the Believer and these Spiritual Enemies Why it is whether the Christian should remain and persevere in further subjection to God and Christ to whom he hath devoted himself and who is his rightful Lord and Soveraign and on whom depend all his present comforts and future hopes Or whether he should basely and treacherously revolt and return to his former bondage and slavery to his Temporal and Eternal Ruine This my Brethren is the plain case this is their design they aim at nothing short of this will put an end to this Controversie to the contentment of thy Adversaries and in this is it thy concern to oppose them to the utmost Sixthly We might yet further enquire what those Victories are which the Christian Combatant obtains against these Enemies These are of two sorts 1. Such as are inchoate particular Conquests in particular cases and particular conflicts with this or that single temptation or corruption And these are temporary upon which the Enemy is put upon retreat and withdrawing for a season though they quickly rally again and many times make fiercer onsets than before As Christians find by frequent experience Thus he dealt with our Blessed Saviour in that single combat which he was permitted to ingage in with the Captain of our Salvation as it were hand to hand 'T is said he was led up of the Spirit into the Wilderness to be Matth. 4. tempted of the Devil After this hold encounter 't is said verse 11. Then the Devil leaveth him But how long not for ever No the Evangelist Luke tells us He departed from him for a season Though our Saviour had the Victory yet was Luke 4. 1 he not quite routed but returned again though not in the like manner 2. Therefore there is a Conquest that the Christian shall at length get over those Enemies that shall be compleat and consummate But this is not to be expected till the Christian can say with Paul The time of my departure is at hand This Conquest Paul had now in prospect by an Eye of Faith then when Death comes Christ leads them out of the Field more than Conquerours where they shall be out of their reach they shall sin no more nor be tempted any more but all tears shall be wiped from their Eyes and Everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads and Sorrow and sighing shall flee away Thus have I briefly run over the first Metaphor by which the Christians work is expressed Secondly Another Metaphor by which the same thing is denoted The Christians work is compared to the running of a race I have finished my course saith Paul. Many a weary step he had taken so it was and might be accounted considering the many incumbrances he was laden with and the many difficulties as to the Flesh he was exposed to Otherwise Wisdoms 〈…〉 17. wayes are wayes of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Many a Temptation to turn aside or go back many a rub and difficulty to get over Paul had doubtless met with but now he was come to the last stage and almost to the end of that too he was just ready to receive his Garland A few steps more and he should enter upon his Everlasting rest I have saith he finished my course got to the end of my race A Christians Life is often in Scripture compared to the running of a Race 1 Cor. 9. 24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize so run that ye may obtain And elsewhere the Apostle speaking to some who had espoused the Faith of the Gospel and were now in danger of declining from the Truths they had embraced He gives them this admonition Ye did run well who did binder you that ye should not obey the truth And so in Heb. 12. 1. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us If you should ask me wherein the Life of Christianity is like the running of a Race I answer briefly in a few particulars though many others might be mentioned First In the running of a Race Care must be taken that the persons that run start fair I mean not together but that they begin at a right place appointed by him who hath the ordering of that affair Now to accommodate this to a Christian Race this must always take its rise from the Souls sincere closing with Christ by Faith before a Sinners sound Conversion to God by Christ he cannot run right There are some I fear too many that observe not this order but all on a sudden will jump as it were into a profession of Religion and appear very forward and zealous and seem to out-strip a great many sound Christians But alas For want of setting out right not laying their building upon the true basis viz. Repentance towards God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ They soon tire and turn aside and though they Acts 20. 21. seem to begin in the Spirit they take up and end in the flesh and all their goodness like Ephraims proves like the morning Hos 6. 4. dew and the early cloud that soon passeth away This this is one of the great grounds of Apostacy of which this Age affords too many instances You young ones that begin to favour the things of God remember this trouble not your Heads with Controversies and Disputable Points at least till you have well studied and are throughly versed in the great and necessary and with all plain Doctrines of Faith and Repentance the two Essentials of sound Conversion 2. The running of a Race is a regular Motion It is not a running any where backward or forward but a keeping to those Rules and Limits that are prescribed by him or them that have the ordering of it Religion is not a wild disorderly extravagant fanciful thing but a walking by rule and that by a right rule that is prescribed by God's word As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and Gal. 6. 16. upon the Israel of God. And sayes David I will run the wayes Psal 119. 32. of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge my heart Some have been and are yet upon the run God stop them that run from God and Christ and Salvation
