perfect Rule see how they have agreed or disagreed Look your faces daily in the Glass of God's Word and then you shall see how many spots are upon them This very thing would make and keep us humble while we live and shew us the shortness of our own wayes and drive us to Jesus Christ who hath perfect Righteousness The Swan is a proud bird but when she looks at her black feet she mourns The reason why most are so self-conceited of their own goodness is because they look upon themselves in present abstinence from sin or in present good mood and never look back upon former sinâ—â—â— In a word Let your sins be ever before your eyes 4. Beware of earthly-mindedness Let it not be your only care to get the things of this life 1 John 2.15 16. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world VVe are prone by Nature to mind Earth and nothing else But consider that those that are earthly-minded are enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 19. There are many of whom I tell you weeping who are enemies to the Cross of God viz. those who mind earthly things Such persons frustrate Christ of the end of his dying He died to purchase an heavenly treasure for us he arose and went to Heaven that we should imitate him If ye then be risen with Christ seek those things that are above Col. 3.1 Earthly persons undervalue the death of Christ he died to purchase Heaven they care for Earth more than Heaven Again Earthly persons will have a sad end Their end is destruction Phil. 3.19 Seeing such men put away Salvation from them whilst on Earth at last they shall be put away from Salvation Again Things below are neither a suitable nor a satisfying portion Not suitable your souls being spiritual these earthly not satisfying your souls having infinite desires whereas these are finite your souls everlasting these fading 1 John 2.17 The World passeth away When we have got never so much it may leave us we must leave it Again Earthly-mindedness is Idolatry Col. 3.5 And Covetousness which is Idolatry That which men desire love and delight in most even so much as to make it their portion that is their God Now we know that no Idolater shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Be exhorted in the words of Christ John 6.17 Labour not so much or chiefly for the meat that perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life Luke 10.41 42. Be not with Martha careful about many things so as in the mean time to neglect the one thing needful 5. Be convinced that God is the best portion and make him yours You are never in a safe condition till you can experimentally say Who is there in Heaven but God and who is there on Earth I can desire besides God Psal 73.25 26. Labour to say with the Psalmist Psal 31.14 I said thou art my God And with Thomas My Lord and my God To this end get an interest in Christ receive him by Faith He that hath the Son hath the Father also God promiseth it as a special priviledge to be the God of any person or People I will be their God Jer. 31.33 When God is yours Pardon of sin is yours I will remember your iniquities no more He wil accept and delight in your persons The Upright are his delight He will take pleasure in all your services Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy face and hear thy voice for sweet is thy voice and thy countenance is comely Your Prayers Praises Alms c. shall come up before God as Incense Acts 10.4 Phil. 4.18 He will alwayes be with you in every place in every condition When you are in your own and when in a strange Country when you are in prosperity when in adversity Moreover all the Promises are yours When God is yours the Covenant is yours of which the Promises are so many branches If you be troubled with the sence of sin he can pardon you if assaulted with corruptions he can strengthen you If you be sad he will comfort you if you be sick he will be your Physician if weak he can strengthen you If darkness be upon your steps he can cause the Light to shine upon your paths If you are in wants he can supply you his is the Earth and the Fulness thereof if in Prisons he will visit you and cause you to sing with Paul and Silas He is an omnipresent Good and an omniscient Good a willing and omnipotent and a sure good Men may take away your Friends or you from them but they cannot take away your God your Estates but not your God your liberty but not your God your lives but not your God God will be a satisfying Good whilst you live a comforting and supplying Good when you dye an Everlasting Good after Death Above all things then get a share and interest in this God for he is the best Good none like him and as the Wise Man saith of Wisdom so let me say of God Get God get Christ God is the principal thing therefore get him and withal thy gettings get an Interest in Christ 6. Get your hearts possessed with an awe dread of Gods all-seeing Eye Walk with a constant fear of God upon your souls Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all day long whatever you think speak or do consider God stands by and sees and hears all he knows what thou thinkest and actest even in thy bed-chamber This consideration wrought mightily upon Davids spirit which made him express himself in this manner Whither shall I go from thy Presence whither shall I flee from thy Spirit there is not a thought in thy heart nor a word in thy tongue but lo he knows it altogether Psal 139. Per totum Many would be the advantages of such a temper it would keep us from many a sin we run into Prov. 16.6 By the fear of the Lord â—â—en depart from iniquity yea this is prescribed as a Remedy against all sin in general Exod. 20.20 That his fear may be before your eyes that ye sin not The reason why men do commit secret sins is Because they think no eyes sees them When Satan tempts thee saying Thou art alone the door is lockt the windows shut then say Oh but God sees me the darkness and the Light are both alike to him To this end beg of God he would maintain in your soul more of an actual sence of his Presence plead that Promise in which he saith I will put my fear in them that they may not depart frrom me Jer. 32.40 Unless God renew the fence of his Holiness and Omnipresence we shall groâ—â— atheistical and very secure 7. Serve God according to his Mind and Will neither add nor diminish in God's Worship do what he bids us all he bids us and no more Deut. 12.32 What thing soever I command you observe to do it add not to it nor
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
will bear up you hearts under and fortifie them against all Sufferings and Persecutions you may meet with in the wayes and for the sake of Christ when you shall remember the warnings Christ hath given you John 16.1 2. and the grounds of comfort you have found in the Word of God Improve your remembrance of Truths for this end So much for the Motives to stir up to the practice of this duty in the Text. And these eight last particulars may serve also to direct you what use you should make of the remembrance of what and how you have received I shall proceed to add some few Directions to direct you how and after what manner you should remember what and how you have received 1. Direction Remember what and how you have received and heard Thankfully Oh be thankful Christians that you have enjoyed the Word and Ordinances of God so long and that with so much plainness power purity and plenty Though you should never enjoy them more yet you have cause to bless God that have enjoyed the Word Sacraments Ministers so long above not onely your desiâ—â—s but also your expectations Especially be you thankful that have received Christ and Grace through these that you have received Grace before you have lost any of the means of Grace that Christ and your souls have met before you and Ministers have parted 2. Direction Remember how you have received and heard Penitentially and sorrowfully 1. Penitentially and sorrowfudly That you prized and improved Truths and Ordinances no better got no more good by them grew no more in grace under them gained no more power against corruptions or ability to do and suffer by them while you did enjoy them 2. Remember how you have received sorrowfully if you have lost or should lose any of your opportunities When the Wayes of Sion mourn sure the Sons of Sion should mourn You should be sorrowful for the Solemn Assemblies the reproach of them should be a burden unto Christians You should remember your Gospel-enjoyments with tears as those Psal 137.1 2. even weep when you remember Sion As the Psalmist Psal 42.3 Chrstians in such a case should bewail the loss of Ordinances and of so many of God's Ministers 3. Christians should especially remember Gospel mercies Penitentially in the want of them when and that they by their sins have helped to sin them away by their unfruitful and unworthy walking Know Christians they are the sinnes of Ministers and People that stop the mouths of Ministers and deprive a People at any time of any of the tokens of God's presence You should in such a case and condition with sorrow of heart say we once enjoyed comfortable dayes of the Son of man but by our deadness spiritual wantoness and unfruitfulness we have now sinned them away 3. Direction Remember what and how you have received Affectionately and Practically It is not a meer notional but an affectionate and practical remembrance of Truths received and Ordinances enjoyed that I now press to Remember them with burning and inflamed hearts So remember Truths as to practise them to love Truth and to live in Truth and Ordinances so as to live up to them so as to have pure hearts answerable to pure Ordinances the power of Religion in your conversation sutable to powerful administrations Remember the Word of Truth to direct your practice even as a Compass to sail by in a troublesom Sea a