That it is the Duty of Christians to hold fast the Truth that they have heard and received Doct. 3. That continued repentance is the Duty of Christians as well as initial Repentance Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent The first of these Doctrines I applied my self to and applied to the people last Lords-Day and shall not now say any thing of it but proceed to the next Doctrine that it is the Duty of Christians To hold fast the Truths that they have heard and received That which the Apostle enjoyns on Timothy in proportion the duty of all Christians 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in Faith and Love which is in Christ Jesus The whole entire body of Divine Truth Hold it fast against all opposition whatsoever Now if they that are themselves Teachers of the Truth to others must hold fast the Truth according to the Plat-form that hath been delivered to them then much more is it the duty of private Christians who are supposed not to have that latitude of Parts and Gifts that Teachers have And therefore you shall finde that Christ requires this not only of the Pastors but of the Members of his Church Rev. 2.24 speaking not only to the Angels but to the Body of the Church But to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this Doctrine and which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have already bold fast till I come As if he should say This is all I require of you my people keep your selves and hold fast that which you have till I come And so in Rev. 3.11 Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take away thy Crown As if he should say That Divine Truth that thou hast heard and received it is thy Crown thy excellency therefore hold it fast This duty of holding fast the Truth it is thy Crown thy excellency therefore hold it fast This Duty of holding fast the Truth is urged in many other places of Scripture under other expressions as that of continuing in the Word of God Christ says If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed And continuing in the Faith Acts 14.22 Paul and Barnabas visiting the Churches exhorted them to continue in the Faith And so those terms of being rooted in the Truth of standing and standing fast and many others they all inforce this Duty Now for the better handling of this point I shall do these four things First I will shew you what Christians are to hold fast Secondly How they are to hold fast Thirdly Why they are to hold fast what they heard and received Fourthly I will apply it First What Christians are to hold fast the Doctrine says they are to hold fast the Truths they have received Now Truths are of two sorts 1. Some are Natural and Moral 2. Some are Supernatural and Divine Truths called Truths of God because they come from God and conform the Mind and Soul that receives them to the Image of God 2. Now though it is true it is good for a man to be right in Moral things and to know and cleave to that which is Truth in Morality yet the Truths that we are here called upon to hold fast they are Divine Truths Supernatural Truths Truths in Religion Truths in the things of God Secondly Again Religious and Divine Truths Truths of God they are either such as are so in name and in the estimation of some men or else they are such Truths as are Truths of God in the truth and reality of the thing Now when I say that Christians are to hold fast the Truths they have received the meaning is not that whatever any man or company of men offer as Truths should be received and held fast for then we must hold fast many errours But whatever men call Truth or offer as Truth we must examine it by the un-erring rule of Truth that is the Word of God In these things it is a clear Canon which we have 1 Thess 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Prove them by the Word of God and if they hold Truth by that then receive them and hold them fast Divine Scripture-Truths we are to hold fast Thirdly Scripture-Truths Truths that are grounded and warranted in the Word of God they are either such as are immediately and expresly laid down in the Scripture or such as are mediately contained in Scripture and by deduction drawn thence Now those Truths are immediately and expresly laid down in Scripture we are without dispute to receive and hold But those Truths that are drawn thence we may make use of our Reason to examine them by the Word and so far as we see them to be drawn from Scripture we are to receive them and hold them fast Fourthly Divine Truths from Scripture are of two sorts Either the great and weighty things of the Truth of God and of Religion which we call Fundamental Truths or else they are those things that are of less weight than Religion and yet Truths of God Now we are not onely to hold fast those Truths of God that are the Fundamental-Truths as that there is a God and but one God and that there is a Trinity of Persons in Unity of Essence Father Son and Holy-Ghost and that there is but one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus and that he is both God and Man in one Person and that he hath given full satisfaction to Divine Justice for all that by faith close with him and the like These are the great points in Religion these we must be fure to hold fast And not only these but even the lesser those truths of Religion that comparatively are far less than these we must hold them fast You know what our Saviour says of the Commands there are some that are the first and great Commandments and there are others that are the lesser But whosoever shall break one of the least of Gods Commandments and shall teach men so the same shall be least in the Kingdom of God So whosoever shall renounce the least Truth God will be even with him for it For those Truths of God which are little and small comparatively they may be of great weight and consequence in their Sphere Luther said Let Heaven run together as a scrowl rather than one filing of Truth should be parted with Surely those servants of God the Martyrs were not so prodigal of their lives but they knew what they did when they suffered for such Truths as men now call Trifles and not worth standing for the least Truths of God must be held fast Thus you see what we must hold fast Divine Truths Scripture Truths whether greater or lesser we must hold fast what we have received I should but
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 not we contend with Alexander the Copper-smith 't is but suitable to what God expects and the Exhortation here given us That we should maintain 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 are as so many Motives to this holy spiritual contention Shall I tell you of three words further 1. The mercy of God delivering the truth to you should engage you to this holy contention 't is such a mercy as is a Non-such mercy Psal 147. the two last verses He hath given his Judgments to Jacob and his Statutes to Israel He hath not dealt so with any Nation How many of the greatest part of those that we call Christians in the world are put like Sampson to grind among the Philistinis 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 than what he will tell them How many are there even of the very reformed of the world who only get upon some broken plank of Ship-wrack'd 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 and fro of men hath increased 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 and unworthy messenger speak to this great Congregation as sometimes 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 a 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 cleave to it and keep it or no. We have been sucking at the breasts of the Ordinances and dandled upon the knees of Providences 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 into their Idolatry and worshipped a Calf While Paul was at Ephesus the flock 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 bloud 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 fiery Tryal for there is some Jewel that Jesus Christ puts upon you to wear that Persecutors and Persecutions Heresies and Hereticks will scratch at which you must hold out with loss 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 faithful 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 contention I shall only mention five or six things some to fit you for it others to help you in the mannagement of it I shall name them mixtly and not distinct Rule 1. First Bring all Doctrines that are offered you to believe and all practises 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 armor whereby to contend against it 1. To discover what is right and what is wrong for the Scripture alone is the Touch-stone of Doctrines and the Trial 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 days have done who have made the practising every opinion to be their trying of it till they have run themselves into all Opinions but 't is the Scripture you are first to trie and then to practise who are like the noble Bereans that were more noble than those of Thessalonipa 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 alike false coyn or
privileged people blessed of God shal 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 iâ—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 a good Title to any Scripture-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 and from within being at a point willing to engage liberty and estate and life and all for this Truths 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 upon 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 understanding that you come to see into the mystery of these Gospel-Testimonies Is there an habitual frame of Spirit wrought in you whereby you are carryed 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 finde 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 withal let me a little further improve that which I have already spoke 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 born of God and this being born of God must be the evidence of this belief Can you give an account of your being born of God If you are not born of God you do not believe That Jesus is the Christ Can you give an account of your overcoming the World Are you such as are enabled to stand out in opposition to the Errours and Heresies and corrupt Doctrines and Practises that are in the World Can you bear up against the lust of the Eye the lust of the Flesh and the pride of Life If you are in slavery to the World in bondage to the beggarly Rudiments of the world you are mistaken if you believe That Jesus is the Christ For he that believeth according to the 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 the 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 are you 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 inferr thus and so go on to a farther branch of this Application Either you do really believe with a Gospel-believing the Truths and Doctrines concerning Christ or you do not Why they that do 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 Professours of this Faith That Jesus is Christ doe 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 losse 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 Liar 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
express so little to our Brother 'T is an Argument we know not of what spirit we are of as Christ told his Disciples Oh! how unlike to that God whom we profess to be our God He is long suffering patient full of goodness gentleness mercy c. we can bear nothing we can suffer nothing one from another 13. Our great murmuring against Reformation and Reformers God hath heard the voyce of our murmuring Exod. 2.6 As if there had been nothing that would have undone us but Reformation and truly God seems to speak such a word as that was Numb 7.5 in displeasure and anger I will make your murmuring to cease I will take away the cause of your murmuring I would have reformed you and you would not be reformed As Christ to Jerusalem I would but you would not Mat. 23. The time may come when we would and God will not when we shall cry Other Lords have had dominion over us c. Isa 26.13 but thou Lord set up thou thy Government rule thou over uâ—â— and God may say No 't is too late I would have healed you and you would not be healed 14. The great neglect of the care of our Families Truly 't is not the least sin that threatens the removal of our Candle-stick How generally have the duties of Religion been let fall in our families reading the word singing Psalms c. time was when one could not have come through the streets of London on an evening in the week-day but we might hear the praises of God singing of Psalms now 't is a stranger in the City even upon the Lords own day Oh! how have Governours of Families cast off the care of the souls that God hath committed to them How careless are they of the souls of their yoak-fellows that lye in their bosome of their Children the fruit of their loins Masters of their servants c. And in the mean time are ready to stand up and justifie themselves with the boldness of Cain to say to God Am I my brothers keeper Am I the keeper of my yoak-fellows Childrens servants souls Yes thou art the keeper c. God hath put them into thy trust and if they perish through thy fault they may die in their sins but their blood shall be required at thy hand God will say to thee as he did to Cain Thy Brothers blood cryeth in my ear 15. Our indifferences as to matter of faith and doctrine That we have not been more zealous for the Truth of Christ that great trust and depositum which hath been committed to us We have accounted it no matter of what opinion or judgment men be in these latter times 'T is an universal saying No matter what judgment men be of so they be Saints as if truth in the judgment did not go to the making up of a Saint as well as holiness in the Will and Affections As if Christ had not come into the World to bear witness of the truth which was his great design as if it were no matter if God have the heart so the devil be in the head as if no matter that be full of darkness so the heart be for God 16. The unsuitableness of our conversation to the Gospel of Christ 'T is the only thing the Apostles puts the Philippians in mind of and commits to their care Phil. 1.27 and truly in these unhappy dayes it hath been the only thing men have neglected and despised how little care that our conversations should honour the Gospel c. 17. Our living by sense and not by faith Surely my Brethren among all the sins in England that the people of God have cause to be humbled for there is not any whereby we have more provoked God than by that sin of our unbelief murmuring and infidelity have been our two great sins for which it is the wonder of Gods mercy that he hath not caused our carkasses to fall in the Wilderness he may take up that complaint of us that he did of Israel Num. 14.22 Because all those men which have seen my glory and my miracles which I diâ—â—â— Egypt and in the Wilderness and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkned to my voyce surely they shall not see the Land c. And this is the lamentation we may take up that truly to this very day we have not faith enough to carry us from one miracle to another from one deliverance to another from one salvation to another let one deliverance pass over our head and no sooner one Wave rises higher than another but we are ready to cry out with Peter Lord save me I perish and well were it if our fears did issue into tears and cryes after Christ we rather are ready to cry out as those in Ezek. 37.11 Our bones are dryed and our hope is lost we are out off for our parts We are a people that never knew how to honour God in any distress God hath brought us into never learnt to glorifie God by believing if we cannot see him we cannot believe him surely that which God hath done for us in such a succession of miracles it might well at least have been found for our faith during our so journing In our Pilgrimage we might have learned by all that we have seen to believe God we might have made experience to be the food of our faith and upon all the Providences of Divine Power Wisdom and Goodness we might have discoursed our selves into belief as David 1 Sam. 17.37 The Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the Lyon and of the Bear he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine So Paul He hath delivered and doth deliver we trust he will also deliver Oh my Brethren we dishonoun God and starve our faith by forgetting our experience while we proclaim by our own unbelief that we have a God that we dare not trust If we perish we may thank our selves for it surely if we miscarry that account may be given for it that we find Mat. 13 58. Because of our unhelief There is a rest of God before us if we do not enter in it is because of our unbelief 18. Went of sympathy with the bleeding gasping groaning dying Churches of Jesus Christ They have been in great afflictions round about have call'd to us pitty me Oh pitty me my friends for the hand of God is gone out against me We cannot look any way but we see cause of bitter mourning but we have not laid the blood of Germany Lituania Piedmount c. to heart therefore God may justly lay it to our charge Want of fellow-feeling with our Brethren in their afflictions it is a kind of persecution a kind of being accessary to their sufferings That we have not mourned wept bled with them that we have not lien in the dust smote on our thighs c. God may justly say to us as Ames 6.6 7. They shall go captive with the
and turn again unto the Lord Sin is aversio a 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 's do nothing else but pray let 's be continually lifting up our prayers make our 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 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 confessing of sin We have transgressed 5. Aggravating our sins and have rebelled i.e. we have turned sin in-into rebellion rebellion hath been the aggravation of our sin we have sinned against the clearest light dearest love c. Neh. 9. Ezek. 9. Dan. 6. 6. Justifying 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 shouldest thou repent of the evil of punishment when we have not repented of the evil of sin Thou hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve So in the Text Do thy 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 there '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 desire I shall only offer a few things that might 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 than it is Time was when Doctrines have been more sound Discipline more exercised for the suppressing of sin and prophaneness Ordinances kept more pure from sinful mixtures when London kept Sabbaths better than now loved their godly Ministers more than 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 Conference and other soul duties to better purpose than now not to foolish disputations or wanton sensual excess but to their mutual edification when they improved their times 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 works of their Ministers to bring in others to Christ especially their family Time was when more care of young Converts than 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 separation and error and none look after them Time was when more care of the truly godly poor when error was more odious when Popery was more hated than now when the name of a tolleration 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 then 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 only 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 and 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 Physician he hath prescribed you a potion made up of these three ingredients Self-reflection Holy Contrition Thorow Reformation Christiians 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 ruine 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 to you in reference to what you would 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 Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me on this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment 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 a pillar shall be Gods house Gen. 28.20 21 22. The special thing Jacob vows is that he would continue in the pure worship of his fore-fathers that he would still honour God as his God in that way he would be worshipped the speciaâ— 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 will I utterly destroy their Cities Numb 21.2 They vowed they would not spare any of the enemies of God if he would deliver them into their hands Thus Jeptha Hannah David c. Judg. 11.31 1 Sam. 1.11 Psal 132.1 2. Certainly in times of great distress 't is nor improper or uncomely but that which God may expect and take well that you make some special vow if God
