keep their Garments undefiled and live in high favour with Christ they shall walk with Christ we favour those that walk with us Walking with Christ notes to us three things 1. That we have peace with him 2. That we have intimacy with him 3. That his being so much above us we should have this favour from him And hence I noted the great priviledge of the People of God that they shall walk with Christ 1. It notes the great satisfaction of the Saints to walk with Christ they shall be filled with his company 2. How safe it is and what safety there is to walk with Christ he hath a Wing to spread over them 3. What opportunities such have as walk with Christ 4. What liberty such have as walk with Christ 5. Such as walk with Christ may be sure he will communicate his secrets to them he will shew them what they have to do 2. We shewed you the great goodness of Jesus Christ that he would take such Creatures to walk with him such defiled Creatures 3. Then let us take heed of keeping our Garments undefiled lest Jesus Christ cast us out of his company and we can no longer walk with Christ any more Oh! take heed of walking blameless in the ways of Christ These things were spoken from the first Point Now I come to the walking with Christ in white In opening the Text I told you white might be considered two ways 1. As it respects our state and so that by way of Justification and thus they shall walk with Christ but this is not the walking in white the Text means 2. Here is a further walking in white and that is matter of reward to the people of God 1. To walk with Christ in white it is matter of honour white garments are matter of honour Princes great Kings walk in white garments so the Saints of God shall walk in white Christ will honour them and give them honour among them because they have kept their Garments undefiled They shall walk in white like great Princes and honoured Persons A good name is better then precious Ointment They that are good indeed they shall have a good name they shall walk in white To keep the Conscience clean is to keep the Credit clean and they who are careful 〈◊〉 blot their Conversations Christ will take 〈…〉 their Reputations that they be not blotted that they walk with me in honour 'T was worthily spoken in the 11. of the Hebrews They kept their garments undefiled and it was by the power of Faith and they obtained a good report by Faith keeping themselves from the pollutions of the World they kept themselves a good report This honour and good report which we get by keeping our Garments undefiled is sure Abraham had an honourable Title Abraham My Friend and a man after my own heart Isa 45.4 Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honourable and not onely so that the people of God are honourable in his eyes but they also sometimes walk in white in the eyes of the men of the World he can give his people room in the opinions of men he moves their hearts to think well of them and he opens their mouths to speak well of them though indeed the honour which they who keep their Garments undefiled have in this World it is most usually from good men from godly men and indeed honour of them is most honourable It is not much to us what others say or think of us what the wicked World judge of us yet I say God can and doth sometimes raise a Testimony of honour for his people amongst carnal men of the World Joseph would not defile his Garments he walked in white amongst men true he was cast into Prison what of that he was respected by the Keeper of the Prison and afterward he walked in white In the whole Persiâ—â— Court Daniel was one that walked in white with 〈◊〉 men of the World first with the Prince of the Eunuchs he had tender favour with him he told him he would not disobey God to please men yet he did not rail against him and call him a stubborn fellow because he would not bow to Baal and afterwards Daniel was as great a man as any in all that Province he walked in white God hath created Testimonies of honour for his people from some men of the World yea they many times put white Garments upon them so it was with Christ Matth. 27.4 common-men put a good report upon Christ a white Garment Truly saith the Centurion this was the Son of God Truly this was a righteous man saith he when he saw how he carryed himself at his death he gave him a good report Thus it doth come to pass God doth sometimes keep up their honour in the World who will not defile their garments nor touch the Sacrifice of Baal and it falls out so with them that the Lord shall clear up their credit and reputation and they shall walk in white in honour before the men of the World Rev. 6.11 where the Souls under the Altar are spoken of who were miserably used in this World white Robes were given them to every one of them that is their Evidences were cleared This may teach us the readiest way to the white Robe to the Robe of Honour it is to keep us from being defiled with sinful practices certainly they who please God he can make he World to honour them if God approves us he can make the world approve us too yet we must not think to have all men speak well of us yet this we may say if we keep our Garments undefiled we shall walk in white in the eyes of men if God see our Garments in the dirt and spotted with the filth of the World it will spoil the honour we should have in the World as it was said of Arius when his garments were defiled they called him Satanarius that is to say devilish Thus it may be for the Lord hath a time to take our good name from us to cause our light of honour to be taken from us And as he hath caused us to walk in the white of honour in the world so he doth sometimes cause us to walk in reproach with the World they who defile their Garments lose their honour with men and they lose their joy they should have hereafter Mal 2.9 You have departed from my Law therefore will I make you contemptible in the eyes of all men It is a design of the spirit of wickedness to draw men to sin that they may upbraid them that I conceive is the sense of the Apostle Gal. 6.13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you circumcised that they might glory in your flesh saith he Oh there are some of this wicked Spirit that would draw men to such and such wickedness not that they joy in their returning but that they might glory in their flesh
that their Corn and their Wine increased Thou hast put gladness in my heart Peace is that gladness that peace smooths the brow but this fills the breast as the Sinner has trouble within in the midst of all his peace without so a Believer has Peaâ—â— thin in the midst of all his Troubles with 〈…〉 World you shall have trouble but in me 〈…〉 have peace Thirdly The Worlds peace has onely a neather Spring arising out of the Creature out of Worldâ— comforts therefore it must needs be unclean for an unclean Fountain cannot bring forth clean Water But the peace of Christians his an upper Spring it flows from the manifestation of the love of God in Christ it 's from the sprinkling of Christ's Bloud on the Conscience it flows upon the workings of Christ's Spirit upon the Soul which is first a Counsellour then a Comforter Oh! how pure must this Peace be in a Believers Soul that flow from so pure a Spring Fourthly The Worlds peace is a peace given to Sinners it 's a peace in sin and it 's a peace with sin as the Prophet Isaiah tells us It 's a Covenant with Hell and an Agreement with Death God deliver us from that peace Again Christ's peace is given to none but Believers it 's their priviledge onely a stranger don't intermeddle with his Joy Prov. 14.10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness but a stranger doth not intermeddle with his Joy Fifthly The Worlds peace is a fading dying transitory thing it withers in the Sand The triumphing of the Wicked is but short and the joy of the Hypocrite is but for a moment Job 20.5 Solomon does elegantly liken it to the cracking of Thorns under a Pot which is but a blaze and is gone Eccles 7.6 So is the Sinner's peace it is for a spurt and is soon gone but the peace that Christ gives to Believers is durable and abiding peace Your Joy no man shall take from you it appears in Life in Death and after Death First it 's our peace in Life grace brings forth present peace It 's said of the Primitive Christians They walked in the fear of the Lord and in the Comforts of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 It 's a remarkable expression Psal 19.11 In keeping thy Commands there is great Reward he does not fay for keeping them which respects the end of the Work but in keeping of them which looks at the Work it self My Brethren Every Duty done in sincerity reflects a peace in Conscience as every flower carryes its own sweetness It 's possible I grant a Believer may not always find and feel this peace few do some seldom find it few find it so always the remains of corruption breaking forth to interrupt or Temptations to hinder And God's desertion may darken and hide it and a Believer may seem to be totally lost yet in this condition which is the worst a Child of God can be in he hath a double peace First a Peace in the Promises in this very Condition and what you have in Bonds and Bills you account as good as money in your Pockets Secondly he has it in the Seed Light is sown for the Righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 Grace is the Seed of Peace which Christ has sown in the furrows of the Soul and therefore Peace shall spring out of the furrows of the Soul Indeed this Seed springs up sooner in some then in others yet every Saint shall have a reaping time sooner or later Psal 126.6 He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him If he stays long for the Fruit he shall have a greater Crop at last if he reaps not now he shall be sure to reap hereafter Psalm the 37.37 Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the and of that man is peace Secondly by this peace which is the peace of a Child of God it s a peace of death grace will minister to us then and that ministration shall be peace The Sinners peace leaves him when he comes to the grave though in Life it fills him yet in Death it leaves him A believer has a two-fold spring of peace The first is from above him the other is from within him That spring that runs