secular emploiments yet not to be spent in idelness they are the harvest-time for our souls And when will ye work and bestir your selves if not in harvest The Lords Day is to be spent in such works as more directly tend to the promoting of our Salvation And the more you should see this work going forward the more would Sabbaths be your delight You would not be for those vain recreations that sinfull liberty you may see others take on God's Holy-Day 10. Sit down and count the cost So you might be prepared to go thorow with your work If you reckon right you will see let Salvation cost what it can it can never cost too much Rom. 8.18 I reckon sayes the Apostle and we need not fear to take his account here that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to follow I would have said a word more to this but have prevented my self in speaking to the third caution Therefore here I conclude my Sermon and Exhortation desiring that the Spirit of Truth may bring these things to your remembrance Beloved could I have thought of any word more profitable and generally useful for you you should have been sure of it It may now be expected I should speak something touching my Deprivation O that the Lord would lead Ministers and People each into their own hearts to find out the cause of this sad dispensation as we read of the Fathers in another sense He causeth us this day to pass under a cloud I know some think and will not spare to say that we wilfully bring this Obscurity on our selves But the Lord the searcher of alâ— hearts knows and will manifest to the world one day whether it was a meet humour or whether indeed it was not Conscience that would not suffer us to comply with the things now imposed The Lord knows we dare not adventure on the checks reproaches smitings of our own hearts and consciences though it follow that our mouths be stopt Beloved I cannot forget the respects you have shewn to me how you chose me at first under great bodily weakness and were willing to procure me assistance I have not wanted outward encouragement among you but above all I have oft thought when I have come to my publick work here unpreparedly enough God knoweth yet I have found the fruit help and benefit of your prayers for me That I must acknowledge those few years I have spent amongst you have been the best to me the most comfortable years I have spent in the Ministry That might I have liberty the Lord knows I would most gladly spend and be spent for you Nothing but death should part us And howsoever we are separated yet I pray we may live in one anothers hearts and that we may more earnestly than ever strive with God in prayer one for another More I would have said but strength and spirits fail and further I would spare you Now how glad should we be if those that shall follow us may do more good amongst you then ever we have or could have done The Lord carry on his own Work and though He quite lay us aside though He should never honour us so far as to make any further use of us yet we could rejoyce to see Gods Work prospering Religion and that not only in a form but in the life and power of it promoted and more and more set up in this place So I commend you to God and to the Word of His Grace who is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are Sanctified SERMON IV. 1 King 18.21 And Elijah came unto all the People and said How long halt ye between two opinions If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him IT is not a thing indifferent what Religion men are of whether they are for God or Baal That is a pernicious opinion that affirms You may be saved in any Religion Again it 's not enough that we are of the true Religion but we must be true to it And so much we may learn from faithful Elijah both his Doctrine and practice When Israel went a whoring from God he was jealous for the Lord 1 Kin. 19.10 He continued to stand for God His Truth and Worship even when he could not see one more of his mind to be his second So here he durst plead for God when there was none found to take his part Note by the way that in the worst of times in times of most prevailing corruptions yet the Lord is not wont to leave himself without witness It 's further observable Israel had never degenerated more than in Elijah's dayes Yet never had they been priviledged with greater means Many Prophets at this time raised up amongst them see ver 4. of this Chapt. and Elijah among the rest Note Extraordinary means sometimes serve only to heighten and fill up the measure of a Peoples sins See Mat. 23.34 35. And now comes a dreadful Famine The Prophets shut up and the Heavens shut up together Elijah had foretold the drought Chapt. 17.1 And after three years he is sent with good news that rain was coming Chap. 18.1 Ahab seeing Elijah v. 17. when he should have acknowledged his own sin and guilt he wrongfully accuseth God's Prophet Art thou he that troubleth Israel Note It is no new thing for God's Faithful Messengers to be accounted enemies to the State As Elijah said I am not better than my Fathers Are we better than Elijah and other of God's Prophets who have been thus censured Why then should we look for better here Note Again observe Wicked men are very prone to mistake the cause of troubles and calamities See Jer. 44.18 20 21 22. where there is most guilt commonly there is least ingenuity or grace to see and acknowledge it It 's natural unto sinners we have it by kind from our first parents to transfer all blame as much as we can from our selves to others But how deeply soever Ahab is pleased to charge him Elijah is ready to clear himself and the Truth He desires that himself and the prophets of Baal might come to a fair tryal So he doubts not but to prove himself by a miraculous sign to be the Servant and Prophet of the most high God and shew them to be a pack of most wretched Impostors Ahab yeelds to a discussion of this business either out of curiosity expecting some strange discovery or through fear being awed with the present Judgment they lay under not knowing but upon refusal the Prophet might have some other dreadful Message to deliver or in hope and expectance upon his yeelding herein to have the Judgment removed Some such way he is perswaded and enclined to call the prophets of Baal and the Heads of the people together unto Mount Carmel where being assembled Elijah sets upon the people in the words read unto you How long halt ye
worship ye know not what saith Christ to the woman of Samaria We know what we worship including himself among the rest that worshipped God aright for Salvation is of the Jews But may this suffice here to prevent a great mistake and mis-judging which many Christians of late have discovered themselves but too forward unto 2. This also lets us see how sad it is to be of the Popish Religion which teacheth halting This is a Religion that teacheth halting wherein it differeth from ours from the true it teacheth nothing but halting Halting in Faith enclining in part to God's written Word and in part to their unwritten Traditions Halting in Obedience betwixt God's Commands and the Decrees and Constitutions of the Pope or their Church Halting in Worship betwixt God and Saints betwixt God the living God and dumb and sensless Images The Apostle Peter was blame-worthy when he halted betwixt the Jews and Gentiles Gal. 2. The Popish Religion allows and teaches Dissimulation and Equivocation before men The Religion of the Samatitans was a strange composition when they feared the Lord and served their own gods such is the Religion of the Papists who add to the Worship of God a multitude of Jewish and Paganish Rites and Ceremonies How intollerable is their confounding of Christ and Moses how abominable their joyning their own works with Christs merits in the business of Justification How dishonourable unto Christ and dangerous undoing to themselves their depending partly on Christ's mediation and partly on the Saints intercession O What a miserable lame Religion Popery is A Wavering Religion A Religion as we may hope that shall not stand long It is sure to fall and to be crusht in pieces with its own weight The Lord keep us and ours that we never come under it Better dye and perish in a Wilderness than return to this spiritual Egypt Vse 2. For Reprehension and Humiliation that so much halting in Religion is to be found amongst us 1. What halting among our common Professors Halting between GOD and Mammon Though you know what Christ sayes Matth. 6.24 You cannot give your hearts both to God and to the World If you would give them to God you must take them off from the world if they are set on the world you do not give them to God Ezek. 33.31 Again I wish there were nothing to be found like halting between God and Baal Some more observant of the Custom of the place than of the Scripture-rule in their Worship Some that worship God partly according to his Word and partly after their own and others fancies besides or against the Word How ill the Lord takes this may be guessed at by that passage Matth. 15.9 In vain do they worship me q. d. they might as well do nothing Halting between God and Belial Modo Ecclesias modo Theatra replentas Some for the place of God's Worship to day and for a Playhouse or the Tavern or Alehouse to morrow One while for the Service of God another while for the satisfying of their lusts Some that have their good moods now and then their Consciences being awakened by a powerful Sermon or some smarting rod by a sharp correction come to them now and you would think they were â—â—lly resolved to break off their sins and turn to God whereas a temptation doth no sooner present it self again but they are drawn away by their own lusts and enticed How many that are turning with the various companies they fall into That can carry fairly and smoothly while in company with such as are of note for Religion and an holy strictness and are as ready to fly out be vain and carry like one of the fools in Israel when they are in place were they may take their liberty in the company of such as are loose and prophane How many that will turn with the times seem very forward in Religion while it is a thing in fashion but cast it off again if once it grows out of credit in the world Like the Samaritans who would pretend kinderd to the Jews but only while they were in a prosperous state 2. Come to the best of us such as are upright in the main O how much halting yet may such be taxed with How great unevenness in the frame of our spirits our hearts sometimes up in holy duties but soon down again our affections sometimes lively but soon flat and dead again Alas What inconstant creatures are we Aliud stantes aliud sedentes One thing in religious services another out of them If we get any warmth into our spirits on the Lords Day how soon that we take cold again when we go into the world How great unevenness in the course of our conversation At one time a little diligent at another time exceeding sloathful in our business One while serious and conscionable in the practise of secret duties another while too ready upon any slighty occasion to neglect and omit them or else to slubber them over One while fruitful in our discourse desirous to do some good to all with whom we converse other while as barren as may be How faint and weak sometimes in our resistance of sin whereas we should go from strength to strength Do we not many times suffer a foiled routed enemy to rally again are we not sometimes worsted by those very lusts which before we had put to flight driven out the field What shall we say that after some conquest of our corruptions we have turned our backs again have yielded unto and been overcome of them How ready to shrink at the apprehension the approach of Sufferings How little have we to say for God his Truth Ministers c. when there may be the least danger in owning God and His Interest here Like these in the Text answered never a word How willing to spare our selves Too ready to venture the favour of God to keep the favour of men or to venture upon His displeasure to avoid mans displeasure Other whiles we seem full of confidence in God and sometimes again as full of fears O what cause have the best to be humbled even such as do not hover or hang in suspence betwixt two contrary wayes such as are set in the right way yet alas we go very weakly lamely here What cause to complain of feeble knees Do we not find a clog of corruption at our foot which is a great hindrance to us in our spiritual course There is flesh as well as spirit and hence as Jacob halted in his wrestling with God so do we halt in our walking with God The Child of God sayes Mr. Perkins is like a lame man that goes the right way but yet halts at every step This should be matter of humiliation and lamentation to us all Use 3. Hence be persawded to take heed of halting in Religion Now my work shall be to give 〈◊〉 some moving considerations to press you to an holy care and watchfulness over your selves here and
