iniquity Judas in all probability was baptized yet a Son of perdition Will it relieve thee to think thou hast believed the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Christ to be the Son of God so do the Devils believe and tremble Will it relieve thee to think that thou hast been obedient to the orders of the Church Dost thou not see that those are most universal in that Obedience which is so called whose lives proclaim the greatest opposition to the plain letter of Scripture in almost all the moral precepts of it Shall they also have peace 2. For thy new Practices Heretofore thou wer 't wont to pray in thy family and to instruct them in the things of God to spend thy time in reading the holy Scripture to spend dayes in fasting prayer communion with the Saints of God Believing thy obligation from a moral Precept to keep the Lords Day holy thou wer't wont in it to exercise thy self in reading the word hearing of it in prayer instructing thy children Now thou hast forgotten thy family duties thy chamber practice in Religion thy religious care of thy children and servants and all thy Devotion is turned into a little Formality of which thou makest no great conscience neither Thy Sabbaths are spent in vain and idle discourses and in a vain conversation and if any acts of devotion still continue possibly they are such as to which God will say to thee Who hath required these things at your hands Where did I ever speak a word to you or your Fathers of such homage to be performed to me nor did it ever come into my heart The time on other dayes which thou wer't wont to spend in fasting is now spent in feasting what was wont to be spared for hearing Sermons is now spent in hearing Playes Hark my friend shalt thou not one day thinkest thou be sick unto death as Hezekiah was Isa 38.1 will the Providence of God thinkest thou never speak to thee saying Set thy house in order for thou shalt dye and not live Wilt thou upon these practices be able to say as Hezekiah ver 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how lâ—â— have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Doth thy conscience tell thee these things are good in the sight of the Lord. Such an absurd verdict may possibly be given in by the conscience of one muffled up in ignorance but thou hast known thou hast proved better things thy conscience must tell thee the courses which I formerly took were better than these Thou after thou hast escaped the pollution of the world 2 Pet. 2.20 through the â—nowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ art again entangled therein and overcome Thy latter end is worse than thy beginning It had been better for you never to have known the way of righteousness then having known it to turn from â—he holy commandment delivered unto you 3. For thy new Company Thou heretofore wer 't a companion to those that â—eared the Lord. The Excellent on the Earth were those in whom thou didst delight or at least pretend to do so Ministers of the Gospel who had beside their habit something else to approve them such powerful constant Preachers of the word that knew hâ—â— to speak a word in season to the weary how to satisfie a doubt resolve case of conscience give to every oâ— their portion c. People who math a conscience of their wayes aâ— though they had possibly their error and failings yet they were not such 〈◊〉 the very light of nature and reason shewed abominable such as cursing aâ— swearing blaspheming the God whoâ— they served reviling persons an things that had ought of his Imâ—â— and Superscription upon them Thâ— art now become a companion of soeâ— such I mean as the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 leud profane persons Sons of Bâ—â— that live without any yoke either Scripture or Moral Principles thâ— catest with the Glutton and sittest with the Drunkard and thy Chair is set 〈◊〉 them who sit in the seat of the scornsâ— and whiles they are smiting thy onâ— fellow servants if thy hand be not wâ— them yet thy heart is if thy â— throwest no stones at the Lord 's Sâ—phen's yet thou holdest the cloaths them that do it Will thy day of vâ—tation thinkest thou never come Send in that day for those that have sat at the Tavern with thee and see â—f they be able to speak a word to thy â—oul weary of life Remember Saul who had rejected Samuel enough when he was in distress he goes to a Witch and who must she raise up but Samuel What satisfaction wilt thou have â—n an evil day in a dying day from â—hose whom living thou hast preferred to be thy companions before such as have feared the Lord. I shall shut up this Head with minding you that by this Argument God by his Prophet Jeremiah endeavoured to reduce backsliding Israel Jeremiah 2.28 Jer. 2.28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can save thee in the day of trouble I will only add one thing for thy termor It is like enough that in the day of trouble God