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
my beloved these twenty Directions that I desire you to take special notice of which I would leave as advice and counsel with you about your Souls First I beseech you keep your constant hours every day with God the Godly man is a man set apart Psal 4.3 not onely because God hath set him apart by election but because he hath set himself apart by devotion give God the Aurorae fitiam begin the day with God visit God in the morning before you make any other visit wind up your hearts towards Heaven in the morning and they will go the better all the day after Oh! turn your Closets into Temples read the Scriptures the two Testaments are the two lips by which God speaks to us these will make you wise unto salvation the Scripture is both a glass to shew you your spots and a laver to wash them away besiege Heaven every day with prayer thus persume your houses and keep a constant intercourse with Heaven Secondly Get good Books into your houses when you have not the Spring near to you then get water into your Cisterns So when you have nor that wholsom Preaching that you desire good Books are Cisterns that holds the waters of life in them to refresh you When Davids natural heat was taken away they covered him with warm cloaths 1 Kings 1. So when you find a chilness upon your souls and that your former heat begins to abate ply your selves with warm cloaths get those good Books that may acquaint you with such truths as may warm and affect your hearts Thirdly Have a care of your Company take heed of unnecessary familiarity with sinners we cannot catch health from another but we may soon catch a disease the disease of sin is very catching I would be as fraid of coming among the wicked as among those that have the plague Psal 106.35 They were mingled with the heathen and learned their works If we cannot make others better let us have a care that they make not us worse Lot was a miracle he kept fresh in Sodoms salt water My beloved take heed of the occasions of sin evil company is an occasion of sin The Nazarites in the old Law as they might drink no wine so they were forbidden grapes whereof the wine was made as you read in Num. 6. to teach us that all occasions of sin must be avoided evil company is belluo animatrum the Devils draw-net by which he draws millions to Hell how many families and how many souls have been ruined and undone in this City by evil company many there are that go from a play-house to a Whore-house and from a Tavern to Tyburn Fourthly Have a care whom you hear it is our Saviour Christs counsel Mat. 7.15 Beware of false prophets that come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves Let me tell you the Devil hath his Ministers as well as Christ Rev. 12.15 The Serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood over the woman that is as the Learned expound it Satan by his Ministers and Emissaries cast out the floud of Arian Doctrine to drown the Church There are some who by the subtilty of their wit have learnt the Art to mix error with truth and to give poison in a Golden cup. Take heed who you hear and how you hear be like those Noble Bereans that searched the Scriptures whether the things that they preached were so or not Acts 17.11 Your ears must not be like spunges that suck in puddle-water as well as wine but your ears must be like a Fan that fans out the chaff but retains the pure Wheat you must be like those in the Parable Mat. 13.48 that gathered the good Fish into vessels but cast the bad away the Saints are called Virgins for their wisdom they will not let every one defile their Souls with error they have a judicious ear and a critical palate that can distinguish between truth and error and put a difference betwixt meat of Gods sending and the Devils Cooking Fifthly Study sincerity Psal 51.6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward part Be what you seem to be be not like Rowers in a Barge that look one way and Row another Do not look Heaven-ward by your profession and Row Hell-ward by your Conversation do not pretend to love God and yet love sin simulata Sanctitas duplicata Iniquitas counterfeit Piety is double Iniquity Let your hearts be upright with God the plainer the Diamond is the richer it is and the more plain the heart is the more doth God value his Jewel a little rusty Gold is far better than a great deal of bright brass a little true grace though rusted over with many infirmities is better than all the glistering shews of Hypocrites a sincere heart is Gods current Coin and he will give it grains of allowance Sixthly As you love your souls be not strangers to your selves be much and often in the work of self-examination amongst all the books that you read turn over the book of your own heart look into the book of Conscience see what is written there Psal 77.6 I commune with mine own heart set up a judgement-seat in your own souls examine whether you have grace or not prove whether you are in the faith be as much afraid of a painted holiness as you would be afraid of going to a painted heaven do not think your selves good because others think so let the Word be the touch-stone by which you try your hearts let the Word be the looking-glass by which you judge of the complexion of your soul for want of this self-searching many live known to others and die unknown to themselves Seventhly Keep your spiritual watch Mat. 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all watch if it were the last word I should speak it should be this word Watch. Oh! what need hath a Christian to be ever upon his Watch the heart is a subtile piece and will be stealing out to vanity and if we are not careful it will decoy us into sin we have a special eye upon such persons as we suspect thy heart is a suspicious person Oh! have an eye upon it watch it continually it is a bosom Traitor Job set a watch before his eyes Job 31.1 We must every day keep sentinel sleep not upon your guard our sleeping time is the Devils tempting time let not your watch-candle go out Eighthly You that are the people of God do you often associate together Mal. 3.16 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another Christs Doves shall flock together one Christian will help to heat another a single coal of Juniper will soon die but many coals put together will keep life in one another Conference sometimes may do as much as Preaching one Christian by good discourse drops holy Oyl upon another that makes the lamp of his Grace to shine the brighter It is great wisdom to keep up the Trade in a Corporation
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
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
in Gods account the Angel smote him and he became worms-meat There is a silent dignity in reproached piety and a silent ignominy in advanced iniquity As it was with Christ so it is with the servants of Christ when he was on earth no man had more ignominy poured upon him yet there was a secret glory attended him in all that befel him though born in a manger yet worshipped there sometimes he was driven to be hungry the fish brought him money sometimes a weary at that very time converts a woman sometimes laid hold on by his enemies at that very time his enemies fell down before him Look through the whole course of his life there was a secret glory under all ignominy Just thus it is with the servants of Christ they are in trouble disgrace but there is a secret glory dignity shines in them the Spirit of God of glory rests upon them If ye suffer for righteousness sake blessed are ye To be in high place and yet to be a Drunkard a Swearer a Whoremaster or Prophane this spoils all thy glory be thou never so high 4. Inference This is the way for a man to have a good name wouldst thou gain a good report living and dying Take heed of sin take heed of dishonouring God then God will have thee in everlasting remembrance 5. Inference Note here the certain happiness of those beholders that do see certain excellency in holiness though disgrac'd under valu'd if there be any thing in the world that is a sign of sincerity it is this to love holiness when disgrac'd abused and spit upon to cross the stream and thwart the multitude is a sign of the truth of grace and strength of grace this is a sign of true sight and strong sight To see beauty in a godly man in sufferings the Lord will certainly have an eye upon thee in times of trouble Here is comfort in thine infirmities Dost thou love holiness when compassed about with sufferings and persecution God will take notice of thy grace though compassed about with abundance of infirmities the Lord will take notice of a little of his in a great deal of ours Here 's comfort in sufferings if you regard his in their sufferings the Lord will remember you in your sufferings the Lord will remember what thou didst for such and such a servant of his own in trouble or distress God doth not cast away any in their lowness that have kept clofe to him in their highness and this will be comfort in inward trouble when thou canst find nothing from which to fetch comfort And this will be comfort in the last day though we can say nothing in that day by way of merit yet will it be comfort to be able sincerely to say that thou hast owned God and his people in the midst of sufferings Do ye think that Judge would not save that Malefactor that had saved the life of his wife If thou hast owned Christ when he was in his Rags do not fear but he will own thee when he comes in his Robes 6. Inference and last The people of God should learn not to be discouraged under any misery or affliction that can befal them in this world at this very time God hath a high esteem of you at this time you are his delight his Garden his Spouse The Saints of God are the wise men of the world they have chosen that which cannot be taken from them I profess Sirs the love of one Saint makes amends for all the hatred you undergo for sinners the very wicked themselves have a good opinion of you when you do not basely comply their Consciences cannot but have an high esteem of you when peradventure their tongues might speak against you If all this will not do remember your own consciences are more than a thousand witnesses for you will then comfort you no man is a miserable man for any thing in the world that is done to him or said of him No it is a good Conscience that will give the best acquittance for thee to have the whole number of Gods people to look upon thee as an unworthy wretch and as a vile person I look upon it as a greater ignominy and disgrace then to have all the disgraces of wicked men cast upon thee That man that hath a godly man to be afraid of him had need to he very much afraid of himself I shall conclude all with this one word There is great reason to look narrowly to your hearts and ways when they stand at a distance from you and are afraid to come near you Mr. Jenkin's Afternoon Sermon Exod. 3.2 3 4 5. And the Angel of the Lord appeard unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush and he looked and behold the bush burned with fire and the bush was not consumed And Moses said I will now turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burnt And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called unto him out of the midst of the bush and said Moses Moses And he said Here am I. And he said Draw not night hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thoustandest as holy ground LEt us take a short view of the foregoing Verses and that this may be the more useful and profitable to us we may take notice That as in the former chapter there is described Moses preservation to his future imployment so in this Chapter there is described his preparation and his sitting for that imployment i.e. by a Vision or rather 〈◊〉 suitable Apparition in which God discovered unto Moses his care of his people of whom Moses was to be a speedy deliverer You have here in the words read unto you the preparation afforded to Moses for the great work of being called to be Israels deliverer and in this preparation you may take notice of three principal parts 1. An Apparition that is here presented to the view of Moses a burning though not a consumed bush 2. Moses care to observe it I will turn aside and see this great sight why the bush is not burned And then 3. Gods Monitory Precept or Admonition which he afforded unto Moses when he was drawing near to see this wonder in which we have principally considered two parts 1. This Precept propounded 1. Negatively That he should not draw near 2. Affirmatively That he should put off his shooes from off his feet 2. You have considerable the Reason or Argument whereby God doth back this Precept or Admonition i.e. because the place whereon he stood was holy ground The time would fail me if I should go over all these parts we shall onely touch on the two former The Apparition which Moses saw and Moses's desire to observe it of the first I shall onely speak transitorily and insist on the latter more fully which I chiefly intend 1. For the Apparition or emblematical
