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
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
because God will make it appear to all the World that he puts a difference between them that desire to please him and other men God hath a value for such do but see how Mases argues the case with God Exod. 33.13 and so on where he comes to God with a great request that God will shew him his way that he might know it Why saith God to him My presenes shall go with thee Mâ—ses said unto him It is well thou art pleased to promise so great a mercy If thy presence go not with me carry us not hence for wherein shall it be know that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight It is not in this that thou goest with us Observe Moses pleads with God how his favour and love and mercy should be with them unless he were present with them and so God he walks with his people in trouble for how should the world see God regarded them and did favour them unless he manifested his presence unto them in a time of trouble and affliction Dr. Jacomb's Afternoon Sermon John 8.29 And he that sent me is with me the Father hath not left me alone for I do always those things that please him I Was upon these words in the morning having spoken something to them as they refer to Christ who spake them here of himself I then brought them down to his Members Believers and so propounded this observation from them That whoever they are that desire to please God to do the things that are pleasing to him God will be with such and the Father will not leave such alone especially in a time of suffering and trouble In the prosecuting of this point I spake to four things which I shall not now repeat but come to the mark which I intend at present and that is to make some Application 1. Let me endeavour to prevail with every one of you so to carry your selves in your several places and capacities that whatever you do you may please God It was a blessed testimony that was given of Enoch Heb. 11.6 Before his Translation he had this Testimony that he pleased God Oh! how happy will they be at the great day of Judgment which shall be singled out by Christ before Angels and Men and Christ shall say of them This was the man or this was the woman that pleased God! There is a great deal of pleasing in the world but there are but very sew that make this their business to please God therefore I would have you shun that which is sinful and press after that which is matter of Duty 1. There are some that mind nothing but to please themselves to promote their own interest to love their own ease to indulge themselves in their own carnal delights but they never mind the good of others or the pleasing of God the Apostle speaks of and against these Rom. 15.1 2 3. 2. There are others that look no farther then the pleasing of men if they can but keep fair with men and shun the displeasure of men that is all they aim at but my Brethren what a poor thing is it to have man to be your friend and God to be your enemy to have the smiles of a poor dying perishing worm and to lye under the frowns of the great God! Indeed there is a good pleasing of men to please them for their Edification as the Apostle speaks Rom. 15.2 and so the Apostle speaks of himself 1 Cor. 10.32 Even as I please all men in all things that is in all things that are of an indifferent nature not simply evil nor simply good in all things This Apostle was of a yielding and complying spirit that he might thereby the better insinuate himself into the affections of men and be more instrumental to the glory of God in the work of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9.22 To the weak became I as weak that I might gain the weak I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some and this I do for the Gospel sake But now in matter of Duty such things as are expresly determined by God and so are either good or evil in these things the Apostle would be no pleaser of men If I should please men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. It is good to please others to their Edification but we must not please others to their own ruine and condemnation It is good to please men when we can so do and not grieve God Instead of pleasing men let it be your constant care and best endeavour in all things to please God my Brethren this is a duty of so great importance that was I now to take my leave of you and should certainly know that I should never speak to you more as we are come very near to it for though I speak to you as a living man yet I speak to you as a dying minister this I say is a duty of that weight and importance that I know not what to press upon you more material then this consult but two places of Scripture Col. 1. For this cause we do not cease to pray for you What was the thing the Apostle in this his constant Prayers did beg of God for them It was this That they might please God and when he was taking his leave in the winding up of his Epistle to the Hebrews Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight I need not go beyond the Text for Motives to stir you up to these Endeavours For Motive 1. First consider what that God is which I would have you endeavour to please He is that God which made heaven and earth that God before whom all the world is as nothing but as a little dust in the ballance and as a drop of water to the bucket that God whom Angels adore and worship that God who by a word from his mouth is able to bring the whole Universe into nothing will you not study to please this God But further consider what this God is to you He is the Fountain of your being he is the God of all your mercies he is your Creatour and Sovereign he is your Maker and Law-giver It is he that by a smile can make you happy and by a frown can make you miserable it is he that hath Heaven and Hell at his disposal who openeth and none can shut who shuts and none can open He that must judge every one of you either to eternal blessedness or else to eternal torments it is he in whose hands your breath your life your soul your All is will you not endeavour to please this God as the Prophet argueth in point of fear Isa 51.12 Who art thou that art afraid of a
only knoweth Do not add affliction to affliction be not uncharitable in judging of us as if through pride faction obstinacy or devotedness to a party or which is worse than all in opposion to Authority we do dissent the Judge of all hearts knows it is not so but it is meerly from those apprehensions which after prayer and the use of all means do yet continue that doing thus and thus we should displease God therefore deal charitably with us in this day of our affliction If we be mistaken I pray God to convince us if others be mistaken whether in a publick or private capacity I pray God in mercy convince them but however things go God will make good this truth to us in this work he will not leave us and our Father will not leave us alone for it is the unfeigned desire of our soul in all things to please God Dr. Bate's Forenoon Sermon August 17. 1662. Heb 12.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ To whom be glory for ever and ever IT would give light to these words if you consider the scope and design of the Apostle in this Epistle to the Hebrews the summe of which is he writes to them that he might animate their spirits against apostacy from the Doctrine of the Gospel they were liable to this from you and others upon this account because they dare not displease God I may in this caution aim at my self and other of my brethren this upon a double account 1. Partly in respect of those persecutions to which they were exposed for the Jews were filled with a bruitish zeal for the Ceremonies of the Levitical Law and exprest the greatest rancour against those who lest Moses to follow Christ This is the reason why the Apostle lays down so many preservatives against their revolting from Religion and he spends one part of this Epistle in a most passionate Exhortation to perseverance and doth in the tenth Chapter insinuate himself into them You have already tasted the first-fruits of affliction ver 3.4 You took joyfully the spoyling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance This is that temper that Martyrs have exprest who have not only parted with their goods but with their lives for the Gospel When they came to the Stake they would not so much as shed a tear to quench those flames wherein they should ascend to God as in a fiery Chariot You took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have a better and an enduring substance Thus he insinuates himself by representing what they had done to encourage them to perseverance and partly he fortifies them against Back-sliding by those terrible judgements which he threatned against Revolters as you read Chap. 6.7 2. As they were liable to this Apostacy upon the account of Persecution so upon the account of the unsettledness and instability of their own spirits There were several of those who had given up their names to Christ who did compare the Ceremonies of the Law with the purity of the Gospel Now the Apostle to secure them from this mixture his great design is to represent the vanity and infectiveness of all the Ceremonial Law and to express and prove the virtue and efficacy of the Lord Jesus his death which was the substance of all the shadows And this takes up one great part of his discourse with them Now in these two verses he sums up by way of Recapitulation all that which he had discoursed of at large and in them you may observe these two things 1. A description of God to whom he addresses this Prayer 2. The substance of the Prayer it self The Description of God that he amplifies by these two things 1. From the Attributes and Qualities of God if I may so express it Now saith he the God of Peace 2. From the effects of his power and love That brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep And these Titles they are not here set down by the Apostle to adorn his discourse meerly as an ornament but they have all a peculiar efficacy as to the obtaining of the request which here he makes for them I shall begin with the first the Description of God from that Attribute Now the God of Peace the Title that is used in the Old Testament frequently is this The