may leave thee to fetch thy relief from these empty cisterns When Judas's conscience smote him God left him to his Masters the Scribes and Pharisees alone to comfort him how cold a cup of consolation they afforded him the Gospel tells you When the Jewes had apostatized and the Philistins and Ammonites opposeâ— them and they cryed unto the Lord they met with a rough answer ver 13. Jude 10.11 12 13 14. I will deliver you no mâ—â— Go and cry untâ— the Gods whom you haâ— chosen and let them deliver you in the day of your tribulation Take heed thâ— the Providence of God speaks not that language to your souls in the day oâ— their tribulation Go and fetch their comfort from the principles practice and company which you have chosen 7. I will add but one Argument more That shall be from the mercy 〈◊〉 God which he hath for backsliding children making timely returns unto him This is an Argument which the Prophet Jeremy largely insisted upon Chap. 3. v. 1 2 3 4 5 12 13 14 22. First He sheweth them that this is above the mercy of men If a mâ— putteth away his Wife shall he take bâ— again c. It is very observable that the Jews defection chiefly insisted upon by the Prophet was in matters of Divine Worship where the sin charged upon them was the highest in genere suo idoâ—try which is a failer in the object of Worship either more immediate or meâ—iate and therefore exprest in Scripture by the sin of whoredom which is the highest error in conjugal relations There 's no sin so separates a people or person from God as this sin Superstition which is failer in the more external manner and rites of
dying Disciple and one who leaned upon our Saviours breast are to be regarded but a greater than the beloved Disciple is here John speaks in his Masters name and you know it was his Masters language Whosoever shall offend any of these little ones And again Fear not little flock it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom The Scribes and Pharisees of that age gave them other names Schismaticks to the Jewish Church perverters and seducers of the people they never died upon the cross for them they never travelled in birth for them till Christ was formed in them Strangers call those rogues whom Parents call little children But what says this spiritual Father to these little children Abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming When our blessed Lord was taken up into heaven and the men of Galilee stood gazing up to heaven two men stood by them in white Acts 1.11 saying Why gaze you That same Jesus which is taken up into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him ascending into heaven So as to his Person God-Man as he ascended but not so as to his retinue for we are elsewhere told that he shall come with ten thousands of his Saints And again Jude 14. That he shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire That he shall descend from heaven with a shout 2 Thess 1.7 1 Thess 4.16 with the voice of the Archangel and with the trump of God And this is the coming and appearing mentioned in the Text which lets us know that Christ is he that is spoken of in this Text and no other Christ never makes an errand into the world for nothing When he came before it was to work out mans redemption his next coming will be of another nature The Apostle tells you That God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world A truth that solveth that great riddle of Providence which made so many wise Heathens deny a Deity and hath made so many good Christians sometimes doubt it Why the way of the wicked prospers and the rod of the wicked lieth upon the back of the righteous If it were not that we believe that harvest we should stumble at the long furrows which the plowers make upon the backs of the righteous But this salves all yet a little while and the children of God shall be delivered from their prisons and dens and furnaces of affliction and their accuser and persecutors shall supply their places ah happy were they if it were no worse but flaming fire is much sadder especially aggravated with the adjunct of eternity For behold he cometh yea he cometh to judge the earth with righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with equity Would you know who this He is The Apostle tells you it is the man Christ Jesus he whom the Jews crucified he whose Gospel men so much despise and against whom all imaginable despight is done he that must not be preached unto people that they may be saved It is he that cometh Mens different affections to Christ read in all their faces and deportments sufficiently evince that at this day of his coming there will be differing complexions of mens faces With what faces will they behold this dreadful Judge who have despised his Blood obstructed his Gospel haled his true Disciples into prisons abused his Ministers concerning whom he hath said I will be with you to the end of the world and He that