you both to will and to do But mark it this holy fear commended to us in the text is so far from disturbing or excluding peace of conscience and a particular perswasion of our good estates as that it most directly conduceth unto and likewise secures and senceth the same As Calvin well observes Facit nostri dissidentia ut fortius reclinamus in Dei misericordiā The more we distrust our selves our own strength the more we shall see a necessity of relying on the Grace of God the way to establishment We cannot stand of our selves on our own legs yet is there no danger of our falling while we are careful to lean on the Grace of God and Christ There are many things I must omit and pass by to come to the main Doctrine which may be the last Doctrine I shall ever have liberty to preach to you Doct. The great business we have in this world which requires our constant and chiefest care is the working out of our own Salvation Note when I say this is the great work we have here do I do not mean as exclusive of but as including our glorifying God As God's glory and our happiness are linked together in Adamantine chains and cannot be separated In seeking the advancement of God's glory we should certainly provide for our fouls everlasting welfare as on the other hand if we have no care of our own souls it 's impossible we should make it our work to advance God's glory Now in the prosecution of the Point I shall first briefly open and then apply it Explication To shew what it is to work out our Salvation 1. It is implyed here that we must have an Holy Calling We must be partakers of the heavenly calling Else there is no possibility of working out our Salvation As the Apostle speaks Heb. 3.1 Wherefore holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling We must give diligence to make our calling sure as we are exhorted 2 Pet. 1.10 O that I were able to say that of you all which the Apostle says of the believing Corinthians Ye know your calling brethren Indeed there is a bare external calling many that have this I say there are many that have an external calling and profession but this is not enough you may have it and yet break and be undone for ever Again there is an internal and effectual calling when a man is not only willing to take up a profession of Christianity but hath his heart and will drawn over to Christ And this sets the soul in a state of Salvation Rom. 8 30. Whom he did predestinate them he also called And this is indeed a prerequisite here We must first be savingly wrought upon before we can work out our Salvation O Sirs I beseech you take heed of resting in a civil conversation or a meer external profession For in the Name of God I testifie unto every one of you this day that there is no calling in the world on which your souls can live but that inward effectual calling It 's not a Ministers calling that will save him though that be something higher then being called a Professor Judas his Apostleship which was the highest degree of the Ministry could not save him So a man may be a Preacher of the Word and yet in the end prove a cast-away Then think it not enough that thou art a Professor But as it is in 2 Tim. 1.9 who hath saved us and called us whith an holy calling as ever you would be saved look after this Holy Calling 2. Again As we must have an holy Calling so we must see that we follow our Calling As it is not enough that a man hath a calling but if he would live by it he must follow his calling So Christians that would work out their Salvation must daily exercise themselves unto Godliness must follow after Righteousness Faith Love Patience Meekness We must be daily at work with our hearts to get them into a more holy and heavenly frame Be continually employing and laying out that stock of Grace the Lord hath put into our hands We should follow on to know the Lord after he hath made himself known to us And labour to walk worthy of Him who hath called us unto His Kingdom and Glory Herein should we exercise our selves continually to have consciences void of offence both towards God and towards man O Christians follow your callings You have two callings your particular Callings which I meddle not with at this time as there is no need to press many of you to follow them you are at them early and late some of you so that you leave little time for God you suffer your particular Callings greatly to entrench upon the other which is your General Calling your Calling as Christians as Saints O Sirs now see that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called That it may appear you have not received the Grace of God in vain Be holy in all manner of conversation Deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Labour daily to grow in Grace go on in the work of Sanctification and thus your vocation would be evidenced to be saving and effectual O we beseech you Brethren and exhort you by the Lord Jesus that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God so ye would abound more and more For this is the will of God even your Sanctification 1 Thes 4.1 3. 3. One thing more I must add here which the Text indeed doth more directly point at We must ever abide in this our calling must hold on in the course and practice of Christianity to the end To allude to that in 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in his Calling What ever we do we must never lay down this our heavenly Calling Work out sayes the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not simply work but work out Thus we must never give over our work till we can say it is finished till we come to the end of our work the end of our Faith the Salvation of our souls We should fear being like to Israel there Hos 8.3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good Or like those Apostates 2 Pet. 2.20 21. who after they had known the way of Righteousness turned again from the holy Commandment delivered unto them after they had escaped the pollutions of the world were again entangled therein and overcome whose latter end was worse than their beginning It is not enough only to have begun well but we must press forward towards the Mark for the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3.14 He that is righteous let him be righteous still and he that is holy let him be holy still We must see that we never be ashamed of our profession not a shame to our profession And the God of all Grace who hath called us into his Eternal
like manner David took his leave of Ittai 2 Sam. 15.20 Mercy and Truth be with thee Such was Christ's valedictory Prayer for his Apostles John 17. for Grace to be kept from the evil of sin ver 15. for Sanctification ver 17. for Unity c. Prov. 3.13 15. and 4.7 Wisdom i.e. Wisdom to Salvation Grace is the principal thing Reasons of the Point 1. Grace promoteth the highest end of man which is 1. the Glory of God to which end we were born and for which cause we came into the world 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do do all to the Glory of God Grace helps to serve God acceptably Heb. 12.28 Grace teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live godly c. Tit. 2.11 2. Reason teacheth to live as men Grace as Christians it enableth to every good work teacheth us to do our duty to God our neighbour to our selves It reacheth to pray acceptably to hear as the Word of God to keep Sabbath to shew mercy to forgive injuries to do all in obedience which maketh much to God's Glory 2. Reason Grace is the best thing for it promoteth the Salvation of the soul which is the best part Sin is the plague destruction of the soul 1 Kings 8.38 Grace healeth sanctifieth saveth the soul Sin infecteth every part faculty Grace sanctifieth all Sin blindeth the eye hardneth the heart poisoneth the affections corrupteth the life defileth deformeth the whole soul Grace enlightens the eyes softens the heart cleanseth beautifieth purifieth maketh lovely what Sin had made odious Eph. 2.5 By Grace ye are saved 3. Grace is the best thing for it makes a man better beneficial to others Riches honours prosperity render few better many worse Grace maketh bad Parents good and good ones better better Children better Husbands Wives better Ministers People Masters Servants better Neighbours Friends better in all Relations Without Grace a man is unprofitable hurtful Lions Bears are wicked men called in Scripture yea Dogs Swine for their brutish qualities Grace rectifies the crookedness of nature Emollit mores c. sweetens mens manners suffers them not to remain wild A heart taught by the Grace of God is full of pity and compassion sheweth mercy the hand helps relieveth the tongue speaks to comfort edification no corrupt communication is heard but gracious words from gracious hearts Col. 4.6 Paul wrought upon by Grace preacheth the Faith he once destroyed Gal. 1.23 Onesimus before Grace received was unprofitable but now by Grace converted is become profitable as his name imports Philem. 10. 4. The Excellency of Grace appears hence It renders a Christian acceptable to God as well as useful to man And that is the highest of a poor Christians ambition that he may find favour in the sight of his God that his services and sacrifices may come with acceptance before God Mal. 3.4 Parts gifts commend us to men only Grace giveth us favour approbation with God And this is the other branch of the Schools distinction Gratiae gratum facientes which they prefer to Gratiae gratis dâ—luâ—ta It is the prayer of the upright heart not of the voluâ—ble tongue that is God's delight Prov. 15.8 The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him that call upon him in truth Psal 145.18 But the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God Prov. 15.8 5. Grace is the best thing because it lasteth longest it endures for ever Riches are not for ever nor doth the Crown endure to all generations Prov. 27.24 Pleasures of sin are but for a season Heb. 11.25 Carnal mirth is soon at an end like the crackling of thorns Eccl. 7.6 But Grace abideth 1 Cor. 13.13 And now abideth Faith Hope Charity 1 Joh. 2.17 The world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 6. Grace is the best thing because it helpeth in time of most need Heb. 4. ult 1. Grace helpeth in time of affliction it comforteth quieteth the heart Psal 27.13 I had fainted unless I had believed Grace giveth interest in God who is a present help in trouble It interesteth in Gods Power Wisdom Mercy Goodness Grace can look up to God see him smile when men frown see him at peace in mans hatred Stephen looked up saw Heaven open Christ ready to receive him Paul saw the Lord encouraging Acts 23.11 Be of good chear Paul 2. Grace helpeth in the hour of death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death When there is no comfort in Riches Offices Friends vain is the help of man Grace disarmeth the King of Terrors O Death where is thy sting Death is welcome to a gracious person as a messenger sent to conduct him to his Father's house to his own Country to his best Friends to Jesus Christ whom his soul loveth Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. 3. At the day of Judgement Grace will find favour will make the Judge our Friend our Advocate Grace will cloath the soul with Jesus Christ his Robes his Righteousness Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments Rev. 16.15 1. Use of Instruction 1. Take notice what a Blessing it is to enjoy the means of Grace to live in a valley of Vision to sit under a powerful Ministry to have the benefit of good Education religious Parents their Instruction and holy Example to have Bibles Catechisms Sabbath-dayes and Sacramental-dayes the Market-dayes for Grace by the blessing of God upon which the soul may be converted and â—e be made wise to Salvation Happy is that people that are in such a case yea thrice happy are they who improve the means to the Ends aforesaid happy we if we know in this our day the things that belong to our peace 2. Then the best pains labour cost that any of us can bestow is to lay out our selves in the getting of Grace that time is best spent which is spent for Grace With all thy getting get Understanding Prov. 4.7 saith Solomon And a greater than Solomon hath told us That Godliness is the best part Luke 20. ult Mary hath chosen the good part c. Whilest others are laying up riches that perish treasures that vanish away clothes that wax old gold and silver that rust Christians are storing their hearts with Grace Whilst others are making their Lands and temporal Estates sure Christians are making their Calling and Election sure Whilst others are laying hold on advantages for this present life Christians are laying hold on Eternal Life 3. The best portion Parents can lay up for their Children is not riches worldly greatness but Grace the favour of God interest in Christ and the Covenant of Grace The best Trade they can teach them is the fear of the Lord to keep holy the Lords Day to flie Vice to follow after Vertue to exercise them in Godliness The second Use is of Reproof To reprove the too slight esteem men have of the Grace of
