the Scripture the Churches power is not Authoritative as to give Laws against the Laws of Christ it 's only Ministerial we do believe the Scripture for it self and not because of the Church we receive the Scripture by the Church Hence therefore when we set up the name of a Church let us see whether that Church walks in the way of Christ whether she be his Spouse or no whether she doth act according to his Institutions whether they bring his light yea or no then submit for it is not what a Church practises but what they are warranted to practise not what they hold for a truth but what they are warranted to hold as the word of truth The word was written afte the Church but as it is the word of God it s before it This therefore will break the snare if you be set upon by the specious name of the Church look that the Church hath warrant from Scripture Institution and then submit to Church Institution A second Rule I observe men would set up to betray poor souls from the faith once delivered to them is Ancient Custome Our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain when they would hold forth that which the Scripture is short in they will send us to such and such Customes of so many hundred years standing It is to be bewailed that the date the standing of false Doctrines and false Worships is so ancient for though at first they were but Invocations yet to succeeding Generations they become old And 't is a very great truth that That is the most ancient is the most true and therefore there lies a great snare in this Therefore when Antiquity is pretended if you find not their hoary heads in the way of Righteousness there is little reason for you to reverence them or comply with them no more then there was reason so suddenly to be taken with the Gibeonites mouldy bread and clouted shooes When matters of Antiquity are pretended say as Ignatius Iesus Christus est mea Antiquitas Jesus Christ is my Antiquity so say Truth is my Antiquity for though an opinion have been practised a thousand years yet men may have the word of truth in their hearts that is ancienter then all A third Rule that men would set up is The general course of the world or place the generality of those where they live This was that the Popish Party did often mention to the Witnesses of Jesus Christ what will you be wiser then others can't you do as others do must you be singular And this is a taking rule for to make you conformable to those things possibly the word of God will not warrant if you bring not this custome to the word of God 't is not what the most do but what we may do 't is not what is the practise of all in general but what ought to be the singular care and strict holiness of Christians in particular that the word of God will allow Christians are not to be conformable to the present world Rom. 12. 1. The word will tell you it is no more safe to follow a multitude to do evil then it will be sweeter to be in Hell with a great company The word will let you know the secrets of the Lord are with a very few and those them that fear him as for the whole world it lies in wickedness The word will tell you The waies of Jesus Christ and the profession of Jesus Christ is commonly called a Sect it is every where spoken against and men hate it every where Therefore set up this Rule in your hearts in your houses in your meditations in your practise Rule 2. Be very well rooted and established in the faith that hath been delivered to you I observe it 's one of the great reasons why Christians so easily let go the profession they have made is because they were never well built upon it nor established in it There are many Christians that through their own itching ears heaping up Teachers to themselves have never been rooted or established in the truth the Lord pity them and keep them this day Many Christians that have attended to establishing means yet never seriously considered nor laid things to their heart but are like those the Apostle speaks of Heb. 5. 12. that had need to learn the first Oracles of God How many among us profess with the highest but have little ground for their faith only with the Jews the Traditions of the Elders the custome of the place Education and because such a party of men say so because no body denies it because Ministers commonly preached it but to take any solid and serious ground they are yet to seek 'T is not wiâ—…h the things of God as with other Arts as Logick Rhetorick Astronomy in these Arts the principle is presupposed to be proved no man goes about to prove there is Reason that there is Number that there are Heavenly bodies because sense and experience shews it But 't is quite otherwise in the things of God for you are not only to run away with the notion that there is a God that this God is one and that these are his word and his works but you are to know this by experience because the knowledge of these things comes in by infusion by faith by a belief that God is For by Faith we believe the worlds were made by the word of God Heb. 11. 2 3. It is that therefore I would press you to that you would labour for an established spirit Do not only hear the things of God but see them the first will but blind you or at best leave you at great uncertainties the last will settle you What was the reason of the holy Apostles zeal when they were under the greatest threatnings of the High Priests and were forbid to speak in the name of Christ and to speak of Justification by faith and the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and forgiveness of sins by him things that are furthest remote from sense and reason the Apostle will tell you Act. 4. 20. We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard Hence it is that poor silly women that in respect of their Imbecility and Infirmity of sex the terrours of the fire and faggot might have been such to have brought them to Apostacy yet they confounded the great Doctors and Rabbies when they were brought before them they were able to burn though they could not dispute they beheld things that were invisible It is an excellent thing not to take up the word upon notion upon opinion but to have an established heart through grace I shall direct you in two words 1. Get the Lord by Prayer to teach you every truth what Jesus Christ teaches once is everlastingly taught no word is abiding but what the Lord Jesus teaches himself Look as it is with Satan when he comes to seduce men from the truth he will present such a fine notion without and commonly he
who have made the practising every opinion to be their trying of it till they have run themselves into all opinions but 't is by the Scripture you are first to try and then to practise who are like the Noble Bereans that were more noble then those of Thessalonica because they searched the Scripture To bring the Truths that have or shall be taught you or the Doctrines that shall be imposed upon you to the word of God to see whether they be according to the Truth or no for false Doctrines and false Worship of all things they hate the Scripture most they are like falâ—…e coyn or false Jewels which go best in the night false coyn will not endure the Touchstone nor false Jewels the day no more will false Doctrines the Scripture therefore it will be a great way to discover them 2. It will be a great way to vanquish them Eph. 6. Above all take the sword of the Spirit the word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which we slay Heretical Doctrines and by which we are to slay sinful practises All those stones that the Davids of God have flung at the Geliah's of Error they have been taken out of the brook of the Scriptures therefore reduce all Doctrines offered you to believe all worships that are taught you to practise to the word of God 1. All Doctrines that are taught you to believe reduce them thither there 's no profession of faith to be built but the stones must be fetched from that mountain If you believe divine truths but not because the Scripture propounds them your faith is but humane If you believe any thing the Scripture doth not speak your faith is Diabolical the word of God and your faith must run parallel All that is written you must believe and you must believe nothing but what is written This was the Rule of the Old Testament Isa. 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony to the Law that is to Moses and to the Testimony that is to the Prophets if they speak not according to these there 's no light in them When any thing was offered to Christ by way of enquiry his common answer was How readest thou Luke 10. 26. How is it written When the holy Apostle Paul would redresse the abuse of the Lords Supper he does not carry the Corinthians to these and these Fathers to this and that use and custome but brings that how it was delivered from the Lord he reduces them to the institution What I have received from the Lord that I have delivered to you The word of God is perfect in respect of Doctrine and in respect of worship So that whatsoever is offered you to believe you must try it by the perfect rule for 't is given by Divine institution to make the man of God perfect and wise to Salvation it is such a Canon about Doctrines to be received as nothing must be added nor taken from it Rev. 22. Therefore it 's called a Testament Now no man dares add to another man's last Will and Testament who shall dare to add a faith to the Faith of Gods Elect to that which Christ hath delivered I will give you this as a certain observation that there never was any thing of false Doctrine brought into the Church or any thing of false worship imposed upon the Church but either it was by neglecting the Scripture or by introducing something above the Scripture 2. Bring hither all practice of worship as well as Doctrines to be believed try the wayes and forms of Christs house by the word of Christ he shews us the patterns thereof the outgoings and returnings thereof he was faithful in all his House even as Moses was who did not leave a pin of the Tabernacle but did appoint it There is nothing decent and comely in the Church which is so much pleaded for but what comes in by Christs institution Whatever you worship without a warrant from the word of God or by whatever means you worship without a warrant from the word of God you worship you know not what Ioh. 4. 2 't is Will-worship and by the same Rule you receive one Will-worship you may receive twenty 't is vain worship it will never reach the end of your Communion with God for he is a Spirit and seeks such worshippers it will never bring you to the enjoyment of God therefore in point of worship bring it to the word of God and as to faith and worship say Hitherto my faith and my worship shalt thou go and no further This rule rightly improved it will dis-intangle you from the hooks and take you off from the baits of those cunning Fowlers for to such the Apostle doth compare them in the New Testament who seek to betray souls from the simplicity of Gospel-faith Never any did invent false doctrine but to put up them they put down the Scripture and they put out the eyes of Christians to make them bend to it before they use other means to compel them their great work is to darken the light of the truth and in the room of the Scripture to be your rule they set up other Rules which because there are three marvellous Popular I desire to mention them in opposition to this Rule I have given you There 's a three-fold Rule men would set up to deceive poor souls The name of a Church Ancient Customes The Generality of those where they live 1. The specious Name of a Church to make that a rule to Doctrine and to worship It was the plea of the Popish party in the Marion daies What will you not believe the Church hath not the Church power to make Institutions and Canons about this and that and the other will you not believe the Church will you go out from the true Church Thus do men that go about to deceive nothing like it as to the catching and deluding many poor souls by making the Church their rule It was the way of of the Popish party of old and if Antichrist ever hath power again over the Church of Christ in that measure and degree it has had you must expect it again therefore let me caution you against it Can we enquire who this Church was It was only the decree of the proud Church Antichrist of old and the Antichristian Clergy who as you may read in their Stories would Lord it over the Faith of Gods heritage I must tell you the name and custome and way of the Churches of Christ is a reverend holy thing even of that that is a true Church 'T is a weighty Argument when the Apostle saith We have no such Custome nor the Churches of Christ And therefore I do fully close with him that said No sober man will go against Reason No Christian against the Scripture and no peaceable minded man against the Church But then the Church must shine by a Divine Scripture Light If that be a rule it must be ruled by
