powerful Ministry argues and speaks a very sinful and wretched frame of heart Nothing is so excellent but some will be displeased at it and with it as Eccles 11.7 Even the Light it self we know is offensive to sore eyes And thus the burning and shining Light of a godly and faithful Ministry is offensive and terrible to some but who are they Sore diseased souls the Lord knows The Ark of God which was the monument of his presence whom did it smite with Emrods but the Philistims What then is the Ale-house more easie to thee than thy Pew is to thee in this place than a Conscience Soul-searching Sermon What art thou offended at a powerful faithful Ministry Oh fearful Plague-tokens 2. To do all that men can do to put out the Light this is worse It is the most horrid hellish Plot that can be designed or named and of this I am sure the Church of Rome cannot plead Not Guilty which like the Scribes and Pharisees take away from the people the Key of Knowledge and shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men How terribly doth our blessed Lord thunder-strike those stupid Pharisees for this Mat. 23.13 And as did the Pharisees so did the Papists For 1. Heretofore they made it a moral sin to read Gods Word 2. Afterwards they clogged the liberty they granted with such cautions and restrictions as that very few escaped of those that were within the reach of the Inquisition 3. Those cloggs contented not but now it is thought fit utterly to deny liberty and can there be a more horrible hellish Plot assigned than this to take from people their knowledge of salvation And thus the Church of Rome whether they have Church-snuffers or not to be sure they have Church-extinguishers and various means to put out the Light Oh fearful is this as in Joh. 3.19 20. That is the reason men hate the light because their deeds are evil Again If good Ministers be the light of the world then hence may we draw this Conclusion That it concerns people very nearly to believe in the light and to walk in the light and to work while the light lasteth as our blessed Savior exhorteth in Joh. 12.35 36. read that God sets up his Ministers as Lights as Candles on the Candlesticks of his Church to awaken men and to light men unto eternal life And ought not people to pray hard and to work hard while the light lasteth God removes many times the Candle and Candlestick and makes the Sun to go down at Noon-day as Amos 8.9 so darkens the Earth at clear day Good Ministers they are called the light of the world and they are called 3. Stars as in Rev. 3.1 And who are meant by the seven Stars Rev. 1. ult they are the Angels that is the Ministers of the seven Churches Now the Stars are said to affect those inferiour bodies 1. By their influence And thus godly and faithful Ministers by the influence of their lips they feed many with the bread of life 2. By their regular motives of their lives they confirm many 3. By the light of both they confirm many One while their employment is to instruct poor souls and so they are like stars shining in a dark winter-night Another while they are to converse in their courses Judg. 5.20 Now to enjoy and live under the Ministry of such Stars and yet to walk in darkness and to have fellowship with the works of darkness to remain unconvineed unconverted unhumbled unmortified unfruitful this is woful this is a very lamentable state 4. They are called the Lords Messengers and Embassadours Mal. 2.7 and the Ministers of the Gospel for indeed the Ministers of the New Testament they are no where called Priests they are called Embassadors for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 Godly faithful Ministers are the Lords Messengers and Embassadours in matters concerning the soul the precious immortal never-dying soul of man not in the matters of this life but for the soul Now this is no mean imployment to treat with God for the Soul 5. They are called the Lords Husband-men Gods Church is his Husbandry 1 Cor. 3.9 and Ministers are Gods Husbandmen naturally we are like a barren Wilderness Now the Lord sends his Husbandmen to those barren Wildernesses to make a fruitful Paradise Now for Gods Husbandmen to plow sow and harrow and yet no fruit no crop Isa 5.6 When Gods Vineyard brought forth no fruit I will take away all their rainy clouds saith God you shall have clouds but you shall have clouds without rain you shall have Ministers still but such as shall never do your souls any good Well you see the Titles given to them in Scripture they are called the Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World and Scars and the Lords Messengers and Embassadors and Husbandmen all which doth import a very great obligation lying on a people who live under such a Ministry and who live under and practice every commanded duty 2. Inference Secondly Dangerous and fearful is the state of those who have enjoyed and lived under and have not been wrought upon by such a Ministry And this will appear if we consider 1. How fearful a sentence the Lord Jesus Christ hath given to those that live under but despise and profit not by the Ministry of his faithful Servants Mat. 10.14 15. And do not think that Christ said this touching the Ministry of the Apostles onely certainly the Lord Christ would have it to be understood of the Ministry of all his faithful Servants whom he sendeth to teach his people Joh. 13.20 whomsoever he sends and so He that despiseth whom ever I send despiseth me Then is the Message of the Lords faithful Messengers received aright when people do not only hear it but receive it and bring forth fruit as our blessed Lord speaks of good hearers Mark 4.20 Those are they that hear and receive the fruits sown in good ground And thus our blessed Lord expounds himself Mat. 11.24 he telleth us there that they of Capernaum shall be in a worse case than they of Sodom and Gomorrah and why because they repented not at Christs Sermons and Miracles they were not to be seen in their lives notwithstanding Christs Ministry notwithstanding Christs preaching and his miraâ—â—â—s among them they did not amend their hearts and ways O how feaâ—â—â—l a sentence hath our Lord Jesus Christ denounced against such 2. If a People be not wrought upon by such a Ministry what hope can such a People have that any thing should do their souls any good For is not the Ministry of Gods faithful Servants the power of God to salvation and the ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 That is that Ministry whereby the spirit of grace and holiness is infused into the hearts of the Fathers chosen ones in Christ Jesus The Poeâ—s speak of excellent Musicians who by the power of their Musick made stones to leap into a wall A godly faithful
Now give me leave this morning to speak three things to these sort of men and O that my words might prevail with them 1. Consider it is sin only that makes trouble deserve the name of trouble for when we suffer for Gods sake or a good Conscience these troubles are so sweetned by the consolations of Heaven that they are no troubles at all therefore in Queen Maries dayes the Martyrs wrote to their friends out of prison If you knew the comforts we have in Prison you would wish to be with us I am in Prison before I am in Prison saith Mr. Sanders Famous is the story of the three Children they were in a great strait when cast into the fiery Furnace Bind them 〈◊〉 and and foot and cast them into the Furnace but when they were there they were unbound Dan. 3.25 saith Nebuchadnezzar Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire and loe I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God I have often told you when three are cast into the fire for a good Conscience God will make the fourth therefore I say straits and sufferings for God are not worth the name of straits David was often driven into straits 1 Sam. 30.6 he was sore distressed when his Town was burnt and his Wives and Children taken captives by the Amalekites I but that was a distress of danger not of sin therefore he encouraged himself in the Lord his God Jehosaphat was in a great strait 2 Chron. 20.12 We know not what to do saith he this was a strait of danger not caused by his sin and God quickly delivered him but the strait that David was in was caused by his sin and that made it so bitter I am loath to enlarge here St. Paul was in a great strait Phil. 3.23 but this was a blessed strait an Evangelical strait saith St. Chrysostome He knew not whether to die for his own sake or to live for the Churches sake were best he was willing to adjourn his going to Heaven for the good of the people of God Nay Christ was in a strait Luke 12.15 I have a baptism to be baptized withal and how am I straitned till it be accomplished I am to shed my blood for my Elect this is the baptism he speaks of This was a strait of dear affection to the Elect of God all these were blessed straits but now a strait caused by sin these are imbittered and envenomed by the guilt of sin and sense of Gods wrath It is sin that maketh straits deserve the name of straits therefore you are spiritually mad that commit sin to avoid straits 2. There is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest outward calamity whatsoever this the world will not believe therefore St. Austin saith That a man ought not to tell a lye though he might save all the world from hell for there is more evil in one lye than there is good in the salvation of all the world I have often told you the story of St. Austin saith he If Hell were on one side and sin on the other and I must chuse one I would chuse hell rather than sin for God is the Author of Hell but it is blasphemy to say he is the Author of Sin There is a famous story of Charles the ninth King of France he sent a message to the Prince of Conde a zealous Protestant gives him three things to chuse either to go to Mass or to be put to death or to suffer banishment all his life long saith he Primum Deo juvante nunquam eligo The first God helping I will never chuse I abhor the Idolatry of the Mass but for the two other I leave it to the choice of the King to do as he pleases there is more evil in the least sin than the greatest misery 3. The third thing I would have you consider that whosoever goeth out of Gods way to avoid danger shall certainly meet with greater danger Balaam went out of Gods way Numb 22.22 and God sent an Angel with a drawn sword and he riding upon an Asse verse 26. the Angel stood in a narrow place where was no way to go from the right hand or from the left if his Asse had not fallen under him he had been run thorow by the sword of the Angel Jonah for fear of the King of Nineveh went out of Gods way but he met with a mighty tempest he met with a Whale What do you do when you commit sin you make way to be cast into the eternal prison of Hell you destroy your precious souls to save your perishing bodies Vse 2. If sin be the father and mother of all perplexity and distresses then I beseech you let us above all things in the world abhor sin all the curses of the Bible are all due only to a sinner and all the curses not named in the Bible for that is observable Deut. 28.36 every plague that is not written in the Book shall light upon him there are strange punishments to the workers of iniquity Job 31.3 Is not destruction to the wicked a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity sin it bringeth the sinner to little ease little ease at death little ease at the day of Judgment and little ease in Hell tribulation and anguish the word in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little ease to every soul that doth iniquity O my beloved will you promise me to look upon sin and consider it in all its woful consequence as the Father Mother and Womb out of which come external eternal and internal straits more particularly there are twelve sins I especially command you to take heed of and avoid 1. Take heed of Covetousness the love of the world will pierce you thorow with many sorrows the love of money is the root of all evil the love of the world drowns men in perdition 2. Take heed of the sin of Pride into what a woful strait did Pride bring Haman God crossed him in what he most desired God made him hold the stirrup while Mordecay rode in Triumph and God hanged him on the Gallows which he had made for Mordecay 3. Take heed of Drunkenness Look not on the Wine when it gives its colour in the cup c. Drunkenness will bring you into snares in will bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder 4. Take heed of Disobedience and Rebellion against the Commandments of God it brought Jonah to the three nights and three days in the Whales belly 5. Take heed of Fornication and Adultery and all uncleanness this brought Sampson to a woful strait this brought David and Solomon into great perplexity 6. Take heed of Oppression and all acts of Injustice this brought Ahab into great straits insomuch that the Dogs licked his blood 7. Take heed of unnecessary familiarity with wicked men this brought Jehosaphat into a
