8. used or was used for them in respect of their Land Isa 63. 17 18. The people of thy holinesse have enjoyed it but a while and in a small scantling c. But to draw to a conclusion 3. Would we have God revive this work for his people Then we must pray also that God would revive his work in his people and with it his people themselves and each of us is to look that it be revived in himself What work is this First The life of Faith in the main Remember The just shall live by Faith Chap. 2. 4. that is Faith shall be a principle of life exercising many lively acts in them and they shall attain to the life of Restauration and Comfort by believing Gods promises And therefore we are not to lie down in any dejections or despondences of mind through distrust of Gods power or promises in any case that may conduce most to his glory in his peoples good Secondly The Spirit of prayer for the reparation of Zion the spiritual restorement of the Church for when the Lord shall stir up his servants more generally and heartily to pray with melting compassionate affections toward the spiritual dilapidations deformities of his Churches it will be a good sign that the set time to favor his Zion is come See Psal 102 13 14. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof 3ly Resolutions for best endeavours in behalf of the work of Reformation This concerns you all beloved in your several places and therefore to be far from being obstructors of it through worldly and carnal ends instead of being its promoters and advancers and they that have pretended to build with Gods people when they have intended to hinder as they in Ezra 4. 2 3. God will discover them But more especially this concerns you my reverend and much respected Brethren of the Provincial Assembly to look that you put forth revived spirits toward this work If that were true sano sensu Jupiter quos servare vult suscitat then 't is as true eos per quos servare vult c. If God quicken up those whom he will save then those by whom he will save others instrumentally O let us therefore through grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the gifts and graces of God in us let us quicken up our selves to use all counsels and endeavours for the furtherance of Gods Church-work and joyntly attend upon and prosecute all those good means according to our trust undertaken whereby it may be carried on forward waiting on God for the issues of all our prayers and all our endeavours which shall seem best to his heavenly wisdom However events shall fall out to us in our time resolve as our Prophet doth infer ver 17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation FINIS Christs counsel to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 11. Hold that fast which thou hast that no man take thy crown THese are a parcel of the words of Christ immediately directed unto the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia but mediately to that whole Church and every Member of it yea intended for the good of other Churches also and therefore of ours For he that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the Churches It is the common Epiphonema which our Lord subjoyns to all his Epistles unto those Asian Churches written according to the dictate of his spirit by the pen of his Apostle John in the second and third Chapters of this Book He would have every one that hath an hearing ear to lend his attention to that which is spoken by his spirit to what Church soever in that such is the general nature of all Churches and Church-Members as either they do or may stand in need of all such divine admonitions as are addressed occasionally to any of them Now whether those seven particular Churches written unto by our Lord in this Context were Types of several Churches of several constitutions and temperaments and conditions to follow in after-times by divine providence I will forbear to assert positively though I cannot but say what I think that the invention of one of our own Worthies was very bright and clear in finding out those suitable correspondencies between these seven and others succeeding down to this present age respectively Now for that Church in Philadelphia to which my Text is part of that which was written this is remarkable concerning it that it that of Smyrna were the only Churches of all the seven which our Lord Christ openly reproved not at all wheras he found something reproveable in all the rest as on the other side it is remarkable concerning that of the Laodiceans that it was the only Church of the seven which Christ commended not at all whereas he took notice of something commendable in all the rest and why this not because there was nothing faulty or imperfect in those of Smyrna and Philadelphia but to shew how much the Lord favoureth humble modesty nor because there was nothing good in that of Leodicea but to shew how much the Lord disliketh proud vain-glory But I wave such general Observations I draw nigh to the words read unto Sect. you And not to take up any of our time with an exact Analysis of Christ his Epistle to Philadelphia because I shall go near to draw all the lines from the utmost circūstance of it into the center of my Text know only that after he had given testimony to the present good that was in her ver 8. and assurance of after goodness he would shew to her ver 9 10. both in subduing disguised Adversaries and in preserving her under temptations he comes in the words I have hinted upon to exhort her unto duty upon a double motive The duty is To to hold fast that which she had Brevis est hortatio sed Emphatica valde Pareus The first motive which is placed in the front is taken from the speedinesse of Christ his coming behold I come quickly The second which follows in the rear is from the possibility of danger upon neglect of that duty that no man take thy Crown First of the duty Touching which take up this Observation that It concerns the best of Gods Obser Churches and people to hold fast that which they have I purpose to handle this Point which is the principal in the Use so as ye shall perceive it reacheth not only Church-Officers but also Church-members and those of what condition soever this duty being of universal concernment to
