makes any think they have time to spare Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4 5. 13. Make a careful choice of your company you cannot travell well to Heaven alone especially when you may have company Thrust not your selves into every company Eph. 5. 7. converse as much as you can with those that will help you that are warm when you are cold knowing where you are ignorant believing when you are doubtfull c. Especially for your constant companions live with those that will be a frequent help to you Masters chuse the best servants that fear God Servants chuse to live with those that will help you in the fear of God for Husbands and Wives make choice of those that will intend upon Religion take heed of being unequally yoaked and of thinking to get well to Heaven while you presume to unite your selves with those that with great advantage will hinder not help your Salvation 14. Keep a constant guard upon the Tongue especially take heed of those common sins that disgrace hath not dâ—…iven out of the world but have got some kind of credit amongst some professors namely idle talk that wastes precious time makes us unfruitful to one another backbiting especially can they put but a Religious pretence upon it or if they backbite those that differ in opinion Remember that terrible passage Pro. 18. 21. â—…Ia 1. 26. 3. 5 6. Psal. 39. 35. 28. Avoid idle talk backbiting c. Watch over your tongues and if any are by nature addicted to a laxity of tongue and multitude of words there lies a double obligation on you in point of danger and necessity above all others to keep a careful watch over your tongue you should rather speak fewer words then others and if you find your selves inclined to speak against any behind his back reprehend your selves and avoid it 15. Learn the holy skill of improving every condition that God shall cast you into learn how to live to God in every condition â—… you have skill and heart there is advantage to be got by all that prosperity may strengthen you in God encourage you in his service that adversity may wean you from the world help you to repentance raise you to God and give you more then it took away Know the danger and duty of every condition study them before they come upon you that they do not surprize you learn to know what 's the danger duty and particular temptation of every condition and in that condition you are most likely to expect a fall into prepare for affliction as the common lott of the Saints take it as no strange thing when it overtakes you know how to abound and how to want A great deal of a Christians safety and comfort lies in this to study the temptation and duty of every condition before it come that so you may have your remedy at hand and fall to your work and commit your selves to God 16. Be as conscionable and strict in the duties of your relations and dealings with men proportionably as in the duties of holinesse more directly to be performed to God make as much conscience care study diligence about being just that you wrong no man in buying or selling as you do in duties of holinesse hearing praying receiving In your trading make conscience of justice and faithfulnesse as well as in the worship of God and in your own personall behaviour in your calling be diligent not slothful in businesse c. And so in the duties of your relations Oh that Parents knew what a charge lies on them concerning the souls of their Children c. So Masters look to your servants and be as conscionable in doing your duty for their souls good and being faithful to them and compassionate over them as in your duty to God keep up family duties with life seriousnesse diligeâ—…ce and vigor the life of Religion in the world must be kept up very much in families 17. Make it your study and care to do all the good you can in the world let doing good be the principall part of your businesse think that the safest and happiest life in which you can do greatest good suffer not opportunities to slip out of your hands take them where you have them and seek where you may have them Look not only where you may get good but where you may have opportunities to do good to others every Talent must be answered for your knowledge health c. cause it as you will answer for it and know 't is one of the greatest Mercies in the world for God to give you hearts in doing good with that he hath given Heb. 13. 16. not for applause but be good Husbands for God and consider which way you may attain your ends best by what you give or do Thus be rich in good works 18. Live still as before the living God approve your hearts to him as knowing you stand or fall unto his Judgment Avoid carefully all offences unto men for the Lords sake and their conscience sake take heed of scandal and receive all the good from others you can but stick not too much on mans approbation disregard not suspitions or reproofs of Godly men but make not mans praise to be any part of your reward it is a small thing for me to be judged of men Be not much troubled at it if you cannot please all the bawlings of the malicious should not disturb a soul that is quietly housed with God that soul is not well stablished in faith that can be so disturb'd and distempered by the wrath or words of malicious men Remember God himself pleases not all the most of the world are enemies to their Maker upon the accoâ—…nt of his Holiness Justice c. and canst thou think to please all Appeal from the world and your selves unto God for the consolation of his approbation and for your felicity this will save you from hypocrisie and keep you from the temptations and vexations of the censorious world 19. Be every day as serious in your preparation for death and judgement as those that are alwayes certain that it will come and know not the moment when it will come Mat. 24. 