with peace above him is from the bloud of Christ sprinkled on his Conscience the other that is from within him is from the sincerity of his heart in the wayes of obedience My Brethren when we lie on our Death-beds and can reflect on our sincerity in all Gods wayes this will be peace at last so it was in Hezekiah Isaiah 38.3 Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a prefect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight There 's nothing makes a Death-bed so hard and so uneasie as a life spent in the service of sin and lust and nothing makes a Death-bed so pleasant as a life spent in the service of Christ Grace will bring forth Peace if not in this life yet certainly it will be sure after Death if Time brings not this fruit to ripenesse yet Eternity shall grace in Time will be glory in Eternity Holinesse now will be Happinesse then what ever it is a man sows in this world that he reaps in the next world Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life â—verlasting Gal. 6.7 8. When Sin shall end in sorrow and misery Grace shall end in peace in joy in glory Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into the joy of thy Master Mat. 25.21 Whosoever shares in the grace of Christ in this world shall be sure to share with the joy of Christ in the next world and that joy is joy unspeakable and full of glory I will wind up all in a threefold Application by way of exhortation to three sorts of persoâ—s First To such as have this grace and peace Secondly To such as have this grace and no peace Thirdly To such as have neither grace noâ— peace First To such as have both grace and peace I l'e speak to them in two or three things First Admiâ—e thankfully the Father and Son the Fathers Grace and the Sons Love for both had a hand in this therefore blesse both the Father for willing it to us and the Son for working it in us Grace and Peace are the fruits ' of Gods eternal Election for this blessing the Father gives but the Aplication of it to us is the fruit of Christs Redemtion and Intercession How can you think of Hell and damnation and see your self freed from it And how can you think of the Dreadfull Fury and Vengence of God your self not under it How can you look on your state
wayes to ler loose the Devill on his owne Children Satan had a desire to afflict Job and God gave way to it c. The Church of God is Gods Spouse and there is a great deale of love between the Husband and Wife between Christ and the Church Yet Psal 4.5 this she is so solemnly charged with all God hath made Christ a head to his Church therefore his Church must be Ruled by Christ and t is not for the Church to say The inferiour shepherds would order me thus and thus we must in the mean while say but What doth Christ say in such cases It is not for the Church to go aside by the flocks of his Companions Cant. 1.7 The Companions of Christ pretend to be Shepherds of the sheep as well as he but have not that power Christ had They have their Societies and would have the ordering of them but the Church desires to know where she may hold Communion with Christ that she may not turne aside by the flocks of his companiâ—◠〈◊〉 There is many Disputations amorg inferiour shepherds but this is out of all dispute that Christ is the Great Shepherd of the sheep That great man at Rome never pretended higher than to be the Vicar of Christ and Successor of Peter now we know that the Principal is much more to be regarded than his Vicar therefore if Christ be the Great Shepherd surely the sheep of Christ must hear his voice before all other shepherds specially since Christ hath spoken so signally in the Case My sheep hear my voice and they follow me a stranger will they not follow for they know not the voice of strangers And God having so solemnly commanded Matth. 17.5 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear ye him The Great Shepherd must be heard before all little shepherds The little shepherds have their division Act. 20.29 After my departure shall grivous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away discisples after them True shepherds are alwaies carefull to make Disciples for Christ and to bring all Disciples to Christ All John's work was to make Disciples to put them over to Christ not to make disciples to himself but to make over all his disciples unto Christ If any man will gather he must gather for Christ not himself others would draw men unto any matter or manner of Doctrine Government c. But our eye must be upon Christ and our ear open to his voice and our Hearts awed with his will and mind in Scripture made known to his Church And they love nor Christ as they ought that desire not to hear his voice before any others in the world for he is the Great Shepherd of the sheep 2. Though he be the Great Shepherd of the sheep yet he dye and though he dye yet because he is the Great Shepherd of the sheep he is raised again The great Shepherd Dyes the little Shepherds must not think much of it if they be called to dye We must be contented it be exemplified in us if occasion serve for if God spared not the Great Shepherd What have the little shepherds to plead for themselves they should be spared If the Case fall out while I labour to serve the Church as I can I come to suffer for the Church in the end I doe rejoyce and I will rejoyce And truly we had need to pray for such a spirit as this for if this was in the Great Shepherd of the sheep it will very well become the little shepherds But against the fear of death here 's the comfort The Great Shepherd of the sheep dyes yet is raised from the dead so shall the little ones not one member of the flock death can alwaies triumph over him In this respect Christ will have all his members to be raised in that he got the victory over death for Christ arose as the First fruits and ascended into Heaven as a fore-runner Though we may have deniall as to the advancing of Christs service c. Yet the Resurrection of the dead is that we must take into our thoughts and t is our solid comfort God will one day bring all the sheep together into one fold and David shall be their King and have the Ruling and ordering of them to all Eternity There is a Resurrection to little shepherds when we come to lay down our naturall lives we can look for no other recompence for it but our Resurrection and the thoughts of it must be our Comfort And oh how doth this incourage us to come unto God though sinne be heavie upon us Remember there is a God of peace that takes to himself this name for this very end that sinners may know for their incouragment that Reconciliation is wrought out between God and them through Jesus Christ and if they will but come and take hold of the bloud of the everlasting Covenant Christ hath said they shall have all the blessings and benefits promised in the Covenant of Grace and that the bloud of Christ can procure for them they shall have forgivness of sinnes and salvation of Soul Therefore when we consider Christ hath dyed to have a flock and for saving of the flock and to make himself the God of peace through his bloud this should comfort us It remains we come to consider of the matter of the Prayer this is very full Make you perfect in every good work to doe his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight c. Here we are to observe two things First The matter of the Apostle's desire Secondly The measure of it The matter of his desire is that the Hebrewes may be made perfect in every good work to doe the will of God i. e. that they may be fully and thoroughly regenerate sanctified throughout both in soul and body and that they may be furnished with all graces and inabled for every duty Take notice of every one of the expressions First Make you perfect T is the duty of Christians to perfect every good work to cleanse themselves from all the impurity of flesh and spirit and to perfect Holinesse in the fear of the Lord 2 Cor. 7.1 Secondly In every good work in matters of Piety Righteousnesse Charity Sobriety for within these head most of those things may be comprehended that belong to Christians they will goe a very great way to make a perfect Christian but that Christian cannot be perfect that is not sanctified in every one of these Thirdly To doe his will that you may be ready chearfully willing to do his will on all occasions But how is it possible flesh and bloud should attain to this that they should be perfect to every good work Why saith the Apostle working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ Working in you You see thereby All our works depend on God's
and perpetuating of them 〈◊〉 and herein we must depend upon the faithfulness of The great Shepherd of the Sheep Doctor BATES's Forenoon SERMON HEB. 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the Bloud of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good Work to do his Will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever AMEN IT would give light to these words if you confider the scope and design of the Apostle in this Epistle to the Hebrews the sum of which is He writes to to them that he might Antidore their Spiâ—ies as gainst A postacy from the Doctrine of the Gospel they were liable to this upon a double account 1 Partly in respect of those Persecutions to which they were exposed for the Jews were filled with a bruitish zeal for the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law and exprest the greatest rancour against those who left Moses to follow Christ This is the reason why the Apostle lays down so many Preservatives against their revolting from Religion and he spends one part of this Epistle in a most passionate Exhortation to perseverance and doth in the tenth Chapter insinuate himself into them You have already tasted the first-fruits of affliction ver 34. You took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance This is that temper that Martyrs have exprest who have not onely parted with their goods but with their lives for the Gospel When they came to the Stake they would not so much as shed a tear to quench those flames wherein they should ascend to God as in a fiery Chatiot You took oyfully the spotling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have a better and an enduring substance Thus he insinuates himself by represening what they had done to encourage them to perseverance and partly he fortifies them against Back-sliding by those terrible Judgments which he threatned against Revolters as you may read Chap. 6. and 7. 