A Farewel SERMON Preached in VVAKE-FIELD January 1 1655. By Thomas Parker Master of Arts late Minister of that Church Published upon the importunity and for the satisfaction of the good People of Wakefield 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.4 LONDON Printed by J. M. for Richard Lownds at his Shop at the White Lyon in St. Pauls Church-yard 1656. To the ever Honoured and my very good friend Mrs. Frances Hustler at Lupset Madam IT was not any Ambition to be seen in the Press but the daily importunities of my ever dear people which brought this Sermon to see the light when I Preached it I had no other thoughts of Printing it thâ—n in your breasts I shall think my pains well bestow'd if the eye may so second the ear that both may be an advantage to the Soul and leave so deep an impression of the true fear of God in your hearts that you may be the Epistle of Christ written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God Madam You will meet here with the words of truth and sobernesse in a plain and homely dresse that which an age never more wanted nor could lesse indure Truth is like Beauty never more fair then when she goes the plainest This discourse will meet with my Adversaries but be welcome to my friends to whose Consciences rather they their Closets I desire to commend it For my own part I desire to refer my self to the wisedom of God who knows how to chuse best for me and through his blessing whatever it cost me to run the Ermin's fate fall into the hands of the Hunter rather then foul her body The great share that New-Years day had in your tears makes me bold to beg some interest in your Prayers and I shall not despair in Gods good time of my restauration to the Vineyard In the mean time I commend you and yours to that bloud of sprinkling which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Madam I am Your affectionate friend and servant in Christ Jesus Tho. Parker From my study at Northgate-head June 24. 1656. ECCLES 12.13 I Am this day to take my leave not only of you my good people but of the Pulpit also To bid farewell to that High Calling the great Harvest of Heaven wherein I have for these eighteen years painfully and faithfully and I bless my God fruitfully laboured I do not herein strive to justifie my self God knoweth my heart if there be any glory it is the Lords I know the Apostles Rule very well Not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10.18 I know not well upon what account to commend this Sermon this day whether as a Farewel to you or a Funeral to my self for so indeed it is To impede the execution of that Calling wherein we are employed and whereby we should do God that service for which he hath Commissionated us To force the rusting of the Talents which our great Master hath commanded us to put to usury To stop our mouths and put out our eyes when our hands are at the Plough What is it but to bury a man alive or to leave him like that wounded Pilgrim in the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 10.30 How bitter would this Cup be if the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ had not sweetned it What an excellent saying that is The servant is not greater then his Lord nor the Disciple above his Master If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you c. And lest they should forget so necessary and useful a Doctrine he puts a special Memento upon it Joh. 15.20 Remember the words that I have said to you c. What ever shall befall me or any of my fellow Labourers We shall ever pray that God may bless his Church and I doubt not but he will in his good time restore her to her Purity and her Peace Old Mercies thankfully received are strong ingagements for new Your spirit will witnesse with me this day what cause I have to blesse God as much I think as any man that ever laboured in his Vaneyard First for my persecutions It is an excellent saying of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.10 I take pleasure in persecutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words is a Gospel Expression and signifies a willing pleasing Approbation not without much inward contentment The most precious thing that good Apostle ever desired to receive he expresseth by this word namely to be present with the Lord. 2 Cor. 5.8 And the most precious thing that ever he desired to give he expresseth by the same words namely The Gospel of Christ and his own soul 1. Thes 2.8 and here he makes use of it to shew how well he was pleased and how much he did approve of himself and his Doctrine because of these persecutions as being undoubted evidences of the truth of Christ I should for my own part have suspected my self yea and my Doctrine too if both had not been persecuted I look upon my persecutions as love Tokens from Heaven Pledges of Gods love and Badges of my own Sonship Let me tell you my good people there is no condition in the world so highly desireable as that of suffering for and with Christ Jam. 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was Divinity in St. James his days Was it not the minute of his sufferings wherein Steven saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at his right hand Shall we think our selves worthy to be stiled the Disciples of Christ and run away or deny him when he comes to the Crucifying When she who is the Mother of us all is abused branded and struggles under pangs and agonies with the most hellish and unthankful children that ever Mother bare shall we therefore forget to be Sons or be ashamed or afraid to suffer I mean the Church of England which every knowing and moderate Spirit not biassed with factions or self-interest must needs acknowledg to be the brightest and most glorious resemblance of Primitive purity that ancient and holy faith which for these twelve hundred years any man ever had the honour of contending or suffering for Tell me have not I great cause to look upon it as a blessing or have you any cause to be ashamed of my troubles What my persecutions have been and of what nature in relation not to my person only but my Doctrine also the proper work of Hell with what bitterness violence and injustice they have been carried on your own eyes and ears can sufficiently witness I blesse God this day for the innocency of my own heart and shall have another day more cause to rejoyce in my sufferings 2 Cor. 1.12 then my Persecutors in their victory Our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience The second Mercy I desire we may take notice of is the support and constant supplies of the Spirit of grace in and under