dark night and as a copy to write after So remember what you have heard as to set on the practice of duties you have been exhorted to and directed in and to avoid the sins you have been warned against So remember as to improve your remembrance of Truths to those eight Uses before specified namely as an Antidote against error in Doctrine corruption in Worship to humble for keep from sin quicken to duty make you prize love pray for long after the Word for your comfort and support under Sufferings Having given you some Directions how you should remember what and how you have received and heard I shall now close this Doctrine by adding some Means and Helps to enable you to the performance of that duty I have been exhorting you to 1. A first Means or Help to enable to remember what you have received and heard is Labour after a sincere love to the Word Ordinances and Ministers of Christ Love Truth and you will the more easily remember it You will not suddenly or easily forget that you dearly love Affection is a very great help to Memory Receive Truth in your love and affection and then you will keep it in your minds and memories A man will remember what his mind and heart is set upon A special means to keep Truths in your heads is to labour that they may be engraven in your hearts Look upon the Word and Ordinances of God as your Treasure and you will be sure then at least practically to remember it Men scarcely forget where they have laid their Treasure or their Jewels though they may where they have laid things of lesser moment Love doth and will renew and revive the object loved in the mind and in the thoughts Affection to Divine Objects is the safest Lock and Key to secure Spiritual Treasures Psal 119.97 David loved the Law and then he could do no other but make it his meditation all the day long 2. A second help or means to enable you to remember what and how you have received and heard is Application to apply and appropriate Truths and Ordinances to your own souls Labour to insure your interest in Christ the Covenant of Grace and the great Truths of the Gospel and that will much further your remembring of them You will be careful to remember what you look on as your concernments Though men may forget others business they will hardly forget their own especially if they be matters of great concernment a matter wherein their whole estate is concerned or a matter of life and death And such are the things you have received and heard in the Gospel When you hear the Word say there God spoke to my soul Men forget truths because they are apt to put them off to others and not to look on themselves as as concerned in them Oh therefore look on thy soul as concerned in what thou hast heard and received and this will help thee to remember it 3. A third means to help you to remember what you have received and heard is Serious and frequent meditation and contemplation on what you have heard This is a great help to memory Divine meditation fixes Truths in the head and fastens them in the heart Luke 2.19 she kept those things because she pondered them Be therefore much in meditation 4. A fourth means to further your remembrance of what you have received and heard is Holy conference This Moses directs to as a means to keep the things of God in the heart Deut. 6.6 7 8 9. This
believing hungry souls sake that are to be found in this place God may provide you in his due time with some such Teachers as may give you some wholsome food and not feed you with stones instead of bread For some such I doubt not will be found if God shall vouchsafe to you the mercy of a faithful Minister Though I dare not advise you actively to join in any thing that is in it self or in your judgement evil till you be satisfied about it yet I must advise you to take heed of separation from the Church or from what is good and God's own Ordinance If sound Truth be powerfully preached make use of and improve that though you cannot approve every thing the Minister doth I the rather add this because there are many that if Ministers do but mention the loss of Ministers are ready presently to accuse them of monopolizing all Religion to themselves and to their party But far be this from me and others I well know while the best of men are on earth there is likely to be variety of apprehensions and some men of sound judgements in the main of holy lives may satisfie themselves in the lawfulness of some things which others judge sinful And if God send such to you though I do not bid you approve their practice or justifie what they do yet bless God for them and improve their gifts and graces And yet at the same time you have just cause to bewail the laying aside of so many hundreds of Ministers Had so many hundreds of Ministers dyed a natural death in one day you would have looked upon it as a great judgement And sure it is no less when so many shall dye a civil death 2. A second means to enable you to hold fast what you have received is To be much in conference in considering one the other to provoke to love and to good works As this is a help to remembring so also to holding fast what you have received Heb. 10.23 24 25. 3. Hold fast the Word and Ordinances by prayer that God would continue them and that he would keep them in your minds and hearts 4. Be sure you hold fast God and Christ by faith It is God that vouchsafeth all these to you If the streams should fail be sure you hold fast the Fountain and you will be and do well enough 5. The fifth and last Counsel and Direction Christ gives to this languishing Church is To Repent Whence observe Doct. That Repentance is a soveraign means to repair decayed Religion and Godliness in a Church and in the souls of men Repentance is the souls Physick that purgeth out ill humors heals the souls distempers and restores it to a healthful constitution I intend not to handle this but to turn it into an Exhortation Let me leave this Counsel and Exhortation with all of you this day as that which probably may be the last and I am sure is the best Counsel I can give Oh Repent Repent both sinners and Saints Repent thou Drunkard Swearer Sabbath-breaker Unclean person thou Opposer of Godliness or what ever else thy sin be Remember thou hast been called on to repent this day O repent while it is called to day before the things that belong to your peace be hid from your eyes Repent even all both bad and good of those sins that have brought these Judgments upon us which this day we lie under More particularly 1. Repent of that Opposition against the Gospel and against the Ministers and Ordinances of Christ that any of you have been or aâ—e guilty of For this sin provokes God to take away Gospel-Mercies from a People 'T is true indeed that we may say and bless God for it that for the time we have laboured among you we have met with as little of this as any have done in a place of this bigness Yet some there have been that have been guilty of this though not many and they may have time enough to repent the hastning of their own calamities Repent of this sin Consider what God saith of such 2 Chron. 36.16 2. Repent of your Unthankfulness for the Gospel Repent of your not enough prizing Ordinances of your too much loathing or at least even by the best too little loving Spiritual Manna 3. Repent of your Barrenness and Unfruitfulness under and too little improvement of the Word Sacraments and Sabbaths you have enjoyed Bewail your sin that you have got no more good by all these that you have laid up no more in your years of plenty against years of scarcity 4. Repent of that too much Wantonness in Opinion and Practice that hath been to be found among Professors under choicest Gospel-enjoyments that you have played by the light and with the bread that God hath vouchsafed to you and not wrought by the one or fed heartily upon the other which may justly provoke God to put out your light and take away your bread 5. Repent of your decayes in Religion and Grace for which God threatens to remove the Candlestick from a Church and people Rev. 2.4 5. 6. Lastly Repent of that Deadness and Formality in Religion and in the Worship of God which you see to be in others but most of all of that you find and feel to be in your own hearts For for these and such like Sins it is that God comes as a thief on Churches or Persons And to stir you up to repent Consider First If you do not Repent God will come as a thief on you even suddenly unexpectedly when you least think of it and that to take away your Treasure your most Precious things which are so in themselves and should be so in your esteem even his Word Sacraments Sabbaths Ministers and all the tokens of his Gracious presence This will God do if you do not repent but remain hard-hearted and formal still contenting your selves with a name to live 2. Consider If you do repent of the evil you have done against God God may yea you have ground to hope he wil repent of the evil he is doing unto you He can find out ways agreeable to his Word and Will to continue or restore Ministers to People and People to Ministers He may yet return and leave a blessing behind Him O therefore Repent let us all set upon this work of Repentance And now Beloved I have finished what I at this time intended to speak upon this Text and probably with that my Testimony in publick among you Let me beseech you seriously to consider and set upon the practise of the Duties I have in the Name of the Lord from this Scripture exhorted you to Beloved It is no small grief and trouble to my self and Fellow-labourer to part with you It was in our hearts to have lived and died with you and among you if God had seen it fit But the will of the Lord be done We must acknowledge to the glory of God and â—our just
