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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	hear_v	heart_n	pray_v	1,932	5	5.7672	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58958	The Second and last collection of the late London ministers farewel sermons preached by Dr. Seaman, Dr. Bates, Mr. Caryll, [brace] Mr. Brooks, Mr. Venning, and Mr. Mead ; to which is added a farewell sermon preached at Dedham in Essex by Mr. Matthew Newcomen ; as also Mr. Lyes sermon at the conclusion of the last morning-exercise at All-hallows in Lumbard-street, being a summary rehearsal of the whole monthly-lectures.	Seaman, Lazarus, d. 1675.; Bates, William, 1625-1699.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.; Venning, Ralph, 1621?-1674.; Mead, Matthew, 1630?-1699.; Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; Lye, Thomas, 1621-1684.	1663 (1663)	Wing S2257; ESTC R41075	195,536	326

is the season for God to feed him with heavenly Manna Jacob had glorious Visions while he was flying from the wrath of his Brother when he had nothing but a heap of stones for his Pillow It was in the wilderness that God speakes to his Church Thus I told you of Mr. Glover a Prisoner who found no comfort in the time of his imprisonment but when he was going to the stake he cryed out He is come he is come meaning the Spirit the Comforter 4. Another Season of Comfort is after some special exercise of Grace godly sorrow for sin fresh actings in the pardon of sin and new engagements and Resolutions and Promises of more close walking with God after declining from him 5. Another Season of Comfort is After some great Trials and afflictions Light is then most pleasant when we new are come out of a dark place after Thunder comes Light●ing after a storme comes a calm God led his people first into the Wilderness and then into the Land of Canu●● 〈◊〉 is often so in God● Dispensations towards his people th●● greatest afflictions go before their greatest deliverance and therefore let not the Saints of God despair when they are at the lowest when they walk in darkness and see no light yet set them trust in the Lord. 6 Another Season of Comfort is When men are conscientiously diligent in their particular Callings then they walk with God To this I gave you an instance in the Shepherds they were faithful and diligent in their callings they were watching over their flocks by night and then the Angel comes and tells them Lo you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2.11 A company of poor Shepherds keeping of their Sheep God appears unto them and manifesteth his comforting presence when the Scribes and Pharisees notwithstanding all their long prayers and their strict Rites and Ceremonies hear not a word of him 7 Another Season of Comfort is When we are either preparing for or in the spiritual act of some duty When grace is exercised to prepare the heart to pray and in attendance upon such an Ordinance then often times the Spirit of God is with them to let poor souls in their endeayours find acceptance with God Hannah had been praying to God but what melody did she find in her heart When Mary sate at Christs feet how doth Christ fill her heart with comfort sealing up her salvation to her I now come to close with some application Use of Information Use If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the bea● of Christs Disciples then by way of Information I gather this That a poor soul is very hardly setled and satisfied in 〈◊〉 of comfort Sure it is a hard matter to comfort a poor 〈◊〉 when one of the persons of the blessed Trinity must be ●●ployed on purpose to do it This is an Office belong●●● the Holy Ghost when he is to be the Paraclete the com●●● of the Holy Ghost This sure is a hard matter to com●●● the wounded spirit when the soul is fully 〈…〉 spir●● 〈◊〉 bondage Oh! the hesitancies the jealousies the do●●● and fears the objections that a poor soul makes against 〈◊〉 spiritual peace and comfort now it begins to take comfort then it doubts again now he believeth and takes courage but anon he is afraid there is a great deal adoe to fasten comfort upon a poor soul 2 Cor. 1.21 22. What a heap of words are there together and it is all little enough to comfort a poor soul Now he that establisheth us with you on Christ and hath annointed us is God and hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts It is not without much tugging and drawing that the soul is first brought to beleeve and then when it doth believe it is a hard thing to perswade it that it doth believe There is a strange kind of squemishness upon the heart he thinks that there is no comfort to be taken that doth belong to him Luther says It is a harder thing to comfort a troubled Conscience than to raise the dead Surely it must be as hard when nothing but the sau●● power must do it The soul is hardly convinced but all the glad ridings of the Gospel are golden streams and all the Promises are 〈◊〉 pleasant