49. Use often to think seriously before-hand what Death is what thoughts what trials death will put a man upon what temptations usually accompany our approaching death what you shall most need at such a time as that what thoughts are likeliest to possess you then what you are likeliest to wish for when you must needs die about spending your time expending your estate conversing with others c. Ask your selves What will I wish I had done or been when I come to die Think what will be most dreadful to a dying man for thus you have time to escape his judgement will it not be sad to think on a life lost in vanity drench'd in wordliness unreconciled to God or at least in utter uncertainty of his love God hath not foreshewed what will be a
highly pleased when he seeth his Children loved Keep up Religion in your Families whatever scorn or contempt is cast upon you Oh that you would labour to be of Abrahams spirit I know saith God he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Gen. 18. 19. I do not know any one better means for the keeping up of Religion in this Nation than for Masters of Families to be consciencious in the discharging of this Duty Be good in bad times be Patterns of good works to those that shall behold you Let no Reproach or Obloquy make you to abate your exact walking with God whatever you meet withall in the wayes of Holiness and a strict life say If this be to be vile I will be more vile Make Conscience of a strict observation of the Lord's day take heed of that Sacriledge of stealing away holy time of prostituting that to common and civil use which is impropriated and dedicated to the service of God Pray for and love all those that have been instrumental for your spiritual good in the work of the Ministry whatever dirt is now thrown in their Faces and though you never get more good by them Forget not to distribute to the necessities of God's people that are many of them in a low condition for this is a sacrifice of a sweet Odour and well-pleasing to him Carry your selves with all Patience and Christian Meekness towards them that wrong you Pray for them that are your Enemies and when you are reviled revile not again but commit your selves to that God which judgeth Righteously Do your Duty to Superiours and to those that are in Authority So carry your selves that it may be with you as it was with Daniel they had nothing against him saving in the matter of his God Bauk not any Duty for Suffering Chuse the greatest of Suffering before the least of Sin In a word So walk as it becometh the Gospel And finally I speak to you as the Apostle spake to them Phil. 2. 16. Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain nor laboured in vain The third Use is for comfort to all those that do cónscienciously endeavour in all things to please God the comfort lies in this you may suffer but whenever you suffer the Father will not leave you alone pleasing of God does not secure a man from suffering from men sometimes it rather exposes a man to suffer from men But now though it does not prevent suffering yet it takes away the sting and venome of suffering it makes it to be like Sampson's Lion when it was slain he found nothing but honey in the belly of it Oh! the presence of God in a time of affliction is exceeding precious it turns gall in honey thorns into roses Be not troubled into your thoughts about what you may undergo if God be with you all will be well if God comes when the cross cometh the weight of it shall never hurt you what is a prison when God is there My brethren though estate leave you relations leave you all your comforts leave you so long as God doth not leave you it will be well therefore do not fear be not dejected or discouraged Isa. 43. 1 2. Fear not O Iacâ—…b why so when thou passest through the water I will be with thee We have more reason to be afraid of prosperity with God's absence than of adversity with God's presence A good God will make every condition to be good it is not a prison but a pallace where God is they that do the things that please God whatever condition they may be brought to the Father will not leave them alone Ministers may leave you the Means of Grace and Ordinances in a great measure may leave you your creature-enjoyments and comforts may leave you but here is a God that will never leave you Oh bless his holy name Fourthly is this pleasing of God a duty of so great importance and benefit Then be tender and charitable in judging of those that do differ from you and others upon this account because they dare not displease God I may seem in this caution to aim at my self and others of my brethren in the work of our Ministry but I am not here at present to take my last farewel I hope I may have a little further opportunity of speaking to you but if not let me require this of you to pass a charitable interpretation upon our laying down the exercise of our Ministry there is a greater Judge than you must judge us all at the great Day and to this Judge we can appeal before Angels and Men that it is not this thing or that thing that puts us upon this dissent but it is conscience towards God and fear of offending him I censure none that differ from me as though they displease God but yet as to my self