is your confidence in me submission to nay saving work obedience to my healing precepts If I be your Lord and Master why do you not learn of me your Master c. Your first Covenant engages you to proceed in fulfilling the things promised in your Covenant c. Better not have promised to be his people than to promise and break this promise The very mercies also you have received from him pardoning your former sin entertainment in his Church and all the blessings there found are as so many obligations to proceed 3. Ever since we came home to Christ we have had an addition of Reasons besides the first Reasons we had to believe Every day brings in new c. Certainly if a little were desireable more were more desireable If the people that stood afar off and never tryed what Christ and Grace is were bid to come in those that have tryed and tasted are bound to proceed much more You have the Spirit of God experiences of his love tasted the bitterness of sin have had some tryal of the truth of such things of which we speak when others have eyes and see not c. and will you turn back that have tasted c. 4. Consider how much hath been lost upon many a soul for want of care to take rooting and to proceed how much labour of the Ministry mercies of God pains and care of their own I speak of those that have seemed sincere not indeed so that have many times comforted the hearts of their Ministers and Friends and have had some kind of comfort to themselves in that taste they have had of the good word of God How many times hath the Preacher been gladded to see such a one come to him seemingly with a broken heart seeming to set themselves in the way of life yet the flesh prevailed for want of confirmation How many years have some spent in duty in hearing prayer gracious society profession of Religion yet afterwards the world hath drowned all What cause have you to see you lose not the thing you have wrought 5. Consider how much of the works of your own salvation when you are converted is yet undone Though you are sure your conversion is true how many temptations to resist enemies to conquer duties to perform and Heaven to be taken upon all those terms as the tenor of your Christianity therefore you had need to stand fast and having done all to stand you have need not only to believe but to wait and be patient in believing and to proceed in the way you have chosen 6. The want of strength building up makes the lives of many full of lamentable languishing weaknesses scandals unto others pain calamity trouble to themselves How long in healing And how much smart and pain while the fruit of their own folly is cured How little and how frequently do temptations prevail And hence as in a wilderness they are going one step forward another backward no evident keeping in God and all through the fruit of their own languishing weakness the fruits of the sins of Professors have been such that it should make you do all you can possible to escape the troubles at home and reproaches abroad 7. A life of spiritual weakness is usually a burden unto him that hath it it doth not only occasion his falling into sin and so renews the wounds of his Soul but is a constant burden to him not that any measure of Grace is troublesome but that which consists with so great a measure of remaining corruption this is the burden sickness is burdensome though there be life Methinks you should not then be recondiled to your fears you should methinks see so great difference between the sick and the well that for your own peace sake you should seek after confirmation Every duty they do is their pain which is anothers pleasure prayer c. their burden sometimes tir'd wearied dull c. presently overwhelmed with temptation every duty is a grievance to them through the weakness of their grade and their corruption 8. Christians that are weak and not confirmed lose abundance of the fruit of Gods Ordinances that are improved by others How many a truth that taste exceeding sweet to others have no great relish to them nor growth by it A healthy man hath more relish in ordinary fare than a sick person in varieties the full stomack loaths the Honey-comb 9. The weak and unconfirmed Christian is unprofitable comparatively unto others not that the Church would wish the weakest member out but comparatively unconfirmed Christians are very unprofitable unto others like little children in the Family that must be looked to make work for a great many more about them What doth a sick person but the work of others is to feed support and be a help to him The Church of God hath need of strong Christians that can pray in Faith servently for others and you scarcely pray son your selves Consider when the Church needs a great deal of help will you sit down with low attainments and little things when so many hundred about you need so great assistance 10. Weak persons are many times the troublers and very dangers of the Church many calamities have been occasioned by them the sins of professors have occasioned the displeasure of God on the Church their errors hindred truth and made divisions When Christians have not so much strength as to know Truth from Error that hearkens to every one that speaks with likeness What have these Christians done in the Church what mercies have been driven away so far that I think the Church of God from the Apostles days till now have suffer'd more by the sins of Professors then the malice of their Enemies and how canst thou expect God will save thy soul when thou hast set the Church on fire and been so great hindrance to others that many should perish occasionally by thy example c. The greatest sufferings of the Church have come from the miscarriages of the Church 11. Such have been the great dishonours of Christ but the Graces of ancient Christians the glory of their professions their Charity Self-denial Heavenly-mindedness Patience c. have preached the Gospel to the World more effectually then ever their words could do God expects your lives should be a considerable means for the conversion of wicked men the same God that hath commanded Ministers to teach others by their Doctrine hath commanded you should live for the conversion of the World that you zeal humility patience charity self-denial should win souls to God and if it be a sin to give over preaching when we may surely so to give over living c. If wo unto me if I preach not the Gospel then woe unto you if you by your lives preach not the Gospel How many sinners have you about you and how do you wrong and rob the ungodly of that Ordinance God hath appointed for their conversion and salvation You are the
I know I have attained this confirming grace A. These signs following shew a Christian confirmed and strong in grace which I will name that you may know what to aim at and what to desire There is not so great a difference between a King and a Beggar between the greatest health and fickliest man as between a strong useful Christian and a poor languishing soul c. 1. A confirmed Christian is one that can resist many subtile and strong temptations not onely a single temptation but when Satan assaults on every side with errors on both extreams with importunities of several parties with temptations of prosperity offered of adversity felt or feared strong temptations that seem to lay a necessity of yielding on a weakling that makes him say I must do it to save my liberty family life c. A strong Christian can say there is no necessity he can make light of those temptations that seem to be a necessity to other persons he can confute a subtle Sophister and deal with a cunning Adversary Satan cannot so easily go beyond and out-wit him 2. He can do great excellent and useful work is serviceable to God if he have opportunity in business of greatest consequence he doth not serve God onely in some little and inconsiderable thing but in his place sets himself to the work of God doth the great work of his Majesty faithfully The service of God to him is more easie and deligtful as to go ten miles is more easie to the healthful then one to a sickly person he can go through Gods service with pleasure ease and delight without tiring fainting sitting down or giving over 3. He can digest the hard truths and providences of God that are ready to puzzle perplex and over-set the stomack of a weak Christian he hath laid his foundation to which he reduces all things of difficulty and by the help of those great truths he hath received he can easily see through the difficulties that are yet before him He can tell how to reconcile those things in Scripture that seem contradictions where he meets with a difficulty he can easily discern the cause is in himself and that there is an undoubted way of reconciling them though he hath not attained to it He can easily quiet his soul under the most difficult providences and interpret them so as is consistent with the truths of God which must expound them he reconciles providence with providence and providence with Scripture whereas a weak Christian is ready to say A hard saying who can bear this and that and 't is the difficulty of these kind of truths that makes so many turn their Religion because not able to digest the hardest Truths of God Cross providences makes them question Gods love c. 4. He is one that can exercise various graces without setting one against another destroying or contradicting one another He can do many works believe many truths perform many duties at once He can rejoyce sorrow at once and make his sorrow a help to his joy and his joy a help to his sorrow so exercise both in that nature as will not directly hinder or weaken one another He can tell how in such a time as we are in to rejoyce yet to be humble to be cast down at Gods feet in the sense of the sins we have committed and of Gods displeasure c. yet to rejoyce in the mercies we have and do expect to possess He doth not look all upon sin all upon affliction or all upon mercy but can eye every thing and give every thing its part can exercise graces methodically give Truths Providences their proper place in his meditations and affections and this makes his life orderly beautiful regular and useful whereas a weak Christian let him set himself against one temptation he is taken in another if he humble himself in soul he can do nothing but humble weep grieve fear and be ready to cast away all comfort all sence of the love of God if he set himself to the consideration of the grace of Christ he is apt to forget humiliation and to be puffed up with spiritual pride c. Thus he hath not skill strength and ability to carry on all the whole work of Grace together 5. A strong Christian sinks not under those burthens that would press down and overwhelm a weak Christian he can bear heavy burthens and more easily away with them making it a Recreation to bear some things that another would sink under and cannot bear 'T is thy weakness that makes thee make such a stir when God lays on thee Personal Family publick affections that makes thee shrink under them strength of grace would enable thee to see God and Glory in the midst of them and to say All shall work for my good it would enable thee to get advantage and be bettered by them Hadst thou strength enough to improve them thou wouldst take comfort from them and support thy self under them but when thou hadst not strength enough to understand Gods meaning to see the Duty then called for to improve all for God to do that service to God thou shouldst do in such a condition no wonder if thou have not grace to support and comfort thee in that condition Whereas the confirmed Christian by strong faith love and patience can carry great burthens c. 6. Is helpful to many and troublesome unto few They are the useful persons in the family and place where they live it is they can counsel others in their doubts help them in their straits that can bear up the weak when ready to sink that can hold others by the arm when not able to go up-right that tend Gods little ones and if it were not for these what would Gods little ones do They are so furnished with Patience which God hath given them for the use of the weak ones in his Family and though they are troublesome or do that which might be a disturbance to them they will not thrust them out it is they that comfort the feeble support provide for strengthen and confirm the rest and were it not for these what backsliding hearts should we have c. And they are comparatively troublesome to few though while corruption cleaves to them they shal sometimes It is not they that are censuring their brethren that are stirring up divisions and make all that feud that is in the Church If they might be hearkened unto and regarded there would be quietness and composure for if ever there be peace it will be by the strong ones but weak ones in grace are the burthens and troublers of the Family you may know they are the weak ones in Gods house in that they are those that are always crying complaining making fire-work in the Family back-biting censuring their Brethren quarrelling with one or other c. these peevish troublesome souls are the weak ones c. 7. The strongest in grace are the best able
love so much as Gods love doth engage you to believe c. I might add 5. You must be Stedfast in Conversation 'T is not the running well but the running out 't is not the fighting but the conquering that gives you Title to the Reward for you to give a great deal of milk and throw it down all at length with your foot may argue you to have a good dugg but a bad foot Never give those Beasts of Babylon occasion to say That a man may be a Child of God in the morning and a Child of the Devil at night that we contradict that Doctrine by our conversation that we be stedfast But why must we be stedfast Alas why would you have me marshal up all the Reasons bid me count the Stars or number the Sands on the Sea-shore There is not an Attribute in God not a Precept Promise or Threatning in the word not an Ordinance not a Providence there is nothing in God or in the Devil or in Sinners or our selves but all would give a contribution of Arguments to prove the Saints should be stedfast I must but hint at a few things First I would argue from Jesus Christ Believers you love Christ and therefore you love the Honour of Christ now the honour of Christ is highly engaged in our stedfastness We never cast a deeper blot on the Honour of Christ than when we grow unstedfast I need not tell you so the Jesuites those meek Papists will tell you so those that delight in nothing more than in milk of the Virgin Mary and in the bloud of Saints they have enough if you be unsteady 1. You dishonour Christ in his sufferings pray tell me Believer why did Christ sweat bloud why did he dye why did he undergo what the wrath of Devils could inflict but for this end to make you stand in conquest triumphing Thus I remember as Joshua Jos 13. Come put your feet upon the neck of these Kings c. So Christ hath dyed that you might live that you might stand and what dishonour to the Eternal Saviour of the world to a dying Saviour to see a flying Christian It was never heard of that Souldiers should fly before a conquered Enemy whose legs were cut off whose arms were broken whose swords were taken from them 2. 'T is a dishonour to the Spirit of Christ the same Spirit that was with Christ in all his Agonies this very Spirit he hath given to Believers that he might bring them through with some victory therefore when we stand not it is an high dishonour to Christs Spirit 3. It is a dishonour to Christs Truth Oh! let but a Saint fall and what dishonour doth it bring to the Truth I have but thought of some late experiments of poor Ministers that I have heard of carried about in triumph look here is the man that hath done this that and the other thing and now look here is his I cannot excuse Noah for his Drunkenness yet methinks it is the part of a Cham to shew his Fathers nakedness I remember that one hath told me it is a great truth that Religion never suffers greater wounds than by the hands of her professed Friends Oh! what advantage have the wicked Papists taken against us by the falls of English Professors both in principle and practice 4. It is a very great dishonour to Christs all sufficiency Tell me man is thy Christ able to protect thee against all evil and is he able to supply thee with all good or is he not if he be not then deny him and whatsoever thou hast said concerning him if he be then stand close to him In the Mount he will be seen 2. I would argue from Saints the infinite advantage that at long run I do not say presently will redound to those that are steady in judgement in resolution in faith in conscience in practice so far as all these are conformable to the word of God and no further The greatest advantage appears upon these four grounds 1. What ever you think a steady Condition is the safest Condition 2. The fullest Condition 3. The strongest Condition 4. The freest Condition Oh! that I could beat this into my heart as well as it is in my head The safest condition in the midst of dangers the fullest condition in the midst of wants the strongest condition in the midst of assaults the freest condition in the midst of straits I profess in the presence of God I have felt these things and knew them to be truth many years ago 1. It is the safest condition never do the Saints take hurt but by declining moving from their centre while at their centre the Devil cannot touch them departing thence is like the poor Bird from her nest every one hath a fling at them Remember this let but a man once leave his Scriptural station and what Temptation is he able to stand against it is just like a man thrown down from the top of an house no stopping till he come to the bottom 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is begotten of God keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not 2. It is the fullest condition Oh my Brethren Saints living stedfastly on their foundation are continually supplied by God as the fountain doth continually issue out it self into the streams I know it is best living upon a single God How many thousands be there yet living in England that can tell you they never injoyed more of God than when they enjoyed least of the Creature Some have professed to me their Prison was to them as a Palace that were troubled more with these things than ever you were and the God of Heaven grant you never may 3. It is the strongest condition A man that stands stedfast is like a man on a Rock the waters come they may dash themselves in pieces but never shall be able to dash him in pieces he is fixed on a Rock and therefore stands A man that stands steady to his Scriptural Principles is like Sampson with his Locks about him let all the Philistines come what cares he he is able to conquer them all 4. It is the freest condition A man that deserts his principles is a save to every Condition afraid of every Humour of every Aspine leaf in the world thinks all those are Informers that converse with him is afraid of some Promooter or other But he that stands fast where the Spirit of God is there is liberty and freedom such a man in chains as Paul at Rome is in a far freer condition than others not in that restraint Well then 't is rational that you stand but it may be your lusts and interests can hardly swallow these things if you stand you shall not fall nay if you do not stand be sure you shall fall at last The next thing I would do is to apply this truth Is it the most important Duty of all sincere Professors in the most shaking seasons to stand stedfast in