Lord of Hosts but in the New he is called The God of peace There were darker representations of the mercy and love of God than the more full discoveries of his grace were reserved till the coming of Christ Their discoveries under the Old Testament were but as the Day-star which ushered in the Sun of Righteousness Now this title of the God of Peace imparts two things 1. That he is the Author of Peace and works it 2. That he loves and delights in peace First That he s the Author of it And if you consider Peace in all its notions and kinds it is a fruit of God and that which descends from him 1. Peace in Nature is the harmony that is between all the parts of the World the union that is between the disagreeing Elements that is from God for without him the whole Creation would presently disband and return to its first Chaos of confusion 2. Civil Peace which is among the Societies of men that which is so amiable and lovely and which needs no other foil to commend it and set off its lustre than the miseries and cruelties of war this peace comes from God likewise Every rash hand is able to make a wound or to cast a Fire-brand but it is only the God of Peace that is able to heal breaches and to allay those storms that are in a Nation You know those showers which render the Earth fruitful descend from Heaven from God so all the counsels of peace descend from above The fiery Exaltations ascend from the Earth Counsels of War disturbance proceeded from the devilish hearts of men Or 3. If you consider that Rational Peace which is in the spirits of men that is when the understanding exercises a coertion and restraint over our licentious appetites when all our inferior Faculties are under the empire and conduct of Reason this proceeds also from God For since the fall there is a great deal of tumult many riots and disorders in the soul of a man Reason hates a bad Guide and our Appetites those are evil instruments and so many times hurry Reason from its regular actings But 4. much more if you consider Spiritual Peace that peace doth not only import an Agreement of a man within himself but the Agreement of the soul with God This
profess themselves Sons of the same God Members of the same Christ Temples of the same Spirit should be at deadly jarrs one with another It is strange and unnatural that Lillies should prove Thorns to one another that those who are Saints in pretence should be Devils in practice to one another that Gods Diamonds should cut one another this is very strange yet thus it is But now especially it is most sad when Religion which should restrain and bridle our passions is made fuel and incentives of them How farre distant is it from the counsel of the Apostle Rom. 14.10 where he speaks concerning their lesser differences one values one day above another another esteems every day alike what 's His counsel he speaks as a person that was fill'd with bowels and compassion Oh saith he let not him that doth not esteem the day judge him that doth For we shall all stand before the judgement-seat of Christ there we shall appear all upon a level stand upon equal ground and receive our final doom from him This therefore should calm our Spirit Why may there not be some differences in judgement without division in affection for it is as impossible that all judgements should be of the same extent as all our faces to be of the same colour and figure Therefore consider what an injury it is to our Profession how doth it obscure the glory of God and lustre of our Religion 3. Doth not the publick enemy rejoyce over us I mean the Papists do they not warm themselves at the sparks of our Divisions For you know the old Maxim of Divide and Reign therefore it should compose our spirits and quicken us to labour after union Vnmortified lusts are thence whence all Wars and Enmities springs in the World The Apostle Paul when he would compose their differences he doth not lay down Rules to decide their controversies but to correct their secret passions pride self-seeking revenge c. This being the seed of all disturbances in the Church And although these Lusts may not be conspicuous and visible to the eyes of men yet they are certainly the fuel of our distempers The sum of all is this those that have the Spirit of God they cannot but mourn and be sensible of these divisions I know a great part among us are unconcerned some rejoyce those that are rather buried in the affairs of the World and incumbred with much business or those that are steeped in the pleasures of sense are altogether unaffected with these things stand as Newters disregarding all events But the Saints of God cannot but mourn over them when our divisions hinder the progress of the Gospel are serviceable to nothing but to the Kingdom of darkness Therefore I beseech you let what hath been spoken quicken you in your prayers to God to pray for the peace of Jecusalem that 's the least effect of our love and desires after peace and by all endeavours to labour to bring back peace to us that we may see that prophesie fulfilled in our time that the Lord should be one and his Name one amongst us Dr. Bates's Afternoon Sermon Heb. 13.20.21 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever THe Apostle describes God by the effects of his power and love That brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus The Resurrection of Christ from the dead is one of the most transcendent testimonies of Gods love and power towards us 1. Of his Love because as the Anger of God was that which crucified our Saviour so on the contrary it must be his Love that should raise and restore him Christ when he died he looked upon God as an Enemy as a Judge and as those colours which we see conveyed to us are answerable to the Medium through which we see them as if we look through a coloured glass we see the object of that colour So the Lord Jesus when he was upon the Cross looked upon God through the black-cloud of our sins and through the red cloud of his Fathers wrath and so dyed as a Sacrifice to Divine Justice But when he was raised from the Grave that was the testimony of Gods love to him and of his love to us for he died as our Surety he was arrested for our Debt he was cast into the Grave as into a Prison But by his Resurrection he was redeemed from Prison and Judgement And therefore you shall find when Christ was risen he salutes his Disciples with this Peace be unto you Luk. 24.31 There was the dawning of peace at the Incarnation of Christ for then the Angels sung Peace upon earth but the compleat Sun-shine of peace was at his Resurrection when he had made full and compleat satisfaction to Gods Justice for this was a clearing of him before all the World when God raised him from the Grave And in this respect it was very agreeable for the Apostle to say The God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus 2. It was the eflect of Infinite power You know it is naturally impossible for a dead body to quicken himself to revive but for the Lord Jesus who had the load of the sins of all the Elect upon him who was as it were secured in the Grave by Gods Justice and Power for him to rise again This must be an effect of Insinite Power in the Great God Thus raising of Christ sometimes 't is attributed to the Son being God equal with the Father But here 't is attributed to God and therefore when the Scripture would speak with the greatest magnificence of the Power of God it expresses it thus That power which raised Jesus Christ from the dead When Christ wrought deliverance for the lost world all those who were commited to his charge This could be no less then the work of an infinite Power And upon this account also it is very proportionable to the design of the Apostle for that prayer he makes to God is for that which onely can be accomplished by Infinite Love and Infinite Power i.e. to make the Christian Hebrews perfect in every good work to do his will I come to a further description He that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the Title of the Lord Jesus was onely given to our Saviour after his Resurrection he was called Lord before and Jesus before but these two Titles were ever united till after his Resurrection hey came to see the place where the body of the Lord Jesus lay the reason was this because the Resurrection of Christ was a solemn Proclamation to the World that Christ was the Son of God 'T is true this Title was given him immediately upon his
beautiful and glorious thing it is the Angels glory and shall we be ashamed of that which makes us like the Angels there is a time coming when wicked men would be glad of some of that holiness that now they despise but they shall be as far then from obtaining it as they are now from desiring it 17. Think not the better of sin because it is in fashion think not the better of impiety and ungodliness because most walk in those crooked ways Multitude is a foolish Argument Multitude doth not argue the goodness of a thing the Devils name is Legion that signifieth a multitude Hell-road is this day full of Travellers esteem not the better of sin because most go this way do we think the better of the Plague because it is common the plea of a multitude will not hold at Gods Bar when God shall ask you Why did you prophane my Sabbath why were you drunk why did you break your oath to say then Lord because most men did so will be a poor plea. God will say to you then seeing you have sinned with the multitude you shall now go to Hell with the multitude I beseech you as you tender your souls walk Antipodes to the corruptions of the times if you are living Fish swim against the stream dead Fish swim down the stream Ephes 5.11 Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them 18. In the business of Religion serve God with all your might Eccles 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no device or work in the Grave whither thou goest This is an argument why we should do al we can for God serve him with all our strength because the Grave is very near and there is no praying no repenting in the Grave our time is but small and therefore our zeal for God should be great David Danced with all his might before the Ark and so should we act vigorously for God in the sphear of Obedience Rom. 12.12 Fervent in Spirit serving the Lord. Take heed of a dull lazy temper in Gods service you must not onely say a prayer or read a prayer but you must pour out your souls in prayer not onely love God but be sick of love to God God in the old Law would have the Coals put to the Incense Levit. 