they go Gen. 28.12.13 We read Ruth 4.5 At what time the Kinsman must have the inheritance he must have it at the hand of Ruth to allude hereto You can never inherit the Blessing unless you be espoused to Christ Ye shall not see my face said Joseph except your brother be with you So here no seeing the face of God with comfort nor prayer heard nor person accepted nor sin pardoned no souls reconciled no Blessing obtained but through Christ Prayers are but as howlings if they be not put up in the Name of Christ the only Mediator Read Heb. 12.18 c. you shall find the misery of souls without Christ but their happiness being come to the Mediator of the New-Testament Out of Christ we have to do with God from Mount Sinai in thunderings and lightnings in tempest and terrible voices but through Christ from Mount Sion whence better things are spoken than Abels blood spake So Ephes 2.12 c. Without Christ and afar off without God having no hope strangers to the promise But through Christ made nigh reconciled fellow-citizens with the Saints of the household of God the partition-wall broken down he is our peace God is a terrible Judg a consuming Fire to men out of Christ but in him a Gracious Father reconciling this world to himself not imputing iniquities Ephes 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual Blessings But how or for whose sake Why in Christ only on his account In him we have redemption the remssion of sin ver 7. God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you Ephes 4.32 Jesus Christ is the Light of the world without which darkness horrour and perpetual confusion had been upon all mankind the onely Foundation to stand against Hell gates no other Name given whereby we can be saved The way by which we draw near to God with hope to speed is consecrated through his blood the grand encouragements we have in our addresses to God are Christ's Merit and Mediation Jesus Christ is the only door at which God giveth his dole of Blessings and by which we can enter into the Fathers presence and favour He is the gate of Heaven He is all in all My dear People The time of my departure from you not voluntary but constrained seemeth now at hand possibly I am speaking the words of a dying man and may see your faces no more in this place 't is my comfort I have not kept back any thing that is profitable for you nor shunned to declare to you all the Counsel of God But have to my ability taught you to observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded for so runs my Commission Mat. 28.20 And let me tell you I dare not exceed knowing that terrible Commination Deut. 18.20 The Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my Name which I have not commanded him to speak even that Prophet shall die And Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall break one of these least Commandments and teach men so he shall be called the Least in the Kingdom of Heaven The Scripture tels me what things I must teach and exhort And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing but doting c. 1 Tim. 6.1 2. Could I find the things which it is probable are shutting the mouths of many hundreds of learned consciencious Ministers expressed in or by good consequence to be drawn from the Scriptures which I am sure are sufficient to furnish the Man of God throughly to every good work 2 Tim. 3.17 I would not for a World divest my self of the Liberty of my Ministry nor bereave my self my wife and little ones of our Livelihood nay I would willingly practise them and teach you so to to I this day appeal to the most High with the Prophet Jer. 17.16 As for me I have not hastened from being a Pastor to follow thee O Lord thou knowest Most gladly would I have continued preaching Christ Jesus the Lord furthering your Faith and Joy and driving on the great Marriage between Christ and your Souls but sure I am my Lord needeth not my sinning to carry on his Work amongst you neither will I charge him with unfaithfulness nor his Word with deficiency in pretending to mine own faithfulness in the Ministerial Function but I 'le patiently commit my self to Him that judgeth righteously endeavouring to follow his steps who became poor that we might be made rich and suffered greater things for me than I can do for him On Him I desire to be found waiting and keeping his Way who hath the giving of the Opening of the Mouth and is thereby known to be the Lord Ezek. 29.21 He that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth can if he please restore our Liberties and pleasant things if not here am I let him do what is good in his fight The Will of the Lord be done Why should I part with you repining or murmuring at a churlish unkind World whilst it is evident the World hated him before it hated us and my Text tels us that Christ blessed his Disciples at his parting and Ascension Now the Lord Christ who went to Heaven blessing bless you this day with the best of Blessings the sure Mercies of David and lasting Benefits of the everlasting Covenant The Lord Jesus the good Shepherd who gave his Life for the Sheep be your Shepherd and cause showers of Blessings from Heaven on your Souls Bodies Children Families and Estates And God even the Father for Christ's sake grant that you and I who are this day parting with grieved hearts may at last meet with joy having all tears wiped from our eyes and every sad thought taken from our hearts to be ever with the Lord at whose right-hand are pleasures for evermore And God the holy Ghost abide with you and me to guide us into Truth to stablish us in the Truth and comfort our hearts unto the end of the world The Lord be with you all And are we parting Suffer I beseech you this word of Exhortation In the last day that great day of the Feast Jesus stood and cryed If any man thirst let him come to me and drink John 7.37 The Apostle at Troas ready to depart the morrow preached long at his parting with the Elders of the Church of Ephesus who must see his face no more how fervently did he preach and pray Acts 20. Two of Luthers wishes were That he might have seen Christ in the flesh and have heard Paul preach But my Brethren what tongue can express the worth of their Farewel-Sermons Though I be a weak earthen vessel a reed shaken with the wind yet shall not my mouth be open and my heart enlarged when I must preach to you no more And am I leaving you My Beloved and longed-for how gladly would
Assemblies we want the things to be enjoyed done received in the Publick Worship Oh the Blessing that is in this cluster surely a cluster of Blessings It is a Mercy that comes not alone nor goes away alone We may say of these Mercies when they come as she of Gad Behold 〈◊〉 Troop and when they go On how much do they carry away As to instance 1. In the want of them we want our dearest Enjoyments such as are 1. The gracious Presence and Visits of the God of Heaven the Day of our Visitation sets with them Luke 19.42 44. The Publick Assemblies are God's Chambe◠of Presence Cain going from that quarter of the World where God had his Church is said to go from the Presence of the Lord Gen. 4.14 16. Is it nothing to be without God in the World Is it nothing to be deprived of the sight of his Goings in the Sanctuary Is it nothing to want his Walks amongst his Candlesticks Seemeth it a small thing to us to stand under Suspension Did Mary weep when she supposed they had taken away her Lord John 20.13 and shall not we when our Lord is clearly withdrawing himself Will a departing God fetch never a tear Depart from me will make weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth and that thou maist fear since the Departures of a God do not affect thee 2. Open Vision and the benefit of the Gifts of God's Ministers whom God hath endued with Gifts to profit withal for the edifying of the Body of Christ for the perfecting of the Saints Solemn Assemblies are the Orbs wherein these Stars shine they are the Candle-sticks in which these Lights are set up When the Ark was taken the Priests fell too When we want our Signs we want our Prophets too When no Solemn Assemblies then are our Teachers driven into Corners Some have thought it more elegible to lose the Sun than these Stars Is it a matter to be passed by without Regard to see Lights put under Bushels to lose the Treasure that is in these Earthen-vessels to lose so many faithful Guides that were as Eyes to us in the Wilderness of this world Oh to want their Counsels their Comforts the Fruit of their Studies Temptations Intelligence from Heaven The beautiful feet of them that publish glad Tydings turned from us calls for sad hearts when we cannot hear the joyful Sound let both God and man hear sorrowful sighs and groans Reade Acts 20.36 37 38. People know little of the Reality of spiritual Relations whose hearts are not touched with the sense of spiritual breaches Read and apply to this head 1 Sam. 3.1 Psal 74.9 3. The Communion of Saints which is the nearest resemblance of Heaven that is upon Earth When Assemblies are gone then the Sheep are scattered Oh how many times do God's People experience warmth by the affections of others What will the coals do when they are pulled one from another Oh what is it to want those gladsome Calls Let us go up to the House of the Lord come let us go to the Mountain of the Lord's House Oh to want opportunities to unite our strength in prayer to gather about God and besiege Heaven and make a common cry Father pitty Father help Single Prayers are heard but bands of Prayers vollies of Prayers these have the honour to prevail with Heaven God shews his Condescentions to his People when they twist their Prayers and with one consent stir up themselves to take hold on him and hang upon him Christians have great need one of another as the members of the body have of each other and except there be an increase of influences from him that is instead of all we shall be very poor and weak and unfit for our duties when we want the supply of the joynts God's Plants are quite different from other plants for God's Plants thrive best when they are the nearest together Oh this true good Fellowship what a sad world is it when it is broken up Read Eccles 4.9 10 11 12. Heb. 10.24 25. especially Psal 42.4 In that Psal 42.4 you may see what our frame ought to be under this Loss When I remember these things I pour out my soul in me for I had gone with the Multitude I went with them to the House of God with the Voice of Joy and Praise with a Multitude that kept Holy-day 4. A special and main help of the Sanctification of the Lord's Day The seventh day is the Sabbath of rest an holy Convocation Lev. 23.3 the Sabbath is the Meeting day for God's People Meeting to Hear to Pray to Praise to receive the Supper truly if there be no holy Convocation it will scarce be an holy Rest if no holy Assemblies there will be many sinful Assemblies there will be Assembling by Troops in other houses there will be routs of Sporters and surely it is no less dangerous to sport upon God's holy time than to play and sport with holy things if no Assemblies Let Assemblies go and God's holy Rest will be troubled and not sanctified Sabbaths will not be known they will be forgotten when People have no Sabbath-journeys to go viz. no Ark no Tabernacle to go to they will even have some week-day journey to go on that Day High-wayes on that Day will soon be occupied when the Ways of Zion mourn And doth not that loss cal for tears that makes way for the breach of a Commandment at which Religion in its Power and Peace will go out Reade Jer. 17. from ver 19. to the end 2. In the want of Assemblies we want our highest imployments we are taken off from Angelical work Nehem. 9.6 The Host of Heaven worshippeth thee From work that is at once our Duty and our Honour our Holiness and our Happiness They are truly called Priviledges Psal 65.4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach to thee 1. In these Solemn Assemblies the standing Imployment of Christians is most gratefully performed Such as are Prayer and Praise and the like for Prayer somthing hath been hinted and for Praise like Musick it is most melodious when it consort Psal 107.32 Let th m Exalt him also in the Congregation of the People and Praise him in the Assembly of the Elders Psal 111.1 I will Praise thee Lord with my whole heart in the Assembly of the Upright and in the Congregation There is a sweet savour goes up to Heaven with Prayers and Praises that come from Assemblies as seems to be hinted in that expression in Amos. 5.21 I will not smell in your Solemn Assemblies God is fallen out with a People when he cannot away with their calling of Assemblies and the Solemn Meeting is a grievance as some reade that Text Isa 1.13 2. In these Solemn Assemblies the extraordinary imployment of Christians is most acceptable such as is Fasting and Prayer not to mention holy Feasting Thanksgiving Prayers in Assemblies help at dead lifts and in extraordinary cases Samuel will