to stand work and suffer alone Though in duty they should not be alone when they can have society and though the rest are most humble therefore are sensible they have need of others and will not throw away any of their helps yet if all forsake them they will stand to it still they go not to Heaven meerly for company sake they be not Christians meerly because such and such are Christians If all the world forsake Christ they will stick to him unless Christ leave them to their own weakness But the weak Christian hath a great deal more need of comfort and support and lives a more dependent life they cannot stand work suffer alone if their Minister fall they fall if their Relations change they change if there be not some body at hand to confute an Adversary they yield if there be not some body to keep life and warmth they grow cold in every duty in affliction they can step on no longer then led by the hand c. Have Christians to support and to quiet and to moderate their passions and to teach them the Doctrine of patience they can hold up no longer then they are refreshed with Cordials what would become of you should God let you stand by your selves c. 8. The strong Christian is one that can best live without creatures upon God alone a weak Christian is one that hath most need of the creature and can least live upon God alone under the censures of the godly frowns of the wicked without riches honours pleasures can have the quietness and contentment in God whether he have any thing or nothing where ever he is c. The more necessity thou art in of having something besides God for thy consolation the more weak thou art there must be supply I know not how to be poor disgraced c. this impatient soul is the feeble soul Impatience is nothing but the fruit of weakness The strong Christian can live upon God alone therefore if men make as if they were undone if lost in their estates 't is a certain sign of a lamentable weakness of a sick soul 9. That is the best and strongest Christian and most confirmed in grace who is most employed and abides in the love of God in love to God That hath the fear of God but goes beyond fear and loves most and abides most in the love of God That makes it his great business to feed upon and study the love of God to him and to return love to him again The more Gods love is on thy heart and the more thou lovest in the fruit of that love the stronger Christian But he that lives most by a kind of constraining fear though he may be sincere he is but weak where there is nothing but fear and no love there is no sincerity but where there is some little measure of love fear is such a tyrant that it will many times cloud it so that almost all his life seems to be moved and managed by fear and in this there is much loathness and unwillingness and they had rather do otherwise then they do according to the measure of love is the strength of grace 10. He is the strongest Christian that hath most pure and most universal love to others that can love all men even an enemy with true unfeined love even with such love as belongs to a Christian that can love every Christian and not a party only with the pure and fervent love which belongs to Believers that can love every child of God and not those only that are of his opinion or have done him good but all because they are children of God with a sincere and special hearty love That is the weak Christian that picks and chuses that is staggering when he comes to loving an enemy that takes in those that agree with him in judgment and makes those almost only the object of his love that would confine his affections to some narrow society some little sect party or parcel of Believers and cannot love Christians as Christians And hence it is division is the effect of enmity or of weakness in Grace for want of the universality of love I would make no question to prognostick the healing of all divisions within this Nation could I but advance all that are concerned in it to the right temper of Christian love 'T is the weak children in Christs Family that falls out when we have not enough love to reach to all and to love a Christian as a Christian c. Q. What must be done by those that are converted to keep them where they are to help them unto growth to make them better to further their confirmation to secure their salvation that they may after all attain the Crown A. I shall leave with you twenty directions and as many as there are there are not more than you must practise and take them as if they were the last directions I shall give you and take them as practicals not as notionals that you must live upon as long as you live 1. See that the foundation be surely laid in your head and heart in matters of your Religion In your head that is that you well understand what Religion is what the Christian Religion is what God is what it is for God to be yours in his Attributes and Relations unto you what he is and will be unto you what you are and must be unto him what sin is how odious wherein its evil consists what is sin and what not what sin hath done in the world and what estate it hath brought transgressors into what Christ is what he hath done for mans recovery and redemption what he hath wrought gives and offers to the world The end and design of God in the work of mans Redemption The tender of the Gospel Covenant of Grace freeness largeness excellency of the grace of this Covenant The end of our Religion the everlasting glory that is revealed in the Gospel what it is how sure and how great When you understand these things get a sound and redicated belief concerning the Truths of the holy Scripture revealing all these things And think it not enough that the Scripture is true or that you are resolved so to believe but get the best grounds for your belief be well established on those grounds Read the Scripture much till you are acquainted with and relish the matter and language and feel the power and till all be delightful to your souls in reading And be not ashamed to understand the Fundamentals look to your Catechism The Fundamentals of Religion you must understand and receive And when you have got them into your head be sure you get them into your heart and never think any truth received as it ought till it hath done some special work on your heart till you believe that God is Almighty Just Holy c. and all the Attributes of God have made their holy impression on your
are very precious dust in Gods account precious dust The Lord locks up these Jewels in the Grave as in a Cabinet The bodies of the Saints lie mellowing and ripening in the Grave till the blessed time of the Resurrection Oh! how precious is the Dust of a Believer though the world mind it not yet it is precious unto God The Husbandman he hath some Corn in his Barn and he hath other Corn in the Ground why the Corn that is in the ground is as precious to him as that is in the Barn the bodies of the Saints in the Grave are Gods Corn in the ground but the Lord makes very precious account of this Corn The bodies of the Saints shall be more glorious and blessed then ever they were at the Resurrection Tâ—rtullian calls them Angelical bodies in regard of that beauty and lustre that shall be upon them As it is with your silks when they are died of a purple or scarlet colour they are made more bright and illustrious then they were before thus it is with the bodies of the Saints they shall be dyed of a better colour at the Resurrection they shall be made like a glorious body Phil. 3.20 thus it shall be well with the righteous their bodies shall not perish 2. It will be well with the Righteous at death as to their souls too Oh it will be a blessed time methinks it is with a Saint at the time of death just as it was with Saint Paul in his voyage to Rome we read that the Ship did break but though there were so many broken pieces yet he got safe to shore so though the Ship of the Believers body break by death yet it is safe with the passenger his soul that gets safe to the Heavenly harbour Let me tell you the day of a Believers death it is the birth-day of his blessednesse it is his Ascention day to Heaven the day of his death it is his marriage-day with Jesus Christ Faith doth but contract us here in this life is but the contract but at death the Nuptials shall be solemnized in Glory they shall see God face to face it will be Heaven enough to have a sight of God saith Austin when the Saints shall enter into joy here joy enters into them but then they shall enter into it they shall drink of these pure Rivers that run from the Everlasting Fountain And thus you see it will be well with the Righteous how ever things go though trouble come though death come yet it will go well with the Righteous And Oh let those that are the people of God comfort themselves in these words Oh what an encouragement is this to all you that hear me to begin to be Righteous this Text may tempt us all to be Godly Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with him when things are never so ill with him yet it is well with him We would be glad to have things go well with our Relations and in our Estates why when the Righteous things go well with us thy person is sealed thou art Heir of all Gods Promises thou art Christs favorite thou hast Heaven in reversion and is it not now well with thee If you would have Happiness you must espouse Holiness Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with them and thus much of the first Proposition the Godly mans comfort in life and death it is well with him But now if all this will not prevail with you to make you leave your fins and become Righteous I must passe in a few words to the next branch of the Text to scare men out of their sin to affright men out of their wickednesse Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him This my Beloved is the dark fide of the cloud It may cause in every wicked man that hears me a trembling at the heart Wo unto the wicked it shall be ill with him The Proposition that doth resist out of these words is this Doct. When things seem to be well with the wicked men it shall be ill with them at last though they have more then heart can wish yet it shall be ill with them at last Eccles 8.13 It shall not be well with the wicked nor shall he prolong his daies which are as a shadow because he fears not God it shall not be well with the wicked the God of truth hath pronounced this It is as true as God is true it shall not be well with the wicked Now that I may a little clear this to you I shall demonstrate this to you in these four particulars 1. It is ill with the wicked in this life 2. It is ill with them at death 3. It is ill with them at the day of Judgement 4. It is ill with them after Judgement it shall be ill with the wicked It is ill with the wicked in this life a wicked man that hears me will hardly think so when he hath the affluence and confluence of outward comforts when he eats the fat and drinks the sweet he will hardly believe the Minister that shall tell him it shall be ill with him but it is so For is it not ill with that man that hath a curse yea the curse of God entailed upon him can that man thrive that lives under the curse of God Flouds of bloud and wrath hang over the head of a wicked man he is heir to all the Plagues written in the Book of God All Gods curses are the sinners Portion and if he die in his sin he is sure to have his Portion paid him Wo unto the wicked every bit of bread he hath he hath it with a curse its like poison'd bread given to a dog every drop of Wine he drinks he swallows down a curse with it wo unto the wicked there is a curse in his Cup and a curse upon his Table God saith wo unto him we read of Belshazar Dan. 5.4 5. that he did take the Wine and commanded to bring the Gold and Silver vessels out of the Temple and then they brought the Golden vessels that were taken out of the Temple out of the house of God that was at Jerusalem and the King and his Princes and his Wives and Concubines drank in them Belshazar was very jovial in the midst of his Cups he was merry but wo unto the wicked for in the same hour came forth the finger of a mans hand and reach'd over the Candlestick upon the plaister of the Wall of the Kings Pallace and the Kings countenance changed and he was troubled there was a hand and a woe written on the wall let a sinner live till he come to an hundred years of age yet he is cursed Isa 65.20 his gray hairs they have a curse upon them 2. 'T is ill with the wicked not onely in this life but 't is ill with him at his hour of death and that in these two respects 1. Death puts an end unto all his comforts 2.