meat make my Brother to offend I will never eat flesh more while the world standeth Paul was like some tender Mother who forbears to eat those meats that she might for fear of hurting the child that she gives suck to Thus you see he was a spiritual Father made up of love and surely my Brethren this affection in some degree is in all the true Ministers of Jesus Christ they are full of sympathy and bowels unto those over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers I shall only glance at the Reason why it will be thus and why it should be thus that such flaming affections there should be in all Christs Ministers to their People It will be thus for these two Reasons briefly First From that Principle within that teacheth love Grace doth not fire the heart with passion but with compassion Grace in the heart of a Minister files off that ruggedness that is in his spirit making him loving and courteous Paul once breathed out persecution but when Grace came this Bramble was turned into a spiritual Vine twisting himself about the souls of his People with loving embraces Secondly There will be this ardent love in a Ministers heart from the spiritual relation that is betwixt him and his People he is a spiritual Father and shall we think him to be without bowels 1 Cor. 4.15 Though you have ten thousand Instructers yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Some he begets unto Christ others he builds up in Christ Doth not a Father provide cheerfully for his Children Can a Father see bread taken from his Child and not have his heart affected with it Is it not a grief to a Parent to see his Child put out to a dry Nurse Thirdly There should be this ardent love and affection in all Gods Ministers for this reason because this is the liveliest way to do most good knotty and stubborn hearts will soonest be wrought upon with kindness The fire melteth the hardest metal the fire of love with Gods blessing will melt the most obdurate sinner A Boanerges a Son of consolation who comes in the spirit of Love is the fittest to do a piece of Gospel-chyrurgery to restore and put such a one in joynt again that is taken with a fault Gal. 6.1 Restore such a one with the spirit of Love and Meekness Thus much in short for the Doctrinal part Give me leave now to make some Application And first here are several Inferences that may be drawn from this As First See here the right Character of a Gospel-Minister He is full of love he exhorts he comforts he reproves and all in love he is never angry with his People but because they will not be saved how loath is a Minister of Christ to see precious Souls like so many Jewels cast over-board into the dead sea of Hell a conscientious Minister would count it an unhappy gain to gain the world and lose the souls of his people he saith as the King of Sodom to Abraham Give me the Persons and take thee the Goods Gen. 14.21 The second branch of Information is this are true Gospel-Ministers so full of Love then how sad is it to have such Ministers put upon a people as have no love to Souls The work of the Ministry it is a labour of Lope Oh! how sad it is to have such in the Ministry that can neither labour nor love that are such as are without bowels that look more at Tyths than at Souls it must needs be sad with a people in any part of the world to have such Ministers set over them as either poisons them with error or do what in them lies to damn them by their wicked example How can the Devil reprove sin How can the Minister cry out in the Pulpit against drunkennesse that will himself be drunk Rom. 2.22 Thou that teachest a man should not steal dost thou steal Thou that sayest a man ought not to commit Adultery dost thou commit Adultery We read that the Snuffers of the Tabernacle were to be made of pure Gold Exod. 37.23 those who by their calling are to reprove and snuff off the sins of others they should be pure Gold holy persons In the Law God did appoint the lip of the Leper should be covered he ought to have his lip covered he should not be permitted to speak the Oracles of God who though he be by Office an Angel yet by life is a Leper Thirdly See from hence the happiness of a Minister who is placed among such a people as give him abundant cause of love how happy is he that can say to his people from his heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my dearly beloved And here let me speak by way of encouragement to you of this Parish I find St. Paul commending the good he saw in his people 1 Thess 1.3 We are bound to thank God always for you Beloved because your Faith grows exceedingly Here Paul is commending his People in imitation of the Apostle let me at this time speak a commendatory word to you I have exercised my Ministry now among you for almost sixteen years and I rejoyce and bless God that I cannot say the more I love you the less I am loved I have received many signal demonstrations of love from you though other Parishes have exceeded you in number of houses yet I think not for strength of affection I have with much comfort observed your reverent attentions to the Word Preached you rejoyced in this Light not for a season but to this day I have observed your zeal against Errour and as much as could be expected in a critical time your unity and amity this is your honour and if for the future there should be any interruption made in my Ministry among you though I should not be permitted to preach to you yet shall I not cease to love you and to pray for you but why should there be any interruption made where is the crime some indeed say that we are disloyal and seditious Beloved what my actions and sufferings for his Majesty have been is known not to a few of you but however we must go to Heaven through good report and through bad report and it is well if we can get to glory though we pass through the Pikes I shall endeavour that I may still approve the sincerity of my Love to you I will not promise that I shall still preach among you nor will I say that I shall not I desire to be guided by the silver thred of Gods Word and of Gods Providence my heart is towards you there is you know an expression in the late Act that we shall be now shortly as if we were naturally dead and if I must die let me leave some Legacy with you before I go from you I cannot but give you some counsel and advice for your souls and I hope there is no hurt in that There are
you Oh! that I might drop in the Oyl of gladness into every broken heart and rejoyce every troubled spirit Oh here is good news from Heaven Say unto the Righteous it shall be well with him But here is a question must be answered You 'l say to me but how doth this appear that it shall he well with the Righteous for we often see it is the worst with them in this world he is deprived of his comfort many times he loses his very life in that quarrel he is made the very reproach of the world oftentimes how then is it well with the Righteous To this I answer yet still it is well with the Righteous though he meet with trouble in the world and one follows on the neck of another yet it is well with the Righteous as will appear in these three or four particulars 1. The troubles that the Righteous man meets with they turn to good and so it is well with him that is a most famous Scripture in Jer. 24.5 Whom I have sent out of this place unto the land of the Ghaldeans for their good Gods own Israel were transported into Babylon among their enemies but it is for their good saith the Lord. The troubles of the Righteous are a means to purge out their sin I have read a story of one who running at another with a sword to kill him by accident his sword run into an Imposthume and broke the Imposthume thus all the evils and troubles of the Righteous serve but to cure them of the Imposthume of pride to make them more humble when that the body of a Saint is afflicted his soul that revives and flourishes in Grace At Rome there was two Laurel-trees and when one withered the other did flourish so when the body is afflicted yet the soul that Laurel doth revive and flourish God doth distil our of the bitterest drink his Glory and our Salvation saith Jerome that that the world looks on as a punishment God makes a medicine to heal the sore why then it shall be well with the Righteous The rod of God upon a Saint is but only Gods pencil whereby he draweth his Image more lively on the soul God never strikes the strings of his Viol but to make the Musick sweet Then it is well with the Righteous 2. In the midst of all the trouble that doth befall the Righteous yet still it is well with them in regard of those inward heart-revivings that God doth give them We see a godly mans misery but we do not see his comfort we see his prison-gates but we do not hear the musick that is within his Conscience God doth sweeten to his People outward trouble with inward peace it is the Title that is given to God 2 Cor. 7.6 God that comforteth them that are cast down The Bee can gather honey as well from the thistle and from the bitter hearb as from the sweet flower the Child of God can gather joy out of sorrow out of the very carkass sometimes the Lord gives honey when the body is in pain the soul may be at ease as when a mans head akes yet his heart may be well thus it is well with the Righteous God gives him that inward comfort that revives and sweetens his outward pain 3. In the time of trouble and calamity yet still it is well with the Righteous because God doth cover his people in the time of trouble he hides them in the storm God hath a care to hide his Jewels and will not let them be carried away and thus he makes good that Scripture litterally Psal 91.4 He shall cover them with his feathers and under his wings shalt thou trust no evil shall touch thee God oftentimes verifies this Scripture litterally He makes his Angels to be his peoples life-guard to hide them and defend them when a floud was coming upon the world God provided an Ark to hide Noah when Israel is carried and transported into Babylon God hid Jeremiah and gave him his life for a prey Jer. 39.11 and in this sense the Saints of God are called hidden ones Psal 83.3 Why so not onely because they are hid in Gods decree and hid in Christs wounds but oftentimes God hides them in a time of danger and calamity they are hidden ones he reserved to himself seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal The Prophet knew not where there was one but God knew there were seven thousand In this sense it is well with the righteous in time of publick misery I but you 'l say sometimes it fares yet worse then all this sometimes the righteous they die and perish they are carried away in a Tempest why yet still it is well with the Righteous and that in a two-fold sense 1. Many times God doth take away the Righteous by death and that in great mercy he takes them away that they shall not see the misery that comes upon a Nation Virgil the Heathen Poet saith They are happy that die before their Countrey his meaning was they die before they see the ruine of their Countrey and truly God many times takes away his people in mercy that they may not see the ruine that is coming on a Land you have in Scripture for this 1 King 14.13 He onely of Jeroboam shall come to the Grave in peace because in him there is found some good things towards the Lord God of Israel God puts him in his grave betimes in mercy because he should not see the evil coming upon the Land and there 's a parallel to this 2 King 12. last It is spoken of Josiah I will gather thee unto thy Fathers thou shalt be gathered unto thy Grave in peace and thine eyes shall not see the evil I will bring upon this place Josiah he dyed in Battel how then was it said he went to the Grave in peace We must understand the meaning of it is this Josiah went to his Grave in peace because he was a holy man and he had made his peace with God and so he went to his Grave in peace and because he should not see the evil approaching God gathered him to his Grave in peace Jerom speaking of his friend Nepotian you must observe Jerom lived to see some troubles before he died saith he Oh! how happy is my friend Nepotian that sees not these troubles but is got out of the storm dies and is arrived safe in Heaven Luther died in mercy before the trouble in Germany broke forth and thus you see the Righteous though they die yet it is well with them God takes them away in mercy that they may not see approaching evils 2. Though the Righteous die and are taken away yet it is well with them because death cannot hurt them Death can neither hurt their body nor yet their souls and then it is well with them 1. Death cannot hurt their bodies the body of a Saint it doth not perish though it die the bodies of the Saints
