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
to see this and what if so be when you are found in Satans way Satan should lay his paw on you and claim to you what do you there in Satans ground would you be found when you come to dye in a Play-house or in such a place where the true God is Idolatrously worshipped It is a great truth if you would not be found in the Devils power do not be found in the Devils pound Brethren we must know Satan is busie enough to tempt us we need not go to tempt him Eve lost all that she had by hearing one Sermon but it was from the Devil Therefore if you would not have you pockets pickt do not trade amongst Cheaters 2 Tim. 6.3 5. If any man teach otherwise c. than that ye have received and we Preached from such withdraw thy self that is a good honest laudable separation from such withdraw thy self 6. Where God doth not find a mouth to speak do not you find an ear to hear nor an heart to believe pray mind it this I am sure is of concernment this is one of the grand points in my Cards or Compass on which I hope I shall venture all If any man come with a Doctrine not according to the Word of God let him carry it whither he will what have I to do with it either you come from God or no if you do shew me his Word and I le believe it if not open your pack where you please c. where God doth find a mouth to speak where you have not a Precept Promise Threatning or Example in the Word of God let them talk their hearts out it is nothing to me to my Religion to my Salvation Object But what ground have you for this Answ Jesuit I will tell you my ground this is my great hold I have against Popery could they convince me of this That I must believe with an implicite faith because they say it I think it would not be long before I turn'd Papist Quest But why must I not believe it with an implicite faith Answ Look you into these three great Scriptures Mat. 15.2 Why do thy Disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders The Jews come and tell Christ he was not a true Son of the Church of the Jews he was disobedient to the Church of the Jews why thou hast Disciples that walk not as they ought what do they do they commit an unpardonable sin they transgress the traditions of the Elders they break one of the greatest Commandments what 's that tradition They wash not their hands when they eat bread This was the great sin and they charge it on him eat with unwashed hands why bring you in this Tradition What have you to say to it what is that to the purpose prove Jesus Christ that there is any thing in the word of God that is against washing but prove you out of the word of God where they are bound to wash before they eat if you will give out your imposition make out your institution let me tell you you talk of Tradition but first you set up an Altar God never thought of and secondly you pull down Gods Altar Why do you all transgress the Commandments of God by your Tradition for God Commanded saying Honour thy Father and thy Mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death but ye say whosoever shall say to his father or mother it is a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me and honor not your Father or Mother he shall be free thus have ye made the Commandment of God of none effect by your Tradition ye Hypocrites you were told of it long ago well did Esaias prophesie of you saying This people draweth nigh unto me with their moâ—th and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me They draw near wash their hands wash their cups and have filthy souls they honor me with their lips c. But though their principle their heart is bad their worship is good is it not so no In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men So then my Brethren remember all those that teach for Doctrines the precepts of men in vain do they worship God Here 's an innocent Command not against the Word of God but this Command you must wash before you eat if you do not wash you do transgress the tradition of the Elders but let you starve Father and Mother if you give but to the Church to a Nunnery Friery c. it is all one so that all those that will for Doctrines teach the traditions of men will render the Commandments of God of none effect in vain do they worship me Look therefore where-ever God doth not find a tongue to speak do not you find an ear to hear nor an heart to believe Christians if you expect Christs benediction always call aloud for Christs institution so Col. 2.18 19. one of the greatest steps you have against Popery Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels intruding into those things which he hath not seen vainly puft up by his fleshly mind c. Deut. 12.13 What things soever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it There are no Wens in the body of Gods Precepts therefore none of them to be cut off You must not deal with Gods Ordinances as that Tyrant Procustes did with men if they were too long for his Bed he would cut them shorter if too short he would pull their limbs out of joynt to make them longer Never think your selves in conscience bound to lend an ear to that which God doth not find a mouth to speak 7. Would you stand fast beware of shaking Doctrines what are those there are a great many of such Doctrines that are shaking give me leave to instance in three or four 1. As you love your souls beware of Doctrines that tend to and preach up licentiousness loosness and prophaneness should any tell you you may lawfully violate and prophane the Sabbath do not believe it the doctrine of the Gospel is a doctrine of godliness it teacheth us to deny ungodly and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world therefore if you find any Doctrine at any time that should have the least tendency to encourage you in any sin know 't is a doctrine against the Gospel 2. Where ever you find any Doctrine that shall tend to the lifting up of a mans free will and debasing of Gods free grace know it is a wicked doctrine and against the genius of the Gospel perhaps the Papists will tell you you are alive Paul tells us we are dead they say that we can do any thing many things that we talk to the world we cannot do they say That we can save our selves and close with Christ if we will whereas the Apostle tells
us 1 Cor. 1.14 The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned It may they will tell you a natural man may love God with his heart really as so and savingly whereas the Apostle tells you Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be Remember it in all those doctrines wherein we agree with those whom we call Pelagians and Arminians so far we agree with the Jesuits and the worst of Papists 3. As you would avoid Hell avoid all those doctrines that would lift up self-righteousness and debase the righteousness of Christ I fear I shall never be in that capacity that I would to stand you in stead in this particular I confess I am against forty things in Popery but my soul is here engaged if that doctrine be a truth I never expect salvation by God either I must be saved by Christ alone or else I must never be saved by Christ at all though Christ will never save me without sanctification yet Christ never intended my sanctification should merit his salvation be as holy as you can as if there were no Gospel to save yet when you are as holy as you can you must believe in Christ as if there were no Law at all to condemn you Come and tell me of the merit of Saints c. I will believe that truth when I believe the Whore of Babylon to be Christs Spouse see Phil. 3.9 2 Cor. 5.21 8. Why should you stand you must be praying Christians I confess when most of my strings are broken there is yet one holds there is a Spirit of Prayer remember Atheist among the Saints of God I can pray yet and I had rather stand against the Canons of the wicked than against the prayers of the righteous Oh! pray that you enter not into temptation or if we enter into temptation Lord let not the temptation enter into us pray if possible let this cup pass from me but if not let it not poyson me but let me be bettered by it and in due time deliver me from it I believe it would be a great temptation to you if it should be said to you you shall trade with no man any more c. you have enjoyed these and these comforts bid them adieu for ever you shall have no more to do with them this would be a temptation Temptations and Tryals are great and certainly where they are so prayer should be strong There is no relief to be expected on earth all our relief is to be expected from God and that 's to be obtained by prayer Pray that God would be pleased above all things in the world to make you sincere would you be stedfast in your profession you must be sincere in your practice To him that hath shall be given that is a comfort to him that hath but truth of grace to him shall be given growth of grace Would you be steaddy Christians then make it your great work to attend the Ordinances that God hath prescribed to make you steady Christians you were told of this many years ago concerning attending the Ordinances of God Quest Pray what are those Answ 1. There are secret Ordinances it may be thou canst not be so much in the Pulpit as thou wouldst Oh! be more in thy Closet it may be thou shalt not have so many opportunities to hear so many Lectures be more conscientious in thy meditations in secret it may be thou shalt not have that freedom with God in publick be more earnest with God in private 2. Mind your families more than ever you have your Children and Servants call aloud upon you How many grave faces do I see at this time that can tell me Sir I remember some twenty or thirty years ago you could not pass the streets but here was one Family repeating the Word of God another singing the praises of God another praying to God another conferring concerning the things of God at that time we had not so much foolish absurd excursion into streets and â—ields as now O! for the Lords sake begin to take them up now let the Amorite Perisite and Jebusite do what they will but oh for you and your children and your servants do you serve the Lord up again with those godly Exercises when we cannot hear a Sermon then read a Sermon if we cannot hear a Sermon well Preached our Godly Parents would engage us to read a Sermon well Pen'd if nothing new let the word repeated and meditated call to mind what you have heard Oh! reduce your selves to your Christian frame let the debauched Atheists know that they have something among you to be feared that 's your prayers let them know that though you have not those opportunities you have had yet you will improve those you have And you Masters of this Parish for Gods sake keep in your Servants on this day more than ever you are to be accountable for their souls and they will give you a thousand thanks when they come to age especially at the day of judgement Oh! then blessed be God I had such a Master blessed be God I had such a Mistriss blessed be God I had such Parents Quest But then for publick Ordinances what would you have us do Answ 1. Where evere Christ doth find a tongue to speak I am bound to find an ear to hear and an heart to believe I would not be mistaken I bless the Lord I am not turned out of my Ministry for being a Scismatick I know Schism is a sin nor know I any of my Brethren that are so do not mistake us therefore do not go and tell the Jesuits we are Schismaticks for we are none But this I would advise I speak as though I were dying do whatsoever lies in your yower to hear such whom you think to be godly beg of God be earnest with him that he would give Pastors after his own heart and whom God hath sent not such as may daub with untempered mortar and not such as may prophecy lies in the Name of the Lord not such as may be clouds without water but such as may be guides of the blind burning and shining Lights faithsul Stewards What shall you do what did you twenty or thirty years ago what did the good old Puritans do they were not Schismaticks But as much as lies in you possible hear them whom in your conscience God doth hear Oh! then expect the Word of God should come to your hearts when you have ground to believe it comes from your Pastors heart I must confess I intend to do the same when put into the same condition with you I acknowledge I am bound in Conscience to hear the Word of God but I must take care whom I hear hear those by whom God speaks I hope God will grant several such
to look after a better Would any man be content to dye a Drunkard I ask you that are Drunkards I do believe you will answer no why then do you live in Drunkenness How know you that God will spare you when you are drunk until you are sober again We may read of many that have dyed in their drunken fits God doth not always 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 dye in Balaam was not such a Wretch but he could cry our Good Lord let me dye the death of the righteous Thirdly Lay up for suffering times there are few of you I believe are so bad husbands but will lay up for a rainy day I mean against a time of sickness comes wherein you will be unable to work are you thus careful to maintain your bodies and will you be careless of your souls O be careful to provide for stormy weather you have winter garments for your bodies to preserve them from cold oh let patience be your winter garment to preserve keep your selves warm in afflictions I know that he that will live godlily in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution and that through tribulations and sufferings we must enter into the Kingdom 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 afflictions should not come thou wilt be never the worse for being provided for them for he that is fit to dye is fit to live that man that is fit to suffer afflictions is fit to live without them It was Paul's Exhortation to the Ephesians 6.10 Finaly my Brethren put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to withstand the wiles of the Devil And it is wisdom in a man to provide for a misery before it comes There is mention made of a Nation the Spartans I think that useth to chuse their King as we do our Lord Mayor every year whilst they are in their annual Government they lived in all abundance of state have all the fulness their hearts can wish but when their year is over all their pomp glory is over too they banisht into some obscure remote place for ever where they spent the remainder of their lives in great want and misery One King knowing this being called to rule over this 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 before 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 bur a short time too and in that time he hath appointed afflictions to attend us if we will live godlily in Christ Jesus it is not wisdom in us then to provide for them Take heed then to avoid sufferings you do not commit sin to commit sin to avoid suffering is as if a man should run our of the mouth of a barking Dog into the mouth of a devouring Lyon What is the wrath of man to the wrath of God Man can but destroy 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 them seriously I do not know that ever I saw a man fall asleep while he was telling of Money 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 careless in receiving the Word they hear and so lazy withal that rather then they will try the Word they hear they will take all for truth the Minister tells them Beloved I believe you will scarce put so much confidence in a man as to receive a summ of Money without teâ—ling 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 uttermost You must make the Kingdom 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 hear I take it for granted you will hear I hope you will for brown bread is better than none and a little is better than 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 Word First Try the Word you hear by the Truth if it be not consonate to that believe it not let who will preach it Paul exhorteth the Galathians so to do Chap. 1.8 9 But though we 〈◊〉 an Angel from Heaven preach any other Doctrine unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed How Paul accursed sure you speak too high what if an Angel must he be accursed sure you will call in your words again Nay instead thereof he repeats them over again As we said before â—o I say again If any one preach any other Gospel than 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 Beraeans for your Example they would not believe Pauls Doctrine until they had searched to see whether it were so or no. But then as you are to try 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 of 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 Thess 5.12 13. We beseech you Brethren to know them which aâ—e over you to admonish you and labour among you in the Lord and to esteem of them very highly in love for their works sake Sixthly My Direction in the
