of sin to avoid the evil of trouble This is to make a covenant with Hell and to be at an agreement with Death But when the overflowing scourge shall pass through the Land God shall disanull their Covenant and break their Agreement Isa 28.15 18 19. This there carnal wisdom shall be destroyed the iniquity of their heels shall compass them about and they shall be taken in the snare of Vengance so much of this fourth Observation the next is this Doct. 5. That it is a special part of Christian Wisdom to redeem Time to know and discern time and Opportunities doth very much conduce to this redeeming of Time but this the Wise man makes the property of a wise mans heart Eccles 8.5 Redeeming of Time implies some kind of recovering that time which is already lost a diligent improvement of that which is present to the best advantage and a getting before hand with time by making sure of Eternity I would have told you how to redeem Time in three particulars 1. The loss and former misspending of precious time must be heartily bewailed and repented of 2. Those lusts and affections by which time hath The Conclusion My Brethren I have now finished my Text and my Work together for so it hath pleased God in his wise Providence to order affaires that I may not be any longer amongst you in that capacity in which I have been I dare not murmur nor repine I desire with the holy Psalmist to be dumb and not open my mouth because the Lord hath done it Neither men nor any other creatures can do any thing but what God is â—â—â—â—sed to permit them to do I profess seriously from my soul that could I have kept a good Conscience and my station among you also I do not know what good this World could afford that could have prevailed so far upon my affections as to have drawn me away from you In that little time that the Lord hath been pleased to give me an abode among you I have had very great comfort and contentment in my relation to you I desire to bless God from my heart who hath made you teachable and tractable willing to be instructed and informed for that is my rejoycing above all other things which will be my rejoycing in the great Day of the Lord Jesus Though I forget not your Love to me as your Minister expressed in common Courtesies and Civilities yet this is not a place and time to make mention of them But your diligent attendance on God's Word and Ordinances in publick your willing submission to private Instruction and Reproof the flocking of many of you to Repetion the chearful coming of the younger sort to Catechising and the progress they have made therby in the knowledge of God and Christ and the way to Life these things and whatsoever good it may have pleased God to have wrought in you by my poor labours among you have been the comfort of my heart and the remembrance of them will be my joy when I have other sad thoughts enough to press if not oppress my spirits after this day Well my Glass is run my time is short and I have but a few more words to speak to you I am now for ought I know preaching my last Sermon and my face which you have often seen in this Pulpit you are never never like to see here any more I would fain speak one word that might stick by you longer than ordinary as the last words of a dying Friend are wont to do A dying man especially a dying Father hath commonly some word of advice to give to his Friends and Children about him and something to request of them before he leaves the world God hath made me in the room of a spiritual Father to you and now I am as a dying Friend that must never speak in publick to you again I have a word of advice to give you and something to intreat of you and this Advice and Request I shall leave with you as my last Legacy 1. My first Word of Advice shall be the same which the Apostle hath here given us in the Text That you would with all seriousness endeavour to walk circumspectly and to live exactly according to the Rule of Gods Word in performing all holy Duties that God hath required and in avoiding all sins that God hath forbiâ—den This Advice is for your own good and yoâ— cannot reject it without rejecting the Command of God himself and therefore I do the more earnestly press it upon you You know not what Temptations and Tryals you may come to meet withal and therefore get it fast fixed and rooted in your hearts and consciences that you ought to live exactly and strictly Perhaps the time may come when you may neglect Duties and no body put you in mind of them when you may sin freely and none check or reprove you for it when you may swear and curse and blaspheme the Name of God and be drunk and prophane the Sabbath and have no body to tell you of your sins or to warn you of the danger of them nay perhaps you may be encouraged to these sins or perswaded to them or led to them by the evil example of those who should draw you from them and you may be hated and reproached for Fanaticks and Puritans and I