commendation that great hath been the incouragement we have found among you from God from you and from our Honourable Patron From God in his remarkable Providence in bringing us first among you in vouchsafing his Gracious Presence to and with us since and in giving in some considerable fruit of our weak unworthy labours for we may say that a great door and effectual hath been opened though of late there have been many adversaries And great hath been the encouragement we have received from you also from your great affection to us and especially from your ready entertainment of our Labours and forward and chearful submission to the Ordinances of Christ that have been dispensed among you which though it cannot but add much to our grief in parting from you yet it is no small addition to our comfort also We have also received much encouragement and many undeserved respects from the honourable Patron of this Place for all which we heartily bless God and no less heartily pray that God would recompence his and your respects to us a thousand fold into his and your bosomes And I trust we can in sincerity say for our selves that we have not sought yours but You and that it is not the loss of our places and outward accommodations that trouble us but the loss of our opportunities of serveing our God your precious and immortal souls in the work of the Gospel It grievs us to think of the shares and temptations you may meet with for when the Shepherds are smitten the Sheep are like to be scattered If God shall send such among you as wil in the main be faithful to God and your souls it will afford much hearts-ease to us and satisfaction to our spirits We have for above eleven years preached to you by our publick labours God now calls us and many others to preach to you by our silence And the very silence of so many Ministers if blessed by the Lord may prove the most powerful and effectual Sermon to People that they have had This speaks Gods displeasure this bids both us and you look into our and your hearts and wayes what it is that hath provoked God to send upon us this sad dispensation The silence of Ministers calls aloud on us all to humble our selves under the mighty hand of God It bids us repent of our sins the causes of Gods Judgments It calls on you to prize and improve Ministers and Ordinances better if God shall continue restore or further afford them to you Yea Ministers silence should cause People to speak the more and louder to God in prayer for the continuance and restoring of Ministers and Ordinances to them When you do not hear so much and often from God in preaching let God hear the more and oftner from you in prayer Ply the Throne of Grace Give God no rest till he make Jerusalem a Praise in the earth And as our silence should make you speak the more to God so also the more and oftner one unto another in holy conference to provoke to love and to good works And I beseech you Brethren pray for us What ever God may do with us or whithersoever we may be driven we shall carry you in our hearts and when and while we remember our selves to God we shall never forget you but present you and your souls concernments daily unto God at the Throne of Grace in our prayers And we earnestly beg this of you as that you would remember what we have spoken to you in the Name of the Lord so that you would remember us to God and let us have a room and share in your hearts and prayers When you get into a corner to pour out your hearts before God carry us to God upon your hearts Do not forget us but lift up a prayer to God for us your we hope we may say faithfull though weak unworthy Ministers who have laboured among you in the Word and Doctrine I shall say no more but conclude with these two Scriptures the one Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all those that are sanctified The other Scripture is that request of Paul to and prayr for the Hebrews Heb. 13.18 19 20 21. Pray for us for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly But I beseech you the rather to do this that I may be restored to you the sooner 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 Amen SERMON III. Phil. 2.12 Wherefore my beloved as ye have alwayes obeyed not as in my presence onely but now much more in my absence work out your own salvation with fear and trembling BEloved I am now it seems to bid you Farewell and I rejoice I have this one opportunity more of preaching to you Though it is sad to think of parting if my poor pains might have been any way profitable amongst you yet I cannot wonder that here the course of my publick Ministry is stopt When I first came to you I expected to have dwelt in silence and to have been free among the dead long ere this day Now this is like to be the last Sermon I shall ever preach to you here my hearts desire and earnest prayer to God is That more good may be done by this one than hath been done by many Sermons past That if you that see me this day should see me here no more yet you might have cause to bless God for what you shall now hear even while you have a day to live The words of a dying friend are wont to make a deep impression so should the words of a departing Minister Beloved I am confident that both you and I must give an account of this dayes Work to the Judge of all the World Wherefore I would be so serious even in all I say unto you as if I were immediately to give up my account to God and I desire and beseech you in the fear of God and for the love you ow to your own souls that you would as seriously attend to what shall be spoken This Exhortation of the Apostle even now read unto you depends on and is inferred from what goes before as appears from the Illative Wherefore The Apostle having spoken of the humiliation and obedidience of Christ as he was obedient unto death v. 8. and of his glorious exaltation that followed thereupon he presseth these believers to obedience and continuance therein from Christ's example and the blessed end thereof viz. their own Salvation Note The Life of Christ is a Christians Copy An exact an
you both to will and to do But mark it this holy fear commended to us in the text is so far from disturbing or excluding peace of conscience and a particular perswasion of our good estates as that it most directly conduceth unto and likewise secures and senceth the same As Calvin well observes Facit nostri dissidentia ut fortius reclinamus in Dei misericordiā The more we distrust our selves our own strength the more we shall see a necessity of relying on the Grace of God the way to establishment We cannot stand of our selves on our own legs yet is there no danger of our falling while we are careful to lean on the Grace of God and Christ There are many things I must omit and pass by to come to the main Doctrine which may be the last Doctrine I shall ever have liberty to preach to you Doct. The great business we have in this world which requires our constant and chiefest care is the working out of our own Salvation Note when I say this is the great work we have here do I do not mean as exclusive of but as including our glorifying God As God's glory and our happiness are linked together in Adamantine chains and cannot be separated In seeking the advancement of God's glory we should certainly provide for our fouls everlasting welfare as on the other hand if we have no care of our own souls it 's impossible we should make it our work to advance God's glory Now in the prosecution of the Point I shall first briefly open and then apply it Explication To shew what it is to work out our Salvation 1. It is implyed here that we must have an Holy Calling We must be partakers of the heavenly calling Else there is no possibility of working out our Salvation As the Apostle speaks Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling We must give diligence to make our calling sure as we are exhorted 2 Pet. 1.10 O that I were able to say that of you all which the Apostle says of the believing Corinthians Ye know your calling brethren Indeed there is a bare external calling many that have this I say there are many that have an external calling and profession but this is not enough you may have it and yet break and be undone for ever Again there is an internal and effectual calling when a man is not only willing to take up a profession of Christianity but hath his heart and will drawn over to Christ And this sets the soul in a state of Salvation Rom. 8 30. Whom he did predestinate them he also called And this is indeed a prerequisite here We must first be savingly wrought upon before we can work out our Salvation O Sirs I beseech you take heed of resting in a civil conversation or a meer external profession For in the Name of God I testifie unto every one of you this day that there is no calling in the world on which your souls can live but that inward effectual calling It 's not a Ministers calling that will save him though that be something higher then being called a Professor Judas his Apostleship which was the highest degree of the Ministry could not save him So a man may be a Preacher of the Word and yet in the end prove a cast-away Then think it not enough that thou art a Professor But as it is in 2 Tim. 1.9 who hath saved us and called us whith an holy calling as ever you would be saved look after this Holy Calling 2. Again As we must have an holy Calling so we must see that we follow our Calling As it is not enough that a man hath a calling but if he would live by it he must follow his calling So Christians that would work out their Salvation must daily exercise themselves unto Godliness must follow after Righteousness Faith Love Patience Meekness We must be daily at work with our hearts to get them into a more holy and heavenly frame Be continually employing and laying out that stock of Grace the Lord hath put into our hands We should follow on to know the Lord after he hath made himself known to us And labour to walk worthy of Him who hath called us unto His Kingdom and Glory Herein should we exercise our selves continually to have consciences void of offence both towards God and towards man O Christians follow your callings You have two callings your particular Callings which I meddle not with at this time as there is no need to press many of you to follow them you are at them early and late some of you so that you leave little time for God you suffer your particular Callings greatly to entrench upon the other which is your General Calling your Calling as Christians as Saints O Sirs now see that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called That it may appear you have not received the Grace of God in vain Be holy in all manner of conversation Deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Labour daily to grow in Grace go on in the work of Sanctification and thus your vocation would be evidenced to be saving and effectual O we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more For this is the will of God even your Sanctification 1 Thes 4.1 3. 3. One thing more I must add here which the Text indeed doth more directly point at We must ever abide in this our calling must hold on in the course and practice of Christianity to the end To allude to that in 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in his Calling What ever we do we must never lay down this our heavenly Calling Work out sayes the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not simply work but work out Thus we must never give over our work till we can say it is finished till we come to the end of our work the end of our Faith the Salvation of our souls We should fear being like to Israel there Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good Or like those Apostates 2 Pet. 2.20 21. who after they had known the way of Righteousness turned again from the holy Commandment delivered unto them after they had escaped the pollutions of the world were again entangled therein and overcome whose latter end was worse than their beginning It is not enough only to have begun well but we must press forward towards the Mark for the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still We must see that we never be ashamed of our profession not a shame to our profession And the God of all Grace who hath called us into his Eternal