I leave you all in the Arms of Jesus Christ Shall I leave any of you wedded to your sins and lusts Shall I leave any of you glued to the world and not espoused to one Husband even Jesus Christ Shall my liberty to preach Christ to you cease before you can all say of him My Beloved is mine and I am his O that if it were the will of God it might not be so Brethren my hearts desire and prayer for you is that you may be saved My earnest request and suit to you this day is that you will come to Jesus Christ and be married to him for ever Have pity upon me cryeth sorrowful Job in another case Have pity upon me O ye my friends the Hand of the Lord hath touched me Have pity upon me O my People have pity upon your afflicted grieved dying Pastor And this is the pity I crave at your hands that you would none of you rest in a Christless condition but expect Blessings and Blessedness only through Christ that whether I come again to you or be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye prize and love Christ fervently that ye obey him sincerely constantly and universally having respect to all his Commandments that ye set a high estimation and stick close to his Truths that ye abhor Evil and account Gospel-administrations glorious that ye stand fast in the Faith and abound in every Grace Unum erat c. said Monica to her son Augustine It was one thing for which I desired to live a little longer that I might see thee a Christian ere I dye So say I to you this day whose cheeks I see bedewed with tears If my heart deceive me not I desire my Natural and Civil life a little longer that I might see you Israelites indeed and grown in Grace I seek not yours but you O my Flock I labour not to draw you after me but after Christ So far am I from murmuring at this sad providence exercising me this day that I bless God who bringeth good out of evil that hath given so many of his Ministers opportunity and hearts to confute those Scandals cast on them by unstable souls of being Hirelings Baals Priests greedy Dogs Balaams loving the wages of unrighteousness Diotrephes and loving preheminence preaching for filthy lucre supposing Gain to be Godliness c. from whom men ought to withdraw themselves Let such as are guilty answer as they can Let Baal plead for himself We are sure that the Judgment of God is according to Truth against them that commit such things That God who hath so far rouled away our Reproach can in his due time make our Righteousness shine forth as the noon day Only my Beloved let me not have cause to take up such sad complaints of you that I have bestowed on you labour in vain that I have piped and ye have not danced that I have mourned and ye have not lamented that ye have not believed my report that ye will not come to Christ that ye might have life that I come in my Fathers Name an Embassador in Christs stead and ye receive not my Message but if another come in his own name him ye will receive that ye are easily perverted marvelous soon shaken See Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. and your minds corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ to fall in love with will-worship and empty things of mans devising but will not be converted nor fall in love with Christ nor take his yoke upon you Good People add not thus to my affliction but let me have joy of you that I may say Ye are my Crown and Rejoycing Now I live seeing my Peoples souls are alive and prosper and have their hearts established with Grace so as they cleave with purpose of heart unto God escaping the temptations and pollutions of the world and running like the River Arethusa through the salt Sea yet keep their sweetness and the Word of God abideth richly in them Monica Leapid for joy at Augustine's conversion Cumulatius c. My God hath done abundantly for me that I see thee his Servant So let me have cause to rejoyce and say My God hath granted my desire letting me see you that were serving divers lusts serving the Lord Christ and you that were dead in sin spiritually alive and you that were Swearers fearing an Oath and you that were lost found And you that were haters of Holiness following Holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. Sirs think not that Angels or some from the dead should ever come to invite you to Christ and testifie these things neither may you expect Christ himself in bodily presence to preach to you when he was on earth He went about doing good calling sinners Come unto me Follow me If any man will be my Disciple let him follow me but now his work is in Heaven where he is about his Peoples Business pleading their Cause Nay you may not expect me to be preaching to you any longer but once more I am here tendering to you Jesus Christ I come a wooing in behalf of my Lord and Master who was dead and is alive and behold he liveth for evermore In his Name who was preaching of old by his Spirit in Noahs time to souls that by their obstinacy and disobedience are in prison in Hell 1 Pet. 3.19 I come to tell you that Except you Repent ye shall all likewise perish and except you believe ye shall be damn'd Mark 16.16 that unless you obey Christ ye will fall short of eternal Salvation and if ye have not the Son ye have not Life I come to tell you of your poverty and blindness of your nakedness misery without Christ that all your hope will perish unless it be built on Christ the Corner-stone and that you can obtain no Blessing but through Christ 'T is recorded that the dead that Sampson slew at his death were more than they whom he slew in his life To allude to it O that this my dying Sermon might shake the rotten pillars on which souls have built their hopes of Heaven short of Christ that more sins might be mortified and more souls quickened and converted than ever by any Sermon in the course of my Ministry that now at the end of the liberty of my publick Ministry you might all be the seals thereof being pricked to the heart and feeling the weapons of our warfare mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Joseph's Brethren thought evil against him but God meant it for good to save much People alive And O that this sad breach betwixt us this day might occasion some poor souls to say Periissem nisi periissem I had been undone if I had not been undone The smiting of the Shepherd and scattering of the Sheep was
Jacob to all the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles to such as are the most Excellent of the Earth the Worlds wonder Angels delight the Chariots and Horsemen of the Nations the brazen walls and gates of the Kingdoms they live in Grace investeth us with the same priviledges as the richest Saints of the world ever have enjoyed the same Justification the same Reconciliation the same Adoption the same Life eternal and Glorification Secondly If true Christians be Brethren than this may exhort us to several duties 1. To live in love amongst our selves the very term bespeaketh affection and the affection should never cease so long as the relation endures Who should love more than those who are united in the same Head and Hope and cemented with the same blood of Christ It was an honour to Religion once and therefore the Heathens said Aspice ut se mutuo diligunt Christiani See how these Christians love one another But alas may we not say See how they hate one another O take heed of discreditting your Profession of opening the mouths and hardening the hearts of the wicked by envie hatred or want of love one to another It was the Exhortation of John to his People when he could preach no more in the Pulpit that they love one another and it shall be mine in these my dying words that you love as Brethren And as the foundation of this relation is more excellent than others so let our love be more fervent and intensive 2. Labour to maintain peace and unity This is good and pleasant to behold Psal 135.1 Let it not be said that a legion of Devils can live in one man in peace and unity and yet Christians cannot Let not inferiours go beyond the bounds of their duty and place neither let Superiors stand too much upon their Prerogatives but rather for peace sake to abate of what they might justly chalenge upon their superiority the richer the elder the nobler you are the more endeavor to be good examples to others condescending to the infirmities of the weak that the golden bond of peace be not broken we see this in Abraham who though he was elder yet for peace sake gave liberty to Lot his younger to chose which way he would go to feed his cattel And Abraham said to Lot Let there be no strife between me and thee between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen for we are Brethren Gen. 13.4 Labour to be of the same judgment in matters of Religion it is pleasant to see Brethren of the same mind in matters of Religion Consonant sounds upon Musical Instruments sweeten the melody there was no hammer nor ax nor any tool of Iron heard in Solomons Temple while it was in building neither should there be heard or seen discords in the House of God Divisions of judgments blunt the edge of Christians love abate the fervency of affection create distance and shiness of society amongst familiars gratifies Satan grieves the Spirit of God weakens Christ's Kingdom and exposeth a People to ruine A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand and if one member of the body should fight with another and each member of the body scratch tear and rend one another how deformed weak and near to ruine would that be Unapt sounds upon Musical Instruments spoyl the melody the divisions of the Church of Corinth sounded harshly in the Apostles ears some said they were of Paul others of Apollos others of Cephas If you would be comforts and helps one to another if you would be a credit to your Profession and comfort and rejoyceing to your Minister live in unity of judgment in matters of Religion contend not for the shadow and lose the substance Be not substantial about circumstances and circumstantial about Substances In the language of the Apostle I beseech you Brethren that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1.10 4. Be ready to help and succour one another Nature hath created a Sympathy and Compassion in every relation The mother pitties and abundantly tenders her sick child doth all she can to do it good to ease it under pain to recover it from pain and sickness One brother is ready to condole with the sufferings of another to supply his wants to defend him in danger As Moses the Israelite whom the Egyptian wronged Exod. 2.11 12. and how much more should Brethren in Grace the dearer the Relation the more tender Affection As Brethren sympathize ye one with another Succour such as are tempted reduce such as wander satisfie the scrupulous confirm such as are staggering and raise such as are fallen by Prayers for them by Counsels by Exhortations Improve your Gifts and Abilities your Graces and Experiences to relieve and succour them in spirituals as you would be ready to assist them in temporals with your estates 5. Ministers should not lord it over Gods Heritage 1 Pet. 5.3 they should not imperiously lord it over them nor lay greater burdens upon their Consciences than Jesus Christ hath impos'd We must do all things for their edification not any thing for their destruction We must further not hinder them in their progress to Heaven take away occasions not lay stones of stumbling before them How disgraceful and intolerable would it be to see one Brother to grow proud lordly and domineering over the other would not every one cry shame upon it And shall those whom Grace hath made equal usurp Authority and rule one over another when Christ hath not given such authority and jurisdiction And as Ministers must not lord it over the Consciences of their Flock so one Minister must not act Authority over another The Apostle Paul was a man extraordinarily called and qualified and so had an Authority over other Ministers but when this extraordinary Mission ceased the Superiority of Jurisdiction ceased also And though he was an Apostle yet he acted not imperiously over the Presbyters but called them Brethren neither had he Jacobs voice and Esaus hand he spake not as a Lamb and acted like a Lyon but his carriage and deportment was a comment upon the name Where Christ hath given no superiority of power and jurisdiction let no man claim it lest he be found an Usurper whom the Apostle calls in one place Bishops in another place he calleth Presbyters as in this place he calleth the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus Presbyters ver 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He called together the Presbyters of the Church And in ver 28. he calls them Bishops Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the flock over whom the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made or placed you Bishops or Overseers And the same Apostle in his Epistle to Titus calls Ministers Presbyters Chap 1.5 and the same he calls Bishops ver 7. Now if Presbyters Bishops had not been one and the same but names of dinstict Office Jurisdiction and Power the Apostle's reasons