HABAKKVKS PRAYER Applyed to the Churches present occasions on Hab. 3. 2. AND CHRISTS COUNSEL To the Church of Philadelphia on Rev. 3. 11. Preached before the Provincial Assembly of London By that late Reverend and faithful Minister of Jesus Christ Mr. SAMUEL BALMFORD Pastor of Albons Woodstreet Jer. 30. 7. Alas for that day is great so that none is like it It is even the time of Jacobs trouble But he shall be saved out of it London Printed by E. M. for Adoniram Byfield at the three Bibles in Corn-hil neer Popeshead-Alley 1659. Judicious READER FOr such the works of this holy man of God Mr. Samuel Balmford now with the Lord require and deserve Here is represented to thee a Forlorn-hope or two Scouts being a small parcel of those many excellent pieces intended for the presse sent before ad vada tentanda not as if these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were of higher stature in worth then others their fellows and therefore fitter for it Among all Superlatives Comparisons are excluded Pharez and Zara strove with equal strength for precedency of birth but this piece to satisfie the importunity of friends hath broken forth first The Author was a person of eminent Orthodoxy of Word and Life by both which as a burning and shining light he was an exact and powerful Teacher the observant eye of impartial conversers with him finding the Transcript of his Sermons in his life his actions being living walking Sermons He was a man of a meek and modest spirit cloathed with humility lowly in heart but high and eminent for gifts and graces in the esteem when living and honoring remembrance now dead of those that are best able to judge of real worth An excellent husbander of time a painfull Student of great diligence and faithfulnesse in all Trusts and Relations of much Candor affability communicativeness and condescention in matters capable of it but immoveable where sence of duty obliged him Not forward to speak and therefore his words were more savoury by lying long in the falt of a deliberate minde and administring more grace to the hearers A man of a publick spirit pitying souls mourning for the sins of others and deeply laying to heart the afflictions of the people of God abroad and their dissentions at home as these ensuing Sermons do abundantly testifie For his labours in the Ministry he was one would not do the work of the Lord negligently nor offer unto God what cost him nothing or a corrupt thing when as indeed he if any had a male in the flock and was a workman that needed not be ashamed He thought the delivery of Embassies from God to man most needed and best deserved careful preparation and therefore chose rather to approve himself to his Master and the alwayes smaller number of judicious hearers by an industrious searching the Scriptures and digging to the bottome of that excellent Mine than to spare himself and please the most by taking up with the nearest uppermost and lesse precious parcels of Ore he hung not forth Alchimy lace that a little wearing by judicious meditation would have changed the colour of but of such true and pure metal as would wear brighter and brighter When some thorow injudiciousnesse and possibly prejudice the Lord give such repentance to life accounted his bodily presence as they Pauls weak and contemptible and felt not the evidence and demonstration of the spirit in his words others more judicious and candid hearers Christians and Ministers have had their souls hanging on his lips and heard him with joy and delight to their great profiting Though he well knew the distempered palate of these diseased times yet would not this fisher of men bait the ground to draw multitudes about him with curious enquiries and speculations unprofitable though pleasing notions quarum inventarum solus fructus est invenisse nor talking impertinencies without book or filling up vacuities by most insipid and nauseous tautologies He did not by strength and strain of lungs comick actions peculiar modes of carriage having more of affectation than affection in them make up defect of matter nor cloud wisdom with words without knowledge wrapping up mysterious non-sense in silken phrases nor dresse up sober truths in the meretricious garb of enticing words of mans wisdom nor yet did he prostitute the Word to the contempt of the worldly-wise or disadvantage it to better-minded more judicious hearers by flatnesse or rudenesse of stile but sought out acceptable words those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making words still servants to matter neither going before vainly nor yet following at too great a distance negligently He did not leap into his matter without trying and showing the ground he went upon but accurately weighed the Original carefully consulted with expositors solidly stated the subject of his discourse and then excellently divided the Word of Truth by exact natural Method and faithful application to the different conditions of soules therein not venting his passions nor concealing Gods truth He was every way such as not to have known him was an unhappinesse to have indeed known him and not honoured him an impossibility Of him the world was not worthy he therefore is taken away from the evil to come These things I freely testify from the full knowledge I had of him having by him been allowed the happinesse of a free converse and intimate acquaintance with him by which I must acknowledge my selfe to have been much and often profited Thomas Parson THe Reverend and Learned Author of these ensuing Sermons very seasonable and useful for these times was a Minister of Christ endued with very good abilities a workman that needed not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth full of piety modesty humility and integrity Sound in the Faith immovable in the Truth painful in his Ministerial imployment and one who hath left a precious name behind him among stall those who throughly knew him And therefore unto the testimony given of him by my Reverend Brother I do freely chearfully and most heartily subscribe Edm. Calamy Errata Page 1. in the Text for receive r. revive for people r. years p. 2. l. 21. for open r. opine p. 5. l. 15. dele and mercy page 6. line 9. for use r. verse page 13. line 10. for Psal r. Isai p. 15. l. 4. for favor r. wrath p. 34. l. 21. for know r. known p. 41. l. 2. dele experienced and appeared p. 53. l. 4. for of r. by p. 66. l. 26. for keep r. kept p. 72. l. 11. for Christ r. Christians p. 78. l. 8. for usual r. useful p. 84. l. 9. for apprehension r. approach Habakkuks Prayer applyed to the Churches present occasions Habakkuk 3. 2. O Lord I have heard thy speech and was afraid O Lord receive thy work in the midst of thy people in the midst of the year make known in wrath remember mercy THe Prophesie of this holy Prophet is termed a Burden especially in regard of the sad and