that I fore-see the time will prevent me answer an Objection Is there nothing to hold fast but Truth Doth not the Apostle bid the Thessalonians in the second of the Thessalonians the second Chapter and the fifteenth Verse Hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle The Papists make much of this place for their unwritten Traditions In a word know this though there were some Doctrines of Faith and matters of Practice which when Paul writ this Epistle were not expresly to be found in Writing that had been Preached by the Apostles yet this will not in the least infer that now when the Canon of the Scripture is compleated there should be such unwritten Traditions to which we are to give up our Faith I go on to the second thing and that is to shew How we must hold fast the Truths of God which we have heard and received First In your Judgements being fully resolved and setled in your Judgements concerning them not wavering about them nor suffering our selves by any means and ways to be removed from our stedfastness in them Says the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.17 Seeing you know these things beware lest you also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness Take heed you be not removed in your Judgements hold fast what you have received and suffer not every Wind to blow you off from them Secondly We must hold fast the Truths we have heard and received in our Wills and Affections in our love to the Truth we must receive the Truth in the love of it or else we should never keep the Truth Love is the strongest hold-fast in the Word no man will part with that which he loves What makes the covetous man so unwilling to part with his Money but because he loves it What makes the lustful sinner so unwilling to part with his Lust he will part with Heaven rather than his Lust Why It is because he doth so love it If men did love the Truth they would hold it fast Thirdly you must hold the Truth in the profession of it Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of the Truth or of the Faith without wavering We must not only believe with the Heart but confess with the Mouth if we would be saved When Peter denied his Master with his Mouth and said I know him not I am perswaded he denied him not in his heart It is a dangerous thing in word or outward profession to renounce the truth or any part of it Hold fast the profession of the Truth Fourthly We must hold the Truths of God fast in our life and conversation this the Apostle calls Walking in Christ and holding forth the Word of Life in a blameless and harmless Conversation We must hold fast the Truths of God in our lives Fifthly We must do all this constantly hold fast the Truth in our Judgement and Affection Profession and Conversation constantly and at all times as David I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always even unto the end We must not only in times of calmness and serenity when we may have all the peace and applause of the world hold fast the Truth and Profession of it but it stormy times when Truth may burn a mans fingers if he hold it yet even then we must hold it fast Sixthly We must hold fast the Truths we have received resolutely against all oppositions whatsoever whether of friends or foes Paul would not bate an inch no not to Peter his Brother his elder Brother in Christ and in the work of the Gospel he resisted him to the face and gave no place to him no not for an hour Thus should we hold fast the Truth that we have heard and received in our Judgment in our Wills and Affections in our Profession and in our Lives and Conversations And thus hold them fast constantly and resolutely against all opposition on the right hand and on the left both of Friends and Foes and that for these Reasons which is the first thing I have to do which is to shew you Why we should hold fast the Truth of God First For the excellency of Divine Truth it is more precious than Gold better than Rubies and all that you can desire cannot be compared with Truth And it must needs be so because it is the immediate issue of God himself who is the Fountain of Truth and the Fountain of all Perfection and Glory Natural men have said Truth is the daughter of Time Divines say Truth is the daughter of God Divine Truth is the child of God the Issue and Birth of God And whosoever therefore God hath pleased to deliver this Truth unto they must be tenderly careful that it be not deflowred and violated Secondly It is our duty to hold fast the Truth that we have received because we have received it under the notion of those things that have a kind of constancie in them I say we have received the Truth under the Nature of those things that have a kind of constancy and perpetuity in them The Scripture speaks of the Truths of God as an heritage Thy Testimonies have I spoken for mine heritage saith David in the 119 Psal Though a mans personal estate may be alienated yet that which is his heritage this is unalienable in Law it is a wrong done to his Posterity if he parts with that Truth is the inheritance of the Saints therefore they are to hold it fast Again in Scripture the Truth of God is called a Thing committed to mans trust 2 Tim. 1.14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us That good thing What was that Why the form of sound words which in the verse before he had bidden him hold fast this is but a Reduplication of the same thing on him the Body of Gospel-Truths that was committed to thee hold it fast that good thing a good thing the Author of it is good and it makes us good all that is contained in it is good matter and it tends to a good end the saving of our souls This saith he hath been committed to thee therefore keep it that it may be re-delivered and redelivered intire and whole and re-delivered to the same person that did commit it to us else we cannot be faithful to our trust The Truth of God is committed to our trust we must so keep it that we may redeliver it and re-deliver it intire and whole and re-deliver it thus intire and whole to him that committed it to us even to God This is the duty of all Christians thus to keep the word There is a committing of the Truth to all the Church and Saints of God as Jude tells us in his Epistle verse the third That ye should contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints the Faith that is the doctrine of Faith the Truth of the Gospel
healing spirit This Legacy I would leave with you as matter of great concernment Labour mightily for a healing spirit away with all discriminating names what-ever that may hinder the applying of Balm to heal our wounds labour for a healing spirit discord and division becomes no Christian For Wolves to worry the Lambs is no wonder but for one Lamb to worry another this is unnatural and monstrous God hath made his wrath to smoak against us for the divisions and heart-burnings that have been amongst us Labour for an oneness in love and affection with every one that is one with Christ let their forms be what they will that which wins most upon Christs heart should win most upon ours and that is his own grace and holiness The question should be What of the Father What of the Son What of the Spirit shines in this or that person and accordingly let your love and your affection run out this is the tenth Legacy Leg. 11. Be most in the spiritual exercises of Religion Improve this Legacy for much of the life and comfort joy and peace of your souls is wrapt in it I say be most in the spiritual exercises of Religion There are external exercises as hearing preaching praying and conference and there are the more spiritual exercises of Religion exercises of Grace Meditation Self-judging Self-tryal and Examination Bodily exercise will profit nothing if abstracted from those more spiritual The glory that God hath and the comfort and advantage that will redound to your souls is mostly from the spiritual exercises of Religion How rare is it to finde men in the work of Meditation of Tryal and Examination and bringing home of truths to their own Soul Leg. 12. Take no truths upon trust but all upon trial â— Thes 5.21 So 1 Joh. 4.1 Acts 17.11 It was the glory of that Church that they would not trust Paul himself Paul that had the advantage above all for external qualifications no not Paul himself Take no truth upon trust bring them to the balance of the Sanctuary if they will not hold water there reject them Leg. 13. The lesser and fewer opportunities and advantages you have in publick to better and enrich your Souls the more abundantly address your selves to God in private Mal. 3.16 17. Then they that feared the Lord spoke often one to another c. Leg. 14. Walk in those ways that are directly cross and contrary to the vain sinful and superstitious ways that men of a formal carnal luke-warm spirit walk in this is the great concernment of Christians But more of that by and by Leg. 15. Look upon all the things of this World as you will upon them when you come to die At what a poor rate do men look on the things of this world when they come to die What a low value do men set upon the pomp and glory of it Men may now put a mark upon them but then they will appear in their own colours Men would not venture the loss of such great things for them did they but look on them now as they will do at the last day Leg. 16. Never put off your Consciences with any plea or with any argument that you dare not stand by in the great day of your account It 's dreadful to consider how many in these dayes put off their conscience We did this and that for our families they would have else perished I have complied thus and wronged my conscience thus for this and that concernment Will a man stand by this argument when he comes before Jesus Christ at the last day Because of the Souls of men many plead this or that Christ doth not stand in need of indirect wayes to save Souls he hath ways enough to bring in Souls to himself Leg. 17. Eye more mind more and lay to heart more the Spiritual and Internal workings of God in your Souls than the External Providences of God in the World Beloved GOD looks that we should consider the operations of his hand and the despising the works of his hands is so provoking to him that he threatens them to lead them into Captivity for not considering of them But above all look to the work that God is carrying on in your Souls not a Soul but he is carrying on some work or other in it either blinding or enlightning bettering or worsâ—ing and therefore look to what God is doing in thy Soul All the motions of God within you are steps to eternity and every soul shall be bless'd