modesty by the woful experience of his false heart answers not to the degree of love but only that he loved Christ 4. It is possible that many Christians may hate Christ as much as we doâ— the memory of those Jews that crucified him albeit we be strongly perswaded that if we were called to formal trial we would rather dye than openly deny him or his Gospel Do we from our hearts detest the mention of Annas Caiaphas Judas and that rabble which conspired the death of the Lord of life In like manner did those Jews abhor the memory of Korah Dathan Abiram and the rest of those that rebelled against Moses Do our spirits rise in indignation against them that stoned Stephen persecuted the Apostles forbiding them to Preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved 1 Thes 2.16 With no less displeasure were they moved against the memory of Ahab and Jezebel and those though their own Princes who slew the Lord's Prophets Matt. 23.30 If we had been in the dayes of our Fathers c. The name of Abraham they had in high esteem he being the prime person of their Progenitors with whom God Almighty made that glorious Covenant wherein they had the priviledges of the First-Born The memory of Moses was amongst them very precious with whom God was pleased to talk face to face who received the lively Oracles to give unto them Acts 7.38 To have upbraided the softest spirit in that Rebellious people with treachery or disloyalty against the Messias when he should be revealed would as much have moved his choler as to tell some forward professor amongst us he would betray his Lord were he now on the earth for half the money that Judas did yet these men brake first in their love to Abraham so our Saviour telleth them John 8.39 then in their fidelity to Moses John 5.45 46. and the Prophets Matt. 23.35 No marvel then if they took offence at our Saviours life his carriage and conversation amongst them and afforded him such entertainment as they did Let not then Hypocrisie deceive us by suggesting these or the like suppositions they are the words of Dr. Jackson if we should be urged by the Turk or Jew to deny him we would sooner dy the death he did then do it or were he present in person to exhort us to such duties as his Messengers enjoyn us we should sure be as forward as any man living to do them these or the like imaginations do but foretoken our need of that apology and argue our inclination to use it though alas it cannot stead any in that day of tryal Lord when saw we thee naked or an hungred When in the Pulpit or preaching in our streets deterring us from evil and exhorting us unto good Much more to this purpose see in Dr. Jackson of Justifying Faith That we may not therefore deceive our selves with vain pretences of love let us try the sincerity of it and weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary Notes of sincere love to Christ. 1. The first shall be that which you have in Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Lovers have enemies and friends in common Gen. 12.3 I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee God will be a Friend to Abrahams friends an Enemy to his enemies Who love Christ unfeignedly hate sin which he hateth Rev. 2.6 Sin is evil the greatest of evils The work of the Devil which Christ came into the world purposely to destroy 1 John 3.8 If thou art a friend to sin any way of wickedness If thou love Ignorance superstition If thou love a false oath Zech. 8.17 If thou love flaggons of wine Hos 3.1 If thou delightest in scorning Prov. 1.22 if thou make a mock at sin Prov. 14.9 If thou hate knowledge despise duty scoff and scorn at Holiness which Christ commandeth thou lovest him not If thou regard iniquity in thy own heart if thou allow of it in thy children thy friends if thou plead for sin undertake the patronage and defence of it thou proclamest thy enmity and hostility to Jesus Christ But if thou hate and abhor the way of lying Psal 119.163 If thou hate every evil way Psal 119.128 in thy self first then in others as he that hates a Toad hates it most in his own bosome as saith D. Sibbs if thy hatred of it be universal against the whole kind if thy hatred be rooted irreconcilable so as there is no appeasing of it but by the crucifying and abolishing of thy hated corruptions this is right hatred of sin which argueth thy conversion to be sound and thy self an unfeigned lover of Jesus Christ Note 2. Who love Christ in sincerity love what ever hath relation to him As 1. His House and Worship there performed Saints love Communion with Christ love to be where he is The Lord loveth the gates of Zion his People love the threshold of the Sanctuary Psal 120.14 Thy servants take pleasure in her stones they favour the dust thereof Psal 26.8 Lord I have loved the habitation of thy House and the place where thy Honour dwelleth Psal 122.1 I was glad when they said Let us go up to the House of the Lord. Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem 2. Saints dearly love the Truth and Word of the Lord. As their voice is sweet to him in prayer Cant. 2.14 So his voice in his Word is sweet to them Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast Yea sweeter then honey to my mouth vers 72. The Law of thy mouth is dearer to me then thousands of Gold and Silver The very reproofs of Christ are precious to them Psal 141.5 Our love to Christ is not right if we be impatient of admonition if we cannot endure reproof for sin but swell against it it is a sign we love sin which cannot consist with unfeigned love to Christ 3. His Messengers are welcom their feet beautiful Rom. 10.14 Because they are the servants of Christ and shew us the way of savation therefore we have them in reputation Phil. 2.29 Because they are over us in the Lord and admonish us therfore we esteem them highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes 5.13 But if we repine stomach or maligne his Embassadors taxing our crimes though in sharpest terms or if we neglect to examine our hearts and consciences at their request or instance it is a sure token our perswasions of Faith and love unto him are but fancies that we are still in the gall of bitterness enemies as cruel to him as these Jews were c. Dr. Jackson 4. His Day the Lords Day Rev. 1.10 is to all sincere lovers of Christ a joyful Day a Day of delight Isa 58.13 On this Day Christ appeared to his Disciples after his Resurrection upon this Day he still appeareth to his People making neer approaches to their souls in his blessed Ordinances teaching them inlightning them comforting their hearts
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
the occasion of a Sermon that enlightened me quickened me This breach brought me to Christ acquainted me with my necessity of interest in Christ I am not of the temper of that Emperour who said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when I dye let the Earth be burned But O that my Civil Death might minister occasion of your Spiritual and Eternal Life O that this divorcing day betwixt you and me might be the day of your Espousals to Christ Dying David bespeaketh Solomon I go the way of all the Earth Keep the charge of the Lord thy God that thou mayest prosper 1 Kings 2.1 2 3 4. My loving People I am this day going the way of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus the way of tribulation I charge you keep the Lord's way as you expect any blessing and prosperity look for them only through Christ the Way the Truth and the Life I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge both quick and dead as the Apostle when his time of departure was at hand charged Timothy that ye rest not without Interest in Christ and I leave this Sermon as Joshua did the Pillar as a Memorial that I admonished and besought you to come to Christ and become his Servants O let not the Word I have spoken to keep my self pure from your blood condemn you in the day of Christ You cannot plead We were not bidden to the Wedding-Feast we were not called to Christ No if you be found out of Christ at that great day how will it torture you to consider How have we hated Instruction and have not obeyed the voice of our Teachers In vain may you wish O that we had the day of Grace once again Domine cur non modo c. said Augustine at his conversion Lord why not now an end of my filthiness So say I to you Why not now a parting with sin and closing with Christ Take these Considerations or Motives 1. The Lord Christ calleth you whilst we are testifying these things to you Whilst Noah was preparing the Ark Christ was preaching See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh from Heaven 2. Others who have had as great hindrances as you have followed Christ at his Call James and John Mat. 4 22. left the ship and their father immediatly and followed Christ neither enjoyments not imployments nor relations could hinder them Zacheus a rich man of low stature in a great press yea of a wicked Sect a Publican great obstacles yet he breaketh through all he runs and climeth to see Jesus If you come not to Christ you will be inexcusable 3. Let the Loveliness of Christ draw you he is the Rose of Sharon the Lilly of the Valley the bright and morning Star the Sun of Righteousness chiefest among ten thousands and altogether lovely O let his Fulness and Perfections win your hearts and attract your affections 4. Let the Love of Christ constrain you his condescending and dying for you to save you from everlasting death Will not such bonds of Love hold you 5. The Lord taketh exact notice how long your Teachers are labouring with you what means you have and what fruit appeareth These three years have I come seeking fruit Luke 13.7 6. You must shortly appear before the Judge to give account how you have profited by all the Sermons and Lectures you have heard c. 7. Now is the Ax laid at your roots Judgment begining at the house of God your Teachers ready to be removed into corners