Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	scripture_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,382	5	8.8588	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

hear I take it for granted you will hear I hope you will for brown bread is better then none and a little is better then none at all yet I intreat you take these two words of Direction First Try the word you hear by the Truth Secondly Try your selves by the Truth First Try the word you hear by the Truth if it be not consonant to that believe it not let who will pre●ch it Paul exhorteth the Galatians so to do Chap. 1.8 9. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other doctrine unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him he accursed How Paul accursed sure you speak too high what if an Angel must he be accursed Sure you will c●ll in your words again nay instead thereof he repeats them over again as we said before so I say again if any one preach any other Gospel then that which you have received let him be accursed If any man pretend a Revelation from Heaven and cannot bring Scripture for what he saith do not believe one syllable Take the noble Bereans for your example they would nor believe Pauls doctrine until they had searched to see whether it were so or no but then as you are to t●y the word you hear by the truth so try your selves by the word you hear as a truth that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Now try your selves by this truth and see whether or no you walk after the flesh or after the Spirit I have likewise two Directions about the preaching the Word First Do not you receive the Word for the persons sake that brings it I am apt to think that many of you will receive a Truth of one mans bringing which you would not receive of anothers and thus ye receive the Word of God with respect of persons which you ought not but first receive the Word for its own sake and secondly receive the person for the Words sake 1 Thes 5.12 13. we beseech you brethren to know them which are over you to 〈◊〉 monish you and labour among you in the Lord and to esteem of 〈◊〉 very highly in love for their works sake Sixthly My direction in the sixth place shall be concerning 〈◊〉 times we live in and I shall tell you how you ought to behave 〈◊〉 selves in two particulars First Blame thy self most that the times are so bad there is a general complaint about the sadnesse of the times but no particular every one puts the cause away from him and instead of accusing themselves are alwayes accusing others Ahab he said to Elisha Thou art he that troubled Israel Elisha said to Ahab Thou art he that troubled Israel Adam said to God The Woman which thou gavest me did give to me and I did eat The woman she said The Serpent beguiled her Thus do we put it off from our selves to others No man saith with Jonas for my sake is this come upon you I am the cause of all this No man saith what have I done would you have the times mend Oh then every soul of you condemn your selves and amend your wayes the times would not be so bad if we were not so bad would you have the effect cease then seek to remove the cause But then Secondly Pray not so much for better times as better hearts for had you never so good times and not good hearts your blessings would be cursings good times without good hearts will but fatten you the sooner to the slaughter Seventhly If you cannot do the good you would then do the good you can many people are so sullen that because they cannot do all they would do they will do none at all I beseech you be not of this temper what though you cannot serve God in publick will you not therefore serve him in private why may you not do as S. Austin was bid to do tolle legit take up and read this will be a reading and praying time with you and now you cannot hear as formerly you have done oh pray more and read more and the less you have in Publick the more you may have in private you may read and pray we are not forbidden that yet let us then make use of them Eightly My intreaty is unto you all that you would be careful and circumspect in your conversation Ephes 5.15.16 See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the dayes are evil Walk as becometh the Professiors of the Cospel and labour to be blameless towards God and man O● what notice will there be taken when any Professor doth but 〈◊〉 aside and do any thing amiss it is the joy of wicked mens hearts to see it and how diligently do they watch for it and often wish i● We have a Proverb That one man may better steal a Horse then ●●●ther look on I am sure a wicked man may better commit sevon sins then a Professor one for it is the failings the bad lives of Professors that makes Religion ill spoken of and hinders many a weak soul from closing with it sure think they their Religion cannot be good their conversations are so bad let us therefore be wary and careful in all our actions Ninthly Mourn and lament for the sin you cannot hinder it was ●●id of Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 that his righteous soul was vexed with the wicked conversations of the Sodomites Oh that we were but so good as we should be then sure it would grieve us more then it doth to see the wicked and abominable lives of those among whom we live though thou dost not blaspheme God thy self yet it is thy God that is blasphemed and shall not that trouble thee how canst thou but reprove them whoever they be When a sick man seeth his Wife Children Friends and Physician lamenting his condition sure it will make him think his condition is worse then he thought i● or very bad at least or else why do they take on so if there was no cause of fear Thus it may be thy reproof may work upon a wicked man if when thou hearest him blaspheme God thou lamentest his condition and puts him in mind of his sad estate it may make him lay that to heart then which he never did before Tenthly The last thing that I have to beseech of you is That you would love one another I have not at all sought to proselyte you to my way but whatever you see in whoever it be that is of God oh love it be he of what profession he will he is a godly man Oh then love him you cannot love God if you do not love his people let brotherly love continue your Minister must not continue oh then let brotherly love continue 1 John 1.20 If any man saith he loveth God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar and the truth is not in him for if he