City c. i.e. I will betake my self to all publick Ordinances and shew more zeal and life in my duties and in these I will make enquiry Thirdly I asked the Watchmen the Ministers of the Gospel which are or should be as faithful watchmen that watch for our Souls and be able to speak a word in season c. So nothing will satisfie the Soul that truly loves Christ without him and no means shall be negected till she enjoy him Secondly Why must he be thus beloved First Because he is lovely altogether lovely First Lovely in his Life observing all the will of God there was a wonderful beauty upon him if we behold and can understand that hidden glory of an untainted Holiness and exact conformity to the will of God Secondly Lovely in his Death never more lovely and amiable to the believing sinner than when he was most despicable in the eyes of rebellious sinners O then he appears most beautiful and desirable when he hangs on the Cross there making our Peace procuring our pardon obtaning life and glory for us by that shameful death Thirdly Lovely in all his Graces each Grace a matchless Jewel Rocks of Diamonds Mountains of Pearl not worthy to be mentioned with the least of his excellencies If he put a little of this Grace upon any Soul though he be never so vile cloathed with corruption as in Ezek. 16. from the 9 to the 16 Verse Yet he may be made beautiful by his comeliness Fourthly Lovely in all his Ordinances in which the more immediate sight the Soul hath of him the more he is taken with his Beauty No wonder he is called in Hag. 2.7 The desire of all Nations Secondly Because of his deserving love We love him because he first loved us Consider in his love these four particulars First He laid down his life for us such a love will deserve love and life too John 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends Secondly He lives now in Heaven for us Heb. 7.25 He ever liveth to make intercession for us He is there minding our necessities agitating our affairs by his sitting there we have Liberty of coming thither his sitting there in glory we have our standing here in grace Thirdly he accounts that as done to himself that is done to them that are his Zach. 2.8 He that toucheth you toucheth the Apple of his eye and Mat. 10.40 41 42. c. He that receiveth you receiveth me and so he said to Saul Acts 9.4 Why persecutest thou me when he was with commission from the High Priest dragging the poor Professors of Jesus Christ to the prison Fourthly He longs to have us with him John 17.24 Father I will that where I am there they may be also to behold my glory He is not satisfied with out their Company and is always imparting his most secret counsels to them John 15.16 Henceforth I call you not Servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you Thirdly Because otherwise we shall not regard his words which is intimated in the Text If we love him we shall keep his words but if we love him not we will not keep his words It is want of Love to Christ that is the cause of the abounding of every sin for if we did love him we should keep his commands which is the second particular Secondly What it is to keep the words of Christ First There is a Natural and Mental keeping of the words of Christ and so we must keep them that is Remember his Words his Promises Counsels and Appointments The Memory is man's storehouse or cabinet that should be kept Sacred for the truths of Christ so the Disciples kept the word of Christ when they remembred his sayings and David Ps 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened me i.e. I will keep thy precepts for what we forget we lose and what we remember we keep And thus as Friends take pleasure to look sometimes on the love-tokens of their absent friends So may we have singular comfort and refreshment to see the heart of Christ in the counsels promises and appointments left with us Secondly There is an Evangilical and Practical keeping of the words of Christ When we do believe promises and obey commands Promises not believed and precepts not obeyed are as water spilt on the earth besides the Vessel that should receive it Heb. 4.2 but when they are believed they be as liquor put into the Vessel for its proper use Hence saith Christ Luke 11.28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it Then we keep the words of Christ when we believe his promises observe his precepts in all our conversation and walk by his appointments and institutions in all our duties Thirdly Why it is their Property and Duty that love Jesus Christ to keep his words First Because true love is comprehensive He that loves Christ truly loves also all that is his He that loves him that begat loves him also that is begotten The nearer any thing is to Christ the better it is beloved and then we love the Word when we keep it as a special pledge of his love To have his Word and a heart to keep it is a double blessing and indeed such a gift is the Word of Christ as wordly to be loved for it self and kept for the Givers sake Secondly Because true love is Operative It is the principle of Gospel-obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of Christ constraineth us Where there is the disposition of a Son there will be obedience to the Fathers commands so where there is spiritual love to Christ it will set the Soul on work and quicken it to keep the words of Christ As is said of Faith Shew me thy Faith by thy Works So shew thy love to Christ by thy works as Faith without works is dead so is love without obedience Thirdly Because keeping the words of Christ gives the clearest and surest testimony of the truth of our love to Jesus Christ Probatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis Obedience is the most lively testification of love as Christ said to Peter Lovest thou me c. shew it in this in doing thy duty Feed my sheep So Christ tells us in the Text Where the fire of love is in the breast there the flames of duty and service is in the hand Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you In the 1 Joh. 5.3 In this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements Vse 1. For Exhortation First To a mental keeping of the words of Christ according to that word Heb. 2.1 We ought therefore to give the more diligent heed to the things which we have received lest at any time we let them slip And that we
is not the way for this way of complaining is 1. Fruitless a house on fire is not quenched with tears Murmuring will not scatter the Clouds 2. Causeless Thou hast thy life for a prey Jer. 4 5 6. What a living man and complain and that when 't is for the punishment of his sins this kind of complaining is causeless if you compare sin and punishment together there 's no proportion for sin is a transaression against an infinite God punishment but an affliction upon the finite Creature Sin is an evil against God punishment an evil against the Creature Or if you consider what sin is in its nature 't is a contrariety to Gods nature God is holy sin impurity A contradiction to Gods will God saith Do this the sinner saith I will not God saith Do not this abominable thing which I hate the sinner saith I will 'T is the transgression of Gods pure and holy Law nay 't is a practical blaspheming against all the names of God the rape of Gods mercy and the dare of Gods justice the challenge of Gods power Sin gives the lye to Gods truth and the fool to Gods wisdom And what can sin do more than to take away Gods good name Gods being And that sin would do Or 't is causeless if you consider against whom sin is i.e. God himself who is a jealous God Now a finner takes another lover into his bosome before his eyes yea he is a holy righteous omnipotent almighty living God Thoughts of this may well keep us from complaining Indeed whatever our affliction be we have as much cause to give thanks as to mourn if you consider whatever the punishment be it might be worse or do but look well into it you will see more mercy than affliction Psal 119.75 3. Sinful there is in it 1. unthankfulness while we complain of one affliction we over-look a thousand mercies whereas true grace is ingenious and can see a little kindness mingled with a great deal of severity The Church of God in captivity comparing her afflictions with her mercies breaks forth It is of the Lords mercy that we are not consumed â—am 3.22 blessed be God 't is not yet so bad but it might be worse 2 Cor. 4.8 We are troubled on every side yet not distressed though laid wait for beset on every side put to strive and struggle yet we escape God gives an issue in the temptation We are perplexed but not in despair we are not so helpless that we know not how to turn us we have a God to go to as bad as things are the Lords name is a strong tower persecuted but not forsaken we are shaken out but not to shivers persecuted but not conquered our God hath not quite forsaken us Cast down but not destroyed Psal 118.13 we are cast down but not cast off So Luther They may thrust me back but they cannot thrust me down they may crush me but they cannot kill me or they may kill me but they cannot hurt me they may shew their teeth but they cannot devour Is it a feaver it might have been eternal flames It is scarcity it might be universal famine Is it the danger of losing the Gospel 't is the mercy of God it is not done already Are we in Captivity we might have been in Hell are we in Prison it might have been Tophet The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Psal 118.18 Though men have lost their bowels Gods compassions fail not God's as faithful as ever he hath taken away some of our mercies but he hath not taken away all he hath left us more than he hath taken They are new they are renewed every morning when old mercies are spent God sends us new he is the Father of mercies begets new mercies every moment Who can number or measure his mercies of one day whatever our fears are O blessed be God he loads us with mercies Now the Complainer over-looks all these there 's much unthankfulness in it and that 's a kind of Atheism She knew not that I gave her corn and wine c. Hos 2.8 2. Pride only by pride comes contention men never quarrel with God about their condition but 't is long of the pride of their heart proud man would fain sin and not hear from God would take liberty to sin but would not have God take liberty to punish Isa 8.3 God must take notice of our duties not of our sins God shall hear of it if he take not notice of our prayers but it shall be by complaining if he take notice of our sins A proud man whatever he hath its no more than his due and whatever he wants God 's his debter Hos 6 14. The want of a Complement undoeth him in the midst of honour if we want but one thing our hearts would have surely nature is proud and ready to pick quarrels with God on the least occasion nay if he will not give that mercy we would take all c. 3 Rebellion God strikes him for sin he strikes against God Jer. 31.18 God draws one way and he another c. 4. Vnbelief He that complains of his punishment never believed sin to be so great an evil or God to be such a one as revealed in the Word 5. Interpretative Blasphemy 1. While we dispute our afflictions and wrangle with the present dispensation what is it but to make our selves wiser than God We seem to tell God how it might have been better and so we do as it were give God counsel When he calls for obedience is not that Blasphemy to set up our wisdom against Gods 2. While we complain of punishment we take sins part against God we do as it were justifie sin and judge God God is unrighteous to punish such a sin as this with such grievous afflictions 3. By complaining we do as it were summon God to our Bar to come and give an account of his actions at our Tribunal What poor miserable Creatures are we that in our afflictions are so far from helping our selves that we commonly add to our own misery No affliction is intollerable till sin come in it The yoke God hath made easie we make intollerable and make God to be our enemy while he by affliction would become our friend Now this being found not to be the way that which God counsels and advises is 1. Self-examination Let us search and try our ways Sin and Hypocrisie lies close and deep therefore we must take pains dig to the bottom set up a tribunal in our own conscience summon try judge our selves over and over in Gods presence He stands at our closet doors to hear what we will say Jer. 8.6 before execution what indictment we will bring in against our selves We can tell what such a Drunkard such an unclean person c. hath done but no man saith what have I done my pride my unthankfulness my unfruitfulness c. 2. Reformation