in vers 7. of his directions in the 5th and 6th verses would have been inconsequential And we find the Edification of the Church by Word and Sacraments is a duty imposed upon Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the Flock of God among you And Paul in his Valediction injoyns the same Work Care and Diligence to the Presbyters of Ephesus ver 28. And we reade that the Power of Ordination did belong to them and was conferred by the Imposition of their hands and not by the hands of a Bishop only Neglect not the Gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophesie with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4.14 And we reade also in the Scriptures that they are called Rulers And we beseech you Brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you 1 Thes 5.12 And again Obey them that have the rule over you for they watch for your souls as they that must give an account Heb. 13.17 and therefore seeing they have the same names ordained to the same work to feed God's Flock to ordain Pastors and Elders to rule and govern the Church of God there cannot be a Superiority of Power and Jurisdiction in one Minister above another but I pass by these things and leave them to your reading of the Scriptures and observations of them I now come to the Doctrine intended the Guardian and Protection Paul committed his Ephesians unto God and the Word of his Grace c. Whence note Doct. That God and the Word of his Grace are the best Security and Comfort a departing Minister can commit his People unto When the Father of a Family dies he commits his Wife and Children to his most faithful trusty and assured Friends And when a Minister departeth from and leaveth his People it lyeth him upon in respect of his Office Prudence Desire and Affection of their Eternal Welfare to commit them to the best Protection and Provision he can and which is the best we see in the instance and case of Paul who if there had been a better would have made use of it Such were the Dangers by persecution and infection they were to meet with such was the love he bore to them that he thought the best Security and Comfort could not be too good for them he commended them to God and the Word of his Grace than which there could not be a better found The Doctrine contains two parts 1. A Dereliction 2. A Protection that a loss this a Provision to make up that loss that a ground and occasion of Sorrow this a ground and occasion of Comfort that exposeth to Danger this defends from Danger secures in Danger and delivers out of Danger I shall a little open the Sore much I need not time and experience will declare it and then I will shew you the Plaister and apply it The Sore we see in Pauls departure and experience it in our selves He takes his leave of the Ministers of Ephesus and I of you I shall take the Doctrine in two parts First observe Obs That Ministers must not expect a quiet and setled condition in this world their residence amongst their People is not immoveable and inalterable but they and their People must part asunder as providence brought them together at the first and continues them for a while together so sometimes it suffers them to be parted asunder The Seeds-man you know stands not still in one place but goes from one part of the field unto another according to the will and appointment of his Master Ministers are God's Seeds-men and the World is his field wherein the Seed of his Word is sown and he calls them from one place and country to another and they must obey they are his spiritual Clouds to carry the Rain and Dew of their Ministry to water the Seed sown and as natural clouds are broken by the stormy winds and carried hither and thither to water refresh and enrich the Earth so these spiritual Clouds God's Garden-pots are squandred and carried up and down by the storms of Persecution to water refresh and make fruitful the Garden the Church of God Upon the Persecution that was at Jerusalem the Disciples were scattered up and down Preaching the Gospel and the Kingdom of God Acts 8. When they persecute you saith our Saviour in one city flee ye to another I need no demonstrations and instances to evidence the Truth of the Doctrine the Experience of the Priests Prophets under the Law of the Apostles after the times of our Saviour and the Ministers of the Primitive times of the Gospel are abundant Manifestations of the truth of this Doctrine and our own experience this day can set the seal to it not only I but hundreds yea it may be thousands more are this day singing their funeral Dirges and with Paul taking their leave of their beloved People What a strange Mortality is now in England did ever England nay did ever the Christian World hear of such a Mortality at the same instance of time how dismal is the day of St. Bartholomew On this day was Jerusalem once the Glory and Beauty of the world sacked by Titus and Vespasian On the Eve of this day began that bloody Massacre in Paris On this day is a great part of Englands Ministry slain slain not in their persons but in their Offices The dismal transactions that have befallen the Church of God this day deserve to be engraved in deep and in indeleble Characters on Pillars of the blackest Marble that the Ages and Generations to come may reade and weep showers of tears to quench Jerusalems Flames to wash and bathe the Wounds of the poor massacred Christians and bewail Englands loss But I forbear any more enlargements I come to the grounds and reasons of it 1. The first reason Is barrenness under the means of Grace When God bestows upon a People and Nation means of Grace he expects they should thrive up and grow in Grace and bring forth Fruits to his Glory but if they remain barren he removes the means from them When a man hath taken in a piece of ground to make a Garden or Vineyard of and hath taken pains and laid out cost upon it to fence it to manure it to plant it with the choicest Fruit and finest Flowers he expects a proportionable fruitfulness for the satisfaction and recompence for his cost and pains and if after all is done and many years expectations and waitings it remains unfruitful and disappoints his expectations he withholds his cost care and pains he will fence it no more dig it no more he will not do any thing more unto it Even thus the unfruitfulness of a People under means provoketh God to remove means God chose the People of the Jews before all other Nations of the world to be his pleasant Vineyard Isa 5.11 he did every thing requisite for ornament and security for fruitfulness
and prosperity he fenced it he pickt out the stones from it he built a tower and a winepress and planted it with the choicest Vine and what could have been done more that hath not been done to it vers 23. but when he looked for Grapes behold wild grapes he looked for Judegment but behold Oppression for Righteousness but behold a cry ver 7. and what will God do to his Vineyard will he fence it prune it water it any more No no but he will lay it open to the incursion of enemies and they shall make it a desolation I will take away the hedge thereof and it shall be eaten up and break down the wall thereof and it shall be troden down ver 5. Yea God would remove the Ordinances of his Word the Means of Grace and Glory from it And I will command the Clouds they rain no rain upon it that is my Prophets shall no more instruct them no more admonish and exhort them the rain of their Ministry shall no more fall upon them ver 6. And this same Judgment our Saviour threatens against the Jews in his dayes because of their barrenness And therefore I say unto you that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits thereof Mat. 21.43 And when God had waited eight hundred years upon the Jewish Polity and after all means they remained barren yea brought forth wild grapes under the pains of his Prophets of his Son of his Apostles they would not believe and receive him and his Gospel God flings them aside and takes no more pains with them and therefore we find the Apostle when they would not imbrace the Gospel leaving them saying Be it known therefore unto you that the Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles and they will hear it Acts 28.28 When the old World degenerated into prophaness wantoness superstition and idolatry and was drowned in voluptuousness and all the means God had used and all the pains he had taken with them by his Spirit in his Prophets were in vain Threatnings would not affright and drive them from sin nor Promises draw them to piety and purity of Religion God determines to let them alone and take no more pains with them My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man Gen. 6.3 When the Jews in captivity were rebellious and would not be wrought upon by the preaching of Ezekiel God tells him that he should not be a Reprover to them but that his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth Ezek. 3.26 VVhat is become of those seven famous Churches of Asia of which this of Ephesus was one to whom John wrote are they not become the seat of Gog and Magog under the Turkish blindness and superstition And why because they degenerated from their primitive purity vigor and fruitfulness into corruptions in Doctrine and Worship into Spiritual lethargy and barrenness They were planted a noble Vine wholly a right Seed but they turned into the degenerate Plant of a strange Vine And therefore if you ask me the reason why God hath suffered so many Ministers to be removed from his People and so many Lights in the Nation to be put under a bushel and obscured I must needs answer Barrenness barrenness Englands barrenness is one great cause why so many of her Ministers mouths ore stopped England for many generations especially of latter years hath enjoyed great plenty of Gospel-enjoyments God hath seemed to be at extraordinary cost and pains with her in sending into his Vineyard pious and painful Ministers who have been willing and diligent to imploy their talent and talents for the conversion of souls and building them up in Grace But what is the fruit it yeelds under such multiplied cost and pains doth it bring forth suitable and seasonable fruit No! no! May not God say of England as once of Israel England is an empty Vine bringing forth fruit unto it self Hos 10.1 He may say to England These three years these ten these twenty years these forty these hundred years and more have I come seeking fruit but find none Alas how many thousands amongst us have leaves but no fruit how many have God and Christ in their mouths but Sin and Satan in their hearts and lives how many have a name to live and yet are dead how many are gilded but not golden Christians making beautiful and glorious the outside when within they are full of deadness and rottenness Yea it were well if there were no worse though these are too bad amongst us if they were leaf-bearing trees only But alas we find an Egypt in Goshen a Sodom in Israel abundance of the Vines of Sodom and pregnant Grapes of Gomorrah in the Vineyard of God! He looked for Grapes but behold wild Grapes for Judgment but behold Oppression for Righteousness but behold a Cry He looked for Knowledge Repentance Reformation but behold gross darkness of Ignorance Impenitency Presumption persevering in sin He looked that England should have been his pleasant Vineyard but alas it is a Desart Land a barren Wilderness a Land abounding with thorns bryars and brambles How doth Ungodliness like an overflowing inundation spread it self through the whole Nation in all places in all societies of men in Cities in Countries Towns and Families What abundance of Pride Prophaness Whoredom and Debauchedness what abundance of Drunkenness Swearing and Prophanation of the Lord's Day is now amongst us In a word what sins were there abounding in Sodom that are not committed amongst us and all this after the enjoyment of God's Word for the space of many generations How many amongst us began to loath the Manna of God's Word and to turn aside after false Lights taking fantastical and deluding apprehensions for Divine Illuminations crying down the morality of the Sabbath and publick Assemblies and voting the Ministry of England Antichristian And have not these things caused many Congregations to want Manna Ministers both is it not just with the Lord when the pains and cost he hath been at for us these hundreds of years and more are no better requited to withhold cost and pains for the future VVhich of you having entrusted a son or servant with a stock of money to trade with in the world and gain advantages by it when you see them not only negligent and idle but prodigal and lavishing in exorbitant courses would still entrust them with more would you not rather take from them what they yet had And do you not think God is as careful of his Sabbaths VVord and Ordinances and seasons of Grace as you are of your Coin And if you will not add fresh supplies to a state-wasting and consuming son surely God will not alwayes continue Ministers and means of Grace unto a barren and unfruitful people How great and vast is the stock of Gospel-enjoyments seasons and opportunities of Grace that God hath entrusted England with and yet very barren how many