Jesus Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that ye have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heaven● Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was 〈◊〉 before him endured the Cross despised the sham● and is set down at the rig●● and of the Throne 〈◊〉 God Oh let us be thin●ing of and looking 〈◊〉 this Jesus You will say what shall we think of him Oh think of this condescention in the world of that vouchsafement which as was never the like of his how he humbled himself and suffered from God and man Think how he became poor that was rich that we that were poor might become rich Think how he became a curse think how he became sin for us think what a good Confession he made before Pontius Pilate even to the death and was obedient to the death Think how he conquered death by dying and how he rose again by his Almighty Power and is ascended into Heaven and ever lives to make intercession for those that come to the Father through him Think how he lived here on Earth in a sad condition and joyed in it to that it might be for our good and shall we leave such a Christ as this Oh can you look upon Christ and leave the Profession of your Faith it cannot be keep Christ before your eyes make him your pattern and you will not you cannot do amiss He that saith he abides in him ought to walk as he walked He walked in obedience all his dayes and was obedient to the death So must we we must walk in obedience all our dayes though we dye for being obedient You see now how many Arguments there are for your holding fast the Profession of your Faith There are many now that might be added but the time is past therefore I shall shut up all the words of Jude from the 20. Verses of his Epistle to the end But you Beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and of some have compassion making a difference and others say with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh Now unto them that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God and Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Mr. Matthew Newcomen His Farewel SERMON Preached at Dedham in Essex Aug. 20. 1662. REV. 3. Vers 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent I Began this Scripture the last Lord's-Day in this Congregation I told you then there were three Doctrines obvious in the Text The first was Doct. 1. That it is the Duty of Christians To Remember those Truths that they have heard and received Doct. 2. That it is the Duty of Christians to hold fast the Truths 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 applyed my self to and applyed to ●he People the last Lord's-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 is 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 intire 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 this the duty of private Christians who are supposed not to have that latitude of parts and gifts that Teachers have And therefore you shall find that Christ requires this not onely of the Pastors but of the Members of his Church Rev. 2.24 speaking not onely to the Angel but to the Body of the Church● But to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as m●ny 〈◊〉 have not this Doctrine and which have not known the depths of Sathan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have already●● hold 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 the 3d of Rev. 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 Tru●● that thou hast heard and received 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 Act. 14.22 Paul and Barnabas visiting the Churches exhor ed 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 this fast Thirdly Why they are to hold fast that they have 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 receive them to the Image of God 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 what ever any man or company of men offer as Truths should be received and held fast for then we must hold fast many Errours But what

ever 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 Scripture or such as are mediately contained in Scripture and by deduction drawn thence Now those Truths that are immediately and expresly laid down in Scripture we are with out dispute to receive and hold fast 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 in 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 sure to hold fast And not onely these but even the lesser Those Truths of Religion that comparatively are far less then these we must hold them fast You know what our Saviour says of the Commands There are some that are the first and great Commandements and there are others that are the lesser But whosoever shall break one of the least of God's Commandements 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 eaven with him for it For those Truths of God which are 〈◊〉 and small comparatively they may be of great weight and consequence in their Sphere L●ther said Let Heaven run together as a Scrowl r●ther then one Filing of Truth should be parted with Surely those Servants of God the Martyrs were not so prodigal of their lives but 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 DivineTruths Scripture-Truths whether greater or lesser we must hold fast what we have received I should but that I fore-see the time will prevent me answer an Objection Is there nothing to be held 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 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 that we have heard and received First In our Judgments being fully resolved and settled