their house for the crowd of the people that are going thither For shame let not this be told in Gath nor published in Askelon What! shall we stand up for the holiness of places and yet oppose the holiness of the Lords day which God hath enjoyned and instituted Oh! that the Magistrates of London Oh! that Englands King Oh! that Englands Parliament would do something for the Reformation of this to oppose wickedness and prophaneness which will otherwise bring upon us the judgments of Sodom and Gomorrah and make us guilty and worthy of a thousand punishments And labour by Prayer in your Families to overcome that flood of prophaneness which you cannot by your strength prevent And then for the Sacraments of Christ Baptism and the Lords Supper these are Ordinances of Gods appointment they are holy and therefore should not be given to those that are unholy and yet those who are so much for the holiness of places do not care who come to the Sacrament if they have but a Nose on their Face they shall come and partake of the Ordinances let them be what they will this is to prefer mans Institution before Gods Institution And then for the Lords Message and Word that is a holy thing and therefore love his Messengers the Messengers of God delivering his message with fear and reverence you are to hear them with the same fear reverence and resolution to be holy as if Christ were present And for the Word of God it is not enough for you to have a choice Sentence written upon the Walls of your Churches but let Gods Law be written in your hearts and consciences and practised in your lives that all the world may see you live as men dedicated to the true God in all the duties of his wayes and obedience Many of these things might have been enlarged What I have give you with the right hand I pray you Christians do not take with the left for if you do you will make your selves guilty of a double sin First Because you do not obey the truth you hear And secondly For putting a wrong construction upon it But I have better hopes of you my beloved hearers and hope that the Lord will be better unto your souls than his Ministers than his Word or any thing else can be God bless you and his Ordinances and discover his mind and will at this time to you Mr. Baxter's Sermon Coloss 2.6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught abunding therein with thanksgiving OMitting the division and in part the opening of the words the Observations is That those that have received Christ Jesus the Lord must accordingly bee rooted built up in him and established in the Faith and walk in him as they have been taught and abound therein with thanksgiving This receiving of Christ signifies to believe in him It is not only to receive his Doctrine or Benefits but to receive his person to receive him as related to us for the uses and end for which he came into the World and for which he offers himself to souls by the Preaching of the Gospel Sinners have lost and undone themselves Christ comes to be the Physitian of Souls hee will not save the unwilling and Despisers of his Grace while they continue in their unwillingness He will save them by the way of covenant while he consents and tenders them his Grace he will have them consent to the terms of his Covenant The consent of the heart exprest by our covenanting with him is this receiving of Jesus Christ He is willing to be our Physitian and when we take him to be so we receive him He is willing to save us from the guilt and power of sin willing to be our Lord Head Intercessor with God Justifier and all unto us and if we consent to this and take him as offered this is receiving Christ with whom his benefits are also received the remission of sins in-dwelling renewing comforting spirit title to everlasting life c. In receiving Christ all this is received Receiving of Christ contains these two things or these two things are essentially contained to make up the nature of saving Faith that is to believe the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ to bee true and to consent that the goodness that is therein revealed and proposed shall be ours To believe what Christ is and what he hath done so far to believe it as here we are resolved to venture our souls though there may be some weakness through our Faiths imperfection and believing the Gospel to be the certain Word of God Then next to entertain the Christ that is offered in this Gospel to be ours with all the benefits that accompany and to all the blessed ends to which he is revealed Thus the Water of Life is freely tendered to all that are athirst and there is no more required but come and drink Then there is two things implyed that are the immediate products of saving Faith and inseparable from it that is trusting on him as the Redeemer and obeying him as a Lord. To rest upon him as a Redeemer Romans 15.12 And here as far as the soul feels entertainment and encouragement by Christ overcoming his doubts that Christ will reject him c. so far he hath quietness of soul in Christ and will trust his soul upon Christ And then the obeying of him in order to our full recovery as a Patient must obey his Physitian in using his Remedies and Means he prescribes for killing our sins restoring our souls to Gods love and being with him to eternity The nature of Faith is to receive Christ the sincerity of it lies in the suitableness of the act to the object that we receive him as he is Now in Christ there is something essential to this act that he be a Saviour and our Saviour c. and there is something makes unto the well-being and fuller attaining of the end The first are the objects of Faith it self as 't is of absolute necessity to Salvation The second sort are the objects of Faith as it is strong and makes to the well being of a Christian All that is essential to Christ as a Saviour and Redeemer is to be believed by him that will approve himself a true Believer And thus to receive Christ as the eternal Son of God made man the Redeemer of the World ruling us upon the right of Redemption justifying us before God bringing us to God and interceding for us And thus Christ must be received according to his Offices and as those uses for which he is given to the soul do import and imply For the Application of this Point First Let us begin with those that our business at present doth not mainly lye on Must men walk in Christ as they have received him What shall we say to those that have not
and Peace 2. To such as have this Grace and no Peace 3. To such as have neither Grace nor Peace First To such as have both Grace and Peace I le speak to them in two or three things First Admire thankfully the Father the Son the Fathers Grace and the Sons Love for both had a hand in this therefore bless both the Father for willing it to us and the Son for working it in us Grace and Peace are the fruits of Gods eternal Election for this blessing the Father gives but the Application of it to us is the fruits of Christs redemption and intercession How can you think of Hell and Damnation and see your self freed from it And how can you think of the dreadful fury and vengeance of God your self not under it How can you look on your state change your heart renewed Grace ratified and reconciled and your Conscience quieted How can you think of these things but must admire the love of the Father in giving this to you and the love of the Son in purchasing this for you All Grace and Mercy that is given to us is by Christ purchased for us Grace and Peace are fruits of the redeeming bloud of Christ purchased Secondly Do not envy the conditions and possessions of the men of the world they have riches and honours profits and pleasures but they neither have Grace nor Peace therefore do not envy their happiness There is a story of a Roman that was condemned by a Court-Marshal to dye for breaking his rank to steal a bunch of Grapes and as he was going to his Execution his fellow Souldiers laughed at him and others envied at him that he should have Grapes and they none Now saith he do not envy me for my bunch of Grapes for you would be loath to have them at the rate I must pay for them My Brethren You that are the children of Grace and Peace do not envy at men of the world at their riches and their comforts their pleasures for I am sure you would be loath to have them at the price they pay for them for the end of these things is death Thirdly do not complain of the worst condition that the providence of God shall cast you into in this it may be you shall suffer hard things but remember so long as thy soul is secure never complain of hard things My brethren as God your Father brought you into a state of Grace and Peace and thereby secured his love to your souls in Christ can you complain of hard things So let the joy of the Lord be your strength Rejoyce in the Lord always and again I say rejoyce Phil. 4.4 The second Use is to such as have neither Grace nor Peace May not I say I speak to many such I would I might not Are there not many that are without Grace and therefore must needs be without peace They may have the worlds peace but they have none of this peace let me beg of you to get out of this Graceless state Oh that you would believe the words of a dying man for so I am to you and such words use to be remembred Oh remember this as a testimony I leave with you that love of Sin and lack of Grace will ruine and destroy every soul at last But you will say How shall I get a share in this Grace and Peace I answer First Break off all your false peace we can never have true peace with God when we content our selves with false peace you will never seek that peace which Christ hath purchased for you while you content your selves with that cursed peace which the Old man hath wrought in you Oh therefore break off all false peace which is not the fruit of grace Secondly Labour to see and be convinced of the miserable and of the naked condition your souls be in for want of the righteousness of Christ for a covering without this soul thou art miserable wretched poor and naked be convinced also what a miserable thing it is to have God our enemy God is the sinners enâ—â—y It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Oh be convinced of thy nakedness without Christs righteousness and thy emptiness without his fulness Thirdly Labour to go out of your selves to Christ for grace and peace Surely in the Lord shall one say I have righteousness and strength I there it is to be found Labour for a thirsty frame of soul for the promises run far to such That he will fill the hungry with good things go to Christ soul beg pray never leave God till he hath given thee an interest in Christ for none can come to me except the Father draw him there is no pardon for the least sin out of Christ but there is pardon for the greatest sin in Christ one sin can damn the soul out of Christ but no sin can hurt the soul in Christ Oh go to Christ soul never give rest to thy eyes nor slumber to thy lids till thou hast made peace with God in the bloud of Christ One sting of the fiery serpent was mortal without looking upon the brazen Serpent so one sin will damn a soul out of Christ but no sin can damn a soul in Christ Fourthly To such as have grace but no sence of peace this is the counsel I would leave with all such Be much in the exercise of grace frame much believe much use grace much for the exercise and improving of grace will produce peace There are ten duties which are to be the sphere of grace in activity and in performing of them we shall have peace First Make Religion your business the main design of your lives be Christians to purpose be not only Christians by the bye but let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ Phil. 1.27 Secondly Put forth renewed Acts of Faith on Christ every day and remember it is as much your duty to believe in Christ to day as if you had never believed before O live by faith every day and this will bring peace to you Thirdly Maintain a constant communion with God daily this communion with God is mans chief good the happiness of a Child is in communion with his Father and the happiness of a wife is in communion with her Husband and this is the happiness of a Believers soul communion with God the Father through Christ our Head and Husband The seed of peace it 's true it is sown in the soul in Union but then it takes root downward and brings forth fruit upward Spiritual peace will never be obtained if communion with God be not maintained that gives comfort in the midst of all sorrows and satisfies all doubts and recompences all wants Lo this is the fruit of communion with God Fourthly Be good at all times but of all best in bad times many Christians lose their peace by remitting of their grace and let loose the reins of Religion to avoid
these persons Now see that other Text that speaks as dreadful as this Heb. 6.4 5 6. For it is impossible for those who are once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Woâ—d of God and the power of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them to repentance Seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame It is the greatest disgrace and affront that man can put upon Christ to Apostatize from him it is not half so much not to own him for by that they crucifie him again and put him to an open shame it is as if they told all the world that this Christ is not worth a believing in and it were but to throw away their time and happiness to believe in him Well then let us that pretend to such enlightnings and say we have tasted of the Heavenly gift and of the good Word of God and of the first Fruits of Heavin let us hold fast lest we come under this upbraid and condemnation But more particularly let us hold fast as we are concerned to do if we consider 1. What we were before Faith 2. What we were by Faith 3. What we shall be at the end of Faith 1. What we were before Faith What were we before Christ waâ— preached and before we believed What were we Why much worse than if we had not been considered in our case and state it is better not to be at all than to be a sinner it were better not to be a people than not to be the people of God Now What were we before Faith Why truly we were not a people so the Scripture tells you They that were not a people are now the people of God so that if we were not the people of God we are as if we were not a people We were What were we before Faith Dark We were the darkness it self as the Apostles expression is in Ephes 5.8 saith he Ye were sometimes darkness The very light that was in us was Darkness corrupting our Understandings and Imaginations the Understanding dark We are dead yea under the worst of deaths dead in sin You saith he that were dead in sins and trespasses hath he quickned How were they dead in sins Did they not live in sin Yes saith he wherein you walked Why what is their Death To live in sin is to be dead in sin all the while the Prodigal lived in his sin the Father said of him he was dead My Son that was dead is alive We were What were we before Faith Why we were children of wrath as well as others Now Beloved consider how many abide thus to this day in darkness Dead in sin and Children of wrath When you are or pretend to be translated out of this Darkness into the marvellous light will not you hold fast You that were dead as well as others and now live is this your requital of God that you will not let it go Oh! I beseech you have a care of that 2. Let us consider What we are by Faith and that will be another obligation upon us We were not so bad before Faith but we are better by Faith We were not in so miserable a case before believing but we are in as happy a case when we do believe Why what are we we are alive and Children of Light and Children of God We are alive You hath he quickened saith he or made alive and My Son that was dead is alive Now what is the work of the Living It is to praise God The Living and the Living they shall praise thee as I do this day Now if this be the work of the Living then consider if we hold not fast our Faith if we Apostatize we are so far from doing the work of the Living that is of praising God that we do all the dishonour we can to God we do the work of dead men Yea we are twice dead We are Children of the Light Ye were in darkness but now are light in the Lord. Now it is very observable what the Apostle speaks concerning the children of darkness and the children of the light 2 Thes 5.5 You Believers saith he are all the children of the light and the children of the day we are not of the night nor of darkness but what follows therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober why for they that sleep sleep in the night and they that be drunk be drunk in the night if any stagger that is the work of the night this is not the work of the day Now every Apostate that wavers he is like a man that is drunk so that he acts clean contrary to the children of the day Saith he They that are drunk are drunk in the night but saith he Let us watch and be sober and let us who are of the day put on the Breast-plate of Faith and for a Helmet the hope of Salvation We are by believing the Children of God Gal. 3.26 For we are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus now Beloved are we weary of so honorable a Title as being the children of God why we are the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Will any body part with so great a Title as this why if we are weary of being God's Children whose can we be none but the Devils and had we rather be the Devils Children than Gods there are but these two either you must be Children of God or the Devils children now you are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus oh therefore let us hold fast the profession of our Faith seeing by Faith we are the Children of God 3. Let us consider what we shall be at the end of Faith why we shall be saved 1 Pet. 1.4 5. and 9. verses compared He hath begotten us to an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that fades not away reserved in Heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last times and in the ninth verse saith he receiving the end of your Faith even the salvation of your souls so that it seems to be weary of believing it is to be weary of being saved not to hold fast Faith is not to hold fast Salvation for saith he you are saved by Faith and the end of your Faith is the Salvation of your souls Can you be contented to be damned can you have patience to think of going to Hell Now put all these together and will you not hold fast you that before Faith were but darkness were but dead were but children of wrath who by Faith are made children of light are made alive and the children of God and who at the end of Faith shall receive the salvation of our Souls And shall not we hold fast shall we leave this Faith