Fancies without any Reality but that these things should belong to him this he cannot believe for want of Faith So that the Spirit of God is fain to come in and end the controversie before the soul will be satisfied 2. If it be the work of the Spirit of God to comfort the hearts of his people then all the comfort of Christless and graceless souls is nothing worth there is no true peace for they are not the Disciples of Christ which are the prop●● subjects of this comfort they will not hearken to 〈◊〉 nor learn of Christ but they cast his words behind their back and break his bands a sunder Those that do not learn Christs precepts and follow Christs Canons and obey Christs Commands they are none of Christs Disciples and to be sure they have not the 〈◊〉 of Christ which is the Efficient ●n this 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 the root there cannot be the fruit for this inward peace 〈◊〉 the fruit of the spirit And therefore what comfort they have it is either a sinful comfort which to be sure will end in sorrow or else at best it is but a carnal comfort which wil soon vanish like the crackling of thorns under a Pot There is no peace saith God to the wicked there is no peace with God as long as you are at peace with sin 3. Here they are stumbled with the riddle that the people of God should be sorrowing yet always rejoycing as sorrowing yet always rejoycing the carnal world think this to be a contradiction though they be troubled without yet they have peace within though they have matter of sorrow in respect of outward affliction yet they have fellowship with the holy Ghost the Comforter which gives peace in affliction joy in sorrow light in darkness which fils them with joy unspeakable and full of glory Secondly If the holy Ghost be the only Comforter of the hearts of Gods people then let me exhort every one of you to labour for an interest in this Comforter Friends I beseech you be restless till you have got some evidence of the Comforter in your souls by the inhabitation of the Spirit in your hearts without you have an interest in Christ there is no comfort no true comfort to be expected no comfort in prosperity no comfort in adversity no comfort in life nor in death no peace with your consciences Men may make a shift to keep themselves at quiet for the present by lulling conscience they may have a kind of peace from a false principle Ah but what wil you do when storms arise wh●● wil you do

Jesus Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that ye have a great High Priest that is passed into the Heaven● Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our Profession Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the Authour and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was 〈◊〉 before him endured the Cross despised the sham● and is set down at the rig●● and of the Throne 〈◊〉 God Oh let us be thin●ing of and looking 〈◊〉 this Jesus You will say what shall we think of him Oh think of this condescention in the world of that vouchsafement which as was never the like of his how he humbled himself and suffered from God and man Think how he became poor that was rich that we that were poor might become rich Think how he became a curse think how he became sin for us think what a good Confession he made before Pontius Pilate even to the death and was obedient to the death Think how he conquered death by dying and how he rose again by his Almighty Power and is ascended into Heaven and ever lives to make intercession for those that come to the Father through him Think how he lived here on Earth in a sad condition and joyed in it to that it might be for our good and shall we leave such a Christ as this Oh can you look upon Christ and leave the Profession of your Faith it cannot be keep Christ before your eyes make him your pattern and you will not you cannot do amiss He that saith he abides in him ought to walk as he walked He walked in obedience all his dayes and was obedient to the death So must we we must walk in obedience all our dayes though we dye for being obedient You see now how many Arguments there are for your holding fast the Profession of your Faith There are many now that might be added but the time is past therefore I shall shut up all the words of Jude from the 20. Verses of his Epistle to the end But you Beloved building up your selves on your most holy Faith praying in the holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life and of some have compassion making a difference and others say with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the Garments spotted by the flesh Now unto them that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God and Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen Mr. Matthew Newcomen His Farewel SERMON Preached at Dedham in Essex Aug. 20. 