16.13 and why so to typifie that the Heart must be enflamed in the worship of God your prayers must go up with a flame of Devotion I confesse Hell will be taken without storm you may jump into Hell with ease but it is all up-hill to Heaven and therefore you must put forth all your might Mat. 12.11 The violent take Heaven by force Heaven is not taken but by storm do you not see men zealous and very active for the Devil and for their Lusts and shall they take pains for Hell and will not you take pains for Heaven 19. Do all the good you can while you live to others God hath made every Creature useful for us the Sun hath not its light for it self but for us the Fountains run freely and so doth the myrrh drop from the Tree every Creature doth as it were deny its self for us the Beast gives us its labor the Bird gives us its musick the Silk-worm its silk Now hath God made every thing useful for us and shall not we be useful one for another O labor to be helpful to the souls of others and to supply the wants of others Jesus Christ was a publick blessing in the World He went about doing good We are Members of the Body politick nay we are Members of the Body mystical and shall not every Member be helpful for the good of the body That is a dead Member that doth not communicate to the good of the body O labour to be useful to others while you live that so when you dye there may be a miss of you many live so unfruitfully that truly their life is scarce worth a prayer nor their death scarce worth a tear 20. Every day spend some thoughts upon Eternity O Eternity Eternity all of us here are ere long it may be some of us within a few days or hours to lanch forth into the Ocean of Eternity Eternity Eternity is status interminabilis says Boetius no Prospective-glass can see to the end of Eternity Eternity is a summ that can never be numbred a Line that can never be measured Eternity is a condition of everlasting misery or everlasting happiness if you are Godly then shall you be for ever happy you shall be always sunning your selves in the light of Gods countenance if you are wicked you shall be always miserable ever lying in the scalding furnace of the wrath of the Almighty Eternity to the godly is a day that hath no Sun-setting Eternity to the wicked is a night that hath no Sun-rising O I beseech you my brethren every day spend some time upon the thoughts of Eternity The serious thoughts of an Eternal condition would be a great means to promote Holiness 1. The thoughts of Eternity would make us very serious about our Souls O my Soul thou art very shortly to fly into Eternity a condition that can never be reversed or altered how serious would this make us about our Heaven-born souls Zeuxes being once asked why he was so long in drawing of a Picture answered Aeternitate pigno I am now painting for Eternity Oh how frequently would that man pray that thinks he is praying for Eternity Oh how accurately and circumspectly would that man live that thinks upon this moment hangs Eternity The thoughts of Eternity would make us slight and contemn all the things of this World what is the world to him that hath Eternity always in his eye Did we think seriously and solemnly of Eternity we should never over-value the comforts of the world nor over-grieve the crosses of the world 1. We should not over-value the comforts of the World worldly comforts are very sweet but they are very swift they are soon gone the pleasures of the World are but for a season just like Noah's Dove that brought an Olive-branch in her mouth but she had wings and so did presently fly from the Ark so are all outward comforts they bring an Olive-branch but they have wings too with which they flie away 1. The thoughts of Eternity would make us not to over-grieve the crosses and sufferings of the world What are these sufferings to Eternity Our sufferings says the Apostle are but for a while 1 Pet. 5.10 what are all the sufferings we can undergo in the world to Eternity Affliction may be lasting but it is not everlasting Our sufferings here are not worthy to be compared to an Eternal weight of Glory And thus my Beloved I have given you these twenty Directions for your precious souls I beseech you treasure them up as so many Jewels in the Cabinet of your breast Did you carry
injury to you that are alive and without wrong to the memory of my dearly beloved Brother but speak something of him at whose Funeral we are met this Evening not so much for his commendation he needs not but for our imitation it is pity great pity something should not be said that this Reverend Minister though dead may yet preach this night and I have so much to say of him that I know not where to begin and when I have begun I hardly know how to make an end I must confess the little time alloted me for the providing this solemn work and the necessary avocations in this little time have hindred me from enforming my self about his Breeding and manner of Education at Emanuel Colledge under Mr. Steaker and his excellent carriage and converse with Mr. Hildersham Mr. Dod Mr. Ball Mr. Langly and other Ministers famous in their generations and the many pressures and hardships that he suffered in those parts and times for the keeping of his conscience pure from that which he counted sin and therefore I must draw a vail over that part of his life and confine my discourse only to the time since his coming to live with us in London which is about the space of twenty two or twenty three years all which time I have had the happiness to be intimately acquainted with him insomuch as that I can freely and clearly profess and that with a sad heart that I and many others have lost a real wise and Godly friend brother and fellow-labourer in the Lord the Church hath lost an eminent Member and choice pillar and this City hath lost an antient faithful and painful Minister who by his Prayers and Holy life did seek to keep off the judgements of God from falling on us and the less sensible the City is of this loss the greater is the loss I fear we may too truly repeat the words in the Text The righteouus perisheth and no man lays it to heart and mereiful men are taken away none considering that the righteous are taken away from the evil to come I have read of Philo the Jew and by chance met with the same in the life of St. Ambrose that when they came to any City or Town and heard of the death of any Godly man though never so poor they would both of them mourn exceedingly because of the great loss that place had by the death of that Godly man and because it was a warning-piece from God of evil approaching But we have had many Godly men and Godly Ministers taken away of late and yet I fear me but few lay it to heart and therefore as I said the loss is the greater to this City because it is so little sensible of it It is a great loss also to his relations his Wife hath lost a dear and loving Husband his Sister a brother his Parish and Congregation a faithful Pastor The Ministerial excellencies of many Ministers were collected and concentred in one Simeon Ash he was a Bazalcel in Gods Tabernacle a Master-builder an old Disciple a Polycarp a Christian of long standing in the School of Christ a burning and a shining light one whom many Ministers and other good Christians called Father insomuch that it was a common proverb in this City Father Ash and I believe many experimentally weep over him as the King did over the Prophet Elisha My Father my Father the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof for he lived desired and died lamented not only in the City but I believe in many places in the Country where he was known But more particulary there were twelve excellencies I observed in this reverend Minister and my dear Brother that were as 12 Jewels or precious Pearls in that Crown with which God had crowned him I shall name them for your imitation and benefit He needs them not for he is above our Eulogy The first and chief Jewel that did beautifie adorn this our Brother was his sincerity and uprightness in heart which indeed is not a single Grace but the soul of all Grace and the interlineary that must run through all Grace what is faith if it be not unfeigned what will love to God profit you if it be not without dissimulation what is repentance worth if it be not in truth as the body without the soul is a rotten carkass so is all grace without sincerity this is the soul of all grace this is the girdle of truth Sincerity is that which girts all our spiritual armor together and makes them useful what advantage is it to have the breast-plate of Righteousness the shield of Faith the helmet of Hope if they be but painted things it is the girdle of sincerity that makes all the other parts of our armor useful Now this excellent grace of sincerity was eminent in our dear Brother he was a true Nathaniel in whom there was no guile I mean no allowed hypocrisie this was that which carried him through the pangs of death with a great deal of comfort for he was able to say with Hezekiah Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart He could say with Paul this is my rejoycing the testimony of my conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have had my conversation in this world 2. Another grace was his humilicy this is a grace that he was cloathed withal and it is a rare grace for God dwells with the humble he resists the proud but he gives grace to the humble This Reverend Minister was low in his own eyes and therefore very high in Gods eyes he had a mean esteem of himself and therefore he was high in esteem with God He was as Jacob said of himself less than the least of Gods mercies and therefore he was made partaker of the best of Gods mercies He was like an ear of Corn full of fruit bowing down in thankfulness to God 3. Another Jewel was the fruitfulness of his discourse for it may be said of him as it was of Christ he went about doing good where ever he went he scattered his goodness this all that knew him knew to be true He was full of good discourse where ever he came when I was with him in his sickness he took occasion to complain much and not without just cause God grant his complaint may make impression upon our hearts he complained that it was a great fault of Ministers that when they met together they discoursed no more of Christ of Heaven and of the concernments of the other world and professed that if GOD should restore him he would be more careful in his discourse and more fruitful than ever yet he had been 3. Another Jewel that beautified this Righteous man was his mercifulness he was a merciful man which he manifested not onely in his charity to the members of Jesus Christ but in his frequent visiting of sick persons and persons that needed Spiritual physick I
