all else fails you Psalm 73.26 When the Onset is vigorous and begins to impress be then strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 To that End remember whose Cause you plead and who employs you Read oft your Commission where you will find a promise fit to revive your very fainting Spirit Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you to the end of the World One less faithful and compassionate than our Saviour is if possessed of Power would not suffer any Servant he employed to sink in a Business wherein himself hath the greatest concernment If your Hearts be upright and you have God's Work in hand the more eminently you are employed the greater Supports you 'll find and in the most difficult Enterprize he is careful to give the greatest assurance Ier. 1. 7 8 18. Ezek. 3. 8 9. One promise he can so spirit and fill with Power that it shall set thy Soul above all Fears and cause Strength to advance to thy own feeling in very extremity above what it appeared in the easiest of thy ways Trust then in him with thy whole Heart And because what repels our Fears tends to encourage us it 's not improper oft seriously to think what far greater mischiefs we escape by not drawing back or doing the work of the Lord deceitfully than what can attend a faithful discharge of our work which hath so great a reward when finished Heb. 10.38 Rev. 3.5 Herewith I have finished an Account of what 's necessary to support us under the Difficulties attending publick Usefulness viz. Humility mortifiedness to the World and Christian Fortitude 3. Several things are needful as tending to secure or at least facilitate the success of your Work persisted in Herein we should be solicitous that as much as in us lies the End we propose may not be defeated but that those receive that profit which we sincerely conduce to by our Endeavours whereby we may eventually prove Blessings to them To this End 1. You must duly address your selves to God to engage his Help Be much in Prayer to and dependance on God through Christ our Mediator Look to him for Direction that you may not mistake your Work nor the best way to perform it Seek to him for abundant Anointings that you may not be unqualified in proportion to your Undertaking His constant Assistance and Blessing must be fervently implored Neh. 1.11 without which your most probable Attempts will be vain yea turn to your reproach and shame And that you may be in the likelier posture for a gracious Return keep all clear between God and your own Consciences regard to iniquity in your heart Psal. 66.18 Rely on Christ's Merits and Intercession and be always ready to ascribe to God the entire Glory of all your serviceableness and success for he is a jealous God and generally blasteth that wherein he is not acknowledged we must make God all in all if we would signifie any thing 2. Be careful of your own Behaviour before those to whom you endeavour to be profitable that it conduce to and do not hinder your Usefulness Prevent all Prejudices gain their Affection and Esteem possess them with a sence of your Kindness to them good Designs towards them and your own Belief of and earnestness of Soul for the matters you call them to entertain and submit to exercise great Patience Meekness and Tenderness and see that your whole Behaviour be circumspect and your Life exemplary 1 Pet. 5.3 that they may find no just Exception against your Doctrine or Endeavours If they take occasion unjustly or that by wicked persons you are falsly slandered you may better hope God will prevent the unprofitableness of your Labours or at least accept them Neither is it unfit to be cautious how you dispute with them concerning Secular Interests avoid also fondness of External Respect and yet be as jealous that you forfeit not an Internal Reverence nor prostitute your Authority as you are Christ's Embassadours Rom. 11. 13 14. 3. Labour to attain and use true Wisdom in the ordering of your Endeavours that they may be apt to real Publick Usefulness 1. I call it true Wisdom not only to oppose it to Folly and Indiscretion but also to all Knavish Craftiness God's Cause needs no base Tricks upright Men abhor the use of them Christ seldom prospereth such to serve his Interest but if he over-rule them to any common Good as sometimes he doth other pieces of Wickedness yet he will never justifie or accept such Methods but condemn those ways and them who use them But indeed as base Tricks consist not with sincere Designs of a Publick Good so they are never used with that intention No no let Men's pretences be never so sacred it 's to serve a carnal selfish turn to propagate or uphold some private Faction in opposition to the true Extensive Interests of Christ in the World The eminently Useful could not die in peace if they must not say with the Apostle Our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World 2 Cor. 1.12 They were wiser than to think that will be accounted a service to Christ in life for which without Repentance he will cast them into Hell at their death This Text may assure us that Paul's Guile with which he caught these very People 2 Cor. 12.16 was not any thing contrary to godly Sincerity which in this Epistle the fore-cited place he had with more than usual care instanced towards them it was therefore no other than honest Wisdom or godly Prudence even that which I have said is so needful to advantage the Success of your well designed Labour it was an instance of his Self-denial not his Self seeking He used his sparing their Purses as a help to save their Souls upon finding their Temper such that the Gospel was like to be less profitable to them if he subsisted by it This was far enough from any misrepresenting and undermining cheating dividing imposing ensnaring and intangling Arts or Methods ways so abominable in the most ordinary Affairs between Man and Man that you should tremble at a thought of using them in matters enstamped with the Name of God yea tho' it were but in defending a Publick Good and your self from the dangerous attempts of such as practise them 2. Yet true Wisdom and Prudence be very needful to direct your just Endeavours in the greatest aptness to succeed with all those whom you design to benefit A true Judgment of Persons and Seasons with a direct regard to the End and an exquisite understanding of the nature of the various lawful Means will qualifie you to chuse the fittest Means to that End with those Persons God's Word Prayer Consideration and Experience must be your helps to arrive to Wisdom and be sure to exercise and apply to all your Endeavours the