are two things to name no more that are hugely obliging in this very act with its qualification first it is a manly act to hold fast that which is good and it is a childish act to let it go I say it is a manly act it argues something of a great soul and of a great understanding and of a manly resolution to hold fast that which is good but it is childish to let it go and therefore see how the Apostle puts these together Ephes 4.13 14. saith he speaking there That God hath given some Prophets some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for edifying of the work of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Now he comes in the 14 verse to add That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereas they lay in wait to deceive it is not for a man to be tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine for a child to be bought out of a Pearl with a bauble is no great matter but for a man what a shame is it why we should be men not children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine now beloved you know the Scripture calls upon us in such Language as this Be couragious and quit your selves like men be not children that will dance after every pipe tossed to and fro and always unstable Secondly It is not only a manly act to hold fast that which is good and childish to let it go but it is a Christian act a proper Christian act a right Christian act it is that which doth distinguish a true Christian from a hypocrite and a counterfeit you know it is a character of a Godly man he is a praying man there went up two men into the Temple to pray the one was a hypocrite the other a Publican now what is there then in prayer that doth distinguish these two men why faith Job will the hypocrite pray always no not he I will warrant you that is well he held out in the profession of God and of his Worship and Service the Sains are always said to pray but as for the hypocrite will be pray always no not he for here the true children of God they will hold fast but Hypocrites and Formalists they will let go Now mark here the Apostle makes this distinction Heb. 10. ver last But we are not of them who draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of their souls that is of them that believe to the end for the end of our Faith is the salvation of our Souls now pray you mark by the way what you draw back to when you draw back you draw back to perdition they that go backward go to Hell How saith he We are not of them that draw back to perdition but of them that believe to the saving of their souls that is of those that believe to the end and this is the difference he makes between them that are the People of God and them that are not that to the end holds fast the other lets go Thus I have given you an account of the Arguments that are couched in these words drawn from the Subject the Object and the Act with its qualifications I think I promised you a few helps with which I shall conclude take them in these three or four particulars First Would you hold fast I cannot but believe it to be all your desires well then if you would hold fast let me beseech this of you take heed of all and every sort of men that make Religion a Trade to get mony by which perhaps you will say are there any such in the world Oh I would there were not See that 1 Tim. 6.3 4 5. where the Apostle acquaints you with such men saith he If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to godliness the wholesom Doctrine the healing Word what then in the 4. verse saith he he is proud knowing nothing but doating about questions and strifes of words whereof cometh envy strife railings evil surmisings perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth supposing that gain is Godliness or as most read it that godliness is a gain a meer trade to get mony by from which withdraw thy self If you be not baptized they will tell you you are not a Christian and baptized you shall not be unless you pay for it they will tell you cat flesh you must not at such and such times but if you will pay for it you may they will tell you you must not sin by no means but if you will pay for it you may and have a pardon for it when your have done such a one as they can give Oh I beseech you when ever any make use of Religion to get money by take heed of them faith the Apostle from those that make godliness a Trade to get money by withdraw thy self and know that godliness with contentment is great gain Doubtless godliness is the best Trade in the world if closely followed but the worst if worldlily followed but to take up a Profession of the Christian Religion meerly for pomp and state and to get gain Oh rueful Is Christian Religion made use of for such ends as this Oh! take heed therefore as ever you would stand fast in the Faith and hold fast the profession thereof take heed of all and every sort of men that makes use of Religion to get money by Secondly Take heed of the error of the wicked lest you fall from your own stedfastness this advice you have from the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest you also being led away by the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness the error of the wicked is like to make one as wicked as they pray what was this error of the wicked It was this there were a generation of wicked men that said It was in vain to serve God for say they Where is the promise of his coming Only Beloved it was as much as to say there was no reward for godliness nor no wages for ungodliness Oh! take heed of this error of the wicked it is a wicked error and none but wicked ones hold it to wit That it is in vain to serve God therefore keep this still in your hearts that Verily in keeping his Commandments there is great reward if there were no more but the very work it is great honour to us that we may be servants to such a God but Beloved
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
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 Truth of it therefore 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 if 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 Gods 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 Sacrilege it is a robbing of God it is a wrong to God This is that God complains of by the 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 be ye very desolate saith the Lord. The Prophet indoed 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 embracing 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 than when he hath been in a while with me I turn him out all the world now think I find cause to be weary of him They who have shut their hearts against the Truth and never gave any entertainment to it they are less injurious to it than 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 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 iâ— injurious to our own Souls John 8.31 Then 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 in Deed and he hath some that are so in Deed and in Truth and of these he gives a character here If ye continue in my Word You now profess to believe my Word but if you hold fast and continue in my Word then you are my Disciples indeed But if you continue not in my Word you have the name of Disciples only 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 Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God therefore he cannot be saved he that abideth in the doctrine hath the Father and the Son Therefore as you would be saved hold fast the Truths you have received Now here but I have not time to speak to it is a Case of Conscience Whether every error doth cut a man off from God I Answer No God forbid But this we cannot speak to now Fourthly They that hold not fast the Truth of God are injurious to their posterity Our fore-fathers holding fast the truth of God in the day of their trial and sealing it with their bloud was the means of transmitting the purity of the Gospel to us their Posterity and if we in our Generation hold not fast the truth of God but carry it loose in our Consciences and Judgements and we let it fall out of our hands and hearts we forfeit the Truths of God not only from our selves but also from our Posterity Thus you see we shall wrong the God of Truth and the Truth of God we shall wrong our selves and our Posterity if we hold not fast the Truth we have received Thus we have the reasons of the Doctrine Application For Application here first I might bewail the general want of the care of the performance of this Duty which hath appeared many years in this Land We have had little care of holding fast the Truths we have received For holding fast the truth of our Judgement How many are there whose Judgements have been perverted with many Errours This is that which the Apostle calls A turning aside to another Gospel in the first of the Galathians and the sixth verse And so for holding fast the truth in the love of it How many are there that have failed in that which Christ calls The forsaking of the first Love Revelations the second and the fourth verse And we should hold fast the truth in the profession of it and how many are there that have failed in that this the Apostle calls in the tenth of the Hebrews A drawing back unto Perdition And for holding fast the truth in the practice of it How many have failed in that that have been Professors and now are grown loose and debauched This the Apostle Peter calls A turning aside from the holy Commandments All these things call for our lamentation Exhortation But the whole work that I will apply my self to is to exhort every one of you to the care of this duty To hold fast the Truths that you have heard and received Hold them fast in your Judgement hold them fast in your Will and Affections hold them fast in your Lives and Conversations hold the Truths you have received constantly and hold them against all opposition on the right hand and on the left from friends and foes To press this upon you I think I shall need to use no other Motive than what I have laid down before you in the Doctrinal part only this one thing more and that is take notice how urgent the
Spirit of God is in pressing this in Scripture Now saith Mr. Hildersham If in those days when the Apostles were yet living who taught the people of God with more Power and Demonstration of the Spirit than any of us do or can Yes if then they had need of such Exhortation to continue in the Doctrine and to abide in it to stand fast and hold fast the Word and Truth of God how much more needful are these Exhortations in our days If any say no there is not more cause for then the Magistrate was a mortal enemy to the Gospel and the Professors of it but we are thanks be to God under a Christian Magistrate who doth not oppose but Countenance the Gospel and the Professors of it If any makes this Objection I will give you Mr. Hildersham's Answer to it which I find in a Sermon of his Printed in the Year One Thousand Six Hundred Thirty and One which is now One and Thirty years agone saith he Though through the great mercy of GOD we in this Land enjoy the Gospel in great peace and have it countenanc'd by Authority and though through the Religious Disposition of the KING we may have great hopes of the continuance of the true Religion and seem to be freed from all fear of the altering of it Yet says he there is need of this Exhortation in these dayes and that for these Reasons Reas 1. First Because of the great danger we are in of being over-run or over-spread with Popery and the Firy trail before we are aware For sayes he The great increase of Papists that we dailâ— hear of and the great declining of many who are ready to receive an Errour that shall be offered to them These things give us a just cause to fear the danger of Popery over-spreading us And Brethren if it were so in his time so many years ago what is it now Reas 2. Secondly sayes he If so be there were no danger of Popery yet sayes he there are so many Errours newly sprung up that do shew how needful this Exhortation is Reas 3. Thirdly sayes he There is such a general decay of the love of Religion in all places and amongst all sorts of people and so much irreligiousness every where that it is the general disease of the Nation Therefore he concludes that in these times of ours though Religion hath the Magistrate to countenance it yet there is as much need of pressing this Exhortation as ever there was namely To hold fast the Truths that we have heard and received Now if you ask what you shall do that you may be able to hold fast the truths that you have received I will give you some directions First If you would hold fast the Truth that you have heard and received get into Christ be rooted and established in him Brethren it is not all the Learning in the world and Abilities that a man can have that will enable him to hold out and hold fast the Truths that he hath received if a time of tryal come unless Christ be his Bottom and Foundation unless Christ be his strength If a man stands upon his own legs his own Parts and Abilities to argue and dispute and repell objections alas these things will fail in a day of tryal Prison Death and a Stake are such Arguments Brethren that all the Learning and parts of the world cannot answer but only Christ and his Spirit and grace in the heart Therefore if you would hold fast the Truth which you have received and heard and not be beaten off from them in the day of tryal get into Christ be rooted and established in him then shalt thou stand nor else 2. If you would hold fast the Truths that you have heard and received then take nothing upon trust in matters of Religion whatever Preachers you hear or whatever Books you read take not things upon trust but examine them and prove them by the Scriptures and judge what foundation and warrant they have from the Scripture and accordingly receive them or receive them not It is observable in 1 Thes 5. When the Apostle sayes Despise not Prophesyings in the next word he sayes Prove all things and hold fast that which is good as if he should say though I would not have you despise Prophesying and Preachers yet I would not have you to take things upon trust in matters of Religion but prove all things and hold fast that which is good 3. If you would be able to hold fast the truths that you have heard and received get a clear distinct and certain knowledge of what is truth that which you would hold fast get a clear assured knowledge that it is the truth of God 2 Tim. 3.14 Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of If a man would continue in the things that he hath learned he must be assured of them that they are the truths of God But how shall a man be assured that such and such things are the truths of God He may know this first by the consonancy of them to the word of God Secondly by the power of them on his heart to convince or humble and quicken it 4. If you would be enabled to hold fast the truths you have heard and received then get a valuation and esteem of the truths of God Such as David had Psal 119.72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of Gold and Silver Better in it self all the Gold and Silver in the world all the riches in the world will never do a man so much good as that and better in my estimation I value it more I had rather part with all than with the Word A man that is of this mind he will hold fast the truth Oh! that there were such a heart in every one of you as to say The words of Gods mouth they are better than estate and better than liberty and better than Wife and Children if there were such a heart in us this would enable us to hold fast the truth of God and part with all rather than them 5. If you would hold fast the truth that you have received and heard then make conscience to practice according to what you know make conscience to obey the truths of God obedience is the sinew of constancy Christ saith Luk. 6.48 Whosoever hears these sayings of mine and doth them he is like a man which built his house and digged deep and laid the foundation upon a Rock and when the floud arose and the streams beat vehemently upon that house it could not shake it Mark ye it could not be shaken the conscionable practical hearer and receiver of the truth of God he is the man that is like to hold out and to hold fast the Word he that hath been a careless Hearer and never made conscience to hear for obedience and practice he is blown over presently it is a sad passage I have met