fear and trembling at the denunciation of Gods judgements and especially at the Prognosticks and signals of dangers and miseries hanging over the Church and people of God My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements so David Psal 119. 120. Good King Jehoshaphat having certain intelligence of grear Forces of combined Enemies preparing against him and Gods people he feared 2 Chr. 20. 3. And Jehoshaphat feared and set himself to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah And such a feare well tempered ought to be found in them upon such occasion and that most rationally For consider with me I beseech you 1. The speech and voice of God when it is but preceptive onely and in the way of commanding is enough to strike his people with fear as it may be presented to them in a Majestick manner So it did at Mount Sinai when God delivered his Law to his people though then they stood upon good terms with him For there is a dreadfulness ever in the Soveraign Majestique Presence of God See Psal 89. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Much rather then when he utters himself in the way of threatnings of judgments which are most fit to beget fears in the soul 2. We know that the very goodnesse of God and his pardoning mercy should work the soul about by the way of love unto a Reverential and Cautionary Fear of offending him Psal 130. 4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared How much more properly then may the severity of God and his menaced judgements cause a trembling fear in them whom they concern 3. We finde God offended at men and those of his own people not only for formal sinfull matters of provocation but even for not fearing as they should and not trembling before him in the way of his judgements So with Judah I saw saith he when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not c. Jer. 3. 8. So with the remnant of Judah during the Captivity in Babylon who went down into Egypt For God threatned them for having forgotten the wickedness of their Fathers and for not being humbled at that day nor having feared c. Jer. 44. 9 10. 4. And on the contrary we finde God in a just expectal of this fearfull trembling disposition at the voice of his threatnings and judgements and well pleased with it The Lion hath roared who will not fear Amos 3. 8. Shall a Trumpet be blown in the City and the people not be afraid Jude ver 6. To this man will I look saith God even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my word Isa 66. 2. Quest But what manner of fear and trembling at Gods threatnings may this be which is required Doth not the Scripture say that The righteous man shall not be afraid of evill tidings because his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord Psal 112. 7. And doth not the Scripture divers times forbid and reprove the people of God for their fear of enemies and oppressors and a sad and calamitous condition under them Who art thou saith God that art afraid of a man that shall dye and of the son of man that shall be made as grass c and that hast feared continually because of the fury of the oppressor as if he were ready to destroy c. Psal 51. 12 13. Answ It must be granted there is a great deale of fear that the poor people of God are subject unto in this life which is and may most justly be interdicted and forbidden to them and checked in them by the Spirit of God as being inordinate and sinfull in sundry respects and yet it must be held that there is a fear of threatned judgements from God which is not onely indulged to them but falls under duty There is a great deale of base slavish fear in the ground of it of excessive fear in the degree of it and of either preposterous or otherwise unseasonable fear in the time of it as it then works unseasonably when God after a time of long publick triall and affliction discovers himself by sundry tokens and evidences ready to comfort his people And so in that place mentioned in Isa 51 12 13. See the Context thereabout But while God speaks terrible things unto his his people they ought to fear Provided that their feare be thus qualified 1. It must be a Fear that hath the great God properly for its Object and not the Creature I take it to be generally observable in the holy Scripture that God finds not fault with his people or any other for fearing him no not meerly in regard of his power and wrath as King of Nations See Jer. 10. 7. Who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee doth it appertain forasmuch as among all the wise men of the Nations and in all their Kingdoms there is none like unto thee And Psal 90. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy favour Isa 19. 16. In that day shall Egypt be like unto women and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of Hosts which he shaketh over it But for fearing the Creature suppose the instrument he useth of his wrath or punishing displeasure is that werein the base degeneration of humane fear lieth that men look not at or consider not the chief Efficient and Meritorious causes of judgment threatned but the matter of it the Instruments of it only And so not at the hand of God in it and his displeasure stirred up by sin but at the hand of man or other Creatures executing it and the matter of loss or smart in it Their fear is not before the Name of God Mal. 2. 5. but before the names and faces of men Now this is base and quite contrary to the temper that God requireth who in case of judgements or dangers would not have sensual but spiritual considerations taken on for they that know Gods Name aright should learn by an holy Chimistry as it were to abstract a spirituall fear of the Creator from the carnall feare of Creatures and preserve that fear by them 2. It must be a Fear that riseth not onely out of Self-love as apprehensive only of personal dangers But a fear that ariseth from true brotherly charity born towards the community of Gods People and apprehensive of Divine anger kindled against them and of dangers toward them This Prophet feared in the behalf of the people and prayed in behalf of the people of God and not of himself either only or chiefly Publique respects should outweigh private in all that would be accepted of God