in our Judgments concerning them not wavering about them nor suffering our selves by ●ny 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 errour of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness Take heed you be not removed in your Judgments 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 shall never keep the Truth Love is the strongest hold-fast in the World no man will part with that which he loves What makes ●he 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 then with 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 fast 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 onely believe with the Heart but confess with the Mouth if we would be saved When Teter denyed his Master with his Mouth and said I know him not I am perswaded he denyed him not in his heart It is a dangerous thing in words 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 Truth of God in our Lives Fifthly We must do all this Constantly Hold fast the Truth in our Judgment and Affection and 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 onely 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 in stormy Times when Truth may burn a man's 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 opposition whatsoever whether of Friends or Foes Paul would not bate an inch no not to Peter his Brother h●● elder Brother in Christ and in the work of the Gospel he resisted him to the face and gave not 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 Will 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 Truths of God First For the excellency of Divine Truth it is more precious then Gold better ●hen 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 his 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 constancy 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 taken for mine Heritage saith David in the 119. Psalm Though a man's 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 tha● 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 a man's 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 tend to a good End the saving of our Souls This saith he hath been committed to thee therefore keen it A thing committed to a man's Trust must be so kept that it may be re-delivered and re-delivered 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 re-deliver 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 〈◊〉 the Duty of all Christians thus to keep the Wo●● There is a committing of the Truth to all 〈◊〉 Church and Saints of God as Jude tells us in 〈◊〉 Epistle verse the third That ye should conte●● earnestly for the Faith which was once delive●● to the Saints the Faith that is the Doctrin● Faith the truth of the Gospel which was delivered to the Saints We have but one Gospel and it was delivered but once God means no more to deliver his Gospel and the Truths of it therfore you had need strive hard to keep them and hold them Thirdly We should hold fast the Truth that we have received because if we do not hold it fast we do wrong God and we wrong our selves and we wrong the Truth and we wrong our Posterity 1. It is our duty to hold fast the Truths we have received because if we do not we wrong God for Truths are more Gods then ours They are ours as to the use of them but they are his as he is the Original and Author of them Truths are God's Jewels there is never a Truth of Religion but God owns it as his and for us to barter away any of these Truths of God it is Sacriledge it is a robbing of God it is a wrong to God This is that God complains of by his Prophet in the second of Jeremiah the eleventh and twelfth Verses Hath a Nation changed their Gods which are yet no Gods but my People have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid b●ye very desolate saith the Lord. The Prophet indeed speaks of a total forsaking of God and all his Truths but there is in the forsaking of every Truth a proportion of wrong to God 2. It is a wrong done to the Truths of God when men having received the Truth and embraced it hold it not fast but cast it off this is a wrong to the Truths of God We say it is less reproach to a man when he comes to my house to shut the Door against him and not receive him in at all then when he hath been in a while with me I turn him out all the World will now think I find cause to be weary of him They who have sh●● their hearts against the Truth and never gave a● entertainment to it they are less injurious to i● then they that have received it and professed it and yet turn from it These tell the World that the Truths of God are not so sweet and worthy of their entertainment as they supposed them to be 3. This is an injury and wrong to our selves this is a wrong to our Credit and Reputation Now though we may not make Credit our End in Religion yet we may make use of our Credit or Reproach as an Argument to hold fast the Truth and this is injurious to our own Souls John 8.31 Th●● Jesus said to those Jews which believed on him If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples Indeed here Christ doth seem to distinguish his Disciples he hath some that are so in name that are not so is deed and he hath some that are so in deed and 〈◊〉 truth and of these he gives a Character here If ● continue in my Word You now profess to beli●● my Word but if you hold fast and continue● my Word then you are my Disciples indeed 〈◊〉 if you continue not in my Word you have 〈◊〉 name of Disciples onely and that will not save you You can never be saved unless you be indeed the Disciples of Christ and you can never approve your selves to be the Disciples of Christ indeed if ye continue not in the Truth 1 Joh. 2.24 Let that therefore abide in you which you have received and heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father Hold fast the Truth of God which you have received then shall you continue in the Son If the Truth of God which you have received and believed remain in you and be held fast by you ye shall continue in the love of the Father and Son but not else according to what he expresseth again