should I do thus and thus I should certainly violate the peace of my own conscience and offend God which I must not do no not to secure my Ministry though that either is or ought to be dearer to me than my very life and how dear it is God only knoweth Do not add affliction to affliction be not uncharitable in judging of us as if through pride faction obstinacy or devotedness to a party or which is worse then all in opposition to authority we do dissent the Judge of all hearts knows it is not so But it is meerly from those apprehensions which after prayer and the use of all means do yet continue that doing thus and thus we should displease God therefore deal charitably with us in this day of our affliction If we be mistaken I pray God to convince us if others be mistaken whether in a publick or private capacity I pray God in mercy convince them but however things go God will make good this truth to us in this work he will not leave us and our Father will not leave us alone for it is the unfained desire of our soul in all things to please God Mr. Case's Farewell Sermon REVEL 2. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove the Candlestick out of his place except thou repent CHrist here prescribes pretious physick for the healing of this languishing Church of Ephesus 'T is compounded of a threefold ingredient 1. Self-reflection Remember from whence c. 2. Holy-contrition and humiliation before the Lord Repent 3. Thorough-Reformation Do thy first works I left the last time upon the second of these namely Repentance and that which I did upon this part of Christs advice was not so much to open to you the nature of Repentance which is not so proper for this place as to give in a catalogue or list of such special sins as Christ doth expect that
to God as a thing which to touch were Sacriledge that you may be ready on all occasions in all regular and due wayes to bring out for the relief of the Poor you know objects abounding in every place and you may expect warrantable means for dispensing of what God shall put into your hearts in this matter Mr. Sclater's Farewell Sermon 1 JOHN 5. 1. â—…1 Whosoever believeth that Iesus is the Christ is born of God ' and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him Little Children keep your selves from Idols THis General Doctrine I have already delivered unto you from this Text which indeed is the marrow and substance of the whole Chapter That Gospel-believing is a Duty which they that really perform are highly priviledged by to their greatest advantageâ—… I have spoken concerning Gospel-believing and that it is a duty and that they that do really perform it are highly dignified and priviledged by it as hath been made to appear from the Chapter that which remains to be done and shall be as God enables the work of this morning is to make improvement of this Doctrine which is one of the most material and momentous Doctrines that can be preached to us Gospel-believing it hath most precious priviledges entailed upon it whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ that Jesus is the Son of God that Jesus is come in the Flesh is borâ—… of God knows God and shall be eternally blessed of God and with God surely then the World runs upon a very great mistake I have hinted something already to that purpose but I have left the more full discussion and discovery of the matter untill now Why who is there among the generality of common Professors that is not very pregnant to hold forth this to be their Faith If so be that it should be put to the Question Friend What is your Faith what Belief are you of Why not one in a thousand I think but will be apt to say Why truly I will give you this Account There is a Gospel which is preached among us and in the World and this Gospel doth hold forth this for true Doctrine That Iesus the Son of Mary that was born at Bethlehem is the Christ is the Messiah which was promised by the Father and which the World did live in expectation of so long This Iesus I believe is the Son of God this Iesus I verily believe is come in the Flesh and he is come to be the Saviour of the World this is the Belief and that which is the common profession that is made by the generality of people Why but will you consider now this Text and other Scriptures which speak fully to this purpose Whosoever doth believe this That Iesus is the Christ the Son of God that he is come in the Flesh whosoever believes this is of God is born of God And it doth clearly appear and may be most convincingly made out that many thousands that profess their belief concerning these things yet notwithstanding are not born of God Why certainly there must needs be a great and gross fallacy in the business Gospel-faith and Believing it is not so common a thing as many take it to be and therefore if this be Gospel-faith and that which doth interest persons in such great and precious priviledges truly it concerns us to look well to it that we be not mistaken concerning this Belief Now this I would say there is something in it to be considered with respect to the time wherein Christ appeared visibly to the World and the after-times wherein the Apostles did hold forth these great Doctrines of the Gospel concerning Christ. And this we are to say that in such a time as that was when this was the Critical point as it were the discriminating thing in such a time for any to make this profession and to hold forth this to be their Faith and Belief that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God it was