know not what if you make any scruple of running into all excess of riot God forbid that this should ever come to pass but if it should and you not have a principle of Circumspection Exactness within your own breasts and consciences to restrain you my heart trembles to think what a sad condition you would be in and in how great danger you would be of being led away with the errour of the wicked to the utter and everlasting undoing of your poor Souls Well God write this Memento upon every one of your hearts and Consciences I beseech you my Brethren for Christ's sake and for your own poor Souls sake that you will not slight or forget this Advice Oh remember remember I beseech you that it is but a little a very little while before you and I and all the world shall meet together and stand naked before the Judgement Seat of Jesus Christ to give an account of this very thing and to answer to this very question Whether we have lived circumspectly and exactly or no Oh how sad a thing would it be if I should meet any of you there who having neglected this Advice and gone on in your sinful wayes and lived loosely and dyed impenitently if I should meet you I say trembling with guilt before the face of Jesus Christ and should be necessitated to confess and say Lord these very men and women I did advise warn perswade intreat beseech with all seriousness and earnestness that they would break off their sins by repentance and spend the rest of their dayes in walking circumspectly and living exactly and told them in thy
worship ye know not what saith Christ to the woman of Samaria We know what we worship including himself among the rest that worshipped God aright for Salvation is of the Jews But may this suffice here to prevent a great mistake and mis-judging which many Christians of late have discovered themselves but too forward unto 2. This also lets us see how sad it is to be of the Popish Religion which teacheth halting This is a Religion that teacheth halting wherein it differeth from ours from the true it teacheth nothing but halting Halting in Faith enclining in part to God's written Word and in part to their unwritten Traditions Halting in Obedience betwixt God's Commands and the Decrees and Constitutions of the Pope or their Church Halting in Worship betwixt God and Saints betwixt God the living God and dumb and sensless Images The Apostle Peter was blame-worthy when he halted betwixt the Jews and Gentiles Gal. 2. The Popish Religion allows and teaches Dissimulation and Equivocation before men The Religion of the Samatitans was a strange composition when they feared the Lord and served their own gods such is the Religion of the Papists who add to the Worship of God a multitude of Jewish and Paganish Rites and Ceremonies How intollerable is their confounding of Christ and Moses how abominable their joyning their own works with Christs merits in the business of Justification How dishonourable unto Christ and dangerous undoing to themselves their depending partly on Christ's mediation and partly on the Saints intercession O What a miserable lame Religion Popery is A Wavering Religion A Religion as we may hope that shall not stand long It is sure to fall and to be crusht in pieces with its own weight The Lord keep us and ours that we never come under it Better dye and perish in a Wilderness than return to this spiritual Egypt Vse 2. For Reprehension and Humiliation that so much halting in Religion is to be found amongst us 1. What halting among our common Professors Halting between GOD and Mammon Though you know what Christ sayes Matth. 6.24 You cannot give your hearts both to God and to the World If you would give them to God you must take them off from the world if they are set on the world you do not give them to God Ezek. 33.31 Again I wish there were nothing to be found like halting between God and Baal Some more observant of the Custom of the place than of the Scripture-rule in their Worship Some that worship God partly according to his Word and partly after their own and others fancies besides or against the Word How ill the Lord takes this may be guessed at by that passage Matth. 15.9 In vain do they worship me q. d. they might as well do nothing Halting between God and Belial Modo Ecclesias modo Theatra replentas Some for the place of God's Worship to day and for a Playhouse or the Tavern or Alehouse to morrow One while for the Service of God another while for the satisfying of their lusts Some that have their good moods now and then their Consciences being awakened by a powerful Sermon or some smarting rod by a sharp correction come to them now and you would think they were â—â—lly resolved to break off their sins and turn to God whereas a temptation doth no sooner present it self again but they are drawn away by their own lusts and enticed How many that are turning with the various companies they fall into That can carry fairly and smoothly