despiseth you despiseth me And again of his Saints in general If any shall offend any of these little ones it were better that a milstone were hung about heir neck and they thrown into the sea On the contrary the righteous will lift up their head when the day of their reâ—emption comes nigh They have not been shamed of Christ no not of his Cross and will have no cause to be ashamed â—t his appearance This is that confidence and not being ashamed of which â—he Text speaketh unless it be to be â—nderstood with a particular reference â—o the Ministers of Christ for it is in â—he first person That we may have confidence Isaiah triumphed in the faithful â—ischarge of his Ministery in this That â—ough Israel was not gathered yet he should be glorified And St. Paul that hâ— should be a sweet savour to God both with respect to them that were saved and to those that perish If the Prophet hath warned the sinner Ezek. 3. if he die in his sins yet the blood lieth on his own head the soul of the Minister is free The case is otherwise if they be not warned God have mercy on those that out of greediness of lucre take so many of thesâ— little children into their care that theâ— are enforced to put them out to Nurse that have no breasts where they aâ—â— starved But yet as the painful Master that hath taken an idle child under hâ—â— care who through his own negligenâ—â— profiteth nothing yet cannot without some shame and lothness to hear iâ— stand to hear his non-proficiencâ— brought to a test so the painful Minister of Christ will not without some blushing and reluctancy at the great day stand and see the many souls under his charge adjudged to eternal burâ—ings Therefore saith the Apostlâ— That we may have confidence and not ashamed But what should be done hâ— Gospel-professors that both they arâ— their Teachers at the day of Christs appearing may have confidence and not be ashamed This is summed up in a few words Abide in him But I must not pass over those little particles in the front of the Text. But now It is generally agreed that St. John wrote this Epistle in a time wherein Professors to Religion had made great Apostasie both in matter of faith and holiness Eusebius and Augustine reckon up nine or ten most erroneous and impure Sects which troubled the Church in his time And as it was a time of great defection so it was a time of most bitter persecution John himself was banished into the Isle of Patmos where Christ bare him so much company and dictated to him the Revelations This Historical Circumstance addeth a great Emphasis to those particles in the front of the Text But now Now when the love of so many waxeth cold now when the world is so much in arms against Christ and his Gospel now when the Doctrine of Christ â—s so much deserted and despised when â—he ways of the Gospel are so much deâ—amed when all manner of uncleanness and leudness so much aboundeth Now little children abide in him In the Text is observable 1. A familiar Compellation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little children 2. A seasonable Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abide in him 3. An Argument enforcing this Exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that when he shall appear we may have confidence c. This Text
good time a man may be as good as he will but he may not be as loose and proâ—ne as he will he may pray and hear and wait upon God in Ordinances pubâ—ckly and privately as much as he will â—e may not drink and swear and be â—thy and reproach the holy name of God as much as he will the Magiâ—â—rate remembers his Office to be a terror 〈◊〉 them that do evil and will let him â—now that to that end he beareth not â—e Sword in vain In an evil time men â—ay be as loose and leud and profane as â—ey will but they may not be so pure and â—ly and religious as they will They â—ay drink and swear and meet to reâ—l and dishonour God what they will but they may not be so holy they may not pray hear Goâ— word c. as much as they will Aâ— give me leave to tell you this is a very evil time when it is thus that goâ—â—liness and profession is almost the onâ— crime And through the naughtine of our hearts whose native bias stanâ— to evil this makes it very difficult 〈◊〉 abide with Christ to hold fast our profession at such a time when we 〈◊〉 that we may give the loose to our luâ— without fear of danger from Eartâ— It is true the man that hath a true roâ— of grace hates sin and loves goodnâ— from a more inward principle but yâ— in regard of the corruption of oâ— hearts an outward hedge does wâ— and contributes much to keep the bâ— within their true compass 2. A second thing which in suâ— times makes it difficult is the temptaâ— on of outward advantages which suâ— times usually afford Renegadoes in profession When the Devil was got on thâ— pinacle he shâ—weth Christ all the gloâ— of the world and promiseth hiâ— more than he had to dispose