of high signification and might very well as to man beget a comfortable confidence and hope concerning such persons that certainly they were born of God as to man and according to rational Charity it might be very probable that in such Persons as did thus believe and professe this to be their Faith and Belief there were some blessed beams upon their Souls for mark ye it hath been thus in the World and among the people of it concerning matters of God and Godliness that there hath been such and such a Truth that hath been the Critical Truth as I said that hath been as I may so say the Shibboleth whereby people are distinguished one from another I allude to that passage in Iudges concerning the Gileadites they made a profession of themselves to be such and such and they were put to it to pronounce Shibboleth they that could not speak out the word and clearly pronounce it they were not judged to be the persons that they professed themselves to be but they that could do it held their liberty so sometimes such and such a Doctrine is ordered out to be a distinguishing point upon the account of the desperate opposition that the World makes against it and upon this account the Priests and the Rulers and the rest of the World were desperately bent against Christ they called him Jesus but could not endure him to be called Christ the Son of God it was an Act and Decree amongst them That whosoever should confess Jesus to be the Christ should be put out of the Synagogue should be excommunicated Now for persons at such time wherein it was as much as their Liberty it may be their Lives were worth to own that Jesus Christ was the Son of God for persons now at such a time to own this Jesus that was in so mean a condition to be the Christ there is very much in it infinitely more then for persons now to take up this profession Why because this Doctrine hath obtained in the World and it is a Doctrine among Papists as well as Protestants there is no such danger now for Persons to be of this Belief But shall I say this That for all that to believe this really according to the right account and true genuine interpretation of Gospel-believing the Case is the same with them and with us at this day setting aside the consideration of time and times the danger then and the encouragement now the Case is the same Gospel-believing of these truths according to a genuine interpretation of Gospel-believing it is the same now as then and then as now And therefore we must consider and look further I would put these few things to your consciences You profess this to be your faith you believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God that he is come in the flesh these things you profess to believe and if you do so indeed you are highly priviledged people blessed of God and shall be
here This is the Love of God that we keep his Commandements It is not love in Word and in Tongue but in reality a love discovering it self by a consciencious care to hold conformity to all the Will of God And if any should object This is a hard saying Who can bear it saith the Apostle No such matter there is never a Believing Soul will say The Commandements of Christ are grievous or burdensome no they are leight to them that are brought over to the faith of the Gospel And the last thing I have to charge upon you upon the account of your Gospel-believing and being brought over to a closing with Christ it is this and so upon the matter I have given you an account of the substance of this precious Chapter having reduced it to that general Doctrine I propounded before I say the last thing is this That you would walk suitable to a Believing state by being very carefull concerning your Worships that you do perform that they be according to God and according to the Gospel and this is that which the Apostle closes the Chapter withall in the 21 Verse Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen As I take it in the former Translation it was Babes Babes keep your selves from Idols Here it is Little Children I observe in this Epistle the Apostle makes a distinction of Believers into three Ranks as you shall find in the second Chapter I write unto you Little Children I write unto you Young men and I write unto you Fathers in the close of the Epistle he concludes with this Charge to Little Children Now whether he includes all the rest under this Title of Little Children I forbear to dispute But sure I am it is a duty lies upon one and other whether they be Babes or Young men or Aged Fathers in Christ Whatever our rank and condition be I am sure of this This is a great Duty that lies upon all that will approve themselves in Godliness and to be brought over to the faith of the Gospel that they look to their Worships and that they take heed of Idols as if he should say He that is born of God he keeps himself that the wicked One doth not touch him Oh Little Children shew forth that spiritual Ability that by grace you are furnished withal by being able to keep your selves from Idols It might be said What is this to us Are we in danger of Idols True well might the Apostle give in such a Charge to them in those times when the greatest part of the World were in a state of Heathenism and in estrangement from Christ and the mysteries of the Gospel But this I say It doth really concern Christians in Gospel-times that have had the breakings out of the Gospel-light and the knowledge of Gospel-mysteries to be careful of this Charge that they keep themselves from Idols There were the Idols of