you may play fast and loose with man you must not think ever to carry it away by playing fast and loose with God 4. If you should not stand you lose all you have wrought all your prayers tears professions practises sufferings are all gone if you give out at last c 5. While you stand by God God hath promised to stand by you and the truth is I have but one God it is no great matter for all the tiles in Worms There be a thousand Devils but all those Devils are in one chain and the end of that chain is in the hand of one God Oh! God will shew himself strong 2 Cor. 1.6 9. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards him Quest But what shall I do to stand Answ 1. If ever you would stand if ever you woul'd be firm standing Christians indeed take heed you be not light and proud Christians a feather will never stand against a whirl wind error and profaneness are most apt to breed in proud hearts The Proud and Blasphemers are put together 2 Tim 2.2 Be but humble Christians that 's the way to be standing ready Christians if ever you would be steady in your stations you must below in your own eyes do not you go and judge And now we shall have another kind of Religion come up as we have had it a great while such a man cannot be an honest man alas he is a Presbyterian he is an Independant he is an Anabaptist c. Now all your great business will be such a man cannot be good an honest man for he doth not Conform on the other side he cannot be an honest man for he doth Conform These are poor things I bless God I lay not the stress of my salvation upon on these It is true I cannot in conscience conform but I do not lay the stress of Salvation on it as I did not lay the stress of my Salvation on my being a Presbyterian I confess I am so and have been it hath been my unhappiness to be always on the sinking side yet I lay not the stress of my Salvation upon it It is my Conscience but it may be I have not so much light as another man and I profess in the presence of God could I conform without sin to my own Conscience I would if I should do any thing against my conscience I should sin and break my peace and conscience and all and never see good day do not then spend the strength of your zeal for your Religion in censuring others That man that is most busie in censuring others is always least employed in examining himself Remember good John Bradford he would not censure Bonner nor Gardner but saith he they called Jo. Bradford the hypocritical Jo. Bradford c. I do not speak this as though I can or did in Conscience approve of those things for which I must suffer that I cannot approve of them but take off people from those things that are so far from the foundation look you but to the main things look into your own hearts examine them and then you need not be much perswaded to look about to others 2. You must take heed you be not loose Christians will you remember one thing from me the God of Heaven grant you never live to see it verified a loose Protestant is one of the fittest persons in the world to make a strict Papist Tell me not of his Protestantism being a drunkard it is because his King or Countrey are Protestants where they live There is no Religion in a loose liver if ungodliness be in the heart it is no difficult thing for error to get into the heart A loose heart can best comply with loose principles see if they will not be of any Religion in the world that 's uppermost let the Turk prevail they would soon be of his Religion 3. Take heed of being a worldly Christian Oh! this is the David that hath slain his ten thousands A worldly heart will be bought and sold upon every turn to serve the Devils turn Come to a worldly heart and but promise him thirty pieces of silver he will betray his Saviour The Temptations of the world are great upon us at this time you that are Husbands and Parents know it the world is a great temptation but if we be overcome by the world and the world not overcome by us we shall never be able to overcome any one Temptation that is offered to us Therefore that 's an admirable support In the world you shall have Tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world I have overcome the world for you and likewise I have overcome the world in you Oh Lord if thou wilt but overcome the love and fear of the world if thou wilt but arm us against the smiles of the world then come what will we shall stand stedfast 4. Take heed you be not Hypocritical Christians i.e. take heed you do not receive the Truth and onely the Truth and not receive the Truth in the love of that Truth Thess 3.10 You have received the Truth but have you received the Truth in the love of that Truth which you have received want of this is that damnable occasion to Popery And with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved c. It is just with God that they should fall into errors whose hearts did never love real Truths better never received the Truth then to receive it and not in the love of it 5. Take heed of being ventrous and God-tempting Christians What is that when do I tempt God I tempt God when I run into a Pest-house and say God will preserve me from the Plague Take heed of running upon temptations to sin whether it be in principles or in practice I could tell you of two Spiritual Pest-houses in England if I had time for principles one and for practice another I do not say that I mean Play-houses on the one hand or Mass-houses on the other hand Certainly Brethren I read of Julian that wicked bloudy Apostate that he sunk into that his Apostacy first by going to hear Libanius preach mistake me not I am not against your going to hear the Ministers of Christ for a man may be a true Minister though he be a bad man all the World can never answer the instance of Judas who was a true Minister though a bad man while I plead for the truth of his Ministry I do not spread a skirt over the wickedness of his life The Scribes and Pharisees set in Moses chair hear them But that which I mainly aim at is this do not you go and run and venture your selves upon temptations you have heard of a superstitions or idolatrous Worship you have a months mind
us 1 Cor. 1.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned It may they will tell you a natural man may love God with his heart really as so and savingly whereas the Apostle tells you Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Remember it in all those doctrines wherein we agree with those whom we call Pelagians and Arminians so far we agree with the Jesuits and the worst of Papists 3. As you would avoid Hell avoid all those doctrines that would lift up self-righteousness and debase the righteousness of Christ I fear I shall never be in that capacity that I would to stand you in stead in this particular I confess I am against forty things in Popery but my soul is here engaged if that doctrine be a truth I never expect salvation by God either I must be saved by Christ alone or else I must never be saved by Christ at all though Christ will never save me without sanctification yet Christ never intended my sanctification should merit his salvation be as holy as you can as if there were no Gospel to save yet when you are as holy as you can you must believe in Christ as if there were no Law at all to condemn you Come and tell me of the merit of Saints c. I will believe that truth when I believe the Whore of Babylon to be Christs Spouse see Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.21 8. Why should you stand you must be praying Christians I confess when most of my strings are broken there is yet one holds there is a Spirit of Prayer remember Atheist among the Saints of God I can pray yet and I had rather stand against the Canons of the wicked than against the prayers of the righteous Oh! pray that you enter not into temptation or if we enter into temptation Lord let not the temptation enter into us pray if possible let this cup pass from me but if not let it not poyson me but let me be bettered by it and in due time deliver me from it I believe it would be a great temptation to you if it should be said to you you shall trade with no man any more c. you have enjoyed these and these comforts bid them adieu for ever you shall have no more to do with them this would be a temptation Temptations and Tryals are great and certainly where they are so prayer should be strong There is no relief to be expected on earth all our relief is to be expected from God and that 's to be obtained by prayer Pray that God would be pleased above all things in the world to make you sincere would you be stedfast in your profession you must be sincere in your practice To him that hath shall be given that is a comfort to him that hath but truth of grace to him shall be given growth of grace Would you be steaddy Christians then make it your great work to attend the Ordinances that God hath prescribed to make you steady Christians you were told of this many years ago concerning attending the Ordinances of God Quest Pray what are those Answ 1. There are secret Ordinances it may be thou canst not be so much in the Pulpit as thou wouldst Oh! be more in thy Closet it may be thou shalt not have so many opportunities to hear so many Lectures be more conscientious in thy meditations in secret it may be thou shalt not have that freedom with God in publick be more earnest with God in private 2. Mind your families more than ever you have your Children and Servants call aloud upon you How many grave faces do I see at this time that can tell me Sir I remember some twenty or thirty years ago you could not pass the streets but here was one Family repeating the Word of God another singing the praises of God another praying to God another conferring concerning the things of God at that time we had not so much foolish absurd excursion into streets and â—ields as now O! for the Lords sake begin to take them up now let the Amorite Perisite and Jebusite do what they will but oh for you and your children and your servants do you serve the Lord up again with those godly Exercises when we cannot hear a Sermon then read a Sermon if we cannot hear a Sermon well Preached our Godly Parents would engage us to read a Sermon well Pen'd if nothing new let the word repeated and meditated call to mind what you have heard Oh! reduce your selves to your Christian frame let the debauched Atheists know that they have something among you to be feared that 's your prayers let them know that though you have not those opportunities you have had yet you will improve those you have And you Masters of this Parish for Gods sake keep in your Servants on this day more than ever you are to be accountable for their souls and they will give you a thousand thanks when they come to age especially at the day of judgement Oh! then blessed be God I had such a Master blessed be God I had such a Mistriss blessed be God I had such Parents Quest But then for publick Ordinances what would you have us do Answ 1. Where evere Christ doth find a tongue to speak I am bound to find an ear to hear and an heart to believe I would not be mistaken I bless the Lord I am not turned out of my Ministry for being a Scismatick I know Schism is a sin nor know I any of my Brethren that are so do not mistake us therefore do not go and tell the Jesuits we are Schismaticks for we are none But this I would advise I speak as though I were dying do whatsoever lies in your yower to hear such whom you think to be godly beg of God be earnest with him that he would give Pastors after his own heart and whom God hath sent not such as may daub with untempered mortar and not such as may prophecy lies in the Name of the Lord not such as may be clouds without water but such as may be guides of the blind burning and shining Lights faithsul Stewards What shall you do what did you twenty or thirty years ago what did the good old Puritans do they were not Schismaticks But as much as lies in you possible hear them whom in your conscience God doth hear Oh! then expect the Word of God should come to your hearts when you have ground to believe it comes from your Pastors heart I must confess I intend to do the same when put into the same condition with you I acknowledge I am bound in Conscience to hear the Word of God but I must take care whom I hear hear those by whom God speaks I hope God will grant several such
with in that Reverend man M. Hildersham and to me it seems to have much weight in it What hopes says he can we have of many of our Hearers in England who are willing to give the Word a hearing and outwardly profess it but what hope can we have but that if a time of trial come they will turn Papists or profane or any thing for they never loved the Word when they heard it and they never obeyed the Word but lived in known sins they take up a form of godliness and hate the power of it what hope but that if a time of trial come these will fall from the truth 6. If you would be able to hold fast the truth that you have heard and received then take heed of recâ—â—â—â—â—â— the least truth of God take heed I say of knowing and willing forsaking the least truth and knowing and willing giving way to the least errour as the committing of the least sin may render a man abominable unto God as you find in Levit. 11.43 You shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping thing that is with the eating any creeping thing Now this was one of the least Commandments that God gave out for the not eating of such such things yet by transgressing this the people might make themselves abominable the committing of the least sin may make a man abominable to God so the embracing of the least errour and the forsaking of the least truth may make a man abominable to God the least truth forsaken knowingly and the least errour embraced knowingly becomes a great sin and a little errrour makes way for a greater if once a man gives way to one errour a thousand will follow after If we would hold fast the whole body of truth we must take heed we forsake not the least truth if we forsake God and his truths whether in lesser matters or greater and if we turn back again to Popery and conform to the Papists in lesser matters saith Mr. Hildersham know of a certainty that Popery shall return again 7. If you would hold fast the truths you have heard and received then shun all such persons as would go about to draw you off from the truth of God shun all Seducers confer not with them have nothing to do with them and their ways Prov. 19.27 Cease my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge thou hast been instructed in the words of knowledge and if any would instruct thee otherwise and seek to draw thee off from the words of truth and knowledge have nothing to do with them Cease my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge Now my Brethren this advice I judge to be more seasonable because it is in my apprehension that this present providence of God in taking off at one stroke so many of his Servants that have endeavoured in uprightness of heart to instruct you and the people of God from this work it is on my heart to think and fear this will give a great advantage to Seducers to seek to corrupt you and draw you off from the truth to their party When the Shepherds are smitten there is a great opportunity given to the Foxes c Wolves to make a prey of the flock when God makes it dark and night then all the Beasts of the Forest creep out as the Psalmist saith Psal 104.20 When there is a night and cloud on the Ordinances of God then all the Beasts of the Forest will go forth many will undertake to be your Instructers and say here is Christ and there is Christ but believe them not memember the things you have heard and received and hold them fast cease from the instructions of those that would turn you aside 8. And lastly If you would be able to hold fast the truths of God then commend your selves and the truths you would hold to God in Prayer and beg of God to hold you that you may keep his truth Put up those requests to God that David doth Psal 15. Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not and in the 119. Psalm Be surety for thy Servant for good hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually And thus my Brethren I have done with this Doctrine and this Sermon and as far as I know with my Preaching in this place The day is at hand wherein I and many others of my Brethren shall be through not naturally dead yet civilly dead dead in Law dead as to the work of the Ministry And as I told them of this particular Congregation the last Lords day so I tell you know what I would be willing to speak to you if I lay on my death-bed and had the exercise of Reason and Memory that I have now look I say what I would say to you if I now lay on my death-bed the same I shall speak to you now through Gods assistance and first I would and in some measure do give thanks to God the God of the spirits of all flesh that hath called me a poor unworthy Creature not only to the knowledge but to the Preaching of the Gospel 〈◊〉 his Son Jesus Christ and that in this place and in this part of the 〈◊〉 and hath pleased in mercy to continue life and liberty to 〈…〉 work here almost Twenty six years Secondly I would be 〈…〉 I am in some measure thankful to God and to his people both of this Town and of the Neighbour-hood for a great deal of love 〈◊〉 respect and encouragement that they have given to my Person and Ministry here and particularly I do acknowledge my self to be greatly obliged to my Reverend Brethren the Neighbour-Ministers for the much love I have received from them their readiness to help me in supplying my place in the time of my sickness or absence and sweet society I have had with them I believe you think it is no easie thing for me to speak or think of parting with such an Auditory and society the like to which I never look to have on earth again But seeing for my sins and your sins God will have it so we must submit and lie at his feet that which he hath made crooked who can make streight But before we part give me leave to speak a few words to you something by way of Request and something by way of Advice by way of Request I would speak this First That if any of you have found any benefit by my poor Ministry that if any of you have been enlightned or awakened or strengthened and built up in the truth and encouraged in the ways of holiness by any thing that God hath put into my mouth to speak to you let God have the praise and let me have some room in your hearts and prayers however God shall deal with me My second Request is That wherein soever you have seen
as the Word of Truth The Word was written after 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 Custom 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 customs 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 Innovations yet to succeeding Generations they become old And 't is a very great truth That what 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 than there was reason so suddenly to be taken with the Gibeonites mouldy bread and clouted shoes When matters of Antiquity are pretended say as Ignatius Jesus Christus est mea Antiquitas Jesus Christ is my Antiquity so say Truth is my Antiquity for though an opinion hath been practised a thousand years yet men may have the Word of Truth in their hearts that is ancienter than 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 than 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 custom to the Word of God 'T is not what the most do but what we may do 't is not what the practice of all in general is 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 than it will be sweet 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 wayes 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 a 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 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 pitty 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 onely with the Jews the Traditions of the Elders the custom 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 have any solid and serious ground they are yet to seek 'T is not with the things of God as with other Arts as Logick Rhetorick Astronomy in these Arts the principal 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 onely to run away with the notion that there is a God that this God is one and that these are his Words and his Works but you are to know this by experience because the knowledge of these things comes by infusion by faith by a belief that God is For by faith we believe the Worlds were made by the Word of God Hebr. 11.3 It is that therefore I would press you to that you would labour for an established Spirit Do not onely hear the things of God but see them the first will but blinde 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 further remote from sense and reason the Apostle will tell you Acts 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 Imbecillity 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 's 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 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 Pharisees who had the witness of his Father in his work he saith Joh. 5.37 Ye have neither heard his â—oice at any time nor seen his shape It 's an excellent thing to see the shape and hear the voice of God 2. Be well rooted upon Christ or else you will never be established in any â—ruth of Christ