only them I shall distribute them under three Heads 1. Such things as are needful to incline them to become intently willing to employ themselves in serving a Common Good Ability without a readiness of mind to and solicitousness for the Honour of God and good of Men will never make us serviceable To ingage your Hearts herein it 's necessary 1. That you have a believing view of invisible things Of God as he who hath a full Authority over you to command you to this Work as he who hath an absolute Propriety in you and yours and therefore may dispose of you and all you have to what Service he pleases to refuse which is Sacriledge in you who have dedicated your selves to him Believe a Judgment-Day when you must Account for all keep sight of Christ who bought Souls with his Blood and whom it cost so much to Redeem you for his Service be at a certainty about the worth of Souls your own and others And of the dreadful Misery of such who die unconverted or unfruitful realize sinners woful state when they cry Come and help us Acts 16.9 and thy own if thou refusest Beg Faith of Christ who is the Author and the Finisher of it This is that by which unseen things are evident Heb. 11.1 without which Evidence we lose what must affect and move us in our service to Souls Knowing the terror of the Lord we persuade Men 2 Cor. 5.11 Every Man's unbelief is equal to his unserviceableness and as our Faith is will our usefulness be 2. Love to God and Man is needful to excite us to Usefulness This constrains us to express our gratitude to God who hath done so much for us when miserable and to be beneficial to Men whose Misery we believe and pity Strong Love will answer all those Excuses which have their rise in Enmity to God and Men the remains whereof govern the best Man as far as he is unprofitable By this Divine Passion poor Endeavours will be disdained and the most expensive be no cause of regret yea a pleasure riseth with the height of the performance and God's inclining us to do so much becomes the very Matter of our Praises to him as 1 Chron. 29.14 15. Keep then this holy Fire blazing it will always point you work and find you strength to do it Nay it will put you to pain whiles unemployed and make you solicitous that it be to purpose This this was it put Paul in travel till Christ was formed in those Gal. 4.19 3. A Publick Spirit is also needful to the same End This is the immediate effect of Love it 's the Heart dilated by it This is the next Spring that sets all the Wheels in motion which otherwise stand still within the Precincts of narrow self How became David such a publick Blessing he tells you Psalm 137.6 If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief Ioy let my right-hand forget her cunning The vastest Stock is productive of little in that Man's Hand who is all for himself whether self in his own Person or self in his Family yea or self in his own Party and Faction But a Publick Spirit will be contriving and aiming at a common Benefit above his own in this will such a one delight and this he must pursue because it moves as a common Soul related to and concerned in all Men well knowing God hath an interest in each and ones self to be but a small part of the whole and therefore to be less regarded than that wherein God's glory is infinitely more displayed and from which a so far greater Tribute of Honour and Service will redound Therefore be earnest with God to enlarge thy Heart and bring it more under the power of that Relation wherein thou standest to the Catholick Church yea to all Men otherwise thou wilt be apt with Cain to say of thy very Brother Am I his Keeper Gen. 4.9 Own thy self with St. Paul a Debtor both to the Greeks and to the Jews to the Wise and to the Unwise Rom. 1.14 A narrow Spirit is a common Plague abhor and deprecate it as Unchristian and Inhumane while it prevails I can hardly hope thou canst get to Heaven but all may freely say it 's no matter how soon it be that thou wert there Look at Christ who made himself Poor that he might make many Rich 2 Cor. 8. 9. and blush that thou wearest his Name whiles thy Money Rusts and so many Poor do starve But happy is that Publick Spirit that can scarce relish his own Felicity when he sees so many Miserable but is bound with them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 by this Spirit a Man is bent for God and a Publick Good and without it all beyond self in that cursed self is as nothing to him a meer Galio caring for neither God nor Souls Church nor State You see that to encline you to Eminent Usefulness you must get improve and exercise Faith and Love with a Publick Spirit these will employ your Abilities for service 2. If you would be eminently Useful you must get such things as will fix and relieve you against those Difficulties which attend eminent Usefulness Good Inclinations and Resolves will be tried in a course of publick Service and as the Trials will be different our Preservatives and Supports should be as various Indeed Faith Love and a publick Spirit which excite a Man to great Attempts for a publick Good do also yield Relief against discouragement in the prosecution of them Yea Faith derives supporting Strength from Christ as he is our Head of Influence as well as Conduct But besides these 1. Be truly humble The proud Heart will scorn to stoop to many things which Publick Service requires nor endure the Debasements which it will expose to and so the Work will be half done at first and forsaken at last as too grating on a proud Spirit which formeth Projects more agreeable to an aspiring Mind But if you are cloathed with Humility you 'll be fitted to stoop cheerfully to what ever your Work calls you to condescend and with easiness of Mind to endure the Contempt which you 'll meet with from such you design to be useful to Can you without great Humility use such plain Words as the Ignorant understand inculcate the same thing often admit a familiar Freedom to the Poor and Mean go into nasty Cottages hear much Weakness and Nonsence without discouraging the Silly from saying any more Can you and not be humble become all things to all Men that you may win some and be a Servant to all that you may gain the more 1 Cor. 9.19 21. Yea you may meet with Affronts and Scorns with Slanders and Reproach from the very poor whom you endeavour to benefit in Soul and Body too Pride will soon disdain all such Work but so must not you unless you cease to be a Publick Blessing Be humble i. e. look at your selves vile Dust and Ashes as bad
can be wanting yea or weak in the Constitution of this Person he also must be greatly cleansed from those dregs which debase divert and deaden the less useful He seems to breath in another Air to be of another make and governed by contrary Inclinations and Rules than most of Mankind be I had like to have said Christians hence he is too often branded as less prudent because he walks by Rules so much above what poor and narrow Souls embrace and postponeth those things beyond which a vulgar spirit cannot derive a Motive Let us remark a few Scripture Instances lest all appears a meer speculation behold Queen Esther taking her Life in her hand to save her People did not she then love her People above her Life Esth. 4. 16. Moses neglected God's Offer to advance his Family and intercedeth for the Nations safety as if he had hated his own house Numb 14. 12 17. What Dominion over Covetousness Selfishness and Cowardice did Nehemiah manifest whiles by acting their contraries he repaired Ierusalem established God's Worship among the Captives restored by his means Without ostentation he might say Should such a one as I flie Neh. 6. 11. Mordecais mind was well ballasted that under such Advancement retained such Goodness and Meekness as still to seek the Weal of his People and speak Peace to all his Seed Esth. 10. 3. How could Caleb and Ioshua refuse to frame their Account to the Humour of the Multitudes but that that they had a more Excellent Spirit than the other Spies Numb 14. 