possibly you may go from Sea to Sea and not find that refreshing food for your souls nor those advantages which you have had Now therefore what mean you O sleepers are you set on fire round about and not lay it to heart Let the time past of your life suffice you to have been servants of sin It is high time for you to awake out of sleep and to follow Christ 8. If you will not come this day what if the Lord should write you Christless and swear in his wrath You shall never enter into his Rest nor tast of his Supper saying I would have purged you and ye were not purged never be purged dye in your sins he that is filthy let him be filthy still 9. Christ is willing to be yours if you will be his he will not reject you if you come you have as fair Encouragement to come as ever any had 10. They are very fair terms propounded Is it not fit you serve him if you expect him to save you that you obey him if you hope for his Salvation Had he bidden you do some great thing should you not have done it how much more when he requireth nothing but what is your reasonable service befitting you as his Creatures They are fair terms Repent and be conuerted that your sins may be blotted out Come to me and find rest Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved Be faithful unto death and obtain the Crown of Life 11. And lastly Let your necessity drive you to Christ Is there but one Ark in the world to save you from drowning but one City of refuge to keep off Vengance from you O hie thither apace Is there but one day-Star to shine into your hearts but one Son of Righteousness with Healing under his wings but one Sacrifice for sin accepted But one Mediator betwixt God and Man the Man Christ Jesus O get interest in Him Oh! why do any of you linger and not hasten to this Zoar when Fire and Brimstone are so nigh so certain to all that reject Christ Oh! why do you draw back when drawing back is unto Perdition Know my Brethren these things as much concern you as ever any souls in the world what need have you of Christ to be your Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption without Him you are cursed captivated and condemned John 3.18.36 without Christ ye are deaf and dead poor and polluted and have no title to Heaven to the Promises nor any thing but sin and its wages Death Nay if you obey not whilest Christ calleth Come unto me you must with honour hear that other voice Depart ye cursed Those mine enemies that would not that I should rule over them bring forth and slay them before me Let me hint to you on what terms you must be in your coming to Christ 1. You must be divorced from your sins make sure you take off the heads of your dearest lusts 2. Disclaim all other Saviours besides Christ renounce confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 rest not in your outward priviledges nor performances but when you have done all you can say We are unprofitable servants 3. Rest not in a bare notion of Christ take heed lest you sit down with Fancy instead of Faith 4. Take a whole Christ Christ to rule you to teach to sanctifie you as well as save you 5. Give your selves wholly to Christ without reserve give him your ear open to his
and peace and plenty Zech. 3.8 9 10. The whole 72 Psalm sets out Christ's Blessings Would you have a Land rid of Idolatry and Heresie Zech. 13.2 After the Promise of Christ as a Fountain open the Lord engageth the names of Idols shall be forgotten and the false Prophet shall pass out of the Land Would you have blessings on a Congregatition Good Teachers and all their abilities and success are from Christ Eccles 12.11 Ephes 4.11.12 He hath a Blessing for the habitation of the Just Prov. 3.33 Riches and Honour are his Prov. 8.18 All fresh Springs are in him He hath plenty of spiritual Blessings being the store-house of his Church where it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell From him flow Acceptance Ephes 1.6 Justification and Pardon Mat. 9.6 1 Cor. 6.11 Sanctification Acts 3.26 Illumination Col. 2.2 All the Treasures of Knowledge are hid in Him and He openeth the eyes of the Blind He is the Author and Finisher of Faith full of Grace by Him we have Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 These are rich Blessings Moreover through Christ we have interest in the Promises 2 Cor. 1.20 and right to all our Comforts and Priviledges 1 Cor. 3.22 23. All are yours and ye are Christ's Briefly Through Christ you have Everlasting Blessedness Heb. 5.9 Rejoyce then in Christ Jesus O ye Upright ye are the blessed of the Lord who went to Heaven blessing Read over your Charter Priviledges through Christ what is there wanting that heart could wish for your selves your Children this life or a better Yet consider further with me Christ went to Heaven blessing and Acts 1.11 In like manner will he come again How will Christ do you think bless his People at his second Coming What a joyful meeting will there be of the Lamb and his Spouse decked and adorned with Graces how will he welcome his Bride when he cometh again to receive her to abide with him who left her whilest full of spots and wrinkles so kindly he then took a few apart and blessed them but then at his second Coming Gather my Saints together Earth and Sea must give up their dead and never a Saint be lost but raised at the last day Christ blesseth Believers at death receiving their souls making their bodies rest in hope but at His appearing he will bless them with a glorious Resurrection making their vile bodies like his glorious Body Phil. 3.20 Saints bodies shall then be glorious spiritual strong and incorruptible 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. No more hunger and thirst nor cold and weariness no more crying nor saying I am sick nor pain nor death Christ will set them at his Right hand and bless them with a sentence of Absolution Come ye blessed of my Father Well may the afflicted Church on earth tossed with tempests cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly Oh! what a time of refreshing shall that be Act. 3.19 how shall the Saints then sing Halelujah Blessing Honour and Praise be given to the Lamb and to Him that sitteth on the Throne O joyful Day when our Lord Jesus who went to Heaven With his Hands lifted up in Blessing shall come to carry his People blessed triumphantly in Heaven Into the hands of this Lord Jesus I commit you my Dear People SERMON XI Psal 69.6 Let not them that wait on thee O Lord God of hosts be ashamed for my sake let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake O God of Israel The Psalm for the main substance of it is Davids prayer for deliverance from the grievous oppression of his cruel enemies yet it so relates to David that many passages do also respect Christ of whom David was an eminent Type so the 9th verse is applied part of it John 2.17 and the rest of it Rom. 15.3 and so may more passages in it be applied This Petition for deliverance whether you refer it to David or Christ is 1. Propounded in the beginning of the first verse Save me 2. Prosecuted and urged with divers Arguments whereof the first is drawn from the greatness of the calamity under which he lay ver 1 2. Secondly From his long waiting and earnest crying his throat dried his eyes fail ver 3. â— Thirdly From the number and nature of his enemies more than the hairs of his head and they very malicious and injurious hating him causelesly forcing him to unjust restitution Under which also is couched a 4th Argument viz. his own innocency as to the matter wherof he was accused and for which he was hated and persecuted ver 4. Notwithstanding which innocency of his as to the particulars wherewith he was charged by men â—e yet justifies God in permitting these evils to befal him for this I take to be part of the sense of the 5th vers O God thou knowest my foolishness and therefore I cannot justifie my self before thee nor accuse thee of injustice for permitting it to be thus with me Though the words may seem also to look another way viz. to be Davids appeal to God concerning his innocency in those particulars q. d. Thou Lord who knowest my foolishness from whom my sins are not hid knowest my innocency in the things whereof I am accused By the way take this Note Obs When men oppress and pesecute most unjustly yet there is cause to justify God in suffering it to be so God's Justice is executed upon us by their injustice if men falsly accuse us yet God can truly charge us When Job had to deal with men he will maintain his integrity against their accusations chap. 27.4 5 6. but when he hath to deal with God he acknowledgeth his sin will not stand upon his own justification he will not plead but supplicate chap. 9. throughout The Prophet Jeremiah grants the conclusion chap. 12.1 though he defiers to debate with God about the prosperity of the wicked and about God's permitting them to oppress and trample upon his People If any of God's People think they have hard measure from men that they are wrongfully and injuriously handled as to some particular yet let them eye God and confider their carriage towards him and they shall find cause enough to say as Ezra 9.13 Thou hast punished us lesse than our iniquities deserve It may seem hard that the poor Messengers of Christ who desired nothing more but libery to speak to fouls that they might be saved and have daily bread should be deprived of this liberty livelyhood upon such ground as were not necessary to be imposed by others of which themselves cannot submit to without losing the peace of their conscience and credit of their Ministry yet who so innocent that he cannot see reason enough to justifie God alas there is so much unfaithfulness luke-warmness negligence laziness and a thousand other miscarriages to be found in us as may abundantly justifie God in this dispensation though he seem to spit in our faces and to lay us aside as a vessel wherein there