to God as a thing which to touch were Sacriledge that you may be ready on all occasions in all regular and due wayes to bring out for the relief of the Poor you know objects abounding in every place and you may expect warrantable means for dispensing of what God shall put into your hearts in this matter Mr. Sclater's Farewell Sermon 1 JOHN 5. 1. â—…1 Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God ' and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Little Children keep your selves from Idols THis General Doctrine I have already delivered unto you from this Text which indeed is the marrow and substance of the whole Chapter That Gospel-believing is a Duty which they that really perform are highly priviledged by to their greatest advantageâ—… I have spoken concerning Gospel-believing and that it is a duty and that they that do really perform it are highly dignified and priviledged by it as hath been made to appear from the Chapter that which remains to be done and shall be as God enables the work of this morning is to make improvement of this Doctrine which is one of the most material and momentous Doctrines that can be preached to us Gospel-believing it hath most precious priviledges entailed upon it whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ that Jesus is the Son of God that Jesus is come in the Flesh is borâ—… of God knows God and shall be eternally blessed of God and with God surely then the World runs upon a very great mistake I have hinted something already to that purpose but I have left the more full discussion and discovery of the matter untill now Why who is there among the generality of common Professors that is not very pregnant to hold forth this to be their Faith If so be that it should be put to the Question Friend What is your Faith what Belief are you of Why not one in a thousand I think but will be apt to say Why truly I will give you this Account There is a Gospel which is preached among us and in the World and this Gospel doth hold forth this for true Doctrine That Iesus the Son of Mary that was born at Bethlehem is the Christ is the Messiah which was promised by the Father and which the World did live in expectation of so long This Iesus I believe is the Son of God this Iesus I verily believe is come in the Flesh and he is come to be the Saviour of the World this is the Belief and that which is the common profession that is made by the generality of people Why but will you consider now this Text and other Scriptures which speak fully to this purpose Whosoever doth believe this That Iesus is the Christ the Son of God that he is come in the Flesh whosoever believes this is of God is born of God And it doth clearly appear and may be most convincingly made out that many thousands that profess their belief concerning these things yet notwithstanding are not born of God Why certainly there must needs be a great and gross fallacy in the business Gospel-faith and Believing it is not so common a thing as many take it to be and therefore if this be Gospel-faith and that which doth interest persons in such great and precious priviledges truly it concerns us to look well to it that we be not mistaken concerning this Belief Now this I would say there is something in it to be considered with respect to the time wherein Christ appeared visibly to the World and the after-times wherein the Apostles did hold forth these great Doctrines of the Gospel concerning Christ. And this we are to say that in such a time as that was when this was the Critical point as it were the discriminating thing in such a time for any to make this profession and to hold forth this to be their Faith and Belief that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God it was of high signification and might very well as to man beget a comfortable confidence and hope concerning such persons that certainly they were born of God as to man and according to rational Charity it might be very probable that in such Persons as did thus believe and professe this to be their Faith and Belief there were some blessed beams upon their Souls for mark ye it hath been thus in the World and among the people of it concerning matters of God and Godliness that there hath been such and such a Truth that hath been the Critical Truth as I said that hath been as I may so say the Shibboleth whereby people are distinguished one from another I allude to that passage in Iudges concerning the Gileadites they made a profession of themselves to be such and such and they were put to it to pronounce Shibboleth they that could not speak out the word and clearly pronounce it they were not judged to be the persons that they professed themselves to be but they that could do it held their liberty so sometimes such and such a Doctrine is ordered out to be a distinguishing point upon the account of the desperate opposition that the World makes against it and upon this account the Priests and the Rulers and the rest of the World were desperately bent against Christ they called him Jesus but could not endure him to be called Christ the Son of God it was an Act and Decree amongst them That whosoever should confess Jesus to be the Christ should be put out of the Synagogue should be excommunicated Now for persons at such time wherein it was as much as their Liberty it may be their Lives were worth to own that Jesus Christ was the Son of God for persons now at such a time to own this Jesus that was in so mean a condition to be the Christ there is very much in it infinitely more then for persons now to take up this profession Why because this Doctrine hath obtained in the World and it is a Doctrine among Papists as well as Protestants there is no such danger now for Persons to be of this Belief But shall I say this That for all that to believe this really according to the right account and true genuine interpretation of Gospel-believing the Case is the same with them and with us at this day setting aside the consideration of time and times the danger then and the encouragement now the Case is the same Gospel-believing of these truths according to a genuine interpretation of Gospel-believing it is the same now as then and then as now And therefore we must consider and look further I would put these few things to your consciences You profess this to be your faith you believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God that he is come in the flesh these things you profess to believe and if you do so indeed you are highly priviledged people blessed of God and shall be
to all Eternity But do you not mistake Do you believe this that Jesus is the Christ How came you by this belief What account can you give of it How were you brought over to this Belief Did you not come to this Faith and Belief by common report You were born to this Doctrine You look upon it as that which is the benefit you have by your being born in a Nation and among a People that profess the Name of Christ and this hath been instilled into you by education and upon this account you take it Did you ever buy this truth It is a truth that Jesus is the Christ how came it to be yours Did you ever buy this truth Buy it I say buy it For the very truth is we are never able to make out a good Title to any Gospel-truth untill such time as we can say we have bought it How why by serious meditation studying the Scriptures searching into them seriously pondering and weighing of them crying mightily to God that he would manifest them to us and encountring temptations from without from within being at a point willing to engage liberty and estate and life and all for this truth's sake Can you say We have pondered and are so fully satisfied about it as that if all the world should come in a way of contradiction and rise up in opposition to us and come with fire and sword to beat us out of this truth yet we are resolved to stick to it Can you give such an account of your selves that you have not taken it up on a common report but are able to say there hath been an inward Revelation made of these things to your souls that there hath been a sanctified work of the Spirit upon your understandings that you come to see into the mystery of these Gospel restimonies Is there an habitual frame of spirit wrought in you whereby you are carried out to close with every truth of God and to close with it upon this account because of a divine authority stampt upon it When we give assent to common truths but not with a common spirit but in the strength of an inward conviction we assent to it upon the account of an unction that we have received from the Holy One and we assent to this and that truth upon the account of a divine authority which we see to be stampt upon it and withall we find that there are suitable workings of our heart in the loves and desires and delights of them to these truths as there will be a kindly working of the heart where there is a right assent suitable to the truths assented to as If there be a threatning the Soul assents to it and will tremble before God If a promise be made or a Gospel-revelation it will be accompanied with a holy rejoycing in God that ever he should make such a Promise or Revelation and then there will be a holy resolution of spirit Come what will come I will never part with this truth I have bought the truth that was my duty and having bought it I will never sell it that is my duty too Can we give such an account as this But then withall let me a little further improve that which I have already spoken from the Chapter You say this is your belief That Jesus is the Christ the Son of God but can you give an account of those priviledges that are entailed upon this belief For you must know that the priviledges which belong to such will serve as Evidences that they are such Now if you believe it is your priviledge to be boâ—… of God and this being born of God must be the evidence of this belief Can you give an account of you being born of God If you are not born of God you do not believe That Jesus is the Christ. Can you givâ—… an account of your overcomming the World Are yoâ—… such as are enabled to stand out in opposition to thâ—… eâ—…rors and heresies and corrupt doctrines and practâ—…ses that are in the World Can you beâ—…r up agaiâ—… the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and the priâ—… of life If you are in slavery to the world in bondage to the beggarly rudiments of the world you are mistaken That Jesus is the Christ For he that believeth according to a true interpretation of Gospel-believing That Jesus is the Christ doth overcome the world and by vertue of this belief he is enabled to get a conquest over the world and over corruptions that are in it through lust And then again You profess to believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God Oh! but you are able to give an account that you have believed into this Jesus and upon this Jesus for that is it the Text holds forth He that believes that Jesus is the Christ doth believe on Jesus the Christ Are you by vertue of this believing which you profess drawn out to a closing with Christ do you roll your selves upon him own him for Righteousness and Salvation and are willing to yield your selves up in subjection to him You believe Jesus to be the Christ but do you believe on that Jesus whom you profess to be the Christ Now this being thus laid down as a Foundation I would infer thus and so go on to a farther branch of this Application Either you do really believe with a Gospel-believing these Truths and Doctrines concerning Christ or you do not Why they that profess they do but in truth they do not there is a clear and manifest contradiction which this profession meets withal and that upon the accounts I have formerly given As alas this Profession suffers contradiction generally generally the Professors of this Faith that Jesus is the Christ do clearly make a flat contradiction and I am very confident that there are thousands that if they should be put to the Trial Will you stick to this Truth If you do it shall cost you the loss of your Liberty and Estates nay your Life shall go for it Oh I am very apt to think that you shall have thousands that will turn their backs upon this Profession renounce this Profession Now concerning such this I would say First that the Condition of such persons as are not right in Gospel-believing is a most mournful and miserable Condition however it may be with them in other respects yet it is sad to think what a Condition they are in for consider first of all they that do not perform this Great Duty of Gospel-believing according to the truth and reality of it I will tell you what they do they do give God the lye they do by interpretation tell God to his face that he is a very Lyar and what higher blaspheming can there be than to give the lye to the God of Truth every one will be apt to bless themselves and say Oh far be it from me God forbid that I should be charged with such an horrid impiety as
child sees that man come he will not love him and so if the father loves such a man the childe will love him too As now the Courtiers they follow the example of a King and whom the King favours they honour and cringe too why so whom God favours a godly man favours God doth not judge of men as men do by his gay apparel or gold ring or great birth alas he that wants bread is more highly esteemed of in Gods sight then such and so he is in a godly mans account A godly man is conformable to God and a follower of God as a dear child now you shall see what an estimate God puts upon his people God is more taken with one humble broken hearted sinner and one humble contrite breathing of a soul then with all the gold and silver in Solomons Temple not many noble not many mighty doth God set his heart upon but where he sees his Image he who hath the Image of God he hath the love of God there is the first reason in regard of the people of God that are beholders of others A second reason is taken from the people of God that are beheld and here I shall name you five or six Considerations 1. The people of God they that are truly such in the midst of all their present distresses let them be what they will yet their end shall be happy now men do not regard men according to what they have in present possession but according to what they shall have the poorest man here in the world that is rich in faith he shall be rich in glory and honour the people of God are heirs of glory and therefore they are said to be heirs of God and co-hâ—…irs with Christ 1 John 3. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be The people of God are to be looked upon according to what they shall be not what they are here they are Princes though under a disguise they are coming though not come to their Crown those saith a Saint that are now scorned reproached and buffeted and libell'd shall shine in heaven when Christ shall appear they shall appear with him in glory they are heires born to great Estates The second reason is this They are for the present very useful and beneficial to the world they are those for whose sake the world was made they are the very pillars of the world to hold it from shattering about your ears they are the great common blessings of the world as the Sun and Stars are the common blessings of the world and fire and water so these are the common blessingâ—… of mankind for which he will spare the world those that are pulled down by the world are they that keep the world from being pulled down they are the soul of the world the wicked are but the carcass of it and if God had gathered in all the world of his people once the world should not continue one hour as Sodom was destroyed when Lot was taken out Third Reason is The highness and excellency of their performances and of all the good things they do there is a worth in every holy work in every supernatural employment in every holy prayer in every thing a godly man doth there is such a goodness in the work that all the wealth in the Indies cannot recompence and therefore saith Luther I had ratber do the least truly good work then obtain all the Conquests and Victoâ—…ies of Cesar and Alexander Now if their good works shine so before men is it possible a gracious heart should see it and not be taken with it There is nothing doth so much take with holy men as holy performances and therefore as a man that is learned when he sees another learned man make a learned Oration he wishes he could do so too so a godly man when he sees another man can pray and live holily Oh saith he that I could do so too and be so holy as he is 4. A fourth Reason is The present priviledges of the people of God not only what they have in reversion but their present priviledges Why but are the priviledges of the people of God so great Yea the very present enjoyments of the Saints and people of God the explanation of them would deserve many Sermons they shall be freed from all evil there shall nothing hurt them their lusts may be destroyed but their souls shall never be destroyed What a priviledge is this for a man to be shot-free do with him what you will you can never hurt him you may disgrace him you may torture him kill him but yet you cannot hurt him whatever befals them turns to their benefit they may be afflicted but not hurt by affliction the greatest hurt the world doth to them tends to their greatest good worldlings may take away their head but they cannot take away their crown there is nothing of evil can be evil to him that hath a good God this a Child of God hath for the present and not only so but there is the real communication of a saving interest in all that is good all that God is all that he hath and all that he doth is theirs Is not this a glorious priviledge The power of God is his to protect him his love his so as to be set upon him the righteousness of God his so as to acquit him from his sins the very righteousness of God is a very great blessing and happiness to the Children of God and they may not only appeal to the Bowels of Gods Mercy but to the Bar of his Justice So that now I say all that God is is his the faithfulness of God is his in keeping his Promises the care of God in defending and protecting of him and so all the providences of God all that he doth shall tend to the good of his people as he saith All is yours life is yours and death is yours and all these things shall do you good Psalm 25. 10. that is a rare Scripture All the wayes of God are mercy oh sweet and truth oh very comfortable to them that are in covenant with him Mercy so that they are enough Gods Providences shall do them good and Truth so as that they shall certainly do them good In one word Earth Heaven and God and all shall be laid out to do them good Is not this a great priviledge In this world they may go to God and tell him wherein they are troubled and pained or afflicted and they are never so welcome to God in their petitions as when they ask most from him when they come to ask riches and the like God will give them to them so far as they may be for their good but so great is the priviledge of a believer that God doth delight in him most when he doth ask most from him and he will give him whatever he desires that may make them good
and which Christ did promise Mat. 18. 20. Where ever two or three are met together in my name there am I present in the midst of them not in the midst of the place but of them when they do perform holy and institute worship This spiritual presence of God is that that is afforded in the use of those Ordinances of Praying Hearing and Administration of Sacraments his presence is there to accept of these and to bless them and make them operative and to assist in these and to enable both Minister and people to go through their duty by his own power Nor can Gods presence be ordinarily expected but in this his own way Now then 2. You must know that as the presence of God is the foundation of a places sanctity and as it is several so you must know Gods propriety in and relation to a place is declared by his Precept the precept of God is Gods propriety in a place as well as his presence thus it belongs to him by command to make it holy he may do what he will and choose out what places he will to be holy He to whom all things belong surely may have some places and things more proper to himself and peculiar so the Temple of old and the Tabernacle those places of Levitical and Ceremonial worship was separated and set apart by God by Divine Institution Hence we have many commands 1. God commands thâ—…t such a House and such a Tabernacle shall be built and this had been unlawfull to do had it not been commanded 2. He directs the manner and the mode and that all things should exactly be done according to the pattern in the Mount And 3. God doth command it should be in such a place in the thrashing floor of Arumnah the Jebusite and that place that himself had chosen 4. He commands that he will be served in these places peculiarly rather then in any other place he would not have these places changed for others Herein this place typifi'd Christ one that is onely able to make our services acceptable Hence it is said Ex. 23. 17. Three times in the year all the Mâ—…ies shall appear before the Lord. And Act. 27 the Eunuch there went unto that place that God had commanded 5. He doth command that he would have these places reverenced and no civil employments used there when the holy service was doing and that after the service was done at that very time the place should be only for God 6. And lastly He annexed a promise unto that place that he would accept of a duty done there rather then in any other place even because it was done there hence they prayed in the Temple rather then in their private houses Lu. 2. 27 and when they could not be present by reason of Gods providence in the Temple if they do but look to the City and the Temple God accepted of their duty 1 Kin. 8. 44 48 So that God did promise that that place that he had instituted for his worship and service that the service performed there should be more acceptable to him then elsewhere This shews the reason and foundation of a places holiness the precept of God the promise presence of God And thus I have open'd to you the second thing Now having thus explained and opened the Question to you 2. I come to resolve the Question according to what I think in my conscience to be the truth of God and this I shall do two ways 1. By granting that which must not be denied 2. By denying what must not be granted 1. By granting what must not be denied and here I grant willingly these four things 1. That in the time of the Gospel it is not only lawful but it is often very commendable and necessary to design and dedicate places unto God Now when I say it is lawful to design them and to dedicate them I pray you bear me witness I do not say it is lawfull to consecrate them or to sanctifâ—…e them and say it is lawfull to design and dedicate them Now for this take notâ—…ce that between 1. the designing and appointing of a place 2. the dedication of a place and 3. the consecrating of a place there are these differences 1. Concerning the designation of a place Then is a place designed when it is appointed to be made use of for the most convenient for such a service as Tuesday and Wednesday may be appointed for Lecture-dayes not consecrated Now you must know that this designation of a day may be altered and so may a place if such a place be designed it is in our power to make use of it so as to leave off the use of it when weplease 2. As to dedication I mean so lawfully to dedicate a place which is of our own right to dispose of so to dedicate it as not again to be able to revoke it or call it back from such a use and purpose It is lawfull and commendable for a rich man to dedicate so much ground or money for building a House for a Free-School or for the poor and to give it away from our selves and from our own right and power and if so be that a man hath power or propriety over a place or thing it is lawful for a man to alienate such a thing And yet this you must know by the way that this Dedication that now is in the time of the Gospel doth very much differ from that Dedication of Free-will-offering unto God in the time of the Law for they were dedicated to God in the time of the Law immediately that is to his immediate Worship it was part of Gods Worship it was a part of Religion to do that thing whereas it is not now dedicated to the immediate worship of God but it is dedicated immediately to such a Parish or Minister or Place or company of People that we have a good will to gratifie and so it more remotely redounds to God's glory not immediately For God hath not declared in his Word the same acceptation in the Gospel of things done in an immediate way as he had in the time of the Law of which acceptation now we have no such promise And therefore it is observable as one speaks concerning that Benefactor in the Gospel to the Iews He hath loved our Nation and builded us a Synagogue it is not said for God but for us This man out of love to us hath bestowed these things to God which though a giving our selves out of our own power yet it doth differ from the Free-will-offering in the time of the Law Ay but now Sirs ye must know that sanctification or consecration that is a great deal more when we sanctifie a thing or consecrate a thing this thing that is so consecrated it is so holy that there must nothing at all of unholiness or of a civil or secular employment and concernment be done in it Now we do not dedicate a thing
accordingly 5. Love the holiness of the living members be not so much in love with the holiness of wood and timber bricks and stones but wheresoever you see the Image of Christ be in love with that soul whereever the presence of God shines and whereever thou seest one that gives up himself to God in holy duties do thou say Oh! my soul delight to come into the company of these men The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour If there be a heaven upon earth I tell you it is in the company of godly men I remember a famous man hath this expression saith he When I was in the company of the Saints and people of God I was as a living coal but when I was separated from them and was among the wicked swearers and drunkards me-thoughts there was a spiritual coldness and frozenness went over my soul. Though the people of God are best companie in heaven yet they are very good companie here on earth And Christians should stir up one another and be provoking one another to love and good works and where ever you have grace be sure to impart it Endeavour to love the holiness of Saints and be willing to impart your experiences to others for this is your duty Do not make a Monopoly of holiness but carry company with you to Heaven Lastly to name no more labour to preserve the holiness of Gods true Institutions those things which are of a divine consecration What is humane consecration without divine institution The Sabbath day is of divine institution labour to keep it holy this is a holy-day indeed and this labour to keep your families from profaning of but for other holy dayes and holy things they are much alike for holiness The Lords day is a holy day indeed and for shame do not let your children gad abroad on this day Truly I do verily believe that though here be a great company of people in the Congregation yet they are but a handful in comparison of what are drinking in Ale-houses and whoring and walking in the field that one can hardly get home to their house for the crowd of people that are going thither For shame let not this be told in Gath nor published in Askelon What! shall we stand up for the holiness of places and yet oppose the holiness of the Lords day which God hath enjoyned and instituted Oh! that the Magistrates of London Oâ—… that Englands King Oh! that Englands Parliament would do something for the reformation of this to oppose wickedness and prophanesse which will otherwise bring upon us the judgement of Sodom and Gomorrah and make us guilty and worthy of a thousand punishments And labour by prayer in your families to overcome that flood of prophanesse which you cannot by your strength prevent And then for the Sacraments of Christ Baptisme and the Lords Sâ—…pper these are Ordinances of Gods appointment they are holy and therefore should not be given to those that are unholy and yet those who are so much for the holinesse of places do not care who come to the Sacrament if they have but a nose on their face they shall come and partake of the Ordinances let them be what they will this is to prefer mans institution before Gods institution And then for the Lords Message and Word that is a holy thing and therefore love his Messengers the Messengers of God delivering his Message with fear and reverence you are to hear them with the same fear and reverence and resolution to be holy as if Christ were present And for the Word of God it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the walls of your Churches but let Gods Law be written in your hearts and consciences and practised in your lives that all the world may see you live as men dedicated to the true God in all the duties of his wayes and obedience Many of these things might have been inlarged What I have given you with the right hand I pray you Christians do not take with the left for if you do you will make your selves guilty of a double sin First Because you do not obey the truth you hear And secondly For putting a wrong construction upon it But I have better hopes of you my Beloved Hearers and hope that the Lord will be better unto your souls then his Ministers Word or any thing else can be God blesse you and his Ordinances and discover his mind and will at this time to you Mr. Jenkins's Prayer after Sermon O Lord our God thou art never weary of doing us good if we either consider the mercies thou givest to us or the miseries that thou keepest from us that yet we have another opportunity of drawing nigh to thee we beseech thee O Lord let not our mis-interpreting of such opportunities as these are cause thee to take them from us or thy self from them if thou dost Lord we cannot but justifie thee and abase our selves and lie low before thee because we have sinned against thee O Lord we bless thee that we are yet alive to bless thee that yet we have not sinned our bodies into a cold grave nor our souls into a scorching Hell thou givest us our beings if thou withdraw thy self we cease to be and shall return to our first nothingness from whence we came the living the living they praise thee as if we know our own hearts we desire to do at this time Praised be God for Iesus Christ that he died and rose again and is now a pleading at thy right hand for poor sinners Praised be God that he is offered to us for his sake O God pardon all our sins let our lusts die that would not let the Lord of life live let not any one of them live one quiet moment in these hearts of ours let us give up our selves and all that we are or can do to the purpose of thy praise we beseech thee prepare us for a blessed eternity that we may not be ashamed before thee nor ashamed of thee nor thy wayes in the midst of a crooked perverse unclean idolatrous generation Dear Father we most humbly pray thee prepare us for communion with thy self assist us in the ensuing duties of this day let all the work be done by thee let all the praise redound unto thee prepare us by hearing for prayer by both for practice by all for glory Lord set up thy truth ruine Babylon build up Sion delight yet to dwell in the midst of us and do us good though we are a sinful back-sliding God-provoking Nation Mayest thou not say of us as of old what couldst thou have done more for us then thou hast done yet how ill have we requited thee for all thy benefits Poure down the richest showers of thy choicest blessings upon the head and heart of our Dread Soverain Charles the Second by thy especial grace of England Scotland France and Ireland King as follows in his Royal