taken away from the evil to come WE are here met this Evening to perform the last office of Love for an eminent and ancient servant of Jesus Christ and excellent Minister of the Gospel Mr. Simeon Ash one who hath formerly performed this office for many other Ministers and now we are met to perform this office for him and it is not long before others will meet to perform the same office for us so frail so brittle and so uncertain is the life of man Now the Text that I have chosen is suitable for this occasion for this Reverend Minister was first a righteous man he was righteous in an Eva gelical sense he was one that was justified and sanctified Secondly he was a merciful man both in active and passive sense he was one that shewed mercy to the distressed Members of Jesus Christ and he was one to whom God shewed mercy this righteous and merciful man is now perished as to his outward condition not as to his everlasting condition but as to his outward bodily condition he is perished and he is taken away the word in the Hebrew is very emphatical merciful men Colliguntur are gathered it is the same word that is used concerning Josiah 2 Kin. 22.10 Thou shalt be gathered to thy Fathers and go to thy grave in peace and shalt not see the evil that I will bring upon this Nation This godly and righteous man is now gathered as ripe Corn into the Barn of Heaven he is taken away from the evil that is to come from beholding that evil that is to come upon this sinful world he is taken away in mercy that he may not be troubled with the troubles that are comming upon many he is taken away from the evil to come And thus you see how suitable the Text is to the occasion there is only one particular that I desire may prove unsuitable for the righteous and merciful man saith the Text perisheth and no man considers nor layes it to heart These words are verba commentantis objurgantis the words of the Prophet bemoaning the spiritual security of the people of Israel chiding and reproving them for their spiritual Lethargy Now I desire that this part may not prove sutable but that all of you may lay to heart the death of this ancient merciful and righteous man The Observations from the words are these six First That the righteous man must perish as well as the unrighteous Secondly That the perishing of a righteous man is nothing but his gathering to God Christ and the blessed company of Saints and Angels Thirdly A righteous man as long as he lives is the preservative of a Nation and the supporter of a Kingdom the Chariots and Horse-men of a Nation Fourthly The death of a righteous man is a warning-piece from Heaven a Beacon set on sire to give notice of evil approaching Fifthly That God doth on purpose take away righteous men that they might not see the evil that is coming on a Nation Sixthly That it is a great and common sin not to consider and lay to heart the death of a righteous man 1. It is a common fin and therefore it is set down in the greatest latitude the righteous perisheth and no man layeth it to heart that is very few And merciful men are taken away no man considering that is very few 2. It is a great sin and therefore the Prophet Jeremy in the former Chapter calls to all the beasts of the field to devour that is all the Enemies of the Church to destroy the Children of Israel because they drank strong drink filling themselves with merriment and promised themselves happy dayes but did not consider that the righteous were taken away from the evil to come He begin with the first that the righteous perish as well as the unrighteous How is it that the righteous perish not in their soul they cannot perish so nay the truth is they cannot perish properly in their bodies for the bodies of the Saints never totally and finally perish for the very dust of the Saints in the grave is precious in Gods sight and they are asleep in Jesus and by the power of Jesus Christ they shall be raised glorious bodies Nothing perisheth of a righteous man by death totally finally but sin and therefore the meaning of the word is as Musculus and Justin Martyr observe perit perisheth that is not according to the truth of the thing but according to the opinion of the world and the proper language of his expression is this the righteous perisheth that is the righteous must dye and go down to the house of rottenness as well as others and that up upon a fore-fold account First Because the righteous are included within the statute of death as well as the unrighteous statutum est Heb. 9.27 It is appointed for all men ance to dye the righteous as well as the unrighteous it is true Jesus Christ hath taken away the hurt of death but not death it self Jesus Christ hath disarmed death made death like the Viper that fastened upon Pauls hand but did not hurt him he hath made it like the brazen Serpent that hath no sting but a healing power in it Christ hath sanctified death conquered and sweetned death at the present we are all under the statute of death but at last this enemy shall be destroyed 2 Cor. 15. ult 2. The righteous consist of perishing principles as well as the unrighteous the righteous are earthly vessels made of dust I their foundation is in the dust their lives are a vapour as well as the lives of the unrighteous 3. The righteous must dye as well as others because they have a body of sin which they carry about them for there is no man so wise that lives and sins not Eccles 7.10 wherefore there is that which deserves death in a righteous man Lastly and especially The righteous perish upon a peculiar account For if we have hope only in this life saith the Apostle we are of all men most miserable and therefore they must perish to keep them from perishing they must say as Themistocles Perissem nisi periissem they must dye that they may rest from their labour for here is not our rest Mich. 2.10 there remaineth a rest for the people of God there is no rest in this world the word quies wants the plural number 2. The righteous must die that they may have their reward their crown of glory that God hath laid up for them they must first fight the good fight and finish their course and then they shall receive a crown of glory 3. They must dye that they may be free from sin for they shall never put off the body of sin till they put off the body of the flesh 4. They must dye that mortality may be swallowed up of life that corruption may put on incorruption 5. They must dye that they may be perfect in grace Lastly They must dye that
as the Word of Truth The Word was written after the Church but as it is the Word of God it 's before it This therefore will break the snare if you be set upon by the specious name of the Church look that the Church hath warrant from Scripture-Institution and then submit to Church-Institution A second Rule I observe men would set up to betray poor souls from the faith once delivered to them is Ancient Custom our Fathers worshipped in this Mountain When they would hold forth that which the Scripture is short in they will send us to such and such customs of so many hundred years standing It is to be bewailed that the date the standing of false Doctrines and false Worships is so ancient for though at first they were but Innovations yet to succeeding Generations they become old And 't is a very great truth That what is the most ancient is the most true and therefore there lies a great snare in this Therefore when Antiquity is pretended if you find not their hoary heads in the way of Righteousness there is little reason for you to reverence them or comply with them no more than there was reason so suddenly to be taken with the Gibeonites mouldy bread and clouted shoes When matters of Antiquity are pretended say as Ignatius Jesus Christus est mea Antiquitas Jesus Christ is my Antiquity so say Truth is my Antiquity for though an opinion hath been practised a thousand years yet men may have the Word of Truth in their hearts that is ancienter than all A third Rule that men would set up is The general course of the World or Place the generality of those where they live This was that the Popish Party did often mention to the witnesses of Jesus Christ What! will you be wiser than others Can't you do as others do must you be singular And this is a taking Rule for to make you conformable to those things possibly the Word of God will not warrant if you bring not this custom to the Word of God 'T is not what the most do but what we may do 't is not what the practice of all in general is but what ought to be the singular care and strict holiness of Christians in particular that the Word of God will allow Christians are not to be conformable to the present World Rom. 12.1 The Word will tell you It is no more safe to follow a multitude to do evil than it will be sweet to be in Hell with a great company The Word will let you know the secrets of the Lord are with a very few and those them that fear him as for the whole world it lies in wickedness The Word will tell you The wayes of Jesus Christ and the profession of Jesus Christ is commonly called a Sect it is every where spoken against and men hate it every where Therefore set up a Rule in your hearts in your houses in your meditations in your practise Rule 2. Be very well rooted and established in the faith that hath been delivered to you I observe one of the great reasons why Christians so easily let go the profession they have made is because they were never well built upon it nor established in it There are many Christians that through their own itching ears heaping up Teachers to themselves have never been rooted or established in the truth the Lord pitty them and keep them this day Many Christians that have attended to establishing means yet never seriously considered nor laid things to their heart but are like those the Apostle speaks of Heb. 5.12 that had need to learn the first Oracles of God How many among us profess with the highest but have little ground for their faith onely with the Jews the Traditions of the Elders the custom of the place Education and because such a party of men say so because no body denies it because Ministers commonly preached it but to have any solid and serious ground they are yet to seek 'T is not with the things of God as with other Arts as Logick Rhetorick Astronomy in these Arts the principal is presupposed to be proved no man goes about to prove there is Reason that there is Number that there are Heavenly Bodies because sense and experience shews it But 't is quite otherwise in the things of God for you are not onely to run away with the notion that there is a God that this God is one and that these are his Words and his Works but you are to know this by experience because the knowledge of these things comes by infusion by faith by a belief that God is For by faith we believe the Worlds were made by the Word of God Hebr. 11.3 It is that therefore I would press you to that you would labour for an established Spirit Do not onely hear the things of God but see them the first will but blinde you or at best leave you at great uncertainties the last will settle you What was the reason of the holy Apostles zeal when they were under the greatest threatnings of the High Priests and were forbid to speak in the name of Christ and to speak of Justification by faith and the Resurrection of Christ from the dead and forgiveness of sins by him things that are further remote from sense and reason the Apostle will tell you Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard Hence it is that poor silly women that in respect of their Imbecillity and Infirmity of Sex the terrours of the fire and faggot might have been such to have brought them to Apostacy yet they confounded the great Doctors and Rabbies when they were brought before them they were able to burn though they could not dispute they beheld things that were invisible It 's an excellent thing not to take up the Word upon notion upon opinion but to have an established heart through Grace I shall direct you in two words 1. Get the Lord by Prayer to teach you every truth what Jesus Christ teaches once is everlastingly taught no word is abiding but what the Lord Jesus teaches himself Look as it is with Satan when he comes to seduce men from the truth he will present such a fine notion without and commonly he darts in some dazling light within so that you never knew a Heretick take up a false opinion but it was with a marvellous deal of sweetness and comfort so when the Lord Christ teacheth by his Spirit he comes with that light that sweetness savour and relish of truth as will be impossible for you to let it go Hence when Christ would confute the Pharisees who had the witness of his Father in his work he saith Joh. 5.37 Ye have neither heard his â—oice at any time nor seen his shape It 's an excellent thing to see the shape and hear the voice of God 2. Be well rooted upon Christ or else you will never be established in any â—ruth of Christ
that a Christian by inherent grace is able to do himself is through Christ I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me 2. Because if there be any acceptance of what a Believer doth with the Father this also is through Christ the gift is accepted not for the gifts sake but for the sake of the Merit of Christ 3. If so be a Believer should glory in his graces there is a possibility of falling but being clad with and resting in the power of Christ there 's an impossibility of miscarrying Thus the Saints of God have their infirmities frailties their multitude of frailties and infirmities yet have they reason to glory in that power of Christ which rests on them on Earth but much more reason if they will look up and see the tongue of Christ engaged for them i. e. interceding for them in Heaven And that lets me into The Third Sermon John 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil I Pray not that thou shouldest not take them out of the world Let them stay there and glory even in their very infirmities But I pray that thou shouldest keep them from the evil In this Scripture you have our Saviors Intercession for his Disciples Preservation and in this his Intercession two things observeable 1. In the Negative part for what Christ doth not pray Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world 2. In the Affirmative part That thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the world For the Negative part wherein you have 1. Something implyed Not that thou shouldest take them out of the world This implyes That God hath the disposal of our continuance in the world else Christ would never address himself to his Father that he would not take them out of the world If so then 1. Live constantly Believer above the flavish fear of Death Times are not in thine Enemies hands no not in the Devils hands but in Gods hands 2. Be patient under the loss of thy dearest Relations God hath taken them who hath the disposal of our continuance 3. Seek to God for a blessing on all those means which at any time are prescribed or used for your preservation 2. There 's something mainly intended I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world and tha't this That God will have his people oftentimes continue in the world though they should meet with much trouble in the world And if so this should teach you for ever