the Heathens grant it and so still there are a generation of People that our Souls should mourn over to consider their state that are wrapt up in ignorance of God know nothing of the true God and of our Lord Jesus Christ and it is the state and condition of the Jews at this day and what a sad condition are they in Grant it that they do not worship Idols after the manner of the Heathens yet they worship not the true God because they worship not God in Christ for saith the Apostle Whoever sins and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ he hath not God He that abides in the Doctrine of the Christ he hath the Father and the Son And so the Jews at this day they not abiding not owning the Doctrine of Christ they have not God because they have not the Father and the Son this is their condition And thus I say there were not only the Idols of the Heathens Oh! but sadly be it spoken there are Idols among Persons pretending to Christ and Gospel-faith and the Doctrine concerning Grace by Jesus Christ. How many Idols and Idolaters are there I might tell you the Covetous person 〈◊〉 an Idolater the Voluptuous person and the Self justitâ—…ary sets up his own Righteousness and Idolizeth that But I say this there are Idols among Christians Papâ—…sts hold forth the Name of Christ but yet what woful Idolatry there is among them There was the Dragon-worship in the time of the Heathens and in the room of that there is come up the Beast-worship and of that Worship the generality of the world runs upon and it concerns us to keep from Popish Idolatry it being the grossest Idolatry that ever was because there is the fairest pretence of worshipping JESUS and yet they turn him into an Idol What else means their worshipping and bowing to Images their breaden gods and the like Oh! therefore it concerns us to keep our selves from Idols And there is a Scripture if it were but well studied would cause trembling of Heart and make all that have any care of their Souls to look about them that Scripture I refer you to it is in Revel 13. compared with the 20th In Revel 13. 11. whereas before there was Dragon-worship it is said here I beheld another Beast comming out of the Earth and he had two Horns like a Lamb and he spake as a Dragon and he exerciseth all the Power of the first Beast before him and causeth the Earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first Beast whose deadly wound was healed now look at the 8. verse saith he And all the dwellers upon the Earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Oh! it is a terrible word and that that should make us to fear and tremble lest in any kind we should be drawn into the Worship of the Beast for as many as were not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb they were drawn into the Worship of the Beast This is that that should make us keep our selves from Idols from whatsoever hath but so much as a Tincture of Superstition and Idolatry and the rather considering that other Scripture in the 20th of the Revelation and the last verse And whosoever was not found written in the Book of life was cast into the lake of fire All that are not written in the Lambs Book of life are prevailed to perform the worship with the Beast and not being writ there must be tumbled into the Lake for ever This therefore concerns us to keep from Idolatry from whatsoever hath a tendency that way and that hath any tincture of Superstition upon it and consider with your selves that our Duty is in matters of Worship and in things concerning the Worship of God to see to it that we keep a humble dependance upon God that we walk not according to the will of men but according to God You were bought with a price be not Servants of Men. We are to walk by
a Line by a Plummet and what is not warranted by the Word of God or maintainable by Arguments drawn from it we should not close with And for the closing up of all do but consider how this Chapter and the things that I have spoken to you and preached from it how they do all influence this Exhortation Little children keep your selves from Idols see to it that you approve your selves in holy worship to God and the Lord Jesus Do but argue thus You profess to be Believers and is it not your duty to answer to this profession Your Faith is a pure Faith and an obediential Grace it is a Grace that will tutour you to hang upon Christ and his Appointments and Institutions And therefore being Believers study to keep your selves from Idols and whatever is not consonant to the will of God concerning Worship You believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God keep your selves from Idols in this respect for he is come into the World and hath shewed the pattern of his House And then You are born of God carry it like a people that are born of God that are high-born and credit your holy Profession by keeping a dependance upon that God of whom you are born And then being Believers you are born of God and have overcome the world and therefore shew forth your Heroick spirit by standing out in opposition to Idols and whatever is contrary to sound Doctrin and the power of godliness You have an Unction from the Holy One and this engages you to look to it that you keep your selves from Idols And then we know saith he that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Iesus Christ. And thereupon he brings in this Little children keep your selves from Idols as if he should say This is the true God God in Christ Jesus Christ the Son of the Father this is the