When God doth thus visit persons or families he is properly enough said to come against them and in such cases still it holdeth true Those servants of God who are faithful in their service to God are blessed or in a good condition So Eli was though he smarted under the Rod and David comforted himself in the prospect hereof 2 Sam. 23.5 though his house should not grow though severe corrections and rebukes should cause the Beauty of his house to wither yet God would give him the Covenant-salvation it should be well with him in case of such coming though the Text less intend it the Doctrine is both true and useful 3. Sometime the Lord cometh to search and try mens state and conscience is awakened to make enquiry and to discover them to themselves While God stands as at a distance men are secure but when he cometh by his Word and Spirit and commands an admission he sets up that light within the mans soul that discovers what he hath done what he may expect and what he farther must do The word is sharp as a two-edged sword and searcheth the reins Heb. 4.12 And thus the secrets of mens hearts are discovered when God cometh with his word 1 Cor. 14.25 among men When God heweth men by his prophets and maketh his judgments as the light Hos 6.5 then he cometh into the heart and conscience Now certainly the Faithful and Diligent are in a good condition when their hearts do not condemn them when they know God will not condemn them But oh the sad condition of those that dare not look themselves in themselves that are self-condemned and afraid to know what God discovereth at such coming The Kings of Judah who did not obey the Command of the Lord could not endure the Prophets or their word But Josiah who was faithful to God can bear such a searching word 2 Chron. 34.19 27. ver Who desire to be faithful to God they dare abide this coming it doth discover their sincerity and declare them happy In this case though not directly intended by the Text it holdeth true All Gods faithful Servants and Stewards are found in a good and happy state But next which is that coming intended chiefly in the words and Doctrine 4. When Death is the Messenger God sendeth to let us know he is coming to us when he fetcheth us from amidst men and cometh to take account of each of us each man by man thus visited is either more or less happy as he is found more or less faithful and diligent at this coming of the Lord this is that coming of which by concurrent vote of our Interpreters the Text doth speak as also doth its Parallels Matt. 24. ver 42 43. and Mark 13. ver 34 35 36. of which I say the less because it passing with so general consent needs not much proof But Fifthly and lastly The Lord cometh in his Glory and Majesty to raise the dead and to Judg all men They who now do shall not eternally sleep in the dust God will come and call them out of their beds The Lord Jesus will descend with the voice of the Trump and the dead shall hear and rise to the great general and last judgment Thus he cometh to judg the world Psal 96.13 and 98.9 with righteousness and the people with equity Places that speaking of the Kingdom of the Messiah do include this Royal procedure which shall consummate his ministerial Government When he cometh as Rev. 1.7 in view of every eye for every eye shall see him when he thus cometh or as 't is described 1 Cor. 15.23 24 25 At this coming the Faithful diligent Servant is in good state Briefly then Whether our Lord come sooner or later to try the heart by his word or families by his Rod or Nations as he did try the Jews by more publick calamities In these cases the most faithful of his Servants and Stewards are in the most safe and blessed state but when he cometh as the judg of all men to particular judgment calling each man by death and to the general judgment calling all men before him He and he only is in a good and blessed state who is found to have been faithful and diligent in his Stewardship and Service within the House and Family of God giving to each what portion of meat is due to them Which is In the third place now to be proved by the more general Testimony of the Scriptures 3. Gen. Proofs of the Doctrine Where we find all faithful and diligent Servants and Stewards especially pronounced blessed and happy in their attendance to the work of doing good to all as they are able and therein serving their Lord and waiting for his coming So Rev. 14 1â— Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord Death is the greatest as well as last Enemy to our life yet if that natural life be spent for the Lord and we dye in him we are blessed for such mens Works do follow them and they rest from their Labours Now certainly lesser troubles and lighter afflictions cannot render him or her unhappy whom Death found and left in a blessed state so that to work those works which we would have to follow us and to dye in the Lord as they prove our Fidelity so they do prove our Felicity and at once prove us good Christians and in good state Again Matth. 25.34 35 Come ye blessed of my father c. These are such who fed cloathed harboured visited and refreshed those in the Lords Family though the least of his Family vers 40 which was as much a Duty to them who could do it as it was useful to others for whom it was done Now they are declared happy ones who had thus according to their opportunity Ministred unto others And much more will they appear blessed who have faithfully directed thirsty Souls to the Fountain of living Waters hungry Souls to the Bread of Life naked Souls to the white Robes wandring Souls to the rest of Souls Again Matth. 7.21 Not he that saith Lord Lord but he that doth the Will of my heavenly Father c. not a fruitless profession but a faithful obedience not an unactive complement but a diligent fulfilling the Will of our Lord is at last a blessing to us he is in a good state indeed whose Lord doth reward his Service with an entrance into and enjoyment of eternal life in Heaven And nothing can alter it to him who altereth not his course of Faithfulness and Diligence Such an one is Jam. 1.22 Blessed in his deed now who is blessed in doing his work can never be in ill-state whilst he is doing it and he is in better state when the work done is rewarded whose work is his happiness cannot but be happy whilst he attends his work and this is the case of all diligent and sincere observers of Gods Commandments Psal 19.11 The keeping them is a great reward Christians consider