a little before Hippo was taken and Pareus a little before Hiddleburg was taken and â—uther a little before the wars in Germany began The death of the Godly is like the separating the Israelites from the Tents of Corah and his company like the taking of Lot out of Sodom When the Israelites departed from Corah and his company the earth swallowed them up and when Lot departed out of Sodom God rained down fire and brimstone upon them Let the thoughts of these things cause us to provide our Arks to get our Zoars Let it teach young Samuels to rise up in the room of old Elies young Elisha's in the room of old Elijahs and young Timothies in the room of Paul the aged that there may be a succession of Gospel-ministers to hold forth the Word of life to the Nation And let us labour to be Inheritors of the Twelve Excellencies that beautified this our Reverend Brother Secondly Let me speak a few words to you of this Parish the Auditors of this worthy Minister There is scarce one man of an hundred that understands the tye and obligation that is betwixt a Minister and his People Oh the Love and Affection that ought to be betwixt them Paul tells the Galatians that they could have plucked out their eyes for him if need were Chrysostom tells us that when Miletus was taken away by death from his People their hearts sunk with sorrow and such love had they to him that they called all their Children by his name and got his picture engraven on their Rings And I have read of Chrysostom that when he was banished from his People there was not a corner in the City but was full of People weeping and lamenting The loss of a Godly Minister is a publick loss and therefore there ought to be a publick mourning it is a soul loss and therefore methinks every one of you should weep and mourn you have lost your common Father you of this Congregation have lost your spiritual Father your spiritual Shepheard you have lost your eyes your guide and indeed it is you that are his Flock that must commend your Minister by practising that which he preached saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3.1 Do we again begin to commend our selves or need we as some others Epistles of Commendations to you or Letters of commendation from you Ye are our Epistle written in our bearts known and read all men As if the Apostle should say do we need Letters of commendation is it necessary that we should spend time in commending our Ministry you are our Letters of commendation your holiness piety commends a Minister above all other things As when a man comes into an Orchard or Vineyard saith Chrysostom and sees every thing skilfully handled and neatly trimmed he need not spend time in commending the Vine-dresser or Carpenter the work its self commends them So ought it to be among you When we preach the Funeral Sermons of Ministers we must look into the Parish or Congregation and see what Letters of commendation there are whether the proficiency of the Auditors commend their Ministers I grant it is not always true God doth not always give suceess to a godly Minister but the worst is yours I had almost said the curse is yours but I will speak modestly the worst is yours Tell me how many of you are able to say I bless God that ever such a Minister was sent among us blessed be God that ever we heard him preach what seal of his ministry is there here among you he was in another and another place of this City it may be here are people from all places that have been his Auditors what seal of his Ministry is there now to be found among you how many Souls hath he pluck'd out of the snares of the Devil how many of you have gone weeping from a Sermon knocking your breasts and pricked at the heart of sin crying out Men and Brethren what shall we do to be saved your tears and mourning for sin these are the Auditors that commend your Ministers Go home now and think with your selves what can I remember of all the Sermons that I have heard from Mr. Ash and give me leave to tell you woe be to you if as your Minister be dead so all the Sermons he made die with him for as Abel being dead yet speaketh so shall the Sermons of this worthy Minister at the great day speak for you or against you for they are spiritual Talents that God hath be-trusted you with and you must be accountable both he and you shall appear before the Tribunal of God your Minister shall be examined how he can free himself from the guilt of Soul-blood and you shall be examined what fruit you brought forth answerable to the means you have enjoyed and if it appear you have been unprofitable and unfruitful hearers Christ will say Cast the unprofitable servants into utter darkness But I hope better things of you and things that accompany salvation What ever was good in this reverend Minister let iâ— live in you and though he be dead yet let not his Sermons that he preached die with you but let them be in you that at the great day when he and you appear before God he may be able to say here am I and the Children that thou hast given me Dr. Seaman's Farewel-Sermon Heb. 13.20 21. Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepheard of the sheep through the blood of the Everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be Glory for ever and ever Amen THe Apostle being now upon the conclusion of this Epistle after a very large discovery of Jesus Christ in all those things that belong to his Person concerning his Nature as God as Man and concerning his Offices especially concerning his Priestly and concerning the blessings and benefits especially in matters of Sacrifice doth in this last Chapter insist on matters Hortatory and in the words draws near to a conclusion which contains a Prayer wish or desire which he puts up unto God in the behalf of them in order to their good and benefit Now the God of peace c. In which words there are two things considerable 1. The matter of the Apostles Prayer 2. The grounds which he doth insinuate for Audience In the things he desires the Matter of the Prayer is laid down in v. 21 and is summarily and generally propounded in several expressions yet nevertheless so as they have their Specialities belonging to them In the beginning he shews what he aims at make you perfect c. In general it refers to their Sanctification and that they be throughly sanctified as to their inward man and outward conversation as to those things that belong to them in the habits of their minds and Eternal carriage The Grounds
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
with in that Reverend man M. Hildersham and to me it seems to have much weight in it What hopes says he can we have of many of our Hearers in England who are willing to give the Word a hearing and outwardly profess it but what hope can we have but that if a time of trial come they will turn Papists or profane or any thing for they never loved the Word when they heard it and they never obeyed the Word but lived in known sins they take up a form of godliness and hate the power of it what hope but that if a time of trial come these will fall from the truth 6. If you would be able to hold fast the truth that you have heard and received then take heed of recâ—â—â—â—â—â— the least truth of God take heed I say of knowing and willing forsaking the least truth and knowing and willing giving way to the least errour as the committing of the least sin may render a man abominable unto God as you find in Levit. 11.43 You shall not make your selves abominable with any creeping thing that is with the eating any creeping thing Now this was one of the least Commandments that God gave out for the not eating of such such things yet by transgressing this the people might make themselves abominable the committing of the least sin may make a man abominable to God so the embracing of the least errour and the forsaking of the least truth may make a man abominable to God the least truth forsaken knowingly and the least errour embraced knowingly becomes a great sin and a little errrour makes way for a greater if once a man gives way to one errour a thousand will follow after If we would hold fast the whole body of truth we must take heed we forsake not the least truth if we forsake God and his truths whether in lesser matters or greater and if we turn back again to Popery and conform to the Papists in lesser matters saith Mr. Hildersham know of a certainty that Popery shall return again 7. If you would hold fast the truths you have heard and received then shun all such persons as would go about to draw you off from the truth of God shun all Seducers confer not with them have nothing to do with them and their ways Prov. 19.27 Cease my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge thou hast been instructed in the words of knowledge and if any would instruct thee otherwise and seek to draw thee off from the words of truth and knowledge have nothing to do with them Cease my Son to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge Now my Brethren this advice I judge to be more seasonable because it is in my apprehension that this present providence of God in taking off at one stroke so many of his Servants that have endeavoured in uprightness of heart to instruct you and the people of God from this work it is on my heart to think and fear this will give a great advantage to Seducers to seek to corrupt you and draw you off from the truth to their party When the Shepherds are smitten there is a great opportunity given to the Foxes c Wolves to make a prey of the flock when God makes it dark and night then all the Beasts of the Forest creep out as the