of 〈◊〉 â—â—ss than all if he would fall down and worship him Infinite are the instances 〈◊〉 story of the large proffers in times â—f backsliding have been made to Professors upon condition of Apostacy â—hough for the most part the performance hath through Gods righteous â—udgement been very slow The Devil for the most part serving his servants of this nature as the Popish Persecutors have used to serve their Prosecutes first debauched them then burnt â—hem or as Amnon served his Sister â—hamar first obtained their lust of them â—hen thrown them down stairs But â—emptations from profits honours credit â—laces are no light things especially where they meet with hearts whose peculiar lust is ambition or coâ—etousness or any thing of that nature â—nd this is a second thing which makes â—biding with Christ at such a time difficult especially for men whose â—irth breeding acquired or natural â—arts and accomplishments are such as â—ender them capable subjects for such â—hings 3. A third thing which creates the difficulty is the temptations which sâ— times afford on the other hand Whâ— the Devil had our Saviour on the pâ—â—nacle he had not only the advantage 〈◊〉 a prospect to give him a view of thâ— world but of a Precipice too to threatâ— him with into a compliance Evil timâ— afford not only places of profit aâ— honour applause and encouragementâ— tempt Christians to a drawing backâ— but also Gaols and fetters nicknamâ— and reproaches instruments of death aâ— cruelty to fright Professors out of thâ— good wayes of the Lord and thâ— best of Christians have so much 〈◊〉 sense in them so much of carnal anâ— slavish fear as these prove no weâ— Engines oft times to debauch theâ— Now this difficulty of standing oâ— ground at such a charge le ts us know we are concerned to look to our spâ—rits at such a time especially if it bâ—â— considered connexively with what 〈◊〉 shall further add for although difficulty abstractly and barely considered discourageth undertakers in anâ— work yet if the work be honourable and necessary and of high advantage â—it whetteth the spirits instead of abating â—our courage 2. Secondly therefore let us consider the honour and advantage we shall have by â—ur abode with and in Christ at such a â—ime and the danger and disadvantage of â—ur forsaking him It is a great honor to a Church and to a particular Christian â—o abide in Christ with an evil time This â—as the honour of the Church of Perâ—amus Rev. 2.13 I know thy works â—nd where thou dwellest even where Saâ—ns seat is and thou holdest fast my â—ame and hast not denyed my faith even 〈◊〉 those dayes wherein Antipas was my â—ithful Martyr who was slain amongst â—u where Satan dwelleth The comâ—endation of this excellent Church is â—mplified here from two observable â—rcumstances 1. They dwelt where Saâ—ns seat was and yet they kept the â—ith and held fast the name of Christ â—he Devil hath a fugitive being in â—ost places but in some places he hath â—seat where an uncontrolled proâ—ness and debauchery aboundeth â—ere's Satans Seat It is an hard thing 〈◊〉 dwell near his Seat and yet to hold fast the name of Christ but it is a greaâ— honour to a Christian to dare to bâ— strict and holy and walk with Goâ— under the eye and frown of the Devilâ— Secondly They were faithful in those dayâ— when Antipas was slain To abide iâ— Christ when multitudes run after him 〈◊〉 this is no great honour but when thâ— Devil is making havock amongst Christians throwing some into Gaols others into their graves then to hoâ—â— fast the Lords name this is a great honour to Professors You are those saitâ— our Saviour in an emphatical praise oâ— his Apostles who have abode with me iâ— my temptations It is an honour to 〈◊〉 Souldier to stand by his Captain wheâ— the battel goeth against him wheâ— some of his companions are fled otheâ— are slain and he is almost left alonâ— Such honour hath the child of God iâ— such a case Nor is it meerly matter of honour but of real advantage too Such oâ— may be assured Mar. 8.38 Luk. 9.36 that the Lord will not 〈◊〉 ashamed of him in the great and terriâ— day Observe the Text it is at leâ— implied in it Whosoever therefore shall 〈◊〉 ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he â—ometh in the glory of his Father with his â—oly Angels When is the time when there is any fear of Professors that they should be ashamed of Christ and of his words Is it in the Sun-shine of the Gospel No fear of that profession then crowns its friends and is a reward to its self The fear is in an evil â—ime when a man cannot own God â—nd his wayes but he must be made 〈◊〉 by-word purchase to himself reproach and a nick-name be pointed at â—s he walks in the Street when he cannot depart from iniquity but he becomes the scorn of fools and makes himself a prey this is the proper time when Professors are apt to be ashamed â—f Christ and his words