or curss'd saved or lost to all eternity not according to outward dispensation but according to the inward operations of God in your Souls Observe what humbling work reforming work sanctifying work he is about in thy spirit what he is doing in that little world within If God should carry on never so glorious a work in the world as a Conquest of Nations to Christ what would it advantage thee if Sin Satan and the World should triumph in thy Soul and carry the day there Leg. 18. Look as well on the bright side as on the dark side of the Cloud on the bright side of Providence as well as on the dark side of Providence Beloved there is a great weakness amongst Christians they do so pore on the black side of Providence as that they have no heart to consider of the bright side If you look on this black side of the Providence of God to Joseph How terrible and amazing was it But if you look on the bright side his fourscore years reign How glorious was it If you look on the dark side of the Providence of God to David in his first years banishment much will arise to startle you but if you turn to the bright side his forty years reign in glory How amiable was it Look on the dark side of the Providence of God to Job Oh! how terrible was it in the first of Job but compare this with the last of Job where you have the bright side of the cloud and there God doubles all his mercies to him Consider the patience of Job and the end that the Lord made with him do not remember the beginning only for that was the dark side but turn to the end of him and there was his bright side Many sins many temptations and much affliction would be prevented by Christians looking on the bright side of Providence as well as on the dark Leg. 19. Keep up precious thoughts of God under the sowrest sharpest and severest Dispensations of God to you Psal 22.1 2. and 3. My God my God Why hast thou forsaken me Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent There was the Psalmist under smart dispensations but what precious thoughts hath he of God under all But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praise of Israel though I am thus
to things that are to be believed and duties that are to be practised But why is it said The faith that was once delivered that is invariably irrevocably once for all To the Saints respects the priviledge the Saints of God had in the faith that God had left 't is the faith of the Gospel committed as a Treasure And the Church is called a Candlestick not only to hold out the light but to hold the light whence the Church is called the Pillar or the ground of truth not that they are to make Doctrines but to hold forth the Doctrines of Christ even as Tables and Pillars upon which Proclamations are hung and held forth to be made publick so is the Church of Christ 't is that in which the Truths of the Lord Jesus are kept and will be kept from one age to another But what 's the import of the word Earnestly contend It 's a word used only once in the New Testament in the Composition The word in the root is frequently used and imports a struggling with might and main as those that use to run at games It is used for Jesus Christ in his sufferings He was in an Agony the same word from whence this word is compounded The Apostle would imply such a contention such a strugling to keep the faith of the Gospel as one word in the English is not able to express it and Interpreters very much differ what 's the import The best do centre in this that we should contend for the Faith as men that would contend to keep their very lives The Proposition is this That it is the duty of the Saints of God to maintain an earnest contention to struggle for and to keep the Faith that was betrusted with them Wherein doth this contention consist 1. It is not a carnal contention the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but spiritual the Saints are not called to contend for the Faith with carnal weapons with carnal power and force not by might and power but by the Spirit of God force and power and a fleshly Arm Prison Pillors and Chains and taking away of mens comforts and Estates upon the account of the Faith of the Gospel hath been the usual way of Error 's detending it self Prayers and Tears are the Churches Weapons 2. 'T is not a contention of uncharitableness This Contention allows no murthering either of the bodies or souls of men Christians are so to contend against Error and sinful Practices as to love their persons and pitty those they contend with There are some opinions that there is no way to shew a holy way of zeal against nor to be able to destroy them but by a holy separating from the persons there were such to whom it was not lawlul to say God speed or receive them into their houses but yet this in order to the saving their souls Saving some plucking them as brands out of the fire But positively this holy contention it consists in these four things 1. In managing the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God against Errors and sinful Practices to be able to confute them mightily as Apollos did out of the Scriptures shewing the Jews that Jesus is the Christ 2. By Prayer for to pray down sinful opinions and practises That we mean when we pray Thy Kingdom come that the Gospel may run on and be glorified that these nights of darkness may be dispelled that Truth may shine to the perfect day 3. By holy practising against them by holding forth the Word oâ— Life in your Conversations by striving together by a mutual provocation for the Faith of the Gospel in respect of holy walking 4. By being able to suffer for them The reasons of the Point I gave you I shall now sum up all in a word of Exhortation to press every one that bears the name of a Saint to take up this Exhortation of the Apostle Earnestly to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints The sum of all is to beg that you would be valiant for the Truth of Christ that whatever hath been delivered to you consonant to the truth agreeable to the faith delivered to us that you would struggle might and main by all Christian courage by argument practice prayer by suffering rather than let go those truths that God hath taught you by his faithful Ministers that Christ hath been preached to you those Scriptures you have in your hands those Doctrines you have learned by experience by prayer by searching the Word those ways of Worship God hath taught you those patterns of his house and out-goings and returnings there that he hath taught you be exhorted to hold them fast and not let them go Contend earnestly for the faith c. It is to be lamented that there is so sad a spirit of indifferency among Christians as we find at this day Many do so carry it as if there were nothing in the Gospel of Christ that were worthy the owning by practising or worthy owning by suffering This luke-warm indifferent temper hath done the Church of God a great deal of mischief formerly and if admitted now will do you as much mischief again It hath been one of the sins which the Lord at this day is judging and punishing his poor people for that our zeal hath been so hot against one another for meer circumstances and so cold when we are like to lose the substance that our contentions rise so high in matters hardly of any moment and our spirits work so low when they are to gain the great things for which Christ suffered which he delivered to us It is my work therefore to beg you that you would put on a holy resolution that there may be no contention among us for we are Brethren but only that contention who may most retain evidently witness the Faith that is delivered to us It is the trust God hath committed and he doth expect and look how we will manage it with courage and confidence to keep the Faith of the Gospel There are very great oppositions against you and there ought to be great resolutions of Christians to maintain themselves against such oppositions It is a very sad thing that Christians should see the Faith and the ways of the Gospel of God as it were taken from them at any time and they have not one word to speak nor any thing at all for to venture in suffering for the wayes and truths of Jesus Christ Moses had such a holy zeal that when Aaron was an example to the people to lead them to Idolatry he contended with him earnestly to his face The zeal of Gods servants is so small now that though Balaam be about the work we have not a word to speak Though the small Prophets of Antichrist be about the business yet no Christian hath courage to speak The holy Apostle Paul when Peter walked with an uneven foot and began to Judaise he tells us he did
resist him to his face Shall Paul resist Simon Peter and shall not the Saints of God resist Simon-Magus shall they resist Hymenaeus and Philetus and shall 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
false Jewels which go best in the night false coyn will not endure the Touch-stone nor false Jewels the day no more will false Doctrines the Scripture therefore it will be a great way to discover them 2. It will be a great way to vanquish them Eph. 6. Above all take the sword of the Spirit the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit by which we slay Heretical Doctrines and by which we are to slay sinful practises All those stones that the Davids of God have flung at the Goliahs of Errour they have been taken out of the Brook of the Scriptures therefore reduce all Doctrines offered you to believe all Worships that are taught you to practise to the Word of God 1. All Doctrines that are taught you to believe reduce them thither there 's no profession of Faith to be built but the stones must be fetched from that Mountain If you believe Divine Truths but not because the Scripture propounds them your faith is but humane If you believe any thing the Scripture doth not speak your faith is Diabolical the Word of God and your faith must run parallel All that is written you must believe and you must believe nothing but what is written This was the Rule of the Old Testament Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony to the Law that is to Moses and to the Testimony that is to the Prophets if they speak not according to these there 's no light in them When any thing was offered to Christ by way of enquiry his common answer was How readest thou Luk. 10.26 How is it written When the Apostle Paul would redress the abuse of the Lords Supper he does not carry the Corinthians to these and these Fathers to this and that use and custom but brings that How it was delivered from the Lord he reduces them to the Institution What I have received