1662. REV. 3. Vers 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent I Began this Scripture the last Lord's-Day in this Congregation I told you then there were three Doctrines obvious in the Text The first was Doct. 1. That it is the Duty of Christians To Remember those Truths that they have heard and received Doct. 2. That it is the Duty of Christians to hold fast the Truths that they have heard and received Doct. 3. That continued Repentance is the Duty of Christians as well as initial Repentance Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard and hold fast and repent The first of these Doctrines I applyed my self to and applyed to ●he People the last Lord's-Day and shall not now say any thing of it but proceed to the next Doctrine That it is the Duty of Christians To hold fast the Truths that they have heard and received That which the Apostle enjoyns on Timothy is in proportion the duty of all Christians 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus The whole intire Body of Divine Truth Hold it fast against all opposition whatsoever Now if they that are themselves Teachers of the Truth to others must hold fast the Truth according to the Plat-form that hath been delivered to them then much more is this the duty of private Christians who are supposed not to have that latitude of parts and gifts that Teachers have And therefore you shall find that Christ requires this not onely of the Pastors but of the Members of his Church Rev. 2.24 speaking not onely to the Angel but to the Body of the Church● But to you I say and to the rest in Thyatira as m●ny 〈◊〉 have not this Doctrine and which have not known the depths of Sathan as they speak I will put upon you none other burden but that which you have already●● hold fast till I come As if he should say This is all I require of you my People keep your selves and hold fast that which you have till I come And so in the 3d of Rev. 11. Behold I come quickly hold that fast which thou hast that no man take away thy Crown As if he should say That Divine Tru●● that thou hast heard and received it is thy Crown thy excellency therefore hold it fast This Duty of holding fast the Truth is urged in many other places of Scripture under other expressions as that of continuing in the Word of God Christ says If ye continue in my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed And continuing in the Faith Act. 14.22 Paul and Barnabas visiting the Churches exhor ed them to continue in the Faith And so those terms of being rooted in the Truth of standing and standing fast and many others they all inforce this Duty Now for the better handling of this Point I shall do these four things First I will shew you What Christians are to hold fast Secondly How they are to hold this fast Thirdly Why they are to hold fast that they have heard and received Fourthly I will apply it First What Christians are to hold fast The Doctrine says They are to hold fast the Truths they have received Now Truths are of two sorts 1. Some are Natural and Moral 2. Some are Supernatural and Divine Truths Called Truths of God because they come from God and conform the Mind and Soul that receive them to the Image of God Now though it is true it is good for a man to be right in Moral things and to know and cleave to that which is Truth in Morality yet the Truths that we are here called upon to hold fast they are Divine Truths Supernatural Truths Truths in Religion Truths in the things of God Secondly Again Religious and Divine Truths Truths of God they are either such as are so in name and in the estimation of some men or else they are such Truths as are Truths of God in the truth and reality of the thing Now when I say that Christians are to hold fast the Truths they have received the meaning is not that what ever any man or company of men offer as Truths should be received and held fast for then we must hold fast many Errours But what

Consciences yet others have had a greater freedom given them that they could yeild and if not so What would have become of the people of God Therefore in those things acknowledg there may be some providence of God for good to you in it 5. My fourth Advice I shall deliver to you wholly in the words of that Holy man and Martyr of God Master Bradford in his Letter to the City of London saith he L●t us heartily bewail our sins and repent of our evils let us amend the evils of our lives let us every one be diligent in Prayer and attend with reverence on the reading and hearing of Gods Holy word let us reprove the workes of darknesse let us stie from Idolatry and which is the particular I would indeed commend unto you Obey the Magistrate and them that are set over us in the Lord in all things that are not against the Word and when th●y command any thing contrary to the Word Let us answer It is meet to obey God rather then men However saith he Resist not the Magistrate nor seek to avenge your selves but commit your cause to God be patient and submit to all that are in Authority over you but resist not rise not against Authority but wait on God till