offended when troubles come Job 16.1 I told you that you might not be offended Look for them that you may not be terrified by reason of the unexpectednesse of them 2. That he might convince us that there is nothing befalls us without his privity he that foresees them he must needs see them he that forecasts them he must needs have the ordering of them Not a hair of your heads falls to the ground without his counsel without his hand That we might provide for them Know you not the coming of the Son of Man When Christ comes with notable mercies usually he sends his harbingers we must thereore be as Noab Being warned of God believing his word he was moved with fear and built an Ark. Pro. 6. What ever troubles come upon the people of God they have no cause to fear Fear none of these things thou shalt suffer Be careful for nothing it's very comprehensive there is a feat that we cannot be without and there is a fear we may not admit A fear there is of dependance this furthers our preparation prayer renouncing our selves flying to the Lord Jesus under his wings that 's a blessed fear of trouble that makes us to come nearer to God But then there 's a fear of Dispondency Apostasie a fear of Distraction so as to be dismayed discouraged There 's no ground of slavish fear as to God no ground of a fatal fear of man of any thing that man can do to us And the Reason is 1. All our sufferings are ordered by a Father 't is the Potion that thy Father gives thee to drink whatever bitter Ingredient there is in it still it 's of thy Fathers procuring why wilt thou suspect it to be poyson and afraid of it no be encouraged 2. Fear not Christ stands by thee in all thy sufferings The Angel stood by Christ in his Agony to comfort him but Christ stands by us in our Agony in our contending for the Faith Fear not saith God O Worm Jacob I will be with thee He is alwaies with us though sometimes as to sense 't is otherwise nay if Christ be nearer to us at any time 't is when trouble is most near us O Lord be not far off for trouble is near saith the Psalmist That trouble is blessed that engages God to be nearer to us that engages us to come nearer to God 3. Fear not whatever 't is that we suffer there shall be sufficient strength given to bear it to go through it God will never lay more upon thee than he will enable thee to bear and if thy strength be encreased proportionably it is all one for thee to lift a pound weight and to lift a hundred pound weight 4. Fear not any of these sufferings because none of them shall hurt thee God hath said he will stave off all evil from thee no evil shall come nigh thy dwelling and he that fears the Lord shall not be visited of any evil Prov. 19.23 No hurt shall come nothing shall come to thee amiss that is as to thy Soul and the Soul is the man there shall be no imparting to thy Soul to thy best interest thou shalt lose nothing but that thou canst not keep nothing that enters into the other world to make up thy happinesse thou shalt lose nothing to do thee good no losse of communion with God no losse of Communion shall not be diminished But why do I speak of no hurt there shall come a great deal of good by these troubles When God calls thee to suffer and thou wilt put him off with doing make it up that way God loses by it and thou dost but if you would buckle your self to that service God calls for active when 't is active passive when 't is passive this is that piece of godlinesse that is great gain Thou wilt either live or die and shalt gain both wayes if thou live● thy graces shall be better the spirit of God shall rest upon thee if thou die thy glory which is weighty shall be double the weightier the Cross the weightier the Crown be content to go as Christ did from the Cross to the Crown Let us strive against our carnal lusts those few things that are ready to choak our faith disparage God and cut the sinews of our endeavour to any service God calls us to 1. Consider our troubles are like to be great here is the symptoms of Gods displeasure upon us here is the pouring out of such a providence among us as is usually attended with destructive Judgements Sodoms calamity was coming when one Lot was discharged Germany's calamity was coming when one Luther was taken away Lord then what woe is this to sleep away so many faithful painful labourers at once but it 's our duty to suffer patienttly and not complain 2. As our troubles must be great so many will fear and in fearing faint we see it come to passe and you will find it more and more There are those that run with the Foot-man that will not keep pace with the Horse-men that may be left behind and be trod under foot our troubles are likely to arise according to all we can learn from Scripture and Providence and very many there be that will shrink 3. Consider 't is a very difficult thing to stand stedfast in a day of evil you cannot name any of Gods Children but when they have indeed come to it their carnal fears 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 lay 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 what will 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 righteousnesse of a real Reformation interest of our prayers hopes be not afraid 1. God bears a dear respect unto his people they are represented in Scripture by all names that may import dearnesse and nearnesse unto 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 take us to Heaven For the interest of Gods Justice God made Hell and for the interest of his mercy and grace he gave Jesus Christ to die to take effect here amongst the Children of men do you think God will forget his interest 2. Remember Gods wayes 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