conversion sins against prayers vows promises covenants and oaths O Lord if thou didst prefer thy bill against us we could not stand if we were weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary we should be sound too light But holy Father remember not against us our former sin â—…t rather have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindness cross and blot out our iniquitres blot them out so fully and wholly that it may be to us as to Judah in the promise that the sins of Judah should be sought for and not found Oh bathe our souls in that fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem though our sins have been as scarlet let them be as white as snow though they be red like crimson let them be like wool We have read that a flood of sin brought down a deluge of water that they covered the tops of the mountains O let thy deluge of mercy cover the tops of the mountains of our sins It is the glory of a God to pardon great sins we desire to turn unto thee with our whole hearts do thou subdue our iniquities let us be not only cleansed but let us have the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ to wish us from the guilt of sin because we boast we are not under the law but under grace Be gracious to our Soveraign Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland it is thy promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers to thy children grant that under the shadow of his Majesty thy people may be protected that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty oh let thy people possess the land from Dan to Bersheba oh give us Scripture-Magistrates and Gospel-Ministers as long as the Sun and Moon endures Let thy Word be sanctified to us let it not be only as water to get out our spots but as a refiners fire to purge our dross take away our tin And Holy Father where thou hast begun a good work do thou go on and bring it to perfection let not the light that is in us be like the glimmering light of the evening but as the light of the morning that shineth more and more to the day Let our best wine be kept till the last let the end of our lives be the end of sinning Thou hast cast our lot in the midst of temptations of all sorts thou hast brought many of us through the red Sea but yet we are in the wilderness with Zeba and Zâ—…lmunna and those that dwell at Tyre the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir and all the forces that Hell can make against us oh put upon us all the whole armour of God Now in these dayes of error gird us with the girdle of truth oh now in these dayes of falsily give us a â—…etmet of hope Now the devil darts at us give us the shield of faith oh give us the sword of the Spirit of the Word of God that it may enable us to confute the gain sayings of foolish men Oh help us to pray with all manner of prayer constantly servently faithfully feelingly that we may stand and not fall and that not in our strength but in Gods To this end be with us upon this thine own day our Manna falls every day and is doubled upon the Lords day oh let us be as thy servant John in the spirit upon thine own day let God by his spirit come into our spirits understandings consciences wills memories and affections that all our conversations without and affections within may be obedient to thy word Enable thy servant to deliver thy word faithfully God forbid thy servant should stand upon so sandy a foundation as the wisdom of man one Iota of thy word has more wisdom in it then all men and Angels have Good Father give thy people a hearing ear it is too much they have played by the light of thy candle and slighted thy Manna so long oh now therefore to day give us to hear and know and believe and do the things that concern our everlasting peace hear us for Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed self and Spirit be glory now and for ever Mr. Lye's Forenoon Sermon Phil. 4. 1. Therefore my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved MY Beloved I do very well remember that upon the four and twentieth day of this instant month 1651. I was then under the sentence of Banishment and that very day did I preach my farewell Sermon to my people from whom I was banished because I would not swear against my King having sworn to maintain his just Power Honour and Greatness and now behold a second tryal Then I could not forswear my self the God of Heaven keep me that I never may I am apt to think I could do any thing for this loving Congregation only I cannot sin But since beloved there is a sentance gone out against us that we that cannot subscribe must not subsist this is the last day that is prefixed to us to preach I shall now speak to you God assisting me if my passion will give me leave just as if I would speak if I were immediately to die therefore hearken my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my Ioy and Crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Paul was now a Prisoner at Rome for the Gospel of Christ it was his second imprisonment and he was not far from being offered up a sacrifice for the Gospel he had preached This Gospel the Philippians had heard him preach and the godly Philippians having heard of his imprisonment they sent from Philippi to Rome to visit him and to supply his wants a gracious temper which I hope the eternal God hath given the Saints in London and for which if for any thing God hath a blessing in store for them Paul is not so much concerned in his own bands as in the Philippians Estate Epaphroditus tells him that there were Heresies and false Doctrines got in amongst them but yet the Philippians stood fast and herein Paul rejoyces writes this Epistle bids them go on stand fast keep their ground and to be sure not to give an inch but to stand fast knowing that at a long run their labour should not be in vain in the Lord. A most melting Compellation and a most serious Exhorâ—… 1. A melting Compellation My Brethren dearly beloved c. 2. A serious Exhortation and in it 1. the matter of the duty stand and stand it out and stand fast 2. The manner 1. So stand so as you have stood stand fast 2. In the Lord stand so and stand in the Lord in the Lords strength and in the Lords Cause to stand in your own strength would be the ready way to fall and to stand in your own cause for your own fancy would be the ready way to expose your selves to all manner of temptations Therefore my Brethren dearly
of Heaven against men What the Pharisees that pretended they had the Keys of Heaven and to be the Guides I that is it because there is nor room enough in Heaven for us and them too No saith Christ there is no such matter For ye neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in I dare not tell you at this time what it is to shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against men you may better imagine it tâ—…en I can speak it but this did the Pharisees they would not go in themselves nor suffer them that werâ—… 〈◊〉 to go in I remember when I was a Childe we hâ—…d â—…uch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that would one Lords-day preach up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next Lords-day would preach against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And now my 〈◊〉 I am come in the next place to speak to â—…he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stand fast and because I see a Hurricane a 〈◊〉 â—…eep your ground stand fast and live in the Lord here that you may live with him hereafter Mr. Lye's Afternoon Sermon Phil. 4. 1. Therefore my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved FRom this Scripture you have had these 3. Doctrines 1. That the highest officers of the Church of Christ though they are Rulers of them yet they are but brethren to the meanest Saint 2. That it becomes a true Scriptural Minister of Christ to have a most vehâ—…ment ardent strong melting tender affection to that Flock or People which the Providence of God hath committed to his charge 3. That the fixed standing flourishing and thriving of that Flock in the profession and practice of Gospel-knowledge and obedience is matter of transcendent joy and triumph to such a godly Pastor The fourth which is that I would now prosecute is this That it is the grand and indispensible duty of all sincere Saints in the most black and shaking seasons to stand fast fixed and stedfast in the Lord. This is the grand thing St. Paul had to say to his Philippians when he was ready to have his head cut off for so it was he was beheaded for the testimony of Jesus this is all he had to say when in Jayle when in bonds and that under Heathen Romans you are now my Joy you are now my Crown oh do but stand and my joy which is but two notes above Gamut will get to Ela. Oh! do but stand and my Crown 's studded with Diamonds We live if you stand though we die when you stand It is the great and indispensible duty c. Whether these are black and shaking seasons I have nothing to say but I am wholly now upon your duty beloved and for God's sake let the words of a Civilly dying Minister prevail with you There is a kind of a Maxim among some that in case a person dye seemingly and revive again that the last words that was heard of that person when in a rational temper are the only things that that person will remember when brought to life again It is most probable beloved whatever others may think but in my opinion God may work wonders neither you nor I shall ever see the faces of or have a word more to speak to one another till the day of Judgement Therefore I beseech you hear me as those that would and may live with me to eternity Mark your duty I have spoken something concerning the Pastors duty in the morning now for the Peoples It is the indispensible duty of all sincere Saints to stand fast c. I confess I have a love for the whole Auditory I have a Mess for them but my Benjamin's Mess is for those I once called my own people you are my Benjamins I wish I had a greater than a fifth for you This Proposition I shall 1. Prove and then 2. Improve In the worst of times in the most shaking seasons and if I do not greatly mistake there is an hour of temptation threatned by God now beginning to be inflicted if ever you would stand stand now and for your comfort let me but hint that a Christian may stand comfortably when he falls sadly that is he may stand by God when he falls by man I knew that a great many years ago First then 't is your duty to stand There be Scriptures more then enough to prove this to be your duty Col. 4. 12 Stand perfect compleat in all the will of God Ph. 1. 27 Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you alas poor Paul thou come see them thou wast beheaded before thou couldst come see them but or else be absent I may hear of your affairâ—… that ye may stand fast in one spirit with one mâ—…nd striving together not to pluck out one anothers throats no more of that but striving together not against one another but for the faith of the Gospel So 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my Brethren be Steadfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch is you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 'T is our duty to stand But. Secondly Wherein must we stand steadfast I have no new Doctrine to preach now I shall but mind you of what I have formerly spoken when you would not believe I confess I do not begin to be of a new judgement now and should I be continued in the Ministry a mercy I can hardly hope for I should be of the same judgement and preach this doctrine Stand fast God will certainly bring the people of God in England to his own terms or else â—…are them well for ever What 's that we should be steadfast in I would advise to a steadfastness 1. Of Iudgement 2. To steadfastness of Resolution 3. To a steadfastness of Faith 4. To a steadfastness of Conscience So stand fast in the Lord in your Iudgement in your Resolution in your Faith in your Conscience 1. I would advise to a steadfastness of Iudgement Strange Doctrines are the greatest fetters that do assault a sound judgement they are like waves if they do split they will shake the Ship to purpose therefore your way is to cast anchor well to stand firm on the rock of truth I had almost said all in a word Protestant truth though the market may rise somewhat high yet stand firmly there while strange Doctrines like so many impetuous Waves are beating upon you break themselves in pieces they may but if you stand can never hurt you I am not now to begin to warn you against Pâ—…pery not that I have the least reflection on any thing in the world but on the Scriptures I am apt to think the wound of the beast must be healed however do not you spread a plaister for the Beast to heal his wound Be no more children tossed to and fro carried about with every wind of Doctrine with every wind or windy Doctrine by the