it if glory honour immortality and eternal life can be a blessedness to us we are assured of this For every soul that doth good as God requireth whether Jew or Gentile Rom. 2.13 There is a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 for St. Paul who had fought a good fight c. Yea but if it were limited to his person none could rejoyce herein with assurance for themselves or were it limited to his excellent qualifications and unparallel'd diligence few or none of us could argue our own right hereby therefore it is added not for me only but for all that love his appearing It is then unquestionable that when the Lord shall come by Death and particular Judgment to any of us and when he shall come in the general Judgment to us all every faithful and diligent Servant shall be blessed And the blessedness of that future state will as much make and keep every state here in our way to it good and happy as gains of thousands yearly will make and keep him rich who loseth some farthings or pence now and then Thus in general the common and ordinary Servants find their diligence and fidelity to be their happiness Stewards and Ministers of the grace of God find it much more their happiness to have been faithful and diligent So the Holy Ghost seems to speak for encouragement to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna Rev. 2.10 And 2 Cor. 4.1 Ministers of the Gospel are mentioned who did handle the word of God faithfully and commended themselves to the consciences of men vers 2. Who did preach not themselves but Christ vers 5. Who were troubled on every side vers 8. Of these it is said that light and momentary afflictions work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory vers 17 18. The share Ministers shall have in answer to the diligence and faithfulness of their Labours shall be greater than the share of common or ordinary Christians at the coming of him who is Lord to them all When each Believer hath his Crown and all their joys are full then are those Believers an accession to the glory and joy of their faithful diligent Ministers who labour'd for their Conversion and helped forward their final and eternal salvation 1 Thes 2.19 20. And once for all that of Dan. 12.3 Who turn many to righteousness shall shine as the brightness of the firmament c. Each faithful Minister shall have his Aureola golden Ornament added to his Crown though all the faithful Servants of the Lord shall be as the stars yet one star differeth from another the most bright and glorious will be those who were on earth the stars that Christ held in his right hand Rev. 2.1 These Scriptures with others which might be added do confirm the blessed future state of faithful and diligent Servants and Stewards who in the Lords family attend to their work and serve the Lord by their affording what help they can to all and in proportion to their trust and fidelity shall be their happiness at Death and Judgment And in the mean time in what ever way of corrections or judgments the Lord may come to others and to them while they are among others and are liable to troubles yet they shall be found blessed in publick troubles blessed in private troubles blessed under personal trials at death more in the resurrection most blessed happy and in good state in all these cases Now wherein this blessedness consisteth is the fourth proposed head of our discourse to which your attention is now desired that you may be throughly affected with this undoubted truth and be brought to a greater resolution for fidelity and diligence according to your Talents and may at last have a larger measure of this present and that future blessedness which I thus range before you 4. Gen. What the blessedness of faithful Servants 1. The faithful and wise Servant of the Lord is blessed in the pardon of his sins and culpable blemishes which intermix with his services He that will be so wise for and faithful to his fellow Servants as to perswade direct encourage and help them to serve the Lord cannot be suppos'd will not be wise for himself or unfaithful to himself or neglect to sue out a Pardon for his known and unknown infirmities The good man Nehemiah cap. 13.22 sought this pardoning Grace from the greatness of Gods mercy when he reflected upon the great services he had done for God and his Church David the man after Gods own heart joins this suit for Pardon to his requests for guiding in the ways of God to which he was fully addicted Psal 25.4 5 6. and in midst of troubles he sueth for the same mercy Psal 25. ver 15.16 17 18. When his feet were in the net v. 15. when desolate v. 16. when troubles were enlarged into distresses v. 17. Then he pray'd that God would forgive all his sin So the returning Church Hos 14. ver 2 prays and God promiseth he will do it ver 4. And so Micah 7. ver 18.19 Now this maketh any condition good and safe The man whose transgression is forgiven Psal 32. ver 1 is in every place and in every condition a safe and happy man God who pitieth infirmities pardoneth them where he finds sincerity in his Servants He that faithfully warns another and calls on him to repent and seek his Pardon he that faithfully endeavours to engage others to do their Duty and seek for mercy is a man whom God hath affected so as to ensure the blessedness for himself which he perswades others to look after Parents Husbands Wives Friends and Ministers who heartily desire and labour to get others into the service of God on terms and encouragements sufficient to prevail with them are indeed the persons whom we must in charity believe are pardoned I should think he were pardoned who commended the Grace of his Prince who perswaded to all due Allegiance for future and urged his fellow Subject to sue for Pardon of what had been ill and undutifully done already It is certain the faithful are forgiven and blessed therein though perhaps they have not sense of it or we evidences to prove it of them Now no condition can come on such a man to render him miserable or in evil state 2. The blessedness of such faithful and diligent ones does lie in that gracious acceptance which God doth afford to them for all their sincere and willing obedience though imperfect in it self unsuccessful to others and altogether unprofitable to God It is a blessed thing to be accepted with God this is Heaven upon Earth this is Heaven after we leave Earth The Lord rejecteth none that he hath fitted for and who are faithful in his charge This was a blessing that David intreated of the Lord Psal 19.14 Let the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight c. This gracious acceptance did in Davids troubles
