were we picking What Divisions were we running amongst our selves When there were none to fall out with us we began to fall out with one another and to smite our fellow-servants and therefore is God justly fallen out with us We have stript our own Peace to feather our Nests and now Behold we cannot sit warm in them 3. Our Plenty How fat and wanton are we grown puft up with the conceit of our own strength God hath filled our Barns and laden the Earth with his Mercies and with the Fool we have been ready to say Soul take thine ease Mercies are never more fouly abused than when most freely bestowed What hath God had of all our increase When thou shalt have eaten and be full then beware lesâ— thou forget the Lord Deut. 6.11 12. God hath found that grosse feeding doth produce ill humours and grosse miscarriages As they were increased so they sinned against me Hos 4.7 And therefore he is fain to keep us low I might also mind you of your Priviledges and deliverances extraordinary Hath God never rescued you from the very brink of the grave and reacht you his hand when you were just sinking Hath he never over-answered your Prayers and gone beyond your Faith and Hopes Have you never seen him stepping out of his common way and as it were breaking the bedge of Nature and Reason to haste to your help that you have been forc't to say This is the Lords doing it is marvellous in our eyes Psal 118 23. And do you think this will be forgotten in the day account What wonders of Providence did God work for Israel from Egypt till they came into the Land of Promise But Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the Sea even the Red-Rea They soon forgot his works they waited not for his counsells Psal 106.7 13. Therefore he lifted up his hand against them and overthrew them in the wilderness ver 26. The abuse of extraordinary Providences whether of Mercy or Judgment on our selves or others for our warning is commonly attended with extraordinary vengeance 2. Your spiritual Priviledges and these are either External or Internal External as 1. Our Ministry is one of your Talents which you as well as we must shortly give an account for This seems to be one special voice of the Rod and that which it chiefly aims at This is one of the main Bones that God hath broken the principal vein that he hath struck us in and therefore our search and attention here should be the more serious and solemne Remember now with what careless customary Indifferency you have bin wont to hear with what drowsy dead secure affections with what unbelief irreverence hypocrifie with what a divided worldly and wandring spirit with what inconsiderate blind zeal Christianl reason thus with thy self what an excellent favour is this that I have thus long enjoyed What way could the poor blind world have grop't out to get to Heaven by what shift could we have made Must not I and all the world with me of necessity have perished to all eternity had it not bin for Christ and the blessed manifestation of his Gospel the bringing in of a better Hope for Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10.17 And if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that be lost 2 Cor. 4 3. And now what have I done How can I answer for what I have received of this Talent Thus long have I lived under such a mans Ministry and thus long under anothers Besides all those occasional advantages which have been very frequent and precious With what preparation With what care With what humility and self-denyal With what resolution and purpose of heart have I sought God and the everlasting happiness of my own Soul in the injoyment of such Mercies To what purpose hath been all my hearing and praying hitherto Ah! What work have you here to deal plainly with your selves in How might your thoughts run into particulars and every stone you turn â—fford you matter of Lamentation I beseech you Brethren for the Lord Jesus sake let not â—our ears be both the Cradles and the Graves â—f these proposed Confiderations oh let me â—oe open to your eyes only and the curiosity of your ears and censures and pack all up again without any hopes of trading with your hearts This is none of mine but Gods errand I am â—ent in the fruit of his tender care and comâ—assion of your souls Oh let it not return â—mpty from whence it came let me not carry 〈◊〉 back in witness of your ungrateful refusal God will shortly