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
condition of the Apostles themselves they were Earthen Vessels they had such weaknesses men subject to the like passions as we Vse 2. Secondly As for the people this may improve in all the notions and considerations of an Earthen Vessel First In regard of the meanness you must not esteem the Gospel according to the Vessel according to the disparagement of the Vessel a Vessel of dishonour in respect of its matter may be a Vessel of honour in regard of the Gold that is in it those members of the body that are weak and in themselves less honorable we afford a great deal of honor upon them in deeking and cloathing them So the Ministers work and employment and the Doctrines they bring are excellent and of great use when all is done we have that we serve for according to the imployment we are put to we are honorable though outwardly mean Wicked and base men are called Filii Terrae they are Sons of the Earth Job 30.8 Children of Fools yea Children of base men they are viler than the Earth i.e. Men of no account as one saith the Earth groans under such ungracious persons but gracious persons are Vessels of honor as it was said of the Giants of old so it may be said of these They are men of Renown and so we shall esteem of them Worldly men look at the outside and so esteem of them so was Christ dealt with Is not this the Carpenters son So those Teachers in Corinth endeavoured to render Saint Paul his presence weak and his speech contemptible 2 Cor. 10.11 that so they might make his Ministry contemptible also But this glorious Treasure is in Earthen Vessels You know saith Paul Gal. 4.13 that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you at first This was their commendation v. 14. But my temptation which was in my flesh you despised not nor rejected but received me as an Angel of God even as Jesus Christ All his weaknesses and whatever was matter of discouragement they did not despise but honorably entertained him even as Christ himself So it was the commendation of the Thessalonians 1 Thess 2.13 That they received not the word as the word of man but as it is in truth the Word of God looking to the mighty God to make it effectual so should all others do upon this consideration 2. Seeing Ministers are Earthen Vessels in regard of moral infirmities which adhere to them in respect of their corruptions and weaknesses judge of them as men but esteem of what is righteous in them though they have great advantages against sin yet notwithstanding they are not totally exempted and free from sin as they are Ministers so they are men 3. In regard that Ministers are Earthen Vessels in respect of their frailty Seeing then they are so frail and transitory therefore accordingly you should make use of them deal kindly and affectionately with them in that they are quickly broken What is sooner broken than a Glass or an Earthen Vessel Ministers are quickly taken away and therefore you should be tender of them while you have them Where are all the Fathers Do the Prophets live for ever The Word of the Lord indeed indureth for ever but the Preacher of it doth not the Gospel is eternal but the Dispenser is mortal the Calling is lasting but the Minister is transitory and therefore you should carry your selves with all tenderness and respect to them take heed of grieving their spirits seeing they are so soon broken Endeavour also to improve by them and to get as much good as you can by them It is a great argument to work while it is day because the night comes when no man can work whilst God affords means and opportunities make use of them we are but Passengers therefore this is a great ground for you to get all the good you can by Ministers seeing they are frail Lastly By way of Improvement Take notice of the wayes of God as different from mans God puts excellent Treasure into Earthen Vessels we keep treasure in Strong Holds in the strongest Repositories Gods wayes are not as our wayes he goes another way than we do he makes use of the poorest meanest and most frail Creatures sometimes he layes aside many times men of greater abilities parts and quality and makes use of weaker to do this great work Chrysostome makes an Expostulation If it be excellent Treasure why in Earthen Vessels therefore it is a Vessel of Earth because an excellent Treasure Thus Gods wayes are unsearchable this is the Improvement Now besides this interpretation given of it there is another that will not be impertinent Some understand by Earthen Vessels the Expressions Words and Phrases of the Ministry through which the Doctrines and Truths of the Gospel are conveyed this is agreeable to what went before Some false Teachers in Corinth pleased themselves with eloquent and enticing words of worldly Wisdom and so endeavoured to render Pauls preaching despicable in regard of the plainness of it Therefore saith the Apostle we have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels i. e. familiar conveyances that so we may easily understand it Thus I have explained this Earthen Vessel and so have done with the first considerable part viz. the Dispensation it self This Treasure we have in Earthen Vessels I come now to the second viz. II. The account of this Dispensation That the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us Which words may be considered two wayes First Either Absolutely as lying in themselves Or Secondly Connexively to the words before going 1. Take them absolutely as they lie in themselves and two things are exhibited 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry it self called Power 2. The Author and Original of it laid down two ways positively of God and negatively not of us 1. The excellency of the Gospel and Ministry thereof called Power There is a great deal of power and efficacy in the Gospel 't is in its nature powerful and efficacious so the Ministry of it Rom. 1.16 I am not ashâ—med of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one thâ—t believeth See 1 Cor. 2.4 Paul's preaching was in the dimonstration oâ— the Spirit and of â—ower c. 'T is called the Arm of Gods Power the Sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 'T is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of the Soul and Spirit c. Heb. 4.12 and many other places We may conceive it to be so according to the various effects and consequences of it viz. as to 1. Conviction 2. Conversion 3. Consolation 1. 'T is powerful in regard of Conviction 't is a word of Conviction and one part of the work of the Ministry is by the Spirits co-operation to convince the World of sin to open mens eyes to shew them the vileness of their ways to discover such courses to be sinful the
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
while Stephen sees nothing but blood here below he saw Heaven above And Christ rells his Disciples In the world they shall have tribulation but in him they shall have peace 6. And lastly Though this be one great work of the Spirit of God to comfort the hearts of Christs Disciples yet there are some special seasons wherein the Spirit of God gives out this comfort There are seasons of sadness there is a season of heaviness and there is need of it There is a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to dance I shewed you some of the Seasons 1. One special season of the Spirits comforting the renewing Soul is presently upon the Souls first salvation After the spirit is become a Spirit of Adoption presently it becomes a Spirit of Consolation after the Spirit hath come into the soul in the Law it then nextly appears a Spirit in the Gospel 2. Another season when the Spirit gives out this comfort is just before the Lord layes upon his people any great affliction When was it that Christ was transfigured and his face did shine as the Sun it was immediately before his bloody passion Christ was first taken into the Mount before he was lifted up upon the Cross When was the voice heard This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased but just before he was led into the Wilderness to be tempted When was Paul lifted up into Heaven it was immediately before Satan was sent to buffet him Thus God gives his people something beforehand to support their Spirits that they may not faint the Disciples were full of comfort Acts 5 41. And when was this immediately just before they were carryed before the Council and whipt up and down like Vagabonds and Rogues for preaching the Gospel 3. Another Season when the Spirit gives out this Comfort is in the time of suffering God comes in the nick of time especially if a man suffer for righteousness sake if this suffering be upon the account of Christ he seldom sails to send the Comforter for the relieving of his Spirit 1 Pet. 4.13 But rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad also with exceeding joy Bodily confinement and in ward straits are the time of the souls greatest inlargement John had his vision in the Isle of Patmos When a Child of God is brought to a piece of bread then is the season for God to feed him with heavenly Manna Jacob had glorious Visions while he was flying from the wrath of his Brother when he had nothing but a heap of Stones for his Pillow It was in the Wilderness that God speaks to his Church thus I told you of Mr. Glover a Prisoner who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment but when he was going to the stake he cryed out He is come be is come meaning the Spirit the Comforter 4. Another season of Comfort is after some special exercise of grace godly sorrow-for sin free actions in the pardon of sin and new Engageme â—â—s and Resolutions and Promises of more close walking with God after declining from him 5. Another season of Comfort is After some great Tryals and Afflictions Light is then most pleasant when we newly are come out of a dark place after Thunder comes Lightning after a Storm comes a Calm God led his people first into the Wilderness and then into the Land of Canaan It is often so in Gods Dispensations towards his people their greatest Afflictions go before their greatest Deliverances And therefore let not the Saints of God despair when they are at the lowest when they walk in darkness and see no light yet let them trust in the Lord. 6. Another Season of comfort was when men were conscienciously diligent in their particular Callings then they walk with God To this I gave you an instance in the Shepherds they were faithful and diligent in their Callings they were watching over their flocks by night and then the Angel comes and tells them To you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luke 2.11 A company of poor Shepherds keeping of their Sheep God appears unto them and manifesteth his comforting Presence when the Scribes and Phaâ—isees notwithstanding all their long prayers and their strict Rites and Ceremonies hear not a word of him 7. Another Season of comfort is when we are either preparing for or in the spiritual act of some duty When grace is exercised to prepare the heart to pray and in attendance upon such an Ordinance then oftentimes the Spirit of God is with them to let poor souls in their endeavors finde acceptance with God Hannah had been praying to God But what melody did she finde in her heart When Mary sate â—at Christs feet how doth Christ fill her heart with comfort sealing up her salvation to her I now come to close with some Application Vse of Information Use If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the hearts of Christs Disciples then by way of Information I gather this That a poor soul is very hardly setled and satisfied in point of Comfort Sure it is a hard matter to comfort a poor soul when one of the Persons of the blessed Trinity must be employed on purpose to do it This is an office belonging to the Holy Ghost when he is to be the Paraclec the comfort of the Holy Ghost This sure is a hard matter to comfort the wounded spirit when the soul is full of the spirit of bondage Oh! the hesitates the jealousies the doubts and fears the objections that a poor soul makes against his spiritual peace and comfort now it begins to take comfort then it doubts again now he believeth and takes courage but anon he is afraid there is a great deal ado to fasten comfort upon a poor soul 2 Cor. 1.22 23. What a heap of Words are there together and it is all little enough to comfort a poor soul Now he that establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God and hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts It is not without much tugging and drawing that the soul is first brought to believe and then when it doth believe it is a hard thing to perswade it that it doth believe There is a strange kind of squemishness upon the heart he thinks that there is no comfort to be taken that doth belong to him Luther says It is a harder thing to comfort a troubled Conscience than to raise the dead Surely it must be as hard when nothing but the same power must do it The soul is hardly convinced but all the glad tidings of the Gospel are golden streams and all the Promises are but pleasant Fancies without any Reality but that these things should belong to him this he cannot believe for want of faith