24. Oh the magnanimity zeal for God love to Souls contempt of the World and unwearied vigour and largeness of heart which governed Paul to his extensive Usefulness which might be instanced in the other Apostles and Martyrs yea those illustriously shine in every eminently useful Christian It 's the excellency of their Spirit which forms such vast Designs and enables to the unwearied pursuits thereof Divine Influence inspires them and keeps their Minds above what 's mean and selfish beyond what 's narrow and sordid yea so widens and enflames them that their Spheres prescribe the only Limit to their Attempts how far would they relieve reform and improve the Church the Nation yea the World were it but in their power Judge the Spirit by the use others make of the same Abilities how useless how hurtful 3. The eminently Useful have more manifest grounds for a comfortable Death than others can expect Death makes a great discovery of the true Value of things whatever renders this safe and easie we ought highly to esteem as Men assured it 's our Passage into Eternity and puts a period to our Preparations for it In the grave there 's no work nor device to change our State or improve our Meetness for an unseen World Eccles. 9. 10. Therefore whatever is the best Evidence of our Title to Eternal Life and the greatest Meetness for it that must afford ground of highest Comfort when Self-love and the nearness of Eternity gives Death an awakening power 1. I shall prefix a Caution 2. Prove what I assert 1. For Caution The Mistakes of weakly designing Men necessitate me to acquaint you it 's Christ only who procured a safe and comfortable Death by meriting our Pardon and a Right to Eternal Glory with a happy Resurrection It 's by Faith only that a Regenerate Penitent looks to rely on and receives Christ as our Atoning Saviour for Pardon and Life according to his Promises in the Gospel which Promises with the included Benefits are purchased only by Christ's Obedience and applied as an Effect thereof whenever they are applied The Qualifications which the Gospel appoints in him whom the Promises invest in its Benefits are no causes of those Benefits nor any part of the Righteousness which procured them But Christ using his Gospel as an Instrument in the Governing and Saving of Sinners and pleading with them his purchased Benefits for Motives to their Obedience to the Gospel as a Rule of Judgment It 's not sufficient to our comfortable Death that we believe that Christ obeyed and died to procure Pardon and a Right to Salvation for Penitent Believers but it must appear to us that we are partakers of that Pardon and Right to Life which must be by the Evidence of our Regeneration Repentance and Faith not one without the other nor either when we come to die without their genuine necessary Effects and each persevered in Vain hopes if we totally want whatever the Gospel Promises make indispensably needful to our obtaining Eternal Glory and the contrary whereto the Gospel threatneth with an Exclusion from Heaven Iohn 3. 3 36. Luke 13. 3. Heb. 12. 14. cap. 10. 38. He is fool hardy that dares die not knowing but that his Faith was the Faith of an unregenerate impenitent heart yea or satisfies himself with having thought he once at first had such a true Faith but is not sure that he persevereth therein that regards not any conformity to Christ. Universal Obedience sincere Holiness and Fidelity to God and Improvements of his Talents all which the Gospel so insists on as being fitter to give evidence than things more obscure or remote can be Mat. 10 33. and 25. 30. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Ephes. 5. 6. 2. I shall prove that the eminently Useful have more manifest grounds for a comfortable Death than others can expect for which end it will be sufficient that I evidence This eminent faithful usefulness is a most plain and infalible Evidence of our Title to Eternal Life and it also argueth a very great meetness for Heaven whence it will follow that the eminently faithful useful Man hath more manifest grounds for a comfortable Death than others can expect and consequently his Character is Excellent It tends to a comfortable Death as 1. It is a most plain and infallible Evidence of our Title to Eternal Life Faithful eminent usefulness is not only an evidence considered abstractedly but it gives evidence to the sincerity of all or most other Graces yea and receives it from them for by the in-being and activity of such Graces it subsisted and in it each of them expressed their vital power and sincerity and that not darkly but clearly not doubtfully but to full conviction so that the eminently useful Man hath the concurrent Testimony of every Grace in a light to which each contributes And it answers any just challenge that can be made to his having those several Graces and that in reality so that if Faith Repentance love to God a new Birth or Perseverance have Life promised to them and the sincerity thereof being evident to a Man must yield strong consolation then the eminently useful Man hath very abundant reasons of Comfort as to his interest in Eternal Life I shall evidence this by three things 1. Can he doubt the Truth of his several Graces Not of his Faith because he hath been thus signally excited by his assent to what Christ as Prophet hath
what was safest to himself and most pleasing to others he accommodated not his labours to the real benefit of all but to the humours of some disdaining plain Speech affecting levity frothy or amusing discourses He was more solicitous to know how he was praised than how others did profit He let Truth sink and Errours gain ground when he found his Name or Incomes should suffer by opposing the last or abetting the first such a time he dealt treacherously with such such Souls he obstructed a publick good for his private advantage he excused himself from preaching pleading or speaking tho' he saw my Insterest and the real benefit of others required it How formal and cold in his performances prayerless and slothful in his preparations Partial and careless in Discipline and unexemplary in walking Notions he took up for Truths without search or other enquiry then is this the Opinion of a Man eminent with the Party I hope to live by and will it suit with the Fancies of these Men I might proceed herein and annex the particular Cases of others But this may suffice to mind you what a blush should it raise what an anguish should it cause to see your Names thus underwritten in the Records of Heaven and know the Devil keeps also an account as full as he can that he may become your Accuser 2. You can make no Apology for your unusefulness but what 's fit to aggravate your shame and sorrow A vain Mind and a feared Conscience will suggest Excuses and take up with them however false and frivolous they be But Enquiries there will be which will pierce into the Nature and Truth of things and minister such an awakening Light as shall render the most careless and confident person speechless Matth. 22.12 It were our mercy that we allowed nothing as a sufficient Plea now but what will be approved of at the Judgment Bar. Examine therefore the true Reasons why you have not served your Generation as well as others Obj. You 'll pretend your utter incapacity for service Ans. 1. That is a good Apology if true for God expects not to reap where he hath not sown he is no such hard Master Matth. 