Pha●isees which is among you Oh that I had no cause to say the leaven of the Pharisees is among you I mean that there are many here that are but bare professors let me ask you that are only professors this one question Is Religion good or bad if it be not good what is the reason thou art not ashamed to profess it if it be good what is the reason thou dost but professe it by thy bare professing thou losest the love of man by no more then professing thou canst never gain the love of God so that on all sides thou art like to be miserable The world will hate thee for being so good and God will hate thee for being no better What a sad thing is it that thou losest thy comforts in this life by professing so much and thy comforts in the life to come by no more then professing Thus you have heard what I have to say by way of Caution I shall now speak to you by way of counsel The former ten were Negative these shall be Positive First I intreat you all that above all things you would mind the one thing necessary that you would not trouble your selves so much with many things of little concernment but mind the great thing for which you came into the world Oh my friends will you spend your time for that which will not profit you and your money for that which is not bread Look after Grace labour to get an Interest in Christ of which if you be unprovided you will be undone for ever and it will be better for you you had never been born Oh gain Christ and then you will be fitted for all times all troubles and all conditions that can happen unto you you will be endued with all wisdom and with all riches if you gain not Christ all that God doth to you and for you will n●ught at all avail you Secondly My second advice and counsel unto you is this That you would live as you would die live to day as if you must die to morrow Let me ask you would you be content to die in the state you are in if my soul doth not desire to be in a better state whe● I come to die then now I am in I may very well sit down satisfied if not then surely it greatly concerns me to look after a better would any man be content to die a Drunkard I ask you that are Drunkards I do believe you will answer no why then do you live in drunkennesse How know you that God will spare you when you are drunk until you are sober again we may read of many that have died in their drunken fits God doth not alwayes send his Herauld to warn thee before he sends his Serjeant to arrest thee how knowest thou but Death may strike thee on a sudden what will then become of thy Soul Oh Beloved I beseech you live not in that you are unwilling to die in Balaam wa● not such a wretch but he could cry out Good Lord let me die the death of the Righteous are so bad husbands but will lay up for a rainy day I mean against a time of sicknesse comes wherein you will be unable to work are you thus careful to maintain your bodies and will you be carelesse of your souls Oh be careful to provide for sto●my weathers you have winter garme●s for your bodies to preserve them from cold ●h let patience be your winter garment to preserve and keep your selves warm in afflictions I know that he that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and that through tribulation and sufferings we must enter into the K●ngdome of Heaven shall I not then provide for them but you may say what doth persecution attend all the godly a man may escape them as well as suffer them put case affliction should not come thou wilt be never the worse for the being provided for them for he that is fit to die is fit ●o live and that man that is fi● to suffer afflictions is fit to live without them It was Pauls exhortation to the Ephes 6.10 Finally my brethren put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand the wiles of the Devil And it is wisdome in a man to provide for a misery before is comes there is mention made of a Nation the Spartans I think that useth to chuse their King as we do our Lord May or every year and whilst they are in their annual Government they live in all abundance of state have all the sulnesse their hearts can wish but when their year is over all their pomp and glory is over too and they banisht into some obscure remo●e place for ever Where they spend the remainder of their lives in great want and misery One King knowing this being called to rule over that Nation made such use of his time wherein he reigned as King that by his provident living he heaped up so much treasure and sent it besore him to the place where he knew he should be sent as maintained him all his life time Thus it is God hath appointed to every one a time to live in and that but a short time too and in that time he hath appointed afflictions to attend us if we will live godly in Christ Jesus is it not wisdome in us then to provide for them Take heed then that to avoid suffering you do not commit sin ●o commit sin to avoid suffering is as if a man should run out of the mouth of a barking Dog into the mouth of a devouring Lion what is the wrath of man to the wrath of God Man can but dest●oy the body and no more but God can destroy both body and soul into hell fire to all eternity Fourthly My fourth word of counsel and direction is this be serious in serious things when you come to perform serious things do ●●em seriously I do not know that ever I saw a man fall a sleep while he was telling of mony for if he should how could he tell whether it were right or no Yet alas too too many sleep when they should be taking truth not only by natural sleep but also by spiritual sleep they are so ca●elesse in receiving the word they hear and so la●y withal that rather then they will try the word they ●ear they will take all for truth their Ministers tell them Beloved I believe you will scarce put so much coufidence in a man as to receive a sum of money without telling it because he saith it is right and yet will you receive all that your Minister tells you is truth for truth without trying it you must not be sluggish in your working for God but put forth your selves to the utrermost You must make the Kingdome of Heaven suffer violence and take it by force but then Fifthly The fifth Direction which I shall give you is about hearing the Word how you must behave your selves when you