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A93756
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A sermon preached unto the inhabitants of the town of Thornbury, in Glocestershire [sic] on March 20, 1697/8
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Stafford, Richard, 1663-1703.
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1698
(1698)
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Wing S5133; ESTC R42869
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30,618
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36
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walked who now are at Peace thro' which as a Means ye are to hope that your Spirits may be saved in the Day of the Lord. Jesus A confirming all the Words of the Law and Gospel by your doing of them But whosoever shall do and teach them even the least Commandments the same shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 5. 19. And it is thro' this thing even that mention'd in the foregoing Verse The setting your Hearts unto all the Words which Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles have testified unto Mankind unto this Day which ye shall command your Children to do all the Words of this Law And then it follows thro' this thing ye shall prolong your Days even so to a blessed Eternity in the Land even the new Heavens and the new Earth where Righteousness dwells whither and when ye go over the Jordan of this Life to possess it There is no other way or name given under Heaven whereby they must be saved than that of Christ Jesus and the Observance of all things whatsoever he hath commanded us Whatever Reproaches and false Sayings have been uttered against my Person or Ministry tho' here it may be expected I should take up such a kind or form of Speech Father forgive them for they know not what they do I pray God lay not this Sin to their Charge But since Christ and his Apostles spake after this manner so much Light and Grace so much Knowledge and Revelation have came into the World that People now may know what they do herein namely that themselves who reproach and speak falsly are as so many Instruments in the Hands of the Devil for to resist let and hinder to defeat spoil or render of less Effect the Ministry of such a Servant of the most High God who doth only Teach the way of Salvation So that if we should still pray and ejaculate after this manner it may seem to encourage others in a like course of sinning and Teaching Rebellion against the Lord for so did Shemaiah the Nehelamite in giving out as if Jeremiah his Prophet was mad as ye may read in Jer. 29. 26. 32. so that instead of my praying Father forgive them for they know not what they do I pray God lay not this Sin to their charge I shall here use and apply as to them other Words of Christ and his Apostle But I say unto you that every idle Word which there signifies false or reproachful Words as appears by the Verses immediately foregoing that Men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the Day of Judgment Mat 12. 36. Who shall give an account to him that is ready to judge both the Quick and Dead 1 Pet. 4. 5. We are not allow'd to pray nor will God hear but according to Truth How then can I pray Father forgive them for they know not what they do when the Times of that Ignorance which God winked at are long since past But now in this Gospel-day more Grace and Knowledge have appeared unto the World So that either People do know or may know which is near one and the same thing what they do and whom they have Reproached and Blasphemed and against whom they have exalted their Voice even against the Holy One of Israel when with their Mouth they have reproached and spoken falsly of his Minister and Servant especially as he was in the Ministration of his Word and when their lying Lips did speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the Righteous Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good Report if there be any Vertue and if there be any Praise think on these things Those things which ye have learn'd and received and heard and seen in me do and the God of Peace shall be with you Phil. 4. 8 9. Wherefore I take you to record this Day that I am pure from the Blood of all Men for I have not shunned to declare unto ye all the Counsel of God For as may be reason'd from Joshua 8. 35. there should not be a Word of all that God hath commanded in the Scriptures which his true Ministers should shun or refuse to declare and make known unto the People I am not he that is set over ye after the Law of a Carnal Commandment or according to the established manner of the Country But as God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healing Helps 1 Cor. 12. 28. so by the Gifts given and committed unto me I may come in for an Helper in the Work of the Ministry And by my constant Warning of the Inhabitants of this Town and Neighbourhood against all manner of Sin and Transgression and by laying open the Unreasonableness and Danger thereof I shall somewhat ease that Account which he is to give for the Souls more immediately and especially committed unto his Charge Notwithstanding all the Labours that are used in this Parish and the Parts adjacent to prevent it whosoever for all that shall perish at last yet I take you to record again that I am pure from the Blood of all Men because I have not refused to declare unto them all the Counsel of God that came into my Mind and which was against their Sin Iniquity Transgression Hypocrisie Disobedience and Ignorance all which and the like do drown Men in Destruction and Perdition And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance amongst all them which are sanctified I commend you especially to the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation and to its Teaching us that denying Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World So that whosoever of you shall deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and shall live Soberly and Righteously and Godly in this present World he or she and such only shall obtain and inherit Salvation in the next World I commend you also to the Teaching of the Spirit of God there is no Teaching like the Teaching of the Spirit and Lord evermore give us this Bread Lord evermore give us the Teaching of thy Spirit and there be sure to obey its Voice and to do always according to those Dictates of Duty and Motions of Good the Spirit shall from Time to Time suggest and put into your several Minds Remember to observe this Rule even to do and put in Practice all the Good that ye shall ever think of or what shall be in the Power of your Hands for to do But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is no Lie and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have Confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming 1 John 2. 27 28. As ye and my self do constantly to our Lives end observe these last Rules and Directions here deliver'd however we shall be divided and separated one from another on this Earth in matter of Place But we Brethren being taken from you for a short time in Presence not in Heart 1 Thess 2. 17. for such of us as are obedient unto the Word in Heart and Affection we shall be together still for Godly Hearers will remember a Godly Teacher after he is removed from them as also he will remember such Hearers as were attendant on and obedient unto the Word of his Ministry in such a Place yet such of us as do these things If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them and blessed are those Servants whom when the Lord cometh he shall find so doing shall meet again at a blessed Resurrection Amen so be it saith my Soul Richard Stafford FINIS LONDON Printed in the Year 1698. and are to be Sold unto such who will receive the Truth in the Love thereof Advertisement THese are to give notice That I have several other Practical Sermons or Discourses of mine own composing lying by me in Manuscript which if they who have the Plenty or Competency of this Worlds Goods would according to their several Ability thus Consecrate some part of their Gain and Substance unto the Lord Micah 4 13. so as to be ready to Distribute and willing to Communicate towards the outward Labour and Charge of the Printing and Publishing of them it would be for the Glory of God in making known his Truth Isa 38. 19. and for the Edification and Benefit of his Church and People and consequently it would be a good Work in such Persons who shall be helpful and any ways assistant herein for which they would be rewarded by God in the Life that is to come Charge them that are rich in this World that they do Good that they be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the Time to come that they may lay bold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 17 18 19. This is a Faithful Saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good Works these things are good and profitable unto Men Titus 3. 8.