25.26 None shall have ground to affix that Character to him But is this Excuse true can your Consciences as drowsie as they are offer this Plea and abide by it viz. The only Reason why we were not Publick Blessings was because we had no gift no opportunity estate or power to be so If Conscience upon a serious pause dare not stick to this Excuse but condemns thee how much more will God condemn thee who is greater and knoweth all things 2 Iohn 3.30 But if still you verily believe that the Objection states your Case Ans. 2. Let me ask you Have you really pitied the Distressed whom you could not relieve Have you avoided being hurtful to others tho' you could not profit them Have you earnestly prayed for the Church of God and the good of the Miserable World bewailing the sorrows of the first and the misery of the last Do you rejoyce in and bless God for those who are useful without envying the most eminent When you desire an Estate or Gift and bewail the want of them is the later mostly because you cannot be useful and the former that you may be so Do you take all due pains and use all good thrift that you may have somewhat to enable you to be profitable And if you are poor and have the help of others do you make conscience not to ask it till you need nor ask or take more than you need that the Relief of the more necessitous may not be hindred If your hearts cannot honestly say these things answer my case it 's thus with me then you have not a temper of mind to be useful if you had Abilities and it 's most probable you are more able to do good than you have been faithful to do it But if indeed your Consciences do justly witness that you can so answer to the above Questions as that incapacity is the very Reason your Generation is not more served by you than by your prayers and good example then you are not the persons to whom my Reproof is directed so that you do that little you can Ans. 3. But such of you as are able to serve their Generation and neglect it should be more ashamed and grieved when you consider the true Causes of your unprofitableness Your Hinderances to service are from your selves your Lusts have the great hand in assigning the governing Reason Look at the baulks you have made and the opportunities you have past unusefully over and ask thy Conscience whence was it that I neglected this can you be unaffected when you receive this Answer my Covetousness my Pride my Sloth my Fear my Unbelief or my Unconcernedness for God's Honour and the Publick Good did hinder me these made me unwilling and averse these diverted my Abilities to another Chanel and would not suffer me to be useful and faithful in my Trust were not you governed by one or other of these whenever you shut you Ears to the Cry of an afflicted Church of starved Ministers of a sinking Nation of diseased Souls and the distressed Poor If it be so as indeed it will be found you have cause to be ashamed and mourn Doth it become Men to be under the Conduct of such base Guides In this respect God hath called you to shew your selves Men Isa. 46.8 But much more unbecoming is this to you that wear the Name of Christians you are called and Redeemed to be zealous of good works Titus 2.14 Is this to be so Is this to imitate or obey Christ whom you own for your Lord and whose Livery you have put on Follow the Chanel to the Fountain head be led by your actings to the posture and frame of your hearts and judge what vile spirits act you what a dominion have these Lusts in your Soul that thus command your Talents and determine the scope of your Lives in opposition to the loudest Calls Oh blush and weep that with all thy Light and Helps under all thy Christian Profession and Hopes thy heart is so earthly and carnal so sensual and devilish so full of hatred to God and Man as the Authority of these Lusts import and thy unusefulness doth testifie in the clearest Light the Holy Spirit hath made no saving change if you are altogether useless the change at most is very imperfect whiles your usefulness is so much hindred by these unsubdued Lusts The very unprofitable must be made other Men Matt. 12.33 and the less profitable are not very good Men. You have those dry leaves and those dead branches which may well put you to the blush and fill you with fear Iohn 15.2 the unfruitful branch will be cast out 3. Your unusefulness expresseth that treachery ingratitude and injustice towards God which must cause shame and sorrow in every thinking
utmost Wisdom God vouchsafes you a neglect whereof will aggravate your disappointment as well as conduce thereto But my chief design under this Head is to convince you of the necessity of Wisdom in the whole course of Publick Usefulness that so you may become more earnest with God for this careful to excie your Souls to the constant exercise of it Without Wisdom you cannot rightly judge of the work of your Generation a mistake wherein is dangerous to your great End it 's so tho' it should be no other mistake than to overlook one of the more principal parts of it and take up with what is next to it as plainer easier or safer yea if it lies in several things and you neglect but the least How needful is Wisdom to discern which is our present Duty and what the greatest Good when several appear in competition yea often there 's need of exquisite Skill in an Affair of Publick consequence to determine but what will do more good than hurt He hath not well observed that thinks it always easie to judge what 's the most proper Duty in each Company and wherein they need most to be benefited especially the fittest Seasons Opportunities and Methods to apply suitable Means to effect that Good which they severally stand in greatest need of and are most capable of receiving It 's hard to accommodate your selves to the various tempers and circumstances of your very Acquaintance and know whom when and how to Reprove Encourage Examine Exhort or Relieve so as to be most beneficial to each within the limits of your power and according to your different obligations tho' to the extent of it Great discretion is necessary to judge of Obstacles and to demean your selves under them as may most conduce to your Publick Usefulness to know when and how to strive to remove or oppose them when it 's best to connive and be silent How to avoid the Imputation of Rashness and foolish Zeal in the former and of Lukewarmness and Cowardize in the latter for Publick Usefulness will be affected by both In like manner there is use of Wisdom towards such as drive on the same good design with you as well as towards them who oppose if you are younger that the elder may not by Envy or Suspicion be tempted to divert you from your work or give you disquiet in it To avoid which serve with them in humility as Sons with a Father Phil. 2. 22. If you be elder that the younger's rashness unfixedness and less experience give not Satan an advantage to prevent which do not discourage or despise but assist and countenance them But be they inferiors equals or superiors who do contribute to a common good He that will be eminently useful and give up himself to it had need of greatest Wisdom to govern himself towards each for a little acquaintance with the World will discover in most men so much of either humour pride envy selfishness covetousness suspition cowardliness unconcernedness for the Publick unfixedness sloth ignorance credulousness or aptness to be imposed on by designing men as will force the observing to fix this Conclusion and govern themselves by it They that will be most useful in their Generation must spend do adventure and suffer most and yet must resolve to allow intreat connive yield thank forbear forgive deny themselves and endure most whatever persons they have to deal with and thus make the best use of all for a common good Who is sufficient for these things but with thee O Lord who employest whom thou wilt nothing is impossible A stammering Moses a suspitious Gideon a childish Ieremiah did succeed in that whereto thou didst appoint them Surely by all this you are induced to seek earnestly for Wisdom Ask it daily of God through Christ who giveth liberally for direction to do as well as suffer and upbraideth not Iames 1. 