calls upon us to hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering without declining or tottering any way therefore in a fixed and firmly setled manner Heb. 10. 23. 2. Vigorous putting forth of strength in the way of contestation with others for the maintenance and defence of Truth and Purity of Doctrine and Worship and holy Government and practice so farre as is warrantable in a regular way We are to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the Saints Jude 3. and to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free that we be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage Gal. 5. 1. Quest But what need is there of such strong actings to hold fast Truth and Holinesse Answ There is need of some strength in a double respect 1. To hold up against inward faintings and languishings We know that every thing is ready to fall and drop out of our hands when our natural spirits faile within us and we are faine to take Cordials sometimes to strengthen our stomacks to retain what is taken down which otherwise either through nauseousness or other weaknesse would be quickly cast up again So it is too often in the case of the failing of gracious spirits in Christians through spiritual faintings they are too ready to let fall divers truths of God and to stick in the profession of them and to let fall practical exercise of holiness and 〈◊〉 let dissolve away the regular assemblings of themselves together And all this either through a nauseating wearinesse of such things by the great gathering of ill humours or through some causelesse fearfull pusillanimous apprehensions And therefore said Christ to the Church at Sardis ver 2. strengthen the things that remain which are ready to dye The remaining good things in a Church of Christ are sometimes through the weaknesse of inward Principles ready to languish and dye away and therefore need be strengthened Again there is need of strength 2ly To retain against external violences or forcible attempts of others to wring from Christ what they hold of good or to make them fling it away or shake it off from them Robore hic opus esse judicat quia plurima sunt quae fidelibus haec dona excutere possunt nisi tenere omnibus modis contendant saith Pareus in locum We might be encouraged by many examples of Martyrs yea some Heathen may be alluded to as that of Attilius the Roman who fighting for a Ship at Sea held fast on her with one hand after another till both were cut off Valer. Max. another whose hands were off held fast with his teeth so christians should mordicus tenere But I shall have occasion to speak more of this point by and by under one of the Motives in the Context Quest But it may be asked again What need the people of God be charged with care of duty of this nature since there be such precious promises made unto them that the Lord will keep them and preserve them and his graces in them so that they shall never depart or fall away from him nor ever be plucked out of his hand but be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation See Jer. 32. 40. Joh. 10. 28 29. 1 Pet. 1. 5. They that belong to the Lord shall retaine that which shall bring them or suffice to accompany them to everlasting glory and happiness and why then need they be solicitous about holding fast that which they have Answ We have to answer divers things First For particular persons even such as are elect and called and perswaded too of their interest in such precious promises they notwithstanding these promises are obliged by command from God to look to their own self-spiritual preservation and that in a subserviency to Gods providence for the accomplishment of his promises It was not said ungroundedly by that Ancient so it be rightly understood Qui creavit te sine te non servabit te sine te c. God hath ordered most wisely and justly that the first spark of grace which he giveth to his beloved ones should be employed and improved instrumentally under his own supreme agency for both their preservation and advance of their happy condition Therefore mark it the fear which he puts into their hearts that is that holy circumspect fear not secure presumption is made a preservative for their not departing away from him in that Jer. 32. 40. And though he keep them by his own power yet it it is through the continued acting and exercising of their faith that he keeps them unto salvation In that 1 Pet. 1. 5. Secondly For particular Churches gathered in visible communion and frame of Government there be no promises made unto any of them for ought I have heard and remember nor ever were that they should be perpetually preserved either without decay or without dissolution and therefore there is no cause why Church-members should be remisse and negligent in holding fast those Church-Ordinances Liberties and Priviledges which they enjoy at present if they regard the good of that collective body whereof they are because they have no ground of promise to pretend for security against a suddain change and alteration Yea thirdly suppose a promise made to a particular Church for its preservation for a time yet the Lord will not have that Church slacken her care and endeavour of preserving her self no not during that season My proof by way of instance is near at hand Christ made a promise to this Church at Philadelphia in the verse before my Text that he would keep her from the hour of temptation that should come upon all the world to try them that do dwell upon the earth and yet presently he forewarns her to hold that fast which she had This is very observable She might not expostulate Lord since thou wilt keep me what need I take any care of keeping my self No Churches as Churches must learn to serve under Gods promises and providences for their own good as well as particular Christians And Gods known purposed indulgences should not occasion his servants negligences How much more cause then have those Churches to take this warning which have no such special promises made unto them as none of the particular Churches of Christ for ought I know have at this day These things being in some sort cleared I shall pesent you with what I have further to say in the way of usual improvement of the Doctrine delivered Use 1. First I beseech you to make use of this Point by â—â—y of Caution in reference to the Object We have heard what it is which the servants and Churches of Christ respectively are to hold fast Now because there is a tenacity a disposition to hold fast something or other in every one and yet every thing which one hath is not worth holding fast therefore let us try what it is only that we have be sure to hold fast that which