hope I shall never do it But I desire to remember and always bear in mind so that I may follow his Example in this Duty of trusting on God that Character which is recorded of Hezekiah He trusted in the Lord God of Israel so that after him there was none like unto him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him 2 Kin. 18. 5. What could Paul finish his Course with Joy when Bonds and Afflictions in every City did abide him Yes he did by the Influences and Comforts of the Holy Ghost within him at the same time For as God was with Joseph in the Prison so he is equally or rather more with his Servants in trouble when they are suffering according to his Will in well doing So I declare truly unto ye this Day behold what a good God it is whom we serve I have experienced more Sweetness and Joy which arises from the Sense of the loving Kindness and Favour of God towards us and from the Belief and Assurance of a greater Reward when I have been in Prison then when I have been out of it For then I have had a troubled Spirit and a wounded Spirit who can bear for my neglect of doing the Will of God and for my accepting of Deliverance upon sinful Terms and out of fear of the future Displeasure of God against me for the same I am of the same Mind still and I desire ever to continue so I had rather meet with what is commonly called Trouble and Suffering which even in the midst thereof is very much sweetned by the Holy Ghost the Comforter in the way of serving God and doing my Duty towards him by testifying the Gospel of God and by asserting his Commandments in the very same manner as they lie and were by him given than avoid Suffering or Trouble in omitting or neglecting of it Your own several Understandings can conceive and tell ye that if one can finish his Course with Joy when Bonds and Afflictions every where abide him which is as certain as Scripture is true and that God hath any Care over his Servants and People then he is altogether as happy as those at full Liberty And so those who take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods from whence doth that Joy arise even from that Knowledge that they have in Heaven a better and more enduring Substance as some have done then these also are in the same or rather a better Condition than those who have kept them for they have not that degree of rejoycing I will not here apply that next Verse of Paul's Farewel Sermon to the Ephesians And now behold I know that ye all amongst whom I have preached the Kingdom of God shall see my Face no more for besides that Humane Temper of mine Romae rus opto absentem Rusticus Vrbem There is a like Disposition in me as was in one of the Patriarks of longing fore after my Father's House There is a Lothness and Unwillingness in me according to the Flesh to leave or throw my self out of it because of having there the Necessaries and Conveniences of outward Life and of dwelling at ease But if I should always continue there how should the Work of God be done by me and wo be unto me if I do it not and I would not have it taken out of my Hands and given to another and so I shall lose the things that I have wrought and not receive a full Reward nor yet obtain a better Resurrection than my other Fellow-Creatures who are for being at Ease the Lord declares himself I am very sorely displeased with the Heathen that are at ease Zech. 1. 15. Wo to them that are at ease in Zion Amos 6. 1. and sleeping in a whole Skin as we commonly phrase it It is a Resemblance to Moses's Faith Choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season Esteeming the Reproach of Christ greater Riches than the Treasures of Egypt for he had Respect unto the Recompence of Reward And so if I rather choose only Bread to eat and Rayment to put on Gen. 28. 20. as I hope he will give me that as he did unto Jacob in the way wherein I am to go which he hath chalked and shew'd unto me before-hand rather than to enjoy still the Comforts of a full Table or the sweet delightsome Rellish of Sensuality which is like the Israelites longing after the Onyons Leeks and Garlick of Egypt or better Rayment or what is commonly call'd a more creditable kind of Life and all this I do only for the sake of God and of publishing yet more his Word and Truth The having Respect unto the Recompence of Reward doth swallow up all other wordly and carnal Considerations Life is uncertain and it is more sickly in great and populous Cities and there be other Casualties Moreover the Sons of Violence are there so that God only knows whither ye shall see my Face any more But if I can enjoy Health Liberty and have continued Relief proportionable to my Need and I have a contented Mind so to abide and be doing I would willingly by the Grace and Truth of God not as of my self who can do nothing so effect things that ye shall see me no more till ye shall say Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. This is my Desire according to the Spirit tho' the Flesh perhaps may incline me to go to and fro That my Ministry shall not be altogether so much rejected amongst ye as formerly We have been with Child we have been in pain we have as it were brought forth Wind we have not wrought any Deliverance in the Earth neither have the Inhabitants of the World fallen Isa 26. 18. which hitherto hath been fulfill'd in my Ministry as to the People of this my Generation and Country Nevertheless it is of God as that here mention'd is altho' it had not its utmost effect There is an irksomeness and unwillingness according to the Flesh for even common Friends to part especially if we are to see one anothers Face no more and we know of it before-hand But there is yet a much greater sounding of the Bowels and deep thought of Heart between the true Preachers of the Gospel and their People and Hearers Especially if they are knit together in Heart and Affection as appears by this Instance and Example of Paul And they all wept sore and fell on Paul's Neck and kissed him Sorrowing most of all for the Words which he spake that they should see his Face no more And they accompanied him unto the Ship True Christianity where it is lively and real doth draw out the Affections and Passions in the most eminent manner that can be God knows whither my Ministry here used amongst ye hath so far reached the Hearts of any that it hath been reported of me in like manner as was of the Author and