mother sent into Egypt Mat. 2.14 He withdrew when the Pharisees held a Council to destroy him Mat. 12.13 14. He fled from the Tyranny of Herod when he had cut off John Baptists head Mat. 14.12 13. He hid himself when the Jews would have stoned him John 8.59 and conveyed himself out of the multitude when they would have cast him down an hill and broke his neck What shall I say concerning Chrysostom Cyprian Athanasius and other learned and renowned Fathers of the Church who were often banished and removed from their People Again we reade in Rev. 11.7 8. that before Antichrist shall fall he shall make war against the two VVitnesses By Witnesses some understand Magistrates and Ministers Magistrates are God's Representatives amongst men Psal 82.6 Witnesses and Demonstrations of God's Soveraignty in ruling in punishing the wicked in defending and rewarding the Good and Virtuous Ministers are God's Witness to declare assert plead and maintain God's Cause and Interest his stupendious Work and glorious Attributes in Mans Redemption Some by Witnesses understand Ministers only and against these the Beast shall make war and by a powerful prevailing of his interest and of a prophane and corrupt party shall slay them slay them not in their Persons but in their Offices it is not a natural but a civil death a routing them from their Offices and suspending them from the execution of their duties whether Magistrates Ministers or both The ground and reasons why I take the killing of the Witnesses to be a civil not a natural death is in the word of verse 9. And they of all People Kindreds and Tongues and Nations shall see their dead bodies three dayes and an half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves Now it is barbarous inhumanity and cruelty to bury men alive to put them quick into the grave and if they were naturally dead it would be undecent loathsome and unnatural to keep them above ground exposing them to every visitant and spectator and to the tearing and devouring ravenousness of birds and beasts of prey Not to suffer them to be put in graves if naturally dead is contrary to the instinct of nature for of those numberless number of birds in the air we may suppose all that are dead are not killed but many thousands dye naturally by reason of age And yet of those many thousands we find very few or none at all because nature hath taught them when the time of death draws night to provide themselves graves by creeping into hollow trees or holes of the ground or some courteous bird covers them with leaves Further these Nations and Kindreds and People and Tongues that saw their dead bodies were friends Pious and Religions persons that cordialy owned loved and affected them and the more love and affection the greater care of a decent and commendable interment But if you say they might be enemies that out of malice to expose them unto greater shame and contempt would not suffer them to be buried it cannot be because it is contrary to the rules of Policy for their dead bodies lying three dayes and an half understand three Prophetical daies and an half that is three years and an half unburied would infect the air and so produce hurtful and destructive diseases so that self-preservation would engage them to inter them if they were naturally dead And in the 11. verse after the daies of their death were accomplished They heard a great voice from Heaven saying Come up hither so that if they were naturally dead this must be a corporal resurrection a resurrection of the bodies slain and before the great and general Resurrection at the last Day which is contrary to the Scriptures which mention but one general Resurrection of the body and impertinent to this place where there is no mention made of the Day of Judgment nor of any of the transactions of that Day And by a voice from Heaven in that place verse 11. I understand with submission to more deep learned and grave judgments the Supream Authority of a Nation that by enacted Laws shall give liberty and Authority to the slain Witnesses to re-assume the publick exercise of their Ministry and Magistracy of which they were before deprived so then I conclude from the rules of decency from the instinct of nature the respective and tender care of love and affection from the Rules and Reasons of Policy from the harmony of Scriptures from the barbarousness of burying persons alive that it is not a natural but a civil death slain in their Offices not in their Persons Now the place where their dead bodies shall be slain and lye unburied is said In the streets of the great City called Sodom and Egypt by the City is meant Rome compared to Sodom for Uncleaness and Whoredom to Egypt for Idolatry and Cruelty against God's People By the Streets of the great City you are not to understand it litteraly and locally of the streets of Rome but of several Nations and Kingdome that did belong to Antichrist that were under the Papal Power and parts of his Dominion as streets are parts and appurtenances of a City For the words in verse 9. They of the People and Kindreds and Tongues and Nations should see their dead bodies seem to me to imply and intimate the several Nations and Kingdoms where they should be slain which Kingdoms having shaked off the Romish Antichristian Iron yoak and bondage should enjoy the pure and powâ—â—ful preaching of the Word and administration of Sacraments in some comfortable manner and measure by a constant succession of pious painful and learned Ministers whereby those Nations and Kingdoms should be much enlightened but before the number of Antichrist be run up and his period accomplished Rev. 13.18 these Nations called the streets of the great City shall suffer an Eclipse in their Ministers they should be laid aside as dead men and become useless in their publick exercises of their Ministry And during the space of their civil death they shall have the warm hearts and affections of the People they will not suffer them to be put into graves alive and buried quick but still own them as Ministers desire long pray for their restoration and instalment into their Offices and Places again Thus amongst many Reasons I have given you two why Ministers may not alwayes expect a continued residence amongst and ministration to their People First because of barrenness under means Secondly because of these afflictions that light upon the Church and her Lights Guides and Watchmen Now for Application First to Ministers Secondly to People A Word to both 1. Ministers should labour to do all the good they can to and among the People to whom they are Ministers From us from us our People expect relief and how should we endeavor to administer all the helps advantages we can for their Salvation in removing of Scandals in healing Divisions in confuting Heresies to beat down wickedness
them and defend them from other sufferings and restore them again to their particular Congregations And pray one for another and for the Peace of Jerusalem Live and depend by Faith upon an invisible God in the midst of visible difficulties and dangers deriving supplies of comfort and strength of Grace from him Be frequent in reading the Word and understand it it is your Way your Light your Weapon and your Food When you go from Church do not as too many do lay up their Bibles on shelves in coffers and never look on them more until the next Lord's day It is the VVord of God written in your hearts and dwelling richly in you in all wisdom not the word on your shelves in your coffers that must guide you defend you and feed you You are careful to lay up your temporal food safely and cleanly O cast not this precious food of your souls at your heels as you do the crusts you give your dogs but begin and end the day with reading understanding treasuring up some part of the VVord and live according to it sanctifie God's Sabbaths according to it govern your Families according to it and manage all your negotiations with men according to it And forget not those things I have lately at large pressed you to from that place Col. 2.6 Remember them when you see me not that as you have received Christ so walk in him For hereby you will abundantly adorn your Profession bring credit to the Gospel and honour to Jesus Christ hereby you shall silence and ashame false Accusers rejoyce the hearts of God's People promote your own Peace and Salvation justifie the Doctrine preached to you from all aspersions and be a Crown of Glory and rejoycing to your dying Minister both now and in the Day of Christ Which that you may be directed and enabled to do and be I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace that is able to build you up and give you an Inheritance among them that are sanctified SERMON XV. 2 Pet. 1.15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things alwayes in remembrance THe occasion of these words and of the Epistle is this The Apostle knowing by Revelation as is probable that he was ere long to dye ver 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off this Tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me and fearing that many of those to whom he wrote were negligent enough in minding and perfecting the business of their souls Salvation he therefore labours before his departing to put them afresh in remembrance of their duty ver 12 13. Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you in remembrance of these things though ye know them c. as if he had said I know indeed that you who are the called of God know these things in part already which I am puting you in mind of but there are some considerable reasons why I would reinforce them again upon you viz. 1. From the nature of the things themselves they are of great concernment even such as relate to your Salvation ver 10.11 2. From the proximity or nearness of his Death ver 14. Knowing that shortly I must put off the Tabernacle of this body q. d. I am a dying man ere long I shall be taken from you and therefore I would leave this last Legacy with you I would leave something with you which you might remember when I am dead and gone in the words of the Text Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my departure to have these things in remembrance In the Original they run after this manner I will endeavour that ye may alwayes have to make a remembrance of these things after my departure Others reade it thus I will therefore endeavour that ye may be able to have these things in remembrance c. Therefore that is Seeing I am given to understand that I must within a few days be taken from amongst you translating the adversative Particle by an illative therefore I shall leave this Epistle amongst you as upon record that may ever put you in mind of these things when I am dead Hence observe Observ 1. That it is not unmeet for Ministers to inculcate and press the same Truths upon their People Our memories are brittle affections are ready to grow dull and we fall into security in an insensible manner which drowneth the force of former Truths Obs 2. It is the property of good Pastors to take care of their Flocks for the future Faithful Ministers should not only take care for their people whilst they are present with them but after they are gone from them they being spiritual Fathers should lay up for their Children When Christ was to leave his Disciples he leaves some Legacies behind him he tells them what they might expect when he was gone from them and how they should behave themselves in a sinful and troublesome world John 16.1 33. When Paul was to leave Ephesus he sends for the Elders and tells them how they should demean themselves amongst the Flock over which God had made them Overseers We see how Paul was not only a good Shepherd himself but he also provides sutable Successors at least to direct encourage and quicken those that were to succeed him to the same diligence and faithfulness among the People as he himself had exprest Acts 20.28 30 31. When Moses was to be absent but forty dayes from the charge that was committed to him he takes care for the People by leaving Aaron and Hur behind him that they might direct and govern them whilst he himself was in the Mount Exod. 24.14 After these examples I have made it my study and shall make it my business at this time to communicate some spiritual Gifts to you And whereas he said This is the third time I am coming to you Rom. 1.11 I fear I may say this is the last time I am coming unto you I cannot say with Paul ver 14. that our Lord Jesus hath shewed me I must shortly put off my Tabernacle though that may be for ought I know but this I may say that providence seems to point out unto me that the time of my departure from you in particular is at hand Gen. 49.1 We reade that Jacob being to dye calls his sons together to give them some good instructions and to tell them of things to come after his death Now Brethren there is a Law extent which lookes upon many of my Brethren as well as my self who were and are taking pains in the Lords Vineyard as civilly dead henceforth we shall not be in a capacity to preach to you in publick many laborious Ministers after this day are likely to be dead even whilst they are alive if not as long as they live And before I proceed I would that you were freed from mistakes Do not think we lay by our publick Work without cause I would
when the whole harvest was gathered in Oh let God have the first and last of every day How shall your Families be distinguished from your Stables if you do not sanctifie them by Prayer The Creatures which God hath given us for our use they eat drink work and sleep now if we call not upon God daily what difference would there be betwixt our houses and our stables And so enter into your Closets Mat. 6.6 and pray unto your Father which seeth in secret Have you no secret sin to bewail no secret request to put up no particular Mercy to praise God for which you would not have others to know of Is it not a rare Priviledge that we may have liberty to prefer our private Petitions to the King of Heaven every day that we may confess our faults beg pardon ease our heavy hearts by laying them open before that God who will neither upbraid us for our weaknesses wants nor sins Brethren be constant spiritual and fervent in Prayer and it will prove like Sauls Sword and Jonathans Bow which never returned empty Do not hearken to the excuses of flesh and blood which are many but attend to God's Command the Example of Christ and his followers which will oblige you in point of duty and to the Sweetness and Benefit of it which may encourage and allure you 11. Think much of and live in preparation for death walk now and then amongst the Tombs live every day as dying men Get into such a Condition as would fit us for Death every hour Dye daily Deut. 32.29 Oh that you were so wise as to consider your latter â—â—d Dying thoughts would not be a little advantageous they would keep from sin What sin this hour when thou mayest die next they would keep us from doting upon the world from pride of life Why art thou proud of hair and beauty when both shall be turned into dust ere long Shall you and I idolize a coloured piece of clay who though now it proudly and haughtily treads upon the Earth within a few dayes shall it self be trodden upon as mire and dirt O get to be in the number of those servants whom Christ when he comes shall find so being and so doing The Prophet said to Hezekiah Set thy house in order I say to you Set your souls in order against the hour of dying The want of this is of ill consequence for hence it is that men go on securely in sin live as Atheists without God idolize the World and never look to the state of their souls 12. Prepare for Judgement make your Answer ready Put the case before-hand to your selves say with thy self I must ere long appear before the Tribunal of God what can I answer what can I say for my self at that day Who is it that will be Advocate or have I an Advocate that will speak for me how shall I come off shall I stand or shall I fall what will be my sentence Brethren be like him who thought he heard this voice alwayes sounding in his ears Arise ye Dead and come to Judgment The Apostle Paul thought seriously of it and lived as one to be judged 2 Cor. 5.10 For we must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ to give an account of the things done in the body whether they be good or evil 13. Be often thinking of Eternal Death Walk now and then upon the brinks of Hell get your hearts affected with the reality and greatness of Hells torments Meditate with thy self what Hell is say with thy self Can I endure to lose the smiles of God how shall I endure the frowns of an infinite Majesty If God's terrors have distracted his Friends on Earth what will they do with me if I go to Hell Think what a torment it wil be to be shut out of the company of Saints to see Abraham Isaac Jacob Peter Paul and the rest of the Disciples and Servants of God in all ages in the Kingdom of Heaven and you your selves shut out and what a vexation it will be to be amongst none but damned wretches How canst thou endure to hear the Saints singing praises in Heaven and thou thy self roaring in the infernal Pit Often think of the Worm of Conscience How shall we endure to have Conscience alwayes setting our sins before our eyes It 's a burden now to lie under the gallings of an accusing Conscience O consider that Conscience will continually gnaw and fret in Hell It will be alwayes telling thee of thy sins the place where the time when the persons with whom and all the circumstances that aggravate thy sin Such a time remember thou wast overcharged with Drunkenness such a time thou blasphemedst the holy Name of God with Oaths and Curses Such a time in such a chamber with such a person thou wast wanton and impure Remember what means of Grace thou hast enjoyed what and how many Sermons thou didst or mightst have heard how many able Ministers lived and dyed in thy time Remember will Conscience say what Instruction Reproof and Corrections thou hadst from thy Parents Tutors and Covernours yea remember thou wast not far from the Kingdom of Heaven thou didst fully expect to have gone thither and now thou must be tormented in this flame Again think what a misery it will be to be there where is no mercy where there will be pain without ease sorrow without any joy despair without any hope eternity without end O Eternity Eternity Eternity Often to think of eternal death is the way to escape it If you would not descend into Hell really descend into it mentally If you would not be in Hell by possession be much in it now by meditation This would make us jealous and put us upon trying the state of our souls lest it should unexpectedly be our portion to be amongst the Devil and his Angels for ever 14. Begin betime to be Religious Put not off Holiness Righteousness and Sobriety till old age 1 Kings 18.12 It 's written in commendation of Obadiah that he feared the Lord from his youth It 's King Josiah's honour that while he was yet young he began to seek the Lord God of his fathers 2 Chron. 34.2 3. It 's Mnasons honour that he was an old Disciple Acts 21.16 he began betime and continued till old age Timothy knew the Scriptures from his youth Consider we know not whether old age will be granted us to be religious in be religious whilst ye may The sooner we set upon Piety the sooner we shall honour God and the better God will take it He will remember the kindness of religious youth And by minding Religion soon we may be secured from many sins which others run into and so be secured from the smart and torment of Conscience which old sinners find at Conversion 1. The longer we continue in sin and profaness the more sorrow contrition and humiliation we are like to meet with if ever we be changed Old Oaks must