in such a condition as can know no want He that is not in Christ cannot be rich He that is in Christ cannot be poor Judge not of his condition by what he appears to be outwardly A Believer is worth as much as the Promises come to which are his Charter as much as the Kingdom of Heaven comes to which is his Reversion Prop. 3. Christ takes notice of all the reproaches and blasphemies of his Adversaries I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are of the Synagogue of Satan Christ counts himself reproached when his Servants and wayes are reproached The reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me A Christian doth quarter Arms with Christ Therefore all the reproaches of the black mouths they are especially taken notice of by Jesus Christ There is not a word they can speak but is presently recorded among the memorandums of Jesus Christ Repent if it be possible that the word in thy tongue the thought in thy mind may be forgiven I say if it be possible though a malicious Scoffer does seldom return Prop. 4. What ever the Children of God suffer at any time before the Grave they may suffer still I know thy works and tribulation nay yet the wind is not yet over in the next verse thou shalt suffer After great expences of bloud and treasure still more heavy calamities the water of Tribulation doth rise higher and higher till the Believer resists unto bloud striving against sin you must expect it you must go with your lives in your hands resolving upon the greatest trouble to wade through a deep floud of calamities not one piece of the Cross excepted Prop. 5. Christ usually gives notice to his people in their sufferings he tells us before hand So Joh. 16.7 Mat. 24.9 Acts 9.16 There never did besal any great trial but the Church of God had notice of it Abraham had notice of the ruine of Aegypt So the Antichristian trouble must come upon the Church rise higher and higher specially in the last days they are set down exactly in the Book of the Revelations And the reasons are 1. That Gods people may not be offended when troubles come Joh. 16.1 I told you that you might not be offended Look for them that you may not be terrified by reason of the unexpectedness of them 2. That he might convince us that there is nothing befalls us without his privity he that foresees them must needs see them he that forecasts them must needs have the ordering of them not a hair of your head falls to the ground without his Council without his hand 3. 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 therefore be as Noah being warned of God believing his word he was moved with fear and built an Ark. Prop. 6. Whatever 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 is very comprehensive there is a fear that we cannot be without and there is a fear we may not admit A fear there is of dependence this furthers our preparation prayer renouncing our selves flying to the Lord Jesus under his wings that is a blessed fear of trouble that makes us to come nearer to God But then there is a fear of despondencie Apostasie a fear of Distraction so as to be dismayed discouraged There is no ground of salvish fear as to God no ground of a 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 what ever bitter ingredient there is in it still it s of thy Fathers procuring why wilt thou suspect it to be poyson and be 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 alwayes 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 to lift a pound weight and to lift an hundred pound weight 4. Fear not any of these sufferings because none of them shall hurt thee God hath said he will stave 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 impairing 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 happiness thou shalt lose nothing to do thee good no loss of communion with God no loss of Grace Peace and Comfort thy interest shall not be shaken thy 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 lose that thou dost but if you will buckle your self to that service God calls for active when 't is active passive when 't is passive this is that piece of godliness that is great gain Thou wilt either live or die and shalt gain both wayes if thou livest thy Graces shall be better the Spirit of God shall be 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 sew things that are ready to choak our faith disparage God and cut the sinews of our endeavours to any service God calls us to 1. Consider our troubles are like to be great here is the Symptom of Gods displeasure upon us here is the pouring out of such a providence among us as is usually attended with destructive Judgments Sodoms calamity was coming when one Lot was discharged Germany's calamities was coming when one Luther was taken away Lord then what woe is this to sweep away so many faithful
may not forget but keep in our memories the words of Christ First consider That all the promises and counsels which Jesus Christ hath made known to us are not only for the present but for the future use Isa 22.23 Hearken and hear for the time to come We should hear as if we were to hear no more The Cordial which hath sometime revived us must not be lain aside lest for want of it another time we faint quite away The reason why they were ready to faint under afflictions Heb. 12.5 was because they had forgotten the Exhortation which speaketh to them as to Sons For this cause Jesus Christ often bids his Disciples remember the word he had spoken to them and knowing their frailty promises his Spirit Joh. 14.26 and that says he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bring to his remembrance Secondly consider Not to remember the words of Christ is a sad sign of our dis-esteem of Jesus Christ We usually remember Precepts Counsels and Sayings according to the authority which the person hath with us from whence they come It is a very great dishonour to Jesus Christ when he shall cast his words behind our backs Did we honour Jesus Christ as our King Lord and Law-giver we should be more careful to remember what he hath spoken to us We often blame our Heads as if the fault lay only there that we do not remember the words of Christ when indeed the fault lies most in the Hearts that we have not more and esteem of Christ there Thirdly The time will come when we shall dearly repent every Truth forgotten that we did not endeavour to seal instruction upon our Hearts First When God shall with-hold instruction from us because we have refused it the time may come when as Amâ—s 8.12 Men shall run to and fro and seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it and then we shall see the worth of the Word that now we prize not Secondly When God shall call us to account for all Sermons and Instructions we have received as he will certainly do though we forget yet he will remember and he will ask how we have kept and improved the Word he hath spoken to us To help us in keeping or remembring the words of Christ First Let our hearts be affected with the worth and excellency of the Word that it is more precious than Gold or Silver and then we shall keep it as choyce Treasure That which a man prizeth he will keep in safe custody and have often in his eyes as David sayes of the Word Psal 119.97 O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day long If a man account the Word as his Treasure he will not forget it as Jerem. 2.32 Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attires This they forget not Yet because we account the Word as excellent and necessary as these therefore it follows Yet my people have forgotten me dayes without number Secondly Apply every word of Christ to your own Soul though men will not keep what is anothers yet usually they keep what is their own while men carve away the Word to others as if it concern'd not them it is no marvel if they keep it not but if we accounted every word as spoken to us and our portion we should hear and keep it Men remember the news which concerns themselves We should hear Christ speaking as Job 5.27 Hear thou this know it for thy good Thirdly Meditate often upon what you have received as Mary pondered the sayings which she heard in her heart The way to keep any thing safe is to have a constant eye upon it Meditation is the Souls serious retiring into it self to take a view of all that of God that is laid up within it self Fourthly Hasten to do all that you have heard and learned Psal 119.16 It is said by David I made haste and prolonged not the time to keep his Commandements A man will not easily forget his Trade for if we daily obey commands and believe promises we cannot easily forget the commands and promises given to us which last direction leads me to the second Exhortation Secondly It may exhort us to keep the words of Christ with an Evangelical and Practical keeping Keep the Word as a man keeps his Rule or the Souldier keeps his Weapon let not the Word depart from thee and do not thou depart from it by forsaking the appointments and commands of Christ First Consider That if we do not keep the words of Christ by obeying and a suitable walking we do but in vain pretend love to Jesus Christ as they that had no more of Christ but to call him Lord Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven c. So not every one that sayes he loves me but he that doth my Word he is my friend Secondly Consider What a sin it is to pretend love to Christ and not so truly to love Him as to keep his Words 't is Hypocrisie they be Christs false friends an open enemy is less dangerous than they Ezek. 33.31 They hear my words but they will not do them their heart goes after convetousness They be false to themselves and delude their own souls with a bare profession and hearing Jam. 1.22 Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Thirdly Consider What judgment they incurr and who can tell how great it is 'T is called a beating with many stripes when the least stripe from that hand can break the loyns Luke 12.47 He that knoweth his Masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stâ—ipes Fourthly Consider This is the clearest evidence of our interest in Christ of his love to us That we keep his Commandements By this we know that we love him as our Christ when we do not only love him as a Jesus a Saviour but obey him as a Lord and follow his Law When God shall write his Law in our hearts is not this an evidence that Christ is ours Fifthly Great and many are the encouragements which he hath promised to them that keep his words There be many blessings in the Word but they only have the blessings for theirs who keep his Word James 1.15 Whoso looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty and continueth therein he being not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word this man shall be blessed in his deed he shall ask what ye will and have it Job 15.7 If you abide in me and my words abide in you ask what you will and it shall be done unto you That we may do the words of Christ First Let it be the aim and intention of our Souls when we come to hear to turn hearing into doing Say as Paul did Acts 9.6 Lord what wilt thou have me to do and Cornelius Acts 10.33 Now therefore are we all here present before God to hear all things
that I should be charged with such a horrid impiety as this Oh but Brethren the very truth is it is a very common thing by interpretation to give the lye to God and all that do not believe according to that Gospel-believing that you have heard do tell God to his face that he is a Liar How doth that appear Why take a little help such I am able to give you To profess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God that he came to be the Saviour of the World is ordered out to be our Righteousness is sent of God to preach Liberty to captives to heal diseased souls and to deliver poor creatures from the bondage of the Devil these things people generally profess to believe but mark you now they never come to Christ nor never set in with him upon this account and to this purpose O Lord thou art the Jesus the Anointed of God I come to thee for life I am a poor dead creature I am in a state of unrighteousness and thou art given to be for righteousness Lord I flye to thee for it I am a poor diseased creature the Plague is set upon my soul and thou art appointed to heal the Soul of the Plague I come to thee for healing There is not one of thousands that come thus to Christ Will you now see how the lye is given to God I profess for my part saith one I know no such matter Jesus is the Christ and I profess to believe so and he is appointed of God for such and such things he is sent to preach liberty to the captives I know not that there is such bondage Christ came to save sinners alas I know no need of any such salvation by him he came to heal diseased Souls I am well enough what need have I of Christ What is this but to give the lye to God He that receives not Christ makes God a liar for he doth in effect say Lord thou sayest so and so concerning the World I know nothing of all this and so the lye is given to God And is it nothing to give the lye to the great God the God of Truth And I tell you while you profess this Jesus to be the Christ the Son of God and in the mean time flye not to him you believe him to be the Son of God and that all authority is given unto him and you will not subject to his authority why you give the lye to God and is this nothing 2. Consider the sad condition of such as believe not according to a right Gospel-believing they are such as are liable to the dreadfulest touches from the Devil that possibly can be He that believeth is born of God overcomes the World and is enabled to keep himself that the wicked one doth not touch him with a mortiferous touch But I tell thee whatever thou art that are under the power of unbelief thou are in danger of a dreadful touch from the Prince of Darkness And if thou livest and diest in a state of unbelief thou wilt fall under the power of condemnation I remember what our Saviour speaks and consider well of it You stand out in opposition to my Doctrine but I tell you Except you believe I am he you shall dye in your sins a dreadful word you shall dye in your sins and what then be damned eternally this is the condition of all such as are in a state of unbelief But then on the other hand in case we be able to give a good account of our believing that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and of our believing on him concerning whom these Testimonies are given Oh what cause have all such to rejoyce in their condition the condition of such persons is happy beyond all expression and comprehension that have owned these Truths owned that Jesus of whom these faithful testimonies are given Now all the Chapter according to the account I have given you comes in to the purpose of comforting and rejoycing the hearts of such persons Here is your comfort now really believing according to a right interpretation of Gospel-believing this is your priviledge you are the persons that are born from above you are the persons that shall be enabled to overcome the world to bear up against all opposition that Men and Devils can make against you you are the persons that have the witness within you and you shall be able to bear up against all the contradictions of sinners you are the persons that have Christ and have eternal life by him you shall have it nay you have it already He that believeth on the Son of God hath eternal life he hath it in the beginnings of it and shall have it in the compleat state of it being brought over to Gospel-believing you may come with boldness to God in a way of Prayer with holy confidence that whatever else you ask believing you shall have a good account of it God doth not neglect any believing Prayer of a believing Soul And all the priviledges of the Gospel are entailed upon you and you are entitled unto them and you shall have the benefit of them while you live and when you dye unto all eternity well may it be said of such a person Blessed is be and she that hath believed with a Gospel-believing Gospel-Truths and Testimonies concerning Christ and on Christ on whom those Testimonies are given for there shall be a full and perfect accomplishment of what ever God hath spoken with his mouth concerning such And then lastly if the Grace of God hath brought us over to a closing with Christ of whom these Truths and Testimonies are given why the last branch of the explication is but this That you would but justifie your believing and labour to manifest the reality of your believing according to the Gospel by a suitable walking this is that that shall be the closing up of this application Oh Brethren let us consider well our Saviour tells us in Matth. 11. Wisdom is justified of her Children Why if ever we mean to approve our selves to be Wisdoms Children our care must be for to give in our Justification of Wisdoms sayings and for to carry it in a congruousness and suitableness unto that Gospel-believing which we profess to be by grace brought over to Why but what is that you will say why consider the Text and see what remains of the Chapter I shall make it our give it out to you in this way Why first of all this one special duty that lies upon you That you would study your mercy and know what God hath been to you and done for you and how highly you are dignified and not be always in a fluctuating state and upon the questioning and disputing point but to come to some well grounded confidence that you may be able to say We know that this and that is our condition and this and that is our dignified priviledge that we are planted under Do but