2 As they were liable to this Apostacy upon the account of Persecution so upon the account of the unsettledness and instability of their own spirits There were several 〈◊〉 those who had given up their names to Christ who diâ—â— compare the Ceremonies of the Law with the purity of the Gospel Now the Apostle to secure them from this mixture his great design is to represent the vanity and infectiveness of all the Ceremonial Law and to â—â—press and prove the vertue and efficacy of the Lord â—â—sus his death which was the substance of all the shadows And this takes up one great part of his discourse with them Now in these two Verses he sums up by way of Recapitulation all that which he had discoursed of at large and in them you may observe these two thing 1 A Description of God to whom he addresses this Prayer 2 The Substance of the Prayer it self The Description of God that he amplifies by these two things 1 From the Attributes and Qualities of God if I may so express it Now saith he the God of Peace 2 From the effects of his power and love That brought again from the Dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep And these Titles they are not here set down to adorn his Discourse meerly as an Ornament but they have all a peculiar efficacy as to the obtaining of the request which here he makes for them I shall beâ—â— with the first the Description of God from that Attribute Now the God of Peace The Title that is used in the Old Testament frequently is this The Lord of Hosts but in the New he is called The God of Peace There were darker Representations of the mercy and love of God then the more full discoveries of his grace were reserveâ—â—ll the coming of Christ Their Discoveries under the Old Testament were but as the Day-Star whsch usher'd in the Sun of Righteousness Now this Title of the God of Peace imparts two things 1 That he is the Author of Peace and works it 2 That he loves and desights in Peace First That he is the Author of it And if you consider Peace in all iâ—s notions and kinds it is a fruit of God and that which descends from him First Peace in Nature is the Harmony that is between all the parts of the World the union that is between the dis-agreeing Elements this is from God for without him the whole Creation would presently disband and return to its first Chaos of confusion Secondly Civil Peace which is among the Societies of men that which is so amiable and lovely and which needs no other foil to commend it and set off its lustre than the miseries of War this Peace comes from God also When there is a subjection to just Laws this is from God Every rash hand is able to make a wound or cast a fire-brand but it is onely the God of Peace that is able to heal breaches to allay those storms that are in a Nation You know those showers which render the Earth fruitful descend from Heaven from God so all the counsels of Peace descend from above The fiery Exhalations ascend from the Earth Counsels of War and Disturbance proceed from the â—â—vilish hearts of men Or thirdly If you consider that Rational Peace which is in the spirits of men i. e. when the Understanding exercises a coercion and restraint over our licentious Appetites when all our inferior Faculties are under the Empire and Conduct of Reason this proceeds also from God For since the Fall there is a great deal of Tumult many Ryots and Disorders in the Soul of a man Reason hates a bad Guide and our Appetitoâ— those are evil Instruments and do many times hurry Reason from its regular actings But fourthly much more if you consider Spirituâ—â— Peace that Peace doth not onely import an agreemenâ— of a man within himself but the agreement of the Soâ—â— with God This is the fruit of the Spirit and it I only God that is able to convey this peace to us And upon a particular account this Title is given to him by way of eminency and propriety as 1 He is alone able to allow and dispense this peace to us for all our sins are injuries committed against him against his Crown and Dignity all the Arrests of Conscience are made in the name of God and therefore it is only He that can speak peace As in the Civil State it is an Act of Supremacy to give a pardon only he that can condemn is able to speak a pardon so it is that God that is our Judge provoked and incensed by us he that hath a judiciall power to cast body and soule into hell-fire is alone able to speak peace and passe a Pardon for us in the Court of Heaven and this is experienced
by a wounded spirit it is just with such a person as it is with a Malefactor who stands condemned at the Bar he cannot receive encouragement from any of his Spectators till the Judge speak peace to him So if an Angell from Heaven should come and speak to a wounded Spirit It were impossible unlesse God did order command and dispense it that the Spirit should receive any peace because our sins are immediatly committed against him 2 He is alone able to reveal and discover it There is nothing harder in the world than to calm and quiet a disturbed conscience it must be the same power that makes light to spring out of darknesse that must cause a cheerfull serenity in a dark and disconsolate soul I know there is nothing more easie than that false peace which is so universall in the world for the most amongst us cheat themselves with presumption instead of peace with God and security in stead of peace with conscience but that peace which is solid and true can only be revealed by God himself We have an instance of this in David Psal 51. although Nathan had told him from God Thy sinne is pardoned yeâ— notwithstanding he faith Mark thou me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce He still addresses himself to God that he would cause him to hear the voice of pardon and reconciliation for his soul could not be quiet by the voice of the Prophet There is so much infidelity in the soul of man that when he comes to take a view of his sinnes in all their bloudy aggravations only the Spirit of God himself is able to allay the terrots of the conscience And this he doâ—h by an overpowering light when he doth in an imperative and commanding manner silence all the doubts of the soule and establish it in peace with God Certainly he that shall but consider the terrors the faintings the palenesse of a wounded conscience when you shall see a person dis-relish all the things of the world upon this account â—â—â—ring lest God is his enemy when all discourses that â—â—e addressed to him are ineffectual and but like watâ—â— cloath to a dead carcase cannot inspire any heat into him Oh! this shewes only God is able to reveal peace So Job If he hide his face who is able to be at peace There needs no other fury to compleat the misery of a man than his own accusing conscience Conscience is a verier devil than the devill himself and able more to torment and lash the creature Therefore if that be once awakened 't is only God to whose tribunal conscience is liable which is able to speak peace to the soul Now you see in what respect this Title The God of peace is attributed to him as he is the Author and worker of it 2. As he loves and delights in peace This is that which is so pleasing to him that he adopts those into the line of Heaven who are Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Matth. 5.6 This characterizes persons to be his children to be ally'd to him God he only delights in reflection of his own Image for those things that we admire in the world and delight in do not affect his heart He delights not in the strength of the horse he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man The Lord taketh pleasure in them that feare him in those that hope in his mercy Nothing attracts his eye and heart but his own similitude and resemblance and therefore where he sees peaceable dispositions this is that which indeers the soul to him and makes it amiable in his eyes You may judge of his delight in peace by this it is that grace which in an especiall manner prepares us for communion with him for we can never really honour nor enjoy him unlesse we bring to him those dispositions which if I may so speak are in himselfe And therefore it is no wonder that those have little peace of conscience who make so litle conscience of peace You know when God appeared to Eliah he did not appear in the Storm nor in the Fire but in the small still voice and when Elisha was transported with anger he was fain to allay that passion by Musick that so he might be prepared for the holy motions of the Spirit he call'd for an instrument and then the Spirit moved in him I bring it for this end to shew how God delights in peace and he will only maintain communion with those that are of calm and peaceable spirits So much way as we give rash anger so much proportionably do we let in the Devil and cast ouâ— the God of peace Now the reason why this Title is given to God is upon a double account partly with respect to the Blood of the everlasting Covenant which made peace between God and us partly with respect to the Covenant it self which is founded in that Bloud 1 In respect of the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant For it was the blood of Christ that hath sprinkled Gods Throne and made peace in heaven You shall read therefore when Christ came into the world ' â—is said Luk. 2.14 that the heavenly Host appeared and sang Glory to God in the highest on earth peace c. Since the Fall God and man are enemies there is a reciprocall enmity between God and Man God hates the Creature as it is unholy and man hates God as he is just the avenger of sin the author of the Law Now Christ was the Umpire that composed this difference he was God and Man in one person and so being ally'd to both he was a fit person ro reconcile both He was as Job speaks a Dayes-man between us He hath paid every farthing that was due for he did not compound with God but paid the utmost that was due to him He it is that hath reconciled us to God by the power of his Spirit in châ—nging and renewing our natures and creating in us those difpositions which are like to God so than his Blond is the foundation of this peace And how God appears to us not as a consuming fire but as a refreshing light full of calmness serenity and peace towards us Christ he brought more honour to God by his obedience than we brought dishonour by our transgression and therefore without any injury to God he might be at peace with us You know all our sinnes were but the acts of finite creatures and only infinit in regard of the Object against whom they were câ—mmited But the Bloud of Christ was of infinite value in regard of the Subject for he was God and the inriching Union of the Deity conveyed such vâ—lue and worth to his Blood that he was able to appease God and not only to free us from condemnation but to make us the favorites of God We are not onely pardoned but preferrâ—d upon the account of his Bloud 2 He is the God of