the stones which they give them instead of bread the Scorpions they feed them with instead of fish speak it plain enough But this is not enough to a godly Minister My little children saith the Apostle with whom I travel in birth till Christ be formed in you Paul laboured to present his people a pure and châ— Virgin to Christ and saith that he come wish himself accursed and separated frâ—â— Christ for his Brethrens sake The godly Minister is touched with a zeal â— the glory of God with a true â—â— for the people of God committed to lâ— charge and desires they might be approved though himself should be aâ—probate he blusheth and is ashand for the hardness of heart the Stâ— borness Rebellion and Apostacy of his people How saith he shall I loâ— God in the face another day as to the soul He hath an ambition in the grâ— day to speak after his Lord and Mester Of all those whom thou hast give me I have lost none Now brethâ— If you love them that love you saith our Saviour what reward have you How inexcusable will you be if you love not them who love you But if you have any love for the Ministers Christ who have spent themselves the service of your souls If any kindness for us if you would be our â— and crown and glory not our trouble and grief and shame in the great dâ— when our Lord shall appear Abide in him Now abide in him that you may have a Crown for your own heads and help a Crown on to our heads that when Christ shall appear you may have confidence and not be ashamed to look the Captain of our salvation in the face as all renegadoes will and that we may have confidence and come forth cheerfully when the Lord shall â—all us out in the day of judgment and be able to say Lord here are we and those whom thou hast given us Thine they were trusted to us and they have kept thy word I will adde but one word more to his branch of Exhortation 4. Whether should you go This Peter considered when our Saviour said to him Will ye also go away Lord saith he whether should we go thou hast the words of everlasting life God complained of his people Jer. 2. that they committed â—oo horrible evils forsaking the fountain â—living waters and digging up to themslves cisterns broken cisterns that would hold no water This must be the case of every Christian not abiding in Christ But to speak more distinctly 1. What faith will you embrace There 's nothing so dissonant to the rational nature of man than to believe a lie Whatsoever pretends to a divine truth and is not bottomed on Scripture is no other 2. Where will you fix your hope and considence Christ is the hope and the alone hope of his people whoso pureth hope or considence in any thine else trusteth to a bruised reed and a broken staff 3. To what course of life will you turn Will you again go back to the onion and garlick of Aegypt Will you lick â— your former vomit and verifie the proverb The swine returns to the walloning in the mire again Let me speak you as the Apostle to the Romans Who fruit had ye of those things of which you have been ashamed Have you mourned for your former courses in vain with you repent of your repentance with you because your Lord delayeth hâ— coming eat with the gluttons and drue with the drunkards and fall to smitiâ— your fellow-servants Take that of oâ— Saviour concerning such servants Matth. 24.49 50. Matth. 24.49 50 51. The Lord of that servant shall come in a day that he looketh not for him and in an hour that he is not try are of and verse 51. shall cut him â—sunder and appoint him his portion with hypocrites there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Once more Whether will you go to what society will you addere Take the company of professors with all their faults they are the best society in the world I mean not the best with reference to a Christians spiritual nature and temper but the best is men None more than they none so much as they live up to the principles of humane nature and reason The drunkard the unclean person the covetous worldling the profane curser and swearer and blasphemer of the holy name of God the unjust man that defrauds and cheateth his neighbour the fawning flatterer the godless atheist are so far from living like Christians that they live not like men Leave the flocks of Christs companions of the stricter sort of professors and find an assembly if you can not full of these spots there may be a severe Cato a just Aristides a composed Seneca amongst them but Oh! how rare are they Would you be glad Sirs to stand amongst these at the day of judgment would you be willing to have your portion with them If you would not let not your soul enter here into their secrets to their assemblies let us your honour be united But enough is spoken to this first Branch of Exhortation to them who through mercy yet is their first works I shall finish this discourse with one branch of Exhortation more 2. Exhor To those that have not abode in Christ pleading with them that they would return Here