Sabbaths and yet in vain how many Sermons and yet in vain how many Threatnings Promises Entreaties and yet in vain how many strivings of the Spirit and yet in vain How hath God fed this Nation with the finest of the Flower and best of the VVheat and made the Rock to drop with Honey and yet how lean wonderfully lean are the souls of these Nations like Pharoah's lean Kine in the enjoyment of thrice seven years of plenty of the Gospel how hath he made his Clouds to rain upon you even to the emptying and wasting of themselves and yet in vain Are you not Rocks and Mountains hard and barren now even as before how little Reformation in your Parish in your Families how little are Husbands and VVives how little are Parents and Children Masters and Servants reformed how little is Religion and God's VVorship set up in your Families how little do you endeavour to bring your VVives your Husbands your Children and Servants to a saving knowledge of God! how little do you catechise and instruct them and how little do you labour to see Christ formed in the hearts of your domestick relations How few old sins do you leave how few new duties do you take up and practise How little do you endeavour to perform duties in a more holy humble and servent manner than before May not his Ministers cry out in the language of the Prophet they have laboured in vain they have spent their strength in vain And judg I pray you Sirs is it not just with the Lord when our Nation our Parishes your Families remain unfruitful after such multiplied cost and pains and this for so many years is it not just with the Lord now to say England such Towns and Parishes such Families such Persons are given to barrenness let them alone I will command the Clouds they rain no Rain upon them 2. The Second ground and reason of a Ministers removal from a People is those persecutions and afflictions that befal them Sometimes the Persecution falls upon the Church in general upon People and Pastors and then Ministers cannot with that clearness and justifiableness leave their Flocks as when some Ministers only are aimed at God's Church is compared to a Lilly among Thorns to a flock of Sheep amongst Wolves and Noahs Ark upon the deluge tossed to and fro with storms and tempests upon the Sea of this troublesome world There is an irreconcileable enmity betwixt the interest of Christ and the interest of Satan and therefore no wonder if the gates of Hell the policy and power of infernal darkness are united and combined against the Church of Christ The Devil is called a Red Dragon Rev. 12. A Dragon denoting his hurtful poisonous and destructive nature and a red Dragon denoting his cruelty that he is delighted in and becoloured with the blood of God's People and all the storms and persecutions that have befallen the Church he hath raised them He labours with might and main with rage and fury by imprisonments by banishments by fire and faggot to eradicate and totally to destroy Christ's Kingdom and Interest out of the world either by falling upon the Church in general or upon her Lights Guides and Watch-men in particular Remove the Watchmen and the Garison is easily surprized and taken put out the Lights and you are surrounded with darkness take away the Guide and the Travellor is eaeasily seduced and therefore Satan sometimes in his persecutions aimes chiefly at pious learned painful and zealous Ministers because they most of all like burning and shining Lights squander and dispel the darkness of his kingdom discover and manifest his hellish and subtile stratagems and methods of deceiving poor souls and lead them from them into the wayes of Piety and Salvation because they are as God's Boanarges's and Barnabasses battering down the walls of his kingdom presumption security and dispaire by awakening men and women out of their spiritual lethargy and letting them see their danger and misery that they may escape it and on the other hand by comforting raising up such as are dejected and under temptations to despaire and on both hands lessen and weaken his interest in the world and therefore the Devil to secure his own interest and to oppose to hinder and to destroy the Interest of Christ will have them burnt or banished silenced their mouths stopped that no more lightning and thunder no more Cordials and Comforts come from them or by violent on-set of hot Persecution make them run and fly for it When they persecute you in one City flee ye into another And as the interest of Satan is one ground of Persecution so the irreconcilable enmity betwixt the Interest of Christ and the sinful corrupt interests of ungodly men is another ground of Persecution upon the Church of banishing imprisoning and silencing Ministers to be a friend to the one is to be an enemy to the other The friendship of the world saith James is enmity with God and whosoever will be a friend of the world is a enemy of God Jam. 5.4 If Ministers dare and will comply with the sinful interests of great men and become Court-flatterers and Parasites to Kings either to preach up or not to preach down their State-Corruptions and Wickedness they shall have peace and protection If you were of the world saith our Saviour to his Disciples that is of the principles customes fashions of the world the world would love you for she loves her own Joh. 15.19 And this was the reason why Antichristian false doctrines were so much imbraced in the dayes of John because they were doctrines of the world doctrines pleasing flesh and blood and sutable to the principles customes and interests of sinful men They are of the world therefore they speak of the world and the world heareth them 1 John 4.5 Never was there any Interest of Great men so sinful and corrupt nor any Religion owned countenanced and established by Authority so superstitious idolatrous and abominable as to want Defenders and Promoters some for favour some for fear some for secular advantages to preserve and keep what they have or to gain honours preferments and riches by it others from their choice and election loving and delighting in that way The way and means that Jeroboam and his Council contrived to withdraw and keep the People from going to Jerusalem to sacrifice and to secure the ten revolted Tribes to him his posterity was abominable idolatry against which they had many caviates and cautions from God for which their fore-fathers had been severely punished Exod. 32. Judg. 2.10 11 12 13. 3.5 6 7 8. yea for this their famous King Solomon lately deceased was threatned with the renting of part of his Kingdom from his Posterity and verified in this revolt 1 Kings 11. Yet notwithstanding all this the sinful contrivance of Jeroboam wanted not owners and promoters for besides the Courtiers and the common People the lowest of whom he consecreated
will be careful that the Fornace be not too hot nor the Temptation too strong nor the Burden too weighty the good Shepherd is wonderfully careful of every Sheep in his stock and when the Lambs cannot go he will carry them he will not over-pace the Ewes with young but in his diligence and care will accommodate his journeys his drivings to the weakest and tenderest in the flock So Jesus Christ the great Shepherd of his Church will not only seed his Flock but be careful that neither Devils nor wicked Men drive on Temptation nor the storm of Persecution too furiously but according to the strength of the weakest He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd He shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his Bosome and gently lead those that are with young Isa 40.11 Jesus Christ is that Eliakim Isa 22.21 22 c. upon whom all the affairs and concernments of the Church in general and all the concernments of every Soul in particular do depend whether they be concerning the soul or body temporal or eternal or all And as he is faithful so he is diligent to perform and keep all things committed to his charge such is his faithfulness and diligence that nothing shall miscarry that is committed to him And therefore Be not distractively careful what shall become of you who shall teach you and how you shall be taught but by Prayer and Supplication Cast your care upon him for He careth for you Phil. 4.6 5thly To commit you to God is to commit you to Infinite Power to protect you to support you and deliver you What is Power without Love and Compassion and What is Love and Tenderness without Faithfulness What is Faithfulness without Diligence and what is Diligence and Care without Power Willingness to help without Ability and What is Ability without Love Compassion and Willingness these are unsafe security but when all these are united together they must needs make strong Security and Defence and solid grounds of Comfort Here then is an infinite Power 1. To defend the Church and every Child of God in the greatest dangers God's Church is that Aijeleh Sahar the morning Stag mentioned in the title and inscription of Psal 22. As the Hunters early in the morning single out one Stag or Deer from the whole herd to chase and pursue all the day so all the Devils in Hell and all the wicked men of the world single out the People of God to chase and persecute with fury and rage so long as they are in the world She is surrounded with great dangers and She is secured with strong Power A man when he is besieged by a potent politick and cruel enemie in a Castle whose foundations cannot be undermined whose walls cannot be battered down nor scaled whose gates cannot be broken nor burnt whose provision inexhaustable and all within faithful and trusty he needs not fear the thundrings of the Cannons the roarings of great Granados the glittering Swords nor bloody Flags of his Enemy So though the gates of Hell all the policy and power of infernal furies are united against God's People yet they shall not prevail there is more with than against them our God even this God to whom I commend you is security enough to defend them He is compared to a Rock which all the Devils in Hell cannot undermine 2 Sam. 22.2 3 4. Mat. 16.18 Compared to a Tower whose walls can never be beaten down Prov. 18.10 The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower and the Righteous flie thereunto and are safe Compared to a Shield that cannot be pierced Psal 28.7 and 33.20 To great Waters that no Ship nor Boat with oars can pass Isa 33.21 Compared to a Wall not of stone which may be battered down or time waste and consume but to a Wall of Brass Jer. 15.20 yea a Wall of fire Zech. 2.5 Other walls may be approached unto scaled but a Wall of fire cannot be scaled nor touched it terrifies the enemies at a distance All these shew God's infinite Power to defend his People He is a Munition of Rocks to defend his People that can neither be undermined nor battered so high that they cannot be scaled he is such supplys of provision that they cannot be famished forth Isa 33.16 He shall dwell on high and his place of defence shall be the Munition of Rocks his bread shall be given him and his water shall be sure Well then let this comfort you that you are incircled with so great a Power for protection 2. Here is infinite Power to support your spirits under the greatest trials that they faint not It is a wonder to consider the multitudes and mountains of afflictions heaped on the People of God and they not discouraged when liberty riches relations and life lye at the stake yet they faint not surely this must needs come from a Divine Power which is glorified in mans weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 Would you not wonder to see a Torch a Candle to burn in a mighty storm and tempestious wind Would you not wonder to see a spark of Fire to burn and keep alive in the midst of a Sea So it is a wonder that these mighty storms of Persecution and floods of Affliction that fall upon the Godly should not daunt and dis-spirit them God proportions his Joy to the Sufferings of his People He can make them to account Prisons to be as Palaces and Dungeons as places of delight Ropes and Iron-Chains to be more to them than Golden Ornaments He will so support your spirit under sufferings that you shall glory in Tribulation for him Rom. 5.5 As the Sufferings of Christ abound in you so the Consolations of Christ shall abound to you 2 Cor. 1.4 5. 