me so long as I live look aâ— the drowning man holds fast that which is cast forth for to save him as the Souldier holds fast his Sword and Buckler on which his life depends So saith Job I will hold fast my integrity my heart shall not reproach me I had rather all the world should reproach me and my heart justify me then that my heart should reproach me and all the world justify me that man will make but a sad exchange that shall exchange his integrity for any worldly concernment Integrity maintained in the soul will be a feast of fat things in the worst of dayes but let a man loose his Integrity and it is not in the power of all the world to make a feast of fat things in that soul Leg. 9. That I would leave with you is this Let not a day passe over your head without calling the whole man to an exact accompt Well where have you been acting to day Hands what have you done for God to day Tongue what have you spoke for God to day this will be an advantage many wayes unto you but I can only touch on these Legacies Leg. 10. Labour mightily for a healing Spirit This Legacy I would leave with you as matter of great concernment Labour mightily for a healing spirit away with all discriminating names whatâ— ever that may hinder the applying of Balm to heaâ— your wounds labour for a he ling spirit discord and division become no Christian for Wolves tâ— worry the Lambs is no wonder but for one Laâ—â— to worry another this is unnaturall and monstrous God hath made his wrath to smoak against us for the divisions and heart-burnings that have been amongst us Labour for a onenesse in love and affection with every one that is one with Christ let their forms be what they will that which wins most upon Christs heart should winn most upon ours and that is his owne Grace and Holinesse The question should be What of the Father What of the Son What of the Spirit shines in this or that person and accordingly let your love and your affections run out That is the tenth Legacy Leg. 11. Be most in the spirituall exercises of Religion Improve this Legacy for much of the life and comfort joy and peace of your souls is wrapt up in it I say be most in the Spiritual exercises of Religion There are externall exercises as hearing preaching praying and conference and there are the more spirituall exercises of Religion exercise of Grace Meditation Self-judging self-tryall and examination Bodily exercise will profit nothing if abstracted from those more spirituall The glory that God hath and the comfort and advantage that will redound to your souls is mostly from the spirituall exercises of Religion How rare is it to find men in the work of Meditation of Tryall and examination and of bringing home of truths to their owne soules Leg. 12. Take no truths upon trust but all upon tryall 1 Thes 5.21 So 1 John 4.1 Act. 17.11 It was the glory of that Church that they would not trust Paul himself Paul that had the advantage above all for externall qualifications no not Paul himself Take no truth upon trust bring them to the ballance of the Sanctuary if they will nor hold weight there reject them Leg. 13. The lesser and fewer opportunities and advantages you have in publique to better and enrich your souls the more aboundantly addresse your souls to God in private Malac. 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another c. Leg. 14. Walk in those wayes that are directly crosse and contrary to the vain sinfull and superstitious wayes that men of a formall carnall lukewarm spirit walk in this is the great concernment of Christians But more of that by and by Leg. 15. Lock upon all the things of this world as you will look upon them when you come to dye At what a poor rate do men look on the things of this world when they come to dye What a low value do men set upon the pomp and glory of iâ— when there is but a step between them and eternity Men now may put a maske upon them but then they will appeare in their own colours Men would not venture the losse of such great things for them did they but look on them now as they will doe at the last day Leg. 16. Never put off your Conscience with any plea or with any argument that you dare not stand by in the great day of your accompt It 's dreadfull to consider how many in these dayes put off their consciences We did this and that for our families they would have else perished I have complyed thus and wronged my conscience thus for this and that concernment Wil a man stand by this argument when he comes before Jesus Christ at the last day Because of the souls of men many plead this or that Christ doth not stand in need of indirect wayes to save soules he hath wayes enough to bring in soules to himselfe Leg. 17. Eye more minde more and lay to heart more the Spirituall and Internall workings of God in your soules than the externall Providences of God in the world Beloved God looks that we should consider the operations of his hand and the despising the works of his hands is so provoking to him that he threatens them to lead them into Captivity for not considering of them But above all look to the work that God is carrying on in your soules not a soul but he is carrying on some work or other in it either blinding or enlightning bettering or worstening and therefore look to what God is doing in thy soul All the motions of God within you are steps to eternity and every soul shall be blest or curst saved oâ— lost to all eternity not according to outward dispensations but according to the inward operations of God in your souls Observe what humbling work reforming work sanctifying work he is about in thy spirit what he is doing in that little world within thee If God should carry on never so glorious a work in the world as a conquest of the Nations to Christ What would it advantage thee if sin Sathan and the world should triumph in thy soul and carry the day there Leg. 18. Look as well on the bright side as on the darke side of the cloud on the bright side of Providence as well as on the dark side of Providence Beloved there is a great weaknesse amongst Christians they doe so pore on the dark side of the Providence as that they have no heart to consider of the bright side If you look on the dark side of the Providence of God to Joseth How terrible and amazing was it But if you look on the bright side his forescore yeares raign How glorious was it If you look on the dark side of the Providence of God to David in his five yeares banishment much will arise to startle
charge that God hath been at that you have grown no more into communion with God and conformity to God and into the lively hope of the everlasting fruition of God Here are your Legacies and the Lord make them to work in your souls and then they will be of singular use to you to preserve you so that you may give up your accompt before the great and glorious God with joy Labour to make conscience of putting these Legacies into practice of sucking at these breasts which will be of use to us till we shall be gathered up into the fruition of God where we shall need no more Ordinances no more preaching or praying Mr. MEDE His Fare-wel SERMON 1 Cor. 1.3 Grace be unto you and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ YOu will wonder possibly that I should pitch on the Apostles Salutation for my Valediction and make that the Conclusion of my Preaching which he made the Beginning of his Writing and therefore I have made a double Plea for it I find that this was a form of Blessing peculiar to this Apostle both in the beginning and end of this Epistle for as there is scarcely one Epistle but begins with it so many end with it likewise As in Eph. 6. ver ult The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit So in the 2d of the Thessalonians the last verse of the last Chapter The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all So that I finding the Apostle to use it frequently at the beginning and end of his Writing I thought as I made it the matter of my prayer for you in the beginning so I might make it my farewel to you in the ending and therefore Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ Besides this As Isaac said to his Jacob concerning his Venison when his Father asked him How he found it so quickly he answered Because the Lord thy God brought it to me The same I may say of this Scripture for Considering of what subject I should speak in my last Labours here among you this Scripture came to my thoughts and opening the Book came immediately to my sight and therefore I may say God brought it to me Which I no sooner looked upon but methinks I saw the Apostle on Mount Ger sim and his mouth filled with blessing for what greater blessing can a man wish then that which comprehends all blessings and that is Grace and Peace Being therefore now to part I thought to go to the top of the Mount and leave with you Grace and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ In which words there are two generals 1. A double Blessing desired 2. A double Spring discovered 1. A double Blessing desired and that is Gratâ— and Peace Grace is of all Blessings the richest Peace is of all Comforts the sweetest both these the Apostle begs for the Corâ—nthians and so do I for you Beloved Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ 2. Here is a double Fountain discovered and that is the Father and the Son God and Christ The Father is called the God of Grace the Son is called the Prince of Peace not that grace is from the Father without Peace nor Peace from