Collin's Farewell Sermon Jude v. 3. Contend earnestly for the faith c. THese words contain two parts 1. A Duty exhorted to 2. The manner of the management of that Duty The Duty exhorted to is to retain the faith delivered to the Saints The manner of its management is that we should earnestly contend to keep it I opened the termes What 's meant by faith It is not so much the grace of faith but the doctrine of faith not special faith whereby we apprehend special mercy upon a promise made to the Elect but the Fides quae creditur the whole substance of the doctrine of Christ as to things that are to be believed and duties that are to be practised But why is it said The faith that was once delivered that is invariably irrevocably once for all Delivered respects the priviledge the Saints of God had in the faith that God had left it is the faith of the Gospel committed as a Treasure And the Church is called a Candlestick not only to hold out the light but to hold the light whence the Church is called the pillar or the ground of truth not that they are to make Doctrines but to hold forth the Doctrines of Christ even as Tables and Pillars upon which Proclamations are hung and held forth to be made publique so is the Church of Christ it is that in which the Truths of the Lord Jesus are kept and will be kept from one age to another But what is the import of the word Earnestly contend It is a word used only once in the new Testament in the Composition The word in the root is frequently used and imports a strugling with might and mair as those that use to run at games It is used for Iesus Christ in his sufferings He was in an Agony the same word from whence this word is compounded The Apostle would imply such a contention such a struggling to keep the faith of the Gospel as one word in the English is not able to express it and Interpreters very much differ what is the import the best center in this that we should so contend for the faith as men that would contend to keep their very lives The Proposition is this That it is the duty of the Saints of God to maintain an earnest contention to struggle for and to keep the faith that was betrusted with them Wherein this Contention doth consâ—…st 1. It is not a carnal contention the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual the Saints are not called to contend for the faith with carnal weapons with carnal power and force not by might and power but by the Spirit of God force and power and a fleshly arme prisons pillories and chains and taking away of mens comforts and estates upon the account of the faith of the Gospel hath been the usual way of Errors defending it self Prayers and Tears are the Churches weapons 2. 'T is not a contention of uncharitableness This contention allows no murthering either of the bodies or souls of men Christians are so to contend against error and sinful practice as to love their persons and pitty those they contend with There are some opinions that there is no way to shew a holy way of zeal against nor be able to destroy them but by a holy separating from the persons there were such to whom it was not lawful to say God speed or receive them into their houses but yet this is in order to the saving the soul Saving some plucking them as brands out of the fire But positively this holy contention it consists in these four things 1. In managing the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God against error and sinful practices to be able to confute them mightily as Apollos did out of the Scriptures shewing the Jewes that Jesus is the Christ. 2. By Prayer for to pray down sinful opinions and practices That we mean when we pray Thy Kingdome come that the Gospel may run on and be glorified that these nights of darknesse may be dispelled that Truth may shine to the perfect day 3. By holy practising against them by holding forth the Word of life in your conversation by striving together by a mutual provocation for the faith of the Gospel in respect of holy walking 4. By being able to suffer for them The Reasons of the Point I gave you I shall now sum up all in a word of Exhortation to presse every one that bears the name of a Saint to take up this Exhortation of the Apostle Earnestly to contend for the faith that was once delivered â—…o the Saints The sum of all is to beg that you would be valiâ—…nt for thâ—… truth of Christ that whatever hath been delivered to you consonant to the truth agreeable to the saith delivered to us that you would struggle might and main by all Christian courage by argument practice prayer by suffering rather then let go those Truths that God hath taught you by his faithful Ministers that Christ that hath been preached to you those Scriptures you have in your hands those Doctrines you have learned by experience by prayer by searching the Word those wayes of worship God hath taught you those patterns of his house and out-goings and returnings there that he hath taught you be exhorted to hold them fast and not to let them go Contend earnestly for the faith c. It is to be lamented that there is so sad a spirit of indifferency among Christians as we find at this day Many do so carry it as if there were nothing in the Gospel of Christ that were worthy the owning by practising or worthy the owning by suffering This luke-warm indifferent temper hath done the Church of God a great deal of mischief formerly and if admitted now will do you as much mischief again It hath been one of the sins which the Lord at this day is judging and punishing his poor people for that our zeal hath been so hot against one another for meer circumstances and so cold when we are like to lose the substance that our contentions rise so high in matters hardly of any moment and our spirits work so low when they are to gain the great things for which Christ suffered and which he delivered to us It is my work therefore to beg you that you would put on a holy resolution that there may be no contention among us for we are Brethren but only that contention who may most retain and evidently witnesse the Faith that is delivered to us It is the trust God hath committed and he doth expect and look â—…ow we will manage it with courage and confidence to keep the faith of the Gospel There are very great oppositions against you and there ought to be great resolutions of Christians to maintain themselvs against such oppositions It is a very sad thing that Christians should see the Faith and the wayes of the Gospel of God as it were taken from them at any time
and they have not one word to speak nor any thing at all for to venture in suffering for the wayes and truths of Jesus Christ Moses had such a holy zeal that when Aaron was an example to the people to lead them to Idolatry he contended with him earnestly to his face The zeal of Gods servants is so small now that though Balaam be about the work we have not a word to speak Though the false prophets of Antichrist be about the businesse yet no Christian hath courage to speak The holy Apostle Paul when Peter walked with an uneven foot and began to Iudaise he tells us he did resist him to his face shall Paul resist Simon-Peter and shall not the Saints of God resist Simon-Magus shall they resist Hymenaeus and Philetus and shall we not contend with Alexander the Copper-smith 't is but sutable to what God expects and the Exhortation here given us That we should maintain it with might and main as that which is our Treasure which we will not let go the Faith once delivered to the Saints To put you upon this I might encourage you with several things all the Reasons mentioned as are so many Motives to this holy spiritual contention Shall I tell you of three words further 1. The mercy of Gods delivering the Truth to you should engage you to this holy contention 't is such a mercy as is a non-such mercy Psalm 147. the two last Verses He that hath given his Iudgements to Iacob and his Statutes to Israel He hath not dealt sâ—… with every Nation How many of the greatest part of those that we call Christians in the world are put like Sampson to grinde among the Philistims Superstition Popery Idolatry Will-worship such things as Jesus Christ never delivered to his Saints having both their eyes out the Scripture light that should have shewed them the truth taken from them and their Consciences that should teach them carried in the pocket of some base Priest that dare not think any other then what he will tell them How many are there even of the very reformed of the world who onely get upon some broken plank of Ship-wrackt truth whereby they swim to the Lord Jesus But God does not deal thus with us you have had the whole Counsel of God revealed to you a glorious light set up in the Nation for a hundred of years past which hath been like the light of seven dayes for these twenty years past the running to fro of men hath increast knowledge you have learned the truth from Gods faithful Ministers you have received it with much affliction with many temptations it hath cost Jesus Christ dear to send it it hath cost you dear to receive it and will you let it go Your sin above all others will be most provoking to the Lord Jesus 2. I might tell you that 't is a time wherein many let go the faith and methinks the Lord Jesus does by his poor unworthy messenger speak to this great Congregation as sometime he did to his Apostles Will ye also go away There are many that have been forward and eminent professors of the faith delivered to the Saints that have made ship-wrack of faith and good conscience will you split upon the same rock God hath kept the truth for you and kept you in the truth hitherto and is coming to see whether you will leave it and keep it or no. We have been sucking at the breasts of the Ordinances and dandled upon the Knees of providence and gone on in a smooth way of profession but what will you do now when you must come possibly to suffer persecution for it to keep the faith you may lose your Liberty Life Estate And there 's a great deal of hazard upon this account because it hath pleased God so to dispose it as that those that should be your guides into truth the Lord is removing them into corners Possibly while they have been with you you have kept the faith but what will you do when they are gone While Moses was with the people they cleaved to the Lord when once he was gone into the Mount they fell to their Idolatry and worshipped a Calf While Paul was at Ephesus the flock was kept pure but saith he I know after my departure grievous Wolves shall break in not sparing the flock c. So while you have heard of God who sends voices and warnings to scare away the Wolves and Foxes from you possibly you may keep the faith but what will you do when God removes them 3. God hath ever had in all ages of his Church a word of his Patience to be kept to try his Saints and therefore it does concern you for to be valiant for the truth In all the series of Gods dispensations with his Church there hath been something or other of the faith of Christ that hath cost them resisting to blood to sacrifice their lives to lay down all that they have for it by suffering Now even as they so we if not in the same thing yet in the same faith we have still some word or other of Gods patience to keep therefore we need to have on the Armour of Light you must wrestle with the fierie Tryal for there is some Jewel that Jesus Christ puts upon you to wear that Persecutours Persecutions 〈◊〉 Hereticks will scratch at which you must hold out with loâ—…s of life to keep and this must be till the latter part of the rage and reign of Antichrist is out and even as you keep that so will God keep you Rev. 3. 10. As you honour the word of Gods patience so God will honour you As you are faithfull to him so will he give you the Crown and no otherwise Hence therefore it concerns us all to be armed with a holy confidence and resolution as to this spiritual warfare in contending for the faith delivered to us But the great thing I shall speak to is Wherein may Christians be helped in this holy strugling and contenâ—…ion I shall onely mention five or six things some to fit you for it others to help you in the management of it I shall name them mixtly and not distinct Rule 1. First bring all Doctrines that are offered you to believe and all Practices that are put upon you to practise to the Scriptures the word of God try them there whether they be to be retained or to be rejected You will have this double advantage by it 1. To discover what is right and what is wrong 2. To have on the best part of your Armour whereby to contend against it 1. To discover what is right and what is wrong for the Scripture alone is the Touchstone of Doctrines and the Tryal of Spirits The Scripture does discover it self and doth discover all things that are contrary to it when you are bidden to try all things 't is not by practising all things as some poor giddy-headed Christians of late dayes have done