5. dependingly hope He will guide me by his Counsel and afterwards bring me to Glory Psal. 73. 24. I have finished the second general Head viz. an account of what 's needful to bring a man to eminent Usefulness who is capable of it under which you have heard that his Soul must be excited to undertake it by Faith Love and a Publick Spirit 2. Be relieved against the Difficulties attending it which is by Humility Mortifiedness to the World and Christian Fortitude 3. He must facilitate his Success by Prayer to God a due behaviour before Men and true Wisdom in the management of all his Endeavours 3. I shall evidence the Excellency of this Character To be an eminently Useful Man is no empty Title without real worth God approves of it Angels and good Men highly esteem it yea there 's that in every man which now secretly and in time will publickly allow this man to be the best the wisest and the greatest Eminent Usefulness greatly differeth from its Counterfeits This is no pragmatical business in other men's matters but a faithful discharge of our Obligations to God and our fellow Creatures Neither is it a Pharisaical Proseliting to a Sect which doth narrow and weaken Christ's Interest proving oft as fatal to the Church yea to Men's selves as their walking at large in the World would be no it 's an intentness to promote mere Christianity and unaffected Godliness which reforms the World edifies the Church and saves the Souls of Sinners in proportion to its success It 's what advanceth Men above the Rank of ordinary Christians who are Babes to these grown Men Shrubs to these Cedars very cyphers if not blemishes and burthens compared with these Men of Name these common Blessings these Witnesses to a Divine Life and Ornaments of Religion who bear up the Pillars of the Church yea of the Earth to each of whom we Weaklings may say as they to David Thou art worth 10000 of us This will appear if you consider 1. It 's an extraordinary honour to be singled out by God eminently to serve our Generation What can be more glorious than to be singled out as David from among his Brethren to effect God's benign purposes to multitudes when most Men are useless yea hurtful their Names are registred among the Worthies of Israel and famous in Bethlehem Ruth 4. 11. This is that Moses Acts 7. 37. Being publick Blessings they with Iabez are more honourable than their Brethren I Chron. 4. 9. No Office reflects honour but with respect to that usefulness to which it obligeth and or which it capacitates 2. It argues a most God-like and Excellent Spirit He is good and doth good Psal. 119 68. He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was visibly instanced in our Lord Jesus He went about doing good Acts 10. 38. to Souls and Bodies in whom is this so exemplified as in the signally useful whose activity fixedness labours designs and beneficence correspond to Christ's allowing for our contracted Capacities In such a Man many Graces and Virtues are associated nay which
you Do you expect the same returns of Prayer or use you to meet with them as formerly Are not you more left to your selves in Duties and Temptations too Have you not less Supports when Afflictions befal you Have not your Graces abated in their Strength and Exercise Have not you less of God in every Ordinance and less success in your Performances In such things thou dost more than vomit up the Morsel thou hast eaten and lose thy sweet words as Prov. 23. v. 8. But if thy gross Neglects be impenitently persisted in thy Losses will be far greater not only in further degrees of what 's above-mentioned but thou shalt lose all the good thou hast seemed to do Iohn 2. 8. All shall be taken from thee which thou appearest to have yea or really hast Matth. 25. 28 29. Thou shalt lose all thy Hopes however great or confident thou shalt lose that Life which thou didst so over-fondly love Iohn 12. 25. Thou shalt lose thy own Soul which the gain of the whole World cannot not recompence Luke 9. 24. You shall not find the Good promised to the Merciful and Righteous which is no less than Life Righteousness and Honour Prov. 21. 21. You shall forfeit all the higher Degrees of Glory promised to the eminently Useful yea and the lesser Degrees promised to the faithfully Useful tho' not so Eminent You shall neither be Ruler of ten Cities nor of five no entrance into the Ioy of your Lord shall be admitted you Luke 19. Matth. 25. 21. The Rivers of God's Pleasure you shall never taste that beatifick Vision you shall never experience the Crown of Glory you shall not wear for these God hath confined to the faithful Labourer Can you that never attempted or soon fainted in serving God in your Generation hope to reap as they who fainted not in well-doing Gal. 6. 9. Shall you who laid up nothing in store no Treasure in Heaven expect to be Rich there as they who did Luke 12. 33. 1 Tim. 6. 19. It 's in vain and sorest disappointment will attend it For the utterly Unfruitful will have no Interest in any of that Glory the less Useful will miss of the higher Degrees of it O compute your Gain and Loss And what Idiot could have made a weaker Choice or taken a more foolish Course than you have done Folly will put you to the Blush to see how vainly you refused to be rich towards God by publick Service that you might get a Treasure for your self by your layings up in a neglect of common Usefulness Luke 12.18 19 21. He was branded as a Fool in bestowing all his Goods in his Barns and laying out nothing that he might be rich towards God And so will all be mark'd who imitate him 3. You shall endure great Punishments for your Unusefulness Besides a privation of Good God will sensibly imbitter this Sin He oft doth testifie against it in the Posterity of the Unprofitable who by being so trouble their own House Prov. 11.29 There are many Curves lying on the Head of such as withhold Relief from the Poor assist not in a common Danger and contribute not to publick Good when capacitated for it Prov. 11.26 Iudg. 5.23 all which you stand exposed to by your Unusefulness Have not you already met with some remembrances that God dislikes your selfish Ways and narrow Spirits Hath not he emptied your Mercies embittered your Comforts filled your Souls with Terrors and encountred you with a frowning Countenance Hath not he let Satan loose upon you or yours But these are but the beginnings of Sorrows and presages of greater Woes unless you repent he will cut thee down as a barren Fig-Tree for thy great Leaves without Fruit for thy cumbring the ground where thou mightest be useful Luk. 13.5 6. how full of terrors will Death present it self when God will force thy Conscience to reflect on thy many Neglects with a clear view of the hateful Causes of them and the miserable Effects thereof With anguish thou will then bemoan thy self and vainly with for the past opportunities of Service and that thou hadst a Heart to have improv'd them better Death thus full of Stings will lodge thee in the unseen State but alas how unprovided and ill prepared The Face of thy Judge will be terrible