3. Here is infinite Power to deliver you from your greatest fears and sufferings He hath done great things of old for his Church and he is the same God still and will do great things for his Peoples deliverance But of this by and by 6thly To commit you to God is to commit you to a Fountain of All Grace for supply and preservation of Grace 1. Here is a fulness of the Grace of Gifes All the eminent Gifts of God's People have come from this Fountain the gifts of Wisdom and of Knowledge the gift of Miracles the gift of Prophecy of discerning of Spirits 1 Cor. 12.8 9 10 11. When you are called before Courts the learned Fathers and the Sons of the Church to plead for maintain and defend your Religion he will give you Wisdom that your adversaries shall not be able to resist He that ordaineth his praise from the mouths of Babes and opened the mouth of Balaams Ass will teach you what to say with such Wisdom that your enemies cannot gainsay Luke 21.15 The learned Rabbies among the Jews were not able to resist the Wisdom and the Spirit that was in Stephen Acts 6.10 Apollos was a man mighty in the Scriptures and he mightily
a great energy 1. This is to commit you to the Captain of the Church The Church is compared to an Army with Banners and Christ is the Captain General of that Army John 5.13 14 this Captain is wise and pollitick to find out and disappoint the cruel Stratagems and bloody Designs of his Churches Enemies Psal 33. He bringeth the Counsel of the Heathens to naught and maketh the Devices of the People of none effect He is prudent in managing all the Affairs and Concernments of the Church and orders them for his Peoples advantage because He is Wonderful in Counsel and Excellent in working Isa 28.29 As the Captain of his Church He goes before them in all their dangers He a bates the Fury of the Adversary he blunts the Sword he will make way for his People to follow him through the greatest difficulties He stops the mouths of hungry Lyons cooleth a Fiery-furnace makes a Jordan and a red Sea passable He hath tasted of every cup hath taken away the Poyson of it and makes it medicinal and sweet in the issue hence called The Leader and Commander of his People Isa 55.4 As your Captain he will succour you with new supplies of Strength and Courage in all your combatings with Corruptions Temptations and Satan and restore you when you are near vanquished his Grace is sufficient for you 2 Cor. 12. As your Captain he encourageth you by his Word Isa 41.13 14 15. Mat. 10.28 Luke 12.32 John 14.27 Rev. 2.10 by his Example Heb. 12.1 2 3. by promise of Reward that the Dunghil of your sufferings through perseverance and uprightness shall be turned into a Throne of Glory Be thou faithful unto the death and I will give thee a Crown of Life Rev. 3.10 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my Throne even as I overcame and am sate down with my Father on his Throne Rev. 3.21 As our Captain he conquers all our Eenemies Sin Satan the World and crowns us with Victory Rom. 8.37 We are more than Conquerors through Christ that loved us And hence the Apostle triumphs O Death were is thy Sting O Grave where is thy Victory The sting of Death is Sin and the strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God that giveth us the Victory through Jesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. 2. He is the King of his Church Psal 2.6 called the King of Saints Rev. 15.3 stilled the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 As King he will effectually call you and all others that belong to the Election of Grace into a state of Salvation Thy People shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power Psal 110.3 He will redeem you from the Thraldom of Sin and Satans Vassalage turning Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God Acts 26.18 Kings are the Refuge of their distressed Subjects like the Tree in Nebuchadnezzars Vision in whose branches the Birds builded their nests and under whose shadows the Beasts rested and secured themselves Dan. 4.12 So God is the great Refuge of his Church of his People Thy Name is a strong Tower and the Righteous fly thereunto and are safe Prov. 18.10 If you will be true Christians you must expect to meet with stormy and windy dayes within you and by corruption without you by wicked men and infernal Spiâ—its expect to be persecuted pursued with temptations stung with sin and buffeted by Satan but here is your Refuge Isa 32.2 A man shall be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the storm and the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land This King of the the Church is glorious in Power fearful in Praises doing Wonders He is the Sole Soveraign of the three Kingdoms Heaven Earth and Hell and governs all the Creatures therein and disposeth their actions according to his will He stills the raging Sea turning the storm into a calm and limits the foaming and furious waves so far shalt thou go and no further He binds up the four Angels at the River Euphrates and looseth them at his pleasure and limits their rage i. e. He binds up and looseth and limits the Turkish Fury for an hour for a day for a month for a year which like mighty Seas break out and bear down before it mighty Nations and Kingdoms drowning them in the Floods of hostile Invasions and Miseries Rev. 9.14 15. This King binds up the Devil in the Chains of his Power and Providence that he cannot tempt you touch an hair of your head nor a Swine of your herd unless God give him leave and if he give him leave yet he limits for duration of time and measure so that your enemies shall neither sooner nor longer nor more afflict you than God gives them leave This King will subdue and conquer his Churches Enemies He will break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters vessel Psal 2.9 He will strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Psal 110. they shall be before him as Dust before the Wind as Briars Thorns Stubble before the Fire Isa 27.4 This King is wonderfully rich and multiplies great Gifts and Priviledges upon his Church and People He is a Sun and Shield he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withhold from you if ye live uprightly Psal 84.11 12. He will abundantly recompence all you works losses sufferings for him with an incorruptible Crown of Glory 1 Pet. 1.4 In a word in the day of his glorious Royalty when he comes to judge the World he will wipe off all the soot and blackness of Reproach and Sufferings and invest with an admirable Glory shining like the Sun in the Firmament 3. Jesus Christ is his Churches Shepherd Isa 40.11 He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd And God promiseth that he will set one Shepherd over them and he shall feed them even his servant David i. e. Christ of the Seed of David Ezek. 34.23 And Christ assureth us that he is the good Shepherd John 10.11 14 16. What a Shepherd is to his Sheep the same is Christ to his Church he will provide Pasture for his People He maketh me saith David to lye down in green Pastures and leads me beside the still Waters Psal 23. These green Pastures and still waters are Gospel Ordinances where his People feed and drink The variety of Ordinances shew the variety of feeding the richness and fulness of the Ordinances shew the plentifulness of feeding Here is Milk for Babes Wine for the Faint Water for the Scorched strong Meat for strong Christians Isa 55.1 2. He hath provided his Body and Blood to feast and feed you to Life Eternal He knows the number of his Sheep and their particular persons from other men John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep The Foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them
not that any of you should say concerning us as Pharoah concerning the Children of Israel Ye are idle ye are idle and therefore ye take occasion where none is given to relinquish your People and your Service it is not matter of will but Conscience if it lay in our wills God that knows all things knoweth that many hundreds of his Servants would rather chuse to work than sit all their dayes idle But you are to understand that such things are propounded to them as their Consciences cannot bear we have studied read enquired and prayed for direction and satisfaction and after all we see our Consciences would check us and reproach us if we should close with all that is proposed to us and would be imposed upon us we may not in any case do any evil that good may come He doth not require Ministers to take any indirect courses to do his work He can bring about his own Glory without their sin He that doth any thing religious moral or civil must in the first place be groundedly perswaded that that which he doth will be acceptable to or allowed of God Now as yet we for our own parts do not see any reason to convince us that we shall do that which is pleasing to God in closing with every thing that is propounded to those that will stay in their places Particular reasons why we cannot assent and declare a full consent c. I have not now time so much as to mention Having said this little to prevent prejudice and to silence wonder in you at this sudden Declaration of our prefixed leaving of you give leave to read the words once more with a little variation Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my Departure to have these things in remembrance The words of dying men use to be much regarded seeing in some sence we preach as dying persons be intreated diligently to attend to dying words I have studied that ye may keep in remembrance what ye have already heard and to that end of the things that have been spoken and of the things that should have been spoken Heb. 8.1 if time and opportunity had been continued I shall give you the sum That which we would have you keep in remembrance after we are gone may be contained under two general Heads of Directions viz. First Duties relating to God and your own Souls Secondly Duties relating to your selves and others The things that relate to God and â—â—r Souls are either such as relate 1. To the Unconverted and Converted in general Or 2. To the Converted in particular That which I have to say to you that are our Auditors in general or as mixt being some of you unconverted and some converted some whose hearts the Lord hath touched and some upon whose hearts the Spirit of God hath not effectually moved shall be contained in these following Counsels COUNSEL I. 1. Labour in good earnest to be born again John 3.3 study to be new Creatures strive for the Truth of Godliness Most of you have a form and shew of Godliness but O labour for the Truth and Power of it get sanctified Knowledge into your understandings Obedience in your wills get your affections fixt upon divine and right Objects never think it 's well with your souls till you find your anger sorrow and hatred principally set against sin your Love Joy and Desires upon God Christ and communion with him till you find the bent of your souls