while in company with such as are of note for Religion and an holy strictness and are as ready to fly out be vain and carry like one of the fools in Israel when they are in place were they may take their liberty in the company of such as are loose and prophane How many that will turn with the times seem very forward in Religion while it is a thing in fashion but cast it off again if once it grows out of credit in the world Like the Samaritans who would pretend kinderd to the Jews but only while they were in a prosperous state 2. Come to the best of us such as are upright in the main O how much halting yet may such be taxed with How great unevenness in the frame of our spirits our hearts sometimes up in holy duties but soon down again our affections sometimes lively but soon flat and dead again Alas What inconstant creatures are we Aliud stantes aliud sedentes One thing in religious services another out of them If we get any warmth into our spirits on the Lords Day how soon that we take cold again when we go into the world How great unevenness in the course of our conversation At one time a little diligent at another time exceeding sloathful in our business One while serious and conscionable in the practise of secret duties another while too ready upon any slighty occasion to neglect and omit them or else to slubber them over One while fruitful in our discourse desirous to do some good to all with whom we converse other while as barren as may be How faint and weak sometimes in our resistance of sin whereas we should go from strength to strength Do we not many times suffer a foiled routed enemy to rally again are we not sometimes worsted by those very lusts which before we had put to flight driven out the field What shall we say that after some conquest of our corruptions we have turned our backs again have yielded unto and been overcome of them How ready to shrink at the apprehension the approach of Sufferings How little have we to say for God his Truth Ministers c. when there may be the least danger in owning God and His Interest here Like these in the Text answered never a word How willing to spare our selves Too ready to venture the favour of God to keep the favour of men or to venture upon His displeasure to avoid mans displeasure Other whiles we seem full of confidence in God and sometimes again as full of fears O what cause have the best to be humbled even such as do not hover or hang in suspence betwixt two contrary wayes such as are set in the right way yet alas we go very weakly lamely here What cause to complain of feeble knees Do we not find a clog of corruption at our foot which is a great hindrance to us in our spiritual course There is flesh as well as spirit and hence as Jacob halted in his wrestling with God so do we halt in our walking with God The Child of God sayes Mr. Perkins is like a lame man that goes the right way but yet halts at every step This should be matter of humiliation and lamentation to us all Use 3. Hence be persawded to take heed of halting in Religion Now my work shall be to give 〈◊〉 some moving considerations to press you to an holy care and watchfulness over your selves here and
sincere Love to Christ be a distinguishing character of a right Christian then surely there be but few right Christians for there be few that love Jesus Christ in sincerity 1. There be many complemental lovers of Christ that say They love him withal their heart as the Papists who wear his Picture and bow to a Crucifix yet crucifie him afresh in his Saints the superstitious persons who cringe and make low courtesie at the rehearsing of the syllables of the Name Jesus yet do they not blaspheme that worthy Name by their unchristian practices Do they not take his Name in vain whilst they seem to shew reverence to his Name Did the Jews honour Abraham really to whose memory they pretended much respect We have Abraham to our Father say they we be Abrahams Seed Joh. 8.33 To whom our Saviour answers ver 39. If ye were Aâ—â—ahams Children ye would do the Works of Abraham If these men loved Christ with all the heart they would not hate whom he loves darely nor persecute his faithful Members nor take his Name in vain How canst thou say I love thee when thy heart is not with me said Dalilâ—h to Sampson Psal 78.36 They did flatter with their mouths and lyed unto him with their tongues 2. There are that love Christ but not with a transcendent Love they love Him a little but the world much more 2 Tim. 3.4 Lovers of Pleasures more than lovers of God Joh. 12.43 They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Can that man be said to love his wife with a conjugal Love that loveth another woman above her Can those be said to love Christ sincerely that love themselves or their lusts and prefer them before Christs Commands that make provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts contrary to Rom. 13. ult Do they love Christ or filthy lucre who laugh in their sleeves and applaud themselves in their covetous practices whilst the Minister is preaching against his covetousness Luke 16.14 The Pharisees who were covetous heard these things and they derided him Do they love Christ or money better who are so void of charity that though they see a Brother or Sister naked or destitute of daily food yet will neither fill them nor warm them nor give those things which are needful to the body but hide themselves from their own flesh Christ will one day confute their fond pretences of love to himself to be meet self-delusion when they shall hear from the mouth of Him the Judge Depart c. for I was hungry and ye fed me not c. 3. There are Christians that love Christ as a Saviour but not as a Prophet as a Priest but not as a King Do these love him in sincerity 〈◊〉 Christ divided Did the Harlot love the Child with the love of a Mother who would have had it divided Solomon was wise enough to discern she was not the true Mother that had not the bowels of a mother And the Lord Christ who is greater than Solomon whose eyes are as a flame of fire Rev. 1.18 Who tryeth the reins and heart will easily perceive that man is no lover of Christ in deed and truth whatever he may affirm in word and tongue who divideth between Salvation and Sanctification who opposeth one of Christ's Offices to another who refuseth to take Christ's Yoak upon him will not stoop to the Scepter of his Rule and Government though 't is a Golden Scepter of Grace and his Yoak is easie and his Commandments are not grievous Christ came to set us an example That we should walk in his steps he came not only to suffer and dye for our sins but to rule over us to take upon him the Government of his Church Isa 9.6 He shall reign over the House of Jacob for ever Luke 1.33 The Gospel is his Royal Law Jam. 2.8 which he establisheth in his Kingdom and to which he expecteth a conformity in all his Subjects The Turks own Mahomet's Law for their Rule and live up to it The Jews receive Moses Doctrine and live exactly according to the letter of it and the sence they have of it And how can those Christians be said to love Jesus Christ sincerely who profess to receive his Doctrine as a Rule but walk contrary to it 4. There are Christians who love Christ not for himself but for something else Some follow him in hope of gain as Judas Demas like those mungrel people that went along with Israel out of Egypt Exod. 12.38 which were the first that fainted and set them on murmuring and lusting Numb 11.4 Some followed Christ for the Miracles they saw him work and professed to believe John 2.24 but he did not commit himself to them because he knew their hearts were not right with him Some followed him Joh. 6.66 but took offence at his Doctrine and so went away Who ever follow Christ for by-ends love him not in sincerity not for himself but as boyes and idle persons love many holidayes not for Holiness sake or Saints sake but for playes sake So these love Christ for commodity sake or credit sake which respects when they faile there is an end of such love Use 2. The principal Use of this Doctrine had need be for tryal Let every one that nameth the Name of Jesus Christ prove the sincerity of his Love Give me leave to perswade you my Beloved as to try your Faith in so your Love to Jesus Christ Gal. 6.4 Let every one prove his own work so shall he have rejoycing in himself c. 1. Christ will not take good words a fair profâ—ssion of friendship for sincere Love He tryeth reins and heart Rev. 2.23 His eyes behold his eye-lids try the Children of men Metaph a palpebris pressis From them that press down their eye-lids that they may look wishly narrowly He will weigh our Love in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and quickly espie if it be too light He can distinguish between flattery and sincere love 2. Many pretenders there are in the world but few unfeigned lovers of Christ Mat. 25.44 Lord when saw we thee an hungry c. Lord we have been in thy Name Baptized we have worn thy Livery we have heard many a Sermon we have been oft feasted at thy Table as Luke 13.27 yet the answer is sad I tell you I know not whence you are depart from me c. Had these loved the Lord with an unfeigned Love they had not received so harsh a doom which they might easily have understood had they in time taken a tryal of their Love 3. Our hearts are also false and deceitful in this very point of love to Christ Peter was as confident of his sincere love to Christ as we can be though all men should deny yet he would dye first yet ye know what proof he made Insomuch that afterwards John 21.15 when our Saviour put to him this question Lovest thou me more then these he being taught more
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