he pleaseth to cause the Light to arise and shine again upon you This is my fourth Advice 4. Now it pleaseth God that hearing oppertun●ties at least some of them are taken from some of us from many of us for a time My Advice and Counsell is that the lesse now you hear the more you would read read the word of God much the mote and take all helps for the right understanding of what you read The Book of Annotations is a great help to inlighten you to understand the Scriptures and next to the reading of the Scriptures what spare houres you have I would advise you to bestow your time in teading of the Book of Martyrs a Book that hath formerly been more prized then of late in England Especially read that part of it which containes the History of Queen Maries dayes they will informe you of the great controversies that are between us and the Papists and they will informe you what you shall answer the reading how chearfully they went to Prison and to the stake will embolden you against the feares of sufferings and death and the reading of their Letters will be a great meanes to edifie and build you up this reading of the Scriptures and other good Books is my fifth Advice to you 6. My sixth Advice to you is That seeing God hath taken away your Week-dayes opportunities of hearing the Word here and in other places you would be careful that the World may not devoure Gods Portion I mean that portion of time which some of you have bestowed on hearing these Lectures It was a good Speech of a gracious Woman now with God when Mr. Rogers was silenced Well saith she By the Grace of God The World shall never have those houres that I was wont to spend in hearing heretofore her meaning was she would spend them in her Closet in holy duties It was an excellent Resolution and worthy of our imitation and if I might after 26 ye●●● labour here in the Ministry now at my parting obtain thus much of you that you that have been pleased to be constant hearers here would lay a Law on your selves that so much time as you formerly spent in coming hither sitting here and in returning home that you will spend that time at home either in praying and reading and meditating in your Closets or else in praying in and with your Families and instructing of them if I might but obtain this of you at my parting I should believe that the Devill and his Kingdom would be loosers by this out parting if you would spend this time weekly in holy exercises reading and praying for your selves and for the Nation and for your Families which you were wont to spend in coming to these Lectures and in attending here and returning home and that is my sixth Advice to you and herefore let me intreat this of you 7. And my seventh Advice and Counsel is this that seeing it pleaseth God to take away from you so many of your publick Instructors that you would every one of you that are heads of Families be so much the more in instructing and teaching your Families Be so much the more in this by how much the lesse is done in publick Read the Word in your Families and catechise your Families and see that they may understand them you have many helps for this as M. Perkins and M. Ball and the Assemblies Catechisme 8. And the last Advice I have to give you is this That you would still continue your Reverence of and ●ove to and care for the observing of the Lords holy Sabbath it is that my Brethren wherein God hath been honoured in this Town and in these Parts I think as much as in most places of the World and I pray do so still and when you have not publick Ordinances and publick helps for the sanctifying of the Lords Day at home in your own Congregations if you can have the Word and Ordinances in any comfortable manner abroad travel for it I say travel for it and when you have them not at home nor abroad be so much the more earnest and fervent and abundant in your Family and secret duties in the sanctification of the Lords Day I have some feares least if time should come to that passe that the Magistrate should connive at the profaning of the Lords day giving way to sports and Recreations on it and Preachers should cry down the strict observation of the Lords day and the like I am afraid we have many youths that in these parts notwithstanding all the Instructions that have been given them would be ready to dance after these Pipes and run into the profaning of the Lords Day therefore you that are governours of Families remember the Charge that God hath given you more expresly concerning this then in any other thing that I know of Thou nor thy Sonne nor thy Daughter nor thy Man-servant nor thy Maid-servant nor thy Cattel nor thy stranger that is within thy gates shalt thou suffer to violate the day of the Lord Therefore know your Authority and do your duty And put on that holy Resolution of Joshua Whatsoever others do I and my House will serve the Lord so say you Whatever others do I and mine will sanctifie the Lords Day and keep it holy So do and the Blessing of God shall be on you all the week long And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an Inheritance among all them that are sanctified FINIS Mr Cradecots Farewell Sermon Phil. 4. latter part of vers 9. And heard and seen in me do and the God of peace shall be with you