darts in some dazling light within so that you never knew a Heretick take up a false opinion but it was with a marvellous deal of sweetness and comfort so when the Lord Christ teacheth by his Spirit he comes with that light that sweetness savour and relish of truth as will be impossible for you to let it go Hence when Christ would confute the Pharises that had the witness of his â—…ather in his works he saith Ioh. 5. 37. Ye have neither â—…ard his voyce at any time nor seen his shape It 's an excellent thing to see the shape and hear the voyce of God 2. Be well rooted upon Christ or else you will never be established in any truth of Christ If you misse the Lord Jesus by the grace of Faith you will never hold fast the doctrine of Faith you are built upon the doctrine of the Apostles not their persons upon which the Lord Jesus is the corner-stone he that does not know Jesus Christ himself will certainly lose his faith What is the reason the stony ground in time of persecution fell away why they had not root they were not planted upon the Lord Jesus Rule 3. Thirdly those truths that God hath taught you and those wayes of worship God hath committed to you love them as your lives love them above your lives for no man will ever contend to hold them if he do not love them things of low price and esteem are presently let go he that loves the Word above his life will let life go rather then the Word if you receive not the Word out of love every Impostor and false Prophet every fear and terror of men will rob you of it Hide the word in thy heart saith Solomon love the truth dearly It was a great speech of Calvin Never did any one apostatize from the truths of Iesus Christ but it was because he did not love the truth And I add this That never did any apostatize from the wayes and truth of Jesus Christ but it was because they did not receive them in love or else they have lost their love for there is a decay of affection as well as having no affection if you love them what will you not suffer for them but more of that by and by Rule 4. Fourthly Guard all the truths of God and those wayes of God that have been taught you guard them strongly especially truths that are most material and fundamental for leading truths are like Captains of Armies if they be routed the whole rout follows them There is great opposition that will be made against your faith The whole power of darkness of Antichrist of his seducing spirits likely and probably enough will over-spread the whole face of Christianity once more that she must sit as a Lady before she be desolate and forsaken for ever The Apostle bids you beware of Dogs beware of the Concision beware of evil-workers guard your selves against them guard the truths you have learned by Argument by Scripture by Reason that you may have wherewithall to confute them by the word of truth mightily out of the Scripture as the Apostles did Three things you are to guard against 1. Your own deceitfulness especially in a rash and sudden forsaking of those waies that have been taught and the profession you have taken up for Christians would never be so mad to Apostatize were they but seriously deliberate about the weight of them Gal. 1. 6. O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth c. I marvel what ailed you that you are so soon turned away to another Gospel One would have thought they might have spoken with Paul first and sent to him and reasoned the case with him There 's a marvellous bewitching in false Doctrines and false Worship to take men presently who are not watchful over themselves It is in disputations and practising truth as it is in contentions if you make a Judgement before you hear both parties speak you judge unrighteously if you forsake the waies and truths of Jesus Christ before you hear what can be said for them you do unrighteously 2. Guard them against the lusts of your own hearts The great work of a Christian is contention it is not so much against Antichrist those that are without him as that that is within him If all Heretical Doctrines and waies were rooted out of the world not only the being but the memory the heart is bad enough in one day to set them all on foot again therefore guard the truth Men of corrupt minds will presently grow Reprobate as to the faith 1 Tim. 3. 6. Such Doctrines and Worships as shall sute with our lusts as shall sute with exalting it self and laying Christ low as shall sute with an easie way to Heaven when the Scripture saith straight is the Gate as shall sute with self-preservation So I might secure my Estate my Liberty I would suspect such Doctrines as these before I take them up for the waies of Christ. 3. Guard the truth against false teachers such as shall come among you in sheeps-cloathing yet are Wolves in heart men that creep in at unawares among you to subverâ—… souls I will not here describe them you know them well enough by their fruits only this let me tell you in opposition to those though you cannot come at the publick Ministry or those God hath set over you yet make conscience for to take fences to take defences from them as you may by their counsel prayer help and assistance for to guard you against false teachers When the Church of Christ is in the Wilderness you will finde this is that the holy Ghost advises them to Gant 1. 8. You are to guard your selves by communion one with another as to go forth by the footsteps of the flock so also you are to go and feed your Kids besides the shepherds tents for though 't is not the work that God calls for to pin your faith upon their sleeves yet 't is your duty to enquire of the Lord by them for he is the messenger of the Lord to you Rule 5. Arm your selves with Resolutions to suffer for the faith of the Gospel and for the wayes of Jesus Christ as you should love the truth above your lives so labour to be made willing for to part with life estate liberty any thing for to keep the ways of Jesus Christ. It is not the honour of the Gospel of Christ to hear Christians to break out into murmurings passions discontent contentions that are carnal and sinful your work is humbly meekly and patiently to lie under the hand of God and under the hand of man too that becomes Christians suffering is that that will restore the glory of Religion that will keep the truth delivered to you that will honour the cause of Christ best of all follow the example of blessed Paul his expression is worthy of consideration 2 Tim. 2. 9. he gives a charge of
Keeping and propagating one of the most glorious truths that Iesus Christ was risen from the dead yet a thing that is farthest off from sense and reason wherein I suffer trouble mark Paul does not say wherin I make trouble no but wherein I suffer trouble as an evil doer unto bonds but the word of God is not bound If this blessed and glorious Apostle would have had the faith of God bound and have contented himself with sinful silence and not propagated the Gospel Paul might have been free but Paul would not have the word of God bound therefore Paul would suffer for it Shall we go higher a great deal then this You have the glorious commendation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this account that he gave a free and full account of the Doctrine of his Father and of his glorious person before Pontius Pilate a bloody Persecutor It was not by saying to his Disciples Fight nor by saying my Kingdom is not of this world but that he gave a glorious confession before the face of Pilate of the righteousnesse of his truth Doctrine Gospel and of his person Fear to ensnare the freedom of the truth with your own liberty do not ensnare it to your own lusts nor to the will of any man O that we could study and improve these Scriptures more it would make us fear God more man lesse this is that that would make us say as holy David Ps. 119. 161. Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart standeth in awe of thy words for he that hath the most fear fear on you and upon you you will be more afraid to fall into his hands It is a childish thing for a Christian to tread down the belief of any Doctrine or practice any worship for fear of man who hath no more power to hurt us then we give him our selves by our fear Fear not him that can but kill the body c. It was the way of Gods people formerly that they came to divide between duty commanded by God and commanded by man you may read in all the dayes of Antichrists persecution from the beginning they came to divide in matter of obedience to God and his truth and worship and obedience to man Christians nothing but a suffering spirit will help you to this for there is no other way of Obedience in this case to authority but to suffer under it meekly Patiently as lambs This made the three children to divide between the command of God What sayes Nebuchadnezzer Every knee that bows not shall be cast into the Furnace very well as for that matter say they O King we are not carefull to answer thee for we will not bow down c. What will they not Obey him yet they will obey him by suffering as becomes Christians as is the example of Christ as if they should say Truly we are terrified with hell too We are terrified by the threats of the great King and we are likewise terrified by the threats of the great God he is able to deliver us out of your torments you are not able to deliver us from his torments so in the case of Daniel Arm your selves with this Resolution of suffering and lying down patiently and meekly under those things that you cannot do so that God may be honoured by your holy resolution upon this Account for truly you never do contend successfully for the faith of the Gospel till you contend by suffering for it is said They overcame by the blood of the lamb you never make Religion your businesse till the world see you can let such great things go as life estate liberty to keep it Then wisedome is justified of her children You never glorify the truths of God so much by practice or writing as by suffering for them Those glorious truths against Popish justification mixing of works with faith Transubstantiation Purgatory Idol-worship against all those things that were superadded contrarie to Gods justification there is such a glory upon the truths that it is hard for the Popish power ever to darken them again because we see them written in the honourable and blessed scars of the witnesses and burnings of those glorious Martyrs If you would take one another by the hand when God takes away our faithfull guides and say Brethren Sisters Friends come let us hold together there 's no way in the world to hold on together like suffering for the Gospel really would get more advantage by the holy humble sufferings of one gracious Saint meerly for the word of righteousnesse then by ten thousand Arguments used against Hereticks and false worship Compare Phil. 1. 12 13 14. with the 27 28 and 29. verses How is Paul's bonds a furtherance of the Gospel Paul no doubt was called an evil doer one that sowed Heresie and was hated every where saith he Many of the Brethren of the Lord waxed confident by my bands and were much more bold to speak the word without fear Here 's the great encouragement and then he comes to give you a precept and that 's in the 27. verse and he speaks it as one that was leaving of them Onely let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that you may stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your Adversaries for unto you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer c. It is given to you as a duty given to you as a priviledge O that you would confirm one another and in slippery times hold up one another by the hand do it in going after Gods call and in this way suffering for those truths you cannot otherwise hold and maintain Truly Christians you had need be armed with Resolution for the world is alwaies counting the things Gods people have suffered for very little and they count it prudence not to meddle therein Those men that have easie soft terms to comply that they have a latitude to do any thing I believe some Christians are of that opinion that they would even think the Saints of God were ill advised to venture their all upon those truths they see others died and suffered for It 's a sad thing many Christians study to draw out the lines of obedience as far as the honesty of the times will give them leave but no farther that they would go on with the Lord Jesus to the High Priests hâ—…ll and there deny him or that would be willing to do anything for Christ but are willing to suffer nothing for Christ you very little honour Jesus Christ in this and you will very little honour your selves at the last It is upon this account that Christians if they see even against plain conviction of Conscience and the word that there are super-instituted things broke in as in Conscience they cannot submit to yet they can comply why they may be used lawfully though not superstitiously But saith
Saints and bear testimony you shall witness against all false doctrines and false Worship before the whole world By your humility and patience when you suffer not as evil doers but as those that suffer for the word of Righteousness the word of Truth for holding fast the Lord Jesus and his Faith that is more precious then Heaven and Earth then any created thing this will make your name as a sweet savour to all generations when those that apostatize persecute and oppose Jesus Christ their memories shall be left as a curse to the people of God Mr. Calamy's Sermon at Mr. Ashes Funeral Esay 57. 1. The righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart and merciful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come WE are here met this Evening to perform the last Office of Love for an eminent and ancient Servant of Jesus Christ and excellent Minister of the Gospel Mr. Simeon Ash one who hath formerly performed this office for many other Ministers and now we are met to perform this office for him and it is not long before others will meet to perform the same office for us so frail so brittle and so uncertain is the life of man Now the Text that I have chosen is suitable for this occasion for this Reverend Minister was first a righteous man he was righteous in an Evangelical sence he was one that was justified and sanctified Secondly He was a merciful man both in an active and passive sence he was one that shewed mercy to the distressed Members of Jesus Christ and he was one to whom God shewed mercy this righteous and merciful man is now perished as to his outward condition not as to his everlasting condition but as to his outward bodily condition he is perished and he is taken away The word in the Hebrew is very emphatical Merciful men Colliguntur are gatheted it is the same word that is used concerning Iosiah 2 King 22. 