towards the Wayes of Holiness Labour for tender Consciences such as will be afraid of committing the least known sin or of omitting the least known duty Outward Reformation is nothing without inward Renovation Regeneration makes men perform Duties as from a Spring and Fountain of Goodness without Regeneration men act move in Religion just as Clocks and Jacks which never moves but when some external weight hangs on consider without this we shall never get to Heaven John 3.5 It is not thy promises of being a new man bâ—â—â—hy being a new creature it is not thy being chained but thy being changed that will fit thee for communion with God The brute creatures are not fit to converse with men Because they want a principle of Reason which should make them sutable companions Unregenerate men are not fit companions for God nor Saints in Heaven Because they want a principle of Holiness which should make them take delight in the work of Heaven To this end 2. Get acquainted with and live under the sence of inherent inbred corruption This is the foundation of experimental Christianity Live under the sence of that principle of evil we carry about us every day VVhen Paul was throughly converted he was primarily convinced of this Rom. 7.17 18. when he had a spiritual understanding of the Law or of the Spirituality and internal extent of it he saw there was all manner of concupiscence in him that is an inclination and vehement desire after those things that were forbidden and an unlawful desire after things lawful in themselves he saw there was in him a forwardness to all kind of sin This sight kept him low in his own eyes and drave him out of a dependance upon his own righteousness to depend upon the Righteousness of Christ And so this would maintain humility and lowliness in our souls and take away all opinion of our own goodness Every man will boast of the goodness of his heart the reason is because he doth no see nor consider that inherent secret pollution that is in his nature Were we enough sensible of the privation of original righteousness and inclination to all manner of wickedness we would look upon our selves as the chiefest of sinners yea as bad as the worst in the world Is thy heart good that naturally prompts thee to Atheistiâ—â—â— blasphemous thoughts concearning God that would lead thee to Idolatry to Carelesness in the use of God's Name Titles Word and Worship That heart which leads thee to irreligion neglect of Prayer Sabbaths c. Is that heart to be boasted of that is full of Envie Covetousness Anger Revenge unclean Imaginations and Desires Why this and all this is contained in every of your hearts be convinced of and affected with it 3. Often think of your actual transgressions call to mind former sins forget not old iniquities David though a grown Saint remembers bewails and prayes for pardon of the sins of youth Psal 25.7 Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions Job calls to mind the sins of younger years Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth Job 17.26 And so for sins of riper years often think of them reflect upon the sins of thoughts of your words and actions call to mind the ignorance the impenitance the unbelief the unthankfulness the wanderings and distractions of former Prayers call to mind how dull sleepy and unaffected you have been in the hearing of many a precious Sermon Compare your lives with the
did 2 Chron. 36.16 2. But however What wisdom were it for a man to undo himself for ever because others scorn at him for taking the right course to make himself happy for ever Should Job have forsaken his integrity Job 21.3 or Christ left off the work of Redemption Mat. 27.29 or Paul his Preaching Acts 17.32 or Jeremiah his Prophesying Jer. 20.7 or the Apostles their Ministry Act. 2.13 or the Martyrs their Constancy Heb. 11.36 because they met with mockings scorns and reproaches what wisdom would there have been in that How sad would it have been for them and us You cannot but know that a strict life in the wayes of God is the way to eternal happiness but the loose broad way of sin is the way to Hell Mat. 7.13 14. and therefore if you will forsake the narrow way and walk in the broad way and so undo your poor souls for ever because fools scorn at you you will make your own folly appear to be the greatest in the end 3. Though the men of the world scorn them for their preciseness yet they have the câ—mmendations both of God and all good men Their praise is of God Rom. 2.29 and as for good men all their delight is in them as the only excellent Ones upon Earth Psal 16.3 And which is better the praise of God or the praise of men the praise of good men or the praise of wicked men judge ye Certainly those scorns are avoided at too dear a rate which are avoided with the loss of the favour both of God and all that are good Obj. 4. But they get themselves many enemies by their preciseness and what wisdom is in that Answ 1. And who are those Enemies of theirs None but the Devil the World and the Flesh And is the friendship of these so desirable a thing or is it not better lost than won Would you have the Devil your friend sure there will be little gotten by that Would you have the World for your friend surely the gain would not recompence the loss for the friendship of the World is enmity with God Jam. 4.4 Would you have the flesh to be your friend It will but flatter you to your own destruction Therefore the People of God do not at all value the friendship of these false counterfeit and destructive friends But 2. They have God for their Friend Jam. 2.23 and good Angels Luke 15.7 10. and all good men Psal 16.3 Put case now that God Angels and Saints stood on one side and the Devil World and Flesh stood on the other side and you were put to make your choice which three you would have for your friends and which three for your enemies which would you chuse Answer this Question and the Objection is fully answered But further 3. Their friends are more and a thousand times better and stronger than their enemies Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world saith the Apostle 1 John 4.4 And with this very consideration the Prophet Jeremy encourages himself against all the spite and malice of his enemies Jer. 20.10 11. Fear not therefore ye that walk strictly in the paths of Righteousness for though the enemies were a thousand times more and stronger than they are yet they shall not prevail against you to harm you whilst you are followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3.13 but in God's good time you shall be more than Conquerors over them all through Christ that hath loved you Rom. 8.37 Obj. 5. But they expose themselves to many sufferings by their preciseness and what wisdom is there in that Answ 1. If they do suffer they are but therein made conformable to Christ Rom. 8.17 and partakers of his sufferings 1 Pet. 4.13 Christ himself hath led the way through manifold sufferings and they do but follow their Lord and Master A good Souldier will live and die with a good Captain and a good Subject will sink and swim with a good Prince nor will they account it any discredit and why should any Christian who hath devoted himself to the service of Christ as his great Lord and Master think much to follow the Captain of their Salvation through difficulties and sufferings 2. Their sufferings shall not be for their hurt but their good not their loss but their gain If we suffer with Christ it is that we may be glorified with him Rom. 8.28 And then by the Apostle's Arithmetick we may well reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with that glory which shall be revealed in us Rom. 8.17 18. But 3. The Lord will deliver them out of all their troubles Psal 34.19 And this God doth many times in this life by removing their enemies or restraining their wrath or even making them at peace with them Pro. 16.7 or however God will deliver them by translating them to a better life and setting them thereby out of the Gunshot of all their enemies and so at once he wipes away all tears from their eyes and sorrow from their hearts for ever Obj. 6. But they many times shortten their own dayes by their preciseness and what wisdom is there in that Ans 1. This Argument will not affright the men of the world from their Worldliness Ambition and Flesh-pleasing And shal it affright us from our Religion the care of our souls and the service of our God Do not the Drunkard Glutton fill their bodies with many loathsome and mortal diseases and a dart strike through the Adulterers liver Prov. 7.23 Do not Theeves end their dayes at the Gallows and those that clime to the top of Honour commonly sacrifice their necks upon a Block Is it not the peremptory Decree of the GREAT KING that Bloody men shall not live out half their dayes And yet we see that the ungodly will hearken to none of these warnings either from God or man O consider this with shame Shall not we be as bold and venturous for God and Christ and our precious souls as the men of the world are for their filthy lusts and beastly pleasures I shall here record an excellent speech to this purpose of that man of God Mr. Whitaker reported at his Funeral by his now companion in Glory Mr. Ash As Mr. Whitaker was riding with with a freind of his by Tyburn he stopped his Horse and uttered these words with great affection O what a shame is it that so many thousands should dye for the satisfaction of their lusts and so few be found willing to lay down their lives for Christ Why should not we in a good Cause and upon a good Call be ready to be hanged for Jesus Christ It is everlasting honour and it is a thousand times better to dye for Christ to be hanged to to be burnt for Christ than to dye in our beds 2. If they do shorten their dayes it is but a miserable momentary life which they shorten and they are but
thereby taken away from the evil to come And then 3. The shortning of this life doth but the sooner bring them to a Life of Glory in Heaven Indeed if their condition were the same with the condition of the ungodly if they lost Heaven and Earth the lives of their souls and bodies together If their death were an eternal death and the end of their temporal miseries the beginning of eternal torments it were a very sad argument but the case is not so bad Whatever they lose for Christ in this world shall be recompensed a thousandfold in the world to come with eternal Life Now lay all these things together and consider that this strictness or preciseness is commanded by God and is most sutable to the Rules of Christianity And dost thou profess thy self a Christan a Disciple of Christ a Servant of God and one that lives in hope of everlasting Life and hast thou not yet learn'd to forsake all deny thy self take up thy cross and follow Christ Certainly if thou be a Christian indeed and hast received that Wisdom which is from above none of these things will move thee neither wilt thou count thy life so dear to thee as for the saving it to forsake the holy Commandment Having now vindicated this Truth from those Objections that might seem to weaken it I proceed to give a brief hint what use may be made of it Use 1. If they that live most exactly are the wisest men then it is so far from being a shame to live exactly Psal 119.6 that it tends much to the justification and commendation of those that so order their conversations And certainly the world is much mistaken in their censure and judgment concerning them They think it strange that all do not run to the same excess of riot with them 1 Pet. 4.4 and speak evil of them as fools and mad men because they willingly forgo the pleasures and advantages of this present life for things future and invisible but the end will make it sufficiently to appear who are the fools and who are the wise men Therefore 2. Be exhorted and perswaded to exercise this piece of wisdom Wisdom it is and that of the best sort for it is Divine and Heavenly Wisdom So the Apostle tells us Jam. 3.17 That Wisdom which is pure and full of good fruits comes from above it is saving Wisdom In 2 Tim. 3.15 the Apostle tells us that the Scriptures are able to make a man wise to Salvation in as much as they were given by God to make men pefect throughly furnished unto all good works Labour then for this Scripture-Wisdom and search for it as for hid treasures it alone shall abide and the good fruits thereof remain with thee to Eternity when all other wisdom in the