it in this sense infringe the certainty of the perseverance and salvation of the Saints Answ No it doth not For in the community of a visible Church there is a mixture of Hypocrites with sincere Professors Now Hypocrites may lose the Crown of glory because they never had really either true Faith or holinesse but onely seemed to have them and therefore though they lose that Crown which was proposed to them to runne and strive and labour for yet is not the tenure of divine Election in the least weakened by their failing because though they were called externally yet not elected and never had the faith or grace of the Elect. And for sincere Christians who onely are elected though they shall not lose the Crown prepared and reserved for them yet they have need of such caveats as this Partly to minde them though they be kept by the power of God to salvation yet in themselves there is a Principle of defection and Apostacy and were they left unto themselves they should let go all grace and lose all glory and therefore need be the more wary Partly to keep them from loosenesse and defection for Exhortations and Admonitions from the mouth of God and set on by the Spirit of God are instrumental in Gods hand to stirre them up to duty and hold them in â—erseverance The premisses considered O Beloved how should we be strengthened in our resolutions and actuated in our strongest endeavours to stand fast and hold fast that truth that grace and all those spiritual liberties and priviledges bestowed upon us Use 3 Use 3. A third Use of this point may be to give and take some Directions for the more effectual practice of this Rule since it is a thing both of so much difficulty and of so great consequence to observe it In the way of hopefull means therefore be pleased to take notice of these few particulars 1. Would we hold fast what good we have personally and Ecclesiastically Then take an humble recognition of our own weaknesse respectively It is said of this Church of Philadelphia a little before at ver 8. that she had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little strength and indeed this duty of holdfast is directed neither to livelesse persons nor meer impotent persons in spiritual respects but it was but a little strength So it was with her that was one of the best of the sisters we are then to be humbly apprehensive of the smalnesse of our own strength even when we are at the best And then besides we may reflect back and consider whether in some particulars we have not slipped back with Ephesus and fallen from our first love and whether we are not in some particulars in a languishing condition as Sardis and so need to strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye But I say we are to be humbly sensible of our little strength at the best and that will dispose us to more care to hold fast what we have c. 2. Take we and keep we fast hold on God by Faith and in the frequent exercise of Prayer imitating Jacob in not letting of him go He looks that his people should do so even to take hold of him and his strength in a good sense Isa 27. 5. not in a way of presumptuous contest with him but for our own support by him Stirre up our selves to lay hold on him Isa 64 7. For why Qui habet habentem omnia habet omnia so Qui retinet c. In his own might shall no man no Church be strong but we may be able to do all things through Christ strengthening us and therefore we are alwaies to walk and act in the strength of the Lord Psal 71. 16. Maintain sound Doctrine in the strength of the Lord keep the way of holinesse in the strength of the Lord perform all Church-duties in the strength of the Lord c. 3. Let it be our holy covetous aime to be getting more of that good which we are to hold fast Men of the world are ready to think that in externall things if they be not on the increasing hand they are on the diminishing And what shall we think of our condition in Spirituals If we look into the Evangelical Parable of the servants that had Talents or Pounds committed to their usance we may finde the evill servant there keeping his Talent and wrapping it up in a napkin and did he not then hold it fast but that proved neither pleasing to his Master nor comfortable to himself because he should have been imploying and improving it which because he was not therefore he was said not to have and sentenced to have that taken from him which he onely seemed to have For without some improvement a stock cannot long be kept entire together Wherefore in spiritual things beloved if we would with Philadelphia hold fast what we have we must affect the commendation of Thyatira Chap. 2. 19 to have our last works more than our first to advance in solid knowledge in true and sincere holinesse and if it be possible to have our after Church-Ministery Church-Assemblies Church-Administrations better than our former This I say must still be our aime or otherwise we shall be soon cast backward when men are in a broad wheele either to crane up things from the earth or to draw up baskets out of the water they are still steping forward or else they could not stay in the same place and circumstances of posture where they are as it is also with Birds in a turning bellcage And so when Christians or Church-Members are set into such a frame as the wheele of occurrents is still turning upon them either they must be still stepping forward or else they cannot keep the same sight of their station but be driven backward and overturned 4. We must be industrious and zealous in all the affairs which make for the preservation and improvement of what we have I commend that cluster of Apostolical precepts unto you in Rom. 12. 11. Be not sloathfull in businesse but fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. And these are connexed and subordinate one to the other First Not sloathfull i. e. neither altogether idle nor remisse or carelesse how we do what we pretend to be doing how slowly how seldom how slightly For he that is sloathfull in his work is brother to him that is a great waster Prov. 18. 9. so farre will he prove from a holder fast of what he hath For the sloathful gets nothing as the waster spends all and so in their emptiness and needinesse they come to shake hands together Again If we would not be sloathfull we must be fervent in Spirit for sloathfulnesse is from coldnesse of temper corporally or spiritually and activity is from heat and fervency so that unless one be somewhat zealous he cannot be constantly laborious As the light is gone in a manner when the flame of a candle is extinguished and the fire will quickly