10 Thou shalt be gathered to thy fathers and go to thy grave in peace and shalt not see the evil that I will bring upon this Nation This godly and righteous man is now gathered as ripe Corn in the Barn of Heaven he is taken away from the evil that is to come from the beholding that evil that is coming upon the sinful World he is taken away in mercy that he may not be troubled with the troubles that are coming upon many he is taken away from the evil to come And thus you see how suitable the Text is to the occasion there is only one particular that I desire may prove unsuitable for the righteous and merciful man in the Text perisheth and no man considers nor layes it to heart These words are verba Commentantis objurgantis the words of the Prophet bemoaning the spiritual security of the people of Israel chiding and reproving them for their spiritual Lethargy Now I desire that this part may not prove suitable but that all of you may lay to heart the death of this ancient merciful righteous man The observations from the words are these six First That the righteous man must perish as well as thâ—… unrighteous Secondly That the perishing of a righteous man is nothing but his gathering to God Christ and the blessed company of Saints and Angels Thirdly That a righteous man as long as he liveth is the preservative of a Nation and the supporter of a Kingdome the Chariots and horsemen of a Nation Fourthly The death of a righteous man is a warning-piece from heaven a Beacon set on fire to give notice of eviâ—… approaching Fifthly That God doth on purpose take away righteous men that they may not see the evil that is coming on a Nation Sixthly That it is a great and common sin not to consider and lay to heart the death of a righteous man First It is a common sin and therefore it is set down in the greatest latitude the righteous perisheth and no man layes it to heart that is very few and merciful men are taken away no man considering that is very few Secondly It is a great sin and therefore the Prophet Ieremy in the former Chapter calls to all the Beasts of the Field to devour that is all the Enemies of the Church to destroy the Children of Israel because they drank strong drink filling themselves with merriment and promised themselves happy dayes but did not consider that the righteous were taken away from the evil to come I shall begin with the first That the righteous perish as well as the unrighteous How is it that the righteous perish not in their soul they cannot perish so nay the truth is they cannot perish properly in their bodies for the bodies of the Saints never totally and finally perish for the very dust of the Saints in the grave is precious in Gods sight and they are asleep in Jesus and by the power of Jesus Christ they shall be raised again glorious bodies Nothing perisheth of a righteous man by death totally and finally but sin and therefore the meaning of the word is as Musculus and Iustin Martyr observe perit perisheth that is not according to the truth of the thing but according to the opinion of the world and the proper language of this expression is this The righteous perish that is the righteous must die and go down to the house of rottenness as well as others and that upon a four-fold account First Because the righteous are included within the Statute of death as well as the unrighteous statutum est Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men once to die the righteous as well as the unrighteous Indeed it is true Jesus Christ hath taken away the hurt of death but not death it self Jesus Christ hath disarmed death made death like the Viper that fastened upon Paul's hand but did not hurt him he hath made it like the brazen Serpent that hath no sting but a healing power in it Christ hath sanctified death conquered and sweetned death at present we are all under the statute of death but at last this enemy shall be destroyed 2 Cor. 15. latter end Secondly The righteous consist of perishing principles as well as the unrighteous the righteous are earthly vessels made of dust their foundation is in the dust their lives are a vapour as well as the lives of the unrighteous Thirdly The righteous must die as well as others because they have a body of sin that they carry about with them for there is no man so wise that lives and sins not Eccl. 7. 20. Wherefore there is that which deserves death in a righteous man Lastly and especially The righteous must perish upon a peculiar account For if we had hope only in this life saith the Apostle we are of all men most miserable and therefore they must perish to keep them from perishing they must say as Themistocles Periissem nisi periissem they must die
not esteem the Gospel according to the vessel according to the disparagement of the Vessel a Vessel of dishonour in respect of its matter may be a Vessel of honour in regard of the Gold that is in it those Members of the body that are weak and in themselves lesse honourable we afford a great deal of honour upon them in decking and cloathing them So the Ministers Work and Employment and the Doctrines they bring are excellent and of great use when all is done we have that we serve for according to the employment we are put to we are honourable though outwardly mean Wicked and base men are called filâ—…i terrae they are sons of the earth Iob 30. 8. Children of fools yea children of base men they are viler then the earth i. e. Men of no account as one saith the earth groans under such ingracious persons but gracious persons are Vessels of honour as it was said of the Giants of old so it may be said of these They are men of Renown and so we should esteem of them Worldly men look at the outside and so esteem of them so was Christ dealt with Is not this the Carpenters Son So those Teachers in Corinth endeavoured to render St. Paul his presence weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10. 11. that so they might make his Ministry contemptible also But this glorious Treasure is in Earthen Vessels You know saith St. Paul Gal. 4 13. that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at first This was their commendation v. 14. But my temptation which was in my flesh you despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Iesus Christ. All his weaknesses and whatever was matter of discouragement they did not despise but honourably entertained him even as Christ himself So it was the commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 2. 13. that they received not the word as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God looking to the mighty God to make it effectual so should all others do upon this consideration 2. Seeing Ministers are earthen Vessels in tegard of moral infirmities which adhere to them in respct of their corruptions and weaknesses judge of them as men but esteem of what is righteous in them though they have great advantages against sin and be very carefull against sin yet notwithstanding they are not totally exempted and freed from sin as they are Ministers so they are men 3. In regard that Ministers are earthen Vessels in respect of their frailty Seeing then they are so â—…rail and transitory therefore accordingly you should make use of them deal kindly and affectionately with them in that they are quickly broken What is sooner broken then a Glasse or an earthen vessel Ministers are quickly taken away and therefore you should be tender of them while you have them Where are all the Fathers Do the Prophets live for ever the word of the Lord indeed endureth for ever but the Preacher of it doth not the Gospel is eternal but the Dispenser is mortal the Calling is lasting but the Minister is transitory and therefore you should carry your selves with all tendernesse and respect to them take heed of grieving their spirits seeing they are so soon broken Endeavour also to improve by them and to get as much good as you can by them It is a great argument to work while it is day because the night comes when no man can work whilst God affords means and opportunities make use of them we are but passengers therefore this is a great ground for you to endeavour to get all the good you can by your Ministers seeing they are frail Lastly By way of improvement Take notice of the wayes of God as different from man God pnts excellent treasure into Earthen Vessels we keep treasure in strong holds in the strongest Repositories Gods ways are not as our ways he goes another way then we doe he makes use of the poorest meanest and most frail creatures sometimes he layes aside many times men of greater abilities parts and quality and makes use of weaker to do this great Work Chrysostome makes and expostulation If it be excellent tâ—…easure why in earthen Vessels Therefore it is a Vessel of Earth because an excellent Treasure Thus Gods waies are unsearchable This is the improvement Now besides this interpretation given of it there is another that will not be impertinent Some understand by Earthen Vessels the expressions words and phrases of the Ministry through which the doctrines and truths of the Gospel ate conveyed this is agreeable to what went before Some false Teachers in Corinth pleased themselves with eloquent and enticing words of worldly wisdome and so endeavoured to render Pauls preaching despicable in regard of the plainnesse of it therefore saith the Apostle we have this treasure in earthen vessels i. e. familiar conveyances that so we may easily understand it Thus I have explained this Earthen Vessel and so have done with the first considerable part viz. the dispensation it self This Treasure we have in Earthen Vessels and come now to the second viz. II. The account of this Dispensation That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us Which words may be considered two waies 1. Either absolutely as lying in themselves Or 2. Connexively to the words before going 1. Take them absolutely as they lie in themselves and two things are exhibited 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry it self called Power 2. The Author and Original of it laid down two waies positively of God and negatively not of 〈◊〉 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry thereof called Power There is a great deal of power and efficacy in the Gospel it is in its nature powerful and efficacious so the ministry of it Romans 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth See 1 Cor. 2. 4. Paul's preaching was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power c. 'T is called the Arm of Gods Power the sword of the Spirit Ephes. 6. 17. 'T is quick and powerful and sharper then any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit c. Heb. 4. 12. and many other places We may conceive it to be so according to the various effects and consequences of it viz. as to 1. Conviction 2. Conversion 3. Consolation 1. 'T is powerful in regard of conviction it is a word of conviction and one part of the Work of the Ministry is by the Spirits co-operation to convince the World of sin to open mens eyes to shew them the vilenesse of their wayes to discover such courses to be sinful the Conscience is awakened by the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word herein it is powerful and efficacacious There are divers instances in Scripture how powerful the Word hath been in
been acquainted with him many years He was not onely a Minister but the Son of a Minister his birth and education suiting together He lookt upon it not onely as an honour but as an engagement to be carefull to walk in those steps set before him and to continue the work of the Ministry begun by his Religious Father Certainly the Children of godly and holy Parents cannot come off so cheap in their carriages as others they have greater accounts to make as having greater examples set before them greater advantages of prayer exhortation c. and so greater engagements this was thought on and observed by him And as he was the Son of a Minister so when he came to years and was fitted he took upon him the Ministry as he was one of great abilities so accordingly he discharged them faithfully and conscienciously He was a spirituall powerfull consciencious Preacher he preached by his Life for as Erasmus saith we should not onely love to speak truths but we should digest truths on our own hearts before we commend them to others and so they will be the more effectual He was a man of a very meek sweet and humble spirit a man of great humility and of great meekness in the midst of great abilities which was a great Ornament in him a man full of tenderness and condescension to others a man of a very yeilding and melting fram of spirit soon dissolved into tears It was the saying of one that a good man is full of Tears so this good man was full of Tears not affected but very real and hearty drawn from the fullnesse of his Spirit as the Apostle Paul saith he served the Lord in much humility and many tears This was remarkable that in these times our Reverend Brother was full of tears in delivering his Doctrine which was sutable to the age we live in being full of sin and calamity there is much need of a bewailing spirit to bewaile the iniquities and miseries of the times they that cannot bewaile themselves need the tears of others He was a man of great integrity and single-heartednesse in his exhortations he had much of the simplicity of Christ as the Apostle Paul speaks In reference to the Ministry he had no worldly and base affections he had no carnall designes therein but his chief design was to bring souls home to Christ that was his chief businesse As the Apostle saith of himself may also be said of him that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in the world not walking in craftinesse nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by the manifestation of the truth commending himself to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 2. He was a man that had ability to speak a word in season he was very compassionate to a wounded spirit he himselfe having been much afflicted He was a man much in communion with God and had much acquaintance with God and was carefull in improvement therein he was a Iacob in wrestling with God a Moses that stood in the Gap an Elijah that prayed earnestly the whole Land was the better for such a Person being much with God he made many addresses to him and had much holy familiarity with him And as in his publick performances he was very faithful and beneficial so in his family and private he was very fruitful and serious In a word not to multiply much in this kind you need it lesse in this Auditory but onely by way of grateful memorial there was much of God and Christ in him and he was a great example to his fellow-servants there was much of his Treasure spoken of in the Text in this earthen Vessel as in the matter of it he was one of a Gospel spirit and in the conveyances of it he had great abilities for the work of the Ministry and discharged it with a great deale of successe As he had this Treasure in an Earthen Vessel so his Vessel his fraile body was no disparagement to him but the advancement of the Treasure in setting forth the power to be of God his outward man was much weak and worn away but his inward man was upheld by the grace of God His first work in the Ministry was in that place where my self have relation to he was an assistant to my predecessor being then past labour Mr. Richard Couder and performed the work so well that he was exceedingly beloved of Mr. Couder and well beloved of the Parish and other places He left a good impression behind and I found good effects by the foundation there laid The Apostle Paul indeed desired not to work there where another had laid the foundation but I thought it a great advantage that the foundation was laid by such a Master-builder He was called into the Country to Rugby in Warwick-shire there he continued very fruitfull and did much good For some occasion he removed and returned into the City and came into this place where he continued about 18. or 19. years discharged the work of the Lord carefully I need not say much of his carriage in this place I appeal to your own Consciences I may say of this servant of Christ as the Apostle Paul said of himself 1 Thes. 2. 10 11. Ye are his witnesses and God also how holily and justly and unblameable he behaved himself among you as you know how he exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you as a Father doth his Children that ye would walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdome and glory Therefore there lies an engagement upon you to walk answerable to the truths he delivered and to follow his steps considering the end of his conversation I shut up all in the words of the Apostle Paul to the Phillippians Ch. 4. 9. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in him Do and the God of peace shall be with you Mr. Nalton's Prayer Iuly 20. 1662. at Foster-lane ETernal most Mighty and most glorious Lord God Thou aâ—…t God alone and besides thee there is no Saviour or Helper our strength stands in thy Name who hast made both Heaven and Earth of our selves we are able to do nothing that is pleasing in thy sight we can pollute thy name but we cannot honor thy name we can run away from thee but we cannot run unto thee unlesse thou dost powerfully draw us by thy Spirit we can grieve thy spirit but we cannot grieve for grieving of thy spirit Oh let thy strength be manifested in our weaknesse look upon us with the favour thou bearest to thy Children Enter not into judgement with thy servants for we cannot answer thee one of a thousand not one thought of a thousand thoughts not one word of a thousand words Most of our actions have been reproveable and the best of our services have been improfitable our omissions commissions and presumptions have been multiplyed intolerably Oh how often