from the Lord that I have delivered unto you The Word of God is perfect in respect of Doctrine and in respect of Worship So that whatsoever is offered you to believe you must try it by perfect rules for 't is given by Divine inspiration to make the man of God perfect and wise unto Salvation it is such a Canon about Doctrines to be received as nothing must be added nor taken from it Rev. 22. Therefore it 's called a Testament Now no man dares adde to another mans last Will and Testament Who shall dare to adde a faith to the Faith of Gods Elect to that which Christ hath delivered I will give you this as a certain Observation that there never was any thing of false Doctrine brought into the Church or any thing of false Worship imposed upon the Church but either it was by neglecting the Scripture or by introducing someehing above the Scripture 2. Bring hither all practices of Worship as well as Doctrine to be believed try the wayes and forms of Christs house by the Word of Christ he shews us the patterns thereof the our-goings and returnings thereof he was faithful in all his house even as Moses was who did not leave a pin of the Tabernacle but did appoint it There is nothing decent and comely in the Church which is so much pleaded for but what comes in by Christs institution What-ever you worship without a warrant from the Word of God or by what-ever means you worship without a warrant from the Word of God you worship you know not what John 4.20 'T is Will-worship and by the same Rule you receive one Will-worship you may receive twenty 'T is vain worship it will never reach the end of your Communion with God for he is a Spirit and seeks such Worshippers it will never bring you to the enjoyment of God therefore in point of Worship bring it to the Word of God and as to Faith and Worship say Hitherto my Faith and my Worship shalt thou go and no further This rule rightly improved will dis-intangle you from the hooks and take you off from the baits of those cunning Fowlers for to such the Apostle doth compare them in the New Testament who seek to betray souls from the simplicity of Gospel-faith Never any did invent false Doctrine but to put up them they put down the Scripture and they put out the eyes of Christians to make them bend to it Before they use other means to compel them their great work is to darken the light or the truth and in the room of the Scripture to be your rule they set up other Rules which because there are three marvellous Popular I desire to mention them in opposition to this Rule I have given you There 's a three-fold rule men would set up to deceive poor souls The Name of a Church Ancient Customs The Generality of those where they live 1. The specious Name of a Church to make that a Rule to Doctrine and to Worship It was the plea of the Popish Party in the Marian dayes What! will you not believe the Church hath not the Church power to make Institutions and Canons about this and that and the other will you not believe the Church will will you go out from the true Church Thus do men that go about to deceive nothing like it as to the catching and deluding many poor souls by making the Church their Rule It was the way of the Popish Party of old and if Antichrist ever hath power again over the Church of Christ in that measure and degree it has had you must expect it again therefore let me caution you against it Can we enquire who this Church was It was only the decree of the proud Church Antichrist of old and the Antichristian Clergy who as you may read in their Stories would lord it over the faith of Gods heritage I must tell you the Name and Custom and way of the Churches of Christ is a reverend holy thing even of that that is a true Church 'T is a weighty Argument when the Apostle saith We have no such Custom nor the Churches of Christ And therefore I do fully close with him that said No sober man will go against reason No Christian against the Scripture and no peaceable minded man against the Church But then the Church must shine by a Scripture-Light If that be a Rule it must be ruled by the Scripture the Churches power is not Authoritative as to give Laws against the Laws of Christ it 's onely ministerial we do believe the Scripture for it self and not because of the Church we receive the Scripture by the Church Hence therefore when we set up the name of a Church let us see whether that Church walk in the way of Christ whether she be his Spouse or no whether she doth act according to his Institutions whether they bring his light yea or no then submit for it is not what a Church practises but what they are warranted to practise not what they hold for a truth but what they are warranted to hold
as the Word of Truth The Word was written 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
confess if you will keep your garments clean and undefiled with the mark of the Beast it may be you may come under shrewd temptations yet I entreat you as a dying man as you love your souls and for Gods sake flee from Idolatry notwithstanding your temptations that happen to you he will suppâ—rt you if you flee and withstand the thing you are tempted to 1 Cor. 10. verse 13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful and will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it Now see what use the Apostle makes of this promise in the next Verse he follows with these words Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from Idolatry Seeing God will uphold us let us withstand any temptations to this end that God may uphold us This is the second Caution Thirdly Take heed of Apostacy of a degenerating back-sliding spirit that you do not fall off from the truth and ground of the wayes of God which ye have known and professed It is is true it may be for standing to your Principles you may lose the love of man I acknowledge it may be so but hear what God saith If any man fall back my soul shall have no pleasure in him If thou goest on mans soul may have no pleasure in thee but if thou fallest back Gods soul will have no pleasure in thee Thou doest by Apostacy declare to all the World that thou hast made trial of the wayes of God and thou dost not find them to be as thou thoughtest they were nay not so good as others Oh take heed of scandalizing the ways of God hear how God complains of those that so do Jeremiah 2. and 10. Go unto the Isles of Chittim and behold and send unto Kedar and take diligent heed and see whether there be such a thing Hath a Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods But my people hath changed their glory for that which will not profit Hear O Heavens and be astonished at this for my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no water Whatever it is that would lead thee to Apostacy beware and fly from it especially evil company of which I shall speak more anon let your love to Christ be augmented and love of your selves abased for unless you love Christ very much and your selves very little I cannot hope that you will stand to your Principles Fourthly Beware of Covetousness it is Christs Caution Luke 2. and 15. verse Take heed and beware of Covetousness Here is a Caution with a double Action Take heed and Beware Believe me Brethren it stands us upon so to do for it steals upon us before we be aware of it There is no person will deal more injuriously with a Christian than a Covetous man will He will betray his Life if it were in his hands into Enemies hands for Money as Judas did A Covetous man will injure Christ in his Ordinances he will not come at them for the love he bears to the World will not suffer him truly quoth he I have lost this or that while I was hearing a Sermon I 'le go no more I must stay at home and look after my business I could give you many instances of this but time will not give me leave I shall only touch this one What was it but the love of this World that kept those who were bid to the Marriage Feast of the Great King of Heaven from coming One had bought a piece of Ground and he must needs go see it another had bought Oxen and he must go to prove them a Third had married a Wife and therefore he could not come Of all persons in the World a Covetous man cannot nor will not endure to bear the Cross of Christ Philippians 3. verse 18. For many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you weeping that they are the enemies of the Cross of Christ whose end is destruction Who are these what manner of persons are they why they are such who make their belly their God whose glory is their shame and who mind earthly things A covetous man he will lye with Ananias and Saphira he will steal with Achaâ— he will murther with Aban he will betray with Judas what will he not do to attain his covetous desire This is the fourth Beware of Covetousness Fifthly You that have not taken warning yet I beseech you take warning now Have a care and avoid evil company Ephesians 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them and be ye separated from them Never go into a wicked mans company if before you go you have not a probability of doing good or getting good Confider with thy self is there any likelyhhood that thou by thy wholesome reproofs maist do him any good if there be then go on if not draw back avoid them flie from them for their steps tend to perdition By wicked company these two things have been effected Good men made Bad. Bad men made Worse Good men have been made bad by wicked company Jehosaphat that good King is an example of this who by the company of wicked Ahab was drawn to fight against those whom God favoured and to help Ahab in his wicked enterprise Bad men have been made worse by evil company Ahab was made worse by the Instigation of his wicked Wife Jezabel Oh can you bear when you are in their company to hear them blaspheme the holy Name of God and not reprove them Truly if you can it is a sign you are not so good as you should be Sixthly My sixth Caution is this Oh have a care of having the least finger on your hand against a Saint it is dangerous to have a thought word or act against the people of God it is dangerous to have a thought amiss of them Psal 62.3 They imagine mischief against a man that is against a Saint therefore they shall all be slain for their bare imagination they shall all be cut off It is dangerous to speak against them How durst thou saith God to Miriam to speak against my servant Moses and immediately he smote her with a leprosie as white as snow it is dangerous to act against them and it is forbidden by God Psal 105.5 Touch not mine Anointed nor do my Prophets no harm Perhaps you would say you would not do them any harm if you thought they were Gods people Oh but take heed lest they prove Gods people and then it were better for you if a Milstone were hung about your neck and you cast into the Sea than to offend the least of them Seventhly Let me beseech you all to take heed of complying with this sinful World whoever doth do not you but