die out of the snuffe so is it in Spiritual cases unlesse we be somewhat fervent for truth and holinesse for Church-Ordinances and Discipline we shall quickly leave acting for them and be at a losse of them Therefore be fervent in Spirit And to direct our aimes and intentions in it know lastly according to that Scripture that we must look at the Lords service as serving the Lord we must be fervent in Spirit and not sloathful in businesse The Apostle bids ordinary servants do their Masters service not as looking to them onely but to the Lord Ephes 6. 7. Col. 3. 23. How much more then should they approve themselves to the Lord with all fervency of Spirit whose service and businesse is about the matters of God and his house These considerations surely may be helpful to Church-Officers and Members to hold fast what they have 5. If we be resolved for constancy in holding fast what good we have then let us shew our selves lovers and observers of all good Orders Enemies to Order are Enemies to Constancy Both together availe much for great issues and atchievements But pervert or disturb the former and you subvert or breake the latter cryers down of all Forms are monstra informia unshapen Monsters as opposite to God in their endeavours as may be for whereas God brought a bountiful Creation out of a Chao's They would reduce all into a Chao's again might they have their will or wishes for ought appears by their words Plainly therefore would we retaine either soundnesse of Doctrine or holinesse of life we must pray and endeavour to keep good order in all Church-Administrations Marke that of the Apostle in Colos 2. 5. Rejoycing saith he and beholding your order and the stedfastnesse of your faith in Christ He joynes Order with stedfastnesse and puts Order though the less before stedfastnesse of faith though the greater because Order conduceth much unto stedfastness And wherefore is there so much unstedfastnesse this day among our people even about the most important points of Faith but because they are all out of Order No Rule held over them their Traces cut the Reins cast upon their necks and the communalty of them unskilful to rule themselves I speak in reference to Spirituals They wander from one Church unto another now they are in one Conventicle or Assembly and then in another In one place they meet with some good Principles it may be but in another with bad and gather matter of corruption of minde and practice one piece after another and how then should they hold fast what good they had How much then doth it concern us all in our several places to keep Order and Rules of Government And would to God our Rulers at length would powerfully help us all to keep such as may be sound undoubtedly approveable 6 Exercise patience as this Church did ver 10. keeping the word of Christs patience not only the rule prescribing patience but patience it self prescribed by that rule For patience is necessary unto perseverance in a good profession in a good practice whether publickly or privately The impatient person doth not possess his own soul see Luk. 21. 19. he hath not an hold fast of him self and therefore what else can he hold fast If we would like good plants retain our moisture our sustenance and bring forth fruit to perfection it must be with patience Luke 8. 15. If we would do the will of God according to our places throughly and constantly so as to receive the promises we have need of patience Hebr. 10. 36. Wherefore do so many depart from God and turn from his truth and will and way but because they are impatient and will not wait Gods leisure till he vindicate his own cause or means effectually for the clearing up of Controversies and reforming of things amiss and so falling a mourning that things are carried crosse unto their former Principles and perswasions they fling out and are carried headily any way that may give them most present contentment whatever it may do afterward But not to tire your patience too long 7. Approve we our selves right Philadelphians that is according to the Etymon of the word Brotherly lovers and lovers of the Brethren See 1 Thes 4. 9. But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you for ye your selves are taught of God to love one another Heb. 13. 1. Let brotherly love continue Without this we cannot keep long in any good order nor keep in patience long c. Nor which is the main keep long in the possession and practice of truth and holiness Mark that Context Ephes 12 3. Forbearing one another in love Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace If we break in point of love we quickly break the bond of peace and love being broken we cannot long keep the unity of the Spirit what is that Unity in the disposition of our spirits in judgements and affections But there must be more then that viz. 2. Unity of our spirits in assent and adherence to Gods Spirit his Doctrines his Principles his Ordinances that so our unity may be evidenced to be 3. Unitiy wrought by the Holy Spirit of God knitting us together as Members of one Mystical body after a Spiritual and Mystical manner To the keeping of this I say brotherly love is requisite No marvel therefore if we hold not fast what we had I speak of the common hold fast since there is such want of brotherly love among us since our people are fallen into so many Divisions and breaches A condition with tears of blood to be lamented And O that all Sardenses and Laodiceans about us would transire in castra or rather in tentoria Philadelphensium Then might we see happy times and God can bring them on when he pleaseth Mean while let us Beloved shew our selves right Philadelphians of an humble meek loving gentle yet a couragious and tenacious spirit to hold fast true Doctrine and Discipline holinesse of life and conversation Our love one toward another will strengthen the hearts and hands one of another and the failing of it as much weaken us c. Let Angels and Officers of Churches think of this in the first place who are to be Lights and Guides to others in the wayes of Love and Peace But then all the Members of our Churches in their several places And to close all Let us shew our selves Philadelphians in our sympathetical affections in love towards our Brethren of the reformed Churches beyond the Seas and of neighbouring Nations because we all profess to hold the same good things of God both for Doctrine and Discipline for the main substance of it More specially sympathize with them who are now in an hour of temptation to try them Pray that though they could not hold fast what they had in Houses Lands and other outward possessions nor Ministers nor Churches nor their nearest relations many of them yet they may hold fast true faith and good consciences to the end as many of those that have been massacred already did to the end as divers of their Ancestors also did see many foregoing Generations And contribute also toward them in love for the relief of their necessities as we shall be shortly called upon to do in our respective places Now who so in the use of such meanes shall hold fast that which he hath of Truth and Grace and persevering overcome Christ promiseth him in the verse following that he will make him pillar in the Temple of his God and he shall goe no more out A verse very well worthy our attendance unto a further explanation of it but the time now cuts me off c. FINIS