Psalmist saith Psal 104.20 When there is a night and cloud on the Ordinances of God then all the Beasts of the Forest will go forth many will undertake to be your Instructers and say here is Christ and there is Christ but believe them not memember the things you have heard and received and hold them fast cease from the instructions of those that would turn you aside 8. And lastly If you would be able to hold fast the truths of God then commend your selves and the truths you would hold to God in Prayer and beg of God to hold you that you may keep his truth Put up those requests to God that David doth Psal 15. Hold up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not and in the 119. Psalm Be surety for thy Servant for good hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually And thus my Brethren I have done with this Doctrine and this Sermon and as far as I know with my Preaching in this place The day is at hand wherein I and many others of my Brethren shall be through not naturally dead yet civilly dead dead in Law dead as to the work of the Ministry And as I told them of this particular Congregation the last Lords day so I tell you know what I would be willing to speak to you if I lay on my death-bed and had the exercise of Reason and Memory that I have now look I say what I would say to you if I now lay on my death-bed the same I shall speak to you now through Gods assistance and first I would and in some measure do give thanks to God the God of the spirits of all flesh that hath called me a poor unworthy Creature not only to the knowledge but to the Preaching of the Gospel 〈◊〉 his Son Jesus Christ and that in this place and in this part of the 〈◊〉 and hath pleased in mercy to continue life and liberty to 〈…〉 work here almost Twenty six years Secondly I would be 〈…〉 I am in some measure thankful to God and to his people both of this Town and of the Neighbour-hood for a great deal of love 〈◊〉 respect and encouragement that they have given to my Person and Ministry here and particularly I do acknowledge my self to be greatly obliged to my Reverend Brethren the Neighbour-Ministers for the much love I have received from them their readiness to help me in supplying my place in the time of my sickness or absence and sweet society I have had with them I believe you think it is no easie thing for me to speak or think of parting with such an Auditory and society the like to which I never look to have on earth again But seeing for my sins and your sins God will have it so we must submit and lie at his feet that which he hath made crooked who can make streight But before we part give me leave to speak a few words to you something by way of Request and something by way of Advice by way of Request I would speak this First That if any of you have found any benefit by my poor Ministry that if any of you have been enlightned or awakened or strengthened and built up in the truth and encouraged in the ways of holiness by any thing that God hath put into my mouth to speak to you let God have the praise and let me have some room in your hearts and prayers however God shall deal with me My second Request is That wherein soever you have seen
Conscience is awakened by the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word herein 't is powerful and efficacious There are divers instances in Seripture how powerful the Word hath been in point of Conviction in Felix the Apostle Paul preached to him of righteousness and judgement to come c. he trembles The Judge at the Bench trembleth at the Word delivered by the Prisoner at the Bar So powerful is the Ministry of the Word as to discover our sinfulness So the Disciples going to Emaus their hearts burnt within them when our Saviour opened to them the Prophets c. So it was with St. Peters Auditors Acts 2. they were pricked in the heart when they heard this he did preach to them in the power and demonstration of the Spirit and plainly discovered that sin that they were more especially guilty of and when they heard that they were pricked in the heart c. 2. It was a Word of Conversion also Conviction is one thing and Conversion in anoâ—her Sometimes men may be convinced and yet have no change wrought in them therefore Conversion is another work it is a turning men from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God c. To receive an inheritance among them that are sanctified Herein is the Word powerful viz. in Regeneration I have begotten you by the Word to a lively hope c. Of his own will hath he begotten you c. 4. It is a word of comfort and consolation it is a powerful word and able to comfort the heart and the Ministry is very effectual herein when set on by the Spirit to quiet satisfie and pacifie the Consciences of men which declareth the remission of sin and whosoever's sins are forgiven must needs be comforted Indeed it is not in the power of men to forgive sins yet they can speak a word of comfort in season by the administration of the promises the Spirit of God going along with them and then they are not onely declarative but operative Where I say it pleaseth God to bless and sanctifie the Word it is effectual for quieting of the minde for pacifying of the conscience and setling of the troubled soul Thus you see how powerful the Ministry is and seeing it is so this should teach us how to behave our selves under it it is powerful in it self and powerful in its dispensation and hath none of that weakness mentioned before of the dispenser of it 'T was with you saith St. Paul in much weakness and in fear and in trembling 1 Cor. 2 3 4. And my speech was in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power These may seem to be contradictory but 't is answered the Word is powerful in the demonstration of the Spirit though delivered by one of humane weakness as before is declared This spiritual power we should look at and labour after which power doth not consist in matter of elocution the inticing words of mans wisdom nor in matter of voice which indeed is a good thing and suitable to the nature of the matter A quick and powerful delivery is of great efficacy and power for the setting home of truths Yet this doth not make a powerful Ministry for a whisper in the ear may cause a thunder-bolt in the conscience the power lies first in the nature of the matter the matter consists in the nature and condition of Mankinde the certainty of the Judgement the necessity of Christ the Covenant of Graceâ— and the graces and priviledges thereof c. These carry a great deal of power and effiacy with them when they are carefully and frequently dispensed and Gods Spirit going along with them so they become powerful for the Ministry consists not in empty notions and speculations that will onely fickle the fancy but never reach the conscience Moral discourses though they be of great use yet if we rest in them they leave us as they found us Evangelical truths which are manifold are to be delivered in the Ministry Now as the matter of the Ministry must be powerful so the expression must be powerful there should be suitableness of expression to the matter i. e. with gravity sobriety and affection c. Strong lines make but weak preaching and take away the efficacy but delivering truths in the demonstration of the spirit and in power that is most effectual when we speak feelingly and from our hearts it comes then through the blessing of the Lord with it with power This is then to learn us of the Ministry viz. 1. Use Let us be careful that the matter of our Ministry be powerful so that the handling and dispensing thereof be powerful that so it may come home to the conscience thus we should deal with all The words of the wise are as goads and as nails fastened by the Ministers of the Assemblies c. So our words should have a force and power in them This as the Apostle says is mighty and powerful to the beating down of strong holds c. Vse 2. Secondly In reference to hearers seeing the Ministry is powerful you must then submit your selves to the power of it Many people are Sermon-proof and think to stand out against the power of the Word but if it comes in power to the conscience they will not be able to resist it as it is said of them in the Gospel They were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake viz. Stephen And for those that desire the conversion of others what course should be taken by them for that end but by good counsel instruction prayer and good example to endeavour them and more especially to bring them to the Word and administration thereof which God hath sanctified for this end So much for the excellency of the Gospel viz. The excellency of the power c. I come to the second 2. The Author of it 1. Positively it is of God And 2. Negatively it is not of us First Positively it is of God and that in all the considerations of it in the full extent of it it is of God So the Ministerial gifts the performances of it and the success of it are all from God First Ministerial gifts are from God it is he that makes us able Ministers of the New Testament There are saith the Apostle Paul diversity of gifts to one is given the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit c. 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6. It is God that bestows every good gift Secondly The performance also is from God his grace concurrs and assists therein the habit and the act are both from him God gives gifts to men and he enables them to dispense them Ministerial employments are not onely for general but particular applications and so need not onely general but particular assistances That I might be enabled saith Saint Paul to fulfill the work c. the Lord stood by me and strengthened me that my preaching might be fully accomplished It is God