let me first shew you the persons to whom I speak Then I shall plead my Masters cause with them with a few arguments In the opening the point shewed you that men and women may have a three-fold state in Christ 1. The first Sacramental having been listed in the Lords Army given up their names unto him the Apostle saith we are baptized into Christ 2. The second Professional as members of the Church which is his body having walked with some Church of Christ in the Ordinances of the Gospel and made an outward shew of living within the Gospel compass 3. The third real and more inward and spiritual as having been by the grace of God the distinguishing grace of God taken out of the wild Olive of a natural estate and condition and ingrafted into Christ who is the true Olive and made true partakers of his grace From the first and second state there may be a toral and final apostasie from the last a sad and gradual apostasie but neither total nor final First then so many as have been baptized into Christ and since their baptism have lived in the service of the world of sinful lusts and pleasures instead of the service of God I say so many have not abode in Christ Oh! that they would remember the Covenant of their youth that by the smart punishments which they see earthly Princes inflicting on them that take their Oaths of Allegiance and then turn Traitors that take their press-mony and then refuse to fight for them nay instead of it openly fight against them they would collect what dreadful vengeance they must expect who in Baptism have
point we defend against the Papists All Protestants grant it as to matters of Doctrine why they should not also agree that it is so as to matters of Worship and Discipline I can not tell As to acts of Worship they all yield it too as to circumstances of humane actions in Divine Worship viz. such as no humane actions as such can want none can deliberately contend for it The Question is concerning Ceremonies or if they will call them so circumstances of Worship In very deed it will be a nice distinction and such as can abide no test to distinguish betwixt an act of Worship and a circumstance of Worship I mean such a circumstance as is not appendant to the action from its nature and necessarily but affixed to it by men without any necessity But not to digress here into that dispute The more strictly a Gospel Institution is administred according to the letter and examples of Christ and his Apostles in Holy Writ the more there is of God in it the more of Divine presence and influence is to be expected in it and from it The more plain and Scriptural a Sermon is the more authority it comes down with upon the conscience The honest heart saith to the quaint and oratorial Preacher to the quoter of Fathers and Schoolmen to justifie what he saith Paul I know and Jesus I know The Old Testament I know and the New I know but for Augustine and Hierom and Aquinas who are they Possibly worthy persons in their Ages but it is the word of God not their dictates which command the conscience For your high phrased Preachers they signifie nothing to the conscience the hearers as Luther was wont to say intelligunt â—â—bum arte super se compositum ideo nauâ—â—nt they loath the word thus canâ—â—ied up in the language of men puffed 〈◊〉 in the conceit of their own parts and desirous to seem some thing when indeed they are nothing but folly and vanity There is abundance of â—reaching is good for nothing but to â—oil good Christians stomachs to heaâ—ing and to make them loath their food by reason of the fantastick sauce if you would keep your appetite to Ordinances keep the purest and most lively administrations of them 4. Fourthly Remember the dayes of old the years of former times I doubt not but many of you have heretofore tasted how good the Lord hath been you have tasted it in a Sermon convincing you of sin working faith in you bringing a word in season to your souls that hath even ravished your souls with the joy of it You have enjoyed much of God in a Sacrament in a few hours of prayer Oh let not the memory of those good dayes to your souls go out of your hearts and if you remember them you cannot but long for more of them It is almost impossible to imagine that a soul that ever in earnest tasted of God in Ordinances should not cry out Lord evermore give us that bread those that grow weary of Divine Institutions are such as never experienced the goodness and excellency of them 5. Watch against the prevailing of lusts and corruptions It is ordinarily experienced in the natural body A soul stomach hath no appetite or very little and teachy noxious humours in the stomach blunt the edge of it to its proper food It is as true to the soul suffer pride vanity of Spirit any spiritual or sensual lust to prevail upon you you will soon lose your appetite to spiritual things Keep your soul clean from these things and your appetite will be sharp 