and demolish the strong-holds of Satan The conscientious Physitian when he seeth thâ— health and life of the Patient committed to him how diligent is he in watching with and attending his Patient how curious exact in observing the pulse the symptomes workings nature and strength of the disease how careful and diligent to apply proper Remedies and Physick sometimes Corrosives sometimes Cordials and all to restore health and prolong life to his Patient How much more diligent should Ministers Physicians of souls be in observing the several Maladies and Soul-diseases of their People and to apply proper Remedies so many persons so many patients so many sins so many diseases some are brutish and unteachable some are weak others dull some perverse and many ungrateful How should they endeavour to make the brutish to understand to confirm the weak and make them strong to quicken the dull and make them zealous and fervent to allure the perverse and and make them tractable to win the ungrateful and make them kind what is the body to the soul or life temporal in a troublesome world to Life Eternal in unspeakable Happiness the Excellency of the object should heighten our esteem and double our diligence Pretious pretious Souls lie at the Stake One Soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds Jesus Christ shed his pretious Blood for the Redemption of souls but not for the honours dignitys riches of the world Now either Heaven or Hell And how should the joyes of the one and the torments of the other and the eternity of both add indefatigableness to our labours unwearied vigilancy to our perspective care invincibleness to our courage irrefragableness to our arguments â—â—d steep our perswasions in tears and all to keep you from lodging your selves in everlasting burnings and bring you to an Enjoyment of the beatifical Vision of the blessed God! In this decriped age of the world the Devils seem to be possessed with some spirits worse than themselves they turn every stone they improve the dregs of their malice the height of their power if by any means by secret perswasions by hostile invasions by strange delusions turning themselves into Angels of Light that they may drag one soul to Hell and shall not Ministers take much more pains to bring them to Heaven Paul was unwearied in his doing invincible in his suffering How many Cities and Countries did he enlighten with the Gospel Jerusalem Illyricum Damascus Arabia Antioch Arhaja Cilicia Cyprus Epirus Galatia Mysia Lycaonia Pamphilia Physidia Phrygia Selutia Syria Troas Ministers should make the Salvation of Souls their study their care their imployment their practice their whole business We must wait on our Ministry Rom. 12.7 give our selvs continually to it Acts 6.4 We must fulfill our Ministry Col. 4.7 The soundness fatness fruitfulness of the Flock is an honour to the Shepherd The recovered health strength life of a sick weak dying patient is an honour to the Physician It is the glory of Kings according to the rules of the great States-man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ease and heal their Cities and Kingdoms of those miseries and calamities they groan and languish under to secure their present peace and prosperity to enlarge their bounds and of small to make them great If the Roman Emperour gloried when he said of Rome Lateritiam inveni marmoream reliqui I found it built with Brick but left it built with Marble So it is a great honour for Ministers to do much good to their People to strengthen the diseased to heal the sick to bind up the broken to bring back that which was driven away and seek that which was lost Ezek. 34.16 When of Lead Brass Iron and Tin they make them Gold and Jewels for God when of Lyons they make them Lambs of Rebels they make them loyal Subjects beating their spears into pruning hooks and swords into plowshares when of a barren Wilderness they make them a fruitful Vineyard How exceeding great will that Glory be which God will give at the last day unto his faithful Ministers when they shall stand forth before God his Angels and all men Andrew bringing with him his Achaians whom by his Ministry he hath gained unto Christ John with his Asians Thomas with his Indians Peter with his Jews and Paul with his Gentiles and all the pious and faithful Ministers of Christ with all the Children God hath given them in their respective Ages and Generations and these shall be to them a Crown of Glorifying in the presence of Jesus Christ at his coming 1 Thes 2.19 and the time for the accomplishing of all this at the longest is very short Death if no other providence may sooner than they are aware of throw them into an incapacity of doing any more good unto their People how should they labour to do much in a little while the grand importance of the work the numerous and potent enemies that oppose and hinder it the uncertainty and shortness of time to do it in should make us wonderfully diligent say and do with Paul We seek not yours but you accounting the winning of souls to Christ our greatest