If you miss the Lord Jesus by the Grace of Faith you will never hâ—ld 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 's 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 than the Word If you receive not the Word out of love every Imposter and false Prophet every fear and terrour 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 truth of Jesus 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 's 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 enouâ—h will overspread the whole face of Christianity once more for 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 wherewithal to confute them by the word of truth mightily out of the Scripture as the Apostle did Three things you are to guard against 1. Your own deceitfulness especially in a rash and sudden forsaking of those wayes 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. 3.1 O foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that you would not obey the truth c. and 1.6 I warvelled what ailed you that you 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 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 Judgment before you hear both parties speak you judge unrighteously if you forsake the wayes and truth of Jesus Christ before you can 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 Chrisâ—ian is contention it is not so much against Antichrist those that are without him as that which is within him If all Heretical Doâ—trines and wayes were rooted out of the World not onely the being but the memory the heart is bad enough in one day to set them all oâ— foot again therefore guard the truth Men of corrupt minds will presently grow â—eprobate as to the Faith 1 Tim. 3 6. Such Doctrines and Worships as shall suit with our lusts as shall suit with exalting Self and laving Christ low as shall suit with an easie way to Heaven when the Scripture saith Straight is the Gate as shall suit 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 wayes of Christ 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 subvert souls I will not here describe them you know them well enough by their fruits onely this let me tell you in opposition to those though you cannot come at the publick Ministrâ— 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 find this is that the Holy Ghost advises them to Cant. 1.8 You are to guard your selves by communion one with another as to go forth by the foot-steps of the Flock so also you are to go and feed your Kids by 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 to part with Life Estate Liberty any thing for to keep the wayes of Jesus Christ It is not the honour of the Gospel of Christ to hear Christians to break out into murmurings passions discontents 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 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 Jesus 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 wherein 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 than this You have the glorious commendation of the Lord Jesus Christ upon this account that
in this place where he spent his labour and pains many years I could give large accounts and testimonies of him if need were from my own knowledge of him having been acquainted with him many years He was not only a Minister but the Son of a Minister his birth and education suiting together He look'd upon it not only as an honour but an engagement to be careful 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 sitted he took upon him the Ministry as he was one of great abilities so accordingly he discharged them faithfully and conscienciously He was a spiritual powerful consciencious Preacher he preached by his life for as Erasmus saith we should not only 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 a 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 yielding and melting frame 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 fulness 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 suitable to the age we live in being full of sin and calamity there is much need of a bewailing spirit to bewail the iniquities and miseries of the times they that cannot bewail themselves need the tears of others He was a man of great integrity and single-heartedness 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 affection he had no carnal designs therein but his chief design was to bring Souls home to Christ that was his chief business What 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 craftiness 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 had ability to speak a word in season he was very compassionate to wounded spirits he himself having been much afflicted He was a man much in communication with God and had much acquaintance with God and was careful in improvement therein He was a Jacob in wrestling with God a Moses that stood in the Gap an Elijab that prayed earnestly the whole Land was the better for such a person being much with God the 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 privately he was very fruitful and serious In a word not to multiply much in this kind you need it less in this Auditory but only by way 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 this 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 deal of success As he had this treasure in an Earthen Vessel so his Vessel his frail 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 Rughy in Warwickshire there he continued very fruitful and did much good For some occasion he removed 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 12. 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 Kingdom 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 Philippians chap. 4. v. 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. Beerman's Farewel Sermon BEloved I know you are not ignorant that I am called by Authority to depart from you which for Conscience sake we must obey and were it not for the breach of Conscience I think I could be content to undoe my self to stay with you I shall now in love and tenderness take my leave of you all with that large portion of Scripture in the 20th of the Acts from the 17th Verse to the end they were Paul's parting words to the Ephesians Verse 17. And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church and when they were come unto him he said unto them Ye know that from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I have been with you serving the Lord with all humility of mind with many tears and temptations which befel me through the lying
all thy worldly concernments thy relations diseases c. are all numbred Nay more remember this Believer all thy distrusts disquiets murmurings despondencies the meanest lust unseen and the most secret sin are all numbred 6. Are our hairs numbred This is sad news for Unbelievers Are your hairs numbred then certainly your Oaths Curses contempts of Gods people all your sinful thoughts words actions wilful omissions of commanded duties commissions of forbidden sins all your disputings against God his people his word wayes will are all upon the file they are all numbred 7. What an encouragement is there here for poor sinners to come in to God Do but come into God and thou shalt come into such a condition of safety that the very hairs shall be all numbred And if thou wilt not come in certainly thou art wanting to thy self For look as well as thou canst to thy self thou hast not a promise to keep one hair of thy head till to morrow morning Not a promise of a sup of water bit of bread nor a promise of one minutes safety till to morrow morning And if so be thou hast not a God no interest in him if God should turn his back on thee a thousand to one but afflictions come And if afflictions come thy heart is gone thou having no spiritual strength in heart no eternal Rock of ages to flie to no wonder if thou faint under them and so thou wilt certainly do If a Believer that hath but little strength is apt to faint thou that hast no strength wilt utterly fall when afflictions find thee And this leads to The Eighth Sermon Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy strength is small THe Observation from hence was To faint in the day of trouble argues a mans inward strength to be but small his judgement weak his reason low his graces feeble his inward comfort peace and joy not much but very little This 1. Shews whence our mis-givings of heart whence our want of liveliness of spirit in and under troubles proceeded even from hence that our strength is but small 2. Teaches us how to judge what our spiritual strength is namely this way How dost thou bear afflictions How is it with thee in a day of distress Dost thou faint and fail It argues thy strength is but small By way of Dehortation Do not thou faint in the day of affliction in the day of adversity Take heed of fainting in three things 1. Under work or duty be it never so great grievous troublesome or dangerous 2. Under the with-holdings of mercy be they never so long detained 3. Under afflictions be they or may they be never so grievous whether 1. Publick afflictions the afflictions of the Church of God Suppose Sion is now clad in Sack-cloth there 's a time coming when she shall be arrayed in Scarlet When the Whores Scarlet shall be turned into Rags the Churches Rags shall be turned into Gold Or 2. Personal afflictions faint not under them be it this or that or the other be they never so great never so long or never so many But what shall I do to bear up my spirit and to preserve me from fainting 1. Live in the holy dependence and filial fear of the great God He that fears God most to be sure will faint least 2. Strengthen Grace There are two graces to be strengthened viz. Strengthen Faith I had fainted unless I had believed c. Strengthen Patience dejection of soul usually comes from impatience 3. Be much in Prayer Is any man afflicted let him not go and sinfully murmur and complain but let him pray 4. Make use of heart-strengthening considerations and that is 1. Turn over the promises They are left on purpose as Gods bottle his Vial of Cordials to keep the soul from fainting 2. What ever befalls remember it proceeds from Gods love 3. All that God aims at is to do thee good 4. Be the affection never so great 't is as necessary as prosperity as health This thy Physick is as necessary as thy food 5. The issue of all a Crown of glory these light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh out for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory And therefore if so be there be such principles from which afflictions flow and such ends to which they are managed It is no wonder Christ will not pray that we may be taken out of the world from affliction but keep in this world from the evil So we fall on The Ninth Sermon Joh. 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil GOd hath spoken once yea twice have I heard this That power belongeth to God When God is pleased to strike twice upon the same string it seems he hath something more than ordinary mind that you should observe the turn The Doctrine was That it is the will of Jesus Christ that his servants should continue in the world though they meet with nothing but trouble in the world I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world let them stay Lord be thou but their Pilot and then keep them at Sea as long as thou wilt God knows his Saints are very serviceable in their generation They are as it were a Pillar of fire unto the rest of the world for guide and light By their Doctrine and Conversation they instruct the godly and convince the wicked God will have his people stay in the World that his power providence mercy and goodness in their preservation may more clearly be discovered that their afflictions here may work out for them an eternal weight of glory These are the reasons why God will have them stay in the World c. Then 1. Saints carry your selves as becomes such in midst of such a World with that wisdom faithfulness carefulness humility that may bring honour both to your selves and to your Profession Walk as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Walk closely warily innocently patiently submissively c. All these are necessary while you are to converse here in this wicked world 1. From that truth But that thou shouldest keep them from the evil Observe preservation from sin is a greater mercy than exemption from suffering Which 1. Informs us of a truth that carnal men will never believe till they come to Hell that that is the height of folly which the men of the world count to be the top of wisdom they think it wisdom to choose sin rather than suffering 2 This will evidence that the people of God are not such Fools as the men of the World think they are but the wisest that will choose the greatest suffering rather than the least sin 3. This reproves those that will take more care to have their afflictions removed than sanctified 4. Be more afraid of sinning and less afraid of suffering what afraid of a lash my child
the World for their choice the Spirit and Son of God that this is their choice Therefore no wonder c. But how do they chuse God Answer They chuse God as the object of their souls love as the chiefest of ten thousand as the lot of their inheritance as the companion of their souls to converse with him as the Commander of their ways to bt guided by him as a shelter of their hearts as a refuge to fly unto in the time of danger The first Vse was by way of Examination Is God chosen as the chief object of our souls love Can we truly say There is none in Heaven but thee none upon Earth I can desire besides or in comparison of thee Can we say in having God The lines are fallen unto me in a pleasant place yea I have a goodly heritage Is communion with God our Heaven upon Earth Is God the Commander of our ways as well as we hope to be the Saviour of our souls Is God our shield or buckler our retreat in danger The second Vse was by way of Consolation Believers have you made choice of God Happy are the people that are in such a case thou hast the best assurance in the world to come to the best possession in this world peace and joy Peace within if not Peace without And Joy the best Joy in the world Joy unspeakable and full of glory And truly if so be that this be thy portion in having chosen God 't is no wonder thou dost not Apostate from him It is no wonder that whatever comes upon a Believer yet for that his heart is not turned back neither his steps declined from Gods way And this leads to The Fourteenth Sermon Psal 44.18 Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way FRom these words two Observations 1. In times of sufferings and afflictions true Christians are to make a narrow inspection into their hearts to see how they stand affected Thus did the Church here 2. To keep stedfast and close with God notwithstanding all afflictions and sufferings we undergo either from or for God is the duty and commendation of Saints 'T was our duty and 't is our honour Lord c. In prosecution of this point these seven preliminary Theses were laid down 1. When man was first created his heart stood rightly bent towards God as his great centre and mark 2. When man fell his heart immediately drew off and turned back from God 3. Though this be the case of fallen man yet poor creature he sees it not 4. The very Formalis Ratio of sin that wherein the Formality of sin consists is in this not so much in finning against God by outward Acts as in the hearts departing from God 5. All true Conversion to God begins at the Heart 6. It is an Argument of infinite love in God to bring back our hearts to him 7. When once the heart of a Believer is brought back to God no suffering or affliction is able to turn that heart from him Quest When may a mans heart be said not to be turned back notwithstanding all sufferings and afflictions Answ 1. When a man still retains the same esteem and estimate of God that ever he had When Job looks upon God as a God fit to be lessed though God be plundering of him 2. When a man still retains the same affections the same love to him delight in him fear of him as much as ever 3. When we hope and trust in God as much as ever Though he kill me yet will I trust in him 4. When we have the same resolutions to cleave to God as ever If a God in Israel as long as a God in Israel 'T is all one makes not to the God of the Philistims this is for a mans heart not to be turned back from God By way of Vse 1. Learn The heart of man is very apt to turn from God in dayes of affliction our heart is not though theirs were 2. It concerns us in time of affliction and suffering to see if our hearts be not turned back from God But what means shall I use that I may not turn a base Apostate Answ 1. Be watchful over your hearts they are exceeding slippery and deceitful The veriest Thieves in the world 2. Be still bending of your hearts from the world and the flesh unto God as you bend a crooked stick to make it streight 3. Do not only bend but bind your hearts tie them shackle them as you would one that hath broken Prison by holy serious Scriptural necessary vows 4. Converse much with God That man that converses much with God it is not the frowns of men shall bring his heart off from God To spur you on to this duty with these motives 1. If you turn from God the soul of God will turn from you If any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him 2. Keep close to God in such a time and God will keep close to you Here 's a people that not all their sufferings could make them fall from me God glories in such a people 3. This will be one of the greatest comforts by way of argument of your sincerity that your heart is upright with God This will make an Hezekiah look up to God in the time of sickness with a Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 4. If you will not turn from God by way of Apostacy you may run to God and find in him a Sanctuary And so you have it in The Fifteenth Sermon Isa 8.14 He shall be for a Sanctuary THe words are an allusion to a City of refuge and from hence this Observation Jesus Christ will be for a sure refuge to all those that make him their fear and dread And the truth is there is the greatest reason in the world Christ should be so Saints stand in greatest need of this Sanctuary They are a poor weak helpless generation of Creatures but they have a Rock of refuge The Conies are but a feeble folk yet make their Houses in the Rocks Christ bears dearest love to them they are most precious to him they are his Jewels what will a man preserve if he will not preserve his Jewels Will Christ be a Sanctuary Then 1. See the true reason why the Saints of God are of such an heroick Spirit even when troubles look them in their faces and ring in their ears they have a God to fly to a Christ to rest on 2. See the reason of that consternation of spirit that seizes on wicked men in times of troubles Hide me from the wrath of the Lamb why they have no refuge to go to and however it is with them now you shall hear nothing but howling and lamenting when God shall come to avenge the blood of his Saints 3. Be exhorted to make Christ your Sanctuary get into this City of Refuge and for Motives