and will fulfill his determined work within his appointed time for them or in plenitudine temporis in the fulness of time determined yet this is a sense that falls too short of the Emphasis of the doubling of this Phrase in our Text which may seem to import more than so Yet secondly neither do I take the midst here Geometricè precisè for the midst according to a precise measure as some do For they that think he prayes that this reviving work of God might be wrought either about the middle of the years of the worlds duration presuming it shall last 6000. years or just between Samuels Prophecying and Christ his coming or suffering supposing just 490. years between that Prophet and the Captivity in Babylon and as many between the Captivity and Christ they build upon uncertainties and that in the judgement of our latest English Annotators c. What construction then may we make of this expression The meaning may be taken up as I conceive As the Psalmist prayed for himself or rather in behalf of the Church Ps 102. 23 24. with those whom I account most judicious in these two particulars 1. In the midst of the years i. e. In the middle course of thy Church or people while yet they are not grown up to a maturity or ripeness of age suffer them not to perish but hold them up in life Now that ancient people of God saith Calvin and our Genevian Annotators after him came not to their fulnesse of age till Christ and therefore should they not have been held up in a Church frame till then they had sunk as it were in the flower or middle of their age therefore he prayes thus c. 2. In the midst of years i. e. illorum calamitosorum infaelicium dierum c. of those calamitous and unhappy dayes or years when thy people shall be under the Chaldean bondage when they shall be tumbled headlong into miseries and be even overwhelmed with the waves of afflictions rushing in upon them and over them then do thou revive thy work thy work of promised grace and goodness on their behalf Etiamsi videmur destinati esse morti tamen nos restâ—tâ—e so Calvin And this I take to be the most genuine sense of this expression This midst of years being as emphatical as Davids midst of troubles Psal 138. 7. or the mountains being carried into the midst of the Seas Psal 46. 2 c. But to proceed to the last Quere Fourthly what means that abrupt speeh make known in the midst of c. what would he have made known Truly 't is very easie to gather both what and how by referring to the foregoing words viz. Make known thy reviving and revived work c. Let it be actually seen that it is thy work that such people are thine and that such works of Providence for them are thine let them and all the world about take notice of it And withall in so doing make know what a God thou art as for wisdom and truth and power and other excellencies so for mercy in wrath remembring mercy as follows in the last clause Of which excellent and comfortable sentence I shall be able to speak but briefly and that as a ground onely of that one point I shall speak unto for our instruction which I gather up out of this branch of the Use thus Obs There be good grounds for the people of God to build their faith and prayers upon that God will preserve his Church and restore it unto a comfortable condition in the midst of the greatest dangers or miseries they can fall into in this life Or thus Gods people may rely on him for reviving grace amidst their most perplexed desperate and according to man deadest condition When there is otherwise no hope of recovery they may hopefully apply themselves unto him I take the Observation in this frame bcause I finde the Prophet praying to this purpose and all warrantable prayers are grounded upon Principles of Faith and this Prayer was intended for the use of Gods people and not for the Prophet himself onely as if the Spirit of God from heaven had shewed them how God was to be sought unto And therefore we might state the Point thus That it is the duty of Gods people to pray unto him to revive his work in the midst of most unlikely years So Calvin Sect. Now that in the depth of distresses the people of God have good ground of reliance on him for reviving grace I will first shew by way of Instance and then of Reason By way of Instance to make it appear that God hath revived his work in the midst of calamitous and disastrous times besides those of the Babylonish Captivity I will mind you but of two most memorable cases Instances out of the Scriptures We are not to omit that reviving was granted for which most directly this Prayer was made In that God hath preserved life of grace in his people druing the Captivity refreshing and confirming them by his servants the Prophets as Ezekiel Daniel and others lest they should despair and utterly sink with grief and restored them c. witnesse Haggie and Zacharie following One before that Captivity viz. Gods deliverance of his people out of Egypt For in the midst of the years of their bondage there under Pharaoh while they were groaning heavily under it and felt their pressures tasks and burdens multiplyed upon them then God sent them reviving comfort by Moses and wrought their deliverance wonderfully when according to man they were out of all hope of any such thing And this is that case which this Prophet most of all commends to their Posterity in this Prayer as a ground of Faith by way of president Though there be some mixed references in it to some other writings vouchsafed them in languishing and fainting cases while they were in the Land of Canaan Among other verses see the 13 14 15 c. Another after the Babylonish Captivity viz. The redemption of his people wrought by Christ For in the midst of years of sad and mournfull condition when his people were much degenerated and corrupted though they had the second Temple standing amongst them yet much polluted in worship as well as in other sinfull courses and thereupon left destitute of Prophets for a time and deprived of the Royal dignity among them being subdued by Romans then was Christ sent into the world and when the hearts of the best were troubled with longing expextation of a Messiah Venit Christus cum morbus creverit ad summum paroxysmum Then Christ came as a great Physitian when the disease was grown to the highest and sharpest fit of it then came he to work the Patients most necessary spiritual deliverance And this is that reviving act which divers Pontificial Expositors at least make the Allegorical sense of our Text and think it most intended by the Spirit in this place But it may suffice