be broken they will not bend Rough Trees must be hewn with Axes so old Sinners must find rough dealing at conversion If you would come home to God comfortably come quickly and early The sooner you begin the more sweetness you will find All God's Wayes afford Pleasantness and in all his Paths there is Peace 2. Having delivered the Counsels that concern you all in general let me now direct my speech to the Regenerate in particular To you whom the Word of God hath been the Power of God to Salvation I would commed these things that they may be kept in remembrance II. COUNSEL 1. Be very thankful for any good which God hath wrought in you by the means of Grace God is takeing away in some measure the pure and powerful dispensation of his Ordinances and this is matter of sorrow O but God hath made them advantagious to your souls already and this is matter of praise 1 Thess 1.3 5. Give thanks to God seeing the Gospel hath come to you not in word only but in the power of the holy Ghost You then that can experience a new Light in your minds Conviction in your conscience a change in your wills and holiness in your affections and union with Christ give God the praise It had been a misery indeed if God had taken us away from Ministers or Ministers from us before we had got any good by them Those amongst you that are ignorant hard-hearted unbelieving sinners have reason to be grieved at the very heart The Sun of the Gospel is eclipsing and you are not yet enlightened by it the fire is putting out before your souls be warmed It is a sad sign those are in the number of the sons of perdition from whom the clear Gospel is hid 2 Cor. 4.3 If the Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost The Child unborn cannot midwife it self into the world when the Mother is dead but there is hopes that an Infant that is born may be nourished up even unto a perfect man Why Brethren unconverted persons are unborn and if Faithful Ministers and Ordinances should be altogether taken from you both Father and Mother dye and then who shall make you partakers of the new Birth But now you that are born again you will be able in some measure to feed your selves the meat is before you in the Scriptures and the holy Ghost will help you to feed on it If there should not be a succession of Pastors amongst you your condition may be sad but it is safe if you should dye without the continuance of Ordinances having a part in the Resurrection from sin to a new Nature and holiness of life the second Death shall have no dominion over you If you live longer you have former Experiences former Truths former Promises old Store to live on You have the granary of Experiences and of the Scriptures to maintain you in spiritual Life if there should come a Famine of publick Ordinances God hath not dealt with every soul as with yours Two or three of you have lived under the same Ministry have sit and heard together in the same Seats yea one of you is taken the other is left Say then with a thankful heart as Christ Why hast thou revealed thy self to me and not to others Even so Father because it seems good in thy sight Mat. 11.25 2. Walk humbly before God in a sence of your insufficency to good and proness to evil Mic. 6.8 walk humbly with thy God Never walk securely ever be jealous of your deceitful hearts Take heed of falling into sin though at present you stand Ever live under the sence of that truth that the heart is deceitful above all things and madly wicked What Master that knows the deceitfulness of a Servant would trust him too far and so who that hath had frequent experience of the falsness of his heart would put too much confidence in it for the future Ever keep low thoughts of your selves live continually in dependance upon God for strength to perform duties to subdue corruptions resist temptations and to bear afflictions Paul prayed thrice i. e. often when he had a thorn in the flesh a messenger of Satan to buffet him 3. Beware of every sin have and express godly sorrow for it break off every iniquity by repentance Beware especially of and keep your selves from your iniquities Psal 18.23 Cut off your right hand and pluck out your right-eye-sins Mat. 5.29 God hates it Jer. 44.4 it grieves him They rebelled and vexed his Spirit it will grieve you also 1 Pet. 2.11 and wars against the soul i. e. against the Peace and Tranquilty of your minds every sin contracts guilt and guilt creats trouble It 's impossible a Christian should walk comfortably whilst he showes any liking to any sin Sin doth especially prejudice us as to Prayer both before in and after Prayer it shuts our eyes that we dare not lift them up to Heaven O my God I blush and am ashamed to look up Ezra 9.6 It stops our mouths that we cannot speak and manacles our hands and contracts our hearts that we cannot lift them up to God If we would lift up hearts and hands in Prayer without doubting we must lift up holy hands 1 Tim. 2.8 Sin makes a Christian act like an enemy towards God and to think God is justly turned to be his enemy and who can with any heart ask any favour from an enemy If we would draw near to God in full assurance of Faith we must come with an heart sprinkled from a guilty and defiled conscience and our lives washed with pure water Heb. 10.22 Again the least sin smiled upon puts us back in our Christian course it weakens Faith takes away our Courage disheartens us from doing our very duty How canst thou reprove another with courage saith conscience when thou thy self knowest thou standest in need of reproof well than exercise daily repentance for daily failings sue out a pardon every day and get one Seal more added to your Pardon daily you have as much need to pray for daily forgiveness as for daily bread 4. Grow in Grace 2 Pet. 3.18 Make progress in holiness take heed of decaying beware lest God's Ministers lose the things they have wrought upon and amongst you 2 Ep. John ver 8. Increase your knowledge Follow on to know the Lord let your repentings for sin be kindled go from one degree of Faith to another let your love to God abound more and more The more Grace you have the more you will glorify God the fitter you will be to do him service the more able to bear affliction a little Grace is not enough to bear great Trials and the more Grace the fitter for Glory yea and very probably the more Glory To this end continue in the use of those means that uphold and encrease Grace Ex eisdem nutrimus ex quibus constamus Feed upon the Milk of God's Word and the
have Israel gathered to Mispah when he prayes for them 1 Sam 7.5 Gather your selves together c. Zeph. 2.1 Sanctifie a Fast Call a Solemn Assemblie Joel 2.14 Christ gives order to his Disciples to continue together embodied sending out their Supplications Acts 1.4 14. and you see the Spirit came down upon them when assembled Acts 2.1 2. The Law was given upon the day of the Assemblie Deut. 9.10 and 10.4 and 18.16 Peter was thrown into a Meeting though a private Meeting Acts 12.11 God gives his special Boons of Favour to his People in Assemblies 3. In these Solemn Assemblies it is that men are set on work The Gospel like the rising Sun it calls up men to work men cannot be at rest in their sloth where God hath his Labourers Light if it be not powerful enough to direct it will afflict if it do not awaken them it will trouble their rest The Witnesses are Tormenters where they are not Saviours but now when the light is gone then may the People keep holy-day as some render that Text Feriabitur Populus Where no Vision is Prov. 29.18 Markets will be full of persons standing idle at all hours because there is none to hire them Now should not this adde weight to such a cross as this to make it break our hearts Did the Silver-Smiths make such a cry when they thought ere long they should have no work Acts 19.25 26 28. And â—â—all the loss of Spiritual Imployments be over looked 3. In the want of Assemblies we are deprived of our most cheering refreshments This loss draws our Table empties our Cup burns up our Pastures stops our Wells dries up our fresh Springs There is a fatness in God's House There are Rivers of Pleasures Psal 36.8 David calls the Altar of God his exceeding joy Psal 43.3 4. It is in the House of Prayer that God makes his People joyful Isa 56.7 8. there God makes his People not only to eat but makes them feasts of fat things Isa 25.6 O what a Feast of fat things is the Supper of the Lord wherein we have opportunity to thrust our hands into the Side of Christ to feel what work sin hath made there and what a warm Heart he hath and full of good-will to sinners O what a want of those comfortable Innes as I may call them and refreshing baiting Places in Heavens Road that have been to us as Bethel was to Jacob All that is left when our Assemblies are gone is uncomfortable when Nebuzaradan burnt the Temple he left but it was but the poor of the Land so when God takes down his Tent amongst us there may be some Mercies left behind but they are but poor things all that is in our houses is but lean when we want the fatness of God's House all that we see is uncomfortable when we cannot see our signs they are but shadows of Mercies that remain when our signs are gone fulness of bread and scarcity of the Word hath little satisfaction in it for when the Ordinances go the satifying and sanctifying Mercies are gone brown Bread and Gospel is better fare than Dainties and no Gospel This want turns our Wine into water and our Bread into stones What is a well-furnished house without windows and light what is a ceiled house if Gods House lie waste what are garners full of all manner of store if we have