when he shall demand an Account of thy Stewardship Luke 16.2 and reckon with thee about his Talents and thy occupation of them Mat. 25.19 it will be in vain to deny or diminish your Trust and what Answer can you find that can satisfie him or please your selves If you hope his Merits may be pleadable by you he 'll answer they are not applied but according to my Promises You may as well expect they shall be imputed without Faith as to a dead Faith a Faith that did not invigorate to holy fruitfulness and fidelity in my Service was a dead Faith and so no Faith in Gospel estimate and therefore cannot save Iam. 2. v. 14 20. To plead your Idleness Fear or Covetousness will be to proclaim the provoking causes of your approaching Ruine What a heart-cutting charge will you find drawn against you with a Sentence pursuant thereto Thou wert ashamed of me before Men now I am ashamed of thee before my Father Mark 8.38 Thou didst deny me in the other World now I deny thee in this World Mat. 10.33 When I was an hungry thou didst not feed me when I was in Prison thou didst not visit me Depart therefore from me thou cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels chap 25 41. Thou didst hide my Talent yea Talents therefore cast this unprofitable Servant into outer darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 25.30 What mind can conceive the misery included in a condition made up of all the Woes these several expressions import Were they believed throughly what we may now conceive of them would overwhelm a Man that but seems in danger of enduring this misery and being that these several places describe the Sentence pronounced against the unprofitable who have neglected a common good as well as their own Souls and betrayed the Publick Interests of Christ in their day it follows that whatever in each place aggravates their misery must be put together to give us a just account thereof Can your heart endure but the supposing your self the person whom Christ singleth out in the View of Angels and Men and thus speaks to from his Tribunal Thou selfish false and useless Wretch so vile that without reproach to my Perfections to my Holy Word and Glory I can shew no favour to thee which is Christ's being ashamed of him I do here reject all thy pretensions to my Image Merits Covenant and Service and do declare thou art no living Member Follower Servant or Witness of mine nor is my Honour Truth or Fulness concerned at all in thy being happy which is Christ's denying him Thou art now fallen into
unprofitableness herein you are cruel to your selves when you fondly think it's self-indulgence you destroy your selves and yet weakly pretend to self-advantage Reflections upon your madness herein will be a great part of your torment Perhaps you have not thought what you expect from others tho' they must be unobliged to you upon the same Reasons as you can give for your being free from the Duty of Usefulness to them to say nothing of what you expect from the blessed God and what every Moment you receive tho' you so ill requite him Did not you expect your Parents Care the Magistrates Defence your Ministers Labours your Neighbours Favour and Help How would you be dealt by if you were in the case of the Poor or Distressed and they in yours Would you think it well done in all or any of these to be as unconcerned selfish oppressive cruel or useless as you resolve to be to them in what-ever Capacity or Relation you stand Our Lord's Rule was approved by Pagans tho' condemned by you Matth. 7.12 What would become of the Interest of Christ the Welfare of the Nation the Good of Societies Religious or Civil if every Man were as selfish and unconcerned for a common Good as you resolve to be All Safety Harmony Liberties Order and Comfort would be expelled and their contraries alone take place But if this state of Things be thy abhorrence ask thy self Why should not all others be as selfish as I am if it be justifiable in me Or why should not I be as publick Spirited as they if it be praise-worthy and useful in them Are you an ill Magistrate why should any others be better Are you an unfaithful Minister why should any others be more faithful Are you careless of the common Liberties of your Country or City why should any other in your station be more concerned Are you strait-handed to the Poor wherefore should others of your Estate be more liberal Are you indifferent about the Truth Interest and Gospel of Christ why should any other in your circumstances more expose themselves You must consent that all these may as justly excuse themselves from benefiting others as you can or else you are most basely spirited to think others should serve a Common Good that you may share therein but that you must be excepted from contributing to that Service that so you may pursue your own private Interest the more Directions Weigh these things often and deliberately judge of thy Resolves not to serve thy Generation Go and humble thy self before God and earnestly pray to him in Christ's Name to change thy Heart subdue thy Lusts and give thee another Spirit Enter into Covenant with Christ to deny thy self to take up thy Cross and follow him From this time firmly engage in Christ's strength that thou wilt not consult thy flesh in thy undertakings but keep thy self from under the influence of a narrow Spirit and base Lusts as being very ill Advisers in thy course of Life and as unfit Disposers of thy Estate Gifts or Power Set upon doing publick Good presently tho' it be with great reluctancy at first the less good thou hast hitherto done now attempt to do the more And the later you begin redeem the remainder of your days by the greater Projects and more vigorous Endeavours Pray earnestly and attend Gospel Means for sincere love to God and Man and for a believing sight of invisible Things and keep your Consciences under a tender lively sence of God's Authority and the Day of Judgment 2. To such as are unfeignedly willing to serve their Generation account it a greater Mercy than the greatest Estates or Abilities with a narrow Soul which thereby would be a Snare Abhor a suggestion as if God dealt hardly by you in making service your Duty or inclining you to it for in the first God's Wisdom and Goodness in the Government of this World appears In the last he hath honoured and benefited you in anointing you his Instruments Our Lord Jesus was wont to say It is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20.35 Which the Apostle useth as a Motive to Mens labouring that they might support the weak relieve the needy c. We imitate God as far as we are beneficent for he is the Fountain whence all Wants are supplied tho' he is benefited by none and yet for our Encouragement in doing Good he is pleased to account himself a Borrower Prov. 19. v. 17. He that hath pity on the Poor lendeth to the Lord. Not that you can give what is not his already but that he is as sure to re-pay as if you lent it to him But this Head being too general to admit so distinct an Application as the several Sorts and Conditions of such be who are truly willing to serve their Generation requires I shall address my self to them in these several Instances which distinguish their Cases and give suitable Directions 1. To such as are capable of no very great service to their Generation as being of small Estates low Parts and the like Serve you your Generation as you can in your lower Place To which end beg God's Direction that you may not mistake your Place or Work nor be left to your self in the meanest Service Go not out of your own Calling for God will neither accept nor bless Encroachments on other Mens Work nor your usurpation of Power of your own Heads no nor at their pleasure who are not authorized to give it 1 Cor. 7.20 Levit. 