come to reckon with you himself he hath sent me but a little before as the â—oice of one crying in the Wilderness to warn â—ou to prepare his Way and to make his â—iths strait And remember Let Consciâ—nce set it down that this day you have been warned 2. The Sacraments are another and no â—mall part of your Talent How shall we take â—he weight and worth of this Priviledge All â—he World and a thousand more such will never move the Scales against it Oh the height â—nd depth and length and breadth of the love of God in Christ Jesus How might we begin â—fresh to reckon with our hearts here Have you been some of Gods invited Guests that â—ave eaten and drunk at his Table and fed upon â—is Body and Blood Consider then 1. What you have done Have you fed on â—arist like children at his Breasts or prey'd like Vultures on his Flesh and Blood The evidence is clear concerning the Fact you can't deny but that you have eaten at his Table you have had your share and you must expect your Reck'ning 'T is no ordinary fare you have fed upon and you may expect that the account will be some way answerable Salvation or Damnation will be the summ total of your Bill of Fare Sacraments are chargeable Dishes It cost the Great Master of these Sacred Feasts dear his dearest and only Son and the Feast-holder himself his dearest Blood And do you think to sit at these Tables at the same rate as at the Ordinary of the World What! think you to plead your Foederal and Evangelical Right by the seal of the first Sacrament that gave you visible Title to the second Ah but what if this should but aggravate the business Need I tell you that the first admission was upon terms and what these terms were Were you admitted into the Family of God and not bound to the Laws and Discipline of the Family Know my brethren that there was a mutual stipulation in your first Baptismal Adoption Surely 't is no small affront for a Dog to lap of the Master's choiseâ— dish and at the Table of his most solemn Feast though they belong as Dogs to the Family anâ— go in and out at the same door with the children Oh Sirs there are high things that we aâ— stand chargeable
may serve thee as Rebeccah served Isaac 〈◊〉 may dress thee a savoury Dish such as tâ—â— likest and tell thee that the Lord 〈◊〉 God hath brought it to thee Bastard Coâ—â— forts may seem very beautiful and stollen â—â—ters sweet but these are wasting Comfoâ—â— Cisterns that will not hold long these Wâ—â— will quickly run on the Lees when God â—â—gins to walk with thee above thy reach 〈◊〉 to lead thee through the dark and narrow wâ—â— of his Providence these Comforts will 〈◊〉 Shades too and tend to thy disquietmâ—â—â— Therefore my brethren examine your Câ—â— forts see whose Image and superscription 〈◊〉 bear and be sure that among all oâ— things you have to comfort your selves wâ— you be not without that one which will 〈◊〉 for t you in Death and sweeten the bitterest 〈◊〉 for you 3. Consider What use have you madâ— your Comforts How have you set Faith 〈◊〉 Hope on work in your straits and difficult 〈◊〉 â—â—th God given you this Talent to lie idle by 〈◊〉 Those Jewels that are of greatest worth 〈◊〉 of greatest use The more there is of Priâ—â—edge in it the more of Duty Blessed be 〈◊〉 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 Father of mercies and the God of all comâ—â—t who comforteth us in all our tribulaâ—â—â— that we may be able to comfort them â—â—â—ch are in any trouble by the comfort whereâ—â—â—h we our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. â—3 4. Here are four things observable in 〈◊〉 comforts 1. The ground or original of 〈◊〉 and that was God the Father of merâ—â—â— and the God of all comfort 2. Their way 〈◊〉 Conveyance 't was through Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 therefore he adds the Father of our Lord â—â—us Christ 3. Their Sufficiencie it was universal cordial comfort in all tribulation The end or use of it which was two-fold â—ate and Publick 1. Private It begat him a thankful frame of heart Blessed be 〈◊〉 who comforteth us 2. Publick viz. 