to take knowledge of it as an instance for proof of a reviving work of God and surely the most eminent of all other to spiritual consideration For certainly look how much their deliverance out of Babylon surpassed that out of Egypt so much and more doth this spiritual deliverance by Christ surpasse that out of Babylon Jer. 16. 14 15. and 23. 6 7 8. Therefore behold the dayes come saith the Lord that it shall no more be said The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the land of Egypt But The Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel from the Land of the North and from all the Lands whither he had driven them and I will bring them again into their Land that I gave unto their Fathers In his dayes Judah shull be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his Name whereby he shall be called THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNES Therefore behold the dayes come saith the Lord that they shall no more say The Lord liveth which brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt But The Lord liveth which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the North Countrey and from all Countreys whither I had driven them and they shall dwell in their own Land And this is intimated to be so strange and wonderfull that the former should not be remembred in comparison Isa 43. 18 19. Remember not the former things neither consider the things of old Behold I will do a new thing now it shall spring forth shall ye not know it I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert And this is the Grandmother and ground-work of such special deliverances of the people of God in sundry quarters since experienced as appeared and of which it might be said as of the threatned punishment of his people before Chap. 1. 5. Behold ye and regard and wonder marvellously for God worketh such a work in your dayes which ye will not believe though it be told you c. Reasons Sect. But from Instances come we to Reasons and there are so many insinuated in our Text as we need not at present look further for more 1. God may be relied on for reviving grace in a dead condition because he is the Lord Jehovah Almighty to give a being unto what he pleaseth as the being of beings and therefore able as to give a being unto his threatnings to actuate them as the just ground of fear before so to give a being unto his promises and speeches of grace as the ground of hope We say sometimes of men that they are good to help at a dead lift yet finde them often failing our greatest expectations but that can be said of none in comparison of God And therefore we may believe because this makes for the glory of his power This was Abrahams ground of believing he should have a childe by Sarah He being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform therefore he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old neither yet the deadnesse of Sarah's womb nor staggered at Gods promise but was strong in faith giving glory to God Rom. 4. 18 19 20 21. 2. Because the work here supposed to be revived is Gods own work as we heard Now it stands upon the glory of his wisdome to preserve and sustaine his own special work and not to let it fall and die under his hand and not to leave it in the midst unfitted unfurnished Therefore was that Prayer of the Psalmist Psal 138. 8. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me thy mercy O Lord endureth for ever forsake not the works of thine own hands And therefore is that application made to God by the Prophet Jer. 14. 8 9. Oh the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in the time of trouble wherefore shouldest thou be a stranger in the Land Why as a man astonied Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy Name thy work leave us not Apply that other also in Isa 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordain peace for us for thou hast wrought all our works in us c. 3. Because it concerns the glory of Gods goodnesse and mercy And it is his most excellent nature in the the midst of wrath to remember mercy as we finde in the last clause of our Text. By the way enquire we Is there any wrath or furious indignation in God properly No He is not subject to such passions as man is Fury is not in him Isa 27. 4. The just and severe execution of punishments is called his wrath c. Then why is his wrath said to be somewhat stirred up against his people We answer Gods wrath relates rather to the sins than to the persons of his people The opposition rising in him is not properly against his own work or people but against Sathans work in them or their own evil works And secondly the stirring of his wrath or anger argues rather their apprehension and sense who feele smart and affliction than his affection stirred up against them who doth but as a Chirurgian or a Father handle roughly and correct his own for their good Now hence we may the better conceive how 't is said in way of Petition Lord in wrath remember mercy And this we are to conceive as an eminent excellency in God above the Creature that in wrath he can and will remember mercy towards his own workmanship his Church his people How remember By a merciful change of his work of Providence and so giving real arguments of a mercifull remembrance Now this the poore impotent creature cannot do when it is in passion Man is subject to forget himself and forget mercy in his wrath and fury nor can he stop and cease suddenly in his hot executions and turn his course because he hath not his passions at such a check or command but God can never forget himself and he can easily hold up his severest executions See Exod. 32. 11. to 14. And Moses besought the Lord his God and said Lord Why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people which thou hast brought forth out of the Land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say For mischief did he bring them out to slay them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth Turn from thy fierce wrath and repent of this evil against thy people Remember Abraham Isaac and Israel thy servants to whom thou swarest by thine own self and said'st unto them I will multiply your seed as the stars of Heaven and all this Land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed and they shall inherit it for ever Numb 16. 46 47 48. And Moses said unto Aaron Take a censer and put fire therein from off the Altar and