10. 1. Do not presumptuously attempt what is above your ability for that 's not your Duty and it may turn to publick detriment Take care that you pretend not publick Usefulness as a Cover to an idle neglect of your Callings or pragmatical Business in what belongs not to you For this discovers your corruption and will end in hurt and scandal Be sure that what you give to Good Uses be your own and not what is another Man's For this is Fraud and not Charity and instead of being liberal you will be unjust And yet be conscientiously ready and vigorous to do all the good you can your lesser Ability must be as faithfully used as if it were greater nor will your having no more excuse your unprofitableness with what you have Instruct your Family tho' you are not Preachers pray for and be affected with the state of the Church of God and the Nation if you can do no more Vote for good Men into Office encourage faithful Ministers as you are able give to what Poor you can and acquaint others with the case of such you cannot relieve your selves What little Good you can do let it be done chearfully and from love See that you use Diligence and avoid all Waste in your Persons and Families that you may be capable of doing the greater good Be favoury in Discourse exemplary in Life and ready to help those who know less than your selves And lastly Do not envy others
or ascribed the honour of past successes or performances to your selves Pour out your complaints and your apprehensions of your own weakness before the Lord who is full of pity and faithful and whose strength is manifest in our weakness 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. Be much in the contemplations of Heaven review your own experiences of seasonable sufficient supports when your fears were as great as at present and attentively think it 's but a little while and my work is over He that shall come will come and will not tarry and all the promises of perseverance were made to Souls in Eminent Service by doing and suffering which you may safely apply to your selves expecting those greater Consolations and Supplies which God will not disappoint you in 4. To useful Persons inclining to Remisness in the Service of their Generation The greatest part of this Discourse being so much directed to your Case I shall only advise you to renew your Covenant with God in Christ. Reflect on your selves what you found when vigorously useful and what you feel now in this declining Frame Enquire what forfeitures you have made of the Spirits quickening influences or what lust begins to invade your Souls or what Carnal thing is setting up for an Idol Pray earnestly for exciting Grace and be much in such Soliloquies as these Am not I a Redeemed Sinner and shall I neglect the interests of my Redeemer Shall I disregard the end of my Being break my Vows be false to my trust Is it not in well-doing that I grow weary Are my Talents less accountable for than they were or have I now more reason to think that my Abilities were not given for Publick use Where shall I stop if I recover not What shall I be doing the residue of my time if I cease to be useful What may I meet with to awaken me out of this slothful Sleep Do others less need my help or have I the leave of God to be remisser Can I think Christ a worse Master than before or Heaven less worthy of my pains Dare I commend the unprofitable part of Mankind that I am thus about to justify or condemn the eminently useful whom now I seem resolved to censure Must not I shortly on a Death-bed reflect on what a barren life I am going to live and the blessed Courses I put a stop too Have I done more already than Christ deserves at my hands who died for me or would I be content he should now more remissly intercede in my behalf Plead such things closely and frequently with your Hearts and force a deliberate answer that all may issue in fresh resolves to be more vigorous than ever and in shame and grief that you could be inclinable to remisness in Publick Service I shall conclude the whole with three cautions to all who are willing to serve their Generation 1. Equal nothing with the Publick which is short thereof especially your selves Let every thing have its due regard and no more Our esteem of things should be according to their value and our concern is irregular if dissonant from our just Esteem Moses words Exod. 32.32 If not blot me out of thy Book and St. Paul Rom 9.3 For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren were not Absolute Desires but the regular indications of a Publick Spirit adjusting things as compared together A Common good is above a Particular and the more common still the more Estimable The very Reason why Divine Worship is proper to God is because he is Author of all above all and infinitely more than the whole Creation yea and we cannot but most intend his Glory in our undertakings as our regards are most extensive and make every thing a selfish Idol as we Postpone what 's more Publick to it Nevertheless the true Order is generally inverted Most Men do not account a Mischief or Benefit to be greater or less as they affect the Publick but as they affect themselves we begin and end at the wrong Point and Erect a false Standard when our main concern is how will such Publick Affairs Profit or Damage First My own Person then my own Family then my own Party then my own Nation if at all it will reach so far be warned against this preposterous course look at your selves but as small parts of the whole and to signifie no more than as the Publick is advantaged by you Acknowledge the interest all have in you according to their True Order and your Capacity and obligation to be serviceable to each Be uniform in your Course and let God in a Common good as such be your Governing end Fill up each Place and relation you stand in let each have a due regard and no more Your own Families the particular Church you belong to and the Catholick Church above that also your own City and Nation and the World let all these have their due and this in just order and proportion not exclusively of each other Your Prayers must reach the World your Mental Communion the Catholick Church Occasional Communion to others then that wherein you are stated Members tho' in many things they differ from you In short confine not your Care Estate or Advice below or otherwise than that Mind will dictate which accounts the Body more valuable than a Member and a common Good than a particular If you are Ministers abhor a thought that your Office obligeth you to mind no more Souls than your own Flocks 2. Neglect not your selves whiles you mind the Publick Do not disregard your own Soul no nor Body neither keep the last in a fitness for Service and be ever watchful that the first be in a meetness for Glory and improving for it Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2.13 Receive your selves the Christ and Mercy you offer to others look not so Abroad as to forget you have a Home yea labour to affect and profit your own Souls by all your endeavours to profit others to walk in the light you give and to grow in Grace by doing all the good you can If you are Ministers oft think of 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away 3. Disregard not the first or least declinings in those Graces that are the springs of publick Service but be intent to get their vigorous Exercise restored as soon as you perceive abatement Very imperfect Actings will follow decaying Graces and strengthening the last is the way to perfect the first Rev. 3.2 As Ephesus decayed in her first love she abated her first works Rev. 2.4 5. which were Labours and Sufferings for publick use v. 3. Unbelief enmity to God and Man and a narrow Spirit grow as Faith Love and a publick Spirit weaken and those will as much obstruct your Usefulness as these contribute to it they will pervert your