may have some hand in stopping the mouths of your poor Ministers let the thoughts of it cause you now to open your mouths and lift up your your cryes more earnestly in prayer to God for them It follows Now much more in my absence q. d. if ever you desired to promote your salvation now much more it concerns you to mind it if you want other Monitors to stir you up to diligence here you had need be more watchful over your own souls you should have the greater care of them your selves As the Syriac Version hath it But now when I am absent from you much more with fear and trembling work the work of your salvation Hence note That the want or loss of Ministers of means formerly enjoyed will not warrant or excuse our cooling in Religion but should rather produce a greater care and solicitousness in the working out of our salvation Disadvantages here are no plea for remisness but rather ought to provoke unto greater industry And for our encouragement the Lord will not forsake such as diligently seek him Were we not straitned in our selves we should find we are not straitned in him When we may want ordinary helps yet he can convey his Grace and manifest himself extraordinarily unto our souls Remember when outward means and provisions fail God hath hidden Manna for his people If he leads them into a Wilderness he knows how to feed them there Rev. 12.6 In a solitary place he can speak to their hearts I may here allude to Isa 37.30 Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of it self and the second year that which springeth of the same and in the third year sow ye and reap and plant Vinyards and eat the fruit thereof Be not ye wanting to your own souls and you shall find God is not Do you in good earnest intend the business of your salvation follow your work close and trust God to provide for you The Lord will turn stones into to bread before he will suffer your souls to starve Well beloved as many of you have shewed your selves a willing and a forward people blessed be God while Ministers have been present with you labouring among you hold on still when we may be removed from you I hope we can say from our hearts We are glad when we are weak when we are of least account under most contempt in the world if ye are strong and this also we wish even your perfection Yea Beloved now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord. This if any thing will keep our hearts alive under our troubles O look to your selves that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought If we must not be suffered to preach any more in publick amongst you yet it would be a joy to us to see and know that in our former Labours we had not run in vain nor laboured in vain But I proceed Work out your own salvation The meaning is not that they should merit their own salvation that were to take Christs work out of his hand but strive and endeavour with might and main to be partakers of that Salvation and Redemption purchased by Christ And this every one ought to mind and lay out themselves about as the chiefest business they have in the world to look after Oh how should we fear lest any of us should in the end come short of it Work Note That a Christian-Profession is not an idle Profession it sets men a-work If we are in Christs Vinyard we must be Labourers Matt. 20.1 c. Your own Salvation or the things that conduce to your Salvation Follow the things that accompany Salvation your own Salvation Elsewhere in Scripture it is called the Salvation of God The Lord is the Author of Salvation that it is properly called His Salvation It is also called our own salvation as we are partakers of it Work out your own salvation Note That Religion teacheth us first and chiefly to look to the state of our own souls This would learn us especially to eye our own hearts to observe our own duties and to secure the condition of our own souls Many work not at all but are busie-bodies Very busie concerning this man and the other but do nothing for themselves Many could like to enquire of others with Peter Lord what shall this man do Rather than with the Publicans and Souldiers that came to John's Baptism Master what shall we do Now how unlikely is it that they should do much to promote the salvation of others who neglect are unwilling to be at any pains about their own With fear and trembling Metalepsis pro eo quod est cum summa diligentia With the greatest diligence saith Vatablus With humility and lowliness of mind as Camero who observes these words used together five times in Scripture scil Psal 2.11 1 Cor. 2.3 2 Cor. 7.15 Eph. 6.5 and in the Text and always in this sence As elsewhere the Apostle hath opposed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to fear unto the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 11.20 The Papists from this Text would exclude a particular perswasion of ones Salvation and commend doubting and hesitation in this matter That which the Scripture excites all the faithful to use their best diligence to obtain as a means to facilitate their passage and entrance into Heaven 2 Pet. 1.10 11. this the Papists would disswade us all from looking after and declaim against as an impediment in the way to Heaven a thing that would hinder our progress therein But the fear and trembling in the Text is not such as is opposite to Faith or to a certainty of ones Salvation a glorious Crown which is sometimes set upon the heads of Believers even here below But such fear as is opposite and contrary to security and self-conceit Indeed these are two grand impediments to the working out of our Salvation which the Apostle is very careful here to remove Security maketh us negligent and careless of doing what we ought Pride makes us arrogate unto our selves what properly belongs to the Grace of God and Christ As there are two main Designes Satan is continually driving on the world and where one fails he prosecutes the other 1. He doth what in him lies to keep men in security as by Nature we are all in a state of Security Rom. 3.11 There is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God And the Devil knows we are his own sure enough if he can but keep us at this pass But 2dly If we have our consciences awakened that we can have no rest but must do something in Religion then he hath this after-game to play he will seek to puff us up with conceits of our own works and abilities To countermine whose destructive hellish designes the Apostle gives us this direction here Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling for it is God as he further adds in the next verse which worketh in
of inward troubles Thus Conscience is gauled Halting in the body you know is very troublesom and painful Great peace have they that love God's Law and walk on evenly with upright hearts in that plain path they shall find his wayes wayes of pleasantness and his paths peace Whereas they that leave the paths of uprightness walk in wayes of darkness Prov. 2.13 where they shall meet with little quiet or comfort Light is sown for the Righteous and gladness for the Upright in heart yea unto the Upright there arises Light in the darkness In midst of outward troubles he hath still much inward joy and peace This is our rejoycing the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our conversation in the world This was a comfort to holy Job Job 23.10 11 12. To the Faithful Psal 44.17 18. But halting in ones course uses to bring great inward troubles Daved's fall wounded his conscience and a good while after that he bled inwardly and complained Psa 51. that he went with broken bones What followed Peter's halting in the High-Priest's hall He went out and wept bitterly Others that have forsaken the Truth to avoid Sufferings have thereupon been arrested with those terrors of conscience and haunted with those inward horrors in comparison of which the greatest sufferings from men were light and easie to be born as it was with Francis Spira 3. Halting in Religion exposes and enclines one to fall further and more fouly if not to fall quite away See what followed upon David's halting in the matters of Vriah Alas he was not set sound he went not upright again for many months after It was a great while ere he was fully recovered and cured of it Peter giving a little way to sin and consulting more his outward safety than his inward peace soon halted down and fell into a shameful denial of his Master even with cursing and swearing as if he would that way seem to have been rather trained up in the Devil's School than in the School of Christ O Sirs how sad it is to be halting in Religion to be winding and turning here alas such know not what they may turn to at last As when a man begins to fall down a steep hill he knows not where he shall stop he may fall to the bottom and for any thing he knows be crushed in pieces with his fall Thus some who carried fair sometimes after they began to halt and decline in Religion have proceeded from evil to worse Some have fallen from one Errour to another till at last they have come to be meer Scepticks and Seekers to be any thing and just nothing Others have fallen from a plausible profession first to immoderation in the use of lawful things to a pampering of the flesh and an over-eager pursuit of their outward pleasures and vain recreations and from thence to down-right prophaness visible ungodliness and so at last into plain Atheism Ah Beloved what need to look well to our feet here Halting in Religion is next step to Apostacy falling off from Religion If this halting be not cured it will end in Apostacy will turn 〈◊〉 quite out of the way Heb. 12.13 Now lay all these things together and sure it will appear very evil to halt in Religion 1. If we look at the thing it self it is directly contrary to God 1. To his Nature and Attributes 2. to his Mind and Will 2. If we look to the causes of it 1. It argues great corruption of the judgment 2. A corrupt heart An evil heart of unbelief hypocrisy c. 3. If we look at the effects and consequences both in respect of God of the Godly of sinners and of our selves Use 1. For Instruction Seeing it is so exceeding evil for men to halt in Religion 1. It should teach us to be very cautious how we censure others to halt here without ground We should fear to lay such an heavy charge as this upon those that are innocent How ill the Lord took it from Job's Friends that they were so rash in their censures of him Gal. 2.14 When I saw that they walked not uprightly I said unto Peter before them all c. When Psaw So the matter must be evident And when it is so then let men tax then reprove and spare not The case was plain here before Elijah that the People were drawn off from God and running after Baal This I thought good to note here to prevent the mis-application of the Doctrine To hold Communion in publick Worship which is the Worship of God for substance though there are corruptions in the manner of administration when Christians are careful not to communicate in those corruptions but mourn at groan under them breath after pray for purity in God's Worship I say to joyn in publick worship that hath corruptions in it with these qualifications is unjustly censured as halting betwixt God and Baal While all necessary Fundamental Truth is publickly professed and maintained in a Church is taught and held forth in publick Assemblies and the corruptions there though great yet not such as make the Worship cease to be God's Worship nor of necessity to be swallowed down if one would communicate in publick Worship while any Christian that is watchful over his heart and carriage as all ought ever to be may partake in the one without being active in or approving of the other there God is yet present there He may be spiritually worshipped served acceptably and really enjoyed The Sacrifice of a faithful Israelite an Elkanah was pleasing to God even when Hophni and Phineas were Priests And no doubt it was written for our instruction our Lord Christ who is and ought to be a Christians pattern who could never be charged with the least halt in his course who never trode one step awry who was as zealous for purity in God's Worship as much against corrupt mixtures of mens inventions there as any can pretend to be Nevel was there any in the world of whom that was true The Zeal of thine House hath eaten me up Yet we find He used to attend on the publick Worship in his time notwithstanding the many corruptions brought into it and notwithstanding such formalists and superstitious ones as the Scribes and Pharisees who were ready to magnifie their traditions above the Word of God though such as these did officiate in it Luke 4.16 That He went into their Assemblies not to joyn in any worship they had amongst them but only to bear witness against their corruptions is no where written but rather the contrary i◠held forth in Scripture where he acknowledgeth himself a member of the Church of the Jews and approves of and justifies their Worship as right for the substance that Salvation might be attained therein which he denies to be attainable in any other way of Worship then used among the Gentiles John 4.22 Ye