painful Labourers at once but it is our duty to suffer patiently and not complain 2. As our troubles must be great so many will fear and in fearing faint we see it come to pass and you will find it more and more There are those that run with the Foot-men that will not keep pace with the Horse-men that may be left behind and be trod under foot our troubles are likely to rise according to all we can learn from Scripture and Providence and very many there be that will shrink 3. Consider it is a very difficult thing to stand stedfast in a day of evil you cannot name any of God's Children but when they have indeed come to it their carnal sears have been working so as their feet have almost slipt they have been almost gone but that for the promise of God that he would â—â—y no more upon them than he would enable them to bear O but you will say What will become of the publick interest of the name and Church of God and what shall become of my private interest I answer you have no ground of fear according to Scripture in either of these respects First as to the publick Name of God the interest of his Church of his truth of righteousnes or of a real Reformation the interest of our prayers and hopes be not afraid 1. God bears a dear respect unto his People they are represented in Scripture by all names that may import dearness and nearness imto him the interest of his glory is bound up in his people he calls Israel his Glory We know the interest of men is that which moves the world but the interest of God of his Glory no doubt will be the ground of safety and security unto us even till God takes us to Heaven For the interest of Gods Justice God made Hell and for the interest of his mercy and grace be gave Jesus Christ to die to take effect here among the children of men Do you think God will forget his interest 2. Remember Gods ways are in the deep you cannot tell what God is doing when you think thoughts of destruction and confusion my thoughts towards you saith God are thoughts of peace And truly God he does not save a Soul nor does not promote the salvation of his Church in any eminent degree but it is in a way that is cross and contrary to the sense and expectation of flesh and blood insomuch you know the darkness of our condition has been the entrance upon deliverance as just before the day dawns it is the darkest of the night when God looked and there was none to help them says he My arm brought salvation Thus it was with you that are effectually called you have received the sentence of death the entrance upon your deliverance is the darkest time of your condition 3. God can do great things Joel 2. Fear not thy God O Sion can do great things 'T is a disparagement that we offer to God we ascribe more to the Creature than we do to God when we give way to carnal fear fear not what man can do because of the power of God which is his shield and buckler Is any thing too hard too heavy for God And when God does great things he usually goes on to do greater though he may seem to suffer his work to be thrown back to confusion and his people may be ready to say we thought he had redeemed Israel that degree of Reformation shall not be lost You know in Luthers time take any special degree of Reformation in the Church and it seemed to be opposed by the gates of Hell when it was brought upon the stage to any hopeful degree when it was taken as it were utterly out of sight for a while but it was never lost thus God is but making way for his own glory to appear in these great works O but you will say What shall become of my particular It is enough God hath promised that we shall not want any thing that is truly good and that nothing that is evil shall fall upon us and lye upon us though we do not see deliverance it shall be whatsoever our sad thoughts and tremblings of heart may be yet give God the glory of his Word Take these few directions 1. Strive to strengthen thy Faith Faith is that which lays hold on Christ and Christ is your strength therefore Faith is said to do that which Christ doth let every day drive thee to a renewed Act of Faith Take heed be not shaken in the Faith of the Cause be not shaken in the Faith of Christ fides causae fides Christi Be not shaken upon the Cause which upon utmost examination we find to be according to the Word hold that Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot and tittle of this Cause And then do not shake in the faith of Christ that is in your laying hold in your applying your selves to him in your resting and settling upon him beg of God to strengthen your Faith 2. Get more Self-denial we must forsake all we must not accept any thing A man would part with his life as easily as with a pin off his sleeve if he had but some considerable growth in Self-denial 3. Get a great deal of love towards that Christ that loved us with love stronger than death get love of that Christ that may be stronger than life Let nothing in the world be of any consideration with you so as Christ be magnified in your bodies love will breed courage and cast out fear slavish fear before God carnal fear before me 4. Get a true insight in an account of suffering and troubles whence they are they issue from the same love with redemption of your souls from Hell and your glorification God doth every thing in pursuance of the purpose of his love he doth every thing according to the platform and pattern of his thoughts towards us from eternity Confider what troubles are and to what end not to destroy but to try to wean from the world to fit for heaven 5. Get an insight into the vanity of the Creature you reckon the Creature some great matter and that is the reason of your love and of your fear 6. Get the fear of God that may over-rule other fears Fear not him that can but kill the body but fear him that is able to cast Body and Soul into Hell-fire 7. Keep a clear conscience void of offence towards God and towards men by a heart-abasing confession of what is past and the application of the blood of Christ and by mortification and watchfulness therein keep your selves from evil for the time to come 8. Get a better assurance of eternal life a glimpse and sight of this would make a man run through the very flames of hell How comfortable was Stephen when a shower of stones was about his ears to see Jesus standing at the right hand of God! I wonder how
speechless Zachary and be content If God open the mouths of thy Enemies or wicked Neighbours against thee do not thou open thy mouth against them but think oft on Davids words I opened not my mouth said he because thou didst it Yet David opened not his mouth to recriminate them nor vindicate himself but took all in good part because he knew that God did it I shall now propound some considerations to contentment under the Cross I can only propound them it 's God that must prosper them to you 1. Consider for your comfort God will be with you in your troubles 2. Consider you shall be with God after your troubles I. First God will be with you Isa 43.2 When thou passest through the water I will be with thee Mind I will be with thee fear not drowning then so long as God is in the Ship Thou carriest Caesar in thy Barque said the Emperour to the trembling Marriner and therefore be not afraid O Christian thy God is with thee in a suffering time and how canst thou be afriad of that condition wherein thou hast Gods company I will be with thee in six troubles and in seven saith the Lord and surely it cannot be ill with that man with whom God is It 's infinitely better to be able to say God is with thee than to say peace is with thee or health is with thee or honour is with thee or credit or friends are with thee for in these you have but some particular good but in God you have all good and this is the first you have an excellent Scripture for it Heb. 13.5 Be content with such things as you have why For I will never leave you nor forsake you though your Riches may leave you and health may leave you yet will not I. Oh what an argument is this to force contentment in every condition to consider that he will not leave us comfortless but will come unto us Chear up then my drooping soul thou shalt never want so long as thy God hath it For by the Promise thou hast command of Gods purse and mayest be sure of his presence Let others repine do thou rejoyce and let such as be without God in the world shark and shift live by their wits but in all straights do thou live by Faith O beloved you know not how soon God may call for your comforts one after another and bring you as he did his people Israel out of a fat Land into a famishing Wilderness where no water is no comfort is what will you do in such a case as this If you please I 'le tell you when your hearts fail you and your friends thus fail you let not your hearts fail you nor your faith fail you for you have a faithful God which will never fail you but will be instead of all things to you from himself alone As Joseph said to Pharaoh Without me God will provide an answer for Pharaoh So may I say in this case without silver without gold without fair houses and rich furniture God can provide for the welfare of his people Though your means be gone yet your God is not gone and if you cannot be contented now it will argue that it was not God but your means that did content you then Well this is the first Consider God will be with thee in thy troubles and that upon a two-fold account 1. To behold thee 2. To uphold thee I. First To behold thee God sees the wrongs and hears the grievances you undergo for men though your friends looks off you yet your God looks on you Exod. 3.17 I have seen I have seen saith God the heavy Burthens and Taxations that my people undergo in Egypt As if God had said thus I have seen and so seen as that my bowels are turned within me and I can no longer hold my peace What a gracious God have we that owns his people in such a low condition wherein none will own them for saith God I have seen I have surely seen the troubles of my people that be in Egypt Fear not afflictions then for they cannot chase God from us nay they are rather advantages wherein God doth ordinarily discover himself most comfortably to us which brings me to the second Particular II. As God will be with you in your troubles to behold you so secondly