how to carry your selves in the midst of a sinful wicked rude God-hating Saint-persecuting World that is 1. Patiently to wait Gods leisure you must stay his time 2. Carry your selves Innocently be sure you in a salt Sea like good fish retain your freshness 3 Carry your selves Wisely you walk among Devils Snares c. walk Wisely And 4. Walk Serviceably continue you must but 't is Gods time how short you know not therefore walk serviceably For the Affirmative part But I pray that thou shouldest keep them from the evil of the World Wherein something Absolutely and something Relatively Take the words Absolutely thence these four Notions That thou shouldest keep them from the evil 1. Sin is an eminent evil the evil of evils 2. That we are utterly unable to keep our selves But 3. God can keep his people in and from the evil of a sinful World 4. That 't is the Godly onely that are kept from the evil that is in the World but Relatively especially I pray c. No great matter of their sufferings but their sins that 's the thing let them be preserved from that Thence observe Preservation from sin is a far greater mercy than exemption from suffering And so then 1. See the folly and madness of those that embrace sin to avoid suffering take a stab in their hearts that they may avoid a scratch upon their finger 2. See the folly of those that desire the removal of their sufferings rather than of their sins take away the Frogs not my hard heart 3. This shews what should be our greatest complaint in the midst of a troublesom world not my sorrows plunderings imprisonments Lord but the scarcities of my soul c. 4. This shews the grand mistake of the nature of true safety Men think safety to be meerly to sleep in a sound skin but 't is not safety to be preserved from danger but from sin True the men of the world yea the best of Saints are too too apt to mistake in this case there 's a heart within them that is very apt to think sometimes sinning to be chosen rather than suffering not in wicked men only but in the best of men for As in water face answereth to face so the heart of man to man Which lets me into The Fourth Sermon Prov. 27.19 As in water face answereth to face so doth the heart of man to man IN this Proverb two things 1. The Proposition and that by a Similitude As in water face answereth to face 2. The Reddition So doth the heart of the man to man Or in the words these two Generals to be observed 1. A Glass 2. An Object to be seen in this Glass 1. A Glass a notable one that 's two-fold a dead Glass Water a living Glass the Heart of a Man 2. The Object to be seen in these Glasses in the dead Glass the face of man is to be seen in the living Glass the heart of man there 's all the Species and Complexions of the Sons nay of the Souls of the Sons of Men to be seen That as by looking into the Water you may discern your own and other mens countenances and that plainly and clearly So by looking into your own hearts if you could have a Casement into the hearts of other men there may you see of what Spiritual Complexion Constitution and Make you are as clearly as a man may see his face in water As in water c. From these words this great Truth that the Heart of every man in the world is a Looking-glass 'T is such a Looking-glass wherein he may see himself his Condition Constitution special Complexion whether it be Morally Spiritually Scripturally Good or Evil. For the right improvement of this Looking-glass three things necessary which are optick Principles but clear to those that have either Physical or Natural Light 1. There must be an Object that must be seen And oh what visible Objects are there in the hearts of men Man is called a little World a Compendium of the whole World The heart of man is the Man The heart of man is like the Ark of Noah which contains all sorts all kindes of clean and unclean Beasts 'T is an Epitomy of Heaven and Hell What is there in the heart of man Who but God can fathom the depth of it There are more Objects in the hearts of men than Stars in Heaven or drops in the Ocean
all thy worldly concernments thy relations diseases c. are all numbred Nay more remember this Believer all thy distrusts disquiets murmurings despondencies the meanest lust unseen and the most secret sin are all numbred 6. Are our hairs numbred This is sad news for Unbelievers Are your hairs numbred then certainly your Oaths Curses contempts of Gods people all your sinful thoughts words actions wilful omissions of commanded duties commissions of forbidden sins all your disputings against God his people his word wayes will are all upon the file they are all numbred 7. What an encouragement is there here for poor sinners to come in to God Do but come into God and thou shalt come into such a condition of safety that the very hairs shall be all numbred And if thou wilt not come in certainly thou art wanting to thy self For look as well as thou canst to thy self thou hast not a promise to keep one hair of thy head till to morrow morning Not a promise of a sup of water bit of bread nor a promise of one minutes safety till to morrow morning And if so be thou hast not a God no interest in him if God should turn his back on thee a thousand to one but afflictions come And if afflictions come thy heart is gone thou having no spiritual strength in heart no eternal Rock of ages to flie to no wonder if thou faint under them and so thou wilt certainly do If a Believer that hath but little strength is apt to faint thou that hast no strength wilt utterly fall when afflictions find thee And this leads to The Eighth Sermon Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of Adversity thy strength is small THe Observation from hence was To faint in the day of trouble argues a mans inward strength to be but small his judgement weak his reason low his graces feeble his inward comfort peace and joy not much but very little This 1. Shews whence our mis-givings of heart whence our want of liveliness of spirit in and under troubles proceeded even from hence that our strength is but small 2. Teaches us how to judge what our spiritual strength is namely this way How dost thou bear afflictions How is it with thee in a day of distress Dost thou faint and fail It argues thy strength is but small By way of Dehortation Do not thou faint in the day of affliction in the day of adversity Take heed of fainting in three things 1. Under work or duty be it never so great grievous troublesome or dangerous 2. Under the with-holdings of mercy be they never so long detained 3. Under afflictions be they or may they be never so grievous whether 1. Publick afflictions the afflictions of the Church of God Suppose Sion is now clad in Sack-cloth there 's a time coming when she shall be arrayed in Scarlet When the Whores Scarlet shall be turned into Rags the Churches Rags shall be turned into Gold Or 2. Personal afflictions faint not under them be it this or that or the other be they never so great never so long or never so many But what shall I do to bear up my spirit and to preserve me from fainting 1. Live in the holy dependence and filial fear of the great God He that fears God most to be sure will faint least 2. Strengthen Grace There are two graces to be strengthened viz. Strengthen Faith I had fainted unless I had believed c. Strengthen Patience dejection of soul usually comes from impatience 3. Be much in Prayer Is any man afflicted let him not go and sinfully murmur and complain but let him pray 4. Make use of heart-strengthening considerations and that is 1. Turn over the promises They are left on purpose as Gods bottle his Vial of Cordials to keep the soul from fainting 2. What ever befalls remember it proceeds from Gods love 3. All that God aims at is to do thee good 4. Be the affection never so great 't is as necessary as prosperity as health This thy Physick is as necessary as thy food 5. The issue of all a Crown of glory these light afflictions which are but for a moment worketh out for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory And therefore if so be there be such principles from which afflictions flow and such ends to which they are managed It is no wonder Christ will not pray that we may be taken out of the world from affliction but keep in this world from the evil So we fall on The Ninth Sermon Joh. 17.15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil GOd hath spoken once yea twice have I heard this That power belongeth to God When God is pleased to strike twice upon the same string it seems he hath something more than ordinary mind that you should observe the turn The Doctrine was That it is the will of Jesus Christ that his servants should continue in the world though they meet with nothing but trouble in the world I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world let them stay Lord be thou but their Pilot and then keep them at Sea as long as thou wilt God knows his Saints are very serviceable in their generation They are as it were a Pillar of fire unto the rest of the world for guide and light By their Doctrine and Conversation they instruct the godly and convince the wicked God will have his people stay in the World that his power providence mercy and goodness in their preservation may more clearly be discovered that their afflictions here may work out for them an eternal weight of glory These are the reasons why God will have them stay in the World c. Then 1. Saints carry your selves as becomes such in midst of such a World with that wisdom faithfulness carefulness humility that may bring honour both to your selves and to your Profession Walk as Lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation Walk closely warily innocently patiently submissively c. All these are necessary while you are to converse here in this wicked world 1. From that truth But that thou shouldest keep them from the evil Observe preservation from sin is a greater mercy than exemption from suffering Which 1. Informs us of a truth that carnal men will never believe till they come to Hell that that is the height of folly which the men of the world count to be the top of wisdom they think it wisdom to choose sin rather than suffering 2 This will evidence that the people of God are not such Fools as the men of the World think they are but the wisest that will choose the greatest suffering rather than the least sin 3. This reproves those that will take more care to have their afflictions removed than sanctified 4. Be more afraid of sinning and less afraid of suffering what afraid of a lash my child
first the Kingdom of God c. Two questions were propounded and answered 1. What is it earnestly to enquire after and seriously to pursue the Kingdom of God and his righteousness In this question three things included the Object the Act the Order 1. The Object The Kingdom of God the Kingdom of Heaven and its Righteousness The Kingdom of Heaven that is the Kingdom of Grace and the Kingdom of Glory the Kingdom of Grace as the means to the Kingdom of Glory The righteousness of this Kingdom that is Sanctification sincere holiness in heart and life which is the beginning or the way to and a sign or pledge of our interest in the Kingdom of Glory 2. The Act Seek i.e. Bestir your utmost thoughts about your utmost time care diligence upon these things 3. Seek i.e. Set your choicest affections upon these things 3. Seek i.e. Strive and labour go forth in utmost endeavours for obtaining of these things 3. The Order Seek first Seek it first in respect of time begin with God Remember thy Creature in the dayes of thy Youth Seek it first with the greatest care accuratest diligence industry with the greatest seriousness The Kingdom of God is the most necessary thing indeed that one thing necessary It is the most excellent thing eternal all other things are temporal get this and you get all you get above the terrors of the World The best way to have the things of the World sanctified is this Seek first the Kingdom of God c. 2. How is this a remedy against distracting cares and fears Answ 1. It is a remedy by diversion 2. Present things seem little compared with eternal things Vse 1. This reproves those that observe not our Saviours direction 1. Those that are drowned in earthly things give them Onions and Garlick take the Kingdom of Heaven and Righteousness thereof who will Let me have my part in Paris what care I for Paradise 2. Others that are for the Kingdom of God but not for the Righteousness of that Kingdom they are for the end but they do not care for the way they would have fruit but they will not climb the Tree 3. Others that could wish they had a portion in it but in a slight and perfunctory way If Heaven could be obtained with a few prayers this they 'd do but further they will not goe 2. Is this such an excellent way to cure our carnal fears and cares What advantage hath a Child of God above all other men in the world both in this life and that to come In this life under a watchful providence not a hair of his head shall perish but chiefly the priviledges of an everlasting Kingdom he hath a Bird in the bush and in hand too choice enjoyments in the hand and in hope much more but much more above and this hope of his shall not make him ashamed The vision of his appointed comforts is for an appointed time and it will come will come said I Faith looks our and sees it coming already let but Faith look to Heaven and he sees his Judge coming Which brings me to The Eighteenth Sermon Rev. 