he will command deliverance for you in his own time Snatch not after deliverance by any preposterous and unlawful courses before God holdeth it out to you lest you provoke him to detain it the longer from you To conclude all I shall take leave of you in the words of the Holy Ghost recorded Acts 20.32 Heb. 13.20 21. And now brethren I shall commend you to God to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified And the God of peace which brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever A Farewel Sermon Preached at Great Ayton in the County of Yorkshire by George Evanke Chaplain to the Right Worshipful Sir George Norwood Baronet at Cleaveland in Yorkshire Matth. 26.39 Nevertheless not my will but thy will be done THe Subject of this Chapter is a sad Story and Tragical Relation of a dying Jesus In the beginning of this Gospel you may see him coming into the World in a Shower Matth. 2.13 And now in the end of it you finde him going out in a Storm Mat. 27.22 Alas that so good a Ghest should find so bad a welcome and that the Lord of Life should so soon be put to death When the Angels those Heavenly Choristers first sang that Christmas Carol of a Saviour that was born into the World Luke 2.10 11 12 13 14. one would have thought the World should have fallen a dancing after such Evangelical Musick and that all hearts should have like the Babe in Elizabeths womb leapt for joy at the news of a new born Prince But it was quite contrary for instead of joyning in that Heavenly Quire in gratulating the happy arrival of this young King into their Country they take the Alarum of his Birth as if an Enemy had landed in their Coasts And hereupon Herod presently heads an Army goes out against him and makes the poor Prince to fly the Country Mat. 2.13 14. But though the meanest of his Birth Extraction and Descent may give them distast at first yet when he begins to display his Divinity among them by working such amazing Miracles as none could work and Preaching such moving Sermons as none could ever Preach Oh then they will recant their Error and own their Saviour and the joyful shout of a King will be heard amongst them as it is expressed in Numb 23.21 Truly one would think that it would have been thus but Oh no! the Rocky hearts of these Marble wretches would not yield nor melt nor thaw nor take impression but still they continue in their unbelief and hardness of heart disowning the Lord that bought them and consulting his death who was contriving to bring them to life All the displeasure he would have done them was to take their sins from them Mat. 11.28 And all the pleasure they meant to shew him was to take his Life from him Mat 26.59 All the hurt that ever Christ did them was to pray for them Father forgive them forgive them And all the good they ever did him was to cry Crucifie him Crucifie him And Crucifie him they did before they could sit down Whose Death and Crucifixion is described and represented to your view 1. By the Antecedents or things before 2. By the Consequents or things following after The Antecedents were 1. The several Preparitories to it Chap. 2. The judicial progress about it Chap. seqr The Prerogatives were 1. The Jews conspiring ver 3 4 5. 2. Judas his Covenancing to affect it 14 15 16. 3. Christs own preparing and fitting himself for it that he might without relucting submit to it and without the least Symptome of disponding encounter and go thorow with it And this is the Argument of the latter part of this Chapter at large and of my Text in short Father if it be possible let this Cup pass from me yet not my will but thy will be done Which words I may call The pious Souls sequestring it self for dying or Our Saviours Preparatory to his Passion Wherein you have two Observables 1. Here 's an humble Petition presented Let this Cup pass 2. Here 's an hearty Resignation promised Not my will but thine be done I. First An humble Petition Let this Cup pass from me Our Saviour was at this time very apprehensive of Death The sorrows of the Grave â—haâ—l â—â—â—â—â—ssed him about and the pains of Hell had taken hold upon him 〈◊〉 â—â—w in this dark condition and Spiritual Damp that his Soul lay 〈…〉 â—e gets himself out into the Garden alone and there he fits weepâ—â—â— â—â—â—â—â—â—ah under the Juniper-tree and like dying Hezekiah he lays 〈…〉 and spâ—â—ads his Condition before the Lord imploring him Samaritan-like to shew him some pity in this his Extremity Father saith he Let this cup pass from me Now in that Christ betakes himself to God for help in this hour of heaviness you may learn hence It 's better to intrust and interest God for our help and comfort than man For man yea the best of men are but men and when they have done the best for us it may be they can do no good to us When the man in the Kings had made his misery known to his Neighbours and cryed to them Help Help you know what an answer he got How can we help except the Lord help When Job had told over the sad story of his great losses to his three friends expecting some redress to so unparalleld grievances you know how long they sate by him without giving him one word of Counsel or administring the least word of Comfort which forced him into that passionate Resolve Miserable Comforters are ye all When Judas lay under the Convulsions and Corrodings of a grumbling Conscience and ran to the Priests for Absolution A look thee to that was all the comfort he could get from them Ah! that mans condition is most to be pitied who runs to none but man for pity When all is done God is our surest stay He is usually the last but always the best Refuge Therefore when we have read over the sad Lecture of our Losses and poured out our wants and wrongs into the bosom of our safest and firmest friends then is this Apostrophe this Turn the sweetest Turn the Soul can take when it can Turn to God as you see Christ doth here say Father if it be possible let this cup this cross pass from me II. Secondly Here 's an hearty resignation in these words Nevertheless not my will but thine be done And if he had said 't is true it 's Ease which this Nature this Humane Nature of mine would have but if thou Lord art otherwise resolv'd to continue me in pain I
have done will you take more care of your Family Will you give them an example of a holy heavenly Life Fifthly Have you repented of your Sins as you say you have Then how much are you troubled for the sins of others Do your hearts mourn in secret for the Wickedness and the Abominations of the places where you live And now I beseech you do not you flatter your selves in your wicked sinful courses If you do then I say take heed that God doth not send his Judgments upon you And if you repent not doubtless God will bring some Plague upon England ere it be long Consider this O England and do not provoke God to depart from you For if you repent of your Sins you may expect to live quietly in the Land of your Nativity and go to your death beds in peace and rest But if you will not repent of your sins then I say expect nothing but Cursings instead of Blessings from God If you will repent do it to day God knows how long it may be before you have such another day But I have one word to you this afternoon and it is for ought that I know the last words I have to speak to you I have one Question to ask you before I depart out of this Pulpit with thoughts for all that I know never to return into it any more My Question is this Will you repent The welfare of your souls depends upon it the welfare of the Church depends upon it the welfare of three Kingdoms depends upon it My beloved it is no trifling now Will you repent I ask you It may be hereafter God will give you up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind and if you go on in your wickedness Hell will follow after it Well I say Will you repent I ask you the Question and I ask you no other Question than I have asked my own self before I came into this place I ask you again Will you repent every man woman amongst you For Jesus Christ is angry with you and he takes away many of your Lights from amongst you That God is angry with you it is plain for God would never else have taken away his Ministers from among you I doubt not but God hath made use of some of those that are to speak no more in the Name of Jesus to the snatching of you as fire brands out of the fire and in bringing you from the kingdome of Satan unto the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ Well will you repent If you will not you sins lye at your own dores do not think its a hard Question when I ask you if you will repent There are two places where there is no Repentance the one is in Hell it were a vain thing for me to go to the gates of Hell and câ—y to them Repent for their day of Grace is past and their doom is passed upon them I do verily think that there is more sorrowing in Hell for sin than there is here upon Earth but their sorrow is not sanctified sorrow If the damned in Hell were delivered out of Hell they would sin again if they lived eternally they would sin eternally But I am not speaking to men in hell nor to women in hell but I speak to you that are here upon earth But there are a people to whom the day of Grace is set while they live to whom the Sun of Righteousness is set and their day is filled up with darkness I look upon the Heathen as such I look upon the Jews as such I look upon the Turks as such I dare not say of any man or woman living that can come within the hearing of a Sermon that God hath given any one up to such a reprobate mind Now my beloved if it be not thus with any of you that your day of Grace is not past as I am confident it is not Then I beseech you in the Name and Fear of God that you would repent The dying words of dying men and women do usually prevail with those that hear them The dying words of Fathers and Mothers do use to prevail with their children My beloved if you have any love to God if you have any love to your souls remember my last words I say Repent of your sins It may be God hath made me instrumental to the plucking of some of you as Fire brands out of the fire and in building of some of you up in the most holy Faith Remember what I say I have chosen this as my last words that ever I shal speak to some of you Object But may some of you say You bid me repent how can I do it I can no more repent than the dead man can arise Answ It is true O sinner that thou sayest But though thou canst not repent when thou wilt yet if thou wilt but endeavour to set thy self about the work it is probable that God may give thee a repenting heart therefore I say take heed of shutting thy self out from mercy Object But say you Why do you then press us to such a work when we cannot do it of our selves Answ Mark here when I say unto you will you repent That is will you make use of the means that God hath appointed for your Repentance Will you reckon up all the sins you have committed against God will you reckon up all the times that you have been drunk or that you have sworn an Oath will you reckon up all the sins that you stand guilty of between God and your own souls and will you go to God and beg of him that he would be pleased to pardon them But say you What if we do not If you do not then you are still in your sins and there is no peace to you there is no inward peace to your souls there is no true peace to your Kingdom But that I may prevail with you I shall give you some grounds or motives to press this Argument more home upon your consciences First of all Repent because Jesus Christ hath commanded you under great Penalties if you do not My beloved consider a little with your selves who it is that speaks unto you here in my Text. It is not I but it is Jesus Christ and doubtless Christ would never have perswaded you to this work of repentance if it were not necessary This book is the counsel of the Physitian of your Souls the Physitian of your Church and the Physitian of your Kingdom He that saith unto you repent saith if you do not Your sins shall not be blotted out He that saith unto you repent saith if you do not Eternal death shal follow Repent I say or if thou dost not wo be unto thee wo unto that man that ever he was born wo unto thee it had been better thou hadst never seen the Light Thy Parents that bore thee they may repent that ever thou were born Oh my beloved it is a terrible