true God and he hath eternal life with him other Gods are false gods and what benefit will you have by following them and performing worship to them Nothing but eternal death false gods can bestow no eternal life upon you but this is the true God and he can give you eternal life And therefore Little children keep your selves from Idols And now yet one word more I would not occasion any discomposure of spirit that is not becoming you But this I must say for ought I know You have the words of a Dying man and we use to say that the words of Dying men they are 〈◊〉 to take somewhat a deep impression I mean a Dying man not in properness of speech according to nature and yet if it should be so I hope there would be cause of rejoycing on my part But I speak the words of a Dying man in respect of Ministerial Office I suppose you all know there is an Act come forth by Supream Authority and it is not for us to quarrel at all but to submit to it and hold correspondency with it so far as we can with a good Conscience and there being many Injunctions that many besides my self cannot comply withall therefore we are willing to submit to the penalty inflicted This I say You have for many years had the benefit of my poor Labours I have fulfilled near up towards 40 years and have performed my service to God Christ and his People and I bless his Name not without acceptance and success My Work so far as I know in this course and in the Weekly course is now at an end my Desire is that you whose Hearts have been inclineable to wait upon God in the way of my Ministry may be kept faithful to God and that you may have the blessing of the everlasting Covenant coming upon your Souls and that you may have the power of this Doctrine held forth in this Sermon put forth upon your hearts that as you do believe that Jesus is the Christ that Jesus is the Son of God that as you profess these things you may carry it suitably to your profession that you may walk in Love to God Love to Christ and Love to one another that you may labour to manifest a noble generous Spirit in overcoming the world in Errors Corruptions false Doctrines and unwarrantable Worship that you may in all things labour to approve your selves And Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen Mr. Baxter's Farewell Sermon COLOSS. 2. 6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Iesus the Lord so walk in him Rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught abounding therein with thansgiving O Mitting the division and in part the opening of the words the Observation is this That those that have received Christ Iesus the Lord must accordingly be rooted built up in him and stablished in the faith and walk in him as they have been taught and abound herein with thanksgiving This receiving of Christ signifies to believe in him It is not only to receive his Doctrine or Benefits but to receive his Person to receive him as related to us for the uses and end for which he came into the world and for which he offers himself to souls by the preaching of the Gospel Sinners have lost and undone themselves Christ comes to be the Physitian of souls he will not save the unwilling and despisers of his grace while they continue in their unwillingness He will save them by the way of covenant while he consents and tenders them his grace he will have them consent to the terms of his covenant The consent of the heart exprest by our covenanting with him is this receiving of Jesus Christ. He is willing to be our Physitian and when we take him to be so we receive him He is willing to save us from the guilt and power of sin willing to be our Lord Head Intercessor with God Justifier and All unto us and if we consent to this and take him as offered this is receiving Christ with whom his benefits are also received the remission of sins in-dwelling renewing comforting-Spirit title to everlasting life c. In the receiving Christ all this is received Receiving of Christ contains these two things or these two things are essentially contain'd to make up the nature of saving Faith i. e. to believe the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Jesus Christ to be true and to consent that the goodness that is therein revealed and proposed shall be ours To believe what Christ is and what he hath done so far to believe it as here we are resolv'd to venture our souls though there may be some weakness through our faith's imperfection and believing this Gospel to be the certain Word of God Then next to entertain the Christ that is offered in this Gospel to be ours with all the benefits that accompany and to all the blessed ends to which he is revealed
the Apostle Paul Do I yet strive to please men Gal. 1. 