world shall perish and by its fall shall ruine the owners and professors thereof I have now finished the third Observation I must use much more brevity in those which remain and so I pass to the fourth which is this Doct. 4. That then especially in evil times we have much need of spiritual wisdom for the circumspect and exact ordering of our conversations Thus the Apostles Argument runs Walk circumspectly and redeem time because the dayes are evil This is a duty at all times but especially in evil times it is both a Duty and an Advantage That we may understand what is meant by evil times or Dayes we must know that there are two sorts of evil First The evil of sin whereof Devils and men are the only authors Secondly The evil of punishment or misery in this sence it is used in Jer. 17.17 18. Amos 6.3 and though sin be the meritorious cause of this evil and Devils and Men yea and good Angels also are made use as instruments of it yet God takes it upon himself as the Author thereof Amos 3.6 Thus the Times or Dayes are evil First When they are sinful Times such times as our Saviour foretold Mat. 24.11 12. When false prophets should arise and deceive many When iniquity should abound and the love of many should wax cold Secondly The Dayes are evil when they are full of trouble and misery These evil Dayes of both sorts are either 1. Common by reason of that sin and misery which are incident to every mans life Eccles 12.1 in respect whereof Jacob told Pharoah that the dayes of his life had been few and evil Gen 47.9 2. Or special When both sin and trouble do abound in more than ordinary measure Again these evil Dayes are either 1. General When both sin and misery do more than ordinarily abound in the World or in a Kingdom 2. Or particular When a man 's own particular life hath been extraordinarily full of sin and trouble The Apostle in the Text doth principally respect the special and general sinfulness and troublesomness of the times but in what kind soever the dayes are evil the evilness of them is an argument for circumspect walking and exact ordering of our conversations For if the Times be sinful 1. In sinful Times there is much liberty and encouragement to sin The Multitude run to sin the stream goes that way and it is an easy thing to go along with the stream but it is certain that the stream will carry a man to perdition So that if we would not perish in sinful times we must strive against the stream by circumspect walking These are those perillous Times from the authors whereof the Apostle warns Timothy to turn away 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2. In Sinful Times there are many temptations and enticements to sin in which respect the Apostle calls such dayes evil dayes and therefore adviseth at such times especially to put on the whole Armour of God that we may be able to stand and keep our selves unspotted from the pollutions of the world Ephes 6.13 If the Times be evil in respect of the trouble and misery that attends them Then 1. In Times of Trouble and Misery a man hath most need to get and keep peace of conscience Oh! it is a sad thing for a man to be lost as much with storms of guilt within as with waves of trouble without But there is no getting or keeping true peace of conscience without circumspect and exact walking The fruit of Righteousness is sown in peace Jam. 3.18 2. In Troublesome Times a man had most need to get and keep the love and favour of God and thereby an interest in the Promises of this life or if those be forfeited yet to be sure of an interest in the Promises of the Life to come But this cannot be done without circumspect walking for it is only Godliness that hath the promises of the life that now is and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 Use How preposterous and foolish a course is it then for any man to think to secure himself from the evil of the times by complying with the times to comply with the evil
Name the danger of a loose careless prophane and worldly life let them now speak let their own consciences say if I did not and yet they would not hear they would not obey Oh Sirs how would you be able to look Jesus Christ in the face Nay how would you be able to look me in the face at that day I beseech you think of this seriously before hand before it be too late I profess to you your souls are so dear to me that I would not for a thousand worlds be your accuser before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ but yet if you will not be advised your blood shall be upon your own heads and I shall be free I shall now conclude this Particular with that one word of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.11 14. Seeing then that the Heavens and Elements and Earth and all the Works that are therein shall be dissolved what manner of Persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Wherefore beloved seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that ye may be found of Christ in peace without spot and blameless 2. The second Word of Advice that I have to leave with you I shall likewise take out of my Text and that is That you would carefully redeem precious Time for God and your own poor souls A common understanding might easily suggest reason enough to follow this Advice Do but consider how little a time we have yet to live in this World how much time we have already spent in vain how sure an account we must give for our time as well as other talents remember that Eternity depends upon this moment we owe God all our time and we cannot lay it out better than for our poor souls Especially consider this grand Argument of the Apostle in the Text that the dayes are evil If it be bad Weather and an unseasonable Harvest and all the Corn upon the ground be like to be spoiled the Husbandman will be sure to raise the price of his good old Corn. Do but use the same Spiritual good husbandry for your souls You may perhaps think that you have many years to live in the world still that is very uncertain Oh but however consider that opportunities of doing and receiving good are few and like to be fewer still and by how much the more rare they are shall they not be the more precious with you God in mercy prevent our fears and jealousies but it is too suspitious that a good Sermon may be rare a good Exhortation or Reproof may be rare a good Minister may be rare an opportunity of Christian Friends praying together may be rare Therefore redeem time while you may lay hold upon every opportunity of good and labour to know in this your day the things that belong to your eternal peace before they be hid from your eyes When Death comes and Judgment comes it will then be too late and therefore in vain to cry out for a little more time for one more good Sermon for liberty of praying once more to God for Grace and Mercy I should have enlarged my Advice in some particulars of strict walking and improving precious time Pray hard set up that great duty of Christianity in your Families Keep Wickedness not only out of your hearts and houses but out of the Town too to the utmost of your power Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy What help you want in publick make up by your holy diligence in private Reade the Scriptures and other good Books much You that have learned your Catechism do not forget it Parents and Masters have a care of your Children and Servants Husbands and Wives watch over one another provoke one another to that which is good Neighbours exhort and admonish one another pray with and for one another and go before one another in an holy Example But I have not time to ennumerate all I have now given you my Advice and I pray God that you may follow it in truth and now I come in the last place to make my last publick Request unto you I bless God I covet no mans Silver nor Gold my Conscience bears me witness that I have not sought yours but you and now at last all that I shall beg of you is your prayers for me and that I hope none of you will deny me I have taken some pains among you I have often prayed for you and by the Grace of God shall never cease praying for you that the Lord would keep you from evil and furnish you with his Grace and afterwards bring you to Glory All the recompence that I ask of you is That you would not forget me at the Throne of Grace but let me have a share in your prayers In many respects I do earnestly and heartily beg your prayers but I must not now mention them all One is this That God would be pleased to pardon my great Unfaithfulness and Unprofitableness among you I beseech you Brethren do not think that I am now complementing with you Something I have done and God forbid that I should not have some ground to hope that God hath blessed my poor Labours to the doing of some good amongst you and perhaps my weak Labours have been acceptable yea and I bless God for that acceptance they have found with you yet truly Sirs God knows and mine own Conscience tells me that I have come much short very much short of that which was my duty to have done which if not pardoned in the Blood of Christ I should never be able to answer before God in the day of my Accounts and therefore I heartily beg your prayers on this behalf Another thing for which I beg your prayers to God for me is That it would please the Lord not to lay me aside as a broken vessel and an unprofitable creature upon the face of the Earth but that yet in what capacity soever the Lord sees good I may do him some service before I go hence and be no more seen I have but a little inch of time to live in this world and my great desire is that while I do live I may be useful for otherwise life will be but a sin or a burden I beseech you pray also that I may be delivered from or strengthened under temptations I am a poor weak creature and cannot stand but by the Grace and Strength of God and I know not what condition the Lord hath allotted for me Only this I have learn'd from the Word of God that they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 Pray therefore that what sufferings foever the Lord shall at any time call me to I may be enabled by his Grace and Strength so to behave my self under them as that even by suffering I may glorifie his Name and bear witness to the Truth and practise what I have preached and give a good example to others and credit the Gospel and that Profession which I have made thereof My Brethren methinks I have much yet to say and I know not where to break off yet I must come to a conclusion Leave my Work in publick I must and leave you I must or else I must break with God and my own Conscience This is my great grief but yet it is my greatest grief of all that I must leave any unconverted sinners amongst you I profess to you seriously that if I know my own heart I could with chearfulness and joy forsake not only my Living and Livelihood but even my Life also so that I could but see every Drunkard and Swearer and Curser and Sabbath-breaker and Worldling and Prophane person among you converted to a life of Faith and Holiness I dare not not onely for fear of man but chiefly out of conscience I dare not open my lips to utter one word to encourage you to Faction or Schism or any unquietness but with the Apostle I exhort you to follow the things that make for Peace and to wait upon God for the mending of what is amiss But this I must tell you withall that if you do not follow after the things that make for Holiness also you shall never see the Face of God to your comfort Therefore follow after Holiness Follow not that which is evil but that which is good 3 John 11. In the midst of all my other griefs and troubles I shall have no greater joy than to see or hear that any of you walk in the Truth I have preached the Word of Truth to you according to that understanding in the Scriptures which God hath given me I beseech you remember what I have spoken to you in the Name of God and Christ and look to your selves that we lose not those things which we have wrought but that we receive a full reward Let me use the following words of the Apostle to you 2 John 8 9 10 11. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he hath both the Father and the Son If there come any unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds I must conclude though unwillingly my Farewelwords to you shall be the same with the Apostle's last Farewel to the Elders of Ephesus Acts 20.32 And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Amen Amen FINIS