gain and glory Sed heu Quantum distamus ab illo how many say in their practice We seek not you but yours seek the fleece and neglect the flock How do Ministers run and ride cap and cringe to get Ecclesiastical Dignities and Preferments to multiply to themselves Church-revenues heaping Steeple upon Steeple as the Gyants of old Pelion upon Ossa and upon both these Olympus to fill their Coffers to maintain their Pomp their full Tables to provide portions for their Children or which is worse to administer more abilities of greater sinning against God and this great and necessary work undone the diseased not strengthened the sick not healed the broken not bound up that which was driven away not brought back that not sought which was lost Wâ— to such Shepherds of Israel of England and of all Christian Kingdoms in the world that feed themselves that eat the fat and cloath themselves with the wooll but feed not the Flock but with force and cruelty rule over them Ezek. 34.2 3 4. How desperate and dreadful is that Charge God layeth upon the Priests of Judah his Watchmen are blind they are all ignorant they are all dumb Dogs they cannot bark sleeping lying down and loving to slumber yea they are greedy Dogs that can never have enough they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for gain from his own quarter Come say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drink and to morrow shall be as this day and much more abundant Isa 56.10 11 12. Time will not suffer me to open and enlarge upon these words I leave them to your meditations and observations pardon my trespassing upon your patience the pains is mine the profit is yours 2. If Ministers are not certain of a continued
conscienciously discharge duties towards them See your duty in Ephes 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. and practise it 2. Live in Love This was Christ's Command to his Disciples when he left them John 13.34 35. A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another By this shall all men know ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Hate not any of your Brethren in your heart Hatred makes us like the Devil Murderers The wicked love one another entirely and shall not Christians much more The great Exhortation of John the Divine was even when he was so old as he could scarce say any thing else Little Children love one another little Children love one another 3. Esteem and maintain Peace among one another as a precious Jewel Beware of Animosities and Heart-burnings of Jealousies and Jarrings one with another Many evils follow this one of strife Jam. 3.16 Where Envying and Strife is there is every evil work It 's the nature of Christianity to be meek and peaceable ver 17. Strifes are a work of the flesh Gal. 5.20 Now the works of the flesh are manifest Hatred Variance Strife Now it s the property and duty of true Christians to put off the works of the flesh To this end avoid the occasions of Strife Contentions Put up Injuries hearken not to Tale-bearers The Tale-bearer separateth very Friends Prov. 26.20 But when there is no Tale-bearer the Strife ceaseth Moreover deny your selves sometimes of that which may be your right that so you maintain brotherly Love Ever suspect your own Judgment Man is usually partial in his own cause Never think thy self so much in the right but that thou mayest sometimes over-shoot thy self and be in the wrong Be not wise in thy own conceit Consider as long as there is Jars and Contentions amongst Brethren and Neighbours they are not in a capacity of doing good to or receiving good from one another Contentions fill that mind full of Prejudice and then neither Instruction Advice Reproof or any courtesie will be well accepted but will be in danger of rejection with abundance of contempt As long as men are prejudiced against one another they will not believe that any good thing done by the other proceeds from a good principle or hath a good end In a word I conclude this in the words of the Apostle As much as is possible live peaceably with all men 4. Study to unite 1 Cor. 1.10 Bring your minds to meet in one point Bring them to the Center of God's Word The wider we go from God's Word which is the Center of Unity the further we go from one another It cannot be expected while the world stands that Christians should agree in every punctilio but labour to meet in the main meet in the root The branches of a Tree grow several ways and are at a great distance from one another but they all agree in this that they came from the same root So Christians may in some things seem to be a great distance from each other O labour to meet in the Root agree in Substantials study the things that make for peace whereby ye may edifie one another 5. Exhort one another Heb. 3.17 Instruct warn strengthen comfort one another take that advice 1 Thes 5.11 Comfort your selves together and edifie one another do not straggle one