consider 1. Your absolute need of a Sanctuary You are in the power of the world in the paw of the Devil in the mouth of Danger in the mouth of Hell 2. All other things in the world are not sufficient to become a Sanctuary You may run to the Rocks but they cannot hide you you may make an arm of flesh your strength but it will prove an Aegyptian Reed and run into your hands you may make Riches your refuge The rich mans wealth is his strong Tower but rather it is a Castle in the Air you may make Honours your refuge c. All things unable to be your Sanctuary 3. Consider what a large free present well-furnished unchangeable Refuge and Sanctuary Christ is There are many nay all things in Christ in which a poor soul may take Sanctuary Dost thou want Righteousness He is the Righteous one Dost thou want Sanctification Wisdom Redemption He is all in him Refuge and Sanctuary mayest thou take in his Providence for thy Protection in his Offices for thy Salvation in his Promises for thy Consolation and amongst the rest that which is like the Diamond in the Ring see that great Promise in The Sixteenth Sermon Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna TO him that overcometh i.e. Not that hath by one two or more acts conquered but to him that Overcomes that hath and doth and is overcoming still that goes on conquering and to conquer 2. To him that overcomes thus and this way and this Enemy this greatest Enemy that God hath Truth hath in the World Antipas especially that keeps my Truth inviolable that in a Scriptural way opposes that greatest Enemy I have and opposes him to a conquest To him that overcomes that goes on to overcome that thus overcomes Hence this Observation Believers are all a generation of Conquerours all Conquerours they are all like the Sons of Kings but some Believers are more Conquerours than others some that lay Antichrist upon his back such as out-shoot the Devil in his own Bow that stand out against Satans greatest Batteries that turn his Cannon on himself and cuts off the head of that Goliah with his own sword These are something more than Conquerours But how come Believers to be thus Conquerours They are actuated with a six-fold power 1. With ability to discern all necessary heavenly mysteries and this enables them to overcome Antichrist as he is an erroneous fawning Heretical Prophet 2. With a power to believe all things even such things as though they do not contradict yet exceed the reach of Reason 3. With a power to do all duties I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me These Conquerours cannot do any thing against but any thing for the Truth 4. With a power to suffer all things These Conquerours are ready not only to be bound but to suffer to die for the Name of Jesus and to conquer by dying 5. With a power to forsake all things To look upon all things as dung and dross that they may win Christ 6. They have not only a power of might but of right too as Kings conquer c. But what means are to be used to overcome in the sense of the Text. Answ 1. Study well that little Book of the Revelations indeed the Book of Books the Book of Sacred Scripture in which we have at once the sum of the Saints duty and priviledge and of Gods care and providence over his Church in the latter dayes of the Church c. 2. Concoct this Book by a practical belief of what is revealed in it do not think your own Notions to be Divine Revelations 3. Familiarize the Cross of Christ dye daily in expectation of it and provision for it do not say as Rev. 8.17 I sit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow 4. Labour by a prospect of Faith to antedate those great joyes God hath prepared for those that so suffer as to conquer 5. Buckle on the whole Armour of God and above all leave not out the Shield of Faith 6. Let your Love abound higher by opposition That becomes a Martyrs spirit indeed The more the wind blows it in thy face let that blow up more of thy blood into thy face Let it warm thee more c. 7. Live not by Example but by Rule Those that follow the most whither go they Wide is the gate broad is the way that leads to Damnation and many there be that enter therein The flock of Christ is a little Flock 8. Esteem duty above safety As one It is necessary Rome should be ruined it is not necessary I should be preserved 'T is necessary Religion should be advanced the power of godliness preserved it is not necessary I should be in this or that condition 9. Indulge not the least sin else thou wilt never be Conquerour That-man that will not lay down his Lust for Christ will never lay down his Life for Christ A man can never be resolved for Christ's ways without if not resolved against all impurity within 10. Harden and anoint your selves with practical improvement of Christ's sufferings in Christ's death There was an estimable price to purchase our Conquest an infinite merit to strengthen to encourage our Conquest an all-sufficient virtue to cause our Conquest a pledge of our eternal Conquest we are Conquerours already we do but gather the Spoil Make use of Christ's death as the merit pattern and motive of your Conquest 11. Labour for Sincerity 12. Get well acquainted with Divine Attributes and Divine Promises And such especially as may be most suitable for your condition 13. Abhor the relicks of superstition The very Nest and the very Cage of the Bird is unclean Not a crum of that old Leaven it will sowre the whole lump Antichrist is hugely like the Devil let him get in but one â—aw let him but get in his head he will quickly get in the whole body if you would avoid the paw of Antichrist avoid as much as you can the very parings of his nails 14. Get an experimental knowledge of Gospel-Truths they are your Head-Professors that turn Apostates 15. Let this be your first and chiefest care your first and last to seek and serve God Which if you do as all other things so this priviledge of Conquest shall be added unto you as your Crown Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added unto you Which opens the door to The Seventeenth Sermon Matth. 6.33 Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you FRom this Scripture you had a remedy against solicitous thoughts and fears given in this Proposition that a serious inquiry and earnest pursuit of the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof is an excellent remedy against distracting cares and fears about provision and safety Seek First and trouble your selves no more Seek
4. The Design to destroy you No but to try you It is well you are Gold else you would be presently destroyed and burnt 5. The Duration Could the Devil have his design it should be for ever it is but for ten dayes 6. God over-rules all that befalls us Christ alwayes stands by the Believer to take notice of every stripe as well as of every hair of thy head to own thee in all thy sufferings to sympathize with thee to have a fellow-feeling and compassion unto thee to compose and to sanctifie all unto us to order the issue of all that it shall be sure speedy and good and by all these to make us like God God-Man as possible Vse Then do not fear Here we are fore-armed and fore-warned 1. Fore-warned Our suffering is like to be great nay it may be greater than we may suppose This to be sure if our sufferings do but keep pace with our sinnings I believe never such sufferings in England If God lay Righteousness to the Line and Judgment to the Plummet never such matter for his Justice in England 2. We should not fear because that is the spring of many other sins Fainting Running Lying Perjury and to any thing in the world c. 3. The best of men in such bad Times it will be as much as ever they can do to keep themselves steady We are Fore-armed 1. In reference to the Church of God Do not fear the Church of God is dear to thee but it is dearer to God The interest of God is more concerned in the life peace and truth of the Church than in mine c. If the great God will not look to his own interest can the Church be safe But doubtless he will 2. In reference to our selves Suppose many sufferings yet the wayes of God are in the dark as well as in the deep there is no tracing of him let him alone where thou canst not trace him admire him God can and hath done and I bless God I can set my seal to that word that tells me God will do great things Babylon must sink his people must be called the Kings of the Earth must hate that Whore when God brings his People low it is but making way for the baring and magnifying his own mercy when the praise can be given to none now is a time for God to work Now will I arise and shew my self strong Therefore Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Fear not Oh ye Saints of the most High It is true if you were carnal natural unconverted sinful idolatrous wretches well might you fear the wrath of the Lamb and him that sitteth on the Throne Wert thou a filthy drunken unrighteous intemperate Felix thou mightst well fear thou hadst no God to run to but being a Paul thou needest not fear No Paul can speak and act with so much confidence even when he stands before a great Tribunal ready to leave a sentence of death passed on him that he makes his very Judge to tremble And so you have it in The Twentieth Sermon Acts 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled IN these words you have the Manner Matter and Effect of Pauls preaching The Manner why Paul was reasoning the Matter it is of righteousness temperance and judgment to come the Effect Felix trembled First For the manner of Pauls preaching as he reasoned i. e. as he argued the matter he did propound it in a rational way and pursued it before Felix and this he doth in a double capacity as he is a Convert and as he is an Apostle as a Christian and as a Preacher 1. As a Convert and Christian and so he had reason to do and make use of that reason he had to shew though he became righteous yet Paul had not lost his reason Hence learn true Religion will consist with right Reason Blessed be God for his truth We are apt to look upon men as mad men if they will be righteous It is true before Paul was converted he had reason but he used it madly but after conversion he begins to be sober and make the best use of his Reason 2. Look upon Paul as a Preacher so he makes use of his reason And true reason may and must be used in preaching the Gospel yet with these two Cautions 1. Do not over-value Reason do not lift up the Servant above the Master Prize Grace more than Reason Piety is better than Parts though Parts are the Ring of Gold Piety is the Diamond in that Ring As if a man in a Pulpit should come to shew what a brave Scholar he is this is to over-value Reason 2. Do not under-value Reason We have had a strange fancy that if a man that could not read English would but come and talk and preach to us he was farr more desirable than a Black-coat that hath been at the Vniversity and learned his root there as they say you will be glad of such as these This Learning hath spoiled all the World do you not know how many Scholars are Atheists and their Learning made them the worse c. This is not the fault of their Reason had they more Reason they would improve it the better It is want of Reason that makes them not crucifie their Lusts Because corrupt men many times abuse that which is good will you therefore cast it off 2. For the Matter of Pauls preaching And here observe 1. It is suitable to his Hearers Felix was a Judge though a corrupt one and so he reasons of Righteousness He and his Whore lived in Adultery and so he preaches of Temperance of Judgment to come know God will call thee to judgment Hence observe The Gospel is then preached aright when suited to Hearers hearts condâ—tions and constitutions A man in the Pulpit ought not to shoot at random Paul speaks ad rem to his hearers suitably tells them of righteousness temperance judgment to come 2. Consider it with relation to his Scope which was to bring them unto Christ and what doth he do He preaches Grace Mercy and Peace no not a word of that but Righteousness Temperance Judgment to come Paul was a convincing Preacher he knows his way to bring home Felix and Drusilia to Christ was first to convince them of their sin and the wrath of God due to sin The whole sum of Pauls preaching was by way of conviction Sin and misery must be preached for this end that it may bring men unto Christ We must not make them half dead and there leave them but bring them to the Chirurgion all our conviction is only for this end that you might be brought to Christ by grace to glory 3. For the Effects of Pauls preaching Paul preached and Felix trembled doth not Drusilla tremble 'T is more than probable she brought Paul to preach there that Drusilla had a months mind to hear what he had to say but
we may live with the God of Peace hereafter Mr. Bull of Newington-Green his Farewel Sermon in the Forenoon Joh. 14.16 And I will send the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever THe Observation that I commended to you out of these words was this It is the great work for which the Spirit of Christ is given by God to comfort the hearts of his people You may remember that I have formerly opened the truth to you and have shewed you what this spiritual comfort is that the Spirit of Christ works in the hearts of his Disciples I gave it you in this Description It is that inward spiritual satisfaction that the heart of a gracious person finds in and through Jesus Christ in all the various dispensationâ— of God towards him whereby he is enabled to go on in chearfulness in the way that God would have him whether it be by a way of doing or of suffering And herein I shewed 1. The nature of the spiritual satisfaction 2. The Author of it It is God by his Spirit 3. The Object of it God through Jesus Christ 4. The proper subject of this inward spiritual comfort the people of God 5. And lastly The effects of the spiritual comfort it is to strengthen the heart both to do and to suffer I came the last time to shew you how the Spirit of God doth this 1. He doth it as an enlightning Spirit By shewing where comfort is to be had by opening the eyes of the understanding as he did Hagars bodily eyes to see the Well of Water 2. He doth it as a quickning Spirit bringing the Soul into that capacity to take in the comfort for what comfort can a dead man receiver a Cordial and Puddle is all one to a dead man 3. He works this inward spiritual satisfaction by discovering the truth of his vital Principle in the Soul for a man may have a principle of grace and spiritual life in him and not know it that though he has the spiritual comfort yet it is all one as if he had it not Now this is the great Question that is debated in the heart of a childe of God Whether he be regenerated and born again Whether he hath grace in his soul that grace that will qualifie him for glory and if he was satisfied as to this he would not be a moment without comfort But he is afraid that he is dead in sin that he is a stranger to the life of grace hence ariseth all the Spiritual troubles Now the Spirit of God comes in and resolves the case comes into the soul by his bright reflections and fills our souls with comfort Now we have received not the spirit of the World but the Spirit which is of God 4. The Spirit of God is a comforting Spirit as he openeth the vein of godly sorrow in the soul Truly this is the next way to spiritual comfort when a man can once spiritually mourn for sin Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted Godly sorrow opens the vein and le ts out the matter that hinders comfort and causeth inward trouble in the soul A gracious man takes a great delight in godly sorrow Oh! it 's matter of marvellous comfort to a Child of God when he can kindly mourn for his sins 5. The Spirit of God comforts the soul as he is a mortyfying Spirit Thus he takes away that that is the ground and matter of Believers trouble mortifying that sin that is the cause of his sorrows pride unbelief inordinate love to the World 6. The Spirit of God works comfort in the hearts of his people by setting their own spirit to seek for comfort in Gods own wayes The last thing that I did for the explication of the Doctrine was to add some Propositions and they are such as these 1. Many a gracious heart that hath fellowship with the spirit of God in his sanctifying work may feel and find none in his comforting work The Sun may operate where it doth not shine A man may be in a state of Salvation when it doth not feel the joyes of Salvation Isa 51.3 You shall find those that fear the Lord and had the comforts of the Holy Ghost yet walked in darkness 2. Even those gracious souls that have the fellowship of the comforting spirit to day may want it to morrow This is not daily bread while the Saints are on this side Heaven The Solstice of a Christians comfort doth not last all the day long they are not feasted with this every day they have the night as well as the day there is a night as well as a day in the heart of a gracious soul as it is natural in the common course of nature the Sun may shine to day but it may be clouded to morrow Thus it was with that holy man Psal 30.7 Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled And God doth this in infinite wisdom to put a difference between Earth and Heaven this valley of tears and that state of Glory that so the hearts of Gods people may be kept in frame of longing after the state of Heaven God will have his people be groaning here that his people may groan after that condition when all sorrowing and sighing shall flee away God reserves perfect comfort to be the reward of perfect holiness while our graces are imperfect we must make account that our comfort will be so too Tears will be never wiped from our eyes till sin be quite taken out of our hearts 3. Those that have had this spiritual comfort in their Souls they may lose not only the impression of the Spirits comfort but they may feel the impression of Gods anger Haman complains That the wrath of God did bang upon him and that the terrors of God had out him off A gracious heart hath real grounds of Consolation though he hath not present sensible comforts A child of God hath always that that if he did see he could not be without comfort the Promises are his support he hath the first fruits of the Spirit and right to eternal life A Child of God shall always have so much to keep up his hopes and affiance upon God A Child of God in the darkest condition though he doth not see enough to make him rejoyce in God yet he sees enough to make him trust in God though he walk in darkness and see no light yet he trusts in God Job sayes Though the Lord slay him yet be would trust in him David was in great trouble while he was in that disquiet expostulation Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me trust in God 5. Those that have inward comforts from the Spirit may at the same time have little comfort from Gods outward dispensations It may be dark without when it is light within
