Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A45488
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The pastors last legacy and counsel delivered in a farewel sermon, preached at St. Philips in Bristol, August 24th, 1662 / Mr. Edward Hancock ...
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Hancock, Edward.
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1663
(1663)
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Wing H640; ESTC R40546
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20,130
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40
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THE Pastors last Legacy AND COUNSEL Delivered in a Farewel SERMON Preached at St. PHILIPS in Bristol August 24 th 1662. By Mr. Edward Hancock late Minister there London Printed in the Year 1663. Mr. Edward Hancock's Farewel being his last Sermon Preached at St. Philips in Bristol August 24. 1662. SEt your hearts to hear the words of the Lord for it is not a vain thing because it is your Life as it is continued in the 13 th Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians and the 11 th Verse Finally my Brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you YOu know at this time I am called to do a work which possibly may be unpleasing unto many of you even as to my self which work is indeed a strange work that is to dye a civil death whilst I am naturally alive When the Sun for this day is set I shall then cease from having any charge over you and you will then cease from having me to be your Minister I may say as one did that was going to dye a violent death I am this day to do a work that I never yet did I desire of God to give me strength that I never yet had And having been long upon this Text shewing to every one of you your several duties and my time allotted draws nigh to an end The Lord grant that it may be spent for your eternal good that so I may dye well in this respect amongst you Those that dye well do usually these five things 1. First They must endeavour to make their peace with God 2. Secondly To be in perfect charity with all men 3. Thirdly To set their House in order 4. Fourthly To give good counsel to their surviving Friends 5. Lastly To commend them all to God by Prayer First As to my peace with God in reference to my civil life although yet naturally alive I think I may in some measure say with Saint Paul in the 20th of the Acts and the 27. verse I can give up my account with joy in reference to the discharge of my duty I having kept back nothing from you of the Councel of God having taught you publickly both in season and out of season the Oracles of God Secondly Those that dye well ought to dye in perfect charity with all men I hope I do so truly having not the least thing against any man this day I was not born a man of strife actually whatever I have been passively I have been severe against your Sins though not against your Persons I am in charity this day with every mans Person though not with their Sins I have not striven against your Persons but against your Sins and the Devil I now dye amongst you in perfect charity with all men desiring the Lord to forgive all mine enemies as I do from my soul forgive them Thirdly Those that dye well must set their house in order that is a work that should not be put off until the last gasp the house that I have to set in order is not my own but the Lords it is good to do it timely you know I have made it my work for these two Moneths past to speak to the several sorts of people in my Congregation and to shew unto every one his duty and how each particular Man and Woman ought to behave themselves both towards God and Man Fourthly Those that dye well must give good counsel to their Friends the Lord grant that the words that I have spoken and am this day to speak may be remembred and practised by you The words of dying men are usually remembred Oh! that the counsels I am now to leave with you may take such deep impression in your hearts that they may never be forgotten I shall take up the greatest part of my time with counsel unto you all and then shall conclude all with the Blessing in my Text The God of love and peace be with you all I shall begin with counsel unto you all in general and what I say to one I say to all therefore attend to the last words of a dying man First See and consider that the dayes of Grace have their last the day long threatned is now come when my preaching and your hearing can be continued no longer so will it be with all your comforts and joyes they will have an end Oh! that you had seriously considered it and prized those opportunities of Grace you have had Secondly Let us heartily bless God for so many years freedom that we have had especially these last three years in sacred Ordinances however those opportunities that we have enjoyed be flighted by man yet they must be reckoned for in the day of the Lord Jesus There have been many of late have staved off Spiritual opportunities and turned their backs upon Ordinances the Lord be merciful to them if they obtain not a pardon woe be to their poor souls I am as sure and as certain to hear these opportunities mentioned in eternity with joy and sorrow as that ever the Sun did shine in the Firmament acknowledge them thankfully and especially remember these last three years about which time I have been with you and have laboured in the publick service of the Church of God amongst you Thirdly Depart not from the truths of God you have already received I may say as St. Paul doth in the first of the Galatians and ver 9. If any preach any other doctrine let him be accursed You must excuse me for want of abilities as others may have yet hath it been my work by the help of the holy Spirit according to my power to teach you out of holy Scripture those things that concerns your everlasting peace Take heed of Antinomianisme and Arminianisme never cease a total dependance on the Grace of Christ and a strict reliance on him alone for life and salvation This hath been my Doctrine from my first beginning even until now 1 John 2.24 Fourthly Oh! let Professours study to honour God Phillippians 4. I have walked amongst you with a sense upon my spirit The Professours in this City have much dishonoured God Oh! let there be zeal sincerity love humility and peace shining in the Professours of this City This is my counsel now I am ready to depart from you that your conversations may be such as becometh the Gospel Fifthly Own God in your Families breed not up Heathens in your Families to be lodged in Hell if no Family Prayer expect no Family Blessing live as those that knows there is a God and would have God to be theirs let not thy family be under a curse which it will be if thou callest not on the name of God Hast thou no care of Childrens and Servants souls it is a sign God hath no care of thine Sixthly Remember to sanctifie the Lords Sabbath breed not up thy