whatever he wants God 's his debtor Hos. 6. 13. The want of a Complement undoth them in the midst of honour If we want but one thing our hearts would have surely Nature is proud and ready to pick quarrels with God on the least occasion nay if he will not give that mercy we would take all c. 3. Rebellion God strikes him for sin he strikes against God Ier. 31. 18. God draws one way and he another c. 4. Unbelief He that complains of his punishment never believed sin to be so great an evil or God to be such a One as revealed in the Word 5. Interpretative Blasphemy 1. While we dispute our afflictions and wrangle with the present dispensation what is it but to make our selves wiser than God We seem to tell God how it might have been better and so we do as it were give God Counsel When he calls for Obedience is not that Blasphemy to set up our wisdom against God's 2. While we complain of Punishment we take Sin 's part against God we do as it were justifie sin and judge God God is unrighteous to punish such a sin as this with such grievous Afflictions 3. By complaining we do as it were summon God to our Bar to come give an account of his actions at our Tribunal What poor miserable Creatures are we that in our Afflictions are so far from helping our selves that we commonly add to our own misery No Affliction is intolerable till Sin come in it The yoke God hath made easie we make intolerable and make God to be our enemy while he by Affliction would become our friend Now this being found not to be the way that which God counsels and advises is 1. Self-Examination Let us search and try our wayes Sin and Hypocrisie lies close and deep therefore we must take pains dig to the bottom set up a Tribunal in our own Conscience summon try judg our selves over and over in Gods presence He stands at our Closeâ—… Doores to hear what we will say Ier. 8. 6. before execution what Indictments we will bring in against our selves We can tell what such a Drunkard such an unclean person c. hath done but no man saith What have I done My pride my unthankfulness my unfruitfulness c. 2. Reformation and turn again to the Lord. Sin is aversio à Deo conversio ad creaturam Reformation is a turning again from the creature to God 3. Frequent and fervent Prayer Let us lift up There 's the frequency let do nothing else but pray le ts be continually lifting up our Prayers make your houses houses of Prayer Thus David Thou foughtest against me without a Cause Did he take Counsel against Princes to be disloyal To take up Arms No. But I gave my self unto Prayer Psal. 109. 4. Therefore if you prayed before now do nothing else it notes habitual and constant Prayer our hearts with our hands to crave and as it were to pull down mercy as if we would wrestle with God and say Nay I will not let thee go until thou bless me Gen. 32. 26. it notes our fervency And for our encouragement it is unto God in the Heavens which expresses his Soveraignty Omnisciency Omnipotency Everlastingness c. 4. Judging our selves or Confession of sin We have transgressed 5. Aggravating our sins and have rebelled i. e. we have turned sin into Rebellion Rebellion hath been the aggravation of our sins we have sinned against the clearest light dearest love c. Nehem. 9. Ezra 9. Dan. 9. 6. fastifying God thou hast not pardoned A word not of murmuring complaining or accusing God of hard dealing but by way of justifying God we have transgressed therefore thou hast not pardoned Why should'st thou repent of the evil of punishment when we have not repented of the evil of sin Thou hast punished us less then our Iniquities deserve So in the Text Do the first works Sin is a departure from God Repentance a coming back again to God Turn thou to him from whom the Children of Israel have deeply revolted The soul hath many turnings and windings but that 's the best motion of all when the Soul with the Dove returns to God from whom it came Apostacy is the loss of our first love Repentance is the Recovery of it and Reformation is the doing of our first works I have not time to enlarge as I desired I shall only offer a few things that may help to quicken you to this great duty My Brethren we have no great cause to boast of Englands first love Never so good as it should be yet many can remember when England hath been much better then ' t is Time was when Doctrines have been more sound Discipline more exercised for the suppressing of sin and profaneness Ordinances kept more pure from sinful mixtures when London kept Sabbaths better then now loved their Godly Ministers more then now honoured them that were set over her for their works sake would have thought nothing too good for a faithful Minister when Christians loved one another with a dear hearty fervent love when there was less Complement but more real love and affection among Christians when Christians improved their meetings converse Christian Conferences and other soul-duties to better purpose then now not to foolish disputations or wanton sensual excesses but to their mutual edification when they improved their time for comparing their evidences communicating their experiences and building up one another in their most holy faith when there was more industry in Professors than now to bring in Converts when private Christians thought it their duty to be subservient to the work of their Ministers to bring in others to Christ especially their Family Time was when more care of Young Converts then now when none could have looked out after Religion but some or other ready to lend them their hand and shew them the way explaining it clearly to them but now Young Converts may be snapt into separations and errour and none looks after them Time was when more care of the truly godly poor when errour was more odious when Popery was more hated then now when the name of a Toleration would have made Christians to have trembled when Christians were better acquainted with their Bibles when more time spent in secret Prayer when more tender of one anothers Names and Honours would heal one anothers Reputations and would spread the lap of Charity over those mis-reports and scandals that might be cast upon them when Christians rejoyced more in one anothers good and mourned in one anothers sufferings when Christians did more earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints c. Oh do you not onely your first works but our fore-fathers first works Be as zealous for God and his truths as tender mutually careful of one another as they Our fears be very great but truly our provocations be greater our dangers are great but our sins greater yet here is
a word here is matter of encouragement that yet there is Balm in Gilead Physick of Christs own composition for the reviving and healing of a back-sliding people Christians Christ Jesus is become your Physitian he hath prescribed you a potion made up of these 3. ingredients Self-Reflection Holy Contrition Thorow Reformation Christians now take this Receipt Christ advises you if you will not there is no way but one Or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick There is yet a means or two I find in Scripture for the preventing of threatned ruin that hath been very near that God hath prescribed for a people or person in great danger when ready to be cut off and destroyed Now that which I would commend unto you in reference to what you should beg of God for England is First In your addressing your self to God for that mercy your souls are set upon and you wrestle with God for that you would make some special Vow to God I find the Saints have done so when reduced to great Straits not knowing what to do Thus Iacob vowed a Vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God And this Stone which I here set for â—… pillar shall be Gods house Gen. 28. 20 21 22 The specialed thing Iacob vow is that he would continue in the pure worship of his forefathers that he would still honour God as his God in that way he would be worshipped the special thing is that he would build a house for the worship of God here he would erect a place of publick worship And thus Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord and said if thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand then I will utterly destroy their Cities Numb 21. 2. They vowed a vow they would not spare any of the enemies of God it he would deliver them into their hands Thus Iepthah Hannah David c. Iudg. 11. 30. 1 Sam. 1 11. Psal. 132 1 2. Certainly in times of great distress 't is not improper or uncomely but that which God may expect and take well that you make some special Vow if God would prevent your fears if God would continue forfeited mercies dearer to you then your lives you would set apart some special thing for God something for the propagation of the Gospel abroad for the maintenance of a godly Ministry at home for setting up the preaching of the Gospel in the dark coâ—…ners of the Kingdom c. This must have some cautions with it as 1. We must be sure our Vow be of what is in our own power we must not make vows of that which is none of our own I hate Robbery for burntâ—…offerings We must not make a vow to God of that which hath been unjustly or untighteously taken away or withheld from any 'T is Sacriledge instead of a Sacrifice 2. It must be of things warrantable and justifiable by the Word 3. It must be of such things that we are not bound to do before vows by the standing obligation of Religion and of our Profession but of something that is in our own choice that we will voluntarily make a free-will offering to God 4. We must take heed that we do not entertain a fupeâ—…itious thought of our own Vows as if we had merited a mercy at Gods hands by our vowes God looks for some special vow at our hands that we may shew how much we prise and value the mercy we would have that we would be content to part with any thing though to the half of our Estate for it 2. Another thing I find is that in the mean time we should do something by way of extraordinary bounty and charity to the relief of Gods indigent Servants Thus the Prophet Daniel Wherefore O Kingâ—… let my counsel be acceptable to thee Breakoff thy Sins by Righteousness and thine Iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity Dan. 4. 27. The Prophet advises him to break off his sins by righteousness there 's Reformation besides Reformation that he would do something in an extraordinary way to the relief of the poor Mercy to the poor what 's that Interpreters conceive by the poor here he understands Gods poor i. e. the poor Iews that were now in the Babylonian Captivity he advises he would do something by way of sympathy to the Iews to ease their yoaks and oppressions break off thy iniquities by pitying shewingâ—… mercy to thy poor Captives under thy power now at this time take off their yoak ease their burdens and restore them to their liberties again Thus do ye to those that have been the instruments of your Conversion or Edification set apart something extraordinary for their relief and supply The Prophet Daniel seems to advise this to the King as it were by way of satisfaction Theâ—…e be two things in Repentance in wrongs we have done there must be Confession and Satisfaction or Restoration He seems to advise this to make up compleat Repentance namely to make Restoration and Retribution of what he had injuriously taken from the Iewes Oh then let me say without breach of Charity that whatsoever except it be in this case of extraordinary supplyes for his poor it will be found but making Restitution and Satisfaction It may be upon a two-fold ground 1. With some it may be truly Restitution and Restoration of what he hath taken away by unjust means God knows how that 's between God and their own Souls what unlawfull means hath been used to augment the heap and swell their Estate If there be any that hears me this day whose Consciences shall tell them that they have increased their Estate by undue and unwarrantable means Oh Restoreâ—… Restore break off your Iniquities by shewing mercy c. by making Reparation as you can it will be but like Zacheus giving half his goods to the poor and restoring four fold c. in a liberal Contribution to the poor 2. It will be Restitution in another sense in reference to an unjust withholding some have got injuriously and I am afraid too too many have kept injuriously Have we not rob'd the poor by an unjust denying of what God hath commanded us to distribute to their necessities There is that withholdeth more then is meet c. Prov. 3. 17. 11. 24. It may be God hath given you so much there 's God's share there 's the Ministers portion c. Now all that you have withheld beyond the Rule of Scripture is all stoln goods and like a Wheat-sheaf on fire will burn down the whole baâ—…n of Corn. That which I would exhort you to is Every one to set apart some considerable part of your Estate and account it as a hallowed thing dedicated