not the treasure that is in earthen vessels Happy is that People whose God is the LORD Psal 144.12 13 14. Now where God is a Peoples God He will set his Sanctuary in the midst of them and his Tabernacle shall be with them as in Ezek. 37.26 27. We are as it were without God if without the Ordinances of God Ordinances are as it were the life of a Land the Land of Canaan is in an especial manner in Scripture called the Land of the living as some think in regard of the Ordinances Moller on Psal 27.13 A Land dyes when the Ordinances go the soul of a Kingdom is gone the People live as it were among the Tombs and should not this make our houses houses of mourning What a cry in Egypt when death was in every house Should not the Mourners go about the streets when the Life of our lives is gone should the Word of Life depart unlamented 4. In the want of Assemblies we are deprived of our richest Ornaments These are our Crowns Rev. 12.1 Lam. 5.16 The Crown is fallen from our head We may in this case say as Job Chap. 19.9 Thou hast stripped me of my glory and taken my Crown from off my head The Ark is called the glory of Israel and the same thing is called Glory and Assembly Isa 4.5 Good Order which is a beautiful thing will not long stay after God's Ordinances are gone Church and State like those Twins laugh and cry live and dye together Righteousness which exalts a Nation is at the threshold when Religion is out of doors Civil Assemblies will cease to be Thrones of Judgment when Solemn Assemblies cease to be Thrones of Glory The custome of England hath made the way to the Bench by the Church that they that are to give charges to men may first receive their charge from God It was at Jerusalem where the Temple was that the Thrones of Judgment were Psal 122.5 It is the Grace of God bringing Salvation that teacheth men Piety Sobriety and Righteousness What can be expected when that disappeares but impiety intemprance and unrighteousness 2 Tit. 11 12. Now cannot a Maid forget her Ornaments and can we forget ours When God hath made us naked as the margent in your Bibles renders the word Prov. 29.18 should we not put on sackcloth And lastly I may adde We with them lose our strongest Muniments The Ark was strength Psal 78.61 1 Chron. 16.11 God is terrible out of his holy Places Psal 68.35 When our Ordinances are gone we are as Sampson with his locks cut even weak as others The Christian Regiments that could joyn in Prayer that were a Church as well as a Band they were called Thundring Regiments How may it be said of Assemblies as of Zion in Psal 76.3 There brake he the Arrows of the Bow the Shield and the Sword and the Battel It was Moses hands that beat the Amalakites We may cry after the Solemn Assemblies when they are going as Elisha after Elijah My Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the Horsemen thereof There is a Defence upon Assemblies and with them that goes There are not a few places to be found that have soon tumbled into their graves after the removal of their Ministers by death as Hippo and Heidelberg c. Is the bough cutting on which we stand is our Defence departing from us and shall not we mourn Thus much of this Reason Now cast up all this together and see whether the sum that stands at the foot should not be written with tears Reas 2. Because Reproach is the
Sun of Righteousness that will make our eyes run over Complain to him of the hardness of our hearts Did I ever think my heart could have stood under such a Blow as this O I see it is not the weight of my Afflictions but the working of thine own Grace that will humble I had thought I had had more love to Ordinances than I see I have that thy Concernments had lain nearer my heart than I see they do 3. Go about this Loss cast up and compute what it comes to mark well its Aggravations tell its Circumstances dissect it and you will find it big with many sore Evils It is a whip of many cords wherewith we are whipped out of the Temple Scourge our hearts with the Considerations that offer themselves to us when we sit down to think of it These Mourners remembred Zion they were oft handling the stones of Zion calling Jerusalem to mind Mercies or Judgments in the bulk and taken up in gross do little affect us till we take them in pieces Cordials are sweetest when kept upon the tongue and Pills most bitter when chewed Think of the Nature of the Affliction and think of the Cause of it and then of the Time in which it is fallen upon us and then of the Consequents and Concomitants of it and then of that Degree of it and each of these will shew you that this sad Providence like Ezekiels Roll is written within and without with Lamentation and Mourninig and Wo. 2. As to the manner how we should mourn take it thus 1. Be sure it be for the Solemn Assemblies Not for our reproach but their reproach It may be some of us are losers as to our wordly interest in the loss of our Spiritual advantages that may help to raise the waters but take heed it be not the Head and Spring Zech. 7.3.5 There were some of the Mourners and Weepers that God chargeth as doing it to themselves Did ye mourn unto me Diana was the Crafts-mens cry but Gain was aâ— the bottom Dear respects to God is as the Salt in these Springs Self is as Poyson in them 2. Be troubled but take heed of perturbation The dregs of carnal passion will mud these waters Passions are like Barm that sets affections a working and makes them work over but then they mud the sorrow much Be as Jesus at John 11.33 the occasion of Lazarus death He was troubled or he troubled himself Perturbation raises the soul and stirs up that corruption which was as sedement at the bottom of the Glass Perturbation makes even a Moses speak unadvisedly it makes us as the Sea cast out mire and dirt makes us chide with any body as the People with Moses at Marah Exod. 15.23 In all the occasions of sorrow that you may have be sure you fall upon sin be worthy of that Place but I am worthy of such a Minister O it is a bad Sermon that is not better than the frame of my heart hath been sometimes yea many times under a very warm Ministry 3. Keep the Nether-Springs of sorrow open whilst the Upper-Springs of Ordinances those heavenly Bottles seem to be stopped or as a Fountain sealed Pangs of sorrow upon such occasions are common things but it is as a frame only that is evidencing That sorrow that is but a dayes work is not the sorrow God hath chosen Isa 58.5 margent My Tears saith David have been my meat Psal 42.3 Think of your spiritual refreshments when you sit down to meat and make it appear that we esteem the words of his mouth more than our necessary food Job 23.12 The word here in the Text notes habitual grieving If the departure of Ordinances be grievous what is their long stay Surely the loss of Ordinances is like the loss of a good Husband or a good Wife least at first It is not like that you should weep so much as you did at first but you may mourn more you may have a deeper resentment of the loss you may encrease your displicency against your selves O grave your Assemblies upon the palms of your hands let their Walls be continually before you take in all remembrances that may renew your grief Let your eye affect your hearts when you see the stones of Sion poured out at the top of any streets conclude you are upon the losing hand in Grace when you are losing your sense of this loss People cannot but be growing strange with God when such losses grow familiar with them 4. Let our sorrow put us upon the lively exercise of Grace and the more diligent use of all private Helps that may in any measure compensate this loss 1. Set upon the too much neglected duties of personnal humiliations and family humiliations Our publick losses call loud upon us for secret and private duties If ever the house of Levi weep apart and their wives apart it should be at such a time Zech. 12.12 13 14. When Israel wanted their Smiths they must then with more diligence use their Files use all sharpning whetting wayes 2. Use all occasional Meetings better When the Disciples Luke 24.17 c. were sad upon the loss of their Master what profitable and edifying discourses have they Away now with impertinances and steal a word or two of God and Heaven in our occasional meetings and turn our Civil converse into Christian communion 3. Catch at all opportunities of private communion and be not willing to let them go without a blessing It is said of the Followers of Christ Acts 1.14 They continued in Prayer and Supplication Only manage all wayes of private communion not in opposition to but in subordination to the publick and likewise pray with the publick Worship much in your eye and heart Daniel hath his window in private devotions towards the Temple opened let us have our faces Sion-ward in all our private Supplication 4. Be warming the meat you have by meditation and beg the Spirit as a remembrancer John 14.29 Chew the Cud now love your Bibles peruse other good books bewail the slenderness of your store considering your mighty wayes of trading In a word in all private duties avoid that which we are apt to condemn in publick Worship formality driness saplesness Look upon it as a mighty engagement upon us to watch against that in private and secret Worship which we think makes the publick Worship less lovely in our eyes Look upon dulness and straitness now as a double sin being against the Precept of God and against the Providence of God we have many fewer hands then we had to help on our work and should ours be slothful Our sails are many of them taken down we had need to ply our oars 5. Sorrow into Humiliation but not to Dejection David wept but withall he reasons with his soul Why art thou cast down O my soul Psal 42.4 5 11. and 43.5 Sorrow not as those that are without present staies and future hopes 1. As for present Stayes