while they are in the World they are as Heirs in their minority they have not yet the possession of their inheritances but it is theirs and they shall have it in reversion but hereafter when they shall leave this earthly Tabernacle then they shall have the possession of it Every true and sincere Believer he is an Heir to a Crown even a Crown of glory that fadeth not away Their lines are fallen to them in a pleasant place they have a goodly Heritage the Lord is the portion of their Inheritance Psal 16.5 6. It is the hope of this Inheritance of theirs that carrieth on the souls of the Saints in the whole course of their lives and maketh them joyfully and willingly to wade through all their troubles and difficulties that they meet with in their way to Heaven It is the consideration of this their portion and inheritance which they are entailed to by having God for their Father that makes them forget the things that are behind and press forward towards the mark for the price of the high calling which is in Jesus Christ it is their acting faith upon this and having an eye to the recompence of reward that makes them run with patience the race that is set before them as knowing that when they have finished their course they shall receive a Crown of Life which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give them at that day Here the godly have the earnest of their inheritance which is the Spirit of God Eph. 1.14 After that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possâ—ssion unto the praise of his Glory Here Believers have the promise of their inheritance The Word of God is a Believers Patent for his inheritance in which God doth as it were by promise make over Heaven and Happiness and Glory to true Believers to be enjoyed by them for ever in the Life to come but hereafter then they shall have the fruition and possession of it Would you know what a glorious Inheritance this is that the children of God by believing are entitled to 1 Pet. 1.4 It is an Inheritance uncorruptible undefiled which fadeth not away They are Heirs to a Crown of Glory the are heirs of God and coheirs with Jesus Christ which is the Heir of all things believe it Friends it is such a glorious inheritance that the Children of God are entitled unto that all the Inheritances and Poffessions in the world are but a trifle in comparison of it to set out the beauty and excellency of the Saints inheritance is a task fitter for some Angel than for a mortal Creature For eye hath not seen neither hath ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive what the Lord hath laid up for them that fear him Isa 64.4 Thus you see what abundant cause of comfort Believers have upon this consideration that God is their Father and that they are his children in every condition of their lives in every trouble either outward or inward howsoever it be with a regenerate Christian one that is a true child of God he hath cause to take comfort in this First Is a Believer in want here in the World is he in distress and driven to streights not knowing what course to take for the supplying of his natural wantâ— as Gods people are driven to such conditions sometimes he can go to God as unto a Father and make his wants and necessities known to him he both can and will finde out some way or other for a supply for you He that hath promised so large a portion hereafter in Heaven will not deny so much of this World as is necessary for you in your way to Heaven Your Father knows what good things you have need of Mat. 6.8 God which is the Believers Father knows what things they need and he is ready to hear them and knoweth how to help them Secondly Is a Believer in danger is he inviron'd about with his Enemies on every side and compassed about with those that seek his hurt Oh! what comfort is this that he can go to God as unto a Father for help even to him that is Almighty and able in a moment to defend them from their most powerful and politick adversaries is a godly man in danger and hath he Enemies that do wrongfully seek his life as David had Psal 31.13 yet he may have the same confidence that David had in that condition and say as he said in the follownig Verse Yet I trust in thee Oh Lord I said thou art my God my times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine Enemies and from them that persecute me Thirdly Doth a Believer finde his corruption within to rebel against the regenerate part Doth he finde the Law in his Members which is warring against the Law of his minde to lead him into captivity to the Law of sin and death Doth he finde his sins to be very strong within him and that they begin to draw him away from God Oh! what comfort is this to a Child of God in this condition that he can go and complain then to his heavenly Father and be consident that this Father will hear him and hâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and make him more than a Conqueror over all the Enemies of his 〈◊〉 Fourthly Art thou that art a believer in doubt and knowest not what course to take go to thy heavenly Father for direction he is the infinitely wise God and he will be sure to direct thee for the best Fifthly Art thou slandered reviled and reproached in the world and made the common scorn and derision of the Ungodly go to thy Father thy heavenly Father and complain to him he will certainly clear up thine innocency as the light at noon-day and wipe off all the reproaches that are wrongfully cast upon thee Sixthly Art thou that art a Believer wronged by men and knowest not how to right thy self go to thy Heavenly Father he will certainly set all things right one day neither is it all the power and policy of thine adversaries nor their riches nor any thing that shall be able to pervert him and hinder him from redressing thy wrongs and from doing thee right Seventhly and lastly Dost thou finde thyself to be in a state of languishing thou that art a Believer for to such I am speaking all this while Dost thou finde thy natural strength to decay and thy sickness to encrease and thy pains to grow upon thee putting thee in minde that thy body must be shortly laid in the grave telling thee that thou mayest expect with in a few days or hours to lay down thy earthly Tabernacle and to encounter with the pangs of death Oh happy soul then that canst make thy approaches to God as unto a Father and breath out thy soul into the bosome of thy Heavenly Father and say as Christ did when he was on
and by our lively trust through the Covenant of Grace on our part let there be such a unity between Christ and us that all the powers of Hell may not be able to separate us from thee speak peace to our hearts still our consciences say I have received a sacrifice for you I shall befriend you I will be just and faithful to forgive your sins my Law is sully fulfilled by another though broken by you my Justice is fully satisfied by another though provoked by you my wrath is ceased by the means of another though incensed by you Oh Lord what a cordial would this be canst not thou amongst this great multitude of people espy some that through the Spirit of thy Son would worship thee in thine own way speak peace to every such soul Is there any soul before thee O Lord to whom thou hast given the grace of desire O lord give them grace according to their desire and thou which didst regard us when we were running from thee do not reject us now we are drawing near thee And thou which bidst us believe by the command of thy Word help us to believe by the operation of thy Spirit draw us that we may be able to follow thee thy loving kindness is better than life Some do say Who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and thou wilt glad our hearts more than in the time when Corn or wine or Oil increaseth Let it be fair above head when it is dirty below let us see one contrary in another let us confute an eye of sense with an eye of faith and when we come to see nothing here that can gratifie our senses let us have something to quiet our souls We would fain be at war with sin that we may be at peace with thee though we cannot return as much as we have received yet help us to return as much as we can give us repentance unto life epentance from dead works a mourning fat greater for the remembrance of sin than we have pleasure in the committing of sin those secret distempers in our souls that no eye sees but thine let us cry out Wretched men that we are who should deliver us from this body of sin And as the fear of condemnation doth decrease so set the fear of transgression increase And because O Lord thou hast not made us to bleed with thy greatness O Lord make us to blush with thy goodness let us as truely desire that Heaven would enter into us into a way of holiness here as we desire to enter into Heaven in the way of happiness hereafter Let us see that our kindness to sin is cruelty to our Saviour let net that live quietly one minuite with us that would not let Christ live let us see there is nothing small by which the great God is offended and an immortal soul is damned We are to be in the world but for a while to take a turn or two and be gone Oh that we might make it the business of our life to get into Christ though it be the scorn of men and burdensome to nature yet this is that which will bring us peace at last Let us be what we profess our selves to be let us love Christ and evangelically keep his commandements let us live by faith let us keep thy Commandements let us be above the world in the world above the love of life and above the fear of death let not the smiles of the world allure us nor the frowns thereof affright us from thee but in all these things let us be more than conquerers through Jesus Christ Let us love him much whom we cannot love too much Help us to be above the power of Hell let us ever say My soul it is good for me to draw nigh to God Let us be willing rather to be faved with a few than go to Hell in a crowd let us live as if Eternity were long and life but short let us thrive in holiness and be brought neerer to thy self by every dispensation let us in this our day know the things that concern our peace before they be hid from our eyes and know the time of our visitation and though God suffer long he will strike at last O Lord bow the heavens and come down among us at this time and be with the unworthiest of thy servants and give unto him a door of utterance and to thin great people a door of entrance and let them be all taught of God and let them truly find that the great God is teaching to the heart when that a weak worm is speaking to the ear let all the work be done by theo and let all he praise redound unto thee and let him that is with us be greater than he that is in the world behold us in the Son of thy love smell aswee savor of rest on these our poor prayers speak peace to our consciences rebuke the tempter tread him under our feet shortly raise us up to newness of life let us remember when that which is perfect is rome that which is imperfect shall be done away Hear us and help us through our dear Redeemer let us live for him here and with him hereafter and all for his sake whom not seeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory to whom with thee and thy Sprit be Glory and Honour now an for ever Amen Mr. Cradocott's Prayer at St. Sepulchres MOst glorious and most gracious Lord God who art God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hast put thine own Name and stamp upon this Day wilt thou be pleased to appear now and prepare and dispose our unprepared and indisposed souls for holy Observation of this thine holy day Will the Lord vouchsafe us the incomes of his spirit and influences of his Grace whereby we may be inabled to offer up spiritual Sacrifice which may be acceptable to Jesus Christ Lord thou requirest praying hearts but thou hast not commanded us to use Prayer-books and if thou wilt give us the Spirit of Prayer we shall not need them Lord give us praying hearts at this time let us find by experience that the Sabbath is a day of Souls opportunity that thine Ordinances are full of marrow that thou hast not said unto thy Children the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain VVe acknowledge we are unworthy to lift up our eyes to heaven we have cause enough to cry out God be merciful to us sinners undeserving ill-deserving men and women we acknowledge our natures are blots of all wickednesses we are by nature enemies to thy Majesty heirs of death children of darkness slaves to sin captives to lust dead to sins and trespasses how are our understandings darkned and our hearts-hardened what are our hearts but a store house of malicious thoughts a brothel house of adultery a palace of pride we are by nature
meek spirits as Christ did take our flesh let us partake of his Spirit Why dost thou imbitter the brest of the Creature to us but that we should finde the sweetness of the Promises There is as much in the Promises as ever let us live upon God let us cast anchor in Heaven and we shall never sink Shower down thy blessings even the choicest of them upon the head and heart of our dread Sovereign Charles by thy appointment of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith let him see wherein his cheifest interest lies let him count those his best subjects that are Christ's subjects Bless him â—n hâ—s Royal Consort in his Royal Relations the Lords of his Privy Council let them be a terror to eviâ— doers and incouragers of those that do well Bless all thy Ordinances to us make them to be fulness of life to every one before thee we are come this day to partake of them Oh pour in Wine and oyl into our souls let us be a watered garden let this blessed Sacrament be a poyson to our lust and nourishment for our Grace Hear us be our God follow us with mercy crown us with acceptance and all for Christ his sake whom not seeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce to Christ with thee and thy holy Spirit be Glory Honour and Praise now and for ever Amen Mr. Lye 's Prayer at Allhallows Lumber-street O Lord our great God thou canst do all things for thou dost dispose and govern all the wayes and works and words of thy Creature to thâ—ne own praise We thy poor Creatures the workmanship of thy hands the price and purchase of thy Sons blood do desire this morning to fall down and humble our selves at the Throne of thy Grace we desire to lift up an eye of Faith to thee that thou mayest dart an eye of Love to us since thou hast commanded us to come unto thee Oh bless us now we come Let it not be in vain for any of us from the high'st to the low'st from the richest to the poorest that we have sought thy Face this morning Blessed Father pour down a spirit of Prayer a Spirit of preaching a Spirit of Rejoycing a spirit of Practising in the midst of us let us not only be enabled to know what to do but to do what we know Thou that distd cure the eyes of the blind with clay and spittle Oh heel that natural dimness that is in the best of us Thy Rod in the hand of Moses brought water out of the Rock Oh do thou strike upon those rocky hearts that our adamantine hearts being softned may gush out into Rivers of tears Oh drown our sins in the Red sea of our saviours blood help us to smite upon our thigh and to ask our selves what we have been and what we have done and humble us under the omission of any commanded duty and the comission