in the whole book of God John Baptist compares the Ministry of the Gospel to a Fan in Mat. 3.12 When the Lord Jesus maketh use of the Ministry of his faithfull servants among the people when he maketh use of those Fans it will appear who among them are wheat and shall be gathered into the Lords Garner and who among them are chaff and shall be cast into the 〈◊〉 And now whether the present state that you have lied under and are not yet wrought upon by a faithful Ministry be not very dangerous judge ye And so much may suffice for the Doctrinal part If it be so then That a Ministers soundness in doctrine and holiness of life and conversation doth lay a great obligation on a people conscientiously and duly to practice every commanded duty Then first of all the first Use we shall make of this Doctrine shall be by way of Tryal and Examination and that in two particulars 1 Branch of the Use of Tryal First Whether you in this Parish in this place you here before the Lord do make conscience of the due practice of every commanded duty Secondly Whether the Ministry you have enjoyed and lived under doth not lay a great obligation on you so to doe For the first of these Whether you here before the Lord do make conscience of the due practice of every commanded duty in obedience to Almighty God you may try your selves by these three excellent Ingredients First Universality Canst thou in the witnesse of thy conscience say that through grace thou dost every as well as any part of the Lords revealed will so far as thou knowest it 2. Vniformity Dost thou do all without prejudice or partiality 3. Vbiquity Art thou the same at ●●ome as abroad in thy Closet as well as in the Congregation and dost thou mind inward and secret as well as open and outward holiness What saith conscience to this As first Hath commanded duties a throne in your own souls and conscience Secondly Have they a throne in thy Family First Have commanded duties a throne in your own fouls and consciences Is your hearts fully possest 〈◊〉 the power of those divine and heavenly truths 〈◊〉 you have often heard which hath been again and again inculcated upon you as it was upon the Thessaloni●●● 1 Thes 1.5 their carnal principles were confuted th●● passion moderated their lusts mortified their self-ends consounded are yours so Have commanded duties a throne in your souls and consciences Oh that all your consciences could give a satisfying answer to this Quaery Secondly Have commanded duties a throne in your Families do you make conscience of Family duties are your houses Bethels that is houses of God houses of Prayer are they habitations of Holinesse and Righteousnesse do you make conscience of relative as well as of personal duties Oh that all your consciences could give a satisfying answer to this Quaery 2. Branch of the Use of Tryal But now the second Branch of this Use of Tryal and Examination is this Whether the Ministry you have enjoyed and lived under doth not lay a very great obligation on you to put in execution every commanded duty as Rom. 10.6 7 8. that is the Word of Faith we Preach read that place and may not we take up that with some variation and say You have heard of the disease the misery and remedy When the great God shall arraign thee at the great and fearfull Day and shall 〈◊〉 thus Thou rebellious wretch why didst thou not forsake thy evil wayes thy drunkennesse thy ●ipling thy covetousnesse thy snuffing at purity thy inve●erate heart and spirit against my holy wayes and Ministers why didst thou not forsake thy evil wayes wilt thou be able to say Lord I lived under 1. A so I betraying non-resident Minister one 〈◊〉 made it his businesse to fleece indeed not to feed the flock or 2. Under a foul-poysoning Innovator or 3. Under a soul-pining dry nurse or 4. Under a soul-misguiding guide or 5. Under a soul unsetling temporizer or 6. Under a soul-destroying discountenancer 1. Canst thou say that thou livest under a soul-betraying non-resident Minister one that made it his business to fleece and not to feed the flock one that looked after the wool and fat of the flock the fleece but never minded the flock but non-residency hath been hitherto decryed as that as breeds a Minister idle and erroneous or licentious but wilt thou be able to say Lord I lived under such a Minister that was a soul-betraying Minister one that was greedy of Livings and had perhaps two or three or four but so bad a man that the worst was too good for him or wilt thou be able to plead or canst thou say 2. Lord I lived under a soul-poysoning Innovator one that was for formality more then reality of true worship one that preached such Doctrine as did not