the Son without grace but both grace and peace are from God the Father through the Lord Christ The Order of the words is worth noting Grace be to you and peace First grace then peace for there can be no peace without grace nor grace but there will be peace but there can be no true peace but from God nor from God but as he is a Father nor from God as a Father but as our Father and he cannot be said to be our Father but through our Lord Jesus Christ and therefore he saith Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ both are manifested as a golden Chain linked together not grace without peace nor peace without grace but both conjoyned together to cram the believers soul with grace and peace Now from the Order of the words we might raise several Observations 1. That Peace is the fruit of Grace 2. That Grace and Peace are both from God 3. That Love which is the spring of Grace and Peace is from God as a Father 4. That we share not in his Love but only as he is our Father All is from propriety First Our Father then Grace and Peace from God our Father 5. That God is our Father onely through Christ But before we draw any thing from the Text by way of Observation we will speak to the terms by way of Explication Grace be to you What is here meant by Grace This is a sweet word iâ— perfumes the breath it cherishes the Conscience 〈◊〉 warms the Heart it ravishes the Soul As the Spouse was ravished with the rayes of Christs glory so Christ revives the Soul with one of his Gracious rayes discovered to the Heart Grace is the life of the Soul thou art dead till grace quickens thee thou art lost till grace finds thee undone till grace saves thee Grace is the Marna of Angelsâ— the spiritual Bread which those that are holy in being 〈◊〉 rished with and subsist by Angels live on 〈◊〉 and stand by Grace Man that shares in the grace of God is made fellow-Communor with Angels eats Angels food and shares in Angels blessings Grace is the substance of the Scripture the end of the Law the fulness of the Gospel Gregory calls it the Heart and Soul of God I am sure Grace is the Heart and Soul of the Word It 's a little word but it comprehends all good here is more then Homers Iliads in a Nut-shell it 's the Epitome of all the good in Heaven and Earth name any word that signifies good to the Soul here or hereafter and it is found in the Index in this little word Grace Grace comprehends Gods love to us and out love to God and as Gods love to us is the sum of all Mercy so our love to God is the sum of all Duty grace is the new birth of the Soul whereby it takes up another Nature a new Nature a spiritual God-like Nature as Christ was born and thereby took on him the Nature of man and was made flesh so man is born by grace and thereby takes upon him the Nature of God and is made Spirit and here you have at once the great Mystery of grace in the lowest debasement of a Saviour and the highest advancement of a Sinner For the Lord Christ could not be more debased then to be born It was nothing so great an abasement for Christ to dye as for him to be born for being once made man it is no wonder for to dye but being the great God it s a wonder that ever he should be made man Lo here is the
in sin that he is a stranger to the life of Grace hence ariseth all his spiritual troubles now the Spirit of God comes in and resolves the case comes into the soul by his bright Reflections and fills our souls with comfort Now 〈◊〉 have received not the spirit of the world but the Spâ—â— which is of God 4. The Spirit of God is a comforting Spirit as he openeth the vein of godly sorrow in the soul Truly this is the next way to spiritual comfort when a man can once spiritually mourn for sin Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Godly forrow opens the vein and le ts out the matter that hinders comfort and causeth inward trouble in the soul A gracious man takes a great delight in godly forrow Oh! it s a matter of marvellous comfort to a Child of God when he can kindly mourn for his sins 5. The Spirit of God comforts the soul as he is 〈◊〉 mortifying Spirit Thus he takes away that that is the ground and matter of Believers trouble mortifying that sin that is the cause of his sorrow pride unbelief inordinate love to the world 6. The Spirit of God works comfort in the hearts of his people by setting their own spirit to seek for comfort in Gods own wayes The last thing I did for the Explication of the Doctrine was to add some Propositions and they were 〈◊〉 as these 1. Many a gracious heart that hath fellowship with the Spirit of God in his sanctifying work may feel 〈◊〉 find none in his comforting work The Sun 〈◊〉 operate where it doth not shine A ma◠〈…〉 of salvation when he doth not feel the joyâ—â— of 〈…〉 Isa 51.3 You shall find those that fear the Lord and had the comforts of the Holy Ghost yet walked in darkness 2. Even those gracious souls that have the fellowship of the â—nnforting Spirit to day may want it to morrow This is not daily bread while the Saints are on this side Heaven The Solstice of a Christians comfort doth not last all the day long they are not feasted with this every day they have the night as well as the day there is a night as well as a day in the heart of a gracious soul as it is in natural in the common course of nature the Sun may shine to day but it may be clouded to morrow Thus it was with that holy man Psal 30.7 Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mount ain 〈◊〉 stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And God doth this in infinite wisdom to put a difference between Earth and Heaven this valley of tears and that state of glory that so the hearts of Gods people may be kept in a frame of longing after the state of Heaven Godâ—wil have his people be groaning here that his people may groan after that condition when all sorrowing and sighing shall flee away God reserves perfect comfort to be the reward of perfect holiness while our graces are imperfect we most make account that our comfort will be so too Tears will be never wiped from our eyes til sin be quite takeâ— out of our hearts 3. Those that have had this spirituall comfort in their souls they may lose not only the impression of the Spirits comâ—nt but they may feel impressions of Gods anger Heman complaâ—â— that the wrath of God did hang upon him and that the 〈◊〉 of God had cut him off A gracious heart hath real grouâ—â—â—â— of consolation though he hath not present sensible comfort A child of God hath alwayes that that if he did see he could not be without comfort the Promises are his support he hath the first fruits of the Spirit and right to eaâ—â—nal life A child of God shall always have so much to keep upâ— hopes and affiance upon God a child of God in the daâ—est condition though he doth not see enough to make 〈◊〉 rejoyce in God yet he sees enough to make him trust iâ— God though he walk in darkness and see no light yet he trusts in God Job sayes Though the Lord slay him yet be would trust in him David was in great trouble while â—e was in that disquiet expostulation Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God 5 Those that have inward comforts from the spirit may at the same time have little comfort from Gods outward dispensations It may be dark without when it 's light within while Stephen sees nothing but blood here below he saw Heaven above And Christ tells his Disciples In the world they should have tribulation but in him they should have peace 6 And lastly Though this be one great work of the spirit of God to comfort the hearts of Christs Disciples yet there are some speciall seasons where in the Spirit of God gives out this comfort There are seasons of sadnesse there is a season of heavinesse there is need of it There is a time to weep and a time to laugh and a time to mourn and a time to dance I shewed you some of the Seasons 1 One special Season of the Spirits comforting the renewed soul is presently upon the souls first salvation After the Spirit is become a Spirit of Adoption presently it becomes a Spirit of Consolation after the Spirit hath come into the Soul in the Law it then nextly appears a Spirit in the Gospel 2 Another season when the Spirit gives out this comfort is just before the Lord layes upon his people any great afflictâ—â— on When was it that Christ was transfigured and his face did shinc as the Sun it was immediately before his blood passion Christ was first taken into the Mount before 〈◊〉 was up lifted upon the Crosse When was the 〈◊〉 heard This is my beloved Son in whom I am well 〈◊〉 but just before he was led into the wildecessâ— to be tempted When was Paul lifted up into Heaven it was immediately before Satan was sent to buffer him Thus God gives his people somthing before-hand to support their spirits that they may not faint the Disciples were full of comfort Acts 5.41 and when was this immediately just before they were carried before the Council and whipt up and down like Vagabonds Rogues for Preaching the Gospel 3. Another Season when the Spirit gives out this Comfort is in the time of suffering God comes in the nick of time especially if a man suffer for righteousnesse sake if his suffering be upon the account of Christ he seldome fails to send the Comforter for the relieving of his spirit 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Bodily confinement and inward streights are the time of the Souls greatest enlargement John had his Vision iâ— the Isle of Patmos When a child of God is brought to a piece of bread then