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me THe Observation from the words was this The Lord Jesus will certainly and speedily come to Judgment when he shall give reward equal to every man These two questions were answered In what sense Christ comes quickly Answ In Gods account with whom a thousand years are but as one day In our account Faith sees him coming though Sense cannot Faith makes future things present it is the Prespective of the Soul Believers receive part of their reward at death and that is quickly 2. Why doth Christ defer his coming at all Answ 1. To stop the mouths of the wicked they will not have one word to reply they had time and space to repent 2. Out of his dear love he bears to his Elect There is many of his Elect not yet born and though born not new-born Now these must be born and new-born and brought all in and when that time is come then He will come Vse 1. Will Christ come quickly and with a reward then certainly remember this Athiest 'T is no vain thing to serve our Lord Jesus What profit is it if we serve him c. What profit Infinite profit there is a reward coming 2. By way of Exhortation Will Christ come Oh then 1. Prepare for his coming Labour to be prepared by his spiritual coming in thy heart that is the way to be prepared for his last coming get thy understanding enlightened in the saying knowledge of Christ thy will subdued and brought into subjection unto Christ thy affections renewed spiritualized thy conversation such as becomes the Gospel of Christ 2. You that have made all things ready for his coming look out after his coming The Table is spread the Trencher laid the Dinner ready the Guest not come Oh! when will He come I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ come Lord Jesus come quickly every Saint will eccho to Come quickly to every Believer it shall be a most welcome coming he shall come with a reward of absolution and pardon of all sin of vindication and clearing up of all names Believer's bodies shall not only have a Resurrection but their good names It shall be a reward of Coronation all their Crowns of Thorns shall be turned into Crowns of Glory 3. Is Christ coming Will he come This should bear up Believer's hearts in and under the sufferings they fear or feel Christ comes quickly therefore fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer This gives us advance into The Nineteenth Sermon Rev. 2.10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that you may be tryed and you shall have tribulation ten dayes Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a Crown of life WHence observe 1. The people of God must suffer Through tribulation through many tribulations they must enter into the Kingdome of God from a Cross into Heaven Think it not strange no not of the fiery trial thou shalt suffer 2. Whatever sufferings the people of God either are or may be in they have no just cause ground or reason of fear i.e. of disponding distrusting distracting fear The Arguments of this point are in the Text. 1. The Consideration of who it is that brings the people of God into suffering it is God God is the Disposer but who is the great Executioner the Devil whom God hates more than thou canst The Devil shall cast c. 2. It is the Devil in a chain the Devil hath two sorts of chains 1. A chain of darkness in which he is kept to the day of Judgment 2. A chain of providence he is restrained in that c. 3. The Quality of the suffering should keep them from fearing He shall cast some of you into Prison not into Hell
the holy Apostles their lives were traduced they went through evil report as well as good report 2 Cor. 10.2 And thus Athanasius who was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians and so Luther and Calvin are represented and reported by the Papists as if they had been the vilest Creatures in the World The wicked man cavils at and finds spots at least doth what he can to find spots in the Sun and some who are not so wicked do look for an Evangelical perfection in Ministers and all theirs their Wives and their Children and their Servants and their Company How ready are people grosly and uncharitably to censure a Minister for any yea the least they discern in him or his and is this their Vertue nay is it not their Vice and Corruption 2. It is no breach of the Churches peace no argument of a contentious and unquiet spirit in a Minister to speak vilely of vile Ministers and enemies of the Churches peace Why who are they John Baptist tells us he calls them Vipers a generation of Vipers why were they not Preachers Mat. 3.7 And will you say that John Baptist was a man of a contentious Spirit of an unquiet Spirit And who were they whom our blessed Saviour calls a Generation of Vipers Mat. 12.34 38 39. And who were they whom our Saviour calls a Generation of Vipers and an evil and Adulterous Generation were they not Preachers and it is very observable both John Baptist and our Saviour did call those Preachers thus even in the hearing of them who were their ordinary hearers and do but observe what strange terms of disgrace St. Peter gives them 2 Peter 2.12 to certain Preachers in his time verse 14. what strange terms doth the Apostle give to those Teachers whose pernicious wayes many would follow as in verse 2. of that Chapter But did not the Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses's Chair and did they not preach some good Doctrine insomuch that Jesus Christ bids the people hear them and observe what they said though not what they did as Mat. 23.1 2 3. Therefore may some say It seemeth strange that Christ should thus disgrace the Scribes and Pharisees was not this the way to make their Ministry contemptible First It is very clear and undeniable that there was a Generation of pitiful sorry Teachers as in Mat. 9.36 Why did not the people enjoy the Teaching of the Scribes and Pharisees yes they did but the Scribes and Pharisees were Idol-Shepherds they knew how to feed their Flock and therefore Christ lookt on the people as Sheep scattered abroad for all the Scribes and Pharisees They did not understand that there was heart-murder or heart-adultery until our blessed Saviour instructed them The Scribes and Pharisees they did but strike at the bough only but our Saviour Preached with authority and not as the Scribes did And withal I answer 2. That beyond all peradventure our blessed Saviour saw that although the Scribes and Pharisees did teach some truths yet by their Life and Doctrine they did more mischief than good and therefore the more credit they had among the people the more mischief they were like to do And therefore from hence our blessed Lord and Saviour calls them a Generation of Vipers But I hope you will not count it an argument of the breach of the Churches peace to speak vilely of a vile Ministry It was no more than John Baptist did and than our Saviour did Thirdly No mans sin deserves so sharply to be reproved as the sins of Ministers because his sins of all others are the chief sins committed in a Land at the Sanctuary of prophaneness too too often begins Therefore when Gods people met in their publick Fasts they made solemn Confession of those sins of the first Magnitude by which they had most provoked the Lord they do make Confession chiefly of the sins of their Magistrates and Ministers Neh. 9.33 34. The Jews there bewailed the sins of their Magistrates and Ministers as the particular cause of their plagues Oh the sins of Teachers are the Teachers of sin and therefore no mans sin deserves to be so sharply reproved as the scandalous sins of Min isters Now if you love your souls take heed and beware of a prophane delight in lewd loose dissolute Ministers We sind the Lord complaining of the wickedness of the Prophets and of the Priests and People as Jer. 5 ult the people did take a prophane delight in false Prophets and in polluted Priests and so likewise in the Prophet Micah chap. 2. v. 11. the people although they did oppose the Prophet Micah and other true Prophets yet they did approve of and delight in false Prophets such as were of their own leaven their own way and mould such as would flatter them and promise them wine and strong drink and are there not many such people in the world that had rather hear such a Minister than such as preach close-walking with God and of getting to Heaven under pain of damnation Will you cry up and will you prophanely delight in a Ministry that shall preach peace peace to all prophane rebellious people in short such a one that will poison you in Doctrine or in his example Fourthly Take heed and beware of a sinful Idolizing of godly faithful Ministers the Apostle decries this with much zeal ardency and servency of Spirit what is Paul's planting and what is Apollo's watering 1 Cor. 3.5 6. As excellent gifts parts and graces as these men had yet they look higher so it is your duty to look above mens parts and above mens gifts and graces Paul and Apollo cannot give increase Paul indeed may plant but there is no rooting indeed in these plants but by christ And read v. 7. It is God and he only that can give encrease As Elisha's Servant could carry his Masters staff and lay it on the dead child but the child could not be raised to life until Elisha came himself thus godly faithful Ministers can but lay Gods Message before you but unless the Lord set it to the heart never a dead Soul can be raised from the death of sin to the life of grace and holiness Remember godly and faithful Ministers although they have the Lords Sword yet they have not the Lord Christs arm and alas what can the Lord Christs Sword do without his Arm. Fifthly Take heed of being leavened with prejudice against the Ministry of the Word because of the misdemeanours or miscarriage of the Minister Surely the efficacy of the Word and Sacrament doth not depend on the quality of the Minister It is the Word of the Lord that converts not the person of the Dispenser or Speaker A seed that is fown in a good soyl may yea will grow and thrive although perhaps the Sower had a very dirty hand 2 Cor. 3.2 3. The Apostle tells the Corinthians that they are saith he The Epittle of Christs Ministry by us the hand is Christs Ministers are but
the Pen. Hence it was that the Ministry of the Scribes and Pharisees was not to be rejected but to be esteemed so long as they sailed not in the substance thereof and hence the Apostle rejoyceth that Christ was preached of the false Apostles Phil. 1.15 16 17 18. though out of envy take heed therefore and beware of a total separation from disserting of and forsaking Church-assemblies and yet I conceive it is a very rare thing for unconverted Ministers to convert some For what saith the Lord by the Prophet Zephaniah Zeph. 3.1 2 3 4. Ob saith the Lord to Jerusalem that hath such Prophets and such Priests woe to such a City to such a Country to such a Parish And what saith Christ himself in Mat. 15.14 Let them alone oft-times it falls out so that it made Archbishop Abbot speak in a Lecture of his and profess that his heart did even bleed within him to think of the precious Souls of many people who had such Ministers that if they had not been in the Ministry they would not have been fit Hogherds for Swine And yet we must remember not to tye the efficacy of the Word and Sacraments to the goodness or badness of a Ministers person Sixthly Take heed and beware of being leavened with prejudice against all Ministers because of the Vileness and monster-like unbeseeming Carriage of some Ministers It hath been granted over and over that some Ministers evil licentious Carriage and Conversations are notorious the Lord knows too many Ministers have Esau's hands with Jacob's voyce what then must this redound to the general disgrace of all Ministers because some Professors of the Law live lawless must therefore all be censured and cuodemned for the lawless Livers because Judas was a Devil and a Son of Perdition will you therefore say that all the Disciples of Christ were naught Perhaps you do know some Sir Johns some blind Seers some blind Watchmen who know nor Heavens way some blind Droans or secondly some that carry themselves insolently as Jer. 20.1 2. Pasher did or thirdly some that are too too like that evil servant in the Gospel as Luk. 12.45 or perhaps you know Fourthly Some apostarizing Demas's who embrace this present world and revolt from their principles and profession as 2 Tim. 4.10 Or perhaps you know filthy some aspiring and climbing Diotrephes as 3 John 9. perhaps you know some such as these I have instanced what then is there any Profession as it were but it haâ—h a certain seum whâ— then in the face of some who thorow grace are free from these miscarriages take heed and beware of being leavened with prejudice against all Ministers because of the vileness and miscarriage of some Seventhly Be earnest with the Lord for a godly faithful Ministry whose labour and pains among the people the Lord useth to bless The Lord Jesus Christ is the greatest Patron of all Livings as a reverend man now in Heaven once said He can present whom he will to a parish and he can restore whom he will to their people as Acts 12.5 6 7. as he did Peter out of Prison by the peoples prayers and thus when Paul was in prison at Rome observe how he writes to Philemon in v. 22. of his Epistle and thus when the Author of the Hebrews was restrained from preaching observe what an Exhortation he useth Heb. 13.12.18 Oh pray therefore pray for godly faithful Ministers their pains their labours the Lord useth to bless among a people as Mal. 26. we read that the Lord blessed the labours of Levi so that he was an instrument in the Lords hands to turn wicked men from their iniquities and v. 5. so it was said of Barnabas that by his Ministry much people were added to the Lord Acts 11.24 And if we would have godly faithful Ministers as we must pray for them so we must first repent us of our sins Jer. 3.14 15. repent we must for our sins and particularly our contempt of the Ordinances and worship of God Secondly We must prize the Gospel more than we have done the Gospel loves to come and stay where it is welcome Of all the 7 Churches of Asia the Church of Philadelphia was the best that Church used the word best and that Church enjoyed the word longest Be earnest with the Lord for godly faithful Ministers whose pains and labours among the people the Lord useth to bless and prosper 7. Be earnest with the Lord that the refining work of a National-Reformation a City a Country a Family-Reformation a Personal-Reformation may begin at the refining and purging of Ministers None will deny but that there is a great need of a Reformation there is none of you but will confess that the Seed of Leaven had need sometimes to be winnowed out from amongst us as 2 Chron. 