all these sufferings a high and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat 8.26 carnally fearfull so the word signifies if you look Revel 21.8 and why because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were of little faith and this fear is directly sinfull when we fear the creature more then the Creator blessed for ever This is that fear the Lord speaks of Isa 8.12 Fear not their fear and our blessed Saviour Luke 12.4 5. Fear not them that kill the body c. And though this fear may have and frequently hath natural weaknes for its foundation yet it is only then sinfull where nature outvies grace and self interests are more valued then the glory of God I deny not but there is a fear due to man upon Gods account Rom. 13.6 Fear to whom fear c. there is a reverence due to the persons and a regard to be had to the Laws of men But God being alone the proper object of our fear makes that fear which is due to man due to him only in and for the Lord whose image he beareth in a more high and eminent manner by vertue of some Authority or dignity derived to him from God who is the Fountain of honour and whose sole propriety it is to ordain powers the words implying both invention and ratification Rom. 13.1 the Powers that be are ordained of God 3. There is a spiritual fear and that is a filial reverential fear of God arising partly from a sense of want in our selves which fear commonly supposeth and partly from the apprehension of Gods excellency not in his greatnesse only but also in its goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that fear which keeps the whole man in a religious respect a holy dreadfulnesse a sweet dependance upon God that commands him to walk as in the presence of God that his whole conversation seems one undiscontinued holy and religious adoration take that one example of Joseph Gen. 30. This is that we call the grace of fear the affection of fear is in all men naturally but the grace of the fear of God is a part of Sanctification and is not found but in the elect natural and carnal fear betray the succours of the soul but this strengthens and confirms it I call it spiritual first from the Object which is God second from the efficient or working cause of this fear which is the Spirit of God called therefore the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord Isay 11.2 Thirdly from the Subject the inward or spiritual man hence is the fear of God inward and spiritual the worship of the mind the heart the conscience will and affections all hereby carried out to God Fourthly From that spiritual work or effect it hath upon the soul spiritualizing and sanctifying both our selves and our sacrifices changing the whole man from a carnal worldly sensual selfish interest to a holy heavenly spiritual frame of heart Now this spiritual fear may either be taken generally and so it includes all graces and gracious dispositions of spirit As faith includes all Evangelical graces in the New-Testament so doth the fear of God in the Old compare Prov. 13.14 with Prov. 14.27 Or else more particularly for that single grace whereby the Soul is over-awed with the excellencies of God the greatnesse of God working the fear of him as a Judge and the goodnesse of God working the same fear as a father It would be a task too large for the small time I have to spend to run through all the branches properties and effects of this fear I shall now speak only to a few of them and those the most useful for you in reference to the present times and your present wants there are no words like those in due season Pro. 25.11 or upon their wheels you shall have them without nicenesse or affectation the common itch of the Pulpit according to my wonted manner with all plainnesse plain instructions best beseem a dying father and are the best remembred by his children I shall now wave all other accounts and present it to you as a New-years gift a rich Ring set with precious stones which I shall desire may be continually worn and carried about with you And first to fear God is to have faith in him a precious stone this is called by St. Peter precious faith without this we can neither fear him nor please him 2 Pet. 1.1 What the Apostle saies Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they have not beleeved the like we may say of other graces how can we either love or serve or fear or glorifie God except we believe in him it was faith that made Enoch's work acceptable and was the ground of the translating there spoken of whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.5 mean exemption from death as Elias is said to have been under the Moral Law or some other deliverance it matters not certainly it was through faith the Embleme of the Gospel it is sometimes called the mouth and the ear Crede mandu casti August 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but most properly the eye of the Soul hereby we see through the things of this world and above them we meet with an object worth our loving and looking on we see Christ and God in Christ and in him mercy peace salvation we look out of our selves Heb. 12.2 and meet with Gospel truth righteousnesse in another a Surety a Mediator we see the brazen Serpent that cures out wounded souls John 3.14 therefore the words here used for fear is by the LXX in the seventh verse of this Chapter rendred to see noting that to fear God and have faith in him is to see God and beyond reason to have an in-sight into those Mysteries which were denyed to the Angels 2 Pet. 1.12 As the eye in the body is the Organ by which we see things visible so is faith in the soul to see the things of God hereby we peep through the Curtains of earth and mortality and take a view of Heavens Treasures Hence come our great priviledges union with Christ Eph. 3.17 and consequently an intimate and familiar communion with him in his promises Sonship Victories Intercessions Faith is that spiritual Ligament that makes us one with Christ Other graces as Love Patience Meekness c may be the grounds of a moral Union and make a man like Christ but it is faith only that is the foundation of a mystical Union and makes a Beleever one with Christ I do not intend to insist upon the Nature Properties and Effects of Faith I have heretofore made them out to you My present Task relates to the present times and your-both present and future benefit There is not any grace more disesteemed and misesteemed slighted and mis-judged then this branch of Divine fear Let me therefore commend to you two main Remembrances to be treasured up by you when your eyes shall be deprived of your Teacher And First I would advise you ever to set