season but poyson and destroy the souls of his hearers such are Romish Teachers Jesuites Priests and Seminaries who so affect the outward pomp as they neglect the inward power of it Wilt thou be able to say Lord I lived under the Ministry of such a one who was more realous for the formality of thy worship than the reality more zealous for those things that will not 〈◊〉 the tryal of the Lords day of appearance than for the su●stance of Religion Or 3. Canst thou plead that thou livedst under a soul pining dry Nurse one that did not or could not seed us with the sincere milk of thy Word one from whom thou never heardst a soul-solid a soul-working Sermon all thy life I appeal to your Consciences have you not heard often of your miser●● and Gods mecy and Christs merits Have you not he●● often of the necessity of a holy life Oh the conviction informations exhortations perswasions directions you have enjoyed and lived under Hath not thy state 〈◊〉 nature been ripped up and the Anatomy not of the Councel of Trent but of Gods Book been shewed to thee What shall I say hath not Hell and Damnation to all rebellious and Heaven and Salvation to all true penitent souls been preached to you 4. Or canst thou say that thou livedst under a soul-misguiding guide as 1. A blind Seer a blind Watchman a blind Leader of the blind one who knew not Heavens way Canst thou say thou livedst under such a creature that is not to be found in Christs Catalogue an I dolpreacher as in Psalm 135.15 16 17. verses read that Or 2. if not ignorant yet one so vicious that he pulled down more with his foul hand then he built up with his fair tongue Canst thou say thou livedst under one who by his conversation gave his Doctrine the lye Wilt thou be able to plead thus at the great day or wilt thou be able to say 5. That thou hast lived under a soul-unsetling Temporizer what would he not do rather then he would lose his Living which made me think Religion to

be but a fancy Wilt thou be able to say at the great Day Lord it was my sad lot and portion to live under the Ministry of such a one who tuned his Fiddle to the times of every one I or lastly Wilt thou be able to say thou livedst under a soul-destroying Discountenancer of all purity and holiness one perhaps though no dunce or drunkard yet a profane scoffer one that preached holiness out of his Pulpit and Parish and House and the like But first of all we can through grace appeal in this case both to the Lord and to your selves that it hath not been so with you 2. Consider how unexcusable you will be if you live and dye in your ignorance impenitency and unbelief 1. Consider we can in this case appeal both to the Lord and 〈◊〉 your selves 1. To the Lord we are able with an humble boldness to appeal to him and say Lord thou knowest we have given this people warning Ezek 3.18 Now blessed be the Lord we can humbly appeal to his Majesty Oh Lord thou knowest we have warned the wicked to turn from his wicked way and the profane from his profaneness and the superstitious from his superstition and the schismatical from his schism and the formal from his formality and the civil honest man from resting in his morality Oh blessed be thyname we have endeavoured to take off this people from all their sandy quagmoiry foundations Lord thou knowest our prayers for them And so 2. To appeal to you And this was a very great comfort to St. Paul that he could appeal to the people themselves as Acts 20.26 27. This was a great comfort to him and blessed be the God of Grace it is a great comfort to us that we can take you to record that we are pure from your blood we have not ceased to declare all that the Father hath shewn to us we have not been affrighted by any man or mens frowns nor debauched to conceal any part thereof by any mans smiles 2. Consider how inexcusable you will be if you live and die in your ignorance impenitency and unbelief Ezek. 3.10 Observe it if you miscarry for Eternity the bloud of your souls will not be charged on us nay it will be on your own heads And there fore the Apostle Paul when the preached Christ to the Jews and they opposed and blasphemed their bloud was upon 〈◊〉 own heads as Acts 18.5 6. Oh consider it if you Ministers have been faithful they are clear and free and guiltlesse the Lord will never charge the bloud of souls on them Considet it therefore how speechlesse will you be at the great day if you live and die in your sins may not the Lord say of this place as he did of Capern●um Mat. 11.23 for thou hast ●●joyed the Ministry of many of my servants Dars any of you meet us in the day of Judgement under whose Ministry you have lived in an unregenerate ●state and say that you have lived under a soul-betraying non-resident one or under a soul-poysoning Innovator or a soul-pining dry Nurse or a soul-misguiding guide or a soul-unsetled Temporizer or a soul-destroying dis-countenancer in 〈◊〉 unregenerate estate The Lord will then make you to know what it