their lives and conversations that they may he exemplary to others That is that which both Paul and Peter require from them in the places forecited 1 Tim. 4. 12. Tit. 2. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. Quest. But wherein should they he so exemplary unto others Answ. In setting forth of this I will not go from the word I have in hand Onely send them to the Stars which I shall propound as patterns to them in those things wherein I would have them to be patterns to others 1. Let them be Examples to others in Purity Such are the Stars pure creatures Not a spot not a blemish to be seen in any of them I mean in the fixed stars True indeed in the Moon there are spots but not so in any of the fixed stars which are most properly the Ministers Embleme They are all pure And such all the Ministers of Christ should labour to be Pure The Priests under the Law must not have a blemish Levit. 22. Patterns of Purity This is one thing wherein Paul would have Timothy to be a Pattern in that place forenamed 1 Tim. 4. 12. Be thou an example of the believers But wherein why among other things in Puritie And again Chap. 5. 22. Keep thy self pure And herein should all the Ministers of Christ be exemplary to others In purity of Conversation keeping themselves unspotted of the world free from the evils of the times and places wherein they live that their lives be not spotted with any scandalous crimes Which if they be they will be like those spots in the Moon obvious to every eye and no small blemish to their holy function 2. As in Purity so in Zeal Stars as they shine so they sparkle Therein differing from the Moon as a Diamond doth from a Christal The one shines but it is but with a pale wan light The other both shines and sparkles And so should it be with the Ministers of Christ Whilest they shine in purity they should sparkle with zeal Such a light was Iohn the Baptist not onely shining but burning John 6. 35. shining with holiness and burning with zeal And such should all the Ministers of God be as pure so zealous That is the thing which the Spirit requires from one of these seven Angels the Minister or Ministers of the Laodicean Church Rev. 3. 19. Be zealous And so should all the Ministers of Christ be zealous for God for his truth for his worship and service zealous against Errours Heresies all kind of doctrinal or practical wickedness Such were Moses and Phineas whose zeal standeth upon record to their eternal honour And such was Paul of whom the story tels us Acts 13. 9. that when he saw Elimas the Sorcerer opposing him as he did not so much his Person as his Doctrine Being filled with the Holy Ghost saith the Text he set his eyes upon him His eyes even sparkled with a holy indignation against him And so when he came to Athens and there saw the City so wholly given to Idolatry his spirit was stirred within him saith the Text Acts 17. 16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exacerbabat spiritus ejus his spirit was sharpned it had an edge set upon it it was so stirred that he could not but break forth into an open and tart reproof And so was it with our blessed Lord and Master the Lord Iesus However in his own personal concernments none more patient that Lamb of God yet in the cause of his father none more zealous The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up It is spoken of Christ Iohn 2. 17. Such was his holy zeal for the service and honour of God his Father that it was as a fire in his Breast continually feeding upon his spirits so busying and taking up his thoughts that it made him even regardless of himself And such should be the zeal of his servants his Ministers Onely let them see that it be a well tempered zeal Not fiery not furious In this do Stars differ from Comets Blazing-stars Both sparkle but the one in a temperate the other in a furious way as if they would set the world on fire Such zeal the Ministers of God must be ware of When Iames and Iohn having had some affront offered them and their Master by the Samaritans wo refused to receive them propound to him this course of proceeding against them wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven to consume them he presently makes answer to them with a Check ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of Luke 9. 54 55. Giving them to know that their counsel did not suit with their calling neither did it favour of a truly Ministerial spirit which should be a spirit of meekness and gentleness Zealous the Ministers of God may be ought to be But let it be for God and not for themselves And then let their fervour be tempered with a wise and holy discretion Let them sparkle where need is but let it be like Stars not like Blazing-stars Thirdly As in Puritie and Zeale so in Humilitie Hereof the Stars are very proper Emblems as Lapide hints it upon the Text. Which though they be vaste bodyes most of them far bigger then the Earth yet how little doe they seem to be And such should the Ministers of the Gospel be what euer they be for place for partes for gifts yet they should be little in their owne eyes· So was Paul however not Inferiour in place or gifts to any of the Apostles which being thereunto provoked by his emulous Adversaries he sometimes asserts and stands upon 2 Cor. 11. 