who are still Servants of Sin and Slaves of the Devil and Strangers and Enemies to Christ who are found fighting indeed but whom or what do they fight for They are fighters against God resisters of the Spirit striving against the Counsels of God's Word and the Motions of his Grace and resolv'd to maintain and defend their Lusts Poor wretched Souls Can you think to live here always Or that your Houses shall continue for ever Do you never expect to dye Or is it indifferent with you where Death will set you in Heaven or in Hell The Lord so awaken you that you may give no sleep to your Eyes nor rest to your Souls till you come in at the sound of the Gospel-Trumpet You who have not taken one step in this Christian Race who are running indeed but whither I beseech you so fast You are running from God with your Faces towards Hell and your Backs upon Heaven and there is no stopping you as yet in this cursed Race Ministers call after you God calls and holds out a Crown to you invites and intreats you to consider your wayes and turn your feet unto his Testimonies You who are so far from keeping the Faith that you are Strangers to any such Work and Gift you have none in truth to keep You may have and make a profession but it is so weakly bottomed so little understood and you are so unable to give a reason of it that you are ready to part with it when the next temptation assaults you The Lord give you to believe and put the Spirit of Faith within you before it be too late to cure your Infidelity and you perish from the way Secondly Improve this Oh you Christians who are Christians indeed for your encouragement in your Work and Way You who have enter'd the Lists and are engaged in this Holy War let what you have heard this day strengthen you in your Conflicts It is true God hath cast your Lot in an evil day in which all your Enemies the World Flesh and Devil are coming forth full of rage and fury and you may expect a terrible shock but let me beseech you to endure 〈…〉 2. 3. hardness as good Soldiers of Jesus Christ Still think that you hear Christ calling to you Be of good chear I have overcome 〈…〉 33. the World I may add and the God of the World too You must combate still but remember 't is with conquered Enemies You have indeed rough wayes to run your Race in but there is a Glorious prize before you Be not weary of well-doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not 〈…〉 9. There are 't is true many Spoilers abroad who would not only rob and deprive you of your Estates and Lives but of your Souls and Religion and tempt you to serve other Gods which you have not known but bear up Christians against them Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry To conclude hearken diligently to 〈…〉 37. what your Lord says Hold fast that which thou hast that no Revel 3. 11. man take thy Crown Having thus finisht what I intended from the Text it self I shall now take leave to begin another Subject which shall be a just and faithful account of this precious Saint and Servant of God lately deceased Mrs. Elizabeth King who having fill'd up the number of Thirteen Years the last day of the last Month was on the Seventeenth day of this removed by a very Triumphant Death out of the present World into a better to the great grief not only of her Parents who are most immediately and especially concerned in the loss but also of all those who had converst with her and seen or heard of that Blessed frame which she was in at her departure hence I say to their great grief tho mixed with great joy the pulling down of her Earthly House being like the laying of the Foundation of the second Temple which occasioned both loud shouting and weeping too I have a Theam Ezra 3. 12. before me which might well employ the Tongue or Pen of the greatest Oratour enough to strike the Hearers with wonder but at what Not a poor empty Creature which is nothing or worse than nothing of it self but the rich and powerful Grace of God which hath been so conspicuous in so young a Child as may well be usher'd in with a Behold and command both your quickest attention and highest admiration To say nothing of her Ancestors the worthy Grandfathers on both sides who yet speak though dead many years since and from whose Prayers while alive she may be justly supposed to have received some benefit nor of her Parentage nor Education I shall confine my self to the recital of some passages which dropt as Honey from her Lips upon her Death-Bed and especially on the day before her translation into Heaven The warning which God gave her to get ready for her change was short though she was apprehensive as she afterwards declared assoon as God laid his Hand upon her that the stroak would be mortal The Messenger which her Heavenly Father sent I mean the Distemper wherewith she was at first seized had Esau's hand and handled her roughly she was taken on the Lords day at night or early in the next morning of that week in which she dyed with extream tormenting pains and though she wanted no Humane help it prov'd all but vain and under such a racking exercise notwithstanding a very diligent application of means she continued till the Fryday morning following during which time though she could not forbear to groan she was never heard to grumble as was said of her Great Grandfather whose name is famous 〈…〉 W. Gouge 〈…〉 Life in the Church of God she never uttered one mutinous or discontented word but shewed a mighty subjection of Soul to Gods mighty hand and opened not her mouth so as to charge Him foolishly she was dumb because God did it like 〈…〉 39. 9. 〈…〉 â—3 7. David yea like Christ Himself the unparalleld example of Divine Patience and Meekness On the Fryday morning before mentioned whether her pains were more mitigated or Nature more spent Grace begun more signally to discover it self Her Parents being then present found her in such Heavenly raptures and so refresht with the prelibations and foretasts of that Glory which she was going to that it filled them with astonishment for at that time God began to give a remarkable answer to their Prayers which were that if He did call her hence by this visitation though that was earnestly deprecated with submission to His Sovereign Pleasure she might leave behind such plain and manifest proofs of her eternal well-being as might enable them to stand under that almost insupportable burden to these Prayers God was pleased to say Amen for though they had very good and justifiable hopes from those Testimonies which she had given