by Nature as the most wicked you would Reform and worthy to be as poor as the most Indigent you 〈◊〉 and not too good to be employed 〈…〉 in the meanest Services 〈◊〉 really honoured to be used in such as this 〈…〉 irs and this seems har 〈…〉 s too debasing ask may not that 〈◊〉 better fit me which was in Christ Iesus my Lord who made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.5 2. Be weaned from the World mortified to all in it and well content with what God hath reserved in Heaven for you what you make your Portion that will prescribe your Work If your Happiness is confined to Flesh and Time you 'll soon quit what seldom contributes to it and is daily exposing it to hazard yea oft to ruine Even Publick Spirited Men for their Country venture all in common Danger yet after Success they get the least it 's oft more than so with Men who are engaged for the Testimony of Christ and good of Souls Worldly Affections can never drive this Trade Covetousness Effeminateness fondness of Relations excessive love of Life Ease and Pleasure will obstruct you when the Expences Losses Pains and Dangers of Eminent Undertakings present themselves Therefore be Crucified to the World if ever you would be Useful in it and let it be a dead Carkass in your Account if you would not be hindred by it in your best Designs Cherish Heavenly Affections and with pleasure oft view your chosen Portion otherwise an irregular Appetite will press too hard to let you be much of long engaged in a Work that 's so far from gratifying it This way Moses became so profitable to his People Heb. 11.25 26. and Paul to Iews and Gentiles 2 Cor. 5.12 15 18. 3. Get true Christian Fortitude And this will unite fix and steel the Heart against all Onsets which try your Patience Courage and Resolutions Rev. 2. 3. A pusillanimous Man will refuse what 's difficult and forsake what 's dangerous or so demean himself under it as to frustrate a good Effect The truest Courage will be put to a stand for Satan singleth out the eminently Useful to level all his Darts against his own Votaries he 'll employ to persecute them whatever in civil Men is to be made use of shall conspire to make your Work difficult and you unhappy and uneasie nothing shall be wanting to terrifie or bribe you to tire or distress you Rev. 2.102.3 2. Envy also still accompanieth signal usefulness which oft renders your Friends more grievous to you than your professed Enemies In every Age it 's found the spirit within us lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 I wish all good Men yea we Ministers could also find with the Apostle but God giveth more grace Yet as unreasonable and devilish as Envy is you must expect it and be prepared to endure the Effects thereof but still with a Mind no more averse from your Work or indifferent to it other than avoid all Oftentation to conceal what of your Work you can and to but omit none unless you can get it done by another hand 3. If you are called to serve your Generation by opposing the Errors or Church-dividing Practices of any considerable Sects pretending to Zeal for Truth tho' never so falsly and to a purer Form of Administration tho' in all that highly Superstitious you 'll find those violent and base Methods to asperse and sink you which very Pagans would abhor to use yet this must not abate your Testimony nor incline you in the least to betray the Truth or to seem to approve of their Unchristian Attempts against the Common Good neither suffer your Spirit to be infected and debased to a resemblance of theirs in Malice Rancour Wrath Rage or Revengefulness which is so contrary to the Spirit of Christ as to make you justly suspect you were no appointed Advocate for his Truth and Interest And alike careful must you be that the highest provocations prevail not with you to vindicate your self by ways that all things duly considered appear a greater damage to the Publick Good than the single Interest of your Person can countervail I have given you some hints of the Exercise which you ought to provide against lest a surprize cause you to quit or disserve the Blessed Work you are called to 4. Yet it 's true it may prove more creditable safe and easie if it be only beneficial to Men's Bodies or Estates for against that sort Satan and the World make less resistance unless it affect the Publick in somewhat wherein Factions are concerned Yea it may be less hazardous and grievous if it profit Mens Souls if it be only in points which Christ hath gained a reputation to and that you have many to assist you in the Defence of especially if your motion be but equal with those many because such things are familiarized or have obtained a greater interest in the Consciences of Men and the remaining Stream of Opposition is divided 5. But the most eminent Usefulness is much determined to those points which are difficult as still deciding and wherein the Interest of Christ in your Day and Place is the subject of a present Contest between Christ with his Instruments on the one side and Satan with his on the other In such cases there will be great opposition as far as Satan can influence any either by their Ignorance Malignity worldly Considerations Pride or Custom c. And generally the Contenders on Christ's part are at first but few especially the more eminent ones and therefore it necessarily follows that such must be exposed It were easie to instance all this in the case of introducing the Gospel where it was not before in the reformation of Worship or Discipline where they have been corrupted in opposing and detecting false Doctrines which many have imbibed and long entertained in reclaiming a degenerate People from evil practises much indulged in resisting incroaching Errors and Disorders abetted by a considerable Number of great Zealots especially if they have some plausible Pretensions suited to the disposition of sober ignorant People and that some more than common Spirit and Fervour do attend the Seducers which is very usual But this is less needful having cautioned you as to the Snares and fore-warned you of the Danger 6. Therefore may not I with reason ask you Can a feble Mind or unfortified Heart persist in great Endeavours and in the face of such Dufficulties steadily pursue his glorious End No he must succumb and will quit the plainest and most important Truth or Duty The Interest of Christ will say of these as in Paul's case No Man stood with me all these Men forsook me 2 Tim. 4.16 Therefore watch against all declinings in holy Christian Courage meerly natural will not serve tho' it 's a good preparative pray with hope for renewed Vigour that you may find as Psalm 69.32 your Heart shall live that seek God and that he is the strength of your Heart when