convinced of the need and want of Christ but such as have been partakers of the Spirit of Christ as a sanctifying Spirit labour after communion with him as a comforting Spirit and to this end I shall stir you up to this 1. By way of Motive 2. By way of Comfort First by way of Motive Though you have some comfort it is but little in comparison of what you may have and in comparison of what you may stand in need of though a Saint would not change the saddest hour of his life for the sweetest hour in his former condition If the Saints of God did enjoy the comforts that they might oh what blessed lives might they live but they are so full of trouble as if there were no Holy Ghost the Comforter The people of God are oftentimes troubled without a cause as that holy man Why art thou cast down oh my soul He could not render a true account of his trouble he was sad but he could not tell why or wherefore 2. When there is cause they are apt to be troubled without measure In those cases where it is a sin not to be troubled at all the people of God are apt to be troubled over-much as the Israelites in their bondage in Egypt It were a sin for them not to be troubled but they were so full of troubles that they could not hearken to Moses and Aaron And so the Disciples in the Text it were a sin for them not to be troubled for the absence of Christs body but so to be troubled as if God could not comfort them without him this was their weakness And to come to our Cases it were a sin to slight this Dispensation of God that is coming upon us if we should not be troubled for the loss of the Ministers of Jesus Christ but to mourn before God under the sense of this Dispensation to mourn so much as to think that when these are gone all are gone to be so much troubled as not to hearken to the words of the Text That we have a Comforter I remember an admirable expression of a Child to his Mother when his Father was dead to shew That out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings God can manifest his praise Why Mother says the Child though my Father be dead yet God is alive May not I say so to you Though your Ministers be as it were naturally dead yet is not God alive Is not the Spirit of God alive Though you have some comfort yet you have little in comparison of what you may have if you seek for it 2. Study the excellent nature of the comfort how little soever a man hath of this spiritual comfort it will sweeten his condition be it what it will be When a Man hath communion with the spirit God he hath comfort in all conditions then though a mans condition be never so bad yet it is very good Hâ—b 3.17 Though the Fig-tree shall not blossome though the fruit be not in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall cease and the Fields shall yeild no meat the Flocks shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation He can fetch Hope and ground his Faith upon the Promises though the Providences and Dispensations of God be never so mysterious the comfort of the Spirit doth make up the want of all other comforts The comforts of Ordinances are sweet comforts Sermon-comforts are sweet comforts Sacrament-comforts are sweet comforts Ah but the comfort of the Spirit can supply the want of all these All outward crosses cannot hinder these inward comforts a man that hath these inward comforts may have a Feast with bread and water a little of this comfort is able to sweeten a whole Ocean of sorrow In the multitude of my thâ—ughts withâ—n me thy comfort delight my Soul Psal 94.10 So that when the hearts of God's people are filled with sad thoughts what will become of themselves what will become of their Families what will become of the Church of God what will become of the Ministery of the Gospel and of the Ordinances of Christ they are full of sad fears and distracting thoughts when they have a multitude of thougts in the midst of all these spiritual comforts can comfort and refresh the Soul Oh labour after a greater share of this comfort God hath cast us upon sad times wherein we shall have need of more than ordinary comfort We are like to have troubles without if we have not peace within it will be very sad we are like to lose much of Christ's bodily presence I mean in his Ordinances how many of those Messengers that present the person of Christ and stand in his stead If we should not enjoy the other comforter our estates would be doleful If we have darkness without and darkness within how sad will that darkness be 3. Labour to get more communion from the Spirit of God This will raise and sublimate your natural comforts and turn them into Spiritual comforts A man can never relish these outward comforts till he come to taste the ravishment and sweetness of the holy Ghost till he taste the love of God these give them a higher lustre than the men of the world though they enjoy much comfort yet they do not enjoy half that a child of God doth the little that the righteous hath is better than the great revenues of the wicked to a Child of God a dinner of green hearbs is more savoury and pleasant to him than the stalled Ox because a Child of God hath better sauce with it Worldly men they smell to their flowers it is the only godly man that sucks out the honey that all things are given to him in love out of this he sucks comfort A gracious heart sees all these outward comforts that they are purchased with the bloud of Christ and therefore these should do him good and he may take comfort that he hopes for what he hath not as wel as for what he may have and he may take comfort in his condition be it what it will he sees all is for his good such a one believeth what he readeth not So he believeth Gods ways are ways of Truth though some more sweet and some more bitter 4. Labor after communion with the Spirit in his comforing work is another This is the best preservative against all intanglements of sin whatsoever It is a great hour of temptation and if our comforts do do not lie above the world we shall be greatly insnared by the world If a man eat sweet-meats he cannot relish ordinary food so while these sweet comforts lie upon the soul he cannot relish these ordinary things in the world What do you tempt me with those things saith a child of God What are these to the comforts of the Holy God The heart of man will seek comfort one way or
or else be absent from you I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel And to shut up all with that in Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Mr. Sclater's Farewell-Sermon 1 John 5. v. 1 and 21. Whosoever believeth that Jesus 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 advantage I have spoken concerning Gospel-believing and that 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 born 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 Gospel which is preached among us and in the world and this Gosspel doth hold forth this for true Doctrine that Jesus 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 Jesus I believe is the Son of God this Jesus 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 do speak fully to the purpose Whosoever doth believe this that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and 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 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 comfortable that such persons as did thus believe and profess this to be their Faith and Belief there were some blessed beam upon their Souls for mark you 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 the Book of Judges concerning the Gileadites they made a profession of themselves to be such and such and they were put to it to pronounce Shiboleth they that could not speak out the word and clearly pronounce it they were not judged to be persons that they professed themselves to be but they that could do it held their liberty so 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 Jesus 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 Christ should be put out of the Synogogue should be excommunicated Now for persons at such time wherein it was as much as their liberty it may be their lives weâ—â— worth to own that Jesus Christ was the Son of God for persons now â—t 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 than 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 times and time 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 if you do so indeed you are highly
that I should be charged with such a horrid impiety as this Oh but Brethren the very truth is it is a very common thing by interpretation to give the lye to God and all that do not believe according to that Gospel-believing that you have heard do tell God to his face that he is a Liar How doth that appear Why take a little help such I am able to give you To profess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God that he came to be the Saviour of the World is ordered out to be our Righteousness is sent of God to preach Liberty to captives to heal diseased souls and to deliver poor creatures from the bondage of the Devil these things people generally profess to believe but mark you now they never come to Christ nor never set in with him upon this account and to this purpose O Lord thou art the Jesus the Anointed of God I come to thee for life I am a poor dead creature I am in a state of unrighteousness and thou art given to be for righteousness Lord I flye to thee for it I am a poor diseased creature the Plague is set upon my soul and thou art appointed to heal the Soul of the Plague I come to thee for healing There is not one of thousands that come thus to Christ Will you now see how the lye is given to God I profess for my part saith one I know no such matter Jesus is the Christ and I profess to believe so and he is appointed of God for such and such things he is sent to preach liberty to the captives I know not that there is such bondage Christ came to save sinners alas I know no need of any such salvation by him he came to heal diseased Souls I am well enough what need have I of Christ What is this but to give the lye to God He that receives not Christ makes God a liar for he doth in effect say Lord thou sayest so and so concerning the World I know nothing of all this and so the lye is given to God And is it nothing to give the lye to the great God the God of Truth And I tell you while you profess this Jesus to be the Christ the Son of God and in the mean time flye not to him you believe him to be the Son of God and that all authority is given unto him and you will not subject to his authority why you give the lye to God and is this nothing 2. Consider the sad condition of such as believe not according to a right Gospel-believing they are such as are liable to the dreadfulest touches from the Devil that possibly can be He that believeth is born of God overcomes the World and is enabled to keep himself that the wicked one doth not touch him with a mortiferous touch But I tell thee whatever thou art that are under the power of unbelief thou are in danger of a dreadful touch from the Prince of Darkness And if thou livest and diest in a state of unbelief thou wilt fall under the power of condemnation I remember what our Saviour speaks and consider well of it You stand out in opposition to my Doctrine but I tell you Except you believe I am he you shall dye in your sins a dreadful word you shall dye in your sins and what then be damned eternally this is the condition of all such as are in a state of unbelief But then on the other hand in case we be able to give a good account of our believing that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and of our believing on him concerning whom these Testimonies are given Oh what cause have all such to rejoyce in their condition the condition of such persons is happy beyond all expression and comprehension that have owned these Truths owned that Jesus of whom these faithful testimonies are given Now all the Chapter according to the account I have given you comes in to the purpose of comforting and rejoycing the hearts of such persons Here is your comfort now really believing according to a right interpretation of Gospel-believing this is your priviledge you are the persons that are born from above you are the persons that shall be enabled to overcome the world to bear up against all opposition that Men and Devils can make against you you are the persons that have the witness within you and you shall be able to bear up against all the contradictions of sinners you are the persons that have Christ and have eternal life by him you shall have it nay you have it already He that believeth on the Son of God hath eternal life he hath it in the beginnings of it and shall have it in the compleat state of it being brought over to Gospel-believing you may come with boldness to God in a way of Prayer with holy confidence that whatever else you ask believing you shall have a good account of it God doth not neglect any believing Prayer of a believing Soul And all the priviledges of the Gospel are entailed upon you and you are entitled unto them and you shall have the benefit of them while you live and when you dye unto all eternity well may it be said of such a person Blessed is be and she that hath believed with a Gospel-believing Gospel-Truths and Testimonies concerning Christ and on Christ on whom those Testimonies are given for there shall be a full and perfect accomplishment of what ever God hath spoken with his mouth concerning such And then lastly if the Grace of God hath brought us over to a closing with Christ of whom these Truths and Testimonies are given why the last branch of the explication is but this That you would but justifie your believing and labour to manifest the reality of your believing according to the Gospel by a suitable walking this is that that shall be the closing up of this application Oh Brethren let us consider well our Saviour tells us in Matth. 11. Wisdom is justified of her Children Why if ever we mean to approve our selves to be Wisdoms Children our care must be for to give in our Justification of Wisdoms sayings and for to carry it in a congruousness and suitableness unto that Gospel-believing which we profess to be by grace brought over to Why but what is that you will say why consider the Text and see what remains of the Chapter I shall make it our give it out to you in this way Why first of all this one special duty that lies upon you That you would study your mercy and know what God hath been to you and done for you and how highly you are dignified and not be always in a fluctuating state and upon the questioning and disputing point but to come to some well grounded confidence that you may be able to say We know that this and that is our condition and this and that is our dignified priviledge that we are planted under Do but
his Disciples your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom 3. Doct. That every true Believer is interessed in the Kingdom of Heaven the great God will bestow the Kingdom of Heaven upon Believers 4. Dâ—ct That the Kingdom of Heaven is the free gift of God It is the Fathers good pleasure to give you a Kingdom The Kingdom of Heaven comes not to a Believer by his own merits nor by his own deservings but by God's free gift the free grace of God is the great motive it is God's good pleasure so to do The Saints cannot merit heaven by their holiest actions though they walk never so closely with God no no the Kingdom of heaven is God's free gift unto Believers 5. Doct. Lastly That the consideration of a Believers interest in the Kingdom of heaven should make him chearful and couragious in the practice of holiness and keep him from being dismayed and discouraged at all the afflictions and tribulations that he meets withall in the world this Doctrine is gathered from the Exhortation in the Text and the reason of it taken together the Exhortation viz. Fear not little Flock the reason of the Exhortation viz. For it is your Fathers â—ood pleasure to give you the Kingdom intimating that this one consideration that God will bestow the Kingdom of Glory upon his people hereafter should make them with all willingness and chearfulness to wade through all the calamities and incumbrances of this frail life A Believers heavenly interest should make him rejoyce in the midst of all his tryals and tribulations that he meets with from the hands of men here on earth I shall â—huse out the second and last of these observations to go on upon not having time and liberty to insist on them all that observation then which I shall first of all insist upon is this viz. Doct. That God is a Believers Father or that every true and sincere Christian hath God for his Father and is a child of God It is your Fathers good pleasure Before I come to the confirmation of this Truth I shall shew how many ways a people or person may have God to be their Father and they may be his Children First A people or person may have God for their Father by Creation as God is the great Creator of the World and they are his Creatures in this general sence God is a Father to all the Men and Women in the World to this refers that Scripture Mal. 3.10 saith the Prophet there Have we not all one Father Hath not one God created us but it is a more peculiar son-ship that belongs to Believers they have God for their Father in a more special and peculiar manner than this is Secondly A people or person may be the children of God and God may be their Father by profession Thus God was a Father to the Jewish Nation of old because they among all the Nations of the World did profess to own the Lord for their God and to serve and worship him and in this respect God doth profess himself to be a Father to Israel Jer. 3 9. I am a Father to Israel saith God Ephraim is my first-born And thus God is a Father to all those that do profess his Name But if this be all the claim that we can lay to God as our Father that he is so to us and that we are his children only by an external profession this will not entitle us to the Kingdom that eternal inheritance that God hath laid up for his people in the life to come it is therefore yet in a more peculiar manner that Believers have God for their Father Thirdly A person may have God for his Father by adoption and regeneration and thus true Believers and only such are the children of God and God is their Father 1 John 12.13 To as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God These are the sons of God the strictest and most peculiar sons that shall be made partakers of all the priviledges of the children of God viz. those that receive Christ into their hearts by faith and such as are truly regenerate and born again these are the true and genuine children of the most High the heirs of God and coheirs of Jesus Christ as the expression is Rom. 8. these are the children of whom it was spoken 2 Cor. 6. last I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty Having thus shewn unto you the several respects in which we may have God for our Father I shall come to the confirmation of it and shall prove that Believers have God for their Father in this special and peculiar manner there are abundance of Scripture-proofs for this in which Jesus Christ speaking to his Disciples calleth God their Father Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven And ver 48. Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect Mat. 6.8 Your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask them Mat. 18.14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in Heaven these little ones should perish Joh. 20.17 Go tell my brethren saith Christ that I ascend to my Father and to your Father to my God and to your God By these and other Scriptures we may see that God is set forth to Believers under the relation of a Father to them And as God is called in Scripture a Believers Father so they are called sons Gal. 4.6 Because ye are sons God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Wherefore thou art no more a servant but a son and if a son then an heir of God through Christ Again 1 Joh. 3.2 Now we are the Sons of God but it doth not yet appear what we shall be when we shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Gal. 3.16 The Apostle speaking to the unbelieving Galatians saith We are all the Children of God by Faith which is in Christ Jesus I shall no longer insist on the confirmation of this Doctrine but shall come to the application of it Vse Is it so that all true believers are the children of God and have God for their heavenly Father then the first use may be of comfort and consolation to the godly in that they are so nearly related to the great God believers by virtue of their son-ship having God for their heavenly Father have abundant ground of comfort and consolation upon these several accounts First They are under his fatherly care and providence fathers take care for their children to provide them things necessary as meat drink and apparel ab iisdem