and perswading the things concerning the Kingdom of God Luke 24.32 Did not our hearts burn within us whilest he talked with us and opened unto us the Scriptures 5. The Lords Table where he feasteth his Friends as Cant. 5.1 and bids them welcome saying Eat O Friends Drink yea drink abundantly O Wel-beloved I appeal to the consciences of many sincere Christians when they have taken most pains with their own hearts to get them into frame against a Sacramental day when they have been deeply humbled in self-abhorrency broken in confessions with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered if God have not spoken peace to their souls Son daughter be of good chear thy sins be forgiven if their hearts have not danced for joy as David did before the Ark 6. The Lord's People his faithful Members are they thy friends thy companions of thy intimate society dost thou prefer them to others Psal 16.3 as the only excellent ones 119.63 I am companion to all that fear thee to all even to poor Saints as well as rich despised as well as honourable dost thou relieve them in want succour them in misery visit them if in Prison and therefore because they belong to Christ have much of Christ in them This he taketh kindly Mark 9.41 because they belong to Christ 7. Dost thou love the Day of Christ's appearing which though it be black and gloomy a terrible day to the proud and all ungodly enemies of Christ yet is it a day much to be desired by all that love the Lord who may rejoyce and lift up their heads in joyful hope of this Dayes approach their Redemption draweth nigh now is their Salvation nearer than when first they believed now shall the Elect receive the end of their Faith and Hope and Prayers and Tears and Sufferings 2 Tim. 4.8 It is made a character of the righteous that they love the appearing of Jesus Christ Heb. 5. ult Unto them that look for him Tit. 2.13 Looking for c. Not only looking for but hasting to the coming of the Day of God 2 Pet. 3.12 3d. Note is in Christ's own words John 14.15 If ye love me keep my Commandments all one as well as another hard as well as easie John 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you Abraham is called the Friend of God and his friendship was tried and approved by his obedience to those hard Commandments of leaving his Country and offering up his only son his son Isaac whom he loved The partial obedience of most people is no obedience at all argueth no sincere love to Christ 4. To suffer for Christ to part with our dearest interests for him argueth sincere love to him Jacob endured a hard service of seven years for Rachel which though long because hard yet seemed to him but as a few dayes for the love he had unto her Jonathan endured his father's displeasure for David whom he loved and was well content to part with his hope in the Kingdom because he loved him as his own soul The Martyrs Rev. 12.11 loved not their lives unto the death The Apostles went away rejoycing they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ If we dare not adventure to suffer the spoyling of our Goods dare not hazard the frown or displeasure of a Landlord dare not suffer the loss of Name or Reputation for Christ and his Gospel how dwelleth his Love in us 5. Who love the Lord in sincerity will not easily part with Him his Comforts his Graces his Presence and Power of his Ordinances Exod. 21.5 The servant that loved his master and the family would not go out free Love prevailed above Liberty which is very desirable To sincere Christians the absence of Christ is grievous how they mourn to part with Ordinances in which they have found sweet communion with Christ David in the Wilderness how he longed after God! Psal 63.1 With sorrow and weeping tears the Disciples take their leave of St. Paul Acts 20. ult when they were to see his face no more Those people that with those Jews Acts 13.50 expel Ministers out of their coasts or with them Luke 4.29 thrust Christ out of their City or with the more mannerly Gadarens who besought him to depart from them who can be content to suffer a famine of the Word rather than be at the cost of maintaining a Preaching-Minister they will not buy the Truth so dear who are well enough pleased to see their Ministers removed burning and shining Lights put under a bed or a bushel Teachers driven into corners do give a plain demonstration how little love they have to Jesus Christ it is evident they prefer their Swine their Gain their Money to Jesus Christ Now I beseech you Brethren take a little pains to try the truth of your Love to Christ It will be the greatest comfort to your souls of any thing in this world if upon good ground it may appear you are of them that love the Lord in sincerity What bonefires of joy may such Christians make in their hearts in the saddest times and darkest night of affliction Psal 112.4 To the upright ariseth light in darkness If you love Christ be sure ye are of him beloved Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me To you he will be a never-failing friend in trouble in sickness in all afflictions in life and death and at the day of Judgement to them he will pronounce that heart-chearing sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom c. But if by the foregoing Evidences taken out of the Scriptures of Truth the contrary do appear and we be not found amongst Christs real Friends but however we may flatter our selves among his enemies and of them that hate Him then shall we from his mouth hear that heart-breaking doom Depart from me ye cursed c. I never knew you And if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha SERMON VI. Ephes 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity VVE come now to speak to the second Doctrine which is this Doct. 2. The best thing in the world is Grace not gifts parts which are Gratiae gratis datae of an inferiour nature which the Apostle elsewhere wisheth for his Corinthians 1 Cor. 14.5 But here being to take his leave of his People wisheth for them saving Grace such as Faith Remission of sins Fellowship with all Saints in the general Resurrection So Haimo in locum That Grace is so excellent a thing appeareth in this That the Apostle in all or most of his Epistles both begins and ends with it His first salutation in the entrance is Grace be unto you and Peace to which he sometimes addeth Mercy Grace to renew our nature Peace of conscience Mercy for pardon of sin If we find sin pardoned our persons accepted our natures altered then may we comfort our selves c. saith Dr. Sibbs In
God undervaluing a Pearl of such price trampling under foot a Jewel more worth than the Gold of Ophir How long O ye simple worldlings will ye love simplicity How long will ye rise early set up late eate the bread of carefulness and all to load your selves with the thick clay of the world the dust and dung of the Earth and in the mean time neglect Saving-Grace Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Isa 55.2 It is chiefly for this that the Wisdom of God chargeth worldlings with folly who yet applaud themselves for the only wise men Luke 12.20 21. So is he i. e. a fool like the rich man in the Text that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich to God Hearken I beseech you ye despisers and abusers of the Grace of God be convinced of the worth of that ye so neglect 1. God himself is stiled The God of all Grace 1 Pet. 5.10 The God of Hope Rom. 15.13 The God of Patience Rom. 15.5 He it is that sanctifieth justifieth pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin 2. It is Grace which God reserveth as a portion for his Children his peculiar People his best Friends 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee James 2.5 Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in Faith Abraham gave gifts to the Sons of the Concubines but the Inheritance he reserved for Isaac So God gives the Earth to the Children of men earthly blessings Psal 115.16 but Grace and the good things of Heaven are his Childrens portion Esau had the fat of the Earth but Jacob the Dew of Heaven 3. It is Grace which Saints desire long for labour for above all things and are satisfied with Psal 4.6 Lord lift up the Light of thy Countenance upon us this is better than abundance of Corn and Wine Psal 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness 4. Grace is the end of every Ordinance The Word is called The Word of Faith The Word of Grace Rom. 10.8 Acts 20.32 The Ministry is The Ministry of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 The Gospel is The Ministration of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.8 The Dispensation of the Grace of God Ephes 3.2 Prayer is a coming to the Throne of Grace for this end That we may find Grace Heb. 4. ult The Sacraments in their right use do seal and confirm Grace Rom. 4.11 5. It is Grace which Satan chiefly aimeth to rob Christians of by tempting to sin he seeketh to withdraw us from Grace He tempted Job to drive him from his integrity He desired to sift Peter that his Faith might fail him Luke 22.31 He walketh about seeking whom he may devour by spoiling them of God's Grace By all which appears the excellency of Grace the greater is their sin who undervalue it The third Use is of Comfort for the poor and needy Christians who are troubled at their outward wants Hearken O thou poor soul art thou afflicted at thy poverty nakedness sickness yet art rich in Grace is not that better than gold health beauty strength friends favour of Great Ones O be thankful say as Mat. 11.25 Father I thank thee c. the lot is fallen to thee in a goodly place thou hast a pleasant heritage I am sure thou wouldst not change conditions with the wealthiest healthfullest beautifullest graceless person in the world Others have the nether springs of earthly riches thou hast the upper Springs of heavenly Treasures Others have the blessings of God's left hand the fulness of this world thou hast Benjamins Portion a double Blessing even the Blessing of the Right hand the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation Say as Psal 116.12 Last Use is of Exhortation 1. To graceless persons That they would above all things labour after Grace Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth i. e. not so much as for that which endureth Motives 1. Grace is most excellent There is an â—ttractive vertue in things of worth If carnal eyes were but opened to see the Excellency of Grace Mirabiles sui excitaret amores It would ravish the soul in desires after it But Grace's Beauty is internal so is not discerned but with spiritual eyes The Kings Daughter is all glorious within Psal 45.13 Our Life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 1. That which maketh the possessours of it excel that is truly excellent The Righteous is more excellent than his neighbour What makes him so but Grace as much as the brightest day excels the darkest night the star a cloud heaven earth so much a gracious Christian excels a graceless person 2. Grace prepares and fitteth for Glory so do not riches they often hinder Coelum non capit magna onera Portantes God many times strips his People of riches lest the love of them should retard or hinder them in their heavenly Journey Mark 10.23 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God! Which in the following verse our Saviour explains thus How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdom of God! implying It is hard to have riches and not to trust in tâ—â—m 3. A third excellency of Grace is Iâ— satisfies as well as sanctifies the heart It fills the soul with content in the absence of created comforts I have enough saith Jacob now Joseph is alive I have enough saith a gracious soul now God is reconciled now Christ is mine Thy favour is better than life Psal 63.3 4. The benefit comfort of Grace is eternal the riches of Grace are durable Prov. 8.18 Other riches perish Eccles 5.14 they accompany their owners but to the grave at furthest there they leave them whereas Grace accompanieth the soul in death and after death to all eternity 2d Mot. From the necessity of Grace Bread is necessary to this life Grace is much more to life eternal Without it the best sacrifices are not accepted Prov. 21.27 Without it we cannot withstand our enemies 1 Pet. 5.9 Whom resist stedfast in the Faith Without it we shall not be able to bear the Cross ye have need of patience Heb. 10.36 By Faith the Saints endured affliction were tortured had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment Heb. 11.25 35 36. Without Grace we can neither suffer nor obey the will of God not go on comfortably in a Christian course Heb. 11.8 By Faith Abraham obeyed In a word without it we cannot be saved John 13.8 Except I wash thee thou hast no part in me Christ came by water and blood by water to regenerate by blood to justifie Sâ— Dr. Sibbs 3. It is possible for them that have no Grace with care and diligence to obtain it It is the priviledge of New-Testament-times to be seasons of more plentiful Grace than were the Old-Testament-times for so is that place to be understood John 7.38 The holy Ghost was not yet