to Uphold you C ham lookt on his Fathers Nakedness and laught but God looks on a Christians trouble and helps The eyes of the Lord run to and fro saith the Prophet what to do To shew himself strong in the behalf of his people Where God hath a seeing Eye there he hath a helping hand too if man can but finde a believing heart to lay hold upon it David is a witness of this truth when he saith In the dry that I cryed thou answeredst me and gavest me strength in my soul as if David had said It 's true O Lord thou assaultest me and that 's my trouble but it 's as true that thou assistest me and this is my comfort In the day that I cryed unto thee thou answeredst me and gavest me strength in my soul Object I saith the scrupulous Christian would God do this for me if he would put strength into my soul strength of Faith strength of patience strength of Grace then I should bid a freer wellome to the Cross when it comes But alas instead of this strength you speak of I finde nothing but weakness upon weakness a weak faith a weak assurance weak patience all weak Answ I answer briefly hast thou not strong Grace and doth that discourage thee it may be thou art not tryed with strong afflictions let this quiet thee hast thou not as much patience as another it may be thou hast not yet as much need of it as others their patience is greater than thine because their troubles are greater than thine In a word thou said'st thou hast not a Martyrs Faith it may be thou needest it not yet because thou hast not a Martyrs Fire a weak Faith may serve for a light Cross when God calls thee to hotter services of Christianity fear not but he will be at thy back not onely to behold thee but as you have heard to Uphold thee 2 Cor. 15. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us saith Paul So also our Consolations abound in Christ See here as men lays on troubles so God lays in comfort Hence it was that Davids heart did not fail him when all his friends forsook him 1 Sam. 30. And David encouraged himself in his God saith the Text It was sad with him at this time Zicklag was burnt his Wives taken captive he lost all and like to have lost the hearts of his Souldiers too for they speak of stoning him In this condition that David was now in he turned his face from the Creature lookt up to Heaven and encouraged himself in his God when all other visible helps shrunk from him then his
heard received and learned let nothing fall to the ground but bring all into practice would you ever enjoy Gods gracious presence 4. And lastly Of all that you have heard and learned and received from God be sure that you do it constantly without going over The Lord is with you saith the Prophet speaking to Asa and all Juda while ye are with him if ye seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will also forsake you 2 Chron. 15.2 If we desire that God should always be present with us in a way of Mercy we must still strive to be present with him in a way of duty and if we would not have God cast us off and forsake us in the end we must be careful not to forsake him but to hold on with God in a way of obedience to the end He that shall endure to the end saith Christ the same shall be saved Matth. 24.13 As God condemns no man before he sins so neither will he crown any man before he overcomes We must Conquer before we can Triumph win the garland before we can wear it and obtain the Crown of Eternal Communion with God in glory by patient continuance in well-doing Rom. 2.8 Let me then once for all as a lover of your souls beseech you what ever you have heard what ever you have learned whatever you have received from the Lord that you practise it and that to the end Oh remember what you have heard give diligence to practise what you have learned and whatever you have received from the Lord whether concerning principles of Faith or precepts of Life be sure that you hold it fast that no man take your Crown Rev. 3.3 Knowledg without an answerable practice will not avail you and the practice of what you know without perseverance therein to the end will but aggravate your condemnation and serve to sink you the deeper in the pit of eternal perdition 2 Pet. 2.21 Take heed therefore that you be not carried away with the error of the wicked let no thought arise within you of departing from the living God but press on towards the Mark hold fast your Integrity persevere in obedience to God according to what you have heard and learned and received from the Lord and see that you break through all discouragements for communion with him In God you have a living Spring when all your bottles are empty in him you have a sure Sanctuary when all your Refuges and hiding-places in the World are laid level with the ground in him you have a glorious Sun when all the blazing stars of your creature comforts are extinguish'd and disappear In him to be short you shall find everlasting friendship when all your friends according to the flesh are put to perpetual silence in the grave Oh then be careful that you cleave to this God that you repose your selves wholly upon him and that you constantly without giving over walk in obedience with him according to what you have heard and learned and received that so enjoying God's gracious presence here in a state of grace you may hereafter enjoy the presential soul-satisfying and open vision of himself in a state of glory Mr. WADSWORTHS Farewel-Sermon Late Preacher at NEWINGTON-BVTTS Revel 2.5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent THese Words with the foregoing verses I have insisted largely upon already And in the Words I told you there is First of all A severe threatning in these words I will come unto thee quickly and I will remove thy Candlestick out of his place I have told you what is meant by Candlestick A Candlestick I told you signifies the Church of God or a Company or a Society of people met together to worship God in Spirit and in Truth As if he should say I will smite thy Shepherds and scatter thy Flocks I will take away mighty Lights and I will leave thee in Egyptian darkness I will cut off my Ordinances which are my golden Pipes to convey the Water of Life unto you But you will say Why is the Lord so angry with Ephesus It is Because of the Churches sins It is because thou hast not loved me as once thou didst Want of love to Christ is a sin that deserveth to be unchurched that deserveth that God should take away your Ministers For what is our preaching for but to gain your Loves to Christ and to hate the Devil Secondly In the second place I shewed you what the works of this Church of Ephesus were They had been very laborious in the external Principles of Religion in promoting the Salvation of Souls but yet notwithstanding they had gone so far yet they had not done what they did out of a right Principle that is out of pure Love to Christ this makes the Lord so angry that he threatneth to unchurch them Well but is there no remedy to prevent this heavy Judgement He that holds forth the Rod tells you a Remedy As if he should say Oh you Ephesians if you will love me better and if you will be more painful in the great Work of your Salvation if you will but repent of your sins I will not bring those heavy Judgements upon you which I threatned to bring upon you I have told you the greatness of the sins that his Church was guilty of I have likewise shewed you what a great Curse it is for the Lord to take away the Gospel from a Nation I told you that it is a big-bellied Curse it is a curse that hath a great many other curse embowelled up in it I told you when the Gospel goes God goes and when God goes Christ goes and when Christ goes the ministring Angels of the Covenant go the Candlestick goes and the Lights they go along with it What then follows when God goes Then the Devil he comes yea legions of Devils come and then there follows the Plague Pestilence Famine Sword and all other manner of evils God doth not go alone neither doth God remove his Candlestick alone I do not tell you that God threatens you to pull down all your Lights I would not terrifie you by telling you that God is a departing from you when he puts out some of your Lights But yet I must needs tell you that when God doth deprive you of so many hundreds of as Pious and as Laborious and as Learned some of them as any are in the Vineyard I say when God deals thus by you I cannot think that it is in mercy to you but in judgement The Church of England is a great People and there are many poor souls in it that are as Fire-brands in the fire that have great need to be pluckt out and as there are blessed be God many eminent Ministers at this day in England to snatch such poor souls
of wrath will fall upon us O Lord how many ways hast thou used to reclaim us what Arts hath thy blessed Spirit used how many times hast thou approached to our souls and shewed us something of thy glory and the glory of heaven and the terrours of hâ—ll the one to allure us and the other to scare us But Oh! how many times have we grieved thy blessed Spirit who came to seal us and despised thy Son who came from heaven to earth and liv'd a sorrowful life and died a shameful death how often hath he offered us grace and glory if we would how to his Scepter but we have preferred a base lust before that excellency that he hath purchased us Oh how often hast thou condescended so far as to intreat us to be reconciled how easie hast thou been to forgive and how hard have we been to be forgiven VVe confess thou mighâ—est pass an eternal Doom upon us for we are sensible of the dishonour that we have brought upon thy Name Do thou at this time strike upon all these rocks that are in thy presence at this time give us hearts of flesh let our repentance pâ—eprare us for corversion let there be such a through conviction that thy grace and Mercy may be admirable in our eyes VVe intreat thee hear us pardon all our iniquities let us be monuments of thy grace and favour speak peace to our Consciences convey those clear evis dences of thâ—â—â—ve unto us that may inable us to scatter all our fâ—aâ—s that we may rejoice in God and have hope of glory Let the image of thy Son be engraven on all our hearts and let our souls be made subject to him while we are in the world preserve us from the evil of it If thou givest us out ward happiness give us withat inward holiness and if we do suffer help us with patience to bear all knowing we are in our journey and our passage to a better life and let our whole time be spent in a serious Preparation to appear before thy Tribunal and let us consider the unchangableness of that state hereafter