thing to fall into the hands of the living God! Oh my beloved if your Parents should see any of you carried in a Cart to the Gallows to be hanged it would make them to repent that ever they brought you forth into the world How much more then do you think it would trouble them for to see you thrown body and soul into Hell there to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels for ever I say repent or else God will take away the Gospel from among you repent or God will take away his Ministers from among you The truth of it is I have made it the greatest part of my work ever since I took the Office of a Minister upon me for to get people upon their knees when I could prevail so far with them as to get them upon their knees I thought with my self that then the work was half done Secondly Repent for Christ hath encouraged you with many precious promises if you will repent Object But say you This is a hard work What! shall we ever go with tears in our eyes what will God give us for our reward Answ My beloved your Reward is great would you know what you shall have For your forrow you shall have Crowns of Glory you shall have Joy unspeakable if you will but repent of your sins God will blot them out Me things it should make thy heart for to ake to think how God will deal with thee at the day of Judgment how God will say before all the holy Angels and before thousands of righteous Persons Look what a hypocrite stands there God will then make known the most secret sins before men Angels that thou wouldst not have men to know now Oh repent therefore that your sins may be blotted out and you shall never hear more of your sins repent and you shall be saved repent and you shall escape Hell Thirdly Repent because God hath waited a long while upon you how long hath God stayed at your dores asking you if you wou'd repent how long O thou proud man or woman hath God waited upon thee how often hath God come and stood knocking at the dores of your hard hearts you that are given to Taverns and Ale-houses and rioting how long will it be before I shall see you leave these Taverns and Ale-houses and let me see you upon your knees in your Closets Oh thou gray headed sinner God hath waited long upon thee it may be ever since thou wert fifteen or sixteen yeers old as I have known many eminent Christians at those years which hath made me much admire at it Oh thou sinner God hath waited upon thee all this while when wilt thou repent Rom. 2.4 Or despisest thou the Riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth to Repentance There is not a blessing thou hast from God but it hath this written upon it repent of thy sins Wilt thou think of what I say unto thee when God puts thy bread into thy hands he saith unto thee Sinner take this bread eat it and repent when God puts the cup of Beer into thy hand he saith unto thee Sinner take this beer drink it and repent when thou arisest in the morning he saith unto thee Sinner take this suit of cloaths and put it on and repent Every mercy that thou receivest from thy God calls thee to come along with me Come wilt thou leave thy sins and go along with me wilt thou leave Hell and go along with me My beloved I will desire you to bear a little with me because I am so urgent in pressing this great work of Repentance It is the last time that I shall speak to some of you and therefore I am something the more earnest with you the Lord grant that they that shall come after me may far exceed me in this work Fourthly Consider if you will return and repent God will return to you if you will leave your sins God will not be angry with you if you will have the means of grace God will give you the means of grace My beloved God never goes from you until you go away from him God hath intreated you to return and God hath promised to return to you My beloved you have heard the Parable of the prodigal Son how he ran away from his Father but at last when he was ready to perish with hunger he returns to his Fathers house again So my beloved God is your Father but you are Prodigals all the sins that you have committed against God is Prodigality But yet let me tell you if you are willing to come to Gods feet he will take you about the neck if you are willing to forsake your sins God is willing and ready to pardon your sins if you have been a wicked sinful rebellious people yet if you will turn to the Lord he will turn to you Fifthly Repent because if any misery doth come upon thee the fault shal lye at thine own dore I say repent for if God doth bring a Judgment upon thee thou mayest thank thy self for it Art thou a notorious sinner and God layes his afflicting hand upon thy Family thy Family may thank thee for it that the Lord is pleased to deal by them as he doth Many a Family may curse the Head of their Family Oh thou drunken Master God doth send a Judgement upon thy Family they may thank thee for it and I tell thee if any evil come upon the Church it is thy fault thanks be to you lyers thanks be to you Swearers thanks be to you Drunkards that the Gospel and Ministers are a going Sixthly Repent because God sendeth his Messengers unto you for to intreat you to repent I am sent unto you this day to intreat you to repent now wo be to you if you neglect my message You know that it was one reason why God took away his Prophets and Ministers from Jerusalem because they would not hearken to their Message as you may read Mat. 23.37 38 39. O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings and you would not Behold your house is left unto you desolate for I say unto you ye shall not see me henceforth till ye shall say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. I know thee Jerusalem thou hatest and killest my Prophets that are sent unto thee when I come to thee again thou shalt say Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. Oh that you could apply this to your selves Oh London how often would I have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but thou wouldst not But thou hast killed my Prophets and cast them into prison Well we are now taking leave of you this day I and my Ministers are leaving
cannot serve God in one way let me not be discouraged but be more earnest in another You may also now think it is a time for you to exercise what you have learned God is calling you to see if you have not lost all the advantages he hath allowed you ye have been a long time learning as if God should say unto you Let me now see if you can do or endure and if you have forgot all yet Christ hath made a promise the Spirit shal bring again to remembrance when there is occasion for it Consider also Christ is touched with the feeling of the infirmities of a people in such a condition Let none of you be troubled in your hearts you believe in God believe also in Christ Jesus He saith In my Fathers House there are many Mansions and in them many wayes of dispensing of his Grace Read the 14 15 and 16. Chapters of John Christ hath promised to give Pastors according to his own heart that shall feed his Flock with Truth and Understanding He can finde one or frame one that shal fulfil his Ministry better than a weak Instrument He is the great Bishop of our Souls and is never non-resident He hath alwayes a care of his Flock Think therefore of his care who hath promised not only to be but to give unto you Pastors The 34. Chap. of Ezekiel is but a Comment on that promise Let not your hearts be troubled but let us commend you yea each other to God and let him do what is good in his own eyes Mr. WATSON's Sermon against POPERY 1 Cor. 10.14 Wherefore my dearly Beloved flee from Idolatry WHen I consider that saying of the blessed Apostle St. Paul I am pure from the Blood of all men Acts. 20.26 And that which made him say so was because he had not shun'd to declare unto his hearers then committed to his charge the whole Council of God Paul had been faithful to the Souls of people he had preached up Truth and preached down Error The consideration of which hath put me at this time upon this Scripture Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry From whence I shall by Divine permission and assistance assert the truth of the Protestant Religion against popish Innovation and amongst all the Errors that are levelled against the Gospel none are more gross dishonourable nor dangerous than those broach'd and set a running in the Popish Conclave and therefore there was good reason why the Apostle should say VVherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry Idolatry doth bud and blossome in the Popish Religion It should be the earnest prayer and endeavour of every good Christian that none of those poisonous streams that flow from the See of Rome may ever infest this British Isle My main and principal designe at this time is to shew unto you some few of those many grand Errors that are in popery or in the popish Religion and likewise to fortifie you against them Among many others there are these thirteen grand Errors in popery that every good Christian must take off and flee from The first Error is this The papists do hold That the Pope is the Head of the Church This is diametrically and point-blank opposite to the Scripture Col. 2.9 Christ is there called The Head of the Church Now to make the Pope the Head of the Church is to make the Church monstrous by having two Heads This is to make the Spouse of Christâ—an Harlot I read Rev. 13 1 of a Beast rising out of the sea By the Beast their Interpreters understand the mystical Antichrist i. e. the Pope Now if the Pope be the Beast there and elsewhere spoken of how rediculous yea how impious is it to make a Beast the Head of Christs Church That is the first A second Error which I shall but name is this The Papists hold That the Pope is above Scripture and that his Laws Decrees and Canons bind more than the Scriptures than the Word of God Well may he have that name written upon his Miter that 's mentioned Rev. 13 1. And upon his head was written the Names of blasphemy But I add Their third Error is the Mass which indeed is gross Idolatry there is in it these two Errors 1. Transubstantiation Bellarmine with other Popish Writers say that the Bread the Host after consecration is turned into the very body of Christ Now this is against Philosophy as well as Scripture and Divinitie 'T is against Philosophy for this is clear if Christs Body be in Heaven then it cannot possibly be in the bread But Christs Body is in Heaven Act. 3 22. Whom the Heavens must contain speaking of Christ until the restitution of all things Moreover that the bread in the Sacrament is not turned into the Body of Christ I prove thus the wicked they do not receive Christ 1 Cor. 2.14 But if the bread be the very body of Christ then the wicked when they eat of the bread do eat the very body of Christ This is so gross an Opinion that most of the antient Fathers wrote against it as Cyprian Origen Tertullian Austin Ambrose with many others But 2ly The second Error in the Mass is they do daily offer up Christ in the Mass I grant there are Priests in Gospel times and Sacrifices too but they are as such are spiritual as the sacifice of Prayer of Praise of a broken and contrite heart But that there should be any external offering of Christ by way of Sacrifice is a blasphemy against Christs Priestly Office for it supposeth that Christs Offering on the Cross was not perfect That is notoriously contrary to the very letter of Scripture See Heb. 10.12 That man i. e. Christ God-man after he had once offered a Sacrifice for sin sat down at the right hand of God and vers 14. he saith That by this one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified This Scripture sheweth the compleatness of Christs Sufferings and Sacrifice and that now there needs no offring up any more Sacrifices That is the third But Fourthly A fourth Error is the Doctrine of Popish Satisfaction they hold that we do in our own persons satisfie Gods justice by our Penance VVhippig Fasting Alms-deeds Thus the Council of Trent and the Popish Rhemes But where is any thing of this in Scripture alas what is our confession of sin that is no satisfaction for sin If a Traytor confess his guilt this is no satisfaction for but rather an agravation of his Treason Alas our Repentance Fasting Humiliation the best of our actions are be-leopard and mixt with very much sin our Humiliation is mixt with very much pride our Repentance and Confession with much Hyporrisie and Dissimulation Ther 's much of sin in the cream of our services and sin cannot satisfie for sin This is a sure rule and I pray you mark it that what ever offering we bring to God for acceptation we must lay it upon the Altar Jesus
wicked watcheth to mischief you when the wicked even your Enemies and Foes come upon you to eat up your flesh as sal 27 2. then to wait on the Lord to stand your ground to follow the Lord to keep his way This is an argument of a brave and gallant Spirit Was it not a proof of a heroick and brave Spirit in Paul when he saies to them Act. 21 13. What mean you to weep and to break my heart for I am ready not to be bound only but to dye a Jerusalem for the Nâ—me of the Lord Jesus VVhen men are bold and daring in a wicked way and will resolutely keep on whatever difficulties or opposition they meet with this is not true valour but a mad hardiness and desperate stoutness of spirit But when men are couâ—arious and undaunted in following the Lord stedfastly keeping and walking on in his way maugre all opposition that Satan and wicked Men make against them this is true valour and galantry of Spirit Such brave and heroick Spirits were they mentioned Heb. 11 35 36 37. who have this honourable Testimonial of the Lord vers 38 of whom the World was not worthy Persons whereof every one was more worth than the VVorld or too excellent to abide in the VVorld being worthy of better and greater honour than the world could give them 4. 'T is the way by which you shall most victoriously triumph over all your enemies wait on the Lord and keep his way and you shall go on conquering and to conquer over Sin Satan the VVorld and Antichrist over all our enemies Though God you shal do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down all your enemies Psal 108.13 For this is the victory that overcommeth the world even your Faith 1 John 5.4 Through Faith whereby we wait on God and keep his Way we shall overcome the world that is Satan and all his wicked crew with all the instruments of mischief they make use of against us Hence that Rom. 8.37 In all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loved us and this honour have all they that wait on the Lord and keep his Way 3 'T is the way by which you shall bring most honour to God to the Lord Jesus Christ the Captain of your Salvation That the people of God are imployed in service whereby God is honoured that reflects hunour upon them and the more God is honoured the more honour have they that serve him the Queen of Sheba counted Solomon's servants happy who waited continually upon him 1 King 10.8 how much more honourable is it to wait on the Lord in that a greater than Solomon is here Now wait on the Lord and keep his way herein you will greatly honour the Lord. As they that dissert and forsake the Lord and his waies when it comes to any hard service do greatly dishonour him as if there were not enough to be had to make amends for all their hardships they endure so they that follow the Lord and heep his way through sharp oppositions and sufferings they greatly honour him in the world to cleave to the Lord and follow him when all the world are about out ears for his sake to keep his Way when that his Way is every where spoken against to continue faithful in his service when nothing but bonds and persecutions attend us for it this commends his Service and tendeth much to the honour of his Name and Wayes 4. This is the ready way to true Honour As the wise man hath it in that Prov. 27.18 He that waiteth on his Master shall be honoured So wait on the Lord and keep his Way and you shall be honoured and that with true Honour even that honour that is of God In that John 5.44 our Saviour distinguisheth between that honour that is of men and that Honour that is of God and that is the the true Honour that is of God For as they say Honor est in honorante non in honorate in him that honoureth and then that is true and highest honor that is from the only true God that high and only One. Now this honour have all they that waiting on the Lord and keeping his Way do honour 1 Samuel 2 3â— Him that honoureth me I will honour and sayes our Saviour John 12.26 If any man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall my servant be and what honour that is you may gather from that Col 3.4 and it further followes If any man serve me him will my Father honour Thus it appears to be the most honourable way 5. Lastly This is the most comfortable way It must be granted 't is a way that is attended with sufferings tribulations and distresses 2 Tim. 3.12 and yet it is the most comfortable way as will appear In that 1. It is the ready way to have peace inward peace the best peace in the midst of all the trouble the world can bring upon you in that Joh. 16.33 the Lord Jesus saith to his Disciples that in the world they should have tribulation but in him they should have peace And to wait on the Lord and keep his Way is the ready way to attain his Peace as appears from Isa 26.3 Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee That which rendered perfect peace iâ— Peace Peace in the Original the reduplication according to the Idiome of the Hebrew denoting the excellency perfection abundance and duration of Peace But to whom is this promise made saith the text to him whose mind is stayed on the Lord and trusteth in him and in verse 2. to the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth which according to the point in hand may be exprest to them that wait on the Lord and keep his Way So Psal 119.165 Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 2. 'T is the ready way to have the holy Ghost who is stiled the Comforter to abide with us What more comfortable way than that wherein we may be sure to have the Comforter to be with us to abide and continue with us Wait on the Lord and keep his Way so shall the Comforter abide with you for ever Express is that of our Lord to this purpose John 14 15.16 If you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever So ver 23 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come and make our abode with him So that this is the way to have Father Son and holy Ghost to come to us and abide with us 3. The Comforts which are to be had in this way are true solid substantial and abiding Comforts such as fill the soul with inward joy and mirth under the forest outward trouble so as that they can sing in prison
The Name of the Lord saith the wise man is a strong Tower the Righteous runneth to it and is safe Prove be 18.10 A Child of God never dwells so securely as when God himself hides him under the Ark in the most secret place of his own Sanctuary For the nearer to God the farther from danger 8. And Lastly By way of Supportation Though God be not always so present with his people as to hide them from suffering yet he will always be present to support them under their sufferings how many and grievous soever As without Gods leave no Affliction can overtake us so when it doth overtake us God will not leave us But if we walk in obedience with him the Lord will also be present with us to support us under all our pressures Isa 47 10. Fear not for I am with thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness Here you have God engaging his Almighty Power to that if that be sufficient he will be sure to bear you up under all your burdens Though God will not always deliver his people out of trouble yet he will still be present with them supporting them that they may not despond not sink under the burden Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the Rivers they shall not overthrow thee When thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee If at any time an ungrateful World cast Gods people into the waters of great tribulation yet the Lord will be present with them bearing them up as it were by the chin that they may not sink nor be utterly overwhelmed therein Secondly Thus I have shewed you how God is present with those that live up to their knowledge As an Altar of Perfume causing them to find acceptance both in their persons and performances with himself As the Sun which gives them light in darkness as a wall of fire which defends them in the assaults of all their Enemies as a fountain of living water communicating streams to refresh them when all their Vessels like Hagars prove empty bottles as an Ack to hide them in from the deluge of all distresses and as a living Rock sustaining them under all their pressures or burdens how many or great soever Come we now therefore to give you the Reasons why God wil vouchsafe to be graciously present with them who walk in obedience with him according to what they have heard received and learned whether by precept or example 1. Because those that are present with God in a way of obedience the Lord is engaged by promise to be graciously present with them 2 Chron. 15.2 Hearye me Asa and all Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with you whilst you are with him Those that are present with God in a way of Duty he hath here promised to be present with them in a way of Grace and Mercy 'T is our Duty indeed to keep close to God and to walk in obedience with him though after all he should reject us and give us no reward But for but better encouragement God sweetens his Commands with promises tying our Work and our Wages our Duty and Reward together So that present with God in a way of obedience according to the condition he cannot but be graciously present with us according to the mind and true intent of the promise For the Lord is not a man that he should lye nor the Son of man that he should repent Numb 23.19 2. Because such as walk in obedience with God do engage him to be present with them by depending fiducially upon him Trust is a kind of engagement when there is no promise but what is it to trust upon God who hath made so many promises of being present with those that keep close to him Common ingenuity will teach us to stand by those that put confidence in us And will not the goodness of God much more incline him to be graciously present with his own people who place their whole trust and affiance to him 3. Because such stand related to God and are become his people The Lord hath set apart the Godly for himself and that propriety he hath in them engageth Him to be graciously present with them Psal 4.3 Though there were nothing to move him to make such his people before he did yet there is something that may engage him never to forsake but to be graciously present with them now he hath made them his people and that is his propriety in them because they are his people Hath he chosen us and will he again reprobate us Hath he set us apart for himself and will he cast us off Hath he purchased us and will he reject his own purchase Hath he married us to himself and will he not cohabit with us but instead thereof be divorced from us notwithstanding he hath told us he hates putting away Mal. 2.16 Hath he in a word of his own good pleasure made us his people and will he repent of his choice with drawing from us instead of being graciously present with us 1 Sam. 12 27. And lastly Because God is concerned in point of Honour to be graciously present with them Such stand by God asserting his interest and Glory in the world And is he not then concerned in point of Honour to st and by them To practise what we have heard and received and learned of God is to run the hazard of reproach disgrace and persecution in the world Now all this being done upon Gods account and in obedience to him How can it stand with his Honour to stand aloof and not to be graciously present with us in the midst of so many dangers Thirdly Having thus given you the Proof let us now come to the Improvement of the Doctrine by way of Vse and Application First By way of Information we may hence take notice of these ensuing Particulars 1. How sad and deplorable their condition is who having heard learned and received the things of God are not careful to do accordingly You that have heard you that have been taught how you ought to walk and yet practise not what you have learned most dreadful and lamentable is your condition For God is not graciously preâ—ent with thee but departed from thee What though thou hast Râ—ches with thee and Honours with thee and Friends with thee If God be not with thee but sets himself as an Enemy against thee Can thy Riches thy Honours and thy Friends profit thee in the day of his wrath Can they keep off the stroke of his Indignation Can they make â—hâ—e happy who through the want of Gods gracious presence are compleatly miserable Oh! that all you who are still disobedient living contrary to the many precious Truths and wholesome Instructions which you have heard received and learned