given because Jesus was not yet glorified Whether we take the holy Ghost there for gifts and spiritual endowments or the Efficacy of the Spirit accompanying those gifts in neither sense was the holy Ghost given so plentiously before as after Christ's Ascention on the day of Pentecost and afterwards Eph. 4.8 When he ascended on high he gave gifts unto men God the Father reserved the â—aâ—â— donative of his Grace for honour of his Sons Ascention unto the last times as the Gospel-times are called whereby so many millions of souls have been converted to Christ So then it being our lot with Capernaum to be lifted up to Heaven in regard of spiritual enjoyments take heed with the same people lest we be cast down to Hell for want of good improvement of so high priviledges Take with us therefore these brief Directions that we may not fail or come short of Grace 1. Be sure thou have an high esteem of Grace for God will not cast his Pearls before Swine carnal people that prize them not We may easily over-value these sublunary things bestow more serious thoughts labour sweat time money on them than they are really worth But we cannot possibly set too high a rate on Grace which we are bidden to covet follow or pursue seek ask knock for strive for 1 Cor. 12. ult Heb. 12.14 2. This estimate we shall not set upon Grace except we be sensible of our want of it We need not seek a thing we have in our hands Most men perish through lack of Grace which they seek not labour not for because they perswade themselves they have it already Be thou poor in spirit destitute blind naked If any man lack wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth liberally viz. to them that ask so in sence of want God is not like unto man in this respect Men send gifts and presents where is least need and so for them they that are poor may be poor still Semper eris pauper si c. God giveth Grace where most need is He feedeth the hungry he inviteth the poor Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth Survey the state of thy soul when thou goest to Prayer to the Word Saâ—â—ament As when you go or send to the Market you consider what is wanting that supply may be made When thou goest to God's Ordinances thy Spiritual Market enquire what is lacking and there pour out thy heart to God put up earnest cryes for the work of Grace and Conversion for a new heart God hath promised no less than the holy Spirit to them that ask Luke 11.13 i. e. that ask so as in that parable our Saviour teacheth with fervency and importunity 3. See thou hunger and thirst after Grace keep a continued desire and longing after it for so the Participle implyeth Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that are hungring and thirsting Psal 143.6 My soul thirsteth after thee as the thirsty Land How is that When the Earth is chapt and gapes through long drought it never ceaseth gaping and craving till the Heavens hear the Earth according to Hos 2.21 So let the thirsty soul do Psal 123.2 As the eyes of a servant c. so our eyes wait on the Lord until he have mercy on us 4. Delay not the time take the first opportunity slip not one Market-day to gain so excellent a Commodity Seek the Lord while he may be found call on him while he is nigh When Shops are shut up it is too late to make our Markets Many are afraid of having Grace too soon they are loth to be holy too soon to be sanctified too soon as if Grace were a burden But why not rather fear we lest we should come too late as did the foolish Virgins who dearly rued it as all shall who in this their day will not know the things of their peace 5. If thou wilt have Grace be content to buy it though without money without price in buying you part with one thing for another whereof you have more need so must thou here though heavenly commodities are not to be valued for Silver you know what Simon Peter said to Simon Magus Thy money perish with thee c. yet must thou part with that which it may be thou valuest above Silver i. e. thy lusts Isa 2.20 Idols of Silver costly sins must be parted with of them thou hast no need if thou part not with them they wil ruine thee if thou cast not them away they will cast thee away Sin and Grace reigning sin a way of wickedness is inconsistent with Grace God and Belial the Ark and Dagon will not agree under the same roof The Spirit of God is a holy pure delicate Spirit will be grieved and at last will be gone if that unclean spirit the Devil be entertained by a voluntary resignation of thy heart to the love of any course of sin or impiety If the blessed Spirit of Grace will vouchsafe to be thy guest O prepare him a lodging as Paul writes to Philemon ver 22. of that Epistle Purge thy self from all filthiness of flesh and spirit 6. Diligence in the use of means constant attendance on the Ordinances of Grace is necessary to the obtaining of Grace Frequent daily the Throne of Grace by fervent prayer wait duly at the posts of wisdoms house by attentive hearing the Word make conscience of sanctifying the Lords day be not thou absent from Gods house when he deals his dole of Grace and Blessing to his People use the society of Gracious persons whose communication is savory and their words minister Grace to the hearers and be constant in exercises of Godliness follow Pauls counsel to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate on these things continue in them give thy self much unto them that thy profiting may appear The diligent hand maketh rich when drowsiness clotheth a man with rags which is as true in spiritual as in temporal things 2d Branch of Exhortation If Grace be the best thing in the world let Christians that have Grace already labour for further degrees of it Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 Grace and sanctification is not perfect at once but hath its several ages and periods of growth We read of the Embrio or the forming the new man in the womb Gal. 4.19 The new-born babe 1 Pet 2.2 little children 1 John 2.13 young men ib. aged Christians ib. and Psal 92.14 shall bring forth more fruit in old age To this purpose are the commands in Scripture to abound more and more 1 Thess 4.1 that your love may abound Phil. 1.9 alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult They are likewise commended who are rich in Grace and fruits of holiness Matt. 15.28 O woman great is thy Faith Matt. 8.10 I have not sound so great Faith no not in Israel So on the contrary dwarfs in Christianity are blame-worthy Matt. 6.30 O ye of little Faith 1 Cor. 3.4 Are ye not yet carnal that is babes in
Christ as ver 1. more flesh than spirit Motives to grow in Grace 1. That we may answer not frustrate God's expectation Luke 12.48 Where much is given there much is required Isa 5.3 I looked for grapes and well he might expect store of fruit of a Vineyard so husbanded 2. Much Grace will produce much Obedience greater Faith greater Obedience and that hereafter will conduce more to the glory of God Rom. 4.20 Abraham being strong in Faith gave glory to God The more Grace the better lives will Christians lead whereby God is more glorified John 15.8 Hereby is my Father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit 2. Much obedience wil be more to our own comfort for God will reward every one according to his works 1 Cor. 15. ult Knowing your labour not to be in vain in the Lord. If there be degrees of Glory sure they are bestowed according to improvment of talents here He that had gained ten pounds had Authority over ten Cities and he that had gained five pounds was made Ruler over five Cities Luke 19.17 19. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9.6 2. Here in this life God usually metes to us as we measure to him according to our obedience so is our comfort Luke 6.38 Where no care of obedience no comfort little Faith little comfort hence Christians of little Faith little obedience are much disquieted about their comfort and assurance 3. We need much Grace to conquer many corruptions great lusts to resist strong temptations Some sins like those Devils are not easily cast out Matt. 17.21 It is by Faith Christians overcome the world 1 John 5.4 but a little Faith will hardly overcome the temptations on the right hand from worldly prosperity temptations on the left hand persecutions of the world it must be a strong Faith that must stop the mouths of Lions subdue Kingdoms quench the violence of fire Heb 11.35 small strength of Grace will be more like to faint in the day of battel than conquer strong opposition Prov. 24.10 If thou faint in the day of adversity thy strength is small 4. There be hard lessons to be learned hard duties to be performed in Christianity whereunto is requisit more store of Grace Some stick at easie duties how will they go thorow with harder Who cannot hold out with soot-men how will they run with horse-men They who are tired with family duties how will they perform those of self-denial heart-examination mortification which are as the cutting off the right hand or plucking out the right eye How will they love their enemies forgive injuries fobear revenge to the performance of which Christians need pray as Luke 17.4 Lord increase our Faith If God bid us do some great thing as to lay down our lives we ought to refuse none of his commands How much less ought we not to stick at duties of so easie a nature 5. Christians may be brought into great straits out of which to extricate themselves they need store of Grace much Faith more wisdome great courage Let not your hearts be troubled saith Christ to his Disciples sorrowing for his absence John 14.1 How shal they remedy that Ye believe in God Believe also in me Some Faith they had already but they will need more to prevent trouble of heart Hab. 1.2 The Prophet complains of bad times violence and spoil all along that Chapter How shall the iniquity of times be helped See Chap. 2.4 The Just shall live by Faith the best remedy for sad times then they must have Faith store of Faith that intend to live upon it when times are so bad that Believers have nothing else left but Faith to live upon In great storms we need great courage â—est we sink Psal 112.7 He shall not be afraid c. his heart is fixed 6. The best evidence of truth of Grace is growth If plants grow if young cattel thrive be sure they live when Christians thrive not are as ignorant now as they were seven years ago are as luke-warm c. they may suspect whether ever they were born again or began to live the life of Grace Helps to grow besides those which belong to the former branch of Exhortation which may be useful here 1. Beware thou judge not thy self strong when thou art weak nay when thou hast no Grace at all as is too usual Laodicea-like Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest I am rich and increased with goods c. Prov. 13.7 There is that maketh himself rich yet hath nothing Thou maiest have long time enjoyed the means yet not have made answerable progress in practical Godliness Some children go to school seven years yet arrive not at so good degrees of learning as others do in half that time Israel in their wilderness wanderings spent neer forty years in going eleven dayes journey Deut. 1.2 Heb. 5.12 Some at sixty years Profession are inferior to others of sixteen who for the time they have had to learn ought to be teachers of others had need one teach them the principles of Religion and have need of milk c. 2. Beware thou never entertain a conceit of having Grace enough nor ever stint thy self to a certain measure of Grace of worldly riches a man may have enough and surfet but of Grace thou canst not surfet canst not be too greedy thou maist love the world too much canst not love Christ too much canst not have too much humility too much meekness zeal so it be according to knowledge here the proverb is most true Store is no sore much Grace will be no burden 3. Be sure thou live be in Christ for dead things grow not in Christ is all fulness of him must we receive John 1.16 in him are all treasures of wisdom and knowledg The branch cannot grow that is cut off from the stock John 15.4 no more can ye except ye abide in me Christ is Author and finisher of our Faith and all Grace to him must we be united receive influence from him have much recourse to him communion with him 4. Be very humble ascribe all thy sufficiency to God He must be as the dew to Israel ere he can grow as the Lilly Hos 14.5 8. from me is thy fruit found God hath great respect for humble Persons because they will be most thankful and ascribe all their fruitfulness unto God which proud Persons arrogate to themselves Therefore God will teach the meek hath respect to the lowly giveth more Grace to the humble Jam. 4.6 5. Improve what thou hast exercise Grace received exercises in Learning Scholastick disputatious declamations speaking Latine increase learning Acts intend habits The more a child exerciseth his writing reading the better he will write and read the more a Christian putteth forth acts of Piety Charity Mortification Prayer c. the more Pious and Gracious he will prove himself To him that hath shall be given and he shall have more abundance