from another run together against a storm be assured it is not safe for Christians to be alone two are better than one if they be together they shall have heat 6. Be righteous in all your dealings with each other Defraud not one another Mich. 6.8 Deal justly lye not one to another but speak the Truth 1 Cor. 6.9 The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God In buying and selling and all your civil contracts do as you would others should do unto you set your self in the buyers stead and see how you would have others act towards you and so do to them 7. Be sensible of the loss which you and others about you sustain this day Our Church is parting with many Ministers that were willing and in some measure able to do God service Their Iniquities I confess may have a great hand in putting them forth and I hope they are in some measure sensible of the Plague of their hearts But see if your hands have not helpt to lift them out have not you weakned their hands many a time It may be you have made them preach and pray weakly and feebly by your coldness and deadness It may be your barrenness provokes God to take away his Vine-dressers your leasiness might cause these Candles to be taken away Is not England weary of Ministers do not we count them troublers Alas we have raised winds to blow out these Candles And then as you should be sensible of your sin so of your loss Why what do we lose this day We lose Shepherds and Sheep are likely to do poorly without we lose spiritual Fathers My Father My Father And how do poor Children cry at the loss of a Father We lose some of the Pillars of the Church and Nation As David I bear up the Pillars of it And how can a House stand without Pillars they are our best defence The Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof Cant. 3.7 they defend souls against Sin and Satan and bodies from many Judgments How can a Nation do without Watchmen It 's well if the taking away so many Prophets be not as the pulling so many Lots out of Sodom Object But what needs all this what a needless stir do you make Though you and others like you be silenced yet there are others to succeed you your Places will not be vacant Do you think there are not as good as your selves to stay behind we do not see but you may very well be spared Answ 1. Let it be as you have spoken It is the hearty desire of our souls that better may succeed us it would much elevate our souls if it might be so 2. Suppose there may some holy and painful Labourers stay behind it s to be thought it will be but some the Harvest is great and it is not reasonably to be imagined that there should be suddenly raised a competent succession of able experienced Pastors to supply so many Congregations as are like to be left destitute It 's much to be feared that we shall have cause to sit down and weep over many poor Towns and Parishes being left as Sheep without Shepherds 3. Are you sure that those that stay behind us shall continue long amongst you How do you know but that within some months or a few years some stumbling-block or other may be laid in their way over which they cannot possibly go if they will retain a good conscience 4. However this Dispensation of God is a wonderful affliction It is not the manner of God ordinarily to deal thus with his Ministers and People God doth not use to light
his People a love to above Private Worship He loves it Psal 87.2 He loves the dwellings of Jacob but especially the Gates of Zion He will meet his People in secret but he hath made a more peculiar Promise to meet them in their Meetings Mat. 18.20 Exod. 29.42 Private Duties want not a blessing but Publick Worship is honoured by God to be the main Conveiance of Blessings Publick Ordinances are the great Veins wherein the Blood of Christ runs Psal 128.5 Psal 133.3 The Mount of Zion is the Mount of blessing The Gleanings of Ordinances are better than the Vintage of other Helps There he commanded the Blessing 1. There is Conviction 1 Cor. 14.23 24. 2. There is Conversion Rom. 10.14 Private Means want not their Encouragements but God sets the most seals to his Publick Worship Hearing is not the only way but it is the most ordinary way of Faith God's chief Doles are at Wisdoms Gates Psal 87.5 Of Zion it shall be said This and that man was born I may say new born there These are as it were the troughs as once Jacob did wherein God layes the Rod of his Strength and transforms hearts 3. There is Consolation The Ordinances are the breasts of Consolation Isa 66.11 There in the Banqueting-House God stayes his with Flagons and comforts them with Apples as in Cant. 2.4 5. There God puts the teat into the mouth and stills the Whimperings of his Children The Comforts that are given in Assemblies are most satisfactory as things done in open Court are most Authentick Hannah 1 Sam. 1.18 went away and her countenance was no more sad 4. There God carries on his work begun God feeds his