5. I suppose I was not any whit behind the cheifest of the Apostles And againe in the Chapter following verse 11. he inculcates the same In nothing am I behind the very cheifest Apostles Yet in his owne eyes how low was he Even the least of them So much we may heare him elswhere acknowledging 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am the least of the Apostles Yea the least of Saints So he tels his Ephesians cap. 3. verse 8 Vnto me who am least then the least of all Saints is this grace given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a double diminitive Less then the Least i.e. for the least So little was this great Apostle to himself Even as nothing That is his Expression elswhere in that place forenamed 2. Cor. 12 11. In nothing am I behind the very cheifest Apostles though I be nothing Thus whilst he tooke notice of the abundant grace of God to him in bestowing such gifts as he had done upon him yet with all he acknowledgeth his owne nothingness How in and of himself he was nothing nothing without Christ even as the stars are nothing without the Sun of no use good for nothing Such was Paul in his own eyes And he would not seeme over great in the eyes of others It is the reason which he giveth why he did forbeare to speake somewhat of himself which
onely to him as Romanists would have it but to other his Apostles and Disciples and in them to their Successours even to all the Ministers of the Gospel as I touched before Into whose hands he hath put a double Key The Key of Doctrine and discipline of Doctrine giving them not onely leave or allowance but power to preach the Gospel Go teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. Go preach the Gospel to every creature Mark 16. 15. And that in measure as himself is said to have done Matthew 7. last with Authoritie These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all Authoritie saith Paul to Titus Tit. 2. last And as the Key of Doctrine which is elsewhere called the Key of Knowledge Luke 11. 52. because it openeth the door and letteth men into the saving knowledge of God in Christ so of Discipline and Government Jesus Christ having given a Ministerial power to them partly by the Application of that Doctrine to the consciences of men and partly by the censures of the Church as it were to open and shut the Kingdome of Heaven the Kingdome of Grace and Glorie to open it to penitent believers to shut it against obstinate sinners Whatsover ye bind on earth c. Whose sins ye remit c. Thus have Gospel Ministers their Office from Christ their persons also being sent by him with Authoritie from him And upon this account are these stars here placed in the hand of this Son of Man to intimate the interest and propertie that Iesus Christ hath in the Ministers of the Churches who are his Ministers Here is a first thing hereby signified Pass we to a second Secondly As they are Ministers his Officers so they are ordered and governed by him And upon this account again they may be said to be in his hand in as much as they are disposed of and directed by him As are Ambassadours by their Masters that send them together with their Commission they receive particular directions and instructions both whither they are to go and what they are to say and do Even so it is with the Ministers of Christ being sent by him they are also directed by him As whither to go so were the Apostles whose Commission was first restrained to one particular Nation viz. to the Jewes Go not into the way of the Gentiles Matth. 10. 15. afterwards inlarged Goe teach all Nations Matth. 28. 19. And so was S. Paul sent to the Gentiles by Christ who appeared to him Acts 26. 18. And so are ordinarie Ministers though not in so immediate a way yet still they are directed by Christ viz. by his special Providence whither to goe where they are to be imployed It is this hand that fixeth these Stars in their several Orbes that placeth Ministers in their particular charges where also he continues them during his good pleasure disposing of them both for life and libertie as he seeth fitting So also what it is that they are to speak in his Name To which end he as it were putteth his word into their mouths So the Lord is said to have done into that fals Prophet Balams Numb 23. 16. The Lord met Balaam and put a word in his mouth And so he did in the mouths of his true Prophets Behold I have put my word into thy mouth saith the Lord to the Prophet Ieremy Jer. 1. 9. And the like doth the Lord Jesus into the mouthes of his Ministers he putteth his word into their mouthes sending them to preach he ordereth them what they are to preach Goe preach the Gospel Thus he giveth them directions and instructions from his Word the Scriptures whereby the Man of God cometh to be perfect as the Apostle telleth Timothie 2 Tim. 3. last And with his word he giveth them his Spirit This is that which our Saviour maketh promise to his Apostles and Disciples John 14. 16. 17. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth which Spirit he afterwards tells them should guide them into all Truth chap. 16. 