forth we know not how soon death may beat up our quarters and storm our castles the next messenger that knocks may be the messenger of Death let us therefore be serious and betake our selves to soul concernments Let us consider Sabbaths were not made for nought to please an itching ear or unruly fancy but to save our souls O Lord make us diligent and careful at this time to receive spiritual good from thee Put us into thy Covenant carry us safe through this world bring us out of a natural condition give sincerity to souls that groan under hypocrisie give us a heart to know thee the Lord our Righteousnesse do saving good to us this day our last dayes are not the least but of the greatest concernment the desires of our souls unto thy Majesty is that it may go well with us at those two last great dayes of Death and Judgement O that our dying dayes and dooms dayes may be delightful and pleasant dayes to us We are but seeming Actors in a play in this world we are but a shadow how soon are we gone and our Habitations shall see us no more O Eternity Eternity Eternity that our souls must shortly launch into a vast ocean where there is a great account to be given how we have behaved our selves in this life Oh grant that we may so provide for that day that we may render our account with joy and not with grief O Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life make us like thy self partakers of thy Divine Nature deliver us into the mould of thy word thou knowest the condition of us let thy Word reach us all Oh Lord run up thy Sword to the Hilt in the hearts of all impenitent Sinners make thy Word sharper then a two-edged Sword O Lord thou hast done good by thy servants in their departing from us do good at this time amongst us Oh let thy strength be put forth to the conviction humiliation enlightning and converting of many a Soul this day Our strength is but small we cannot be so importunate with thee as our hearts doth desire thou knowest our state and wants do exceedingly for us above and beyond what we are able to ask or think O Lord thou art willing to do us good thou professest thou takest no pleasure in the death of a Sinner what then should hinder in all the world but a secret unwillingness in our hearts to come over to the Lord Jesus Christ For his sake by this last throw of the Administration of thy Grace let some poor fouls that sticks and stayes long in the place of bringing forth be born to Jesus Christ at this time Although this be the last Sermon in an ordinary way that ever thy unworthy servant is like to preach in this Congregation let it be a quickning Sermon an effectual Ordinance sanctified by thy Spirit to convert many and many a Soul work like a God work like thy own self let the power of the Lord be seen in the weakness of thy Servant Lord shew mercy unto all carry on thy glorious Churches design let not the gates of Hell prevail Let not the rod of the wicked alwayes rest upon the back of the righteous stand by thine in this hour of temptation though they be but weak in grace yet they have a strong God O support them and let the name of the Lord be great in the midft of them In much mercy look on these sinful Nations Oh bless our Sovereign Lord the King in his person and in his Relations thou that knowest all things doth know that it is the desire of our souls that thou wouldest bless him with a competency of Spiritual Temporal and Eternal Glory Oh make him a King after thy own heart we are resolved to wait on thee who knoweth what a day may bring forth what a God can do to the terrour and astonishment of all his enemies Let them see that the Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord and he can turn it as pleaseth him and make him the choicest instrument of thy Glory and the good of thy Church that ever was Thou art a good God in great faithfulness dost thou afflict us let us learn our lesson quickly deliver us from dulness and security Lord we pray thee let instruction and correction go together thou doest appear in thy Providence as a God that art going about to sit upon the Tribe of Levi even that is most precious as a Fullers fire c. Oh take away the dross that they may offer to God acceptable service It hath been much upon the thoughts of some of thy People that God had a scourge for the Ministry because of their failings and defects send thy Spirit with thy Rod we look upon the dispensation as corrections for Sin humble Ministers for their Defects and People for their Sins We look upon it as matter of Thanksgiving and so have cause to bless thy Name that thou countest any of us worthy to bear a testimony of thy Name Lord whatsoever thou takest from us in this World make it up with the Emoluments of another World with the Incomes of thy Grace that shall make us more glad then when their Corn Wine and Oyl increaseth We have spiritual wants and it is nothing but spiritual remedies that will cure us Oh be thou nigh unto us in all that we shall call upon thee for Oh look upon all in affliction upon those that have begged our Prayers the Lord be merciful to them lay no more on them then thou shalt enable them to bear those that complain of unprofitablenefs under the means of Grace Lord convince them convert them turn their hearts take away the stony heart and give them a. heart of flesh take away the old rotten disposition and give them a soft and flexible Be in the midst of all Congregations this day met together in the faith and fear of the Lord we beg that thy servants who have had the seal of their Ministry may now at their departure prove powerful Instruments in thy hands of saving good to their people Oh let them destroy more lusts more temptations beget quicken and raise up in the hand of thy Spirit more Sons and Daughters unto the Lord this last time then in all their lives before Be with us in this Congregation prepare our hearts to handle thy Word which is able to save our souls give us suitable affections proportionable abilities both in Soul and Body Do thou the work thou shalt have the glory Let Satans Kingdom at this time lose a little ground that those who are yet in a Christless condition may now make up the match between Christ and their poor souls And for those who have given up themselves to Jesus Christ and yet have back-slidden from him let them this evening be recovered and give up themselves to Jesus Christ in an everlasting Covenant and and in a day of Confession take a part with God and side with a power of Godliness against all things that hinder Carry thy servant through his work at this time remove corruptions give in grace let not thy word come as a slight thing but with a deep and serious impression upon every one of our hearts and all for Jesus Christ his sake but dear Redeemer To whom with thee and thy Blessed Spirit be ascribed as is most due Kingdom Glory Power and Praise now and to all Eternity Amen FINIS