had but your eyes open to behold to what certain great and unconceivable misery you are every moment for want of Gods gracious presence obnoxious Who alas can stand by you if God be not with you Who is there that can give you comfort if He frown upon you Or who can relieve your Souls when assaulted by men tempted by Devils and grievously tormented by the estuations of your own Consciences if God depart from you the happiness of man consists in Communion with God and all those are compleatly miserable with whom the Lord is not present 2. The great safety and blessed security of all those that endeavour to walk according to what thty have heard and learned and received of the Lord. Not to do as the most do not to run with the men of the world into the same excess of Riot but to walk circumspectly endeavouring to answer our knowledge with suitable practice this doth usually enrage the world against us However if God be with us what can all the world do against us Rom. 8.13 Such walk with God in a way of Duty Whatever therefore the world and ungodly men may attempt to the contrary yet Gods presence with them therein will make it a way of safety However then some timorated Spirits may think by dissembling conscience and giving way to sinful compliances to secure themselves Yet we may hence see that there is no such security as in walking with God in a way of Duty Communion with God in a way of Duty is a sure Sanctuary of Refuge As no stranger can enter into it so Gods people have most while they dwell in it Psal 27.5 By dissembling Conscience and waving Duty we run our selves upon a thousand dangers But by diligence in the wayes of God and being faithful in all the duties of his worship we betake our selves to the Name of the Lord in which as a strong Tower we are sure to find safety Prov. 18.10 3. The desperate folly and fool-hardiness of all such as set themselves against Gods people opposing them in the practice of what they have heard and learned and received of the Lord. 'T is usual with the World then to trample upon the Righteous when surrounded with Afflictions they will grieve where God wounds they will persecute where God smites But whereever the condition of Gods people is yet the Lord is still present with them neither can the ungodly of the World oppose them in wel-doing but they enter a quarrel with God himself Why then do you pride your selves against those like Moab wâ—th whom God is present And why do you strive to abase those whom God will exalt Jer. 48.26 27. Are you stronger than the mighty God of Jacob And can you be present to hurt those with whom God is present to protect and save Oh how great is the folly of wicked men whom nothing can râ—tlâ—im from prosecuting their bloody thoughts against the righteous nor withhold from opposing them in the practice of what they have learned Do they know of a certainty that God is with the righteous that no weapon formed against them shall prosper and that the Lord by his presence will secure them against all their Enemies Why then should they still be kicking against the pricks 4. What reason all those have to sit down satisfied with their portion who make it their care to practice what they have heard and learned and received of the Lord. Though possibly they have neither Riches nor Honors nor Friends in the World with them yet they have God with them as an inexhaustible treasure to supply all their wants as a Crown of glory upon their heads and as an everlasting Friend who will never fail them Heb. 13.5 What then though a Christian want other things is it not enough that God over all blessed for ever is still graciously present with him and become his portion Shall he inflict himself for want of Star-light who hath the Sun in its full strength shining upon him or be disconsolate for the loss of some broken Cistern who may go at his pleasure to the Fountain-head where waters are sweetest Oh how unsuitably were it for you that live up to your knowledge endeavouring to practice what you have learned to grow despondent and repining for want of creature-comforts when God your Creator is alwayes present with you to comfort and solace your souls in every condition Had you nothing but God's gracious presence and an interest in him for your portion yet this were as much as happiness comes to sufficient to make you everlastingly blessed For happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Psal 144 15. Sâ—condly By way of Exhortation Let me now prevail with you all those things which you have heard and learned and received to do them Oh! walk in obedience with God would you ever enjoy his gracious presence Many precious truths have been preached among you many heavenly Doctrins have been set before you many wholsome lessons and faithful Admonitions have been given you let me now therefore being for ought I know as a Star setting and rising no more in this Horizon like a Lamp going out and shining no more in this your house of Sacred meeting and as a dying man whose last breath is now expiring perswade you for your own good to remember what you have heard to hold fast what you have received and to practice what you have learned Oh! let this be the main of your care that as the Truth as it is in Jesus hath been delivered to you so you may be delivered up to it expressing the soundness of your knowledge by the holiness of your lives and conversations Oh! this my Brethren is the one thing necessary you may hear much and yet be strangers to God you may learn much and yet never come nigh God you may receive many wholsom instructions at his hands and yet at last be punished with everlasting destruction from his presence but now if you practice what you hear if you live up to what you have learned and transer be into your lives those wholsome instructions you receive from God he will never forsake you but will alwayes be graciously present with you But that I may not leave you half perswaded give me leave to acquaint you with the excellency of God's gracious Presence in these following particulars 1. Consider Such is the presence of God with those that walk in obedience with him that it will make them in all things to thrive and prosper The Ark received into Obed-Edom'â— house caused all that he had to prosper So the Lord received by obedience into the heart and graciously present there makes the whole man prosperous He makes him prosper in the inward man and he also makes him prosper in the outward man Where God is graciously present there can nothing be wanting neither for soul nor for body but the man is successful and prospers in all his undertakings Psal 1.
The keeping of it in your memories judgements and profession will be but in vain unless you keep it in your hearts Lay up and hide the Word of God in your hearts let the desire and delight of your soul be in the Way of the Lord with the Psal 119.111 Thy Testimonies have I taken for mine heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart 'T is the Caracter of the Godly man Psal 1.1 2. He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night 5. Keep the VVay of the Lord in your lives and conversation walking therein conscientiously observing the Commandments of God to do accordingly I am speaking to those who have chosen the way of the Lord to walk in and they may read what the Lord saith in that Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left you shall walk in all the Wayes that the Lord your God hath commanded you and to as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God Having this opened this Duty take these few Directions among the many that might be given 1 Let the Spirit of Christ be your guide and principle I am speaking unto such as have the Spirit of Christ Now if you consult that Ezek 36.27 You shall find that the Lord promiseth his people that he will put his Spirit within them and to what promise viz. both to encline enable and guide them to walk in his Statutes and to observe his Commandmenâ—s to do them There is no entring into the way of the Lord but by the Spirit Joh. 3 3. we all naturally being gon astray wander from the way of the Lord and it is the spirit only that can and doth reduce men into this way and the best being but lame and having not only a principle of halting in but declining from it there is no walking in this Way but by the assistance and guidance of the Spirit Let therefore the Spirit of God be your guide it is comprised that he shall lead you into all truth John 16.13 Let the spirit be your principle walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 then you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh but shall keep the way of the Lord. 2. Make the Word of God your rule I have heretofore from that John 6 39. and 1 Tim. 3.15 and several other places cleared to you that it is given of God for this end to be the rule both for Faith and Practice Keep therefore unto this and by no meanes depart from this if you would keep the Way of the Lord. Here you have the Lord revealing his Way and that clearly and plainly so that the most simple that apply themselves to it may understand it the Scriptures are a perfect and a constant rule Therefore as in that Isa 8.26 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them There are some that make the Light within their rule and that in opposition to the Word but the Light in such is Darkness for if they speak not according to this Word if it be but diverse from though not directly opposite unto it then there is no light in them Indeed the Light within that is Concience enlightned is a rule but it is Regula Regulata a Ruled Rule There is Regula Regulans and Regula Regulata A Ruling Rule and a Ruled Rule The former is a Rule to the latter by which it is to be tryed and approved The Word of God is a Ruling Rule and Conscience is a Ruled Rule which is to be obeyed as far as it speaks according to the Word and no further If therefore you would keep the Way of the Lord do not despise Conscience do not neglect the Light within but make it not thy Rule make the Word of God thy Rule admit not of any thing that is belonging to the Way of the Lord that is not grounded upon or not warranted by his Word If you would keep the Way of the Lord hold fast to what is written stick to the Word That saying of Austin is famous Sive de Christo sive de Ecclesia sive de quacunque alia re non dico si nos sed si Angelus sed coelo vobis annunciaverit praeterquam quod in Scripturis accipistes Anathema sit Not to say If we but if an Angel from heaven shall preach any thing of Christ or of the Church or of any other thing besides what ye have received in the Scripture let him be accursed Like to that Gal. 1.8 9. The Word is the heavenly Compass whereby we may be directed to steer our course aright to the Haven of happiness Keep you to the Word while one says this is the way and another that Try all things by the Rule of the Word and make that your Rule to walk by Hence when Paul was taking his leave of the Church at Ephesus in that Acts 20. in his Farewel-Sermon that after his departure they might keep the way of the Lord you may read what he commends to them verse 32. And your brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those that are sanctified He commends the Word of God to them So Beloved now that I may no more speak to you from this place for the teaching of you the right and the good way I recommend to you the Word of the Lord which will be a light to your feet and a Lanthorn to your paths to guide you in the Way of the Lord till you attain the end of your Faith the Salvation of your souls What knowledge I have of the way of the Lord what I have taught you of the way of the Lord I have been taught by the Spirit of the Lord through the Word and though you want the great help of a plain powerful and faithful Ministry for the future yet let not those that are sincere in desiring to walk in the way of the Lord be discouraged by those who would make them believe that the Word is hard to be understood for that as it is more from malignity in us than difficulty in the Scriptures that the most do not understand them so they are easie to be understood by them that sincerely endeavour it being not onely most plain and clear in teaching the way of the Lord but also appointed to enlighten the eyes and make wise the simple Psal 19 7 8. Yea the entrance of it giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 And how weak and simple soever any of the Saints may be in worldly matters and in the Worlds account yet of them all is that spoken 1 John 2.27 But the anointing which ye have received of him
abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye even as it hath been taught you ye shall abide in him Though they corrupt and pervert this Text that make use of it to the disannulling of all Ministerial teaching for if John had meant so to what purpose did he write this Epistle yet when God depriveth us of this help this Scripture affords support and comfort to the Saints that by the Spirit in them they shall be enabled to understand what he teacheth in the Word so as to abide in the Lord and in his Way as they have been taught Having then the Spirit for your principle and guide let the Word be your Rule and you shall keep the Way of the Lord according to that promise Isaiah 35.8 The wayfaring-men though fools shall not erre therein 3. Let the example of Christ be your pattern that you may keep the Way of the Lord set this Copy alwayes before you He always kept the Way of the Lord as he came down from Heaven to do the Will of his Father John 6.38 so he did alwayes those things that did please him John 8.29 He never departed in the least from the Way of the Lord He knew nâ— sin neither was guile found in his mouth If then you would keep the Way of the Lord learn of him follow him walk even as he walked Indeed in the things that are proper to Christ as God or as Mediator therein he is not to be imitated by us but in the things that he did or suffered as man he left us an example or pattern that we should follow his steps 2 Pet. 2.21 Hence that Exhortation of his Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meâ—k and lowly in heart That then you may be directed as well as encouraged to keep the Way of the Lord look to Jesus and walk as you have him for an example Indeed the Apostle exhorts to walk as you have him for an example Phil. 3.17 But knowing that he could give you but an imperfect Copy he exhorts in that 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ It may be of good use to us to minde the examples of the Apostles and faithful Ministers of the Gospel that have walkt on in the Way of the Lord before us But forasmuch as there in none of them even Peter himself but went awry more or less therefore make the example of Christ your pattern Time will not permit to prosecute this at large I shall only offer some few particulars from the example of Christ to you such as may be most seasonable to further you in keeping the Way of the Lord. 1. It was the work and business of the Lord Jesus Christ to do the Will of his Father to do what pleased him As he came down from Heaven to do his Father's Will as you before heard from John 6.68 so he made it his work and business To this purpose is that Luke 2.49 How is it that ye sought me wist ye not that I must be about my Fathers business with that John 4.34 Jesus saith unto them My meat is to do the Will of him that sent me and to finish his work If then you will keep the Way of the Lord herein be ye followers of Christ let it be your work and business to do the Will of the Lord and to walk in all well-pleasing before him Let the Exhortation be in the words of the Apostle 1 Thes 4.1 Furthermore then we beseech you Brethren and exhort you That as you have received of us how you ought to walk and please God so ye would abound more and more 1. It was the practice of the Lord Jesus Christ to look on all the sufferings that came upon him as coming from the hand of his Father in accomplishment of his Word and therefore quietly to submit to them To this purpose is it that he tells Pilate in John 19.11 Thou couldst have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above He looks beyond Pilate to him that was above So John 18.11 The Cup which my Father hath given me shall I not drink it He overlooks the instruments and looks on his sufferings as a Cup put into his hand by his Father And as he observed the hand of his Father in the sufferings that came upon him so he takes notice that they are in accomplishment of Scripture Mat. 26.53 54. Thinkest thou that I could not now pray to my Father and he shall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels but how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be and he takes notice that the Scripture had foretold that thus it must be and that he must suffer and enter into glory as he clears iâ— in that of Luke 24.25 26. Therefore though he prayed if it be possible as Matthew hath it and if thou be willing let this Cup pass from me as Luke hath it yet he quietly submits to his Father's Will with a Not my will but thine be done And as Mat. 26.42 If this Cup may not pass away except I drink it let thy will be done Thus you see how by looking to the Fathers hand he willingly submits to what sufferings came upon him That you may keep the Way of the Lord in the midst of all the sufferings you are like to meet with herein following the Lord Jesus Christ eying the hand of your gracious Father in all the sufferings that come upon you of what nature soever and by whomsoever inflicted and what ever may be the ends of those by whom you suffer yet that they are all ordered by him in accomplishment of his Word Do ye not believe this I know that ye do believe it by Faith therefore improve it for the quieting of your hearts in all your sufferings This is that the Apostle presseth the Saints unto in the 12th of the Hebrews where he taketh for granted that all kind of sufferings more especially such as come upon us by the contradiction of sinners are fatherly corrections from the Lord and so in accomplishment of the Word of God according unto that Psal 89.30 31. and therefore humbly to be submitted to so Heb. 12.9 10. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us and we gave them reverence shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live for they verily for a few days chastened as after their pleasure but he for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Seeing therefore whatsoever befalls you in the way of the Lord is by your Father's ordering in accomplishment of his Word for your profit that ye may be partakers of his Holiness submit your selves to him eye your Fathers hand and end and be quiet 3. It was the practice of Jesus Christ in his state