wholly flesh totally opposite to the holy Laws of thy Majesty and were it not for thy renuing and restraining grace we should break forth into as vile abominations as the vilest of men our lives have been a continuall piece of rebellion against God who did make us and doth feed and cloath us all thy paths have been paths of mercy to us but we have requited thee evil for thy good and hatted for thy love Oh foolish men and women that we have been I we acknowledge our Gospel-sins are of a deep dye Thou hast not been a VVildernss or Land of darkness to us we have been exalted to heaven in the means of salvation but Oh! how short do we come of knowledge to the time and means we have enjoyed and our obedience comes short of our knowledge we have not walked up to that light which thou hast given us We desire to lay our selves low before thee Oh do thou open our eyes and present us to our selves show us the vilenss of our lives Blessed be thy Name that thou hast laid help upon one that is mighty to save all that come to thy Majesty by him and thou hast promised all that beleeve on him shall not perish but have everlasting life Oh help us to receive him in all his Offices in our hearts help us to give him the keys of our hearts and help us to live and die to him that died for us and let our souls be united to thee by him that his death may be ours and his life ours and his intercession ours Oh let our unity to Christ be demonstrated to us by our communion with and conformity to him in grace and holiness And we pray thee dearest Lord pardon our sins in the Court of heaven and in the Court of our own consciences besprinkle our conscienees in the blood of Christ and say to all before thee at this time that desire to fear thee more and serve thee better Sons and Daughters be of good cheer your sins are forgiven you And do not only justifie us but sanctifie us purge our consciences from dead works inform our understanding conform our wills to thy holy VVill let our hearts and lives be comformed to the Image of thy Son that beholding thereof we may be changed from glory to glory and let us have more knowledge of thy will that we may do thy will und suffer thy will with more patience and be filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are to the glory of God Let us not be empty Vines that bring forth fruit to themselves but let us bring forth fruit to God whereby thou maiest be glorified Oh plant that great grace of Self-denial in our souls and let us take the Cross of Jesus Christ and follow him wheresoever he goes Remember all thine extend thy favour to those thou hast cast on beds of sickness and let there be a saving change wrought in them before that change by death shall come and they that are drawing nigh their time of Travel let the arms of the All-sufficient God be under them and be better to them than their Faith or our prayers and look graciously upon poor children entitle them to an inheritance that fadeth not away make them a blessing in themselves and a blessing to their Parents And those that deâ—re the conversion of Relations that walk in waies of perdition do not let them find peace in any way against thy Majesty and let them know that sin will be bitter in the latter eud Look upon us that are before thee at this time before we go hence and shall be here no more make thy face to shine upon us let our coming together be for the better and not for the worse to any of us let thy poor Servant be able to deliver thy Message plainly and powerfull and give thy People hearing ears and obedient hearts and let us rejoyce that we did wait upo thee in thy Worship this day and all For Christ his sake in whose Name and Words we call upon thee Our Father ' which art in Heaven c. Doctor Manton's Prayer at Covent-garden O Lord God all that we can do is nothing of our selves we can do nothing Oh let us have the gracious Assistance of thy Spirit as this time let thy love constrain us say unto us Thou art our Salvation Do not say that we shall fill up the measure of our Iniquities and there shall be no hope for us O Lord we are ashamed that we have waited so long in thine Ordinannances and have got no more profit to our toor pouls but we have given up our hearts to the pleasures and vanities of this world that are but for a season even those that thou hast drawn out after thee do not walk worthy of thee anseerable to that blessed hope of future Happiness in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Jesus Christ is to many of us become a stumbling-blook and a reck of offence while our hearts are caried out after the wirld with such strong affections Oh! when shall we carry our selves so as those that profess themselves to be secke's of a better life We come into thy presence now for strength do thou manifest thy self to us thou hast promised to pour out thy Spirit upon all Flesh Oh let it be unto us according to thy promise O Lord our hearts naturally are averse to thee so that of our selves we shall never be able to do any thing that may be wel-plensing to thee but do thou regulate us by thy blessed Spirit that we may observe thy statutes and do them and that thy Commands may not be grievous to us that it may not be burdensom for us to do the work of God O Lord when shall our hearts be made sound in thy statutes we wait upon thee in the use of thine Ordinances that we may have a new supply from thee that at length we may come to see that thou art at work with us to save our soules O help us to be followers of them who with faith and patience do follow thee to do nothing unbecomming our holy Call suffer us not to swerve from thy Commandments but let us have a constant and earnest desire after thee Let the choicest of thy Mercies come down on our Sovereign Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland let His heart be guided by thee let him always set the before his eyes that under the shadow of his Goverment we may have Peace in all Godliness and honesty Bless him in his Relations in his Councils Teach our Senators wisdom Be with all thy Faithfull Magistrates and Ministers let them be a terrour to evil doers and an encouragement to them that do well Be with us in the way of thy worship we are here met together to hear and handle thy holy Word Oh do thou command it to light upon all our hearts let it come in the evidence and demonstratian
of wrath will fall upon us O Lord how many ways hast thou used to reclaim us what Arts hath thy blessed Spirit used how many times hast thou approached to our souls and shewed us something of thy glory and the glory of heaven and the terrours of hâ—ll the one to allure us and the other to scare us But Oh! how many times have we grieved thy blessed Spirit who came to seal us and despised thy Son who came from heaven to earth and liv'd a sorrowful life and died a shameful death how often hath he offered us grace and glory if we would how to his Scepter but we have preferred a base lust before that excellency that he hath purchased us Oh how often hast thou condescended so far as to intreat us to be reconciled how easie hast thou been to forgive and how hard have we been to be forgiven VVe confess thou mighâ—est pass an eternal Doom upon us for we are sensible of the dishonour that we have brought upon thy Name Do thou at this time strike upon all these rocks that are in thy presence at this time give us hearts of flesh let our repentance pâ—eprare us for corversion let there be such a through conviction that thy grace and Mercy may be admirable in our eyes VVe intreat thee hear us pardon all our iniquities let us be monuments of thy grace and favour speak peace to our Consciences convey those clear evis dences of thâ—â—â—ve unto us that may inable us to scatter all our fâ—aâ—s that we may rejoice in God and have hope of glory Let the image of thy Son be engraven on all our hearts and let our souls be made subject to him while we are in the world preserve us from the evil of it If thou givest us out ward happiness give us withat inward holiness and if we do suffer help us with patience to bear all knowing we are in our journey and our passage to a better life and let our whole time be spent in a serious Preparation to appear before thy Tribunal and let us consider the unchangableness of that state hereafter Remember thy whole Church make the Name of Christ glorious in the world shed abroâ—d thy light and thy truth heavour back-slidings and love us freely Let thine Ordâ—nances continue among us and let thy blessing descend upon our sovereign Lord the King of England Scot and France and Ireland Defender of the Faith Incline his heart to thy Law make him an instrument of publick good protect his person and give him prosperous affairs Bless his Royal Consort his Relations his privy