was to have a faithful Labourer among you as Ezek. 33.33 Then when you-shall be convinced in your own conscience you shall then say you heard all those things and we cannot say 〈◊〉 were unwarned either in sin or danger we cannot say we were untaught our duty either to God 〈◊〉 Man we had precept on precept but we sligh●ed all warning and exhortation and direction therefore now are lost and undone everlastingly So much may serve for the first Use 2. Vse of Direction The second Use is a Use of Direction which will fall into many very suitable and practical particulars whereto I do beseech you to hearken unto as the words of a dying man do commonly take the deepest impression 〈◊〉 the surviving hearers Now this may be for all that 〈◊〉 know my last words to you in this place therefore 〈◊〉 beseech you to hear me An interruption a suspension of my weak worthless pains and labour among you there will be for any thing I know from this day but observe it is no Refignation from me or my Reverend Brother and therefore what other dissolution of the property and relation between your Pastour and you there may be as of that mutual intercourse I shall not account or call it a forfeiture of his place whatever others may call it let them call it what they will Then hearken to my words as the words of a dying man yet not dead but alive and perhaps shall nor die but live and declare the Word of the Lord and hold forth the Word of the Lord to you many a time in this place when ever it pleaseth God to set open a door for me If it be so That the Ministers soundnesse in Doctrine and holinesse of life and Conversation do lay a great obligation on a people duely and conscienciously to practice every commanded duty Then from this Doctrine I would suggest and leave with you several words and hints of counsel And oh that the Lord God of Heaven would effectually engrave and set them home on every one of your hearts My first counsel is this That when the Lord taketh away such Ministers whose Doctrine is found and their lives exemplarily holy you would then be duely apprehensive and deeply sensible both of the inflicting cause and also of the meritorious deserving cause thereof 1. For the inflicting cause and that is the Lord himself Isa 3.1 2. Who is it that taketh away from a people the natural staffe and the civil staffe the spiritual staffe saith the Prophet The Lord the Lord of Hosts Whoever it be that is the instrument it is certain it is 〈◊〉 Lord himself that is the principal efficient cause of this judgement on a people and this will appear if we consider 1. The Lord hath threatned his judgement on a rebellious peoply Amos 8.11 12. I saith the L will bring this judgement on them A most dreadful siritual judgement Gods Word is the spiritual food 〈◊〉 our spiritual lives and therefore as the granting of 〈◊〉 is a blessing indeed so the withholding of it is a judgement indeed This ireful dreadful judgement the Lord we see threatens yea that is not all the Lord hath not only threatned it but 2. Inflicted it As the Lord hath taken away his faithful Messengers and Embassadors 1. Sometimes by death out of the world out of the land of the living And thus the Lord took away the Prophet Enoch Gen. 5.24 And 2. Sometimes by removal Thus the Lord took away the Prophet Jonas from Israel and sent him to Ninivie as Jonah 1.2 And thus Paul and Barnabas went away from the Jews and turned to the Gentiles as Acts 13.4 3. Sometimes by deprivation A time there was when the good

loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen We believe saith John in the next Chapter that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he that loveth the Begetter must also love him that is begotten You would be loth to do otherwise in civil business will you refuse commerce with a man because he is contrary to you in opinion because he is not a Freeman of your City be not then so far from loving one another as to bear hatred one to another Thus you have heard what I had to say unto you by way of caution and counsel Oh that they may make such impressions on your hearts that they may be your continual practice in your lives and conversations I shall now close with the words of St. Paul 2 Cor. 13.11 Finally Brethren Farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And the Lord grant that both ye and I when we come to the Judgement Seat of God render up our Accounts with joy and receive an immortal Crown with Christ in Heaven until which Day I beseech Almighty God to keep you and preserve you in his fear Amen FINIS Mr. Lye's SERMON Preached at the conclusion of the Morning-Exercise in LOMBARD-STREET John 13.17 If yee know these things happy are yee if you do them IN these words two things observable First A Supposition which is double 1. If you know these things 2. If you do these things There be many that do but do not know do not understand there bee many that know but do not do do not practice But our Saviour to