necessary we stay until his last coming wherein you will I hope and wherein I pray that you may meet the faithful and diligent Servants of God his Stewards wherein I perswade my self you will meet this faithful servant of Christ whom you now lament but shall then ever rejoyce with him Sirs I believe you will scarce doubt the truth I have preached I am sure you cannot with reason contradict it I hope you will not through slothful hearts lose the proposed blessedness which is last that it may be best to you I have now done with all the Doctrinal part and think I have spoken to as much as needed to be handled in it I proceed to the Uses of the Point which I shall confine to these two following 1. Information Hence we may learn 1. Use Information 1. That the care and business of Christians is as their priviledg very great Happiness in every condition and state is an exceeding great priviledg and to be faithful and diligent in the Lords Family according to our Talents and Relations is no light and easy care or work it requires much wisdom and much heedfulness I wish we were more apprehensive of both that our endeavour to be faithful might somewhat answer our hopes to be happy if you separate them now God will separate you from them hereafter when death shall cut you off from your opportunities and Judgment shall cut you off from your hopes Be holy and serve your Lord as ever you hope to be happy with your Lord. 2. Hence learn The first part of a faithful Servants and Stewards work is the more troublesome the last part is most sweet and satisfactory Sincerity and Diligence are sweetest at last The idle revelling Servant is most at ease when his Master is at farthest distance but the diligent and faithful Servant doth most rejoyce when his work is nearest an end his Master nearest coming and his reward nearest to his hand All that is difficult is at first somewhat harsh to our weakness but when difficulties are well nigh conquered it is greatest quiet and satisfaction to the diligent hand and willing mind Religion grows sweetest to us at last if we are sincere in it 3. Hence learn That best men though they shall be fully blessed at last yet that last shall not be but when the Lord pleaseth None have our times in their hands to prolong them or shorten them to their humors or passions Good Christians should live too little and serve God and the Church too little if bad men might measure out the time of their service such men would send them to their happiness sooner than would be convenient for those that neeed them And were our arrival in glory at the disposal of our friends and such as love us we should be kept longer from it than we would It is fit it should and 't is best that it be in God our gracious Soveraign and Lords hand to measure out the time of our Service and to fix the time of our reward which shall be when he cometh and he will come when he pleaseth and never to the loss of his faithful Servants 4. Hence learn To check the inordinate and excessive grief or impatience of Spirit under our losses in the death of our Relations A thousand disputing thoughts will start up in your breast which must not be allowed any debate It is the Lord who might have come sooner though we should possibly think he came too soon crush such like surmizes look rather to the known piety diligence faithfulness and labours of your deceased Christian Relations and consider to whom they lived Servants to whom they are passed with whom they now do and ever shall live Be followers of them as they were of Christ that in Gods time i. e. the best and sittest time you pass to them and be with your Lord and theirs in fulness of rewards and joys But Secondly By way of Exhortation 2. Use Exhortation Since the faithful and diligent Servant shall be blessed at his Lords coming be perswaded all whether Hearers or Readers especially you who have such examples and who have a more peculiar concern in the occasion of these lines Be perswaded to get such a temper of soul and lead such a course of life as may best become the Servants of such a Lord who will come and as may most comfort you when he cometh I will not prolixly direct how you may thus do nor farther move with argument I will suppose you willing already and desirous to hear how you may be blessed in your temper life and death 1. Wisdom is necessary the verse before my Text tells us as much therefore you must get wisdom from the Scriptures Read consider and remember them they are the rule our Lord hath left for direction of his whole Family The entrance into these giveth wisdom and this wisdom will attemper both heart and life that both may be holy and the end happy 2. Settle your resolutions to do all the known will of your Lord Let it be your motive why you do and your warrant when you have done the things that are proper to your places and callings An unresolved man will never be throughly faithful or diligent the full purpose of your heart must be to do all the good to all as you can which is the will of him who is good to all and whose tender mercies are over all his works 3. Whatever advantage you have on men whether it be advantage of Interest or Authority use it all for God and the good of their souls who in likelihood will hearken to you and be advised by you Perhaps you may thus save some Where you may forbid let not sin be committed unforbidden Where you may command let not good be omitted through want of your Command use the Power God gives you to engage others to serve God Abraham would command his House to keep the Covenant of the Lord so do you 4. Watch over your selves that you may watch over others and ere you pretend faithfulness to others and diligence and care to make them good be sure to be good your selves none can believe you are in earnest bent on the good of souls if you neglect your own First Do the good which your places require and then perswade others to mind their Duty in their places Masters Fathers and Teachers will do more hurt by bad examples than they can do good by best Counsels 5. Look frequently to the future blessedness under the conditions with which it is proposed to you and others in the Text Context and other places a frequent view of that blessedness will heighten your desires and hopes A frequent view of the conditions will awaken your care and provoke to diligence lest you should come short of your hopes and be disappointed of your best desires We are apt to forget our hopes therefore look often to that blessedness we are apt to