29.48 Hezekiah began at the Priests and Levites Hezekiah began his reformation at them and thus at our first reformation the Protestants did then affirm that there could never be any good reformation unless they begun at the Court of Rome and it is very observable that when the Prophet speaks of the Lord Christs coming as a refining fire and as Fullars soap this also is prophesied of refining the Sons of Levi Mal. 2.2 when he shall purifie the Sons of Levi when he shall purge them as Gold and Silver as it was in Judah in the reign of that good King Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.34 The Priests were too few there and as it was in Judah then whether it be not so in England now I affirm not but leave you to judge But a Ministers soundness in Dectrine and holiness of Life and Conversation should lay a great obligation on a people duly conscienciously to practice every command to duty And this may suffice for the second Doctrine Come we now to the third Doctrine deducable to be handled from this Text and that is That in the due practise of commanded duties Gods People may may warrantably and confidently expect much of the gracious presence of the God of peace even in the worst of times These things think on saith the Apostle v. 8. These things do saith the Apostle in the Text and what then The God of Peace shall be with you In the due practice of commanded duries Gods people may confidently expect much of the gracious presence of the God of peace in the worst of times then take counsel from this Doctrine that you may have the gracious presence of the God of peace with you and if this Pulpit were my death-bed I should give such counsel as this following to you First Crown the Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts and lives I say Crown the Prince of Peace the Lord Jesus Christ in your hearts and lives receive him as your Lord and King set a Crown on his head here in your hearts and lives and he will crown you with peace in this life and set a crown of Glory a crown
mark how the point in hand doth charge this upon us in the thirteenth Verse of this Chapter These things have I writ to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God That you may know that you have eternall life Here is your duty according to what the Text it self doth charge upon you if you be such as by grace are brought over to a Gospel-believing the Apostle John that did write this Epistle and I from it preach unto you in the Name of the Lord and by authority from him that this is your duty to know that you are persons that have eternal life that you are such as Christ by his Bloud hath made a purchase of eternal life for that he hath by his Bloud once for all entred into the holy place that is not made with hands that he may prepare for you and that you might have the possession of those blessed Mansions that he hath made preparation of Eternal life it is yours and you may be bold to claim it and you are bound to hope and rejoyce in the expectation of the full enjoyment of it and not to be always upon the question and disputing point but to go on with a holy confidence towards God according to what the Apostle expresses 1 Cor. 2. We know that when this earthly Tabernacle shall be dissolved we shall have a House not made with hands c. But then a second thing that I have to charge upon you is this that you would acknowledge with all thankfulnesse and enlargednesse of heart to God the riches of his mercy and grace to you that hath been pleased to call you out of an unbelieving world and bâ—ing â—ou over to the Gospel and to the participations that are by Christ â—â—cording to the Gospel Oh! this you should set your hearts upon â—â—y admiring the riches of his grace and say Lord why shouldst thou manifest thy self to us and not to the World That many thousands should live and die in the total ignorance of Christ and the Gospel-mysteries or else live and dye in an empty profession and yet that God should be pleased to pitch upon me This is that the Text doth hint unto us in the nineteenth verse of this Chapter Oh! saith he in a triumphing manner We know that we are of God and that the whole world lyes in wickedness Oh! our mercies and the riches of Grace that hath appeared to us while the whole world that lies in wickedness is put into the Malignant one lies in the Devil for he is the Malignant evil one while the whole world lies in the Devil in malignity Oh! It is a sad condition infinitely more sad than for a man to lie in the most noysomest stinking Ditch or in the loathsomest kennel why this is that that heightens the mercy to poor souls that are called by grace according to the purpose of God that while the whole world lies in wickedness and so are like to lie yea and to lie in Hell to all eternity that God should please to lay you in the bosom of his Son and to take you into the arms of his mercy this is that that should heighten our thankfulness I may make use of that expression which we find in Acts the fourth when Paul and Barnabas came unto a company of heathens and they saw what great things were done by them and took notice of the gracious spirit that they discovered sure say they The Gods are come among us in the likeness of men Considering the state of times and what a height of wickedness many at this day are grown up unto the dreadful swearing blaspheming of God and his ways truly judge of it your selves whether we may not say the Devils are come among us in the likeness of men Why now Oh! how should we heighten our love and thankfulness to God that should please in free grace to bring us over to close with Jesus Christ But then 4 as many as are brought over to Gospel-believing this is your duty to study and endeavour what you can your advantages in faith and so the Apostle gives it in charge here in the Chapter in v. 13. These things have I writ to you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may believe on the Son of God This is that you should set about if God hath brought you over to a closing with Christ and an embracing of the Testimonies concerning him believe more and more labor for your advancement and let it be your prayer Good Lord encrease our faith labor that you may be clear in your apprehensions of gospel-mysteries and that you may be more strong in your adherence to Christ of whom those Gospel-testimonies are given and that you may not only come to have an adhering faith but to an assuring faith that you may not be like waves tossed and tumbled up and down but that you may come to be rooted and established and grounded in your faith that you may not come to be unsettled by Heresie corrupt Doctrines or the Apostacy of others but that you may be stedfast and unmoveable Yet further fifthly This is to be given in charge to such as do believe according to the Gospel that they carry it suitably to a believing state as in those particulars that I have insisted upon so in a deportment congruous and sutable to the privileges which belong to believing You are born of God carry it as men and women that are so indeed what I born of God the sons and daughters of God What and not live according to God and not study conformity to God I remember what he speaks there concerning Amnon How is it that thou bring the Kings son art lean from day to day How is it that we that profess to be the sons and daughters of God are lean and lank not more improved that we do not shew forth God and express Christ This lies in the beginning of the Chapter If you be born of God remember that you be born of him that is the God of Love And therefore you are to manifest this birth and your believing and your being born of God by loving God and by loving them that are born of God He that believeth is born of God and be that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him The God of love doth beget a people of love a loving God a loving people and this is that you should express your believing by and your adoption by by the love you bear to God and the children of God A hateful spiteful spirit where it doth discover it self speaks those persons not to be born of God but of the Devil carry it as Believers as persons of God by studying a conformity to God and by keeping his Commandments subjecting your selves to his authority not living according to your lusts but according to the laws and rules which God
under their afflictions and tribulations tells them that it is a blessed thing thus to be dealt withal by the World Mat. 5 10 11 12. Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and speak all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven And Luke 6.22 Blessed are ye when men shall hate you and when they shall separate from you their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evil for the Son of mans sake rejoyce in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in Heaven The consideration of our interest in the Kingdom of Heaven should keep us from being dismaved though we are hated persecuted reproached by the prophane world but should make us rejoyce rather and leap for joy Thus much for the second thing which is That the people of God are dehorted from fear and dispondency and exhorted to courage and magnanimity in the ways of God from the very consideration of their interest in the Kingdom of Heaven Thirdly I shall give you the Reasons why Believers those that have an interest in the Kingdom of Heaven should not fear not be dismayed at any outward trouble opposition or tribulation that they meet with in the world First It is very unsutable for one that hath secured the heavenly interest and his title to eternal glory to be dismayed at thing of nought how unsutable is it for one that is an Heir of Heaven to be excessively grieved and disconsolate because he meeteth with some rubs in his way thither Oh how unseemly is it for a child of light to walk in darkness and heaviness because somewhat of the world falls a cross to his expectation or desire for one that is to enjoy eternal happiness in the life to come to be dismayed and perplexed at every petty cross that he meeteth here below how unseemly is it for a child of God and Heir of Heaven for one that shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Heavenly glory to go up and down drooping at inconsiderable crosses and light afflictions which are but for a moment For a worldling that hath all his good things here and hath no other portion but in this life to be grieved and perplexed at his external losses and troubles this is not so much for such a one to be grieved when he is thwarted in his designs and when the world falls a cross to him this is but sutable and agreeable to such a one because he hath placed his Hope his Contentment his joy and delight in these things and therefore being deprived of them he is deprived of his best things his Portion his All. But for a Child of God one that hath an interest in eternal life and glory to be cast down and dismayed at such small things as the affliction trials and tribulations of the world Oh what an unseemly thing is this as if their Heavenly interest did not give them greater cause of joy and rejoycing then those external worldly afflictions do give them cause of sadness and disconsolation The Frantick mirth of the prophane World that are in the high way to Damnation and the groundless perplexities of the regenerate Children of God are both alike unsuitable and unseemly although not both alike dangerous To see a Worldling that hath nothing else to comfort and support him but the fading enjoyments of this present life to be merry and jovial as if all were well and on the other hand to see a believer that is an heir of Heaven to live in a drooping and disconsolate state because of these outward troubles is cause of pity and lamentation Secondly As it is unsuitable for a child of God that hath secured his eternal state and made sure of his heavenly interest to be dismayed at the afflictions of the world so it is very unwarrantble believers are commanded to be much in holy rejoycing Rejoyce saith Christ to his Disciples because your names are written in Heaven Luke 10.20 Be glad in the Lord Oh ye righteous and shout for joy all ye upright in heart Psal 32.11 Rejoyce in the Lord oh ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright Psal 33.1 Rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5.16 Oh how exceeding unwarrantable is it then for those that have an interest in the heavenly Glory to be discouraged at their outward afflictions by which they do disparage Religion and frighten away others from the doors of grace Thirdly It is irrational for one that hath secured his interest in the Heavenly Kingdom to be afraid of his worldly afflictions and tribulations seeing all the losses and crosses in the World are as nothing comparatively to such an one Let a Child of God but weigh and ponder such things aright and compare the cause of joy that he hath by virtue of his heavenly interest on the one hand with the cause of sorrow that he hath by reason of the crosses of the world on the other and he will see that he hath a thousand times more cause of joy than of sorrow and therefore the thoughts of his heavenly interest should swallow up those of his worldly troubles and disappointments I reckon saith the Apostle Paul that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 1.18 And the same Apostle tell us elsewhere Our light afflictions which are but for a moment work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Now is it not unreasonable for a believer to be grieved and disquieted with those light afflictions which shall be recompenced with an eternal weight of glory What can a child of God lose as long as his God his portion his interest in Heaven is safe and secured to him What are all the losses that he can sustain in the World as long as he is interested in the Eternal Kingdom of Glory I must tell you Believers ye that walk holily and closely with God and have a title to the Kingdom of Heaven for you to be grieved and discontented because all things do not concur according to your desires in the World is unreasonable and absurd as if a rich man that hath a great Estate and fair Houses and Orchards should be disquieted because the winde bloweth away a few leaves from his Trees Is not the Kingdom of Heaven that thou art entitled to enough to make thee amends for all thy troubles and calamities in the end Art thou troubled by the profane World and vexed up and down by thy Enemies and not suffered to rest in quiet And is it not enough for thee that the Kingdom of Heaven is the place of thine eternal rest and happiness where thou shalt be for ever advanced above their reach Art thou