Counsel let them promote solid Piety and real Godliness Bless the Minister of thy Word and Sacraments Let their labours be precious in thy sight and remember all afflicted ones revive thy Mourners and let thy grace answer all their fears Let thy presence be in the midst of us and help us to hear as our last and let us be raised nearer heaven and make thy word powerful and effectual to all our souls and let thy word subdue our lusts and aâ—l we beg for the sake of Jesus Christ in whose Name and words we sum up our imperfect Prayers Our Father which art in Heaven c. Dr. Jacomb's Prayer at Martins Ludgate BLessed God thou art a God blessed for ever thou givest Mercy to all returning and repenting sinners thou art worthy to be praised by all that draw nigh unto thee Thou hast vouchsafed to us one Sabbath more Oh that we might all of us be in the spirit upon the Lords day that whatever we do we may do it in the strength of God that we may offer spiritual Sacrifices to God this day through our Mediator the Lord Jesus It is a very great condescention that thou shouldst suffer such as we are to come unto thee O Lord we are unclean we are unclean from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we are overspread with the leprosie of sin all the faculties of our souls are defiled our understandings are darkened our wills are corrupted we have affections but they are carnal we have hearts but they are impure we have consciences but they are seared and as our inward man so our lives are unholy as the fountain is so is the stream besides that our general guilt that we brought into the world we are guilty of innumerable actual transgressions against thy holy Law We think O Lord there are no greater sinners in the world than we our sins are attended with many aggravations We have finned against Prayers against vows and promises we have had as much light shining before us as any in the world have had great is our unbelief Oh that we could lay these things to our hearts We do refuse to come to Christ we go about to establish a righteousness of our own and neglect the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ how are our hearts glewed to the present things of this world Oh! what do we do for thy glory How unreformed are we under all the ways of God that he hath taken to make us a holy people Give us a sight of our sins O Lord we confess sometimes we do make a formal confession but we do not find our hearts melted for sin as they should Oh take away from every one of us this heart of stone give a heart of flesh give us tender hearts make us sensible of all our departing from thee Oh let us look upon him whom we have pierced let us mourn that the Water of penitential sorrow may flow from us we are strangers to our selves we do not see what a hell there is in our nature Oh! how should we put our mouths in the dust and loath our selves if so be there might be hope O Lord convince us of sin give us such a sight of sin as may make us flie to thee give us such a sight of our own guilt that maâ—â— prepare us for the Grace of Godâ— now we are sâ—ung with the fiery Serpents help us to come to Jesus Christ our brazen Serpent give us the holy Spirit to bring us out of the state of nature to let that God that made us Creatures make us new Creatures O Lord we are thine own work but we are dead in trespasses and sins give us grace and speak a word to them that are dead put out thine Almighty Power and draw some sinner to Christ this day and those that have any breathings after thee Oh! thou that gavest them that desire carry on thine own work in them where thou hast begun a good work carry it on let sin as the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and grace as the house of David grow stronger and stronger Oh! increase our faith O Lord at this time we do not onely stand in need of grace but of a great measure of grace Oh! help us by faith to relie upon God that thou mayest help us at last Bless
not beat folly out of our hearts We have been unprofitable all our days some have done thee more service in one year than we in all our time We have forgotten thee in the day of prosperity and sung a lullaby to our own Souls Oh that we could speak these things with broken and bleeding hearts But as in the time of our ignorance we could sin without reluctancy so now we can sin without repentance Oh that thou wouldst smite the rock that there might flow out tears VVe can do nothing by way of expiation if we would weep out our eyes nothing but the blood of Christ can take away our guilt O that there might be a spring of that blood upon our souls at this time Oh that that blood may at this time bring a report of love and a message of mercy to us Do we beg any more than thou hast promised Oh hast not thou accepted of that satisfaction that Christ hath made in his own person If we had suffered the torments of Hell it could not have made that satisfaction that Christ hath made Give us the witness of thy spirit and thy Love and we will say we have enough give us hearts of flesh crush the head of the serpent in our souls O Lord Christ thou camest into the world to destroy the works of the Devil in our hearts and to build up the Kingdom of the spirit in us Oh when shall we see the old man decay in us and the new man to live more and more O be wisdom to guide us and Righteousness to cleanse us from guilt and redemption to deliver us from the wages of sin let us be nothing in our selves that we may be all in thee our saviour Oh honour us so far that we may honour thee VVe pray thee strengthen our weak saith quiet our consciences we would not live a day longer than that we may honour thee tread Satan under our feet fit us for our places and imployments let not our conditions be so low but that our hearts may be lower we are posting to death Oh let sin die before we die let us know our names are written in the Book of Life before thou take away our life Look upon thy servant our dread Sovereign Charls of Great Britâ—â—â—n France and Ireland King oh inrich his Royal heart with all those saving graces of thy Spirit in order unto a wise and happy Government of these Kingdoms Look upon his Royal Consort his Royal relations the Lords of his Privy Council and make them blessings to this Nation oh sanctifie thy good word oh give thy gracious assistance to us both in speaking and hearing let us hear it as that word by which we must be judged that we may be convinced by it and say it is the power of God to salvation to every soul of us Let our meeting be for the better to all of us that we may be built up in the most holy Faith and let us know we have not sought thy face in vain for Jesus Christ his sake our dear Saviour for whom we bless thy Majesty to whom with thee and thy Spirit be praise for ever Amen Mr. Jenkin's Prayer at Christ Church MOst blessed and holy Lord God thou art infinitely beyond our apprehensions who wast infinitely happy before the worâ—d was made and wantest none of thy creatures nor their services to make thee more excellent than thou art in thy self we daily want thee thou never wantest us thou art pleased to make use of ordinances Ministers Sabbaths as thy Institutions to accomplish and bring about the great work of thy Glory and mans Salvation yet Lord thou dost not need them thy Spirit is not made efficatious by these things but it is that that makes these things efficatious though thou art pleased to tie us to them when we may have them and duly enjoy them yet thou dost not tie thy self to them We desire in these our addresses to eye the happiness of Saints that depends upon him that depends upon none we are here in thy presence by thy goodness and grace O whither should we go but to thee and how should we come but by thee Oh strengthen our faith kill our corruptions inflame our love give us assurance of thy love to our souls oh that God would teach us how to pray that we may taste and see how good the Lord is this day that our souls may be filled as with marrow that we may by our own experience be able to say It is good for us to draw nigh to God and that a day in his house is better then a thousand elsewhere that there may be a communion between us and God let there be a disunion between us and sin we confesse we brought sin enough into the world with us to cause thee to with-drawâ—th blessed self from us and to cast such unproffitable servants as we are into utter darkness we have been a long time in thy school and yet how dull are we we might have been teachers of others but we need our selves be taught which are the first Principles of the oracles of God we love less than we know and we do less than we love we have neither done that good nor received that good which we should or might have done and received We have been trees that have cumbred the ground in thy orchard but we have brought forth no fruit Wo unto us that we have not known the day of our visitation many of us have one foot in the grave and yet we have lived without God in the world we are wise in every thing but in our own Salvation we live as if Hell were a priviledge those of us that have some knowledg of thee have great cause to repent that we have walked so unworthily of God Which of us pray continually and fervently or live the life of saith we confess we neither take our afflictions humbly nor our mercies thankfully nor want our comforts contentedly nor fill up our relations fruitfully We live as if Hell were a scare-crow as if all the threatnings of thy word were an empty noise as if there were neither sweetness in Heaven nor bitterness in Hell When we come into thy presence where are our hearts what earthly dispositions do we bring along with us the sins of our Prayers cry louder then the Supplications of our prayers what hypocrisie and formality cleaves unto us If thou dost not look upon the iniquities of our holy things with an eye of pitty what will become of us O Lord be pleased to smell a sweet savour of rest and peace through thy dear Son O Lord it is only his precious Blood that can sprinkle our hearts and quiet our Consciences and no other thing We do renounce our own Works and we cry out in our selves Undone undone It is through thy beloved Son that we are accepted and therefore to that end bring us to him by a saving operation on thy part