is the season for God to feed him with heavenly Manna Jacob had glorious Visions while he was flying from the wrath of his Brother when he had nothing but a heap of stones for his Pillow It was in the wilderness that God speakes to his Church Thus I told you of Mr. Glover a Prisoner who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment but when he was going to the stake he cryed out He is come he is come meaning the Spirit the Comforter 4. Another Season of Comfort is after some special exercise of Grace godly sorrow for sin fresh actings in the pardon of sin and new engagements and Resolutions and Promises of more close walking with God after declining from him 5. Another Season of Comfort is After some great Trials and afflictions Light is then most pleasant when we new are come out of a dark place after Thunder comes Lightâ—ing after a storme comes a calm God led his people first into the Wilderness and then into the Land of Canuâ—◠〈◊〉 is often so in Godâ— Dispensations towards his people thâ—â— greatest afflictions go before their greatest deliverance and therefore let not the Saints of God despair when they are at the lowest when they walk in darkness and see no light yet set them trust in the Lord. 6 Another Season of Comfort is When men are conscientiously diligent in their particular Callings then they walk with God To this I gave you an instance in the Shepherds they were faithful and diligent in their callings they were watching over their flocks by night and then the Angel comes and tells them Lo you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2.11 A company of poor Shepherds keeping of their Sheep God appears unto them and manifesteth his comforting presence when the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding all their long prayers and their strict Rites and Ceremonies hear not a word of him 7 Another Season of Comfort is When we are either preparing for or in the spiritual act of some duty When grace is exercised to prepare the heart to pray and in attendance upon such an Ordinance then often times the Spirit of God is with them to let poor souls in their endeayours find acceptance with God Hannah had been praying to God but what melody did she find in her heart When Mary sate at Christs feet how doth Christ fill her heart with comfort sealing up her salvation to her I now come to close with some application Use of Information Use If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the beaâ— of Christs Disciples then by way of Information I gather this That a poor soul is very hardly setled and satisfied in 〈◊〉 of comfort Sure it is a hard matter to comfort a poor 〈◊〉 when one of the persons of the blessed Trinity must be â—â—ployed on purpose to do it This is an Office belongâ—â—â— the Holy Ghost when he is to be the Paraclete the comâ—â—â— of the Holy Ghost This sure is a hard matter to comâ—â—â— the wounded spirit when the soul is fully 〈…〉 spirâ—◠〈◊〉 bondage Oh! the hesitancies the jealousies the doâ—â—â— and fears the objections that a poor soul makes against 〈◊〉 spiritual peace and comfort now it begins to take comfort then it doubts again now he believeth and takes courage but anon he is afraid there is a great deal adoe to fasten comfort upon a poor soul 2 Cor. 1.21 22. What a heap of words are there together and it is all little enough to comfort a poor soul Now he that establisheth us with you on Christ and hath annointed us is God and hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts It is not without much tugging and drawing that the soul is first brought to beleeve and then when it doth believe it is a hard thing to perswade it that it doth believe There is a strange kind of squemishness upon the heart he thinks that there is no comfort to be taken that doth belong to him Luther says It is a harder thing to comfort a troubled Conscience than to raise the dead Surely it must be as hard when nothing but the sauâ—â— power must do it The soul is hardly convinced but all the glad ridings of the Gospel are golden streams and all the Promises are 〈◊〉 pleasant Fancies without any Reality but that these things should belong to him this he cannot believe for want of Faith So that the Spirit of God is fain to come in and end the controversie before the soul will be satisfied 2. If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the hearts of his people then all the comfort of Christless and graceless souls is nothing worth there is no true peace for they are not the Disciples of Christ which are the propâ—â— subjects of this comfort they will not hearken to 〈◊〉 nor learn of Christ but they cast his words behind their back and break his bands a sunder Those that do not learn Christs precepts and follow Christs Canons and obey Christs Commands they are none of Christs Disciples and to be sure they have not the 〈◊〉 of Christ which is the Efficient â—n this 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the root there cannot be the fruit for this inward peace 〈◊〉 the fruit of the spirit And therefore what comfort they have it is either a sinful comfort which to be sure will end in sorrow or else at best it is but a carnal comfort which wil soon vanish like the crackling of thorns under a Pot There is no peace saith God to the wicked there is no peace with God as long as you are at peace with sin 3. Here they are stumbled with the riddle that the people of God should be sorrowing yet always rejoycing as sorrowing yet always rejoycing the carnal world think this to be a contradiction though they be troubled without yet they have peace within though they have matter of sorrow in respect of outward affliction yet they have fellowship with the holy Ghost the Comforter which gives peace in affliction joy in sorrow light in darkness which fils them with joy unspeakable and full of glory Secondly If the holy Ghost be the only Comforter of the hearts of Gods people then let me exhort every one of you to labour for an interest in this Comforter Friends I beseech you be restless till you have got some evidence of the Comforter in your souls by the inhabitation of the Spirit in your hearts without you have an interest in Christ there is no comfort no true comfort to be expected no comfort in prosperity no comfort in adversity no comfort in life nor in death no peace with your consciences Men may make a shift to keep themselves at quiet for the present by lulling conscience they may have a kind of peace from a false principle Ah but what wil you do when storms arise whâ—â— wil you do
when death affliction comes Jonas lay quietly asleep till the storm came O my Friends we must shortly lie a dying the Lord knows how soon O what wil you do for comfort in a dying hour all other comforts may forsake you before that time you may meet with sorrow heavy afflictions so that all your friends in the world wil not do you good your friends may fail your hearts may fail then no comfort but the comfort of the Holy Ghost will do you good the time may come that all your friends may prâ—â—â—â— miserable comforters when God comes to 〈◊〉 with the soâ—â— to set sin home upon the conscience to lay sin before us then what will you do We are all guilty of sins of omission and sins of commission when these come to be changed upon the soul what will you then do Then no plaister of comfort wil stick but those of the Spirits laying on unless the Spirit seal up the pardon of sin the love of God to the soul nothing will be quiet and comfort the soul however men may be merry for a time yet there is a time of sorrow that will come when they shall reflect upon their ways when they shall see nothing but sin behind them and terrors before them Oh! what amazement will seize upon their souls they have no interest in God in Christ they have no interest in the Promises there is nothing that will comfort you unless you have an interest in the Spirit But then what shall I do that I may get this comforting Spirit into my Soul First Thirst earnestly after it The promise is made to those that thirst after it Isa 44.3 Thirst after him in his convincings in his humblings in his sanctifying mercy Oh let the desire and longing of thy soul run out this way no matter for an Estate no matter for friends and outward comforts if thou hast the Spirit of God thou hast that is paramount to all outward comforts Secondly Pray earnestly for the Spirit You are not so willing to give your children what they want as God is to give his Spirit to them that ask it Cry mightily Lord give me thy Spirit and cry to the Spirit and say as Laban to Jacob Come in so pray the Spirit so come into thy Soul Thirdly If you would have this Comforter to come and abide with you You must resolve to become Christs Disciples It is only for such that Christ prays that God would send the Comforter you must hearken and obey him and follow him wheresoever he goeth You know the terms upon which you must be Christs Disciple Matth. 16 24. He must deny himself and take up his Cross and daily follow Christ He 〈◊〉 deny him-self There is two selfs in a man nay three selfs and they must be denied but however 〈…〉 two must be denied if you intend to be Christs Disciple 1 A mans righteous self If any thing that we are that we have or can do from our works or duties any thing of our own all must be denied in point of Justification 2 Sinful self A mans corruptions must be denied pride passion and love to the world 3 Natural self Friends Estates Relations Credit and Honor and outward comforts these may be denied you may be called to part with them but if they come in competition with Christ they must be denied 2 You must take up the Cross of Christ rather then forsake his honour or disobey his commands You must resolve to follow Christ wheresoever he shall lead you either in a way of active or passive obedience you must take up Christs load you must undergo his burden Now Christians are you resolved upon this now sit down and consider what it will cost you to be Christians and if you would have the best you must be contented with the worst and if you are resolved upon this then you are the true Disciples of Christ and you are under the promise of his comfort and Christ is praying the Father to send you another Comforter who shall abide with you for ever The second use of Exhortation 2 Use Is of Exhortation wherein I shall apply my self to the true Disciples of Christ those that have had communion with Christ in his sanctifying presence labour after communion with him in his comforting presence To all others that are without the Spirit of God I may say as Jehu to Jehoram What hast thou to do with these things Labour to be convinced of the need and want of Christ but such as have been partakers of the Spirit of Christ as a sanctifying spirit labour after communion with him as a comforting spirit and to this end I shall stir you up to this 1 By way of Motive 2 By way of Comfort First By way of Motive Though you have some comsort it is but little in comparison of what you may have and in comparison of what you may stand in need of though a Saint would not