so many thousands of godly Ministers which by their doctrine and lives have been as Lights in the world shall be extinguished and silenced believe it Sirs there is no good groping out our way to Heaven in the dark when as we know not whether our next step will be in Heaven or Hell in eternal joy or misery A Sick man is never the nearer health because his Physician is not suffered to speak to him of the danger of his Disease and carnal and ungodly men are never the nearer their salvation because their faithful Ministers are not suffered to preach to them of the evil and danger of their sins which are the hinderers of it I shall commend to your consideration that one Scripture which I would have you be often reading and thinking on as it is recorded 1 Pet. 4.17 18. The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God and if it begin at us what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of Christ and if the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear If God begin with his faithful Ministers to chastise and afflict them Oh what then will become of the wicked and ungodly world if the godly drink fust of this Cup it is because the wicked shall drink the dregs of it A second sort of persons which I shall speak to are such who are halting between two that are like Agrippa almost perswaded to be Christians that have some convictions upon their consciences of the excellency of the ways of God but yet their interest leads them another way they are unwilling to expose themselves to any troubles or tribulations by going against the stream of the world they are afraid that if they should be diligent in the duties of Religion and should walk holily and closely with God that then they should be reproached and scorned or persecuted by the World and therefore they will go on a little way but no farther than that they may retreat back again with ease and safety as to their carnal and worldly interests to such whosoever you are I must tell you First that you must go beyond the common sort of the World unless you will intend to come short of Heaven you must not take the example of the multitude to be a sufficient warrant for you to walk by the broad way though it be to your corrupt natures the most pleasant way yet it is not the safest but the most dangerous way and the narrow way of holiness and godliness will be found at last to be the way leading to life though there be but few that finde it Mat 7.13 15. they that are afraid of making too much ado for Heaven they are like to have nothing at all to do with Heaven it is a Christians duty and should be his care not to be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of their minde that they may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 Secondly you must not stick at afflictions and crosses in the World if you intend to go to Heaven Christs cross is the first that must be learnt by Christs Disciples Luke 14.27 you must account upon it before hand that if you will live godly in Christ Jesus you must suffer persecution 1 Tim. 3.5 You must not be afraid of the reproaches of the ungodly nor flinch at oppositions and tribulations if you intend to be everlastingly happy the fearful are in the forefront of them that march to Hell Rev. 21.8 but the fearful and unbelieving and abominable c. shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death The fearful you set down in the front in that black List there mentioned But the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force Thirdly The end will pay for all the Kingdom of Heaven will make you amends for all the tribulations that you meet with in your way to Heaven Lastly I shall speak a word to those that fear the Lord and are diligent in the practise of godliness that are very much grieved that their faithful Teachers would be removed into corners my advice that I have to give you besides what I have spoken before is the same with Pauls to the Philippians Chap 4.1 My brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Consider your Heavenly interest and let that bear you up under all your worldly troubles and persecutions let not the terrour nor threats of men nor devils make you stir a part from the Doctrine which is according to godliness though you may be scorned and afflicted by men yet the day will come when you will be publickly owned and honoured by the Lord of glory and when Christ which is your life shall appear then shall you appear with him in glory be not affrighted at the sufferings of your Ministers though they should be far greater than now they are nor discouraged at the backsliding of hypocritical professors who having formerly made fair pretences to religion and reformation yet are turned with the dog to their old vomit again and by their so doing do declare that it is their carnal interests only that they look unto and therefore they will be for religion and reformation so long as that may be promoted thereby and no longer but labour to imitate the heroick courage of Joshua who resolved that he and his House would serve the Lord though all Israel should forsake him and backslide from him Stand fast I beseech you in the faith quit your selves like men be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand in the evil day and having done all to stand let not the enmity nor opposition of the ungodly make you to forsake the duties of Religion and the ways of holiness think not the better of that way or of those persons meerly because they prosper in the world nor the worse of those meerly because they are persecuted and afflicted What were those that were tortured not accepting deliverance that had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment that were stoned that were sawen asunder that were tempted that were slain by the sword they that wandered about in sheeps-skins and goats-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Heb. 22.35 36 37. They were such of whom the world was not worthy vers 38. True holiness and the fear of God are never the less lovely in Gods account because it is rejected scorned and condemned by the wicked world and sin and prophaneness is never a whit the more pleasing unto Christ because it is in fashion and practised by the greatest or most of men Finally my brethren commit your selves and your way unto the Lord and wait patiently for him
general parts of the Psalm intermixtly spoken unto throughout The one is for Direction The other for Encouragement The text appertains to the former part And the sum of the Directions may be reduced unto two Heads First That they take head of such inward Commotions and Perturbations of Spirit as through the remainder of Corruption they are subject unto and by the temptations of Satan and the provocations of wicked Men they will be put upon through this occasion More particularly he forewarnes them to take heed of Envy Vers 1 7. and of Aanger Vers 8. And what need there is at such a time to watch against the exorbitant workings of these Passions none that observe their own hearts can well be ignorant such being the unworthy insolent and provoking Carriage of the Wicked toward the poor people of God as is able as we may say to move a Saint Hence that of Psalm 73.23 But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt for I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked Attend therefore to the Counsel of the Holy Ghost Fret not thy self because of evil-doers neither be thou envious at the workers of iniquity Fret not thy self because of him that prospereth in his way because the man that bringeth wicked devices to pass Cease from anger and forsake wrath Fret not thy self in any wise to do evill Secondly That they so carry themselves towards the Lord in keeping on in their way of following him as becomes those that firmly believe and steadfastly hope in him for his Salvation There are many particular directions to this purpose vers 3. Trust in the Lord and do good vers 4. Delight thy self also in the Lord ver 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord ver 7. Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him ver 27. Depart from evil and do good and here in that text Wait on the Lord and keep his way These words contain Advice and Counsel for the People of God and it is considerable either with respect to the troubles and temptations of the people of God in general or with respect to that particular that is immediately touched on before the text ver 33. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him Upon this something is spoken by way of encouragement to the Righteous ver 33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged Though he may let him fall into the hands of the Wicked he will not leave him there though the Wicked may sit in Judgement on him and pass sentence against him yet the Lord will not condemn him yea when he is judged he is chastened of the Lord that he should not be condemned with the World Thus for the encourgement of the Righteous 2. There is something by way of direction in the words read VVait on the Lord and keep his Way From the words consider under this double reference we have this profitable point of Doctrine However it go with the truly Godly in this world more especially when the Wicked watch the Righteous to do them a mischief it is their best way to wait on the Lord and keep his way I shall not spend time to shew you who are truly Godly and who are Wicked It is said of the Godly man ver 31. the Law of God is in his heart Such then as from the Law of God in their hearts have respect to all his Commandments walking in all the Statutes and Ordinances of God blameless Luke 1.6 such are truly Godly And such as from the dominion of sin in them are evill Doers workers of Iniquity walking according to the Lusts of the flesh and of the mind according to the course of this world of the Prince of the Power of the Air c. they are wicked In the handling of this point according to my wonted method I shall speak first to what is supposed and then to what is expresly laid down Here are two things supposed in this point the one more General the other more Particular First In General 'T is supposed that the condition of the truly godly may be full of troubles afflictions and distresses in this world for when 't is said However it may go with the truly godly the meaning is how evilly how badly soever though they be never so much troubled afflicted and distressed wherein it is supposed that it may go very ill that the truly godly may be full of troubles sufferings and distresses this not only plainly held forth in Scripture in such texts as these Psa 34.19 John 16.33 Acts 14.22 but so sadly experienced in all ages that we need not spend time in the clearing of it Secondly More particularly It is supposed That is the manner and guise of the wicked to watch the Righteous to mischief them so verse 32. and verse 12. The wicked plotteth against the just or as the margent practiseth i. e. his wit and skill his labour and judgment is employed against him and vers 14. The wicked have drawn their sword and bent their how to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation so psal 64.2 the Psalmist prays Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity who whet their tongues like a sword and bend their bows to shoot their arrows even bitter words that they may shoot at secret in the perfect suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not so we read in that Isai 29.20.21 of those that watch for iniquity that make a man an offender for a word that lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate and that turn aside the just for a thing of naught Thus it hath been over since the beginning So wicked Cain watched righteous Abel to kill him Gen. 4.8 and Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass that when they were in the field that Cain rose up against his brother Abel and slew him And thus have Cain's brood done all down along for he was of the wicked one 1 John 3.12 so hath Esdu watched righteous Jacob Gen. 27 41.42 comforting himself that he should shortly have a time to do him the mischief that he intended him so Saul watcheth righteous David 1 Sam. 19.11 Saul sent messengers to David house to watch him and stay him in the morning And so did others his wicked adversaries watch him as you have him complaining psal 38.12 They that seek after my life lay snares for me and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceit all the day long And Psal 140.5 The proud have laid a snare for me and cords they have spread a net by the way side they have set giâ—s for me So did Jeremiah's Familiars as he calls them Jer. 20.10 For I heard the defaming of many fear on every side Report say they and we