〈◊〉 communication of the same comfort to â—s That we might be able to comfort them â—â—th are in any trouble Now sit down and sider what 's the reason your comforts are â—ow and spiritless how comes it to pass 〈◊〉 are ever and anon fainting under the 〈◊〉 and ready to give up your hopes for lost 〈◊〉 art thou cast down O my soul and why thou disquieted within me Are the trouâ—â—â— of this world too hard for the hopes of the 〈◊〉 to come and lie heavier on you than Christ can bear in you Was it Paul's expeâ—â—ence only who could say 2 Cor. 1.5 As 〈◊〉 sufferings of Christ abound in us so our conflation also aboundeth by Christ Christiaâ—â— thy faint and heavy carriage and sad 〈◊〉 quietments do reflect on thy Profession 〈◊〉 on the glorious Attributes of God Tâ—â— are your Priviledges Temporal and Spâ—â—tual which is the sixth Talent we have 〈◊〉 in question 7. Your Afflictions are another of your 〈◊〉 trusted Talents God is now reckoning 〈◊〉 you by his Rod the time is coming that 〈◊〉 will reckon with you for his Rod. Would not be sad if your present miseries should 〈◊〉 aggravate your future unhappiness Oh! 〈◊〉 what horrour will Conscience look back onsâ—â—â— less afflictions When thou liest stretcht ouâ—â—â— the Threshold of a miserable eternity thy 〈◊〉 bedience to the Word will sufficiently astoâ—â— thee but thy hardening under the Rod 〈◊〉 be one of the bitterest Memento's that shalâ—â— in thy mind When the Brute Creatâ—â— with whose bodies and lives thou art now â—â—â—ting thy unreasonable Lusts shall rise in Jâ—â—â—ment against thee who never were guilâ—â—â—â— so stupid stubborn and unteachable a spâ—â—â—â— as thou Hath God cast thee into the fire 〈◊〉 art thou the same still or rather worse 〈◊〉 worse Be sure sinner God hath a Furâ—â—â—â— that 's seven times hotter than any thou 〈◊〉 ever tried yet and that will melt thee 〈◊〉 one of the saddest Judgments in the world 〈◊〉 come out of afflictions unreform'd for this is usually one of Gods last and most effectual courses to humble proud hearts If the Rod once leave thee uncurable there 's little hope of thee Oh! that I could awaken you now Oh! that God would awaken you That I night but open your skirt for one of the healing and yet wounding Arrows of his Spirit â—o enter you surely he will not spend them all upon you in vain If they will not pierce thee â—ow his Quiver is yet full of the flaming Darts of his vengeance with which he will â—ursue thee into Hell and there thou must stand â—is Butt to all eternity 8. And lastly Your Relations are not the â—east part of your Talent Here I might subdivide my Course many waies in this large â—ield but I shall knit up all in as few words as 〈◊〉 can There 's never a one but stands in seâ—eral Relations to others and every Relation â—harg'd full of Duty But within the bounds â—f Family-Relations I shall at present direct my way 1. I shall begin with Masters of Families Oh! how few are there that duely consider â—he duties of such a Relation How have Gods saithful servants labour'd at this Oar to convince men of and perswade them to the obedience and practise of these duties No string 〈◊〉 often set as this and yet no string so much â—ut of tune still How have you weighed the â—urden that lies upon your hands The bloud â—f your servants souls is like to lie at the doors of your Neglects another day You must not think to answer God as Cain answered in another case Am I my brothers keeper God hath committed not only their bodies but their Souls to your care Exod. 20.10 And what have you done for them more than their bare Indentures or Covenants have inforced you May not God justly say to thousands among us nay to most of us as once to Cain The voice of thy Servants blood cryeth unto me not from the ground but from Hell Certainly 't is a dreadful thing to consider what cursed and heathenish cruelty there is shewn towards the souls of poor servants Oh! what an influence might you have upon them did you but take the right course with them how would a little condescending self-denying gentleness and love prevail with Inferiours You are crying out upon their unfaithfulness idleness stubbornness and profaneness Oh! Consider where one great cause lies Hath not your worldliness or frowardness or supercilious unchristian-like stoutness or your own evil Example or Negligence and unwatchfulness in your duties been thâ— main thing that hath produced it What time have you allowed them for their souls what Counsel what Arguments have you used with them what pains have you taken to inform or reform them how often have you been oâ— your knees on purpose to God for their souls Were the Egptian Task-masters ever moâ—â— exact for their tales of Brick than you have been with them Do you think you are serviâ—â— of God and that God will accept an offering