6. Am I then the Servant of Christ You cannot be the Servants of Christ if you strive to please men Wo be to you that please men and displease God He that would be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross c. What 's that deny Wife Children Learning Relations Comforts he must be willing to go out of all Those duties the Lord Jesus Christ is most glorified in they are either those your slothful hearts are most unwilling to do or that our fearful hearts are most unwilling to suffer for Therefore arm your selves with resolutions to suffer I intended to have taken up four Appearances and coverings that Saints usually take up for to hide themselves as under a covert to beat down the Gospel warrants and commands to suffer for the Faith delivered 1. The notion that a Christian hath of indifferency of things that they are but toyes and trifles that they may be done or not done It is not my work to tell you what is indifferent or name any thing in particular As I remember in the Book of Martyrs the usual argument was Why cannot you worship the Idol why cannot you bow down as well as others it's a small matter cannot you shew your outward reverence and keep your heart to your self Indeed if there were any thing that 's indifferent a Christian hath a marvellous latitude in point of Doctrine in point of Worship I would caution you therefore The term of indifferent I suppose 't is devised as a pillar to rest the conscience on which otherwise would startle and look with a broad face upon them Things that come under this notion had need well to be weighed and considered If they tell you plainly they came out of Rome and had the plague of Popery upon them they â—…ame from Hell were hatched there and the curse of God is upon them no body would entertain them They must pretend they came from the Church from the Apostles descended from the Scriptures and hence they are entertained with that freedome and willingness as that most Christians take no notice but fall down under them and so the very power and life of Religion and holy practise is eaten out The Devil hath three waies whereby he makes men seek after him 1. Commonly he doth cover holiness with other names 2ly He perswades that sins are but little 3ly That they may repent hereafter The first is suitable to my purpose That vertue or grace is covered with other names therefore if a man be holy he is called precise if zealous he is said to be rash and if it be really a sin it shall come under the name of indifferency a toy a trifle and things of that nature therefore you had need be cautious for 't is no matter what name the sin is what title it goes under as what it is really As to things of Doctrine and Worship I know there is no medium every man must give an account to the Lord of what he does therefore I do not tell you what is indifferent and what not but search the Scripture take heed what you receive for indifferent The second thing Christians will say is I hope without danger I may comply with them considering I bear them as my burthens This is very like the Young man in the Gospel he came to Christ and would have him come up to his terms and when Christ told him Yet he lacked one thing Go sell all c. he went away sorrowful So many Christians they would follow Christ but they cannot because there is not such security in it but they will go away sorrowful Thou Hypocrite art â—…hou willing to forsake all for Christ yet cannot leave life liberty and some of these small things Will you wound the name of Christ and pretend to be sorrowful for it I conclude thy pretence shall not excuse thee for so was Pilate loth to crucifie Christ and as a means and expedient he calls for water and washes his hands saying I am innocent from the bloud of this just man But do you think God excused Pilate no more will he you Whatever is brought to you is either forbidden or commanded by God If forbidden by God why do you meddle with it If commanded of the Lord why are you burdened with it why do you it heavily for the Lord loves one that is chearful in his service neither man nor God is pleased with such A third thing it is which satisfies many That they may follow in some things the opinions of wise men holy men and good men That they may do as they do I shall say but these two words First Many men are reputed good wise and honest that are not so A man may be accounted an honest man that yet may be covetous he may be accounted a very good man yet be really corrupt in heart and in his lusts therefore 't is good to try men I dare not trust mine own heart unless God give strength of grace and assistance every moment least I should betray the truth of Christ upon some advantage when the Devil would set abroach an evil opinion or practise it 's his common way to tun it up in some clean Vessel men of civil honesty and goodness You read the old Prophet drew the young one in though expresly forbidden by God himself When you do not fear a young Christian it may be the example of an old Minister shall draw you therefore 't is good to mind who you follow Secondly Grant they are all good and real they are men fearing God as there are some yet God will not let his people know all his mind There are some that would but cannot know all his mind and will the Lord is free and voluntary he reveals things necessary to salvation but for oâ—…her things he withholds But what is your rule Call no man Master you are to follow no man further then he follows Christ And indeed for a man to follow the example of others wherein they sin and do not know it it is just like the case of holy Noah who was a gracious man and knew not the strength of the Grape he was drunk with his own Vineyard But what is the fruit of it His son Cham saw his nakedness and discovered it If good and holy men taste of the intoxicated Wine that is too strong for them and know it not will you sip after them unlesse you will discover your nakedness and proclaim it from generation to generation and make your selves Chams not sons of the Prophet Therefore I know not what warrant you have to follow such examples The fourth thing is this Christians usually they do no good by standing out Answ. Whether we get or do good or no we are to do our duty The Lord will honour you for suffering for the truth 2 Thes. 1. 3 4 5. And by suffering you shall confirm the