Remember thy whole Church make the Name of Christ glorious in the world shed abroâ—d thy light and thy truth heavour back-slidings and love us freely Let thine Ordâ—nances continue among us and let thy blessing descend upon our sovereign Lord the King of England Scot and France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Incline his heart to thy Law make him an instrument of publick good protect his person and give him prosperous affairs Bless his Royal Consort his Relations his privy Counsel let them promote solid Piety and real Godliness Bless the Minister of thy Word and Sacraments Let their labours be precious in thy sight and remember all afflicted ones revive thy Mourners and let thy grace answer all their fears Let thy presence be in the midst of us and help us to hear as our last and let us be raised nearer heaven and make thy word powerful and effectual to all our souls and let thy word subdue our lusts and aâ—l we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name and words we sum up our imperfect Prayers Our Father which art in Heaven c. Dr. Jacomb's Prayer at Martins Ludgate BLessed God thou art a God blessed for ever thou givest Mercy to all returning and repenting sinners thou art worthy to be praised by all that draw nigh unto thee Thou hast vouchsafed to us one Sabbath more Oh that we might all of us be in the spirit upon the Lords day that whatever we do we may do it in the strength of God that we may offer spiritual Sacrifices to God this day through our Mediator the Lord Jesus It is a very great condescention that thou shouldst suffer such as we are to come unto thee O Lord we are unclean we are unclean from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we are overspread with the leprosie of sin all the faculties of our souls are defiled our understandings are darkened our wills are corrupted we have affections but they are carnal we have hearts but they are impure we have consciences but they are seared and as our inward man so our lives are unholy as the fountain is so is the stream besides that our general guilt that we brought into the world we are guilty of innumerable actual transgressions against thy holy Law We think O Lord there are no greater sinners in the world than we our sins are attended with many aggravations We have finned against Prayers against vows and promises we have had as much light shining before us as any in the world have had great is our unbelief Oh that we could lay these things to our hearts We do refuse to come to Christ we go about to establish a righteousness of our own and neglect the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ how are our hearts glewed to the present things of this world Oh! what do we do for thy glory How unreformed are we under all the ways of God that he hath taken to make us a holy people Give us a sight of our sins O Lord we confess sometimes we do make a formal confession but we do not find our hearts melted for sin as they should Oh take away from every one of us this heart of stone give a heart of flesh give us tender hearts make us sensible of all our departing from thee Oh let us look upon him whom we have pierced let us mourn that the Water of penitential sorrow may flow from us we are strangers to our selves we do not see what a hell there is in our nature Oh! how should we put our mouths in the dust and loath our selves if so be there might be hope O Lord convince us of sin give us such a sight of sin as may make us flie to thee give us such a sight of our own guilt that maâ—â— prepare us for the Grace of Godâ— now we are sâ—ung with the fiery Serpents help us to come to Jesus Christ our brazen Serpent give us the holy Spirit to bring us out of the state of nature to let that God that made us Creatures make us new Creatures O Lord we are thine own work but we are dead in trespasses and sins give us grace and speak a word to them that are dead put out thine Almighty Power and draw some sinner to Christ this day and those that have any breathings after thee Oh! thou that gavest them that desire carry on thine own work in them where thou hast begun a good work carry it on let sin as the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and grace as the house of David grow stronger and stronger Oh! increase our faith O Lord at this time we do not onely stand in need of grace but of a great measure of grace Oh! help us by faith to relie upon God that thou mayest help us at last Bless
of humiliation to give unto Civil Magistrates and Rulers what was their due yea to forgo somewhat of his Civil Right rather than to offend them For giving unto Civil Magistrates their due notable is that of Mat. 22.21 Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are God's And as he taught them so he practised himself for he was not of those that say and do not but his practise was always conformable to his Doctrine When therefore they that received Tribute-money at Capernaum came and demanded of him he will rather recede from his Civil Liberty than offend them Mat. 17.25 26 27. Now go ye and do likewise If ye will keep the way of the Lord give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars be subject unto the King and all that are in Authority Let the Exhortation be that 1 Pet. 2.13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake What is here meant by Ordinance of man is clear from what follows whether to the Kings as Supream or unto Governors c. Be ye therefore subject Saints not only for wrath but for Conscience sake for the Lord's sake and as Rom. 13.7 Render to every one their due Tribute to whom Tribute Custome to whom Custome is due c. Such subjection to Magistrates as thwarteth not our obedience unto God â—â—es within the Way of the Lord Yield therefore active obedience unto â—he King as far as Conscience towards God will give leave Fear God and honor the King 1 Pet. 2.17 Give all that honor to the King that is consistent with the true fear of God Let nothing but Conscience towards God hinder you at any time from yielding active obedience to all the King's Laws And here Beloved I shall take occasion to open my heart sincerely to you You know what is required of me if I will continue a publick Minister in this Kingdom I hope no sober persons can think me such a humerous perverse Phanatick as to throw away my Maintenance much less my Ministerial Capacity which is much more dear to me than Livelihood yea than Life out of a proud humor and vain-glorious fancy In brief therefore as I shall answer it before the great God the searcher of all hearts and the righteous Judge Did not Conscience toward God forbid me I would willingly and readily do all that the Act requires But seeing I cannot declare an unfeigned Assent and Consent as the Law requires As from the fear of my God I dare not so from the Love you generally have to me I know you would not have me dissemble with God and men I do therefore humbly choose to submit to the Penalty rather than by a hypocritical conformity for such it must be in me if any to dishonor my God wound my own Conscience and dissemble with men knowing assuredly that my God hath no need of my sin And if he have any work for me in the publick Ministry he will encline the King's heart to grant Liberty and Encouragement therein to me with the rest of those who desire to be faithful in preaching of the Gospel which that the Lord will grant I promise my self the help of all your prayers who have been favoured with any spiritual blessings through my Ministry 4. It was the practice of Jesus Christ to be so far from making resistance by the Sword to keep himself from suffering that he refused such help as was offered him that way So Mat. 26.52 Then said Jesus unto him Put up again thy Sword into his place for all they that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is not all that use but all that take the Sword without a lawful call So John 18.11 Put up thy Sword into thy sheath The Cup which my Father will have me to drink shall I not drink it If you would keep the way of the Lord herein follow Christ so as not to resist those that are in Authority however unjustly you may suffer from them for 1 Pet. 2.19 This is thank-worthy if a man for Conscience sake towards God endure grief suffering wrongfully It was the practice of Jesus Christ to be so far from avenging himself as to render good for evil to forgive his enemies to seek their good and welfare So in Luke 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they do Thus follow Christ according to that he teacheth in Mat. 5.34 Love your enemies Bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despightfully use you and persecute you And what the Apostle exhorteth in Rom. 12.19 20. Dearl beloved avenge not your selves but rather give place unto wrath for it is written Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink c. 6. The Lord Jesus Christ had great compassion for poor wandering sinners Mat. 9.36 Great love for his Saints John 13.1 with tender pity towards them in all their sorrows and afflictions Isa 63.9 Herein also be ye followers of Christ according to that Col. 3.12 13. Put on therefore as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of minde meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you so also do ye 7. The Lord Jesus counted not his life dear when that he was called to give it up in bearing witness to the Truth as you have it in that John 18.37 he bears witness to the Truth when called to it with the hazard of his life Herein follow Jesus Christ in bearing Witness to the Truth of God though with the hazard of your lives as Paul doth in that Acts 20.24 What ever mischief be threatned by wicked men yet deny not be not ashamed of the Words Truths and Ways of Christ for 't is the Word of the true and faithful Witness which we have Mark 8.36 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful Generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels And Oh how sad if this be thy portion for if in that day Christ shall be ashamed of thee Wo be to thee for ever thou shalt be wretched and miserable to all Eternity But be faithful couragious and constant in confessing him and his Ways and Truths for he hath said Mat. 10.32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess before my Father that is in Heaven And Oh how comfortable if this be thy portion for if Jesus Christ confess thee at that day Peace be to thee for ever thou shalt be blessed and happy to all Eternity Though therefore thy confessing of him be attended not only with eproaches and Revilings but with Fines Bonds Imprisonment