People where he breeds them gives them Strength where he gave them Life Psal 84.7 Growth where he gave them truth of Grace Psal 92.13 To talk of over-thriving Ordinances is a mistake 'T is decay not thrift 't is death not growth We must be and may learn in Christ's School till we be sent to the University of Heaven Secondly And as God loves it and hath set his Broad-Seal to it so God hath wrought in his People a Love to it God's People cannot live without Secret Corners nor comfortably without Publick Meetings if they be cooped up at any time they are as a Child in the wombe strugling to get forth Hezekiah was more loth to leave Worship than to leave the world He mentions his Isa 38.11 loss of Converses with Men but not so emphatical as the other as you may observe I shall not see the Lord even the Lord He redoubles the word Lord to express his ardent Affections to God's Service and to intimate his desire of life that he might go to Church again Reade ver 22. of that Chapter Now can we part with such a Dorcas for good deeds and such a Jonathan for pleasantness without sorrow Can we suffer such a Right-hand to be cut off such a Right-eye to be plucked out without grief Shall such a Darling-Blessing dye unlamented Thirdly As Publick Worship is in the Heart of God and in the hearts of his People so Publick Worship is that which all need be their personal Abilities be their private Helps what they will 1. All need it Publick Worship is a publick Good and so a publick general Loss our persons our families will feel it it will be soon every where in a little time The Publick Worship is like Husbandry of which it is said The profit of the Earth is for all The King himself is served by the field Eccles 10.9 'T is well noted That the Ministry of the Word or rather the Ministers of the Word are set forth by common Blessings such as are Light and Salt and Harvest-men Bread so that the removal of such away is a common Mischief it is as if no Sun no Tillage no Labourers to reap down our Fields It is like the bellies want in the Apologue no member can do its office The Minister himself will want this Mercy The Light is profitable to him that carrieth it as well as to others They may in saving their Hearers save themselves 1 Tim. 4.16 But Oh how will all sorts of People want it Solemn Assemblies are the great Banks against Sin the main Quickners to Duty Ministers are both God's and mans Remembrancers Isa 62.6 2 Pet. 1.12 13. The want of them turns our Palaces into Hell for Darkness and Prophaness as Egypt was when it wanted Light Solemn Assemblies are the Directors of all sorts to their duties How soon shall we find this want in our Children and in our Servants nay in our selves We that have had so much a do to get or keep any life or sence what shall we do when we want those Rubbings Chasings Joggs Wheels Quicknings that we have had in the publick Ordinances Read and apply to this present purpose that speech which your dying dead Ministers may use to you Deut. 31.27 Mutatis mutandis For I know thy Rebellion and thy Stiff-neck Behold whilst I am yet alive with you this day ye have been rebellious against the Lord and how much more after my death Nay Furthermore I say it is that which all need be their personal Abilities never so great and be their private helps never so many It is a choice observation of a Man of God Hildersham on John 4. now with God a Man mighty in the Scriptures concerning David that though he was a Man of Excellent Gifts a Prophet a Pen-man of Scripture You have his Character and Portraiture in 2 Sam. 23.1 2. A man of incomparable Abilities vast Experiences singular Integrity A man after God's own heart and yet this man was a lover of the Habitation of God's House Psal 268. Nay besides these his own treasures he had wâ— h him sometimes if not alwayes an extraordinary 〈…〉 to be his Chaplain even God 1 Sam. 22.5 〈…〉 had likewise Abiathar a Priest to enquire of 〈…〉 hâ—m 1 Sam. 23.9 Yet he longs after the Orâ—â—â—â—nces bewails the want of Publick Worship and speaks as if he wanted God in many Psalms as if he had nothing of God comparatively to what he enjoyed there Oh who like David Great men that have much within themselves yet cannot quite keep off the Markets Verily the best stored heart or house will not live fully without these spiritual Markets All private helps may say to the publick Ordinances as Gideon to the men of Ephraim Judg. 8.2 What have I done in comparison of you Lay all this together strike â—â—eâ—e conâ—iderations on the heart as Moses did the Roâ—â— with his Rod and conclude the heart is a Rock indeed if it yeeld no water after these strokes Oh if any thing should open springs of sorrow in the heart iâ— should be the stopping up of such Wells But I stay too long upon things I proceed to the second Particular that sheweth how considerable the Loss of Solemn Assemblies are and that is Secondly In wanting the Solemn