of any for bidden sin sins of thoughts wordes and dieds sins against the Law against the Gospel of youth manhood and old-age sins before under and since conversion sins against prayers vows promises covenants and oaths Oh Lord if thou didst prefer thy Bill against us we could not stand if we were weighed in the balance of the Sanctury we should be found too light but holy Father remember not against us our former sins but rather have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindness cross and blot out our iniquities blot them out so fully and wholly that it may be to us as to Judath in the promise that the sins of Judath should be sought for and not found O bathe our souls in that Fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem though our sins have been as Scarlet let them be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson let them be like Wool We have read that a flood of sin brought down a deluge of water that they covered the tops of the mountains Oh let thy deluge of mercy cover the tops of the mountains of our sins It is the glory of a God to pardon great sins We desire to turn unto thee with our whole hearts do thou subdue our iniquities let us be not only cleansed but let us have the efficacy of the spirit of Christ to wash us from the guilt of sin because we boast we are not under the Law but under Grace Be gracious to our Soveraign Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland It is thy promise that Kings shall be Nursing Fathers to thy children grant that under the shadow of his Majesty thy people may be protected that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Oh let thy people possess the Land from Dan to Beersheba Oh give us Scripture-Magistrates and Gospel-Ministers as long as the Sun and Moon endures Let thy VVord be sanctified to us let it not be only as water to get out our spots but as a Refiners fire to purge our dross and take away our tin And holy Father where thou hast begun a good work do thou go on and bring it to perfection let not the light that is in us be like the glimmering light of the evening but as the light of the morning that shineth more and more to the day Let our best wine be kept to the last let the end of our lives be the end of sinning Thou hast cast our lot in the midst of temptations of all sorts thou hast brought many of us through the red Sea but we are in the wilderness with Zeba and Zalmunna and those that dwell at Tyre the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir and all the forces that Hell can make against us Oh put upon uâ— all the whole Armour of God Now in these days of Errour gird us with the Girdle of Truth Oh now in these days of falsity give us a helmet of Hope Now the Devil darts at us give us the Sheiâ—d of Faith Oh give us the Sword of the Spirit of the word of God that it may enable us to confute the gain-saying of foolish men Oh help us to pray with all manner of prayer constantly fervently faithfully feelingly that we stand and not fall and that not in our strength but in Gods To this end be with us upon this thine own day our Manna falls every day and it is doubled upon the Lords day Oh let us be as thy servant John in the Spirit upon thine own day let God by his Spirit come into our spirits understandings consciences wills memories and affections that all our conversations without and affections within may be obedient to thy Word Enable thy Servant to deliver thy Word faithfully God forbid thy Servant should stand upon so sandy a foundation as the Wisdome of Man one iota of thy Word hath more wisdome in it then all men and Angels have Good Father give thy people a hearing ear it is too much they have played
pass and as vers 8. Fret not thy self in any wise to do evil 2. Take heed of such persons as by whom if you be not the more watchful you may be so offended as to be turned out of the way More particularly 1. Take heed of your selves This is that our Saviour calls for in that Mat. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself Our greatest danger is from our selves while we have within a deceiver and a traytor who is still conspiring to turn us out of the way Take heed therefore of your own selves consult not with flesh and blood Gal. 1.10 2. Beware of Satan This is that which the Apostle suggests 2 Cor. 3. I fear by any means lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ And out of the like fear concerning you I beseech you beware of Satan and the rather for that as the Apostle saith vers 14. Satan is transformed into an Angel of light 2. Beware of false Teachers This is the advice of our Saviour in Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which comes to you in sheeps cloathing c. And though I cannot say I know with the Apostle in Acts 20.29 yet I am greatly afraid that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock and that of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciple after them 4. Beware of worldly Friends such as will counsel you to spare your selves such as savour not the things of God but those that be of men This our Saviour calls for in that of Luke 14.26 Answer them as Christ answered Peter Mat 16.22 23. The proper use of this Point with respect to the people of God is to exhort and perswade them to wait on the Lord and keep his way however it be whoever they are that watch and plot against them however they may prosper in bringing wicked devices to pasâ— however they may prevail in oppressing the poor Saints yet this is the Exhortation that I have received from the Lord for you Wait on the Lord and keep his Way There are two branches of the Exhortation I shall speak to both of them distinctly And because the latter of them is the main and the former a help thereto in bad times I shall invert the order of the Text and speak to what is here the latter in the first place and the other as time will give leave 1. However it go Saints though the wicked watch to do you a mischief yet keep you the Way of the Lord diligently observing the way of his Commandements the way of your duty to walk therein For as much as it hath been the design of mâ— preaching all along to expound the Way of God to you and to instruct you in the way of the Lord And I am now directing my speech to the Saints of God who know own and profess the way of the Lord I shall not spend much time while I have so little left in recounting to you what I have taught you concerning the way of the Lord onely in general that way of truth and righteousness the way of faith and holiness which I have taught you from the word is intended You know the way of Gospel-Doctrine Gospel-Fellowship Gospel-worship Gospel-Discipline and Gospel-Conversation which I have preached and you have received And here beloved I call God to witness in whose Name I have preached to you that I have preached the way of the Lord sincerely and faithfully as I have received of the Lord by the teaching of his Spirit through the Word I therefore beseech and entreat you out of that hearty love I bear to you and that affectionate care I have for you that as you tender the Glory of God your own Peace here and eternal Happiness hereafter and the spiritual and eternal good of others that you will remember how you have heard and received and keep the way of the Lord. In the prosecuting of this I shall speak to these two things First Open this duty in a few particulars Secondly Give you some directions to help you herein For the first of these take it in these particulars 1. Be exhorted to keep the way of the Lord in your memories So Rev. 3 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast I am speaking to those that have received the knowledge of the way of the Lord that they retain what they have learned and that they maintain an actual remembrance of it and the rather take heed to this every one of you with the greater diligence for that you are like to be deprived of the help of your Remembrancers viz. the faithful Ministers of Christ 1 Tim. 4.6 you have had their help a lâ—ng while in putting you from Sabbath to Sabbath in remembrance but this is taking from you as the Apostle in another case Heb. 2.1 Therefore ye ought to give the more earnest heed to the things ye have heard lest at any time ye should let them slip 2. Keep the Way of the Lord in your judgments and Consciences I am speaking to those whose judgments are enlightned and Consciences renewed to approve of the VVay of the Lord As therefore the Apostle unto them 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye be led amay with the error of the wicked and fall from your own stedfastness So say I seeing ye know the VVay of the Lord and approve of it beware lest being led away with the error of the wicked and your own judgements being thereby corruped and your Consciences defiled you fall from your own stedfastness and I the rather press this for that as the Apostle hath it 2 Cor. 11.3 I fear lest by any means as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 3. Keep the Way of the Lord in your Profession I am speaking unto those who as Rom. 10.10 with the heart believe unto Righteousness and with the month make confession unto Salvation And you have the Exhortation in the words of the Apostle Heb. 10.23 Let us hold fast the profession of the Faith without wavering Be not ashamed of your profession as our Saviour speaks Mar 8.38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my Words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with his holy Angels with Mat. 10.32 33. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven But whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven 4. Keep the Way of the Lord in your hearts and affections loving rejoycing and delighting in the Way of the Lord
The keeping of it in your memories judgements and profession will be but in vain unless you keep it in your hearts Lay up and hide the Word of God in your hearts let the desire and delight of your soul be in the Way of the Lord with the Psal 119.111 Thy Testimonies have I taken for mine heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart 'T is the Caracter of the Godly man Psal 1.1 2. He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night 5. Keep the VVay of the Lord in your lives and conversation walking therein conscientiously observing the Commandments of God to do accordingly I am speaking to those who have chosen the way of the Lord to walk in and they may read what the Lord saith in that Deut. 5.32 You shall observe to do as the Lord your God hath commanded you you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left you shall walk in all the Wayes that the Lord your God hath commanded you and to as many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and upon the Israel of God Having this opened this Duty take these few Directions among the many that might be given 1 Let the Spirit of Christ be your guide and principle I am speaking unto such as have the Spirit of Christ Now if you consult that Ezek 36.27 You shall find that the Lord promiseth his people that he will put his Spirit within them and to what promise viz. both to encline enable and guide them to walk in his Statutes and to observe his Commandmenâ—s to do them There is no entring into the way of the Lord but by the Spirit Joh. 3 3. we all naturally being gon astray wander from the way of the Lord and it is the spirit only that can and doth reduce men into this way and the best being but lame and having not only a principle of halting in but declining from it there is no walking in this Way but by the assistance and guidance of the Spirit Let therefore the Spirit of God be your guide it is comprised that he shall lead you into all truth John 16.13 Let the spirit be your principle walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16 then you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh but shall keep the way of the Lord. 2. Make the Word of God your rule I have heretofore from that John 6 39. and 1 Tim. 3.15 and several other places cleared to you that it is given of God for this end to be the rule both for Faith and Practice Keep therefore unto this and by no meanes depart from this if you would keep the Way of the Lord. Here you have the Lord revealing his Way and that clearly and plainly so that the most simple that apply themselves to it may understand it the Scriptures are a perfect and a constant rule Therefore as in that Isa 8.26 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them There are some that make the Light within their rule and that in opposition to the Word but the Light in such is Darkness for if they speak not according to this Word if it be but diverse from though not directly opposite unto it then there is no light in them Indeed the Light within that is Concience enlightned is a rule but it is Regula Regulata a Ruled Rule There is Regula Regulans and Regula Regulata A Ruling Rule and a Ruled Rule The former is a Rule to the latter by which it is to be tryed and approved The Word of God is a Ruling Rule and Conscience is a Ruled Rule which is to be obeyed as far as it speaks according to the Word and no further If therefore you would keep the Way of the Lord do not despise Conscience do not neglect the Light within but make it not thy Rule make the Word of God thy Rule admit not of any thing that is belonging to the Way of the Lord that is not grounded upon or not warranted by his Word If you would keep the Way of the Lord hold fast to what is written stick to the Word That saying of Austin is famous Sive de Christo sive de Ecclesia sive de quacunque alia re non dico si nos sed si Angelus sed coelo vobis annunciaverit praeterquam quod in Scripturis accipistes Anathema sit Not to say If we but if an Angel from heaven shall preach any thing of Christ or of the Church or of any other thing besides what ye have received in the Scripture let him be accursed Like to that Gal. 1.8 9. The Word is the heavenly Compass whereby we may be directed to steer our course aright to the Haven of happiness Keep you to the Word while one says this is the way and another that Try all things by the Rule of the Word and make that your Rule to walk by Hence when Paul was taking his leave of the Church at Ephesus in that Acts 20. in his Farewel-Sermon that after his departure they might keep the way of the Lord you may read what he commends to them verse 32. And your brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those that are sanctified He commends the Word of God to them So Beloved now that I may no more speak to you from this place for the teaching of you the right and the good way I recommend to you the Word of the Lord which will be a light to your feet and a Lanthorn to your paths to guide you in the Way of the Lord till you attain the end of your Faith the Salvation of your souls What knowledge I have of the way of the Lord what I have taught you of the way of the Lord I have been taught by the Spirit of the Lord through the Word and though you want the great help of a plain powerful and faithful Ministry for the future yet let not those that are sincere in desiring to walk in the way of the Lord be discouraged by those who would make them believe that the Word is hard to be understood for that as it is more from malignity in us than difficulty in the Scriptures that the most do not understand them so they are easie to be understood by them that sincerely endeavour it being not onely most plain and clear in teaching the way of the Lord but also appointed to enlighten the eyes and make wise the simple Psal 19 7 8. Yea the entrance of it giveth light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 And how weak and simple soever any of the Saints may be in worldly matters and in the Worlds account yet of them all is that spoken 1 John 2.27 But the anointing which ye have received of him