6. If you would keep your appetite to Divine Institutions improve them when you have them Indigested meat corrupts the stomach and takes off the edge of it The reason for this is This thirst after Ordinances as it is first caused from an apprehended suitableness in them to the souls needs so it is encreased by the souls experience of the truth of that apprehension This it never hath without an improvement of the Institution I mean such a ruminating upon it such a digestion and application of it as the soul may suck out the juice and vertue of it and find that a Sermon is not to his soul as a tale that is told nor a Sacrament as a meer morsel of bread and a draught of Wine Would you keep alive your thirst after Divine institutions when you have heard a Sermon go sit alone think of what you have heard what truth you have been instructed in and call to your souls to remember and believe it what sin you have been convinced of and call again to your souls to consider it and to avoid it What duty you have been admonished of and call to your souls to arise and do it 7. Lastly Beg this great blessing of God You beg or should beg an appetite to your bodily bread much more to your spiritual food Christians I doubt not but in these times of spiritual scarcity you beg Sermons of God you beg Preachers of him who is the Lord of the Harvest In this you do your duty but let not this be all Beg stomachs for your selves as well as mouths for us I am afraid it was too great a decay of this spiritual thirst that brought on Gods dreadful voider and brought the Wells of Salvation to so low a state as you see them If you could by begging of God recover your appetite again I doubt not but he who feedeth the young Ravens when they cry would also hear and feed you and in his Fatherly Providence so order it that you should not have Scorpions instead of Fish and Stones instead of Bread Nor as the Spouse be smitten and wounded Can. 5.7 and have your vail taken from you by pretended Watchmen whiles you are sick of love and ask them in your distress Saw ye him whom my soul loveth FINIS Jer. 14.19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah Hath thy soul loathed Zion Why hast thou smitten us and there is no healing for us We looked for peace and there is no good and for the time of healing and behold trouble s THE words I have read are agreed by all to be the words of the Prophet Jeremiah he was one of those Prophets who prophesied last in Judah before their carrying away into the seventy years Captivity of Babylon chap. 1.2 He prophesied in the days of Josiah and in the days of Jehoiakim and so to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah which was about forty years He began to prophesie in the thirteenth year of Josiah Jer. 1.2 and prophesied eighteen years during the reign of Josiah then three months during the â—â—ign of Joachaz or Jeconias and eleven years during the reign of Jeâ—iachim a second son of Josiah and three months more during the reign of â—â—hoiachin and eleven years during the â—â—ign of Zedekiah At what time he â—ophesied what we have in this chaâ—â—er recorded is not expressed probaâ—â—y before the death of
prosperity freedom of trade have we seen ought of it or ought answering our expectations What shall we say to these things How hath God disappointed us in all our expectations Nay rather what shall we do in this day of perplexity Let us first Examine whether we be under such circumstances as we can regularly and warrantably expect that God should smile upon us and fulfil those promises for temporary good things which he hath made in his Word to his people And 2. accordingly as we find our state let us be perswaded to apply our selves to our duty Under these two heads I shall bring whatsoever I shall speak by way of application of this Doctrine First Vse 1 Let us examine whether our circumstances be such as we can warrantably expect any good any peace any healing And here we must distinguish betwixt 1. the generality of the Nation and 2. Gods peculiar people in the Nation As to the former I must confess my heart is sad he that looks upon all orders of persons in the Nation will find them wallowing in such guilt as I fear it will be hard to produce an instance of any Nation under heaven that ever was under the rod and let go no better reformed What prodigious unheard of wickednesses have been and are committed every day what murders what prodigious lusts what horrible swearing and cursing what Sabbath-breaking what injustice oppression do we hear of and see every day Never was the holy Name of God so prodigiously blasphemed never such oaths such curses as we hear in our streets never did those that desire to walk godlily meet with more scoffs derisions hard speeches and harder actions never Religion made so much the scoff and jear of those that understand it not We may if we will under these circumstances look for peace