world for but to devour What is that Imposthume of Self doing within but conspiring thy destruction How wide doth the World gape upon thee 1 Tim. 6.9 to drown thee in destruction and perdidion As for Death it carries mortality and dissolution in the very name of it Oh! what need have we of wary steps Were ever Creatures in such hazzard Well might St. Paul criâ—â— out Wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this death Rom. 7.24 3. They are Spiritual Enemies and therefore the more dangerous We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities and Powers and against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places Eph. 6.12 Spiritual on a double account in their nature and in their operation They are of a spiritual and invisible nature and are not the objects of external sense which is the eye we are wont and able to judge by These are enemies that are all waies on the blind side of us they wound us and we are not aware Their operations are also spiritual they work on us like an infectious Air we will not believe but that we are well enough till we drop down dead where we are going and therefore 't is call'd the Plague of the heart which is oftentimes undiscernable till it be incurable How closely doth Self steal in betwixt Christ and our hearts How deceitfully doth the World charm our affections What secret passages and trap-doors hath Satan at every Pore of hearts Oh my Brethren We have spiritual enemies to deal with our Watch is especially within our own walls 4. They are Constant Enemies Such as will find you work as long as you live This comes to pass from their contrary and implacable nature Light and Darkness can never be â—econcil'd St. Paul could not sing his Palinody that his Fight was over and his Course finished till the time of his departure came 2 Tim. 4.6 7. Thy Watch-work Christian is thy Life's-work Our Enemies seem to enjoy our Promises here Psal 37.24 Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down Oh! which of our fallen Lusts can we say is utterly cast down Every Conquest produceth a new Combat and our very Victories oftentimes occasion our sadder Losses 5. Lastly They are Mighty Enemies Such is we cannot in our own strength stand before If a Lust do but becken at us we preâ—ently yield If the World do but frown on us we â—remble As Self will have it so the Law must â—and If Satan turn the Key of a temptation upon us we are his Close Prisoners If Death once strike we fall Had we not a strong God to flie to a sure word of Promise an impregnable Refuge in Christ a mighty Advocate with the Father who is able to save to the uttermost an irresistable Help in the Spirit to bruise Satan under us Were not the Weapons of our Warfare mighty through God 2 Cor. 10.4 these strong holds would never come down our victories would be according to our strength very small Therefore what you want in Power labour to make up in Care O let the sense of your Weakness double your Watchfulness that you may be able to say with the Apostle Phil. 4.13 I can do all things or suffer any thing through Christ which strengtheneth me Thus I have laboured though weakly yet I hope faithfully to interpret the Rod to you And oh that now I could prevail with you to lay these things close on your bare Consciences Commune with your own hearts and let your spirits make diligent search Now set about your mourning repenting resolving reforming-work God hath us in his Furnace and his Jealousie is smoaking against us He hath cast our Liberties our Peace our Health our Hopes nay his own Ordinances and Sacred Institutions the holy Vessels of his own House as Wood under us for the Fire of his Displeasure to heat us with oh when shall we begin to melt that we may once be capable of being cast into a new Mould oh when will those hard hearts break when will those stout hearts yield when will those stubborn wills comply Shall we stick in the Birth till we die there shall we tempt God on the wheel to cast us off as a Lump that will never â—ome to any thing Shall we even force him â—o throw us and Idolaters us and Hypocrites and the prophane incorrigible and abominable Scum of the earth to the Dunghil at last together The Lord forbid O the God of Heaven forbid it 2. In the next place This Rod hathalso a voice to the Enemies of