13. And this Spirit Christ giveth in measure to all their Successours the true and faithfull Ministers of the Gospel whereby their Heads and Hearts come to be enlightned with those saving and usefull truths which they are to hold forth uuto others God hath shined into our hearts saith the Apostle in that place forenamed Thus are they in their ministerial work and service disposed of ordered governed by Christ. And upon this account again may be said to be in his hand Thirdly They are in his hand his right hand being powerfully supported and upheld defended and maintained by him In this sense all the Saints of God are said to be in his hand All his Saints are in thy hand saith Moses Deut. 23. 3. Gods Saints in the hand of Jesus Christ under his custody and protection But so are his Ministers after a special manner They are in his right hand under his powerful and gracious protection and support So the Psalmist often useth this phrase Thy right hand upholdeth me Psal. 18. 35. v. 63. 8. O thou that savest by thy right hand them that put their trust iâ— thee Psal. 17 7. The right hand is a member strong and active whereby a man sheweth and putteth forth the whole strength of his body And thence is it that Gods power manifested in the protection or deliverance of his people is called the strength of his right hand The Lord saveth his anointed with the saving strength of his right hand saith the Church speaking of David her king Psal. 20. 6. And such is the salvation which the Lord Christ sheweth unto his servants his faithful Ministers First maintaining their office which he will do in despite of all opposition to the end of the world I am with you alwaies to the end of the world And then so far as he seeth it expedient defending their persons continuing their lives and liberties Thus was this Son of man with those stars the Ministers of the Asian Churches He held them in his right hand protectiug them keeping them either from or in the hour of Temptation That is the promise which he maketh to the Philadelphian Angel Revel 3. 10. I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world Such was the state of the Church then under the reign of that cruel Tyrant the Emperour Domitian it lay under a general persecution yet the Lord Iesus promiseth to the Church and in particular to the Ministers thereof an exemption and immunitie And thus doth Iesus Christ hide his Ministers sometimes as it were in the hollow or shadow of his hand Thus was he himself hid by his Father as the Prophet Esay saith of him Isai. 49. 21. In or with the shadow of his hand hath he hid me So protecting him against all the might and malice of his capital enemies that they could not lay hold upon him or do ought
what ever fire which of what ever materials it be made yet is it not so kindly so chearly so comfortable as that warmth which cometh from the Sun Nor yet is it so durable The warmth which a man receiveth from the fire in the winter season it is presently gone so as he returnes to his former temper againe nay is the colder after it and for it Truly so is it with the Consolations of this world they are fading vanishing though the heart may thereby be cheared for a time yet they afterwards leave it sad yea sadder then before especially where there hath beene any inordinacie in the use of them A truth which needeth no other proofe but the experience of those who solace and drown themselves in carnall pleasures when they have spent the day in them their hearts are often sad and melancolie in the evening the cause whereof is because they finde themselves gulled and deceived by them not meeting with what they expected finding onely a shadow where they looked for a substance But it is otherwise with the warmth of the Sun That as it is a kindly and comfortable so it is a lasting and durable warmth And such is that Consolation which a Christian hath in and from Iesus Christ. It is a sweete a substantiall a durable lasting everlasting Consolation That is Pauls Epithite 2 Thes. 2. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Everlasting Consolation O let every of us seeke after this Consolation that we may but see the face of Iesus Christ shining upon us through the promises of the Gospell so as we may have assurance of our interest in him and his love to us being able upon good grounds to say with the blessed Apostle that We live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved us and given himself for us Gal. 2. 20. this will be to us a spring of Consolation a comfort both in life and death I pass to the fourth and fifth particulars of which breifly 4. The Sun maketh plants and trees to fructifie And this benefit also seeke we from this Sun the Lord Iesus that by and through his spirit we may be made fruitfull in every good worke as the Apostle prayeth for his Colossians Col. 1. 10. This it is to walk worthy of the Lord as he there speaketh And hereby shall we evidence our union with Christ and interest in him our being in him and his being in us He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit saith our Saviour Ioh. 15. 