Matt. 13.12 It is not in spiritual as in corporal things the more you use them the more you wear and waste them but as it is with a fountain the more you draw the more it springs labitur et labetur 6. Beware of whatever may blast and hinder the growth of Grace as 1. Take heed of growing strange neglect not communion with God Gracious walking is walking with God in-disinenter cum Deo ambulavit is said of Enoch 2. Beware of all sin especially pride that blasteth Grace as humility preserveth it God resisteth the proud but giveth Grace to the humble 3. Formality barrenness in duty 4. Worldliness as shining of the Sun puts out fire so hot pursuit of the world causeth cooling and decaying in Grace 5. Ill company society of graceless persons is a great quench-coal to Grace the body is not so apt to catch the plague from persons infected as evil communications and ill conversation of lewd companions is prone to corrupt the mind and manners Who walketh in the Sun shall be tanned though he walk not for that end who is much in the Mill may discern it in his clothes who sits in the Apothecaries shop much will smell of his Ointments So he that converseth with the froward graceless sinner will learn of his wayes and be like him For the worst precepts counsels examples prevail most SERMON VII 1 Sam. 30.6 But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God THe difference betwixt the friendship of God and the friendship of men appears best in a day of adversity for then the latter proves fickle and deceitful but the former durable and lasting A notable instance whereof is represented in this portion of Scripture wherein we have David's friends and followers turning his enemies but God continuing his fast friend in whom he may encourage himself In the words we have these three Generals 1. The person concerned and that is David a Prophet of the Lord and Ruler of his People by the appointment of God David encouraged himself 2. His behaviour he encouraged himself in God comforted and strengthened himself in Jehovah his God 3. The occasion of this behaviour and that was the great distress he was in which is hinted in the beginning of the verse David was greatly distressed for the people spake of stoning him He was an Exile already driven from his Country and from his habitation by the rage and jealousie of Saul His City Ziglag was sack'd and burnt by the Amalakites his Wives and Children carried captive and which was worst of all his Friends and Followers spake of stoning him looking on him as the cause of all the misery that had befallen them this was a sore distress he had nothing left now wherein he might comfort himself God only excepted David was greatly distressed but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God Hence we may take notice by the way That God many times suffers his own dear and precious Ones to be greatly distressed David was a man after God's own heart yet David was greatly distressed This might be abundantly strengthened by the condition of the Church and People of God in all Ages And this God doth for these ends amongst many other 1. To take his People off from an arm of flesh from leaning upon humane props that they should not trust in themselves or any other but in God alone 2 Chr. 20.12 We know not what to do but our eyes are upon thee 2. Cor. 1.9 We had the sentence of death in our selves that we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead 2. To prove their Graces to try their Faith and Hope God will see whether we can hold out in a storm whether we can trust him without a pledge in our hands he will see whether we can encourage our selves in Him when we have no outward mercies to lead us to him 3. To magnifie his own Name by their deliverance 'T is the strongest argument we can urge to God in our troubles What wilt thou do for thy great Name The greatness of the distress greatneth the deliverance out of it and this advanceth the glory of the Deliverer But come we to the words which we have pitched upon which hold forth the behaviour of David in his distress he encouraged himself in the Lord his God Whence we may gather these two Doctrines 1. That Believers have an interest in God the Lord his God 2. There 's enough in God to encourage a Believer when greatly distressed David was in great distress sorely beset with troubles his enemies destroying on one hand his followers gathering stones to stone him on the other hand but for all this he encouraged himself in the Lord his God I shall begin with the first of these 1. Believers have an interest in God We have the Saints every-where using this phrase which holds forth their propriety in God Deut. 6.4 The Lord our God is One Lord. Josh 14.8 I wholly followed the Lord my God John 20.28 Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God This interest and propriety in God holds forth these three things 1. A nearness to God 'T is the misery of graceless persons that they are far off from God But now Believers are nigh to God The Psalmist calls this one of Israels priviledges Psal 148.14 He exalteth the horn of his People the praise of all his Saints even of the children of Israel a People near unto him O 't is a priviledge indeed to be a People near to God Ephes 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus you who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Believers are brought night to God they are even set under his wing of Providence and special Protection 2. A Relation to him Our God implies some very near relation to God he is the Believers Father by Grace 't is the misery of the Wicked that God is not their Father but they are of their father the Devil as our Saviour tells them John 8.44 But every Believer is related to God as a child to his father 2 Cor. 6.18 I will be to you a Father and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty We are not only made night to God but nigh in relation He that can say My God may say also My Father This relation is held out in this interest and propriety 3. A Right to God Whole God is a Believers God and all he hath all he is all he can do This is a vast priviledge My God there 's my right and title to him He is the Believers portion his inheritance his estate made sure to him he may call God his and the Power of God his the Wisdom of God his the Goodness and Mercy of God he may call it all his he hath a right to it Thus you see what is held forth in this Interest Come we now to shew how Believers do obtain this their Interest and Propriety
be shed in vain nor my labour lost nor the enemies of the Church advantaged by your careless neglect of your duty or by being infected with the leaven of false doctrines but be laborious and immovable and couragious that your People may be preserved and your selves freed from the blood of all men And then for their better comfort and security against Persecution by open and professed Enemies on the one hand and against erroneous heretical and superstitious doctrines on the other hand he committeth them to God and the Word of his Grace The words of the Text are part of Paul's Farewel to the beloved Ephesians and must now be the subject of my Valediction to you And if you will have a name for my Text it is The Pastors Farewell to his People or rather A departing Pastors Security for his left People Paul spake to them as a departing man but a living Minister and Apostle I speak them as a living man but a dying Minister He told them after his departure they should see his face no more but in my dying expiring Office I have living hopes that when the dayes for the slaying of the Witnesses if now be the time are accomplished I shall be restored to you again Rev. 11.7 8 9 11 13. In the words you have a twofold Remedy in opposition to a twofold Malady The first Malady is the Churches affliction and pesecution mentioned verse 29. for which the Apostle prescribeth God as the Soveraigne cure and remedy I now commend you to God The second malady is Errour and Heresie by which many should be deceived mentioned verse 30. for which the Apostle prescribeth God's Word as the proper remedie and now I commend you to God and his Word which is further amplified first by the adjunct title Grace and the Word of his Grace secondly by the effects of this Word first Edification secondly Life eternal which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified And then the title given to these Ministers of Ephesus Brethren And now Brethren I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Before I come to the Doctrine I chiefly intend give me leave briefly to touch tanquam Canis ad Nilum upon one observation from the Apostles relative name to the Ministers of Ephesus he calls them Brethren Whence note Doct. That true and real Chr stians are Brethren What the Apostle Paul calls here the Ministers of Ephesus is true concerning all Ministers and all converted Christians We read of several sorts and kinds of Brethren in Scripture Brethren by Nature Brethren by Nation Brethren by Relation Brethren by Affection Brethren by Profession manner of Imployment and same Calling in the world but the Fraternity of Christians is from the Noblest and firmest and happiest foundation Eodem sanguine Christi glutinati cemented with the same blood of Christ This Brotherhood â—f Christians is supernatural founded on the Newâ—â—rth and work of Grace in the soul this term and â—â—lative name is so usual in Scripture in this sence that â—â—â—s needless to mention any But for further deâ—â—â—strations of it they are Brethren 1. They have all one Father even God himself To them that do receive him he gave power to become the Sons of God which are not born of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but by the will of God John 10.11 12. 2. They have all one Mother the Church of God But Jerusalem which is from above is free which is the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 3. They have all one elder Brother Jesus Christ The first born amongst many Brethren Rom. 8.29 4. They have all the same priviledges 1 Cor. 3.23 Ephes 4.4 5 6. 5. They are cloathed with the same spiritual garment the Righteousness of Jesus Christ Jer. 23.6 6. They have the same Divine Nature Grace and Holiness whereby they resemble their elder Brother and bear the impress and image of their heavenly Father 2 Pet. 1.4 7. They are admitted to the same Table fed with the same food of God's holy Word and feasted with the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God unto Life Eternal 8. They all have one and the same Inheritance An inheritance incorruptable and undefiled that fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for them 1 Pet. 1.4 I cannot stand to enlarge upon these I leave them to your meditations and enlargments From hence you learn these Lessons 1. That God is no respecter of persons he regards no man the more for his dignities riches nobleness of birth and pedegree And esteems no man the less for his povertie meaness and contemtibleness in the world But every one that doth righteousness of what Nation soever shall be accepted of him all mens blood is alike the noble man and the mean man the Englishman and the Aethiopian have all red blood in their veins it is sickness and health that makes the difference So all men by nature are alike it is sin and Grace that makes the difference Yea God crosseth the great things of the world to teach us what is of high esteem amongst men is of small account with God Brethren sayes the Apostle you see your calling how that not many wise men not many great men not many noble men after the flesh are called but God hath chosen the foolish and weak things of the world to condemn the wise and strong 1 Cor. 1.26 He hath chosen the poor of the world rich in Faith and Heirs of a Kingdom James 2.5 2. We learn again True Piety is great preferment Grace and Holiness lifts a man up to the noblest relations Great was the perferment that Joseph was lifted up unto when of a prisoner he became the second of Egypt Great was the perferment of Daniel when of a captive he was made cheif of the Presidents of Babylon But greater was the advancement of Esther when of a captive maid fatherless and motherless she became Queen to the great Ashasuerus Josephs and Daniels wisdom and Esthers beauty were the instruments and means of their great and honourable advancements But greater than these is the honour and advancement of such as are truly Pious they are Children of God John 1.11 12. Heirs of God Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 espoused to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords there is none beyond this none to be compared to it Grace and Holiness is the way and means to be thus advanced Grace enobles the mean and makes the Noble more honourable as it was said of St. Jerome so it may be said of every Noble Pious man Genere nobilis Sanctitate nobilior Noble by birth but more Noble by Grace meaness with Grace is Nobleness and Nobleness without Grace is but meaness Grace brings a poor contemned botchy Lazarus into relation of the Noblest Worthies of the world to Abraham Isaac