his Disciples is If you know first and then If you do Knowing without doing is unprofitable doing without knowing is impossible 2. A Position If you so know as to do then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessed happy are yee First for the Supposition which is double First If you know this word Knowledge in Scripture contains two things 1. It intimates an act of the mind or understanding If you know 2. It 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 faculty of the soul if you ●o ●how as to 〈…〉 From both these significations you have these two Observations 1. Our first great care should be this with all seriousness to apply our selves to the knowledge of the things of the Gospel wee must with the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stoop down to look into to have a clear thorow perfect sight of those things that are discovered in the Christall-glass of the Gospel Wee must look into the perfect Law of liberty James 2.25 2. As the word imports an act of memory or remembrance it affords us this Observation viz. Next to our knowing of it should be our care to retain and remember the glorious Truths of the Gospel 'T is all one not to remember as not to know wee must not only attend to Wisdomes words but must keep them in the center of our hearts Prov. 4.21 2. If you do hence observe 'T is not enough to know and remember but wee ought to do according to what wee know and practice according to what wee remember 'T is some slight kind of happiness to know but so to know as to do this is the happiness If you know if you do Wee must not only bee hearers of the word but doers of the word Knowledge without practice 't is Rachel like fair indeed but barren practice without knowledge were it possible Leah-like fruitful but blear-eyed both together Rachel's fairness with Leah's fruitfulness a fit Spouse for a Solomon 2. For the Position Happy are you if you do them hence observe There is a blessedness annexed to 〈◊〉 knowing the Truths of God as to remember and 〈◊〉 to remember as to do the work of that word I● you know if you do not otherwise blessed are yee Thus I have cut the words in peeces The second Observation is that I would first commend from the supposition If you knew that carries in it an act of memory namely That as it is our 〈◊〉 care to know so it should be our next care to remember what wee have known To this end let mee help your memories by way of a Summary rehearsal of our Morning-Exercise The first Sermon that was preached to you was built upon Isa 55.3 Hear and your soul shall live From that Text this Doctrine That that soul shall surely live spiritually blessedly eternally that so hears as to come to Christ himself The grand question upon that point was this What is to be done that wee may so hear 'T was answered something was to be done before something at something after hearing First Before hearing That holy dutie of hearing calls aloud for holy preparation so much at least as settles the bent of the heart heaven-ward so much at least as makes us humble and hunger after spiritual Manna so much at least as raises the heart into a posture of expectation of some divine and spiritual good from God Secondly a right demeanour in or at hearing which consists First The hearer ought to propound to himself spiritual and right ends and that 1. Negatively This must not be the hearers end to come and judge either the Word or the Minister of it nor 2. To come and hear things that will tickle his fancy if hee desire that let him go to those sinks of all wickednesse Play-houses nor 3. Must wee propose this our end meerly to better our parts nor 4. Meerly to know much less meerly to bee known that it should be said of us that wee have been at the Morning-Exercise every day this month But our end should be to profit by what wee hear Psal 119.33 Wee should hear that our souls may live Secondly Wee must labour to approve our selves true Gospel-hearers And to that end 1. Wee must be wakeful hearers 't is dangerous sleeping by a Candle set up by God 2. Wee must be Reverent hearers in the fear of God wee must worship though not towards yet in his holy Temple 3. Attentive hearers our ears and hearts should bee like Lydia's open to attend to those things spoken by Paul Act. 16.14 4. Receptive hearers Wee must take in what wee hear Act. 2.41 And this must be done with Faith with Love with Joy with Delight with Meekness with particular Application and this too not as the word of such a man or such a Minister I abhor that wicked notion among you the head of such a party and I know not what But as it is in deed and in truth the Word of God That man never hears as a Saint that when hee hears doth not look mostly at the Word as it is the Word of the God of Saints And if thus wee apply our selves to the Ordinances truly wee are in immediate capacity to have the Glory Spirit and Power of Christ to rest upon us in hearing And this leads mee to The Second