5. This God expecteth at the hands of all those upon whome the name of Christ is called specially from those to whom Christ is more clearly revealed upon whome his face shineth in the preaching of the Gospel And that is our condition This Sun standeth over our heads See that our fructification be in some measure answerable to the meanes injoyed 5. Againe the Sun as you have heard purifieth the Ayre O that we may all of us finde and feele the like efficatious operation of this Sun of righteousness the Lord Iesus upon all our souls That his Spirit may be to us a purifing Sanctifing spirit purging and purifing our hearts from these sinfull and inordinate lusts â—mpure and corrupt affections which doe in any kindâ— anoy them This is the proper worke of â—he spirit of Iesus Christ which being a pure and holy spirit maketh the soule where it cometh a 〈◊〉 lodging for it selfe by clensing and purifing 〈◊〉 in measure from all spirituall anoyances O that we may all of us finde this blessed Operation That we may feele Jesus Christ thus coming to us by water Which he doth wherever he cometh by blood This is he that cometh by water and blood saith Saint Iohn 1. Ioh. 5. 6. washing away the filth of sin by his Spirit where he taketh away the guilt of it by his blood Every of us who would be assured of the one labour to finde and feele the other Thus seeke we the face of Iesus Christ that we may not onely see him but feele him feele him to us as the Sun as the Sun shining yea which is yet behind as the Sun shining in his strength Exercising those other Powerfull Operations upon us Of which breifly 1. Dissipating and dispelling of what ever mists of Ignorance or Infidelitie or inordinate feares which lye upon our soules Such mists the best of Gods Saints are here subject to Being somtimes exercised with feares and doubtings touching their spiritual and eternall condition Such a conflict we finde the holy Psalmist David or Asaph uncertaine whether under Psal. 77. Where we may hear him sadly complaining of Gods casting him off verse 7. and of the failing of his promise verse 8. of his forgeting to be gratious unto him and shutting up his tender mercies in anger against him verse 9. And Heman the like Psal. 88. 14. Where we may heare him after the like manner expostulating the matter with God Lord why castest thou off my soule why hidest thou thy face from me A good man under a sad desertion And such temptations are the dearest of Gods Saints subject to which lye as mists upon their soules clouding and darkning of them bringing them into and holding them in a disconsolate condition Now for the dissipating and dispelling of these look we up unto Jesus Christ by faith earnestly begging that he would shew us his face causing it to shine forth to us as the Sun in its strength clearing up unto us the evidences of his love and favour towards us Confirming in us our faith This is the boon which the father of that Demoniack beggeth from our Saviour Mark 9. 24 Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeleife And the Disciples put up the like request Luk. 17. 5. Lord increase our faith And thus feeling the infirmitie and weakness of that grace in our selves seeke we the Confirmation and Augmentation of it from Iesus Christ that by the cleare revealing and manifesting himself to us he would dispell all mists of Infidelitie Secondly Thawing and melting our frozen hearts not suffering them to lye under any sinfull obduracie but bringing them to and keepe them in a melting relenting frame and temper making them truly tender as Iosia's heart is sayed to be 2 Chro. 34. 27. So as they may alwayes be ready and willing to yield to what ever impressions the Spirit by the word shall make upon them Thirdly And lastly warming and heating of them with the sense and apprehention of his love so as with Mary we may feele our spirits rejoycing in God our Saviour joying in him in all estates and conditions doing what the prophet Habakkuk resolves upon Hab. 3. 17 18. Although the figtree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines c. Yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation In all conditions when all other comforts faile yet there is matter enough of
upon Gospell tearmes 3. And 3ly as to themselves so long as they live they stand obliged to accept of these offers which still refusing to do their sin is therby aggravated and heightned through that continued contempt 4. But yet in the 4th place If we speak of Gods secret decree and purpose questionlesse the day of grace may determine unto a man before the day of his life So it did there to Ierusalem She still liveth and flourisheth for a time Her day of prosperity was yet continued but her day of grace was now at an end Now are these things hid from thine eyes And questionlesse so may it be with some particular persons whom God in his just judgment hath given up to final impenitence so delivering them up unto Satan and themselves as that from thenceforth they never shall know the things belonging to their peace Obj. But what then may some say may not this be our case And if so then it is in vain for us to strive to seek for what is not to be found to knock at that door which is shut uppon us as it shall not be opened A. In answer to this I shall deal as tenderly as I may so as I may not discourage or dishearten any soul that intertaines but a thought of returning and coming in unto God that begins so much as to cast a glance heaven-ward Wherein I shall do no other then what the Lord Jesus himself doth of whom it was prophecied that he should not quench the smoaking flax Matth. 