God and these are â—ther open Foes or false Friends I shall joyn â—oth together as Christ hath done Matth. â—2 30 He that is not with me is against â—e and he that gathereth not with me scatâ—reth abroad These five things would I tell them from God hight I be freely suffer'd to do my Message 〈◊〉 them And with these five Bells I shall â—ing the doleful Knell of God's and his Churches Enemies 1. It assures them that God is not such an â—â—e as they take him be These things thou â—â—st done and I kept silence thou thoughtest â—â—at I was altogether such an one as thy self â—â—t I will reprove thee and set them in order â—â—fore thine eyes Psal 50.21 Alas Sinner â—â—ou art mistaken in God though he keep â—â—ence awhile he will not keep silence for â—â—er he will find a time to speak when thou â—â—alt stand speechless before him Though his â—â—se Providence and thy cursed Projects seem to joyn issue yet assure thy self their disparitâ— and incongruity will shortly appear to thâ— shame and astonishment I could tell them in what respects they are mistaken in theâ—â— thoughts of God if God be ever in theâ—â— thoughts 1. They are mistaken in his Holiness Thâ—â— is that which seems to be principally aimed at iâ— the fore-cited Text. After God hath chargeâ— them with Incorrigibleness from ver 17. with Theft and Adultery and False-witness unto ver 21. Thou thoughtest saies God that I haâ— been such an one too as wicked and as vile a thy self That I had lov'd thy Drunkenness thy Oaths thy Blasphemies and Uncleanness thine Idolatry and carnal gawdy Will worship thy Crueltie and Oppression of mâ— People Because I kept silence and wink'd a these things because ye were become Such Priest and such People ye thought it had been Even such God too That I had been as great aâ— enemy to Holiness as you as implacably beâ—â— to ruin the Interest of my Son Christ as you were that I had divorced my own Spirit and exchang'd natures with your Father the Devil and yielded up my Scepter and Kingdom unto him and become altogether such a one as youâ— You thought it had been as much my envy 〈◊〉 see men faithfully labouring to make their Caâ—ling and Election sure as it was yours thaâ— their Faith and Humilitie and Self-denial anâ—
Patience and Constancy and Resolution anâ— Heavenly-mindedness had been the only thing 〈◊〉 had been offended with and resolv'd to revenge with all possible Indignation as you â—â—ere The time cometh saies Christ that whoâ—â—ever killeth you shall think that he doth God â—ervice Joh. 16.2 But how is it possible â—â—ey should ever think so Why These things â—â—ill they do unto you because they have not â—nown the Father nor me ver 3. It proceeds from their wilful mistake They are not aware â—â—at our God is the Holy one of Israel Psal 68.35 Exod. 1â— 11 That is â—â—rrible out of his holy places A God glorious 〈◊〉 holiness Alas Sinner God is never the â—â—holier for that he bears with thy unholiness â—â—l these thy mistakes will shortly be corrected 〈◊〉 another world 2. They are mistaken in his Justice I knew thee that thou art an hard man saies the unfaithful servant Math. 25.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a shrewd difficult man to please â—â—aping where thou hast not sown and gathering where thou hast not strawed Such are the â—ard thoughts of the poor blind prejudic'd â—orld They think it an impossible matter to talk by God's prescribed Rule unto wellâ—â—â—asing that walking by the Spirit is but â—â—ancy or Schism and therefore better let all â—â—one They hope whatever they are told on â—â—e contrary that God will pity them on their â—â—eath-beds that his Justice will not be so â—â—exorable but that they may be heard when â—â—ey call upon him Indeed were God such a â—â—udge as they conceit him to be Were he who â—â—des the Circuits of Heaven a respecter of Persons Fallible and Mutable of the Generation of those that ride the Circuits of the Earth iâ— might fare better with them than it is like to do But alas a few daies more will open their eyes and then they shall see what a Justice that is that dwells in Heaven Justice and Judgment are the Habitation of his Throne Psal 89.14 3. They are mistaken in his Mercy They have heard that he is a God of great Mercy and thereupon are bold that they may perswade him to what they will at last They have heard that he is ready to forgive a God gracious and merciful