faithful to preserve your Graces your Knowledge Faith Love Hope Patience Humility c. if God did not keep them they would soon wither decay and come to nothing Satan would soon rob you of them sin would soon wast and destroy them but he will not lose the least dust of this Gold He is faithful to preserve your Joy and Peace of conscience Our Comforts have need of his protection as well as our Graces How soon would temptations sin and persecution blow our Comforts away if not preserved by him In the world yee shall have tribulation but in me ye shall have peace John 16.33 Your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you ver 22. Neither reproaches nor imprisonments nor persecutions shal quench your joy for he can make you sing in prisons and rejoyce in tribulation for his Name Acts 16. Rom 5. And though your Graces be weakened and your Comforts eclipsed yet he will revive and strong then your Graces he will restore your Comforts Though he cast down yet he is faithful he will not cast off though he may suffer your bodies to be imprisoned banished tortured burned yet he is faithful to keep them safe until the Resurrection the great and general Spring when they shall be raised and reunited to your souls and reflourish in a glorified manner to eternity And here is great security concerning temporal danger temptation Graces Comforts and all To which I commend you and your All for Protection and Comfort 4. This is to commit you to the greatest care and diligence Diligence is as necessary in those that will secure and protect others as well as Mercy and Faithfulness Sleepy Guards and Watchmen betray strong Castles and fortified Garisons as well as unfaithful Guards The men of Laish were a secure and negligent People and the men of Dan took their City and destroyed them with the edge of the Sword Judg. 18. Whilst Abner and the Army slept Abisha would have slain Saul their King if David would have permitted him 1 Sam. 26.11 12. How many famous and formidable Armies have been utterly routed and thousands of men slain by an handful of people through carelesness and negligence better is a weak defence with care and diligence than a strong fortified place with negligence But Jesus Christ is very diligent and watchful for the preservation of his Church and People even as the diligent Keeper of a Vineyard alwayes watcheth that none spoil his Vineyard that wild beasts break not in and spoil it so God watcheth and defendeth his Church I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.3 He knows all the plots and contrivances of ungodly men against his Church Why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain thing and the Kings of the Earth take counsel together against the Lord and his Anointed Psal 2.1 2. He knew all the devices of Senacherib against Jerusalem I know saith God thy abode thy comming in thy going out and thy rage against me Isa 37.28 Many are the devices of wicked men against God's Children and they know them not but God knows them when they are in their deep consultations God's eye is upon them he stands by and hears them God knows the confederacy of Syria and Ephraim against Judah and Jerusalem to take it and set up a King for themselves Isa 7.5 6. He knew the bloody design of Herod against Christ notwithstanding his pretence of worshipping him He saw the desperate Popish Gun-Powder Plot here in England God is very diligent to know all the designs of his Churches enemies He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep Psa 121.3 4. Though the enemies of the Church are vigilent politick and strong yet the Defender of the Church is more vigilent more politick more strong he opposeth his Wisdom to their wisdom his Counsels to their counsels his Power to their power he out-wits them and out-powers them He bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought and makes the devices of the People of none effect Psal 33.10 He taketh the wise in their craftiness he maketh them to fall into the same Snare they have laid and into the same Pit they have digged for others Psal 7.15 16. He hangs Haman on the same Gallows he had raised for Mordecai And as he is diligent to discover the plots of his Peoples enemies so he is diligent to defend his People even as the Governour of a besieged Garison is diligent to look to every place and bring fresh aid and new supply where there is most need he encourages them that are fainting saves them that are in danger his care and diligence is a great security and comfort So God is every where with his People diligent to save them to refresh to strengthen them He is with his Josephs in Prison with his Jobs on the Dunghil with his Daniels in the Lions-Den with the three Children in the fiery Fornace Are they imprisoned banished sick pesecured in great dangers God is careful to save them The eyes of the Lord run to and fro upon the whole Earth to shew himself Mighty on the behalf of them that fear his Name 2 Chron. 16.9 He is diligent to preserve the souls as well as the bodies of his People from Satans temptations the allurements of the world and inward corruptions and though he suffers them to be tempted yet he is with them and will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to bear He is diligent to preserve the Graces of his People even as the Goldsmith is careful and diligent to keep and save all the filings and dust of his Gold because the least grain of it according to its proportion is precious so the least of your Graces though weak and small in your account is precious and of great worth in the account of God and he will not suffer the least to decay He will not break a bruised reed nor quench smoaking flax God's People are very precious in his esteem they are his Jewels Mal. 3. as dear to him as the apple of his eye Zeph. 2. As a man when his house is on fire is wonderful diligent to keep and save from the flame whatsoever is dear and precious to him his Wife and Children his Silver and Gold and his Jewels So when the World or a Nation is on a flame God is wonderfully careful to preserve his People that are his Jewels his Spouse his Children they are dear to him Are you afraid that the Furnace will be heated too hot that the Temptation will be too strong or the burden of Afflictions too great to bear Let this be your comfort he is your Security and will proportion afflictions to your strength or give strength proportionable to the burden And if he give strength to bear a burden it is as if he laid no burden at all upon you he
God that gives the increase His blessing upon the smallest means makes them very beneficial to you when the want of this blessing makes the greatest and most likely means insuccesful his blessing upon the Pulse made Daniel and his Companions look fresher and fairer than those that were fed at the Kings Table Dan. 12.3 5. Barley loaves in Christ's hand and with his blessing is more beneficial than Wheaten Bread in the hands of man only John 6.9 This God by his blessing can make up the want of outward means That is the best Faith that is got by the weakest means You see poor children that are brought up with hard food brown bread and water to look fatter ruddier to be stronger than those who are fed with dainties and varieties God's blessing upon the weakest means makes fat and flourishing Christians when the want of his blessing upon the strongest means makes many lean Christians He fed Elijah by the black Ravens 1 Kings 17.6 6. I commend you to this God that can preserve your Graces when outward means fail I told you he is a God of Wonders what he doth by means he can do without means what he doth mediately by Instruments he can do it immediately by Himself Did not he sustain Moses without meat and drink forty dayes in the Mount Did not he sustain our blessed Saviour forty dayes without food in the Wilderness Did not he provide for and maintain the Israelites in the Wilderness for the space of forty years without plowing and sowing by an extraordinary providence so that they wanted not until they are of the old Corn of the Land of Canaan Did not he preserve the Widow's Meal in the Barrel and her Cruse of Oyl that they wasted and failed not until God sent rain upon the earth 1 King 17.14 15 16. So if God bring upon you a Famine of the Preaching of the Word yet God can and will preserve your Graces they shall not waste till God send supplies Doth God bring you into a wilderness where you have no Ordinances of God God can and will provide supplies till your Grace shall be turned into Glory He enabled the Prophet to travel in the strength of the Cake forty nights and dayes until he came to the Mount of God 1 King 19. And is the hand of the Lord shortned that he cannot help or are the bowels of his mercy shut up that he will not or is he more careful of the life of Nature than of the Life of Grace No! no! he is the same God still and he will enable you in the present strength of Grace if you want Means to travel on till you come to the blessed Mount of God 7. To him I commend you that can and will turn all to your good He can overshoot Men and Devils in their own bowes what they design for your hurt and destruction he can turn it to your great benefit Even as the Apothecary kills the destructive nature of poysonous Ingredients and makes them medicinal so God pulls out the Sting and Poyson of every suffering and affliction and makes them good Rom. 8. All things shall work together for good to them that are called according to his purpose Doth he suffer you to be under many and divers Afflictions he exerciseth you with divers Rods and Tryals with Reproach Blasphemy Sickness Imprisonments Poverty Buffetings with Satan God will bring good out of all these Several Diseases must have several Cures And several Ingredients make up one Remedy to cure a Malady It may be you have many Corruptions and strong Corruptions therefore you must have strong and divers kinds of Cure and by all this variety God aims at your good to wean and win you to purge and kill sin in you to prevent sin in the future Every twig of the Rod though bitter at the present will at last drop Hony into your Souls He will turn your water into Wine your wandrings in the wilderness shall end in Canaan all his Dispensations to his People come in Love and Mercy though Sickness yet in Love and Mercy though Poverty yet in Love though Affliction yet in Love A Cross in Love is better than a Comfort in Wrath. Wicked men have a Curse in their best things a Curse in their Honours a Curse in their Riches a Curse in their Health God's People have a Blessing in their worse things a Blessing in Poverty a Blessing in Sufferings a Blessing in Affliction and God's Love sweetens our sowrest Draughts when his Curse imbittereth and poysoneth the sweetest Enjoyments This God will sanctifie all Providences to you and sanctified Sickness is better than unsanctified health Sanctified Poverty is better than unsanctified riches Sanctified Afflictions are Blessings and Mercies and better than unsanctified prosperity I have done with the first part of the Remedy your Security and Comfort in your desolate condition I now come to the second part of the Remedy that is The Word of his Grace Before I come to prove it give me leave to shew you why it is called Grace or give you the Reasons of the title Grace given to the Word The Word of his Grace and it is so called 1. Because it is a Gift of Grace It was Gods free good Will why it was bestowed at all and why one Age or Place of the World should receive it rather than another and why God should discover the Mystery that was kept secret since the world began to those who were sinners of the Gentiles serving dumb Idols it is of Free-Grace We may say of all these Even so Father because it seemed good in thy sight 2. Because the subject matter of the Gospel is Grace all benefits contained in it flow from Grace whether they be blessings without us or blessings within us Election is of Grace and according to the good Pleasure of his Will Ephes 1.5 Our effectual Calling is according to Grace 2 Tim. 1.9 and our spiritual Birth our Regeneration is of God's Free-will Jam. 1.18 Faith is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 Forgiveness of all our sins is according to the Riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 Justification is freely by his Grace Rom. 3.24 And Life Eternal is the Gift of God Rom. 6.23 3. It is called The Word of Grace because it is an instrument to impart and bestow these Blessings upon us it is an Instrument through God's Blessing to work in us the Life of Grace Of his own Will he begat us by the Word of Truth Jam. 1.17 This enlightens our understandings and turns us from darkness to light Acts 26.17 18. This sanctifies us Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy Word is Truth John 17.17 All the Gifts and Benefits of Free-grace are imparted to us by it hence it is called The Grace of God that brings Salvation Tit. 2.12 It doth not only bring it to look upon but by the power of its Ordainer accompanying it doth make us partakers of it Now this Word of