12. 20. Such was and is the gracious lenity and clemency of the Lord Jesus in his dealing with poor sinners in whom there are as yet onely some weak desires after grace some slender beginnings of conversion and faith And so shall I deal with all such 1. Willing them in the first place to take notice what is their Rule to walk by Not the secret but the revealed will of God Secret things belong unto the Lord but those things which are revealed to us and to our children for ever Deut. 29. 29. This is that which we are to look at and take notice of And therefore let not any upon this account disquiet and trouble their own soules with such anxious disquisitions as neither they nor any other for them whether man or Angel is able to resolve But apply themselves to the use of means This will men do as concerning their temporall estates They ne-over stand prying into Gods decree to enquire what portion in his secret purpose he hath layed out for them but they set about the work of their calling applying themselves to the use of means And so do you touching your spirituall and eternall estates Stand not to enquire how God hath disposed of you in his secret purpose but go about the work of your general calling apply your selves to the use of such means as God hath appointed to bring you home to himself by so waiting upon his good will and pleasure This is that which the Lord requires you to do And therefore in obedience to his command do it with that Poor impotent person Iohn 5. lying at the pool untill the Angell shall come down and stir the waters attending upon Ordinances untill God by his spirit concurring with them shall please to work effectually by them inclining your hearts to look towards himself giving you a sight and sense of your own sinfulnesse and miserie making you to see and feel the need you have of Jesus Christ and heginning to draw your hearts towards him Which when you find let this be a comfortable evidence unto you that your day is not yet past Onely be not you now wanting to this grace of God in giving intertainment to these motions of the spirit in opening of the doore of your hearts that so the Lord Jesus who is now knocking at them may enter in Which in the feare of God be ye now perswaded to do Not knowing but that this may be the last knock this the last sermon that ever we shall heare or the last mention of the spirit that ever you shall feele Now therefore even now before you goe from this place strike up the Covenant betwixt Iesus Christ and your soules accepting and receiving him in all those Gospell Relations not onely as a Saviour casting your soules upon him so as to rest upon the al sufficiencie of his merit for the pardon of sin and eternall salvation but also as a Lord a Husband a Head giving your selves up unto him to be guided and governed by him by his word and Spirit so receiving him into your hearts as that he may dwell in you and rule over you and that for ever This being done now know you for your comfort that you are through grace and mercie exempted out of this black list out of the number of those from whose eies the things belonging to their peace are hid God having thus revealed his Sonne Christ not onely to you but in you as the Apostle saith of himself Gal. 1. 16. not onely revealed him to your eares but to your hearts as by his word so by his spirit inclining your hearts to close with him to receive him upon these Gospel tearms now he hath made you to know the things which belong unto your peace Which whilest he hath hid from others he hath revealed to you For which differencing mercie to close up all in a word blesse you God giving unto him the glorie of this his free grace which hath put such a difference betwixt you and others This doth our Saviour in the behalfe of his Disciples in the Text forecited Math. 11. 25. I thanke thei O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes The great misteries of this Kingdome God had revealed them unto the poore and simpler sort of people the poore received the Gospell whilest in the meane time they were hid from the Scribes and Pharises men worldly wise and learned And this our Saviour there acknowledgeth to be his work an art of his meere good will and pleasure Even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight v. 26. And the like doe you for your selves Seeing God hath now revealed unto you those things which he hath hid from others many others who upon a Naturall or Civill account are far your betters being preferred before you as in place and estate so in understanding and worldly wisedome Give ye unto him the glorie of this mercie acknowledging it to be an art of his free grace a singular favour vouchsafed unto you For which let your soules for ever bless him prasing and magnifying him who hath thus now made you Children or light whereas others the greatest part of the world still sit in darknesse in the shaddow of death some of them having their eies already closed up so as they neither do nor ever