but if any good come we may look for healing but if we see not trouble yea and one trouble like one wave upon another we are certainly mistaken in calling the Scriptures the word of God Jer. 7.9 Will you steal murther commit adultery and swear falsly c. and come and stand before me c. Do men think all the day long to make the streets ring with the cries of oathes curses blasphemies noises of drunkards groans of widows and fatherless and then make amends for all with an Anthem and Lesson on the Organs and hearing or reading prayers at Mattens and Evensong Oh horrible vanity O prodigious ignorance of the nature and mind of God! Will their egg-shells wipe your filthy mouthes clean enough think ye No no. Sirs be not deceived God is not mocked God may bring us good and peace sometimes poenalis nutritur impunitas in further vengeance he doth not punish the Israelitish daughters when they commit whoredom nor their wives when they commit adultery But it were strange for him having his rod taken out to lay it up again while we are no better Sure I am under these circumstances what ever a gracious God may do we can expect no good What shall I say for the seven thousand in England who have not bowed their knee to Baal nor kissed him with their lips those whom God hath kept from the pollutions of these evil times and the general debaucheries of their neighbours May they look for any good may they expect any healing and not suspect any disappointment Truly as to them I know not well what to say God hath kept them from being involved in the generality of the National guilt and hath kept up their hearts for him and his Ordinances in a time of great defection and back-sliding This speaketh well But yet 1. I cannot tell how far God may have been provoked with the former sins of Professors 2. Though they must be in a great measure acquitted from the idolatry and superstition swearing cursing blaspheming Gods holy Name impudent Sabbath-breaking mocking and jeering at Religion murders thefts unlawful lusts oppressions injustice perjuries of the Nation yet with them even with them sins may be found against the Lord their God which how long they may keep their wounds from healing I cannot tell Let me propound a few questions to you that fear God and would look for peace and healing 1. Have you peace one with another and are the breaches amongst your selves healed How should we expect the world should be at peace with us who cannot be at peace with our selves What can we look for less than that the great Shepheard of the sheep should make use of dogs to worry us and drive us together while we can bite and devour one another Are the world and you think you nearer a kin than you are to your brethren Can you expect God should make his enemies to be at peace with you when you cannot be at peace each with other If the Lambs cannot lie down together how can you expect the Lions should lie down with the Lambs You know next to Christs precept Have salt in your selves was that Have peace one with another Certainly that distance in affection and communion which true Christians kept at one from another was not the least of the provocations which hath made God angry with them all I instance not differences in opinion there must be such there will be such till we all see in a clearer light than this world affords but I say distances in affection first I thank God I have learned that difference in judgment in things not necessary to be believed in order to salvation is no more justifiable cause to me for distance of affection from my brother than the difference of his countenance from mine is I say further distance in communion That the members of the same body and under the same head should refuse communion with other is certainly a strange disorder Do Gods Ordinances belong to Christians with reference to their several forms I wonder or as they are all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ Certainly faith in Christ evidenced by an holy life intitleth any Christian to communion with those who profess the same faith and live the same life Christians is this wound healed I bless God I think it is in a great measure but Oh that it did not bleed at all 2. Have you sufficiently mourned and been humbled for former wantonness under Ordinances We have had times of great liberty for preaching and enjoyment of Gods Ordinances have you not forgotten how you plaid with your wholesome food in those days how hardly it went down if you fancied the least errour in the Cookery if the sauce was not more pleasing to you than your meat One Minister was thought by some too Legal another it may be judged by another partly too Evangelical Are not you glad of the gifts and parts of those godly Ministers which heretofore were despicable in your eyes Have you mourned for this wantonness 3. Since the hand of God hath been against you have you not been more ready to quarrel with God