will report it all my familliars or as in the Margent every man of my peace watched for my haltings saying peradventure he will be enticed and we shall prevail against him and we shall take our revenge of him While they pretended friendship and peace they intended nothing but mischief even the taking of their revenge on him So the Presidents and the Princes watched righteous Daniel to mischief him Dan. 6.4 where first they seek to find occasion against him concerning the Kingdom they would gladly have found any occasion against him to have accused him of Disloyalty Sedition Treason Rebellion or at least falshood and unfaithfulness but here they could find no fault his very enemies being Judges ver 5. In the next place therefore they plot to find occasion against him from the Law of his God and therefore enticing the King to make a Law against the Law of Daniels God they quickly catch him So you may see the Scribes and Pharisees watched the Lord Jesus that Just One Luke 67. And the Scribes and Pharisees watched him whether he would heal on the Sabbath day that they might find an accusation against him It seems they had a Law against doing good on the Sabbath day So Luke 20.19 20. And the chief Priestâ—es and the Scribes sought to lay hands on him and they feared the people for they perceived that he had spoke this parable against them and they watched him and sent forth spies which should fain themselves just men that they might take hold of his words that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governour They endeavour to trapan him that they might give him over to the secular Power Time would fail to show how they watched the Apostles and the Saints all down along throughout all Ages Neither need we search the Records of former ages in this matter for evidence our own times affording pregnant proof more then enough in this thing and as it hath been and now is so it will be to the end of this wicked world the guise and manner of the Wicked thus to watch the Righteous to do him a mischief 1. For that there is the same principle of hatred and enmity in the Wicked against the Rigeteous now as ever yea and ever will to the worlds end That enmity that we read of in Gen. 3.15 is a lasting enmity as long as there is any of the seed of the Serpent in the world it will work it is an enmity in nature Prov. 29.27 He that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked must cease to be wicked ere this will cease to be As there are some Creatures that have an enmity in nature as the Woolf and the Sheep so that enmity is propagated to all of the kind that partake of that nature So is the enmity that the children of the wicked one have against the children of God As therefore the Wolf need not be taught to watch to devour the Sheep it being natural to him so the wicked need not be taught to do the Saints a mischief having a principle within them inclining and instructing them thereunto 2. There is the same necessary ground and occasion of their hatred of them though there be no just ground of the wicked hatred of the righteous hence David speaks of their hating him without a cause Psal 69 4. that is without just cause on his part yet there is a necessary ground of their hatred and that continueth now as heretofore and will continue as long as there are any truly godly and what that is you may see in that Psal 38.20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries because I follow the thing that good is The true ground and reason of their being adversaries unto David was this Because he followed that which they hated Thus our Saviour shewing his Disciples how they should be hated of the world acquaints them with the true cause and ground of the worlds hatred John 15 19. If you were of the world the world would love his own but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And that this is the proper ground of the worlds hatred is most manifest for that the same person whom the world loved while he was of the world when called out of the world into the Kingdome of Christ then is he hated of those that before loved him as in Paul And if a person that professeth himself the Disciple of Christ and is hated of the world shall forsake the assembly of the Saints and turn back from the way of righteousness and run into the same excess of riot with the prophane world none more the worlds darling then he 〈◊〉 So that it is Godliness Holiness and true Religion that is the true ground of the worlds hatred So 1 Joh. 3.12 Not as Cain who was of the wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous This was the true cause of his hatred and while that the cause remaineth while godly men continue to walk in the ways of godliness the wicked will continue to hate them 3. The Devil whose Children these wicked ones are 1 John 3.8 10. is still as malitious and industrious as ever to put them upon this We read of Satan in that 1 Pet. 5.8 that he goeth up and down like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and as far as the Lord permits him he acts wicked men in whom he ruleth Ephes 2.2 to do what mischief they can to the Godly yea and in the last times he is so far from abating his rage as that we read his wrath groweth the hotter because he knoweth he hath but a short time Rev. 12.12 While therefore the principle of enmity which is in the wicked against the Saints remaineth and while the ground of their hatred continues aâ—d Satan is as industriously stirring them up as ever nought else can be expected but that they watch the righteous to do them a mischief But now what shall the righteous do shall he render evil for evil and watch the wicked that he may mischief them God forbid what shall he forsake his righteousness and leave off to be godly no in no wise But if you would know O ye Saints and righteous Ones what to do in this case I am sent of God at this time to instruct you That it will be your best way to wait on the Lord and keep his way And so I come to what is expresly asserted in this point That however it go with the truly godly here in this world more especially when the wicked watcheth the righteous to mischief them it is their best way to wait on the Lord and keep his Way Here I shall speak by way of Explication in shewing 1. VVhat it is to wait on the Lord. 2.
was the way Moses would have taken when the Lord was sending him to deliver his People had the Lord left him to himself as you may see at large in the third and forth chapters of the Book of Exodus 5. By rebelliously and traiterously slepping out of the place that God hath set a man in This was that way they tempted David unto in 1 Sam. 24.4 and which Abshai would have taken had not David hindered him 1 Sam. 26.9 Now none of these waies are just and honest being all of them contrary to the Command and a departing from God to the Creature as I shall clear particularly First That sinfully to comply with the wicked to abate the edge of their wrath is contrary to the Command is clear from these Scriptures Ephes 5.7 Be ye not therefore pantakers with them that is with the wicked with the Children of disobedience Now one way of partaking with them is by sinful compliance hence vers 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness have you no hand do not you bear a part be not drawn in to comply in these things To this purpose is that Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this VVorld Nonconformity to this world is a Christians duty Secondly That sinfully to shift and shuffle through Lyes and deceitful Equivocations to provide for ones safety is contrarie to the Command of God clear is that Gen. 20 9. where Abimelech reproving Abraham for his practise tells him Thou hast done things to me that ought not to be done Thirdly That to render evil for evil and to avenge our selves is against the Command of God clear is that Prov. 20 21. Say not thou I will recompence evil but wait on the Lord and he shall save the. 1. Thess 5.15 See that none render evil for evil to any man Rom. 12.17 Recompence to no man evil for evil and 19. Dearly beloved avenge not your selves Fourthly That basely to desert the place that God hath put a man in is against the Command of God clear is that 1 Cor. 7.24 â—rethrin let everyone wherein he is called therein abide with God and as in the condition wherein so in the place whereunto till God remove him Fifthly That rebelliously to step out of a mans place is against the Command of God is clear from Eccles 10.4 If the spirit of thy Ruler rise up against thee leave not thy place for yeelding pacifieth great offence Subjects are here directed how to carry themselves when that the spirit of the Ruler rises up against themselve counsel that the Spirit here gives is That they keep their place not in a way of rebellious opposition but in way of yeelding subjection leave not thy place as a subject containe thy self within the bounds of thine own calling and condition bridling all disloyal passion and forbearing all unlawfull attempts toward off the wrath of the Ruler he speaketh not against a prudent withdrawing from a storm as David from Saul Elias from Ahab and Christ frm Herod but against a disloyal and rebellious defection as Israel to their Tâ—ms 1 Kings 12 16. So that whatever the provocations be that the Rulers give Subjects must submit themselves by yeelding active obedience in a I things which they command according to God and by patiently enduring what they inflict on us though for righteousness sake keeping our selves in the same humble obedient and loyal temper what ever provocations we meet with to the contrary And that in all these waies there is a departing from God the Creature arising from a distrust of his All sufficiency to provide for us in his way and from a conceit of our own wisdom to provide beâ—ter for our safety is most manifest therefore these wayes being contrary to the Comand of God and injurious to his All-sufficiency are not just and honest but to wait on the Lord and to keep his way this is the good the right and the honest Way See 1 Sam. 12.23 where he tells them that He will shew them the goood and right Way and what that is he acquaints in the nxt verse Only fear the Lord and serve him in Truth with all your heart which is to the same purpose with wait on the Lord and keep his way that is the honest and good Way in which the Lord commandeth his People to walk 2 Chron. 6.27 His Commandments being holy just and good Rom. 7.12 The way of his Comandments must needs be good just and honest and his Cammandments being the Rule the goodness of a way lyes in its conformity thereunto and this is the way that is agreeable to the Command of God as in the Text. 2 This is the wisest way When a man hath many wise subtile and powerful enemies watching to mischieve him he had need behave himself wisely Hence when our Saviour sends forth his Disciples as Sheep among Wolves Mat. 10.26 he says to them Be wise as Serpents and innocent as Doves he adviseth them to the wisest as well as the honestest way Now however carnall men do think some one of the forementioned wayes to be the wiset yet it will be apparent that to wait on he Lord and keep his Way is the wisest course by these two arguments First It is the Way which the truest and highest Wisdom the Wisdom of God doth direct unto so here in the Text So in that Psal 27.14 he complains of his enemies and of false witnesses that were risen up against him that did breath out cruelty vers 12. and then by the Spirit he commends to himself and others suitable advice in such a case vers 14. Wait on the Lord. So Exod. 14.13 there Pharoah and all his Hosts are at the heels of the poor Israelites and he counts of nothing but of destroying them Exod. 15.9 and they for their parts knew not how to escape Now sayes Moses to them Fear ye not stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. So that whatever distress the People of God are in this is the way the Wisdom of God directs unto for what the word of God in the Scripture directs to that the Wisdom of God directs as is clear from that Luke 11.49 2dly This is the way that the wisest men have taken David was a wise Man we read of him 1 Sam. 18.30 that David behaved himself more wisely then all the Servants of Saul so that his name was much set by Now this was the way that he took as you have him speaking in that Psal 18.21 I have kept the wayes of the Lord and not wickedly departed from my God for all thy judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me c. So Psal 119 110. The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts Daniel was a wise man hence that Proverb Ezeck 28.3 Wisen than Danirl and he took this course when that his Enemies had laid a snare for him to take away his Life