change the saddest hour of his life for the sweetest hour in his former condition If the Saints of God did enjoy the comforts that they might oh what blessed lives might they live but they are so full of trouble as if there were no holy Ghost the Comforter The people of God are oftentimes troubled without a cause as that holy man Why art thou cast down oh my soul He could not render a true account of his trouble he was sad but he could not tell why or wherefore 2 When there is cause they are apt to be troubled without measure In those cases where it is a sin not to be troubled at all the people of God are apt to be troubled overmuch as the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt It were a sin for them not to be troubled but they were so full of troubles that they could not hearken to Moses and Aaron and so the Disciples in the Text it were a sin for them not to be troubled for the absence of Christs body but so to be troubled as if God could not comfort them without him this was their weakness And to come to our case it were a sin to slight this Dispensation of God that is coming upon us if we should not be troubled for the loss of the Ministers of Jesus Christ but to mourn before God under the sense of this Dispensation to mourn so much as to think that when these are gone all is gone to be so much troubled as not to hearken to the words of the Text That we have a Comforter I remember an admirable expression of a child to his mother when his father was dead to shew That out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings God can manifest his praise Why Mother says the child though my Father be dead yet God is alive May I not say so to you Though your Ministers be as it were naturally dead yet is not God alive is not the Spirit of God alive Though you have some
comfort yet you have little in comparison of what you may have if you seek for it 2 Study the excellent nature of the comfort how little soever a man hath of this spiritual comfort it will sweeâ— his condition be it what it will be When a man hath communion with the Spirit of God he hath comfort in all conditions then though a mans condition be never so bad yet it is very good Hab. 2.17 Though the Fig-tree shall not blossome though the fruit be not in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall cease and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation He can fetch hope and ground his faith upon the Promises though the Providences and Dispensations of God be never so mysterious the comfort of the Spirit doth make up the want of all other comforts the comforts of Ordinances are sweet comforts Sermons-comforts are sweet comforts Sacraments-comforts are sweet comforts Ah but the comfort of the Spirit can supply the want of all these all outward crosses do not hinder these inward comforts a man that hath these comforts may have a feast with bread and water a little of this comfort is able to sweeten a whole Ocean of sorrow In the multitude of the thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psal 94.10 So that when the hearts of Gods people are filled with sad thoughts what will become of themselves What will become of their Families what will become of the Church of God what will become of the Ministry of the Gospel and of the Ordinances of Christ they are full of sad fears and distracting thoughts when they have a multitude of thoughts in the midst of all these spiritual comforts can comfort and refresh the soul Oh labour after a greater share of this comfort God hath cast us upon sad times wherein we shall have need of more than ordinary comfort we are like to have troubles without if we have not peace within it will be very sad we are like to lose much of Christ bodily presence I mean in his Ordinances many of those Messengers that represent the person of Christ and stand in his stead if we should not enjoy the other Comforter our estates would be doleful If we have darkness without and darkness within how sad will that darkness be 3. Labour to get more communion from the Spirit of God This will raise and sublimate your natural comforts and turn them into spiritual comforts A man never relisheth these outward comforts till he come to taste the ravishment and sweetness of the holy Ghost till he taste the love of God these give them a higher lustre than the men of the world though they enjoy much comfort yet they do not enjoy half that a Child of God doth the litttle that the righteous hath is better than the great revenues of the wicked to a Child of God a Dinner of green hearbs is more savory and pleasant to him than the stalled Oxe because a Child of God hath better sauce with it Worldly men they smell to their flowers it is only the godly man that sucks out the honey that all things are given to him in love out of this he sucks comfort A gracious heart sees all these outward comforts that they are purchased with the blood of Christ and therefore these should do him good and he may take comfort that he hopes for what he hath not as well as for what he may have and he may take comfort in his condition be it what it will he sees all is for his good such a one believeth what he feeth not So he believeth Gods wayes are wayes of truth though some more sweet and some more bitter Labour after communion with the Spirit in his comforting work is another This is the best preservative against all intanglements of sin whatsoever It is a great hour of temptation and if our comforts do not lie above the world we shall be greatly ensnared by the world If a man 〈◊〉 sweet meats he cannot relish ordinary food so while these sweet comforts lie upon the soul he cannot relish these ordinary things in the world What do ye tempt me with these things sayes a Child of God what are these to the comforts of the Holy Ghost The heart of man will seek comfort one way or another and if he hath it not from the Spirit of God he will seek it some other way it he hath not comfort from the Spirit of God he will seek somâ— sparks of his own kindling rather then they will sit in darkness without comfort they will light their candle at the Devils sire And as he delivereth from temptation on the right so he delivereth from temptation on the left hand he that is filled with the comforts of the holy Ghost what are sufferings to such a man He hath that within him that wil carry him through all danger here is that comfort and that life by Christ which may ease us in our greatest crosses this will make a child of God speak of the sufferings of this World as a light matter Our light affliction which is but for a moment shall work out for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory they took joyfully the spoyling of their goods because in heaven they had a better and more enduring substance Heb. 11.35 Some were tortured receiving no deliverance because in heaven they had a better substance Oh if you would be kept from the snares of the world let your comforts be above the power and danger of temptation from any thing here below 3 By way of Direction How shall we have communion and act Faith upon the holy Ghost as our Comforter The holy Ghost is designed and appointed by God the Father to this Office Now you know none love to be slighted in their office and if we do not act Faith upon the holy Ghost we slight his Office therefore we should have recourse to him in a way of believing As we should act Faith upon Christ for the pardon of sin so we should act Faith upon the holy Ghost for a sense of that pardon 2 Go often to Jesus Christ and beg him and beseech him to intreat the Father for you Go to God the Father in the name of Christ and beg it upon the account of Christs prayer and intercession that he would send the Comforter and you have good argument to enforce the Petition the very same as the Disciples That Christ would when he wâ—â—â— away pray the Father and he should send you another Comforter Christ tells them that some there were that would kill theâ— and in so doing think they did God good service therefore Christ in compassion to them in the state that he left them in prayes the Father that he would send the Comforter So now we
must go to God those Ministers that were wont to comfort us are now to be taken from us our Barnabaâ—'s Sons of consolation their mouths are to be stopped though Ordinances are now to be dammed up the houses of God made places of defilement our Teachers are removed into corners our troubles increase and we have none to tell us how long the light of our eys the comfort of our hearts in respect of the outward means are going from us whither shall we go we want bread for our souls we want cordials for our hearts blessed Saviour pity us and since thou wilt not come to us in thy own presence as thy Ambassadors do come to us by thy Spirit do now in heaven as thou didst on earth pray the Father for us do not leave us as so many Orphans without father or mother but send thy Spirit to refresh our souls see how we are hated and reviled and we must suffer these things now Let us have thy spirit 3 If you would have communion with the Spirit of Christ in his comforting work Take heed that you do not lay up your comforts in the creature This is for to seek for the living among the dead those that rejoyce in the creature rejoyce in a thing of nought and you that have an interest in God God will not take it well at your hands to seek it any where else no not in Ordinances though God would have you to seek comfort in Ordinances yet he would not have you to seek comfort from Ordinances 4 Sit down and be much in duty Psal 63.5 6. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches If you look at the beginning of the Psalm you shall find this Psalm was penn'd when David was deprived of the Ordinances of God Many a man complains that he lives uncomfortably no wonder when he little thinks on Christ 5 Be much in the exercise of grace Then they walked in the fear of the Lord when they walked in the comfort of the Holy Ghost 6. Take heed of quenching and grieving the Spirit your Comforter by neglecting his motions or by acting any thing against the mind of the Spirit Do not sin against him as your enlightning Spirit that will hinder him as your Comforter I close with a word of Comfort to the people of God If it be one of the great works of the Spirit of God here is matter of great comfort to those that stick close to Jesus Christ 1. Sure your comforts will be satisfying Comforts sufficient because they are comforts of the Spirits working The Lord Jesus hath promised to make up the want of his bodily presence by sending his Spirit He was now going from them and tells them That he could not stay and this was sad newes to the Disciples who where ready to break their hearts and the best comfort that he could afford them was to tell them That he would send the Comforter If Christ can comfort his people in the absence of himself surely he can comfort them in the want of all other comforts that relate either to soul or body and so in the want of mercies in the want of outward Ordinances he can comfort the soul It is the Spirit of God that can comfort in the use of these and if he will he can do it in the want of them he can comfort us in the wildernesse where no water is when he doth deny the meanes he can cumfort us without where he denies the stream he can make us drink out at the Fountain 7. And Lastly The people of God find hereby that their comforts are abiding Your liberty your friends ah Ordinances and Ministers may be taken from you your Ministers may be banish'd your Ministers may be imprison'd but here is a Comforter that abides for ever And though they may keep your Ministers out of the Pulpit yet they shall not take the Comforter out of your hearts So that when I shall not Preach any more to you I shall Pray the Father that he would send you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Mr. Bull of Newington-Green His Farewel Sermon in the afternoon Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his Grace who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified THe words are part of S. Pauls Farewel-Sermon or discourse to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus one of those famous seven Churches of Asia that we read of in the book of the Revelations It is not to be doubted as Calvin doth Comment upon the place that though the Apostle speaks immediately to the Elders yet he doth comprehenâ— the whole Church in the Speech Our holy Apostle had been a long time with the Church preaching among them taking pains with them both in publick and private as you may see in the 20 verse and declares to them the whole Counsel of God verse 27. and now being called away taken off by divine Providence by the will of his Master the last and best office that he thought he could do for them was to commit them to the care of God and to leave them in his arms and to recommend them to his Grace It would be more then the time would permit to look over the whole Apostles Sermon which is partly Narrative and partly Consolatory Narrative to put them in mind in what manner he had preached to them from verse 17. to verse 27. And it s partly Consolatory from the 27. to the Text wherein the Apostle could hold no longer but his love constrains him and makes him to break forth into this pathetical wish or rather prayer And now Brethren I commend you to his grace As if he had said I am just now going 〈◊〉 you not knowing that I shall see your face any more now I am a dying man as to my conversing with you anâ— more now I am departing this is the best Legacie I can bequeath unto To commend you to God and to his grace And he speaks to persons as standing in the same relation with God and Christ and having the same Father and the same elder Brother As if he should have said you are as dear to me as my own flesh as if you were my brethren by consanguinity and it is my sorrow that I must leave you but as it is my greatest grief to part with you yet I must leave you and this is the comfort that I shall leave you in safe hands I do not leave you to the wide world I do not leave you as Orphans without a Father as Sheep without a Shepherd but I commend you to God and to his grace O happy word Though I must leave you yet I trust God who is able will keep you as God is present every-where
hear I take it for granted you will hear I hope you will for brown bread is better then none and a little is better then none at all yet I intreat you take these two words of Direction First Try the word you hear by the Truth Secondly Try your selves by the Truth First Try the word you hear by the Truth if it be not consonant to that believe it not let who will preâ—ch it Paul exhorteth the Galatians so to do Chap. 1.8 9. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other doctrine unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him he accursed How Paul accursed sure you speak too high what if an Angel must he be accursed Sure you will câ—ll in your words again nay instead thereof he repeats them over again as we said before so I say again if any one preach any other Gospel then that which you have received let him be accursed If any man pretend a Revelation from Heaven and cannot bring Scripture for what he saith do not believe one syllable Take the noble Bereans for your example they would nor believe Pauls doctrine until they had searched to see whether it were so or no but then as you are to tâ—y the word you hear by the truth so try your selves by the word you hear as a truth that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Now try your selves by this truth and see whether or no you walk after the flesh or after the Spirit I have likewise two Directions about the preaching the Word First Do not you receive the Word for the persons sake that brings it I am apt to think that many of you will receive a Truth of one mans bringing which you would not receive of anothers and thus ye receive the Word of God with respect of persons which you ought not but first receive the Word for its own sake and secondly receive the person for the Words sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. we beseech you brethren to know them which are over you to 〈◊〉 monish you and labour among you in the Lord and to esteem of 〈◊〉 very highly in love for their works sake Sixthly My direction in the sixth place shall be concerning 〈◊〉 times we live in and I shall tell you how you ought to behave 〈◊〉 selves in two particulars First Blame thy self most that the times are so bad there is a general complaint about the sadnesse of the times but no particular every one puts the cause away from him and instead of accusing themselves are alwayes accusing others Ahab he said to Elisha Thou art he that troubled Israel Elisha said to Ahab Thou art he that troubled Israel Adam said to God The Woman which thou gavest me did give to me and I did eat The woman she said The Serpent beguiled her Thus do we put it off from our selves to others No man saith with Jonas for my sake is this come upon you I am the cause of all this No man saith what have I done would you have the times mend Oh then every soul of you condemn your selves and amend your wayes the times would not be so bad if we were not so bad would you have the effect cease then seek to remove the cause But then Secondly Pray not so much for better times as better hearts for had you never so good times and not good hearts your blessings would be cursings good times without good hearts will but fatten you the sooner to the slaughter Seventhly If you cannot do the good you would then do the good you can many people are so sullen that because they cannot do all they would do they will do none at all I beseech you be not of this temper what though you cannot serve God in publick will you not therefore serve him in private why may you not do as S. Austin was bid to do tolle legit take up and read this will be a reading and praying time with you and now you cannot hear as formerly you have done oh pray more and read more and the less you have in Publick the more you may have in private you may read and pray we are not forbidden that yet let us then make use of them Eightly My intreaty is unto you all that you would be careful and circumspect in your conversation Ephes 5.15.16 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Walk as becometh the Professiors of the Cospel and labour to be blameless towards God and man Oâ— what notice will there be taken when any Professor doth but 〈◊〉 aside and do any thing amiss it is the joy of wicked mens hearts to see it and how diligently do they watch for it and often wish iâ— We have a Proverb That one man may better steal a Horse then â—â—â—ther look on I am sure a wicked man may better commit sevon sins then a Professor one for it is the failings the bad lives of Professors that makes Religion ill spoken of and hinders many a weak soul from closing with it sure think they their Religion cannot be good their conversations are so bad let us therefore be wary and careful in all our actions Ninthly Mourn and lament for the sin you cannot hinder it was â—â—id of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 that his righteous soul was vexed with the wicked conversations of the Sodomites Oh that we were but so good as we should be then sure it would grieve us more then it doth to see the wicked and abominable lives of those among whom we live though thou dost not blaspheme God thy self yet it is thy God that is blasphemed and shall not that trouble thee how canst thou but reprove them whoever they be When a sick man seeth his Wife Children Friends and Physician lamenting his condition sure it will make him think his condition is worse then he thought iâ— or very bad at least or else why do they take on so if there was no cause of fear Thus it may be thy reproof may work upon a wicked man if when thou hearest him blaspheme God thou lamentest his condition and puts him in mind of his sad estate it may make him lay that to heart then which he never did before Tenthly The last thing that I have to beseech of you is That you would love one another I have not at all sought to proselyte you to my way but whatever you see in whoever it be that is of God oh love it be he of what profession he will he is a godly man Oh then love him you cannot love God if you do not love his people let brotherly love continue your Minister must not continue oh then let brotherly love continue 1 John 1.20 If any man saith he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar and the truth is not in him for if he