must the Soul have all Christ and Christ the whole soul no sharing no competition with any lust but Jesus Christ becomes all in all to us and we are made willing to follow the Lamb whither soever he goeth 3. Consider the admirable vertues or effects of faith this also will help to put a high esteem upon it Faith dissolves the Plots of all our spiritual enemies it will give you a conquest over sin the Divel and the World it will quicken your souls Gal. 2.20 Sanctifie and Purifie your hearts Acts 15.9 hereby you shall obtain whatever you stand in need of and God hath promised it will bear you up in all dangers discouragements desertions deaths hereby you shall stand live walk be saved c. this will bring you to God to whom no man comes but by Christ nor to Christ but by faith I could be large in these things if I had not formerly made them out to you The Lord bring them home to the hearts of every one of you This is the first main remembrance To have a high and precious esteem of Faith Secondly I would advise you ever to have a right judgment of Faith Every fancy in these days is pretended for faith and light and the soul easily mistakes presumption or credulity for this great grace therefore it will much concern you to know and ever to remember that is not a bare acknowledgment or assent to divine truths and the promises of Christ as the Socinians would have it but an application or closing with Christ in those truths and promises for not the promises of Christ barely but the person of Christ is the object of faith It is a resting upon Jehovah a rolling a mans self upon God as one tired under his burthen casts both himself and his burthen upon something that sustains it Prov. 3.5 Isai 10.20 As Saul tired with fighting leaned upon his Spear 2 Sam. 1.6 I do not mean in this place that inferiour Act of faith the trusting God with our temporal well being though even this be a beleevers prerogative and makes all those dreams and wishes of the old Philosophers the Scepticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Stoicks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Epicures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to become the reality and acquisition of a Christian a holy Epicurism which faith and only faith furnisheth us with but I mean that faith which closes with the blood of Christ for eternal life and salvation There is an excellent place in Rom 10.10 where man is said to beleeve with the heart noting that it is not a bare closing with divine truths in our understandings Jews and Devils will do that but a consent or walking up to the goodness of God in Christ whereby he is loved above all things longed for and trusted to above all things becomes food rayment life all things to us And this you must look upon as Gods work too None can thus close with him but they whose hearts the Lord openeth Acts 16. Before I pass this Branch of divine fear there is one thing I would put you in mind of it will much help your judgment of faith and it is this That true faith is ever waited on with self denial where this is not there is no faith nor fear of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 9.23 Faith carries with it an Abdication not only of natural but spiritual self the soul findes vanity and nothingnesse not in reason only but in duty also without Christ In Josephs vision the Sun Moon Genesis 37 and Stars did obeysance to him and all the sheaves in the field bowed to his sheafe In the soul life way and work of a regenerate man all moral abilities and endowments all natural powers and faculties of the soul nay all supernatural gifts and graces prostrate themselves at the feet of Christ Then will the soul follow Christ in the knowledge of his will in the belief of his promises in the love of his truth in the obedience of his commands then wilt thou lay aside thine own wisdom as an empty Lamp thine own will as an evil commander thine own reason as a false rule thine own affections as corrupt Counsellors thine own ends as base and corrupt marks to be aimed at Not a hoof shall be left in Aegypt Exo. 10.26 thou wilt empty thy self that thou mayst be capable of Christ go out of thy self that thou mayst come to Christ Christ will reign as that Centurion Mat 8.8 9. come or go the poor heart is ready for him take away this your faith is no more then a pretence a self flattery you must go quite out of your selves before you can enjoy a Saviour The LXX have not cast Adam into a sleep as the Hebrew Text but into an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2.21 a being hurried out of himself to make him capable of an helper if you shall not meet with this upon inquiry into your own spirits your faith is naught and all your service and worship of God and affront to your Redeemer or to give it the best language plain Pharisaism and Hypocrisie and God will one day cast all your duties as dung and dirt in your faces and say Who required these things at your hand The Lord give you self-denying hearts The Lord encrease faith in every one of you This is the first Jewel or Stone in the Ring He that fears God beleeves in him To fear God is to wait on him and for him an excellent and useful Lecture frequently inculcated by the Prophet in the Psalms as a fruit of the true fear of God he doubles his expression Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord wait I say on the Lord He joyns waiting upon God and keeping his way Psal 37.34 Observe what high promises the Scripture makes to this waiting Immunity from shame Psal 25.3 The inheritance of the earth Psal 37.9 Renewing of strength mounting up with wings as Eagles c. Is 40.31 New supplies of spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they seem to be quite spent and lost a change to be better conditioned flying over all difficulties they meet with Isa 40.31 deliverance from enemies Prov. 20.22 The fulfiling the desires of our hearts c. But how or wherein you should wait upon God and express your true fear of him is my task now to acquaint you Much of this I shall from my own experience commend to you and I hope you will not forget my words another day They will be of great use to you Wait upon God in his ways and wait upon him in his time I cannot commend any thing more advantagious to you whether you look at the present distempers and distractions of the world or the future comfort and settlement of your spirits upon all accounts First wait upon him in his own ways the ways of his Ordinances and the ways of his Dispensations First in the