and that keepeth not angeâ— for ever Psal 73.11 They believe that his mercie is all sufficient and that he will not take any great notice of those things that are so far beneath him Such are the thoughts that keep their carnal hopes alive and please their beguileâ— souls with a Fools-Paradise Indeed were God as mutable as he is merciful they had somâ— ground for their hopes It may be some 〈◊〉 them have laid their heads on this Pillow Rom. 11.32 For God hath concluded them all 〈◊〉 unbelief that he might have mercy upon all or on Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all men unâ—â— condemnation even so by the righteousness 〈◊〉 one the free gift came upon all men unâ—â— Justification of life or on some such like place and there have dreamt of an universal Redemption and by this means all their care â— over But they may know when they awake nay to their terrour they shall know if they awake not before they awake to Judgment â—ow God will hav mercy upon all and yet they left out Abstract the consideration of â—â—ercy from this present life wherein all are â—â—artakers of the riches of his mercie in common and all things happen alike as to outward appearance to all and then I 'le tell them that God will have mercy supra omnes but not supra singulos upon all sorts or some of all â—orts Gentiles as well as Jews but not upon â—very one of either Election is but of some and â—ot of all But I will not stand here to confute 〈◊〉 unreasonable and anti-Scriptural an assertion seeing this Dagon hath been already battered to the ground by far abler Engins than â—â—ine The day is at hand that will for ever â—â—cide the Controversie and unravel all those Querks of the Devils knitting Few there are but will confess though they â—re but half-convinc'd that there is a Hell and â—â—at it is prepar'd for some whom God hath â—â—presly condemn'd in his Word Hypocrites â—â—nd unbelievers they acknowledge are gon in â—â—e Forlorn hope 1 Tim. 5.24 Some mens sins are open â—â—fore-hand going before to Judgment Hyâ—â—crites such as their Father hath taught them â—â—re-baptize with the Nick-name of Phanaticks â—â—r the names are synonymous and vnbelieâ—â—ers such as can't believe as they do and â—â—uzzle their Consciences as they can Well â—â—en Sinner Let me reason with thee from â—â—y own Concessions If Hypocrites and Unbelievers are the undoubted Heirs of Hell I wâ—â— tell thee not to stand on the Justification 〈◊〉 any Party who are their Coheirs Matth. 2â—â— from ver 48. to the end The evil servant that saith in his heart my Lord delayeth hâ—â— coming He that lives in the height of his security that thinks 't is time enough yet to provide for another world And shall begin to smiâ—â— his Fellow-servants Either with the slander and reproaches of the tongue or with the fiâ—â— of wickedness And to eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come as secure as he is in a day when he looketh 〈◊〉 for him and in an hour that he is not aware of and shall cut him asunder and appoint him 〈◊〉 portion with the Hypocrites there shall 〈◊〉 weeping and gnashing of teeth And Luk. 1â— 46 He will cut him asunder his Soul from his Body and both Body and Soul from all hâ—â— worldly comforts and hopes he will irresistibly and irrecoverably destroy him and appoiâ—â— him his portion with vnbelievers If the unbâ—â— I eving are condemn'd then pray see who aâ—â— cast with them and must partake with them 〈◊〉 the Execution Rev. 21.8 The fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and muâ—â— derers and whoremongers and sorcerers aâ—â— idolaters and all lyars If you question 〈◊〉 truth of this look back but to the fifth verse aâ—â— you shall see it seal'd with an express Authoriâ—â— from Heaven And he said unto me Writâ—â— for these words are true and faithful Know 〈◊〉 not that the unrighteous shall not inherit tâ—â— Kingdom of God Be not deceived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Nay Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 This cannot be understood literally as if our Souls only were capable of eternal Salvation and not our Bodies which is contrary to the Apostle's Argument Contrary to one great Design of Christs Incarnation nay contrary to visible and ocular Demonstration For Christ himself hath visibly ascended and in the names and behalf of his Mystical Members hath entred with real Flesh and Blood and is