assures you are kept by the Power of God to Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 6. It is a Word to revive and quicken you in soul-deadning times and in soul-deadning sins The Faith of God's People begins oftentimes to stagger when the proud are called happy and they that work wickedness are set up and they that tempt God are delivered Mal. 3.14 15. This staggered Jeremiah Righteous art thou O Lord when I plead with thee yet let me talk with thee of thy Judgments Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper wherefore are all they happy that deal treacherously Chap. 12.1 And David when he saw the ungodly prosper in the Earth that they are not in trouble as other men that they are not plagued like other men said He had cleansed his heart in vain in vain had he washed his hands in Innocency Psal 73.5 12 13. but when he came into the Sanctuary of God and consulted the Word of God then he understood their end v. 27 28. Read to this end and purpose Psa 37. and consider it well and it will revive you under these dispondencies of soul When Afflictions like waters upon fire fall on you and deaden your Graces and Comforts this Word will revive you and them this is my comfort in my affliction Thy Word hath quickened me And again Unless thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction Psal 119.50 92. And sin committed will deaden your Comforts your Graces Great sins are like a great blow upon the head astonishes a man layes him in a swond so great sins lay your Graces Comforts in a swound but this Word will revive you be as Aqua vitae to you David's sins of Adultery and Murder laid him in a spiritual swound well nigh for the space of a year if not all out a year or more he repented not of his sins in all this time but when Nathan the Prophet came to him with the Word of God David then revived 2 Sam. 12. And so for comfort under sin 7. This Word is an Antidote of Sovereign Efficacy to preserve you in the worst of times When a man lives in an Air in a City in a Town in a Family that are infected with the Plague he will take a Cordial to fortifie himself against the Infection Infection of an house with the Plague is dreadful to the Inhabitants and to have the Plague-sore upon the body is a sad affliction but to be infected with the Plague in our souls is worse that brings temporal this eternal death unless cured or prevented Now you live in an infected and an infecting world amongst corrupting and corrupted persons and the danger is great but here is a word that will fortifie you against evil examples promises preferments threatnings and sufferings and keep you from sin make you good in bad times healthy and strong in a bad air I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sin against thee Psal 119.11 8. This Word will edifie and build up in Grace As we by a constant feeding upon our food of infants a foot long we grow and increase to be men and women of a full stature So when we are babes in Christ new born this Word by a daily feeding upon it by Faith doth nourish us until we come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ our Graces grow and are increased and strengthned according to our feeding upon it Here is Milk for babes Wine for the faint strong meat for them that are strong Christians The builders of an house cut their timber and square their stones and add timber to timber and stone to stone until the house be built up So saith the Apostle this Word is able to build you up it cuts off the remaining knots of sin and polisheth you from the remainders of corruption until you be made fit for the Temple of God in the highest Heavens 9. It will give you an Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified It gives not by way of merit and purchase but it shews you not only the Kingdom of Heaven but points out the way and directs you to it It doth not only shew and lead you that way but fits you for Heaven Unless we be fitted for Heaven we cannot come thither The Lepers must not enter the Camp so long as the Leprosie was upon them And no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven Rev. 21. ult The Temple of Solomon was all squared and fitted in the field before it was brought together to be built up So you must be fitted in the field of Grace before you can be laid in the Temple of Glory This Word then sanctifieth you purgeth the corruptions the sins of Nature this Word strengtheneth and increaseth your Graces it makes you holy with Saints here and will make you happy with them hereafter it brings Heaven and Glory into your souls here and will bring you into Heaven and Glory hereafter and give a possession of that Inheritance which was prepared for you before the foundation of the World purchased for you by the Blood of Jesus an Inheritance far better than all the Crowns and Kingdoms of the World one corner of it is better than a thousand Worlds for firmness purity duration certainty and scituation An Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for you 1 Pet. 1.4 where you shall have the best society them that are sanctified Abraham Isaac and Jacob all the Prophets Apostles and Children of God both Minister and People shall be gathered as Wheat and safely reconded in the Garners of Glory There shall be no Ishmael to deride and scoff our devotion no Esau to pursue us no Pharoah to oppress us no Ahab to persecute us no Doeg maliciously and falsly to accuse us no Judas to betray us no Devil to tempt us no Sin to wound us All tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and we shall enjoy Him whom to enjoy is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Now my Brethren to this Word that is of such indispensible necessity such compleat perfection and of daily use and advantage as being abundantly filled with all suitable Excellencies and Remedies for your souls in every condition I commend you Here is Light to enlighten and guide you a Touchstone to manifest Doctrines what they are unto you Here is a weapon to defend your selves and conquer your enemies Here is Rain to cool you to soften you to refresh you Here is a Cordial to comfort you to revive and quicken you an Antidote to preserve you Here is Liberty to free you Fire to purge you Food to nourish you your Magna Charta wherein your Laws Priviledges and Immunities are enrolled a Treasury of Comfort a Testament full of Legacies your Souls preservative from Sin and preparative to Glory I have done with the Doctrinal part I come now to the Application And though I have spent my self and happily
God in his due time will revenge this dishonour done to his Servants whilest they have studied nothing else and nothing more than the gaining of souls in a faithful discharge of their Ministry when he shall manifest to the world vel Hostibus ipsis confitentibus that these railing Rabshakahs proud aspiring and false accusing Hamans malitious Doegs that the Swearers Drunkards Oppressors Whoremongers that the Sinners of a Nation and such as would set up Dagon by the Ark of God or pull down the Ark and set up Dagon in the room of it that these are the bane of Kings the ruine of Crowns and Kingdoms That it is these men that turn our Calm into a Storm our Peace into War our Plenty into Scarcity these even these are the Achans that trouble our Israel these are the Jonahs that raise these dreadful Storms that tear our Sails break our Main-masts and ready to drive this goodly English Vessel and split her upon the Rocks of Division And demonstrate that the Godly are the Iron-Bulwarks the Brazen-Gates the Chariots and Horse-men of a Nation that neither Kings nor Kingdoms prosper better than when the Godly and pure Religion prosper and are defended For saith the Wise man Righteousness exalteth a Nation but sin is a reproach to any People 4. Walk according to this Word in your mutual negotiations with men Oppress not cheat not cozen not lye not for advantage be upright just and honest in your traffiquing in the world account not gain to be godliness but godliness with contentment to be great gain And while you negotiate the concernments of the world with men take heed you trade not with them for their sins Do all the good you can to others and if you cannot do that good you would take heed you receive not from them that evil you should not receive It is no small part of pure Religion for a man to keep himself unspotted from the world Jams 1.27 Take heed of the sins of the times and places you live in and of the sins of the persons you live and commerce with Labour to be good in bad times like Noah in the old world like Lot in Sodom and good Obadiah in Ahabs Court That you may be blamless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom shine ye as Lights in the world Phil. 2.15 Now I have done with what I intended but not as I could have desired According to those weak abilities God hath given me I have shewed you where your Security and Comfort lyes in this my forced departure from you When our Saviour was about to leave the world he commends the tuition of his Disciples to God the Father When Paul left Ephesus he commended the Ministers to God and the Word of his Grace And now I am departing from you I commend you to the same I leave and intrust you with the three Persons of the Sacred Trinity I commend you to God the Father who I hope hath chosen some of you to himself before the foundation of the world who hath give you to Christ and made you accepted in his Beloved to pardon you to govern you to provide for and afford you all things pertaining to life and godliness I commend you to God the Son your Mediator your Head your Brother your Husband to deliver you from all the evil you fear and obtain for you all the good you desire I commend you to God the holy Ghost to direct and teach you to furnish and adorn you to purifie and cleanse you to support and comfort you Here is the Omnisciency of God whereby he knows what ever you want and hurts you Here is infinite Wisdome to teach and guide you here is infinite and unchangable Love to delight in you in your meanest and lowest conditions here is infinite Mercy to pity you in all your wants weaknesses and sufferings Here is infinite Faithfulness and Diligence to save and secure every thing committed to you that nothing miscarry Here is infinite Power to support you to defend you to deliver you here is an inexhaustible Fountain of Grace to relieve your wants and weakness Here is the fulness and sweetness of all relations the Captain the Shepherd the King the Father the Hushand of the Church here is a wonder-working God wonderful in disappointing the Plots of his Churches enemies wonderful in delivering them by small means wonderful in creating means when there is none wonderful in turning the Plots upon the Enemies head Here is infinite Alsufficiency to provide for you that can send you an Elisha after an Elijah that can feed you with the ministry of a black Raven that can make your souls look fresher fairer with Pulse than those that feed on the dainties of Kings Tables that can enrich your souls with the Gold and Jewels with the Parts Abilities and Learning of the Egyptians or if he bring you into a Wilderness can and will provide supplies of Grace to bear your charges to Glory These and whatever else there is in an infinite God that may further make for your security and comfort I commend you to it leave and entrust you with Him who is able to do for you abundantly more above what I or you are able to ask or think I commend you also to the Word of his Grace which is of indispensible necessity which is perfect in all suitable excellencies and remedies for you in all conditions and miseries and of daily use to you A Light to guide you a Touchstone to manifest Doctrines what they are unto you a Weapon to defend you Rain to refresh and cool you a Cordial to comfort quicken revive you an Antidote to preserve you that is able to build you up in Grace and fit you for Glory And as I entrust you with these so it is your great wisdom and prudence to improve these seasonable and suitably to your condition The improvement of small things is advantagious when careless neglect makes great things unprofitable What profit hath the Bee of the Hive in a Storm if she fly not to it What profit in dainty Food rich Attire and Armour of proof if we feed not on our Food wear not the Attire put not on the Armour What security and comfort can you have in God and in the Word of his Grace if you do not improve them Well then as you would have security and comfort be frequent in fervent Prayer to God that as he is the great Shepherd of his Church so he would provide for you an able Minister of the New-Testament that may heal the diseased strengthen the weak reduce them that are stragled and feed you with that food that will nourish you even Life Eternal It is very sad to be as Sheep without a Shepherd pray for the supply of desolate Congregations Pray for your Minister and all others cast out that God would comfort them support them provide for